Method and apparatus for upgrading carbonaceous fuel
OwnerEdward Koppelmaninventor
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention is concerned with upgrading the BTU values of carbonaceous materials. The carbonaceous material is introduced into a heat exchanger and is injected with gas such as an inert gas or carbon dioxide at a high pressure to raise the pressure at which the upgrading process is carried out. The carbonaceous material is then heated to the desired temperature by circulating a heat exchange medium throughout at least one vessel which is in contact with the carbonaceous material. Water and other by-products such as tar and gases are recovered during this process. The heated water may be used as a source of pre-heating feed material in another vessel.
Claims56
Apparatus for increasing the BTU value of solid granular carbonaceous material, comprising:
- heat exchange means having an outer casing, an inlet for a charge of solid granular carbonaceous material at a first end of said outer casing and an outlet at a second end of said outer casing, said second end being spaced apart from the first end, at least one tube member contained within said casing for receiving a charge of solid granular carbonaceous material, valve means located along said first end for distributing the charge into said at least one tube member and outlet means located along said second end for removing the charge from said outlet, said at least one tube member being disposed between the inlet and outlet;
- means coupled to the heat exchange means for introducing pressurized gas into said at least one tube member;
- means for circulating a heat exchange medium throughout said outer casing and in contact with said at least one tube, wherein said heat exchange medium is heated to a temperature of between about 250.degree. F. and about 1200.degree. F.;
- and
- means for conveying the solid granular carbonaceous material extending away from said heat exchange means at the second end.
A process of increasing the btu value of carbonaceous material comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a heat exchanger having at least one inlet tube inside an outer casing, an inlet for solid granular carbonaceous material, an inlet for pressurized gas in communication with said at least one tube, and an outlet for said solid granular carbonaceous material, and introducing solid granular carbonaceous material into said at least one tube through said solid granular carbonaceous material inlet;
- (b) circulating a heat exchange medium having a temperature of at least 200.degree. F. around said at least one tube;
- (c) injecting through said pressurized gas inlet pressurized gas into the at least one tube containing carbonaceous material at a pressure of between about 2 PSIG and about 3,000 PSIG;
- and
- (d) thereafter recovering the solid granular carbonaceous material through said outlet.
A process of increasing the btu value of carbonaceous material which comprises the steps of providing a heat exchanger having at least one inlet tube inside an outer casing, an inlet for solid granular carbonaceous material, an inlet for pressurized gas in communication with said at least one tube, and an outlet for said solid granular carbonaceous material:
- charging solid granular carbonaceous material into said at least one tube through said solid granular carbonaceous material inlet, heating said solid granular carbonaceous material by circulating a heat exchange medium having a temperature of between about 200.degree. F. to about 1200.degree. F. around said at lest one tube, removing water driven from said solid granular carbonaceous material from the at least one tube, raising the temperature of the said granular carbonaceous material to a pre-determined temperature within said at least one tube, injecting through said pressurized gas inlet an inert gas having a pressure of between about 2 PSIG to about 300 PSIG into said at least one tube, and recovering the carbonaceous material through said outlet.
A process for increasing the btu value of carbonaceous material comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a heat exchange having at least one inlet tube inside an outer casing, an inlet for solid granular carbonaceous material, an inlet for pressurized gas in communication with said at least one tube, and an outlet for said solid granular carbonaceous material, and introducing a charge of solid granular carbonaceous material into said at least one tube through said solid granular carbonaceous material inlet, said heat exchanger having a plurality of valves spaced along one dimension of the heat exchanger;
- (b) circulating a heat exchange medium having a temperature of between about 250.degree. F. to about 1200.degree. F. around successively longer portions of the at least one tube by successively opening and closing selected pairs of the plurality of valves;
- (c) injecting through said pressurized gas inlet a pressurized inert gas in the range of from about 2 PSIG to about 3000 PSIG into said at least one tube containing the charge of B solid granular carbonaceous material;
- and
- (d) recovering the carbonaceous material through said outlet.
An apparatus for increasing the BTU value of a carbonaceous material comprising:
- heat exchanger means having an outer casing, an inlet for solid granular carbonaceous material located along a first end, and an outlet spaced from said inlet and located along a second end for removing the solid granular carbonaceous material, said outer casing receiving a charge of carbonaceous material, means for introducing the charge of carbonaceous material into said casing, outlet means for removing the charge of carbonaceous material from said outlet, and at least one tube for circulating a heat exchange medium within said outer casing wherein said at least one tube isolates the solid granular carbonaceous material from said heat exchange medium, said heat exchange medium being heated to between about 200.degree. F. and about 1200.degree. F.;
- means coupled to the heat exchange means for introducing pressurized gas into said outer casing;
- and
- means for conveying the charge of solid granular carbonaceous material away from said heat exchange means.
An apparatus for upgrading carbonaceous material, comprising:
- heat exchange means including an outer casing having an inlet at a first end of the outer casing and an outlet at a second end of the outer casing, said second end being spaced apart from the first end, at least one tube member contained within the outer casing for receiving a charge of solid granular carbonaceous material, means for distributing the solid granular charge into the at least one tube member and means for removing the charge from said outlet;
- means for introducing pressurized gas into said at least one tube member;
- and
- means for circulating a heat exchange medium within said outer casing in contact with said at least one tube;
- whereby upon circulating the heat exchange medium at an elevated temperature within said outer casing for an extended period of time the BTU value of the charge of said granular carbonaceous materials is increased.
A process for upgrading carbonaceous material comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a heat exchanger having at least one inlet tube inside an outer casing, an inlet for solid granular carbonaceous material, and an inlet for pressurized gas in communication with said at least one tube.
- b. introducing through said inlet for carbonaceous material a solid granular charge of carbonaceous material into said at least one tube contained within said heat exchanger,
- c. introducing a heat exchange medium within said outer casing of said heat exchanger,
- d. circulating the heat exchange medium within said outer casing of said heat exchanger around and in contact with said at least one tube,
- e. injecting pressurized gas through said gas inlet into said at least one tube containing the solid granular carbonaceous material;
- and
- f. recovering the solid granular carbonaceous material once the solid granular carbonaceous material has attained an upgraded BTU value.
A process of upgrading carbonaceous material which comprises the steps of providing a heat exchanger having at least one inlet tube inside an outer casing, an inlet for solid granular carbonaceous material, and an inlet for pressurized gas in communication with said at least one tube, charging solid granular carbonaceous material into at least one tube contained within an outer casing, injecting pressurized gas into said at least one tube, heating said solid granular carbonaceous material by circulating a heat exchange medium around and generally in direct contact with said at least one tube to upgrade the carbonaceous material, removing by heating, water contained in said carbonaceous material, raising the temperature of the carbonaceous material to a pre-determined temperature within said at least one tube, and recovering the upgraded carbonaceous material.
A process of increasing the BTU value of carbonaceous material comprising the steps of:
- a) providing a heat exchanger having at least one inlet tube inside an outer casing, an inlet for solid granular carbonaceous material, an inlet for pressurized gas in communication with said at least one tube, and a plurality of valves spaced along at least one dimension of the heat exchanger and exteriorly thereof;
- b) introducing through said inlet for carbonaceous material a charge of solid granular carbonaceous material into said at least one tube;
- c) injecting pressurized gas into the at least one tube to facilitate heat transfer from the at least one tube to said charge of solid granular carbonaceous material;
- d) circulating a heat exchange medium throughout the outer casing of said heat exchanger around successively longer portions of the at least one tube by successively opening and closing selected pairs of the plurality of valves;
- and
- e) recovering the solid granular carbonaceous material once the carbonaceous material has attained a desired BTU value.
A process for upgrading carbonaceous material comprising the steps of:
- a. providing a heat exchanger having at least one tube inside an outer casing, an inlet for solid granular carbonaceous material, and an inlet for pressurized gas in communication with said outer casing;
- b. introducing through said inlet for carbonaceous material a solid granular charge of carbonaceous material into said outer casing;
- c. introducing a heat exchange medium within said at least one tube contained within said outer casing;
- d. circulating the heat exchange medium within said at least one tube;
- e. injecting pressurized gas through said gas inlet into said outer casing containing the solid granular carbonaceous material;
- and
- f. recovering the solid granular carbonaceous material once the solid granular carbonaceous material has attained an upgraded BTU value.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.