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US 5,769,908 AGranted
Method and apparatus for reducing the by-product content of carbonaceous materials
AssigneeKFx Inc.
InventorEdward Koppelman
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
The present invention relates to various apparatuses and processes for treating carbonaceous materials to remove by-products therefrom. More particularly, the present invention relates to the treatment of carbonaceous materials by injecting an inert gas into the carbonaceous material under a vacuum or injecting steam into the carbonaceous material either with or without the vacuum being applied in a controlled manner to more consistently treat the charge of carbonaceous material.
Claims15
An apparatus for removing by-products from carbonaceous materials, comprising:
- a heat exchanger including an outer casing, an inlet for a charge of carbonaceous material located along a first end of said casing and an outlet located along a second end of said casing, at least one tube member contained within said casing for receiving a charge of carbonaceous material, one or more valves located along said first end for introducing the charge of carbonaceous material into said at least one tube and one or more valves located along said second end for removing the charge of carbonaceous material;
- means for circulating a heat exchange medium throughout said outer casing wherein said heat exchange medium is heated to a temperature of between about 250.degree. F. to about 1200.degree.F.;
- means for applying a vacuum to said at least one tube containing a charge of carbonaceous material;
- and
- means for introducing a treatment medium in the form of steam into said at least one tube containing a charge of carbonaceous material after applying a vacuum to said at least one tube containing the charge of carbonaceous material;
- whereby upon applying said vacuum and thereafter introducing said steam, said steam condenses rapidly upon said carbonaceous material thereby speeding the removal of by-products from said carbonaceous material.
3 more elements
The apparatus of claim 2, wherein said means for circulating a heat exchange medium throughout said outer casing includes:
- a well extending upwardly into said casing from the lower end through which the heat exchange medium is introduced into the casing;
- a plurality of downwardly extending channels into which the heat exchange medium flows from said well;
- and
- an outlet through which the heat exchange medium exits the apparatus for reheating.
1 more element
An apparatus for removing by-products from carbonaceous material, comprising:
- a heat exchanger including an outer casing and an inner chamber, an inlet located along a first end of said casing for introducing a charge of carbonaceous material into said chamber, an outlet located along a second end of said casing for removing said charge of carbonaceous material, valve means operable to close off the chamber for treatment of said carbonaceous material and an elongated divider disposed within said chamber extending substantially between said first end and said second end of said chamber for segregating said chamber into a plurality of elongated sections for containing said carbonaceous material;
- and
- means for introducing steam into one or more sections of said chamber wherein said steam is substantially evenly distributed within each section into which it is introduced;
- thereby providing for relatively consistent removal of said by-products from said carbonaceous material.
1 more element
A process for removing by-products from carbonaceous materials, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a heat exchanger having a least one tube contained within an outer casing, an inlet for introducing carbonaceous material into said at least one tube, an outlet for removing said carbonaceous material from said at least one tube and an inlet for introducing steam into said at least one tube;
- (b) circulating a heat exchanger medium having a temperature of at least 250.degree. F. throughout said outer casing to effectuate an increase in the temperature of said carbonaceous material;
- (c) applying a vacuum to said at least one tube containing carbonaceous material;
- (d) injected steam through said inlet into said at least one tube containing carbonaceous material;
- and
- (e) recovering the carbonaceous material through said outlet;
- whereby upon applying said vacuum and thereafter introducing said steam, said steam condenses rapidly upon said carbonaceous material thereby speeding the removal of by-products from said carbonaceous material.
4 more elements
A process for removing by-products from carbonaceous materials, comprising the steps of:
- (a) providing a heat exchanger including an outer casing and an inner chamber, an inlet for introducing carbonaceous material into said inner chamber, an outlet for removing carbonaceous material from said chamber, an elongated divider disposed within said inner chamber for segregating the inner chamber into a plurality of elongated sections for containing said carbonaceous material and an injector for introducing steam into one or more sections of said chamber such that said steam is introduced in a substantially even manner in any given chamber section;
- (b) introducing carbonaceous material into at least one of said elongated sections;
- (c) optionally, applying a vacuum to said at least one elongated chamber containing said carbonaceous material;
- (d) introducing steam into one or more sections of said chamber for a sufficient amount of time to effectuate a chemical restructuring of said carbonaceous material such that said by-products are readily removed from the carbonaceous material;
- and
- (e) removing the chemically restructured carbonaceous material.
3 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.