Texaco Inc.

Akzo Nobel N.v.

Ronald J McKeon

Matthew A McMahon

Motasimur R Khan

Farrokh Yaghmaie

Mitri S Najjar

Robert M Suggitt

Albert Brent

Stephen J DeCanio

Stephen R Vasconcellos

Kenneth W McKenzie

Robert F Heyl

Christine C Albert

Sundaram Logaraj

Shailaja Madhusudhan Shirodkar

Peter D Robison

Thomas J Ernzen

Enrique F dePaz

Mark Aldrich Stroder

Antonio Chan Ng

Shailaja M Shirodkar

A fuel composition comprising a hydrocarbon in water colloidal dispersion including spherical hydrocarbon particles having a mean softening point exceeding about 95.degree. C., and a water soluble dispersion agent comprising a surfactant and stabilizer. The process for the production thereof is disclosed. These dispersions have a median particle size below about 4.5 microns and about 90% of the particles have a mean particle size diameter less than about 60 microns. These dispersions are storage stable, stable towards transportation, and can be pumped and passed through a burner apparatus without destabilizing.

Fuel comprising a petroleum hydrocarbon in water colloidal dispersion

A petroleum derived oil is subjected to propane deasphalting to yield a solid asphaltene residue. The residue is crushed to 425 micron diameter particle or less at a crushing temperature in the range of 77.degree. F. to 122.degree. F. The asphaltene particles are suspended in a residual petroleum oil emulsion. The resulting suspension comprises 5 wt % to 40 wt % asphaltene particles. The 40 wt % asphaltene suspensions are boiler fuel. The 5 wt % asphaltene suspensions are gasified with a deficit of oxygen to produce synthesis gas. The suspensions are stable and transportable by pumping through a pipeline.

Process for stable aqueous asphaltene suspensions

A chemically disinfected sewage sludge-containing material comprising (1) an aqueous slurry of sewage sludge-containing material having a solids content in the range of about 10 to 30 wt. %; and (2) a chemical disinfectant comprising a water soluble silicate of sodium in the amount of 5 to 20 wt. % (basis dry wt. of said sewage sludge). In one embodiment, a pumpable chemically disinfected sewage sludge-containing material was produced by the steps of (1) dewatering sewage sludge to produce an aqueous slurry having a solids content of about 10 to 30 wt. %; (2) shearing the dewatered sewage sludge from (1) at a temperature in the range of about ambient to 230.degree. F. and at a shear rate of at least 30 per second for a period in the range of about 0.5 to 180 minutes; and (3) mixing the following materials together at a temperature in the range of about ambient to 230.degree. F. to produce a pumpable aqueous slurry having a solids content in the range of about 30 to 65 wt. % and a pH of at least about 11: (a) about 0.5 to 7 parts by wt. of sheared dewatered sewage sludge from (2); (b) about 5 to 20 wt. % of a silicate of sodium (basis total dry weight of sewage sludge); and (c) about 5 to 7 parts by wt. of at least one material from the group consisting of sewage sludge-containing material, liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel, solid carbonaceous fuel-containing material, and mixtures thereof.

Chemically disinfected sewage sludge-containing materials

A process for disposing of sewage sludge by heating and shearing an aqueous mixture of sewage sludge in a tubular-shaped processing means containing a plurality of rotating agitators to produce a pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge. The aqueous slurry of sewage sludge is mixed with solid carbonaceous fuel or an aqueous slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel to produce a pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge and solid carbonaceous fuel. The aqueous slurry of sewage sludge and solid carbonaceous fuel is heated in a first steam jacketed rotary disc mixing-heating means. Alternately, first and second hoppers are filled with said heated aqueous slurry of sewage sludge and solid carbonaceous fuel and cycled between a second steam jacketed rotary disc mixing-heating means; wherein while one hopper is being filled the contents in the other hopper are being dewatered. The thickened pumpable slurry is burned in a partial oxidation gasifier, furnace, boiler, or incinerator to produce a hot effluent gas steam. By this process, noxious sewage sludge may be disposed of without contaminating the environment. By-product synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas may be produced.

Process for disposing of sewage sludge

A process for disposing of sewage sludge comprising the steps of, (1) dewatering the sewage sludge to produce an aqueous slurry of sewage sludge having a solids content of about 10 to 30 wt. %; (2) simultaneously heating and shearing said dewatered sewage sludge at about 150.degree. F. to 210.degree. F. in the absence of air for 0.5 seconds to 60 minutes while being continuously passed through a tubular-shaped processing means containing a plurality of rotating agitators, thereby producing a pumpable slurry having a viscosity of less than about 2000 centipoise; (3) dewatering the sewage sludge if necessary; (4) mixing at a temperature in the range of about ambient to 180.degree. F. in a ribbon or in-line static mixer the slurry of sewage sludge from (2) and/or (3) with a supplemental solid carbonaceous fuel e.g. coal and/or petroleum-coke to produce a pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge and supplemental fuel having a solids content in the range of about 50 to 60 wt. %; (5) mixing the slurry of sewage sludge and supplemental fuel from (4) in a steam jacketed continuous rotary disc mixer at about 180.degree. F. to 250.degree. F. while removing steam to produce a pumpable slurry of dewatered sewage sludge and solid fuel having a solids content of 50 to 65 wt. % and a HHV of 6,000 to 18,000 BTU/LB; and (6) burning said pumpable slurry from (5) in a partial oxidation gasifier, furnace, boiler, or incinerator to produce an effluent gas stream. In a preferred embodiment, the effluent gas stream is cleaned and purified and non-contaminating ash and slag are separated. By this process, noxious sewage sludge may be disposed of without contaminating the environment. By-product synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas may be produced.

A process for disposing of sewage sludge comprising the steps of, (1) dewatering the sewage sludge to produce an aqueous slurry of sewage sludge having a solids content of about 10 to 50 wt. %; (2) heating and mildly shearing said dewatered sewage sludge at about 150.degree. F. to 210.degree. F. in the absence of air for 3 seconds to 60 minutes by a rotor/mixer at a speed of about 15 to 1000 r.p.m., thereby producing a pumpable slurry having a viscosity of less than about 2500 centipoise; (3) mixing at a temperature in the range of about ambient to 200.degree. F. the slurry of sewage sludge from (2) with a supplemental fuel to produce a pumpable slurry of sewage sludge and supplemental fuel having a solids content in the range of about 50 to 65 wt. % and a higher heating value in the range of about 6,000 to 18,000 BTU/LB; and (4) burning said pumpable slurry from (3) in a partial oxidation gasifier, furnace, boiler, or incinerator to produce an effluent gas stream. In a preferred embodiment, the effluent gas stream is cleaned and purified and non-contaminating ash and slag are separated. By this process, noxious sewage sludge may be disposed of without contaminating the environment.

A process for disposing of sanitary sewage sludge by producing a pumpable slurry of sewage sludge with or without solid carbonaceous fuel and burning said slurry as fuel in a partial oxidation gas generator, furnace, or boiler. First, an aqueous slurry of sewage sludge is concentrated to produce sewage sludge cake. The sewage sludge cake is preheated and sheared while in contact with sulfuric or sulfurous acid to produce a pumpable acidified aqueous slurry of sewage sludge having a pH of about 1 to 5. After two-stage hydrothermal treatment with neutralization of the sewage sludge after the second hydrothermal stage, the solids content of the pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge is increased. By means of the subject process, the viscosity of the slurry of sewage sludge with or without solid carbonaceous fuel is reduced and coagulation is suppressed. A pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge with or without solid carbonaceous fuel is produced and burned with a free-oxygen containing gas in a partial oxidation gasifier, furnace, boiler, or incinerator to produce a hot raw effluent gas stream. In a preferred embodiment, the effluent gas stream is cleaned and purified and non-contaminating ash and slag are separated. By this process, noxious sewage sludge may be disposed of without contaminating the environment. By-product synthesis gas, reducing gas, or fuel gas may be produced.

An improved process for the low-cost disposal of noxious sewage sludge in a safe way without polluting the environment. In the process, sewage sludge having a solids content of about 0.5 to 20 wt.% is concentrated by pressing in a belt filter press, optionally followed by pressing in a high intensity press. It was unexpectedly found that the morphology of the resulting dewatered sewage sludge is changed by such mechanical treatment so that slurries with higher concentrations of solids are achieved. The dewatered sewage sludge is heated, flash evaporated and/or centrifuged, and mixed with a supplemental fuel e.g., liquid hydrocarbonaceous and/or solid carbonaceous fuel to produce a pumpable fuel slurry having a total solids content in the range of about 50 to 70 wt.% and comprising about 10 to 40 wt.% dewatered sewage sludge and having a higher heating value in the range of about 5,000 to 14,000 BTU/Lb. The fuel slurry may be reacted by partial oxidation in a conventional gasifier to produce synthesis gas and/or fuel gas. The thermal energy in hot byproduct steam and flue gas streams are used to heat the dewatered sewage sludge. In one embodiment, the pumpable slurry of dewatered sewage sludge and supplemental fuel is burned by complete combustion in a furnace or incinerator for the production of steam.

Partial oxidation of sewage sludge

Municipal sanitary sewage sludge is disposed of by an improved partial oxidation process without polluting the environment. Aqueous slurries of sewage sludge are upgraded by hydrothermal treatment, preferably while being sheared, concentrated, and then mixed with a supplemental fuel, preferably coal. A pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge-coal and/or petroleum coke is thereby produced having a greater total solids and heat content (HHV) as well as containing an increased amount of sewage sludge for reacting with free-oxygen containing gas in a free-flow partial oxidation gas generator. Hot quench water or steam produced by cooling the hot raw effluent stream of synthesis gas, reducing gas or fuel gas from the gasifier may provide heat for the hydrothermal step.

Municipal sanitary sewage sludge is disposed of by an improved partial oxidation process without polluting the environment. Aqueous slurries of sewage sludge are upgraded by being sheared without heating, concentrated if necessary, and then mixed with a supplemental fuel, preferably coal. In one embodiment, the aqueous slurry of sewage sludge and the supplemental coal and/or petroleum coke are introduced into a shearing mixer for simultaneous shearing and mixing together. A pumpable aqueous slurry of sewage sludge-coal and/or petroleum coke is thereby produced having an increased amount of total solids and an increased heat content (HHV) as well as containing an increased amount of sewage sludge for reacting with free-oxygen containing gas in a free-flow partial oxidation gas generator. Hot quench water or steam produced by cooling the hot raw effluent stream of synthesis gas, reducing gas or fuel gas from the gasifier may provide heat for indirect heat exchange with other streams in the process.

A pumpable slurry of solid carbonaceous fuel and water with reduced viscosity and increased resistance to sedimentation comprising about 50 to 75 weight percent of comminuted solid carbonaceous fuel having less than 10.0 weight percent of combined oxygen, about 0.1 to 10.0 weight percent of a surfactant comprising an anionic or nonionic adduct of a mono or dialkyl phenol and polyoxyethylene or polyoxypropylene, and the remainder of the slurry is water.

Stable slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel and water

An aqueous dispersion of unreacted particulate petroleum coke substantially comprising carbon and containing a small amount of ash substantially comprising vanadium constituents and other materials from a process for the partial oxidation of petroleum coke to produce synthesis gas is mixed with a hydrocarbon alkoxy sulfate and a frothing agent. After pH adjustment, if necessary, the mixture is subjected to aeration with or without mechanical agitation in a froth flotation zone. About 5 to 25 wt. % of the unconverted particulate petroleum coke (basis carbon) particles float in the froth layer that is formed. The remainder of the unconverted petroleum coke comprising coarser particles is suspended in a bottom aqueous dispersion on which the froth layer floats. In addition, selective separation of the vanadium constituents in the unconverted petroleum coke ash takes place. The vanadium content of the ash in the floated portion of unconverted petroleum coke is unexpectedly increased about 10 to 50 weight percent. Simultaneously, the vanadium content of the ash in the unconverted petroleum coke suspended in the bottom layer of aqueous dispersion is unexpectedly decreased about 5 to 50 weight percent. Water may be recovered from this aqueous dispersion and recycled to the gas quench cooling and scrubbing zones. At least a portion of the unconverted particulate petroleum coke from said bottom aqueous dispersion is recycled to the partial oxidation gas generator as a portion of the feed. The froth is removed from the system and may be sent to a vanadium recovery zone. By the subject process, the vanadium content in the recycle stream to the gas generator of unconverted petroleum coke to the gas generator is reduced. The life of the refractory lining of the gas generator is thereby extended.

Reduction of vanadium in recycle petroleum coke

Aqueous slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel that include a novel highly converted sulfonated surfactant derived from a suspension of low rank coal and coal derived creosote oil for reducing the viscosity and increasing the solids content of the aqueous slurry.

Aqueous slurries of solid carbonaceous fuel

A coal-water slurry having a high solids content and improved pumpability containing a viscosity improving amine additive from the group consisting of substituted 3-amino carboxylic acids, dialkanol alkyl amines or diamines is provided as well as a method of preparation.

Growing community of inventors

Beacon, NY, United States of America

Ronald J McKeon