Vertech Treatment Systems, Inc.

Range Fuels, Inc.

Albemarle Corporation

Sundrop Fuels, Inc.

Francis Michael Ferraro

Shakeel H Tirmizi

Robert E Klepper

Arie Geertsema

Robert Stanley Ampulski

Ronald H Hall

Jerrod Wayne Hohman

Ronald C Stites

Franklin B Carlson

Richard Ridley

Jack E Binning

Heinz Juergen Robota

An integrated plant that includes a steam explosion process unit and biomass gasifier to generate syngas from biomass is discussed. A steam explosion process unit applies a combination of heat, pressure, and moisture to the biomass to make the biomass into a moist fine particle form. The steam explosion process unit applies steam with a high pressure to heat and pressurize any gases and fluids present inside the biomass to internally blow apart the bulk structure of the biomass via a rapid depressurization of the biomass with the increased moisture content. Those produced moist fine particles of biomass are subsequently fed to a feed section of the biomass gasifier, which reacts the biomass particles in a rapid biomass gasification reaction to produce syngas components.

Pretreatment of biomass using steam explosion methods before gasification

Methods and apparatus for producing alcohols from syngas are disclosed herein. In some variations, syngas is catalytically converted to alcohols. The alcohols can be subjected to drying to produce an intermediate alcohol product, followed by distilling the intermediate product to produce a purified ethanol product for use in liquid fuels.

Methods and apparatus for producing alcohols from syngas

This invention features methods and apparatus for producing syngas from any carbon-containing feed material. In some embodiments, a substoichiometric amount of oxygen is used to enhance the formation of syngas. In various embodiments, both oxygen and steam are added during the conversion of the feed material into syngas. The syngas can be converted to alcohols, such as ethanol, or to other products.

Methods for producing syngas

Methods and apparatus for producing syngas and alcohols

The method of this invention is particularly, although not exclusively, adapted for effecting accelerated oxidation reactions in a downhole or deep well wet oxidation apparatus, including the processing of aqueous organic waste, such as municipal sludge. It includes injecting a multiple-phase composition which contains an oxygen or an oxygen-rich gas which is fully saturated with water vapor and which also contains water in the liquid phase into a wet oxidation reaction apparatus which contains an aqueous stream of combustible waste, preferably at the temperature and pressure of the waste stream at the point of injection. This reduces the likelihood of hazardous spontaneous combustion which may otherwise occur if dry spots are allowed to form in the reaction apparatus. The volume of water in the composition should be equal to at least twice the volume of water necessary to saturate the gas with water vapor to maintain at least 50 percent of the water in the liquid phase.

Method of effecting accelerated oxidation reaction

A method and apparatus for effecting accelerated chemical reactions at elevated temperatures and pressures including wet oxidation of materials in waste streams. An influent waste stream or first reactant is directed through a long tubular coil within a containment vessel with a second reactant being added to the influent. The waste stream includes gas and liquid components. The flow rates for the reactants of the waste stream are set to cause plug or slug flow of the waste stream through the tubular coil. The curvature of the coil tends to induce a secondary flow in the liquid component such that the liquid component tends to travel in a spiral thereby providing more intimate mixing of the reactants. The containment vessel may be partitioned to form a series of successive compartments to permit different temperature gradients to be applied to successive sections of the tubing coil across its length. Alternatively, a tube in tube construction for the tubular coil permits counter current heat exchange between the waste stream within the inner tube and a returning stream. Multiple injection and extraction points are provided along the path of the tubular coil to permit gas, liquid or solid reactants to be added or extracted as desired. The tubular coil provides an excellent environmental container for the reaction stream and is extremely suitable for temperature control to permit continuous heat input, autogenic operation and continuous heat extraction.

Method and apparatus for controlled chemical reactions

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Westminster, CO, United States of America

Francis Michael Ferraro