Process for purifying solid carboniferous fuels prior to combustion, liquefaction or gasification using a rotary chamber

US8992639B2 · kind B2 · utility

Inventor

• Peter Rugg · New York, US

Key dates

• Filing date: Oct 20, 2010
• Grant date: Mar 31, 2015
• Expiry date: Feb 23, 2033

Classification

• Technology area (CPC Y): Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
• CPC primary: Y02E50/30
• WIPO field: Basic materials chemistry
• WIPO sector: Chemistry

Abstract

Solid carboniferous fuels contain varying quantities of moisture, mercury, chlorine, nitrogen, sulfur, heavy metals and other materials that attain vapor pressure at elevated temperatures. The cost effective removal of these degrading and sometimes hazardous materials is important to the further use of the fuel for combustion as a solid, liquid, or gas. The solid fuel is cut, shredded, ground or sieved to appropriate size, and heated in a chamber that can exclude oxygen and air thus preventing ignition. The unwanted materials are driven in the gaseous state and extracted for disposal. The solid fuel cleaned of pollutants exits the chamber and is cooled below ignition temperature prior to contact with oxygen. The solid fuel thus purified is more appropriate for combustion, liquefaction or gasification due to the reduced costs in use as a fuel or in the post combustion clean up.