Method and apparatus for treating wastes by gasification

An apparatus for treating at least one waste selected from a group consisting of municipal wastes, plastic wastes including automobile wastes, biomass wastes, and refuse-derived fuel, said apparatus comprising:

• a fluidized bed reactor for partially combusting the wastes at a temperature of from 450° C. to 950° C., thereby forming a gaseous material and carbonous material, while crushing the carbonous material by a fluidized bed in said fluidized bed reactor to thereby form char, said fluidized bed reactor having an outlet for discharge of the gaseous material and the char;
• a combustor, separate from said fluidized bed reactor and operable at a temperature sufficient to melt an ash content in the char, for receiving the gaseous material and the char from said outlet of said fluidized bed reactor and for gasifying the gaseous material and the char to form synthesis gas, while melting the ash content to thereby form molten slag, said combustor having an outlet for discharge of the molten slag;
• a quencher to quench the synthesis gas received from said combustor to form quenched synthesis gas and to generate steam;
• a CO converter to receive the cooled synthesis gas and steam and to perform a CO conversion reaction to produce H2 and residual gas;
• a separator to separate the H2 from the residual gas;
• and
• a passage to supply the residual gas to said fluidized bed reactor as fluidizing gas for fluidizing the fluidized bed therein.