Patent · US Expired

Sulfate reduction process useful in coal gasification

US4704136A · kind A · utility

56Cited by
5References
33Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventors

Key dates

Filing dateMay 16, 1986
Grant dateNov 3, 1987
Priority date
Expiry dateMay 16, 2006

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY10S423/14
  • WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

A carbonaceous material, such as coal, is gasified through the catalytic action of an alkali metal salt. The alkali metal is provided as a sulfate which is converted to a sulfide during gasification. In one embodiment, sodium sulfate is converted to sodium sulfide at a temperature effective to form a transitory melt condition at an interface which obtains coal gasification at relatively low temperatures and material residence times for the reaction. An alkaline earth sulfate, such as a gypsum, may be concurrently converted to a sulfide during gasification. The alkali metal sulfide may then be regenerated to a sulfate for process reuse while converting the alkaline earth to a carbonate for environmentally safe disposal with concurrent recovery of valuable sulfur. The evolved carbon gases may be used for fuel, for process feed chemicals, or the like.

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.