Treating condensate from gasification of coal

US4187080A · kind A · utility

Assignee

• Metallgesellschaft AG · DE

Inventors

• Carl Hafke · Frankfurt am Main, DE
• Roland Weber · Rancho Palos Verdes, US
• Rudolf Kohlen · Usingen, DE

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 7, 1977
• Grant date: Feb 5, 1980
• Expiry date: Oct 7, 1997

Classification

• Technology area (CPC C): Chemistry; Metallurgy
• CPC primary: C10J2300/1892
• WIPO field: Basic materials chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

In the production of gas from a solid fuel comprising effecting gasification by contacting the solid fuel with oxygen and water under pressure to form raw gas containing tar, solids and water, cooling the raw gas to effect condensation of the tar and water, the condensate containing the solids, separating from the solids-containing condensate a fraction enriched in solids, and disposing of said fraction, the improvement which comprises effecting said disposition by feeding at least part of said fraction to a solids disintegrator wherein the solids are reduced in size, and recycling at least part of the condensate containing disintegrated solids to the gasification step. Disintegration serves to reduce substantially all the particles to below about 2 mm with the predominant part below about 0.5 mm. Part of the condensate may also be recycled to the separation stage and all the recycled condensate is kept above 50.degree. C. to prevent solidification of tars. The process permits continuous operation of a gasification plant without clogging of pipes and pumps such as otherwise necessitate equipment shutdown for cleaning.