Steam pyrolysis as a process to enhance the hydro-gasification of carbonaceous materials

A process for producing a liquid fuel, the process comprising:

• a) forming a liquid suspension slurry of particles of carbonaceous material in water;
• b) feeding hydrogen and the suspension slurry into a hydro-gasification reactor without a reaction catalyst at a temperature and pressure sufficient to generate methane and carbon monoxide rich producer gases, wherein the ratio of water to dry carbonaceous material in the hydrogasification reactor is at least 2:1;
• c) subjecting the methane and carbon monoxide rich producer gases to steam reforming reactions under conditions whereby synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide is generated;
• and
• d) subjecting the synthesis gas to Fischer-Tropsch type reactions under conditions whereby a liquid fuel is produced.

A process for producing a synthesis gas for use as a gaseous fuel or as feed into a Fischer-Tropsch type reactor to produce a liquid fuel, the process comprising:

• a) forming a liquid suspension slurry of particles of carbonaceous material in water to produce a slurry of carbonaceous materials;
• b) feeding hydrogen and the suspension slurry into a hydro-gasification reactor without a reaction catalyst at a temperature and pressure sufficient to generate methane and carbon monoxide rich producer gases, wherein the ratio of water to dry carbonaceous material in the hydrogasification reactor is at least 2:1;
• c) feeding the methane and carbon monoxide rich producer gases from the hydro-gasification reactor into a steam methane reformer under conditions whereby synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide is generated;
• d) feeding a portion of the hydrogen generated by the steam methane reformer into the hydro-gasification reactor as said hydrogen from an internal source;
• and
• e) either utilizing said synthesis gas generated by the steam methane reformer for process heat or as fuel for an engine to produce electricity, or feeding said synthesis gas into the Fischer-Tropsch type reactor under conditions whereby a liquid fuel is produced.

A substantially self-sustaining process for producing a liquid fuel from carbonaceous feed, comprising:

• a) fanning a liquid suspension slurry of particles of carbonaceous material in Water;
• b) feeding hydrogen from an internal source and the suspension shiny into a hydro-gasification reactor without a reaction catalyst in amounts whereby methane and carbon monoxide rich producer gases are generated exothermally under super-atmospheric pressure;
• wherein the ratio of water to dry carbonaceous material in the hydrogasification reactor is at least 2:1;
• c) feeding the methane and carbon monoxide rich producer gases from the hydro-gasification reactor into a steam methane reformer under conditions whereby synthesis gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide are generated;
• d) feeding a portion of the hydrogen generated by the steam methane reformer, through a hydrogen purification filter, into the hydra-gasification reactor, the hydrogen therefrom constituting said hydrogen from an internal source;
• e) feeding the remainder of the synthesis gas generated by the steam methane reformer into the Fischer-Tropsch type reactor under conditions whereby a liquid fuel is produced exothermally;
• and
• f) transferring exothermic heat from the hydra-gasification reactor and Fischer-Tropsch type reactor to the steam methane reformer, whereby said process is substantially self-sustaining.