Heat exchanger and apparatus for gasification and/or reforming

Abstract

The invention relates to a process and an apparatus for gasifying liquid and/or fine-grain solid gasification substances and/or for reforming a gas, using a gasification agent, in a reaction (1). In the process the process heat is supplied by heat carrier particles which are heated within a substantially closed circuit in a heater (5) by combustion gases which are produced in a combustion chamber (3), and passed through the reactor (1) in counter-flow relationship with the gasification substance or the gas to be reformed and the gasification agent, and then returned to the heater (5) for renewed heating. In accordance with the invention the particles and the combustion gas form a fluidized bed above at least one grid (34, 34a, 34b, 34c, 34d, 34e) arranged in the heater (5). The particles flow out of the heater (5) into the adjoining combustion chamber (3) in which they form a fluidized bed with the combustion gas and pass by way of a flow transfer pipe (7, 7') out of the combustion chamber (3) into an upper region of the reactor (1). The throughput of particles through the flow transfer pipe (7, 7') forms a seal which prevents a throughflow of product gas which is generated in the reactor (1). The particles form one or more fluidized beds in the reactor (1) with the gasification substance and/or the gas to be reformed.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.