O

United States Patent [19] [11] 4,013,428

Babbitt [45] Mar. 22, 1977

[54] COAL GASIFICATION PROCESS 2,803,530 8/1957 Ludeman ...................... .. 48/Dl/G. 4

. . 3,074,469 H1963 Babbitt et al. ................... .. 431 285
[75] lnvenm" Rd?" P- Babb, Granada Hills 3,607,157 9/1971 Schlinger et al. .............. .. 48/197 R
CalIf- 9,715,195 2/1973 Tassoney et al. .............. .. 4s/197 R
[73] Assignee: The Marquardt Company, van 3,779,725 12/1973 Hegarty et al. .................... .. 48/202
I Nuys Cahf' Primary Examiner-Robert L. Lindsay, Jr.
[22] Filed: Jan. 26, 1976 Assistant Examiner-George C. Yeung
[21 ] APPL NOJ 652,081 Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Robert E. Geauque
[52] US. Cl. ............................. .. 48/202; 48/197 R; [57] ABSTRACT
[51] In Cl , 48mm; 1 [0/28 R; zszlyi??gslgg A process for gasi?cation of coal by combustion of a
[58] Fie'u s""""I"""""""""" ' 0 197 R fuel and oxidizer in a prebumer to produce steam at a
48IDIG 4_ H 90 l l0/28F 28 Rf temperature substantially above the minimum temper
423/580 ature at which steam and coal will react to produce
, carbon monoxide and hydrogen and introducing the
[56] References Cited steam and pulverized coal into a gasi?er to react the
UNITED STATES PATENTS coal and steam at a temperature above said minimum
1 temperature throughout said gasi?er.
2,713,590 7/l955 Palmer et al. ................ .. 48/DIG. 4
2.716.055 8/1955 Pearce ...................... .. 48/DIG. 4
2,767,233 10/1956 Mullen et al. ................. .. 48/212 24 Claims, 7 Drawing Figures

TU RBULATOR SECTION
36a
REACTION CHAMBER, 28

I-A>PRODUCT GAS OUT

SEPARATOR

360

1,40
ASH
 US. Patent Mar. 22, 1977 Sheet 2'of3 4,013,428

Fig. 3.

rTURBULATOR SECTION

REACTION CHAMBER'\\~ /36 2a '

26 -_k>PRODUCT GAS our

36\\

38\ SEPARATOR

/39

361;

1/40
ASH

F/g 220 / COMBUSTION ZONE 20

32\ '
FUEL '

2| 22
\ \\
02 (OR AIR) -> HOT GAS M
 US. Patent Mar. 22, 1977 ' Sheet30f3 4,013,428

Fig 5 SYSTEM INPUT COMPARISON

' ' (PER I,OOO SCF OF GAS PRODUCED)
FUEL H 0 OUTSIDE
OXYGEN PROCESS (COAL) 2 PG 2 STEAM H2O HEAT
_"__ LBS. FT3 FT3 FT3 LBS. LBS. BTU
:- ~ - d n _ ~ ' - |

:WITH H2 |8.8 I44 - I53 - 8.8 - l

IWITH PRODUCT 0As* 22.5 '- 634 3|4 - I.2 - i
l_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _. _ _.__.I

AIR PROCESS
--- ~ - NR3
FT

:WITH H2 8.? I73 - 6|3 - - - I

[WITH PRODUCT 0A9* 99 - 280 662 - .52 }
l. _ _ ~ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ m _ _ __V _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ___. _ _l

*FIGURES ARE PRODUCT GAS RECYCLED AT |00F

PLUS |,OOO SCF OUTPUT I

Fig 6 SYSTEM OUTPUT PRODUCT COMPARISON

' GAS COMPOSITION %

F' _
OXYGEN PROCESS
_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _
2 m _ _
Q
_ a _
CH4?"
_ _ _ _ _
C__g
_ i T _
N_2 _ _ _ ' _
B5363?
_ _ '- _1

I WITH H2 _ 48.3 49.I L5 0.?' 0.4 30? I

1 WITH PRODUCT GAS 35.9 6L4 |.7 0.? 0.3 307 l
I. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ E _ _ n m m -_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __ _ _ _ _ _J

AIR PROCESS
I" _ _ _ n _ _ ~ _ ' _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ ~ ""' _. _" _ _ _ "'_ _ _ 1

1 WITH H2 25.5 25.1 05 0| 48.2 I62 :

l WITH PRODUCT GAS 20.2 33.9 0.9 0.? 44.3 I7I I
L _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ . _ _ _ _ _.J

Fig 7 OVERALL PERFORMANCE COMPARISON

' ' EFFIIEIENCY RATIO=
$/ THERM BTU IN PRODUCT
w FOR ALL PROCESS FUELS BTU
f|N_R"'Aw
FUELS
" + OUTSIDE HEAT
r- - ~ ~ - ~ - - ~ " - - - - - 'I

I WITH H2 ' 0.4l |.0 {

1 WITH PRODUCT GAS - 0.40** 053*? g
L _ _ _ _ _ _ _. _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ .. f _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _... _ -J

KOPPERS PULV. COAL 0.58 0.59

LURGI PRESSURE 0.59 0.42
WINKLER O.6l . 0.53
BRUCETON - 0.59
AIR PROCESS
r- ~ n - -1

1 WITH PRODUCT GAS 0.l3** O.6T** 1'

HOT RAw PRODUCER 0.24 0.64
GAS
*ADJUSTED TO l.O MAX. REFERENCE
**CORRECTED FOR AMOUNT OF GAS RECYCLED
 1
4,013,428
2
coal and oxygen or air, and this burning produces CO2
COAL GASIFICATION PROCESS because of the lower temperature of the combustion
process. The gases move through a bed of coal and
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
temperatures are such that CO2 is formed. In order to
Present processes for the gasi?cation of coal gener 5 hold down the percentage of CO2, the temperature of
ally rely upon external sources of heat or the burning of the steam introduced is made as high as possible to
part of the carbon (coal or coke) to provide the heat reduce the amount of 02 that has to be used.
needed. This process results in the generation of CO2 In the present invention, a sudden expansion burner
which, in most cases, must be removed from the stream can be utilized to produce the very high preburner
output before the gas can be used. Also, slagging of temperature. Such a burner is fully described in US.
US. coals presents a problem in present gasi?cation Pat. No. 3,074,469 and is capable of producing com
processes. In the Lurgi process, sized non-coking coal bustion products in the general temperature range of
is fed into a pressure gasi?er and steam and oxygen are 5,000 F depending on the fuel and oxidizer which is
introduced below the grate at the bottom of the gasi?er used. The rate of introduction of powdered coal into
in amounts that will cool the grate and prevent clinking the steam from the preburner is controlled to maintain
of the ash. The raw gases leave the top of the gasi?er at the complete conversion of the coal to product gas
about 850 F and are scrubbed and cooled before fur containing CO and H2 and substantially no CO2. Obvi
ther treatment. The concurrent flow of the reactants in ously, it would be impossible to generate steam in a
a ?xed-bed reactor allows the efficient use of the heat boiler to temperatures of this magnitude because of
released during the oxidation of the coal near the base 20 structural limitations in such devices. In some cases,
of the gasi?er. The Lurgi gasi?er requires sized coal additional steam can be added to that produced in the
and can only handle non-coking coal. In the Koppers pre-burner when the steam temperature is high enough
Totzek process, coal, steam and oxygen in an entrained to react more coal than the combustion products could
state are reacted at atmospheric pressure. Because of reduce.
the entraining mode of operation, the raw gas leaves 25
the gasi?er at temperatures up to 3300 F so that the BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
consumption of oxygen is higher than in ?xed-bed pro FIG. 1' is a diagrammatic illustration of a typical pre
cesses. Additional processes, such as the Winkler pro sent coal gasi?cation process and lists typical reactions
cess, are described in the article entitled Coal Conver in said process using oxygen or air;
sion Technology by Harry Perry in Chemical Engi 30 FIG. 2 is a diagrammatic illustration of the process of
neering, July 22, 1974 issue. the present invention and lists typical reactions with
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION various fuel/oxidizer combinations;
FIG, 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of an apparatus
The present gasi?cation process utilizes a precom utilized to perform the process by introducing pow
bustion stage in which an oxidizer and fuel are com 35 dered coal into the combustion products of a sudden
busted to provide heat to a separate gasi?er stage in expansion burner;
which the classic carbon/water reaction takes place to FIG. 4 is an enlarged diagrammatic illustration of the
produce CO and H2 without the generation of CO2 burner;
which would have to be removed from the product gas FIG. 5 is a chart showing the input into. the process
before the gas could be used. In the gasifier stage, slag for each thousand SCF of gas produced with the vari
ging is avoided by utilizing powdered coal injected into ous fuel/oxidizer combinations in the pre-burner;
the products of combustion which leave the precom FIG. 6 is a chart of the system output product for the
bustion stage and enter the gasi?er. Ash is blown out of various fuel/oxidizer combinations;
the gasi?er and can be collected by a centri?cal separa FIG. 7 is a chart comparing the overall performance
tor. 45 of the invention with prior art processes.
Very high temperature steam is produced in the pre
combustion (preburner) stage and the steam reacts DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED
with the coal in the gasi?er stage. No signi?cant CO2 is EMBODIMENT
produced in the product gas because CO2 in the gasi?er FIG. 1 illustrates a typical prior art coal gasi?cation
is reduced to CO at the high temperature of the incom 50 process which utilizes a gasi?er 9. Coal is introduced by
ing gas from the preburner. The temperature of the passage 10, steam is introduced by passage 11, and an
steam produced in the preburner will be determined by oxidizer (oxygen or air) is introduced by passage 12.
the nature of the fuel and oxidizer introduced to the The steam and oxidizer react with coal to produce a
preburner. It is desirable to have the products of com product gas which is discharged by passage 14 and ash
bustion (steam) from the preburner at a temperature 55 is removed by passage 15. An axiliary burner (not
substantially higher than will maintain the gasi?cation shown) can be utilized to start the reaction. FIG. 1 also
action so that as the reaction proceeds, the tempera lists the typical reactions (l) and (2) when oxygen or
ture in the gasi?er will not drop below the temperature air, respectively, is utilized and in each case, it is noted
required to complete the production of CO and H2. In that CO2 is produced in addition to fuel components H2
order to maintain the gasi?cation reaction throughout and CO. Also, in the case of air, N2 is also present in the
the gasi?er, the temperature in the gasifier should not product gas since it is a component of air and is inert in
drop below about l7l2 F at the discharge end of the the process. No attempt is made to balance these equa
gasi?er stage. By burning the fuel and oxygen in a pre tions, but the inputs are shown on one side and the
burner outside of the gasi?er, an ultra-high tempera components of the product gas are shown on the other
ture environment is created in the gasi?er so that any 65 side of the equations. The CO2 present in the product
CO2 is immediately reduced to CO. gas has no BTU capacity and is incapable of being
As previously stated, the heat required for reaction in further utilized as a fuel product. The steam introduced
known processes is generatedby burning part of the by passage 11 is usually produced by a boiler and can
 4,013,428
3 4
have a temperature range of about 800 to 1500 F. tion 30 where the steam mixes with powdered coal
The product gas is produced throughout the gasi?er introduced through passage 27 by a motor driven screw
' and leaves at a temperature somewhat above the enter 33 in coal hopper 34. The steam and coal enter at end
ing temperature of the steam. The reaction is generated of reaction chamber 36 of gasi?er 26 and react as they
by burning part of the coal with oxygen or air and this pass downwardly from end 36a of the reaction chamber
produces CO2 because of the lower temperature of the 36 to end 36b. The quantity of water added to burner
reaction. The hotter the steam, the less CO2 will be passage 24 from passage 23 is such as to react the
formed and more CO will be formed. However, the maximum amount of coal as determined by the steam
introduction temperature of the steam is not high temperature entering the gasi?er. The amount of coal
enough to produce a conversion of the coal to CO and and steam introduced to the gasi?er assures that the
H2 without the formation of CO2. gasi?cation reaction continues along chamber 36 and
FIG. 2 illustrates the process of the present invention does not fall below approximately 1712" F by the time
and of the reaction for each combustion of fuel and the reaction product reaches separator 38 connected to
oxidizer introduced to the preburner 20. Fuel is intro end 36b of the reaction chamber 36. By the time the
duced to the preburner by passage 21 and oxidizer is 15 reaction products enter the separator 38 through exit
introduced by passage 22 and these substances are opening 39, the coal and steam will be completely
combusted in the preburner to produce steam in pas reacted to H2 and CO. The separator 38 can be of any
sage 24 at a very high temperature. depending upon the standard construction which removes any solid parti
oxidants and fuel utilized. Some water at ambient tem cles and ash and the product gas leaves the separator
perature can be added at passage 23 and is converted 20 through passage 28 at the top of the separator, the ash
into steam by the combustion products which also in being discharged through bottom opening 40.
clude steam. The total steam is then introduced to the Referring to the various reactions set forth in FIG. 2,
gasi?er 26 into which is simultaneously introduced when oxygen and hydrogen are combusted in the pre
powdered coal through passage 27. In the gasi?er, a burner 20, and the water added, the resultant steam
reaction takes place between the vsteam and the coal 25 temperature in passage 24 is approximately 3514 F.
and produces CO and H2 without any appreciable and when hydrogen is combusted with air, the tempera
amount of CO2. regardless of the particular combustion ture of steam is about 3100 F. When oxygen is com
of fuel and oxidizer. When air is used as the oxidizer, busted with product gas and a small amount of water
inert N2 is also present in the product gas. The product added, the temperature is about 4722 F and when air
gas is then discharged through passage 28 to a separa is combusted with product gas and a small amount of
tor and for further treatment. In one form of the inven water added the steam temperature is about 3770 F. It
tion, a portion of the product gas is recycled by passage has been determined that the reaction of coal and
29 back to passage 22 so that the product gas serves as steam to CO and H2 requires a minimum temperature
the fuel in the preburner. Reactions ( 3)_and (4) of FIG. of approximately 1712 F and therefore the tempera
2 utilized 0,, as the oxidizer and H2 or product gas, 35 ture of the steam produced by each of the reactions in
respectively, as the fuel while reactions (5) and (6) FIG. 2 is high enough to reduce coal throughout the
used air as the oxidizer and H2 or product gas, respec reaction chamber before the minimum reaction tem
tively, as the fuel. perature is reached.
The present process effectively eliminates CO2 from The amount of powdered coal fed to the gasi?er in
the product gas by reacting powdered coal with very 40 proportion with the flow of fuel and oxidizers to the
high temperature steam produced in the preburner. preburner can be determined from the chart of FIG. 5.
Any CO2 which might be developed in the gasi?er is When 153 cubic feet of oxygen and 144 cubic feet of
immediately reduced to CO because of the very high hydrogen gas are combusted in the preburner, and 8.8
temperature environment. The reaction takes place as pounds of water added, the steam product will be re
the components move along the gasi?er and the tem 45 acted with 18.8 pounds of coal. As indicated in FIG. 6,
perature in the gasi?er is not permitted to fall below the the product gas leaving the reaction chamber will be
minimum temperature which will maintain the gasi?ca 48.3% Hz, 49.1% CO, 1.5% CH4, 0.7% CO2 and 0.4%
tion process, namely about 1712 F Thus, the product N-,. The steam at approximately 3524 F will reduce
gas is discharged from the gasi?er at a temperature at 18.8 pounds of coal and this represents the optimum
least as high as the minimum temperature. The amount relationship between the quantities of fuel, oxidizer,
of coal and steam introduced to the gasifier is such that water and coal. In a similar manner, the optimum
the coal and steam will be substantially completely ' amounts of fuel, oxidizer, water and powdered coal
reacted to CO and H2 and ash by the time the gas used for the other three reactions and the components
reaches the discharge passage 28. The coal is never in of the product gas can be determined from FIGS. 5 and
contact with pure oxygen and will never burn but 55 6 for the other three reactions. When product gas is
merely reacts with high temperature steam to form COtaken from passage 28 to be used as fuel, about 20% of
and H2. the product gas produced is recirculated to the pre
FIG. 3 is a diagrammatic illustration of one form of burner and a heat exchanger 29a is placed in passage
apparatus utilized to practice the process. The pre 29 which reduces the temperature of the product gas to
burner 20 (see FIG. 4) is a sudden expansion burner, about 400 F, thereby reclaiming a portion of the heat
such as fully disclosed in US. Pat. No. 3,074,469. The content of the recirculated product gas for other uses.
oxidizer is introduced through passage 21 leading to Without the addition of water as indicated in the
the step 32 of the burner and the fuel is introduced chart of FIG. 5, the exit temperature from the pre
from a manifold passage 22 through a plurality of pas burner into the separator 38 would be such that the
sages 22a extending through the step 32. Combustion 65 quantity of coal reacted could be increased if more H2
takes place at the step and beyond and water, if used, is and 02 were present in the product gas. Therefore, in
added at passage 23. All the steam exits from the order to attain the most efficient operation, an amount
burner housing passage 24 and through turbulent sec of water is added to the combustion products of the
 4,013,428
5 6
preburner so that more coal can be reduced and still ably with the hot raw producer gas process. In both of
maintain the required minimum exit temperature. As . these cases, the product gas has a substantial percent
indicated in FIG. 5, the pounds of H20 added to each age of nitrogen in the product gas which may limit the
reaction varies to obtain the most ef?cient operation of use of the product gas in other processes because it is
the system by reaction of additionalwater with coal practically impossible to remove the nitrogen. The
without loweringthe temperature below the minimum oxygen processes do not have the nitrogen in the prod
of l7l2 F. As indicated. no water is added in the air uct gas because air is not used as the oxident. The
process where air is burned with hydrogen. The reac processes of the present invention have the added ad
tion equations of FIG. 2 do not indicate the addition of vantage that the product gas does not contain any sub
water to the preburner since the equations simply des stantial amount of CO2 as in the other oxygen processes
ignate hydrogen and oxygen as separate components. to which it is compared.
In FIG. 5, it is possible to determinethe optimum An important aspect of the present process is the fact
ratio between the various products used in the process. that by using a continuous coal feed, any type of coal
In the oxygen process with Hz, the ratio of cubic feet of can be used without plugging up the gasi?er. While this
Hz to cubic feet of O2 is approximately 0.94, the ratio of is probably also true of the Koppers process, the Kop
cubic feet of hydrogen to pounds of coal is approxi pers process still has a substantial quantity of CO2 in its
mately 7.7, and the ratio of cubic feet of hydrogen to product gas. Also, both of the processes using oxygen
pounds of water added is approximately 16.4. In the with H; or product gas are considerably more efficient
oxygen process with product gas, the ratio of cubic feet on a dollar per therrn basis than the Koppers and other
of product gas to cubic feet of oxygen is approximately prior processes to which they are compared.
2.02, the ratio of cubic feet of product gas to pounds of The coal can have the consistency of beach sand or
coal is approximately 28.2, and the ratio of cubic feet ?ner, but if the coal is too large, particles will fall,
of product gas to pounds of water added is approxi partically unreacted, to the bottom of the chamber.
mately 528.33. The absence of any substantial CO2 in the product gas
In the air process with H2, the ratio of cubic feet of 25 has a considerable advantage in that it does not have to
hydrogen to cubic feet of air is approximately 0.28, the be removed for processes in which the .CO2would be
ratio of cubic feet of hydrogen to'pounds of coal is ineffective or objectionable. Heat can be recovered
approximately 19.9 and no additional water is added at from the high temperature product gas by a waste heat
passage 23. In the air process with product gas, the boiler or heatexchanger with the incoming air. While
ratio of cubic feet of product gas to cubic feet of air is 30 ratios of oxygen, hydrogen and air and product gas, as
approximately 0.42, the ratio of cubic feet of product supplied to the preburner have been described for the
gas to pounds of coal is approximately 28.3, and the optimum condition, variations can take place and still
ratio of cubic feet of product gas to water added is produce an operating process although such variations
approximately 538.5. It is understood that the rate at from the optimum would not be practical. _
which these components are employed in the process What is claimed is:
will depend upon the capacity of the equipment em l. Aprocess for the gasi?cation of coal comprising
ployed to conduct the process and that the ?gures the steps of: .
listed in the chart of FIG. 5 are for 1000 SCF of prod a. combusting a hydrogen containing fuel and oxi
uct gas produced independently of the rate of produc dizer selected from the group consisting of oxygen
tion. . and air in a preburner to produce steam at a tem
Referring to the chart of FIG. 6, the product gas perature substantially above the minimum temper
composition in percentage of components is listed as ature at which steam will react will coal to produce
well as the BTU per SCF of gas product produced. In carbon monoxide and hydrogen, said minimum
all the reactions of FIG. 2, only a trace of CO2 is pre temperature being approximately l7l2 F',
sent in the product gas regardless of the particular 45 b. introducing said steam and pulverized coal into a
oxidizer and fuel. As would be expected, the BTU per gasi?er in controlled amounts and reacting the coal
SCF gross of the product gas is substantially higher with and steam in a substantially oxygen free environ
the burning of pure oxygen than with the burning of air ment while maintaining the reaction temperature
as the oxidizer in the preburner. above said minimum temperature throughout said
While FIG. 5 sets forth the optimum proportions of 50 gasi?er; and
fuel, oxidizer, water and powdered coal, the process is c. discharging product gas comprising CO and H2
operative at other ratios. However, if the percentage of from said gasi?er at approximately said minimum
coal is lower, there is not sufficient carbon to combine temperature, the controlled amounts of said coal
with the steam and excess steam will be present in the and said steam introduced to the gasi?er being
product gas. If the percentage of coal is increased, the 55 such that the coal and steam are substantially com
gases will be chilled more during the reaction and the pletely reacted to CO and H2 and ash by the time of
temperature will drop so that there may be some CO2, discharge.
as well as ash and coal dust, in the outlet from the 2. A process as de?ned in claim 1 comprising dis
reaction chamber. charging said product gas from said gasi?er at said
Referring to FIG. 7, there is set forth a comparison of 60 minimum temperature of approximately 1712 F.
the reactions used in the present invention with a num 3. A process as de?ned in claim 1 wherein said fuel is
ber of prior art processes, whose performances are product gas removed from said gasi?er.
calculated from the best attainable infonnation. The 4. A process as de?ned in claim 1 comprising com
e?iciency ratio of the BTU in the product to the BTU busting said fuel and oxidizer in a sudden expansion
in the raw fuel plus outside heat is designated as l for 65 burner.
the oxygen the process using hydrogen as fuel. The 5. A process as de?ned in claim 1 comprising mixing
present process with the use of product gas and air said steam and pulvarized coal together in turbulent
provides a cheap process which compares very favor passage section upon entering said gasi?er.
 '7
4,013,428
8
6. A process as de?ned in claim 1 comprising intro 15. A process as de?ned in claim 14 wherein said
ducing said product gas to a separator to remove ash product gas has a BTU per SCF value of approximately
' particles from said product gas. ' ' 307. '

7. A process as de?ned in claim 1 comprising adding 16. A process as de?ned in claim I wherein said fuel
a quantity of water to said burner to increase the quan and oxidizer are hydrogen and air, respectively, the
tity of steam reacted with said coal in said gasi?er to an temperature of said introduced steam being approxi
amount which will react the maximum quantity of coal. mately 3l00 F.
8. A process as de?ned in claim 7 wherein said fuel 17. A process as de?ned in claim 16 wherein the ratio
and oxidizer are hydrogen and oxygen, respectively, of cubic feet of hydrogen to cubic feet of air is approxi
the temperature of said introduced steam being ap 0 mately 0.3 and the ratio of cubic feet of hydrogen to
proximately 35 14 F. pounds of coal is approximately 20.
9. A process as de?ned in claim 7 wherein the ratio of 18. A process as de?ned in claim 17 wherein said
cubic feet or hydrogen to cubic feet of oxygen is ap product gas is removed at a temperature approximately
proximately 0.9, the ratio of cubic feet-of hydrogen to I7 I 2 F, said product gas comprising H2 and ,CO and N2
pounds of coal is approximately 8, and the ratio of with only a trace of CO2.
cubic feet of hydrogen to pounds of water added is 19. A process as de?ned in claim 18 wherein said
approximately l6. product gas has a BTU per SCF of approximately 162.
10. A process as de?ned in claim 9 wherein and 20. A process as de?ned in claim 7 wherein said fuel
product gas is removed at a temperature of approxi and oxidizer are product gas and air, respectively, the
mately l7 1 2 F, said product gas being comprised of H2 20 temperature of said introduced steam being approxi
and CO with only a trace of N2 and-CO2. . mately 3770 F. -
ll. A process as de?ned in claim 10 wherein said 21. A process as de?ned in claim 20 wherein the ratio
product gas has a BTU per SCF value of approximately of cubic feet of product gas to cubic feet of air is ap
307. .
proximately 0.4, the ratio of cubic feet of product gas
12. A process as de?ned in claim 7 wherein said fuel 25 to pounds of coal is approximately 28, and the ratio
and oxidizer are product gas and oxygen, respectively, between cubic feet of product gas to pounds of water
the temperature of said introduced steam being ap added is approximately 538. ' '
proximately 4722 F. ' - 22. A process as de?ned in claim 2] wherein said
[3. A process as de?ned in claim 12 wherein the ratio product gas is removed at a temperature of approxi
of cubic feet of product gas to cubic feet of O2 is'ap 30 mately 17 l 2 F, said product'ga's comprising H2 and CO
proximately 2, the ratio of cubic feet of product gas to and N2 with only a trace of CO2.
pounds of coal is approximately 28, andithe ratio be 23. A process as de?ned in claim 22 where said prod
tween cubic feet of product gas to pounds of water uct gas has a BTU per SCF of approximately 171.
added is approximately 528. ' 1' ' 24. A process as de?ned to claim 1 comprising intro
14. A process as de?ned in claim 12 wherein said 35 ducing said steam to said gasi?er at a temperature high
product gas is removed at a temperature of approxi enough to create an environment capable of immediate
mately 17] 2 F, said product gas being comprised of H2 reduction of CO2 to CO.
and CO with only a trace of N2 and CO2. * * * * *

45

50

55

65