Partial combustion apparatus

摘要

A device 2 is provided suitable for partial combustion of solid or semi-solid carbonaceous materials to produce fuel gas. It comprises a combustion chamber 4 with an air inlet 8 at or near the bottom and an exit 12 for fuel gas at or near the top. The device 2 further includes means for isolating from the combustion chamber 4 at least a portion 28 of any hot partially combusted carbonaceous material produced in the combustion chamber 4, by transferring portion 28 to a chamber 6, and means for bringing the fuel gas exiting from the combustion chamber 4 into contact with the isolated hot partially combusted carbonaceous material 28 in chamber 6. The device is useful for generating energy from reversable biomass and produces a clean fuel gas free from tars and liquid contaminants. There is a third chamber 14 for ash. Extracting devices 22 and 22a between chambers 4 and 6 and 6 and 14 allow transfer of material from an upper chamber to the lower one. Devices 22, 22a may be in the form of grates.