Partial oxidation of solid carbonaceous fuel-water slurries

摘要

Aqueous slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel having an increased reactivity of the solid material are produced by maintaining the solid carbonaceous fuel-water slurry at a temperature in the range of about 300 DEG to 650 DEG F. and a pressure in the range of about 100 to 3500 psia and sufficient to maintain the H2O in the slurry in liquid phase; at substantially constant temperature depressurizing said slurry to a pressure in the range of about above atmospheric to 250 psia above that in the reaction zone of a partial oxidation gas generator, thereby partially vaporizing the water in the slurry and producing steam. After depressurizing, the slurry is cooled so that the solid particles drop in temperature about 2 DEG F. to 10 DEG F. and the water in the slurry drops in temperature about 100 DEG F. to about 200 DEG F. the upgraded solid carbonaceous fuel-water slurry is then introduced into the reaction zone of the gas generator with substantially no further charge in pressure and/or temperature except for that resulting from ordinary pressure and/or heat losses in the lines. By the partial oxidation of the upgraded stream of solid carbonaceous fuel-water slurry with a free-oxygen containing gas in the gas generator, synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas is produced with a greater efficiency.