Supercritical pressurization of fuel slurry

摘要

A system ( 10 ) and a method for converting carbonaceous fuel ( 102 ) into a gaseous product ( 42 ). According to one embodiment a fuel slurry ( 118 ) is introduced into a chamber ( 120 ) and heated under sufficient pressure to prevent the carrier component ( 100 ) from boiling so that the carbonaceous component ( 102 ) does not separate from the carrier component ( 100 ). The step of heating the carrier component ( 100 ) may include increasing pressure and temperature to place the carrier component ( 100 ) in a supercritical state while sustaining the carbonaceous component ( 102 ) and carrier component ( 100 ) in a mixed state. In this embodiment a pump ( 136 ) imposes sufficient chamber pressure to prevent boiling of the carrier component ( 100 ) as the mixture is heated to at least 345° C., and a gasifier chamber ( 120 ) is positioned to receive the gaseous mixture ( 118 ) at a lower pressure than the supercritical pressure for creation of syngas ( 42 ).