Texaco Inc.

Texaco Development Corporation

Blake Reynolds

Charles P Marion

George N Richter

Edward T Child

Albert Brent

William B Crouch

A control system for a partial oxidation process for continuously producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas in which process one fuel is replaced by a different fuel without shutting down or depressurizing the gas generator. This multifuel process is not tied to one particular fuel and reacts slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbonaceous fuels. Problems of fuel availability are reduced due to the wide selection of fuels that are suitable for the subject process. A two-section burner having a high turndown feature is employed that comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of tubes positioned in said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of tubes positioned in said annular passage. The downstream ends of said central and/or annular bunches of tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e. 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice and the minimum width of the annular exit orifice. A control system is provided for switching the type of reactant fuel streams flowing through either one or both sections of the burner. The flow rates of the oxidant, fuel, and temperature moderator streams may also be varied in either one or both sections of the burner, thereby effecting a rapid turndown or turnup of the burner and a change in the production of the effluent gas.

Partial oxidation system

A partial oxidation control system for continuously producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas in which one process fuel is replaced by a different fuel without shutting down or depressurizing the gas generator. Suitable burners for introducing the feedstreams into the gas generator comprise a central conduit means radially spaced from a concentric coaxial outer conduit having a downstream exit nozzle, and providing a coaxial annular passage means therebetween. The central conduit means may be retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 and preferably 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice. A premix zone is preferably provided comprising one or more, say 2 to 5 coaxial chambers in series where substantial mixing of the reactant streams and optionally volatilization of the slurry medium takes place. A control system is provided for switching the type of reactant fuel stream flowing through either the central conduit means or the annular passage means of the burner and adjusting the flow rates of the reactant stream of free-oxygen containing gas with or without mixture with a temperature moderator and if necessary to introduce supplemental H.sub.2 O into the reaction zone to maintain the temperature and weight ratio H.sub.2 O/fuel in the reaction zone at design conditions for the partial oxidation reaction without stopping production of the product gas.

A burner and partial oxidation process for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The burner has a high turndown feature and comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said annular passage; and wherein the downstream ends of said central and annular bunches of parallel tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e. 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice and the minimum width of the annular exit orifice. Three ranges of flow through the burner may be obtained by using one or both bunches of tubes and their surrounding conduits. Throughput levels may be rapidly changed--up and down--without sacrificing stable operation. A control system is presented for varying the flow rates of the oxidant and fuel streams and/or for switching the reactant streams through one or both sections of the subject burner, thereby effecting a rapid turndown of the burner and in the production of the effluent gas.

Partial oxidation high turndown apparatus

A partial oxidation process and control system for continuously producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas in which one process fuel is replaced by a different fuel without shutting down or depressurizing the gas generator. This multifuel process is not tied to one particular fuel and reacts slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbonaceous fuels. Suitable burners for introducing the feedstreams into the gas generator comprise a central conduit means radially spaced from a concentric coaxial outer conduit having a downstream exit nozzle, and providing a coaxial annular passage means therebetween. The central conduit means may be retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 and preferably 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice. A premix zone is preferably provided comprising one or more, say 2 to 5 coaxial chambers in series where substantial mixing of the reactant streams and optionally volatilization of the slurry medium takes place. A control system is provided for switching the type of reactant fuel stream flowing through either the central conduit means or the annular passage means of the burner and adjusting the flow rates of the reactant stream of free-oxygen containing gas.

Partial oxidation process

A partial oxidation process for continuously producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas in which process one fuel is replaced by a differing fuel without shutting down or depressurizing the gas generator. This multifuel process is not tied to one particular fuel and reacts slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbonaceous fuels. Problems of fuel availability are reduced due to the wide selection of fuels that are suitable for the subject process. A two-section burner having a high turndown feature is employed that comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of tubes positioned in said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of tubes positioned in said annular passage. The downstream ends of said central and/or annular bunches of tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e. 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifie and the minimum width of the annular exit orifice. A control system is provided for switching the type of reactant fuel streams flowing through either one or both sections of the burner. The flow rates of the oxidant, fuel, and temperature moderator streams may also be varied in either one or both sections of the burner, thereby effecting a rapid turndown or turnup of the burner and a change in the production of the effluent gas.

High turndown partial oxidation process

A process for the partial oxidation of pumpable slurries of solid carbonaceous fuels in which the pumpable slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel in a liquid carrier is passed in liquid phase through one passage of a burner comprising a retracted central coaxial conduit, an outer coaxial conduit with a converging orifice at the downstream tip of the burner and, optionally, an intermediate coaxial conduit. The downstream tips of the central conduit and the intermediate conduit, if any, are retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of respectively two or more say 3 to 10 for the central conduit, and about 0 to 12 say 1 to 5 for the intermediate conduit times the minimum diameter of the converging orifice of the outer conduit at the burner tip. A pre-mix zone is thereby provided comprising one or more, say 2 to 5 coaxial pre-mix chambers in series. The free-oxygen containing stream is passed through a separate passage of the burner into the pre-mix zone, in which mixing takes place with the slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel and liquid carrier. From 0 to 100, say about 2 to 80, volume % of the liquid carrier may be vaporized in the pre-mix zone. The multiphase mixture of reactants is then discharged into the reaction zone of the free-flow partial oxidation gas generator by way of the converging orifice of the outer conduit at the burner tip. Synthesis gas, fuel gas, or reducing gas is thereby produced.

Process for the partial oxidation of slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel

A partial oxidation process using a swirl burner for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The swirl burner may have pre-mix and/or high turndown features. By means of the burner a first reactant stream is split into a plurality of swirling streams by being passed down through a central bundle of helical tubes. Simultaneously a second reactant stream is split into a plurality of swirling streams by being passed down through a plurality of related passages formed in the cylindrical space that surrounds said central bundle of helical tubes and/or the interstices between the helical tubes. When the two swirling reactant feed streams impinge, either upstream from the face of the burner in a pre-mix zone or downstream from the face of the burner, in the gas generator, they are intimately mixed together. The combustion efficiency of the burner is thereby improved. In another embodiment, the burner includes a coaxial annular bundle of helical tubes surrounding said first conduit and a plurality of related helical passages formed in the annular space occupied by said annular bundle of helical tubes. Flow through the burner may be turned up or down.

Partial oxidation process using a swirl burner

A swirl burner and partial oxidation process for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The swirl burner may have pre-mix and/or high turndown features. By means of the burner a first reactant stream is split into a plurality of swirling streams by being passed down through a central bundle of helical tubes. Simultaneously a second reactant stream is split into a plurality of swirling streams by being passed down through a plurality of related passages formed in the cylindrical space that surrounds said central bundle of helical tubes and/or the interstices between the helical tubes. When the two swirling reactant feed streams impinge, either upstream from the face of the burner in a pre-mix zone or downstream from the face of the burner, in the gas generator, they are intimately mixed together. The combustion efficiency of the burner is thereby improved. In another embodiment, the burner includes a coaxial annular bundle of helical tubes surrounding said first conduit and a plurality of related helical passages formed in the annular space occupied by said annular bundle of helical tubes. Flow through the burner may be turned up or down.

Swirl burner for partial oxidation process

A burner and process for the partial oxidation of pumpable slurries of solid carbonaceous fuels in which the pumpable slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel in a liquid carrier is passed in liquid phase through one passage of a burner comprising a retracted central coaxial conduit, an outer coaxial conduit with a converging orifice at the downstream tip of the burner and, optionally, an intermediate coaxial conduit. The downstream tips of the central conduit and the intermediate conduit, if any, are retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of respectively two or more say 3 to 10 for the central conduit, and about 0 to 12 say 1 to 5 for the intermediate conduit times the minimum diameter of the converging orifice of the outer conduit at the burner tip. A pre-mix zone is thereby provided comprising one or more, say 2 to 5 coaxial pre-mix chambers in series. The free-oxygen containing stream is passed through a separate passage of the burner into the pre-mix zone, in which mixing takes place with the slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel and liquid carrier. From 0 to 100, say about 2 to 80, volume % of the liquid carrier may be vaporized in the pre-mix zone. The multiphase mixture of reactants is then discharged into the reaction zone of the free-flow partial oxidation gas generator by way of the converging orifice of the outer conduit at the burner tip. Synthesis gas, fuel gas, or reducing gas is thereby produced.

Burner for the partial oxidation of slurries of solid carbonaceous fuels

A method for starting up a partial oxidation gas generator without a separate preheat burner is described. The burner used includes central and annular bunches of parallel tubes that extend through central and annular passages formed by concentric conduits.

Start-up method for partial oxidation process

A burner for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The burner has a high turndown feature and comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said annular passage; and wherein the downstream ends of said central and annular bunches of parallel tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e. 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice and the minimum width of the annular exit orifice. Three ranges of flow through the burner may be obtained by using one or both bunches of tubes and their surrounding conduits. Throughput levels may be rapidly changed--up and down--without sacrificing stable operation. Additional mixing of the reactant streams is obtained in one embodiment by providing one or more coaxial cylindrical shaped pre-mix chambers in series in the central conduit and/or one or more annular shaped pre-mix chambers in series in the annular passage.

Partial oxidation burner apparatus

Disclosed is a partial oxidation process for producing synthesis gas, fuel gas or reducing gas from slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and/or liquid or gaseous hydrocarbon fuel. The burner has a high turndown feature and comprises a central conduit; a central bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said central conduit; an outer conduit coaxial with said central conduit and forming an annular passage therewith; and an annular bunch of parallel tubes that extend longitudinally through said annular passage; and wherein the downstream ends of said central and annular bunches of parallel tubes are respectively retracted upstream from the burner face a distance of about 0 to 12 i.e. 3 to 10 times the minimum diameter of the central exit orifice and the minimum width of the annular exit orifice. Three ranges of flow through the burner may be obtained by using one or both bunches of tubes and their surrounding conduits. Throughput levels may be rapidly changed - up and down - without sacrificing stable operation. Additional mixing of the reactant streams is obtained in one embodiment by providing one or more coaxial cylindrical shaped pre-mix chambers in series in the central conduit and/or one or more annular shaped pre-mix chambers in series in the annular passage.

Process for the partial oxidation of slurries of solid carbonaceous fuels

A partial oxidation burner and process for the manufacture of synthesis gas, reducing gas and other gas mixtures substantially comprising H.sub.2 and CO. A hydrocarbon, oxygen-rich gas and, optionally, H.sub.2 O or some other temperature moderator are introduced into the reaction zone of a synthesis gas generator in which, by partial oxidation at an autogenous temperature in the range of about 1700.degree. to 3500.degree.F. and a pressure in the range of about 1 to 250 atmospheres, said synthesis, fuel, or reducing gas is produced. For example, a hydrocarbon is introduced into the reaction zone by way of the inner assembly of a novel multitube burner, and a mixture of oxygen-rich gas and steam is passed through a coaxial conduit disposed about the outside of said inner assembly. Said inner assembly comprises a central conduit of circular cross-section, having a plurality of parallel open-ended tubes extending downstream from the exit end of said central conduit and in communication therewith. The tubes terminate in a surrounding nozzle, which is the exit end of the coaxial outer conduit.

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Riverside, CT, United States of America

Blake Reynolds