Gasification reactor

Abstract

A gasification reactor comprising a gasifier with a tubular gastight wall arranged within a pressure vessel. The gasification reactor comprises one or more pressure responsive devices comprising a sleeve with a cooled section extending outwardly from an opening in the gastight wall. The pressure responsive devices can, e.g., include a pressure measurement device and / or a pressure equalizer. Method of using a pressure responsive device with such a gasifier, wherein a heat sluice is used formed by a sleeve with a cooled section extending outwardly from an opening in the gastight wall.

Description

CROSS REFERENCE TO EARLIER APPLICATION[0001]The present application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13 / 979,748 filed Jul. 15, 2013, which is a 35 U.S.C. § 371 national stage filing of PCT / EP2012 / 050408, filed Jan. 12, 2012, which claims priority of European application no. 11150933.7, filed Jan. 14, 2011, all of which are incorporated herein by reference.FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0002]The present invention relates to a gasification reactor comprising a gasifier in a tubular gastight wall with a lower end opening into an aqueous slag collection bath, wherein the gastight wall is arranged within a pressure vessel. The invention also relates to a method of using a pressure responsive device, such as pressure equalizer or a pressure measurement device, with such a gasification reactor. The invention also relates to a pressure equalizer and a pressure measurement device for such a gasification reactor.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0003]Gasification reactors can for instanc...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]With a reactor according to the invention, the cooled sleeve forms a heat sluice and creates an area with the same pressure as within the gasifier, but with substantially lower temperatures. This makes it possible to provide means for measuring or equalizing pressure.

[0011]The sleeve can be used in a pressure equalizer by providing a ram which is slideable within the cooled sleeve between a first position closing off the sleeve, and a second position wherein the sleeve is at least partly open to form a passage from one side of the gastight gasifier wall to the other side. Such a ram can for instance be actuated by an actuator, e.g., a hydraulic actuator. Such an actuator can for example have the usual configuration of a rapper device used for removing fouling and scaling. The ram can for instance comprise a ram head directed to the opening in the gasifier wall with a diameter forming a slideable tight fit within the sleeve, the ram having a body connected to the ram head, the body having a smaller diameter than the ram head, wherein the sleeve comprises an outlet which is open at least when the ram is in the second position and wherein the ram head is within the sleeve when the ram is in its first position while the ram head projects out of the sleeve into the gasifier when the ram is in its second position. Optionally, the other end of the ram can be provided with a second ram head forming a slideable tight fit within the sleeve. Optionally, the opening in the tubular wall is sealed with a ceramic disk when the ram is in the first position. In case of overpressure in the gasifier, the actuator can be activated to move the ram towards the second position pushing the first ram head out of the opening in the gasifier wall. If a ceramic disk is present, it is pushed away. Gas can now freely flow from the gasifier through the opening in the tubular gasifier wall and the space between the ram body and the inner sleeve surface to the gas outlet of the sleeve. This will equalize the pressure difference between the interior of the gasifier and the space between the gasifier and the pressure vessel.

[0013]A second pressure sensor can be used to measure the pressure in the annular space between the pressure vessel wall and the gastight gasifier wall. This makes it possible to determine a differential pressure.

Problems solved by technology

This causes a built up of overpressure in the gasifier which can cause substantial damage.

It was hitherto not possible to monitor or control pressure built up within the gasifier itself or to reduce pressure differences between the spaces at either side of the gasifier wall.

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