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US 6,647,903 B2Granted
Method and apparatus for generating and utilizing combustible gas
OwnerCharles W. Aguadas Ellisinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
Apparatus and method for generating fuel gas and optionally, activated carbon gasification from biomass fuel.
Claims29
A process for producing combustible fuel gas from solid biomass fuels, comprising the steps of:
- providing a fuel comprising a particulate biomass fuel at an upstream position within a gasifier to form a fuel bed, wherein said fuel bed comprises a sequence in a downstream direction of uncombusted fuel, a pyrolysis zone including a flame front, and char;
- providing an oxidizing gas to a pyrolysis zone in said fuel bed for a first stage of tar destruction and fuel gas formation, wherein said oxidizing gas is distributed in a geometry that allows continuous production of char and fuel gas from said uncombusted fuel;
- passing said char in a generally downstream direction through a second stage tar destruction zone in the gasifier;
- providing additional oxidizing gas to said char in the second stage tar destruction zone to destroy tar and form additional combustible fuel gas;
- controlling at least one of
- (a) the flow rate of said oxidizing gas to maintain said flame front at a predetermined level or zone within id fuel bed, and
- (b) the flow rate of said additional oxidizing gas into said char bed;
- and
- outputting said combustible fuel gas.
6 more elements
A gasifier for producing a combustible fuel gas from a solid biomass fuel, said apparatus comprising:
- a substantially enclosed chamber having upstream and downstream ends and a flow path therethrough for solid and gaseous materials;
- a first reaction section within said chamber and adjacent the upstream end, said first reaction section including a char production zone for producing char in a char bed from a solid biomass fuel, a fuel inlet for introducing said solid biomass fuel into said char production zone, and a first inlet for introducing oxidizing gas into said first reaction section;
- a second reaction section within said chamber and downstream of said first reaction section, said second reaction section including a zone for destroying tar in the char bed and a second inlet for oxidizing gas;
- a port for removing said combustible fuel gas from said apparatus;
- and
- means for controlling flow of said oxidizing gas through at least one of said first and second inlets;
- and
- means for removing solids from said second reaction section;
- wherein said first and second inlets are operative to introduce oxidizing gas into said chamber with a substantially laminar or radial flow in a direction substantially perpendicular to said flow path.
6 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.