Method and apparatus to obtain high pressures for a continuous-flow pyrolysis reactor

A method to process an aqueous slurry comprised of the steps of:

• collection of raw material to be processed as a slurry;
• adjust the aqueous condition of the slurry as may be required for a desired result;
• pumping the slurry down a deep well into a reactor zone sufficiently deep to obtain hydrostatic pressures sufficient to present supercritical conditions to cause processing of said slurry;
• monitor the rate of progress of reaction of the processed slurry in the reaction zone;
• returning the processed slurry to the surface;
• and
• collecting the processed slurry for use.

A method of processing an aqueous slurry of material at an elevated pressure and temperature which comprises:

• presenting said aqueous slurry within a pressure zone which is pressurized by a depth of said slurry sufficient to produce an elevated pressure sufficient to produce supercritical conditions with said slurry, said pressure zone being within a generally vertical, laterally confined space;
• separately introducing energy to said pressure zone to initiate a reaction of the aqueous slurry;
• conveying said slurry between said pressure zone an the upper end of said confined space through a conduit extending downwardly in said space to said pressure zone;
• and
• withdrawing the resultant of said reaction from said pressure zone.

An apparatus for the continuing processing of carbonaceous solid slurry comprised of:

• an outer vessel emplaced within the earth to a depth necessary to obtain hydrostatic pressure sufficient to present supercritical conditions from the weight of the slurry;
• a means to convey said slurry to be processed to said designed depth within said outer vessel for processing;
• and
• a means to convey the said slurry after processing within said reactor zone back to the surface.

An apparatus to obtain high pressures for the processing of a carbonaceous-solid slurry comprised of:

• a sealed first vessel emplaced to a depth within the earth to obtain a hydrostatic pressure sufficient to create supercritical conditions resulting from the weight of the carbonaceous-solid slurry;
• a second vessel disposed within said first pipe, and open at the bottom of said pipe, extending from the surface to substantially the lowest portion of said outer vessel;
• means to transport said slurry to be processed through said second vessel into the substantially lowest portion of said first vessel;
• and
• means to return said slurry through said first vessel back to the surface after said slurry is processed.

Apparatus for carrying out a chemical process at an elevated pressure and involving an aqueous slurry including carbonaceous solids, comprising:

• means defining a vertically elongated, laterally enclosed space, said space including a reaction zone at the lower portion of said vertically elongated space;
• means for introducing said aqueous slurry adjacent the top of said space means, so that the desired pressure is produced by the hydrostatic head of said aqueous slurry in said reaction zone of said space;
• a pipe extending downwardly within said space to said reaction zone for introducing an oxidizing agent to said reaction zone;
• means for collecting resultants of the reaction within said reaction zone;
• and
• means for conveying said resultants from the said reaction zone to the top of the said vertically elongated space.