Gasification of plastic and solid fossil fuels to produce organic compounds

Abstract

A small particle size (not greater than 2 mm) pre-ground plastic is co-fed into a solid fossil fuel that is fed into an entrained flow partial oxidation gasifier. High solids concentrations can be obtained in the feed stream without significantly affecting the stability and pumpability of the feed stream. According to the invention, syngas of consistent quality can be continuously produced, including producing carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide / hydrogen ratios, while stably operating the gasification furnace, avoiding high tar production of fluidized bed or fixed bed waste gasification furnaces, and not affecting the operation of the gasification furnace. Subsequent syngas produced from the material can be used to produce a wide variety of chemicals.

Description

[0001] This application is a divisional application of the invention patent application with a priority date of February 4, 2019, an application date of February 4, 2020, an application number of 202080012546.2, and an invention name of "Gasification of plastics and solid fossil fuels to produce organic compounds". Background Art

[0002] There are well-known global problems with waste disposal, particularly for a large number of consumer products, such as plastics, textiles and other polymers, which are not considered to biodegrade within acceptable time limits. The public desires to incorporate these types of waste into recycled products by recycling, reusing or otherwise reducing the amount of waste in circulation or landfills.

[0003] A variety of methods for recycling, reusing or reducing wastes such as biomass, solid municipal waste, plastics and paper have been proposed, including the gasification of these wastes. Among these proposals, waste gasifiers have been proposed or used, which are generally air-fed fluidized bed gasifiers that can easily accept a variety of component sizes and types. Such waste gasifiers are generally operated at low to medium temperatures in the range of 500° C. to 1000° C. using air as an oxidant, and at lower operating temperatures, incomplete oxidation reactions occur, resulting in the production of large amounts of residues, which may appear in the gas phase (syngas stream) and the bottom solid phase; for example, tar-like substances. The types of residues and their amounts will vary depending on the feedstock composition. In addition, although waste gasifiers have the advantage of accepting feedstocks of highly variable size and composition, the resulting syngas composition also varies widely over time, making them unusable for the manufacture of chemicals without installing expensive post-treatment systems to clean and purify the syngas stream present in the gasifier vessel. Even with the use of purification methods, the ratio of hydrogen / carbon monoxide / carbon dioxide can remain highly variable. Due to the expense of installing systems to purify the syngas stream exiting the gasifier vessel to make it suitable for chemical synthesis, or their compositional variability, or their low throughput, or a combination of these factors, the syngas streams produced by waste gasifiers are typically used to generate energy, such as steam or electricity.

[0004] Recycled plastics have been studied as feeds to gasifiers. Recycled plastic feeds are highly variable. Since plastic feeds contain mixed plastics with different polymer structures, the composition of the recycled plastic feed is variable at any given moment. Even feeds specified by polymer type can vary in their molecular weight or structure (e.g., LDPE versus HDPE). This problem is compounded by the variability in the composition of the feed stream over time, which depends on seasonality, source location, and suppliers of such recycled plastic streams, who use a variety of different physical and chemical separation methods. In fixed and fluidized bed gasifiers, this can result in unacceptable variability in the composition of the syngas over time, particularly when the syngas is needed to synthesize chemicals that require a very consistent rate and quality of syngas or syngas components.

[0005] In addition, plastics have a lower fixed carbon content than solid fossil fuel sources such as coal or petroleum coke. As a result, plastics will burn at a faster rate than, for example, coal and produce a syngas component. Therefore, relative to coal, the carbon monoxide produced by plastics will have a longer residence time under gasification conditions to be converted into carbon dioxide. Although plastics have a high heat value ("HHV") equal to or exceeding that of coal, making them attractive gasifier feeds, their use can also result in the production of undesirable amounts of carbon dioxide in the raw syngas stream, as well as a reduction in the amount of carbon monoxide, which may be produced by feeding only fossil fuels. In addition, plastics have a higher hydrogen content than, for example, solid fossil fuels, which can result in the production of higher amounts of hydrogen in the raw syngas stream and affect the carbon monoxide / hydrogen ratio. These issues are not a concern when the syngas is used for power generation or combustion to obtain heating value, but when chemicals are manufactured, these issues become a concern because the manufacture of chemicals relies on carbon monoxide and / or hydrogen as raw materials.

[0006] We desire to use a process for gasification of a plastic stream which will produce a syngas stream suitable for chemical synthesis, wherein more complete oxidation of the waste feedstock occurs to reduce the amount of incompletely oxidized residues. We also desire to produce a syngas stream output from the gasifier vessel which is sufficiently consistent in composition over time and suitable for the manufacture of chemicals, and which in particular does not require co-mixing of the syngas stream. It is also desired to operate efficiently in a stable manner and on a commercial scale.

[0007] While it is desirable to minimize variation in the composition of the syngas produced from a feedstock having solid fossil fuels and recycled material, it is also desirable to have a flexible process in which recycled material can be fed intermittently (or semi-continuously) without large variations in the syngas composition between the syngas produced from the feed with recycled material and the syngas produced from the feed without recycled material.

[0008] We have evaluated the use of a coal-water slurry fed gasifier for producing syngas for chemical production. Slurry fed coal gasifiers typically operate at high pressures and utilize a slurry feed (coal and water) that can be more easily pumped and fed into the gasifier. Small amounts of water introduced into the gasification process are helpful and necessary (e.g., 5-20%), but more than 30% water begins to be detrimental to the performance of the gasifier because the water must use energy to heat and gasify, and takes up space in the processing equipment. Therefore, the slurry should be as concentrated in coal as possible, but still have sufficient fluidity to be pumped. A practical range of coal / water slurry concentrations is 50%-75% coal. To make these concentrations possible, the coal is finely ground. Introducing a co-feed into the gasifier can be problematic because the co-feed must be mixed with the coal / water slurry feed. For economic reasons, coal / water slurries are concentrated as much as possible to the edge of pumpability, so the introduction of any co-feed may upset the delicate balance and cause the slurry to be unstable (solids settling), too viscous, two-phase, or otherwise unsuitable for safe, reliable, and economical feeding to the gasifier. For example, many plastics will float, or phase separate, or agglomerate and disrupt the homogeneity of the slurry.

[0009] There remains a need to gasify recycled plastic materials in a stabilised slurry.

[0010] It is also necessary to ensure that the slurry is pumpable.

[0011] There remains a need to gasify recycled plastics, including coal, without producing large amounts of tar, or alternatively, without producing large amounts of other incompletely oxidized residues, as would be encountered in fixed or fluidized bed waste gasifiers.

[0012] There is also a need to gasify mixed streams containing recycled plastics to provide a syngas stream with minimal composition variability over time.

[0013] There is also a need to provide intermittent co-feeding of recycled plastics with solid fossil fuels while maintaining minimal syngas composition variability over time by including feedstocks with and without recycled plastic waste.

[0014] There is also a need to produce a syngas stream that is suitable for making chemicals and that does not require the installation and operation of additional equipment to clean the syngas stream leaving the gasifier vessel, optionally but desirably in addition to acid gas removal processes (e.g., removal of hydrogen sulfide and carbon dioxide) or processes inside the gasifier vessel (e.g., quenching to remove soot).

[0015] There is also a need to address any combination of the above needs. Summary of the invention

[0016] A method for producing synthesis gas is now provided, comprising:

[0017] a. charging an oxidant and a feedstock composition into a gasification zone within a gasifier, the feedstock composition comprising a solid fossil fuel and less than 5 wt.% plastic based on the weight of the solids in the feedstock composition;

[0018] b. gasifying the feedstock composition together with the oxidant in a gasification zone to produce a synthesis gas composition; and

[0019] c. discharging at least a portion of the syngas composition from the gasifier; and generating organic compounds from the syngas composition, wherein the gasifier is an entrained flow gasifier.

[0020] A method for producing synthesis gas is now provided, comprising:

[0021] a. charging an oxidant and a raw material composition into a gasification zone in a gasifier, wherein the raw material composition comprises a solid fossil fuel, and 90wt.% of the plastic has a particle size of no greater than 2mm in the largest dimension;

[0022] b. gasifying the feedstock composition together with the oxidant in a gasification zone to produce a synthesis gas composition; and

[0023] c. discharging at least a portion of the syngas composition from the gasifier; and generating an organic compound from the syngas composition

[0024] There is further provided a method for producing synthesis gas, comprising:

[0025] a. charging an oxidant and a feedstock slurry composition into a gasification zone in a gasifier, wherein the feedstock slurry composition comprises a plastic, a solid fossil fuel, and water, wherein either (i) the amount of plastic is less than 5 wt.%, based on the weight of the solids in the feedstock slurry, or (ii) 90 wt.% of the plastic has a particle size of no greater than 2 mm in the largest dimension;

[0026] b. gasifying the feedstock composition together with the oxidant in a gasification zone to produce a synthesis gas composition; and

[0027] c. discharging at least a portion of the syngas composition from the gasifier, and generating organic compounds from the syngas composition

[0028] At least one of the following conditions exists:

[0029] (i) gasification in the gasification zone is carried out at a temperature of at least 1000°C, or

[0030] (ii) the pressure in the gasification zone is greater than 2.7 MPa, or

[0031] (iii) the raw material composition is a slurry, or

[0032] (iv) no steam is introduced into the gasifier into the gasification zone, or

[0033] (v) the plastic is pre-ground so that at least 90% of the particles have a particle size of less than 2 mm, or

[0034] (vi) tar yield is less than 4 wt.%, or

[0035] (vii) the gasifier does not include a membrane wall in the gasification zone, or

[0036] (viii) A combination of two or more of the above conditions. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0037] Figure 1 is a schematic plant design for combining recycled plastics and solid fossil fuels as feedstocks into a gasification process to produce syngas.

[0038] Figure 2 is another example of an equipment design for gasifying recycled plastic and solid fossil fuel feedstocks to produce a scrubbed syngas stream.

[0039] Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view of a gasifier injector.

[0040] Figure 4 is a more detailed view of the nozzle portion of the gasifier injector.

[0041] Figure 5 is a detailed view of locations used to add recycled plastics to solid fossil fuels. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0042] Unless otherwise noted, references to weights of feedstreams include all solids and liquids (if present) fed to the gasifier and, unless otherwise noted, do not include the weight of any gases in the feedstream fed to the injectors or gasifier.

[0043] For the purpose of classifying the materials in the feed stream, the fossil fuel used is coal, petroleum coke, or any other solid at 25°C and 1 atmosphere that is a by-product from refining oil or petroleum. The fossil fuel portion of the feed stream is different from plastics, even though plastics are carbon-containing and are derived from raw materials obtained from refining crude oil.

[0044] Typically, in a syngas operation, a feed stream consisting of a finely granulated fossil fuel source (e.g., coal, petroleum coke) and granulated plastics, as well as optional water and other chemical additives, is injected into a gasification reaction zone or chamber of a syngas generator (gasifier) ​​together with an oxidant gas. A hot gas stream is generated in the reaction zone (desirably with a refractory lining) to produce slag, ash, smoke, and gas at high temperature and high pressure, the gas comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and, depending on the fuel source and reaction conditions, other gases, such as methane, hydrogen sulfide, and nitrogen, are included. The hot gas stream generated in the reaction zone is cooled using a syngas cooler or in a quenching water bath at the bottom of the gasifier, which also solidifies the ash and slag and separates solids from the gas. The quenching water bath also acts as a seal to maintain the internal temperature and pressure in the gasifier while slag, smoke, and ash are moved into a lock hopper. The cooled product gas stream (raw syngas stream) removed from the gasifier is further treated with plastics to remove remaining solids and then further treated to remove acid gases (eg, hydrogen sulfide) after optional further cooling and alteration of the carbon monoxide to hydrogen ratio.

[0045] Plastics used in the feed stream include any organic synthetic polymer that is solid at 25°C and 1 atmosphere. The polymer may be a thermoplastic or thermosetting polymer. The number average molecular weight of the polymer may be at least 300, or at least 500, or at least 1000, or at least 5,000, or at least 10,000, or at least 20,000, or at least 30,000, or at least 50,000, or at least 70,000, or at least 90,000, or at least 100,000, or at least 130,000. The weight average molecular weight of the polymer can be at least 300, or at least 500, or at least 1000, or at least 5,000, or at least 10,000, or at least 20,000, or at least 30,000, or at least 50,000, or at least 70,000, or at least 90,000, or at least 100,000, or at least 130,000, or at least 150,000, or at least 300,000.

[0046] Plastics are recycled plastics and can be post-consumer plastics and post-industrial plastics, also commonly referred to as pre-consumer plastics. Post-consumer plastics are those plastics that have been used at least once in their intended application, whether worn or not, at any time. Post-industrial or pre-consumer plastics include reprocessed, regrind, scrap, trim, off-spec plastics that are not used in their intended application, any plastic that has been compounded but not used in the final application, or any plastic that has not been used by the final consumer.

[0047] The form of plastics that can be used for grinding and the form of pre-ground plastics are obtained from the plastic form, which is not limited and can include sheets, extruded shapes, molded products, films, laminates and foams. Desirably, fabrics are not used as the source of obtaining pre-ground plastics because many fabrics are mixed synthetic and natural fibers. Plastics can have different service lives and compositions. In the plastics for gasification, non-combustible inorganic substances such as metals and minerals that prevent plastics from being burned and discharged can be included. Examples include tin, cobalt, manganese, antimony, titanium, sodium, calcium, sulphur, zinc and aluminum, their oxides and their other compounds. Advantageously, titanium and calcium that may exist in plastics can be slag modifiers.

[0048] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the embodiments mentioned, the amount of calcium compound present in the ash of the pre-ground plastic used in the feedstock is at least 30 wt.%, or at least 40 wt.%, or at least 50 wt.%, or at least 55 wt.%, or at least 60 wt.%, or at least 63 wt.%, based on the weight of the plastic ash. The upper limit is desirably no more than 90 wt.%, or no more than 80 wt.%, or no more than 75 wt.%, based on the weight of the plastic ash.

[0049] In another embodiment, the amount of sodium compound present in the ash of the pre-ground plastic used in the raw material is at least 2wt.%, or at least 3wt.%, or at least 4wt.%, or at least 5wt.%, or at least 6wt.%, or at least 7wt.%, based on the weight of the plastic ash. The upper limit is desirably no more than 20wt.%, or no more than 17wt.%, or no more than 15wt.%, based on the weight of the plastic ash.

[0050] In another embodiment, the amount of titanium compound present in the ash of the pre-ground plastic used in the raw material is at least 30wt.%, or at least 40wt.%, or at least 50wt.%, or at least 60wt.%, or at least 70wt.%, or at least 75wt.%, based on the weight of the plastic ash. The upper limit is desirably no more than 96wt.%, or no more than 90wt.%, or no more than 86wt.%, based on the weight of the plastic ash.

[0051] In another embodiment, the amount of iron compounds present in the ash of the pre-ground plastic used in the raw material is not more than 20 wt.%, or not more than 15 wt.%, or not more than 10 wt.%, or not more than 5 wt.%, or not more than 3 wt.%, or not more than 2 wt.%, or not more than 1.5 wt.%, based on the weight of the plastic ash.

[0052] In another embodiment, the amount of aluminum compounds present in the ash of the pre-ground plastic used in the raw material is not more than 20 wt.%, or not more than 15 wt.%, or not more than 10 wt.%, or not more than 5 wt.%, or not more than 3 wt.%, or not more than 2 wt.%, or not more than 1.5 wt.%, based on the weight of the plastic ash.

[0053] In another embodiment, the amount of silicon compound present in the ash of the pre-ground plastic used in the feedstock is no greater than 20 wt.%, or no greater than 15 wt.%, or no greater than 10 wt.%, or no greater than 8 wt.%, or no greater than 6 wt.%, based on the weight of the plastic ash.

[0054] Examples of plastics (i.e., organic synthetic polymers that are solid at 25°C and 1 atmosphere) include: acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS), celluloses such as cellulose acetate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, and regenerated cellulose; epoxy resins, polyamides, phenolic resins, polyacetals, polycarbonates, polyesters, including PET (polyethylene terephthalate) and copolyesters, such as those containing residues of TMCD (2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol), CHDM (cyclohexanedimethanol), propylene glycol, or NPG (neopentyl glycol) monomers; high density polyethylene, low density polyethylene, cross-linked polyethylene, polyphenyl alloys, polypropylene and copolymers thereof, other polyolefins, polystyrene, poly(methyl methacrylate), polytetrafluoroethylene, styrene-containing polymers, polyurethanes, vinyl polymers, styrene acrylonitrile, thermoplastic elastomers other than tires containing thermoplastic elastomers, epoxy resins, and urea-containing polymers and melamine.

[0055] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the plastic feedstock comprises a thermosetting polymer. Examples of amounts of thermosetting polymers present in the plastic feedstock can be at least 5 wt.%, or at least 10 wt.%, or at least 15 wt.%, or at least 20 wt.%, or at least 25 wt.%, or at least 30 wt.%, or at least 40 wt.%, or at least 50 wt.%, or at least 60 wt.%, or at least 70 wt.%, or at least 80 wt.%, or at least 90 wt.%, or at least 95 wt.%, or at least 97 wt.%, or at least 98 wt.%, or 100 wt.%, based on the weight of all plastics in the feedstock or fed to the gasifier.

[0056] Examples of product lines that contain one or more of the above polymers, which can be reduced in size by pelletizing or comminuting, or which can first be compacted and then the compacted material is subjected to size reduction and fed to the gasifier, include packaging, engineering plastics, building and structural products, housekeeping and home products, furniture, lawn and garden, and automotive plastics. Examples of article types include bottles (for all types of applications, such as beverages, food, detergents, cosmetics, personal care, etc.), bottle caps, cigarette filters and stems, eyeglass frames, cups, lids, trays, plumbing pipes (such as PBT, PVC and PEX pipes), cable insulation, sheets, tote bags, automotive moldings, bedding, seat cushions, seat covers, beverage machine front covers, fuel cans, acrylic sheets, buckets, audio cassettes, plumbing pipes, septic tanks, toys, food films, agricultural films, milk crate coatings, cable coatings, heavy industrial bags, sound insulation, helmets, surfboards, stretch film, industrial packaging films, thin wall containers, crates and boxes, and industrial packaging materials and films, packaging made from flash spun high density polyethylene, such as for envelopes or medical packaging or house wrap, building insulation, diapers, sports equipment, eyeglass lenses, CDs and DVDs, food packaging, microwave safe containers, garden furniture, medical packaging and appliances, luggage, and kitchen appliances.

[0057] Any plastic used to prepare the gasifier feedstock can be formulated with the additives and fillers described above, including plasticizers, waxes, compatibilizers, biodegradation accelerators, dyes, pigments, colorants, gloss control agents, lubricants, antioxidants, viscosity modifiers, antifungal agents, antifogging agents, heat stabilizers, impact modifiers, flame retardants, corrosion inhibitors, antibacterial agents, softeners, fragrances, and mold release agents.

[0058] Any plastic used to prepare the gasifier feedstock can be formulated with additives and fillers, including plasticizers, waxes, compatibilizers, biodegradation accelerators, dyes, pigments, colorants, gloss control agents, lubricants, antioxidants, viscosity modifiers, antifungal agents, antifogging agents, heat stabilizers, impact modifiers, flame retardants, corrosion inhibitors, antibacterial agents, softeners, fragrances and release agents.

[0059] Plasticizers lower the melting temperature, T gand / or melt viscosity. Examples of plasticizers include phosphate plasticizers, benzoate plasticizers, adipate plasticizers, phthalate plasticizers, glycolate esters, citrate plasticizers, and hydroxyl functional plasticizers. More specifically, examples of plasticizers include triphenyl phosphate, tricresyl phosphate, tolylene diphenyl phosphate, octyl diphenyl phosphate, diphenyl diphenyl phosphate, trioctyl phosphate, tributyl phosphate, diethyl phthalate, dimethoxyethyl phthalate, dimethyl phthalate, dioctyl phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, di(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate, butyl benzyl phthalate, dibenzyl phthalate, butyl phthaloyl glycolate, monoethylene phthalate, methyl phthaloyl glycolate, triethyl citrate, Tri-n-butyl citrate, triethyl acetyl citrate, tri-n-butyl acetyl citrate, tri-n-(2-ethylhexyl) acetyl citrate, acetin (triacetin), diethylene glycol diacetate, triethylene glycol diacetate and tripropionin, diethylene glycol dibenzoate, rosin; hydrogenated rosin; stabilized rosin, and its monofunctional alcohol esters or polyol esters; modified rosin, including but not limited to maleic acid modified rosin and phenol modified rosin and its esters; terpene resin; phenol modified terpene resin; coumarin-indene resin; phenolic resin; alkylphenol-acetylene resin; and phenol-formaldehyde resin.

[0060] Some examples of plasticizers are those that are biodegradable. Examples of these plasticizers include: acetin, triethyl citrate, acetyl triethyl citrate, polyethylene glycol, benzoate-containing plasticizers such as Benzoflex TM Plasticizer series, poly(alkyl succinates) such as poly(butyl succinate), polyether sulfones, adipate-based plasticizers, soybean oil epoxides such as Paraplex TM Plasticizer series, sucrose-based plasticizers, dibutyl sebacate, tributyrin, sucrose acetate isobutyrate, Resolflex TM Plasticizer series, triphenyl phosphate, glycolate, 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,3-pentanediol diisobutyrate and polycaprolactone.

[0061] The amount of plasticizer in the polymer used to make the plastic article can be about 0.5wt.% to about 50wt.% (wt.%, weight percent, weight percentage), based on the weight of the polymer. Other ranges can be about 5wt.% to about 35wt.%, about 5wt.% to about 30wt.%, and about 10wt.% to about 20wt.%, based on the weight of the polymer.

[0062] Waxes are also used to increase hardness. See, e.g., U.S. Patent 2,904,050, which is incorporated herein by reference.

[0063] The compatibilizer can be a non-reactive compatibilizer or a reactive compatibilizer. The compatibilizer can enhance the ability of the first polymer to achieve a desired small particle size to improve the dispersion of the first polymer in the second polymer, such as the dispersion in the elastomer. The compatibilizer used can also improve the mechanical and physical properties of the elastomeric composition by improving the interfacial interaction / bonding between the first polymer and the elastomer or the second polymer.

[0064] The amount of compatibilizer in the polymer can range from about 1 wt.% to about 40 wt.%, about 5 wt.% to about 20 wt.%, or about 10 wt.% to about 20 wt.%, based on the weight of the polymer.

[0065] If desired, biodegradation and decomposition agents, for example hydrolysis aids or any intended degradation promoter additives can be added or included in the polymer, added during the manufacture of the polymer or after its manufacture, and melted or solvent mixed together. These additives can: promote hydrolysis by releasing acidic or alkaline residues, and / or accelerate light (UV) or oxidative degradation, and / or promote the growth of selective microbial colonies to help decomposition and biodegradation in compost and soil media. Except promoting degradation, these additives can have other functions, for example improve the processing properties of goods or improve mechanical properties.

[0066] One group of examples of decomposing agents include inorganic carbonates, synthetic carbonates, nepheline syenite, talc, magnesium hydroxide, aluminum hydroxide, diatomaceous earth, natural or synthetic silica, calcined clay, etc. If used, it is desirable that these fillers are well dispersed in the polymer matrix. The fillers can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0067] Another group of examples are aromatic ketones used as oxidative decomposition agents, including benzophenone, anthraquinone, anthrone, acetylbenzophenone, 4-octylbenzophenone, etc. These aromatic ketones can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0068] Other examples include transition metal compounds used as oxidative decomposition agents, such as: salts of cobalt or magnesium, preferably aliphatic carboxylic acid (C12-C20) salts of cobalt or magnesium, more preferably cobalt stearate, cobalt oleate, magnesium stearate and magnesium oleate; or anatase titanium dioxide, or titanium dioxide. Mixed phase titanium dioxide particles can be used, in which both rutile and anatase crystal structures are present in the same particle. The photosensitizer particles can have a relatively high surface area, for example, from about 10 to about 300 square meters / g, or 20 to 200 square meters / g, measured by the BET surface area method. If desired, the photosensitizer can be added to the plasticizer. These transition metal compounds can be used alone, or in combination of two or more.

[0069] Examples of rare earth compounds used as oxidative decomposition agents include rare earths belonging to Group 3A of the periodic table and their oxides. Specific examples include cerium (Ce), yttrium (Y), neodymium (Nd), rare earth oxides, hydroxides, rare earth sulfates, rare earth nitrates, rare earth acetates, rare earth chlorides, rare earth carboxylates, etc. More specific examples include cerium oxide, cerium sulfate, cerium ammonium sulfate, cerium ammonium nitrate, cerium acetate, lanthanum nitrate, cerium chloride, cerium nitrate, cerium hydroxide, cerium octoate, lanthanum oxide, yttrium oxide, scandium oxide, etc. These rare earth compounds can be used alone or in combination of two or more.

[0070] Examples of alkaline additives used as oxidative decomposition agents include alkaline earth metal oxides, alkaline earth metal hydroxides, alkaline earth metal carbonates, alkali metal carbonates, alkali metal bicarbonates, ZnO, and alkaline Al2O3. At least one alkaline additive may be MgO, Mg(OH)2, MgCO3, CaO, Ca(OH)2, CaCO3, NaHCO3, Na2CO3, K2CO3, ZnOKHCO3, or alkaline Al2O3. In one aspect, alkaline earth metal oxides, ZnO, and alkaline Al2O3 may be used as alkaline additives.

[0071] Examples of organic acid additives useful as oxidative decomposers include acetic acid, propionic acid, butyric acid, valeric acid, citric acid, tartaric acid, oxalic acid, malic acid, benzoic acid, formates, acetates, propionates, butyrates, valeric acid, citrates, tartrates, oxalates, malates, maleic acid, maleates, phthalic acid, phthalates, benzoates, and combinations thereof.

[0072] Examples of other hydrophilic polymers or biodegradation promoters may include diols, polyethers and polyols or other biodegradable polymers such as poly(glycolic acid), poly(lactic acid), polydisiloxanes, polyoxalates, poly(α-esters), polycarbonates, polyanhydrides, polyacetals, polycaprolactones, poly(orthoesters), polyamino acids, aliphatic polyesters such as poly(butylene) succinate, poly(ethylene) succinate, starch, regenerated cellulose or aliphatic-aromatic polyesters such as PBAT.

[0073] Colorants may include: carbon black, iron oxides such as red or blue iron oxide, titanium dioxide, silicon dioxide, cadmium red, calcium carbonate, kaolin, aluminum hydroxide, barium sulfate, zinc oxide, aluminum oxide; and organic pigments such as azo and disazo and triazo pigments, condensed azo, azo lakes, naphthol pigments, anthraquinone pyrimidines, benzimidazolone, carbazole, diketopyrrolopyrrole, flavanone, indigo pigments, isoindolinone, isoindolinone, isoanthraquinone violet, metal complexes (metal The present invention also includes the following pigments: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 17, 18, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, 26, 27, 28, 29, 30, 31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45, 46, 47, 48, 49, 51, 52, 53, 54, 55, 56, 57, 58, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 67, 68, 69, 70, 71, 72, 73, 74, 75, 76, 77, 78, 79, 80, 81, 82, 83, 84, 85, 86, 87, 88, 89, 90, 91, 92, 93, 94, 95, 96, 97, 98, 99, 101, 102, 114, 115, 126, 136, 147, 158, 99, 103, 114, 127, 137, 148, 159, 119,

[0074] Gloss control agents and fillers used to adjust gloss include silica, talc, clay, barium sulfate, barium carbonate, calcium sulfate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, and the like.

[0075] Suitable flame retardants include silica, metal oxides, phosphates, catechol phosphates, resorcinol phosphates, borates, inorganic hydrates and aromatic polyhalides.

[0076] Antifungal and / or antibacterial agents include polyene antifungals (e.g., natamycin, chastomycin, filipin, nystatin, amphotericin B, candesin and hamycin), imidazole antifungals such as miconazole (available as from WellSpring Pharmaceutical Corporation), ketoconazole (available as from McNeil Customer Healthcare), clotrimazole (available as and LOTRAMIN Commercially available from Merck and commercially available from Bayer), econazole, omoconazole, bifonazole, butoconazole, fenticonazole, isoconazole, oxiconazole, sertaconazole (available as commercially available from OrthoDematologics), sulconazole, and tioconazole; triazole antifungals such as fluconazole, itraconazole, isavuconazole, ravuconazole, posaconazole, voriconazole, terconazole, and albaconazole), thiazole antifungals (e.g., abafungin), allylamine antifungals (e.g., terbinafine (available as from Novartis Consumer Health, Inc.), naftifine (available as from Merz Pharmaceuticals) and butenafine (available as LOTRAMIN commercially available from Merck), echinocandin antifungals (e.g., anidulafungin, caspofungin, and micafungin), polygonialdehyde, benzoic acid, ciclopirox olamine, tolnaftate (e.g., available as Commercially available from MDS Consumer Care, Inc.), undecylenic acid, flucytosine, 5-flucytosine, griseofulvin, iodine trichlorophenol, octanoic acid, and any combination thereof.

[0077] Viscosity modifiers are used to adjust the melt flow index or viscosity of the polymer, and include polyethylene and polypropylene glycols, and glycerin.

[0078] If necessary, spices may be added. Examples of spices include spices, spice extracts, herb extracts, essential oils, smelling salts, volatile organic compounds, volatile small molecules, methyl formate, methyl acetate, methyl butyrate, ethyl acetate, ethyl butyrate, isoamyl acetate, amyl butyrate, amyl valerate, octyl acetate, myrcene, geraniol, nerol, citral, citronellal, citronellol, linalool, nerolidol, limonene, camphor, terpineol, α-ionone, thujone, benzaldehyde, eugenol, isoeugenol, cinnamaldehyde, ethyl maltol, vanilla, vanillin, cinnamyl alcohol, anisole, anethole, estragole, thymol, thymol, furanone, methanol, rosemary, lavender, citrus, freesia, almond blossom, green plants, peach, jasmine, rosewood, pine, thyme, oakmoss, musk, vetiver, myrrh, black currant, bergamot, grapefruit, acacia, passionflower, sandalwood, tonka bean, citrus, orange blossom, violet leaf, gardenia, red fruits, ylang-ylang, acacia, mimosa, tonka bean, woods, ambergris, daffodil, hyacinth, narcissus, black currant buds, iris, raspberry, lily of the valley, sandalwood, vetiver, cedar, orange blossom, strawberry, carnation, ox to, honey, civet, heliotrope, caramel, coumarin, patchouli, dewberry, helonial, coriander, allspice, rock rose, cassie, aldehydes, orchid, amber, iris, tuberose, palmarosa, cinnamon, nutmeg, moss, benzoin, pineapple, foxglove, tulip, wisteria, clematis, ambergris, gum, resin, civet, plum, castoreum, civet, myrrh, geranium, rose purple, kalanchoe, spicy carnation, galbanum, petitgrain, iris, honeysuckle, pepper, raspberry, benzoin, mango, coconut, citrus aurantium, castoreum, osmanthus, oakmoss, nectarine, mint, anise, cinnamon, orris, apricot, plumeria, calendula, rose essential oil, narcissus, balsam of tolu, frankincense, amber, orange blossom, bourbon vetiver, opoponax, white musk, papaya, rock sugar, jackfruit, honeydew, lotus, lily of the valley, mulberry, wormwood, ginger, juniper berry, mountain pepper, peony, violet, lemon, lime, hibiscus, white rum, basil, lavender, balsam, fo-ti-tieng, osmanthus, karo flower essential oilkarunde), white orchid, calla lily, white rose, hairy lily, marigold, ambergris, ivy, grass, hevea, spearmint, sage, cottonwood, grape, bilberry (brimbelle), water lily, primrose, orchid, amino acid, tiare flower, wild ginger flower, green osmanthus, passion flower, blue rose, bay oil, acacia, African marigold, Anatolian rose, Auvergne narcissus, English broom, English broom chocolate, Bulgarian rose, Chinese patchouli, Chinese gardenia, Calabrian mandarin, Comoros tuberose, Ceylon cardamom, Caribbean passion fruit, Damascus rose, Georgia peach, white lily, Egyptian jasmine, Egyptian marigold, Ethiopian civet, acacia (Farnesian cassie), Florence Phalaenopsis, French jasmine, French kalanchoe, French hyacinth, Guinea orange, Guyana wacapua, Grasse orange leaf, Grasse rose, Grasse tuberose, Haitian vetiver, Hawaiian pineapple, Israeli basil, Indian sandalwood, Indian Ocean vanilla, Italian bergamot, Italian Phalaenopsis, Jamaican pepper, rose, Madagascar ylang-ylang, Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan jasmine, Moroccan rose, Moroccan oakmoss, Moroccan orange blossom, Mysore sandalwood, Oriental rose, Russian leather, Russian coriander, Sicily mandarin, South African marigold, South African tonka bean, Singapore patchouli, Spanish orange blossom, Sicily lime, Reunion vetiver, Turkish rose, Thai benzoin gum, Tunisian orange blossom, Yugoslav oakmoss, Virginia cedarwood, Utah yarrow, West Indian rosewood, etc. and any combination thereof. African marigold, Anatolian rose, Auvergne narcissus, English broom, English broom chocolate, Bulgarian rose, Chinese patchouli, Chinese gardenia, Calabrian mandarin, Comoros tuberose, Ceylon cardamom, Caribbean passion fruit, Damascus rose, Georgian peach, Madonna white lily, Egyptian jasmine, Egyptian marigold, Ethiopian civet, Farnesian cassie, Florentine iris, French jasmine, French jonquil, French hyacinth, Guinea orange, Guyana wacapua, Grasse petitgrain, Grasse rose, Grasse tuberose, Haitian vetiver, Hawaiian pineapple, Israeli basil, Indian sandalwood, Indian Ocean vanilla, Italian bergamot, Italian iris, Jamaican pepper, May rose, Madagascar ylang-ylang, Madagascar vanilla, Moroccan jasmine, Moroccan rose, Moroccan oakmoss, Moroccan neroli, Mysore sandalwood, Oriental rose, Russian leather, Russian coriander, Sicilian mandarin, South African marigold, South American tonka bean, Singapore patchouli, Spanish orange blossom, Sicilian lime, Reunion vetiver, Turkish rose, Thai benzoin, Tunisian orange blossom, Yugoslav oakmoss, Virginia cedar, Utah yarrow, West Indian rosewood, etc., and any combination thereof.

[0079] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises a plastic, at least a portion of which is obtained from cellulose, such as a cellulose derivative having an acyl degree of substitution of less than 3 or 1.8 to 2.8, such as cellulose acetate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate.

[0080] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises a plastic, at least a portion of which is obtained from a polymer having repeating terephthalate units, such as polyethylene terephthalate, polytrimethylene terephthalate, polybutylene terephthalate, and copolyesters thereof.

[0081] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises a plastic at least a portion of which is derived from a copolyester having a plurality of dicyclohexanedimethanol moieties, 2,2,4,4-tetramethyl-1,3-cyclobutanediol moieties, or a combination thereof.

[0082] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises a plastic at least a portion of which is derived from low density polyethylene, high density polyethylene, linear low density polyethylene, polypropylene, polymethylpentene, polybutene-1, and copolymers thereof.

[0083] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises plastic, at least a portion of which is obtained from high density polyethylene or a fuel tank.

[0084] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the raw material comprises a plastic, at least a portion of which is obtained from an eyeglass frame.

[0085] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the embodiments mentioned, the raw material comprises a plastic, at least a portion of which is obtained by cross-linking polyethylene. An example of a raw material is one obtained by or including a cross-linked polyethylene pipe or a reduced diameter portion thereof. Cross-linked polyethylene is also commonly referred to as PEX. Its structure contains cross-linked bonds in the polymer, which converts thermoplastic polyethylene into a polymer with stronger thermosetting properties. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the embodiments mentioned, the cross-linked polyethylene is a thermosetting polymer. Cross-linked polyethylene can be obtained by cross-linking any polyethylene (LDPE, LLDPE, HDPE), but is usually obtained by cross-linking low-density polyethylene. The cross-linking method is not limited and can be completed during and after the extrusion process. The degree of cross-linking can be at least 50%. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the embodiments mentioned, the degree of cross-linking meets ASTM F876. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the embodiments mentioned, the degree of cross-linking is 60-92%, or 65-89%.

[0086] The crosslinking method can be irradiating the tube with an electron beam, the Engel crosslinking method is to mix peroxide with the polyethylene and crosslinking occurs before extrusion as in a long die. Crosslinking of polyethylene can also be done in a silane or vinyl silane based process or in an azo based process. Types of crosslinked polyethylene include PE-Xa (peroxide crosslinked, at least 75% crosslinked), PE-Xb (moisture cure or silane based, at least 65% crosslinked), PE-Xc (electron beam based, at least 60% crosslinked) and PE-Xd (azo based, at least 60% crosslinked).

[0087] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises plastic, at least a portion of which is obtained from plastic bottles.

[0088] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the raw material comprises plastic, at least a portion of which is obtained from diapers.

[0089] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises plastic, at least a portion of which is obtained from polystyrene foam or expanded polystyrene.

[0090] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises plastic, at least a portion of which is obtained by flash spinning high density polyethylene.

[0091] Suitable recycled plastics (i.e., organic synthetic polymers that are solid at 25°C and 1 atmosphere) include those plastics having or categorized in the resin ID codes (within the chasing arrow triangle) numbered 1-7, the resin ID codes being established by SPI. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, at least a portion of the feedstock to the gasifier, or at least a portion of the recycled plastics fed to the gasifier, comprises one or more plastics that are not normally recycled. These include plastics having the numbers 3 (polyvinyl chloride), 5 (polypropylene), 6 (polystyrene), and 7 (other). In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the recycled plastic or at least a portion of the raw material fed to the gasifier contains less than 10 wt.%, or not more than 5 wt.%, or not more than 3 wt.%, or not more than 2 wt.%, or not more than 1 wt.%, or not more than 0.5 wt.%, or not more than 0.2 wt.%, or not more than 0.1 wt.%, or not more than 0.05 wt.% of plastic having or corresponding to the identification number 3 (polyvinyl chloride), or optionally plastic having the identification numbers 3 and 6, or optionally plastic having the identification numbers 3, 6 and 7, based on the weight of all plastics fed to the gasifier or gasification zone. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the recycled plastic or at least a portion of the feedstock fed to the gasifier contains at least 1 wt.%, or at least 2 wt.%, or at least 3 wt.%, or at least 5 wt.%, or at least 7 wt.%, or at least 10 wt.%, or at least 12 wt.%, or at least 15 wt.%, or at least 20 wt.%, or at least 25 wt.%, or at least 30 wt.%, or at least 40 wt.%, or at least or greater than 50 wt.%, or at least 65 wt.%, or at least 85 wt.%, or at least 90 wt.% of plastic having or corresponding to the number 5, or number 6, or number 7, or a combination thereof, based on the weight of the plastic fed to the gasifier or gasification zone or in the feedstock. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feed containing waste plastics may contain at least 30 wt.%, 35 wt.%, 40 wt.%, 45 wt.%, 50 wt.%, 55 wt.%, 60 wt.%, 65 wt.%, 70 wt.%, 75 wt.%, 80 wt.%, 85 wt.%, 90 wt.%, 95 wt.%, or 99 wt.% of at least one, two, three, or four different types of resin ID codes. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feed containing waste plastics contains less than 25 wt.%, 20 wt.%, 15 wt.%, 10 wt.%, 5 wt.%, or 1 wt.% of polyvinyl chloride.

[0092] One of the advantages of gasifying plastics is that many plastics that are landfilled because they cannot be remelted (e.g., ground and melt-extruded into recycled products) can now be recycled and made into recycled products. An example of such a plastic is a thermosetting plastic. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises a plastic, at least a portion of which cannot be melt-extruded into a recycled product.

[0093] One of the advantages of gasifying plastics is that many plastics that would otherwise end up in landfills, or not be recycled or mechanically recyclable due to the presence of additives, coatings or dyes / pigments, can now be recycled and made into recycled products. For example, some plastics that are heavily dyed, or contain additives that are only suitable for a limited variety of applications, or have coatings that may impair the functionality or appearance of the recycled product. Other plastics are not typically mechanically recycled through a process in which the plastic is melted because they are difficult to shred, granulate or crush without first going through a compaction step, which increases costs. These plastics that are typically not mechanically recycled have a resin ID designation of 4, 5, 6 or 7, or a combination thereof.

[0094] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises plastic, at least a portion of which is not recyclable or cannot be mechanically recycled, optionally within a 10 mile radius of the gasifier, or within 50 miles, or within 100 miles, or within 150 miles, or within 200 miles, or within 250 miles, or within 300 miles, or within 400 miles, or within 500 miles, or within 600 miles, or within 700 miles, or within 800 miles, or within 1000 miles, or within 1250 miles, or within 1500 miles, or within a 2000 mile radius of the gasifier, or within the same province, state or country as the location of the gasifier.

[0095] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises a plastic at least partly obtained from a polymer colored with a pigment or dye, optionally other than black.

[0096] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the raw material comprises a plastic at least part of which is obtained from an article having a label layer, the article being reduced at the label.

[0097] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feedstock comprises a plastic at least part of which is obtained from an article that cannot be mechanically recycled due to the presence of additives in the article.

[0098] The sources from which post-consumer or post-industrial waste is obtained are not limited. Post-consumer plastic sources can include plastics present in and / or separated from municipal solid waste streams ("MSW"). For example, MSW streams can be processed and sorted into several discrete components, including textiles, fibers, mixed plastics, paper, wood, glass, metals, etc. Other plastic sources include those obtained by collection agencies, or those obtained by or for or on behalf of plastic brand owners or alliances or organizations, or those obtained by brokers, or those obtained from post-industrial sources, such as scraps from mills or commercial production facilities, unsold fabrics from wholesalers or distributors, from mechanical and / or chemical sorting or separation facilities, from landfills, or stranded on docks or ships.

[0099] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, at least a portion of the plastic in the feedstock, or the feedstock entering the gasifier or gasification zone, contains or is derived from a cellulosic material. Examples of cellulosic plastics include cellulose acetate, cellulose diacetate, cellulose triacetate, cellulose acetate propionate, cellulose acetate butyrate, regenerated cellulose such as viscose, rayon, and Lyocel. TM Products. These cellulose products can be in any form, such as films, sheets, molded or stamped products, and are included in or on any products. Examples of products containing cellulose that can be included in the raw materials or fed to the gasifier or gasification zone include: ophthalmic products such as eyeglass frames, tool handles such as screwdriver handles, optical films such as for displays or televisions, computers, mobile phones, photographic films, coatings, buttons and toys, including building blocks. Desirably, the plastic contains low levels of halide-containing polymers or does not contain halide-containing polymers, particularly polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl fluoride, polyvinylidene fluoride and polytetrafluoroethylene, and other fluorinated or chlorinated polymers. The release of chlorine or fluorine elements or free radicals over time can affect the life of the refractory lining on the gasifier operating at high temperature and pressure. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the plastic comprises less than 10 wt.%, or not more than 8 wt.%, or not more than 6 wt.%, or not more than 5 wt.%, or not more than 4 wt.%, or not more than 3.5 wt.%, or not more than 3 wt.%, or not more than 2.5 wt.%, or not more than 2 wt.%, or not more than 1.5 wt.%, or not more than 1 wt.%, or not more than 0.5 wt.%, or not more than 0.25 wt.%, or not more than 0.1 wt.%, or not more than 0.05 wt.%, or not more than 0.01 wt.% of a halide-containing polymer, based on the weight of the plastic. Desirably, the halide that is minimized or excluded is chlorine or fluorine.

[0100] Plastics used as co-fuels in the feedstream have the advantage of not requiring heat treatment prior to their introduction into the gasification zone or their introduction into one or more components of the feedstream. Unlike wood or grains that typically require heat treatment other than drying, such as kiln-dried wood or grain, pre-ground plastics (those that are ground to a final size when combined into the feedstream) are not pyrolyzed or dried prior to introduction into the gasifier, and desirably, the pre-ground plastics are not obtained from a plastic source that has been pyrolyzed or dried. In another embodiment, the pre-ground plastic is not obtained from post-consumer plastics or post-industrial plastics that are melted or extruded after the consumer or industrial manufacturing stage, and desirably, the pre-ground plastics are not melted or extruded prior to their entry into the gasifier. In another embodiment, the post-consumer or post-industrial plastics, after shredding or any type of pelletization, are not melted or extruded or subjected to heat treatment at temperatures above their pyrolysis temperature, or above 150°C, or above 110°C, or above 100°C, or above 90°C, or above 80°C, or above 60°C, or above 58°C, or above their nominal temperature, at their ambient conditions before they are introduced into the gasification zone. It should be noted that the pre-ground plastics may be dried before they are introduced into the feed stream, however, this is not necessary in a slurry-type feed stream.

[0101] A ring manufacturing method is also provided, the method comprising:

[0102] 1. Providing recycled plastics, and

[0103] 2. reducing the size of the plastic to produce pre-ground recycled plastic, and

[0104] 3. gasifying the pre-ground plastic to produce recycled plastic derived syngas, and 4. or

[0105] (i) reacting the recycled plastic derived synthesis gas to produce a recycled content intermediate, polymer or article (recycled PIA), each of which is derived at least in part from the recycled plastic derived synthesis gas, or

[0106] (ii) Recycled content quotas to be obtained from recycled plastics or pre-ground plastics

[0107] (allotment) to intermediates, plastics or polymers to produce recycled PIA;

[0108] as well as

[0109] 5. Optionally, at least a portion of the recovered PIA is returned as a feedstock to the gasification process step (i), or (ii), or (iii).

[0110] In the above method, a fully circular or closed loop process is provided, wherein plastics can be recycled multiple times to produce the same family or category of plastics.

[0111] In this embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, quotas can be allocated to intermediates, plastics or polymers to directly produce recycled PIA from a recycled content value, which is taken from recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic, or from a step of gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic; or, quotas can be allocated to intermediates, plastics or polymers to indirectly produce recycled PIA by allocating a recycled content value taken from a recycling inventory, in which the recycled content value is deposited by the following sources: from recycled content present in recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic, or from a step of gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic.

[0112] In one embodiment, the recycled PIA is a plastic that belongs to the same plastic family or category as the recycled plastic used in step (i).

[0113] In one embodiment, the recycled PIA may be prepared by a process wherein the recycled plastic is gasified according to any of the methods described herein.

[0114] A ring manufacturing method is also provided, the method comprising:

[0115] 1. The producer of the syngas, or a member of its family of entities, or an entity contracted by any of them (collectively, the "Recipient"), optionally and desirably receives recycled plastic (whether post-industrial or post-consumer) from an industrial supplier of said plastic or an article containing said plastic, and

[0116] 2. one or more recipients reducing the plastic (optionally first compacting the plastic, e.g. in the form of agglomerates or extrudates, followed by reduction or coarse reduction / compaction / finer reduction) to produce pre-ground recycled plastic, and

[0117] 3. one or more recipients gasifying the pre-ground plastic to produce recycled plastic-derived syngas, and

[0118] 4. Or

[0119] (iii) reacting the recycled plastic derived synthesis gas to produce a recycled content intermediate, polymer or article (recycled PIA), each of which is derived at least in part from the recycled plastic derived synthesis gas, or

[0120] (iv) allocating recycled content allowances obtained from recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic to intermediates, plastics, or polymers to thereby produce recycled PIA; and

[0121] 5. Optionally, at least a portion of the recycled PIA is provided to the industrial supplier, or to an entity that has contracted with the industrial supplier or a member of the family of entities of the industrial supplier to supply the recycled PIA or products made with the recycled PIA.

[0122] In this embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, quotas can be allocated to intermediates, plastics or polymers to directly produce recycled PIA from a recycled content value taken from recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic, or from a gasification step of a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic; or, quotas can be allocated to intermediates, plastics or polymers to indirectly produce recycled PIA by allocating a recycled content value taken from a recycling inventory, where the recycled content value is deposited from the following sources: from recycled content present in recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic, or from a gasification step of a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic.

[0123] In the above method, a complete circular or closed loop method is provided, in which plastics can be recycled multiple times to prepare plastics of the same family or category. An industrial supplier can provide plastics or articles containing plastics to a processor entity to process these plastics or articles into a form suitable or more suitable for gasification as further described herein to prepare pre-ground plastics or precursors of pre-ground plastics, such as agglomerates, extrudates, fragments, etc., and the processor entity in turn supplies the pre-ground plastics or its precursors to a manufacturer of syngas or one of its entity families, which can feed the pre-ground plastics as is to the feedstock stream of the gasifier, or can further process the precursors or pre-ground plastics into a final size suitable for gasification by any suitable method, such as crushing or grinding. The gasification process, equipment and design used can be any of those mentioned herein. Synthesis gas produced using a feedstock containing pre-ground plastic can then be converted through a reaction scheme to produce recycled PIA, or the quotas produced by such a gasification step can be stored in a catalog of quotas; and, from a catalog of quotas from any source, a portion thereof can be taken and allocated to intermediates, polymers or articles to produce recycled PIA. In order to close the plastic loop, at least a portion of the recycled PIA can be provided to an industrial supplier of plastics or articles, or it can be provided to any entity that contracts with the industrial supplier to process the recycled PIA into a different form, different size, or combine with other ingredients or plastics (e.g., a compounder and / or sheet extruder), or to prepare articles containing PIA to provide to or on behalf of the industrial supplier. The recycled PIA provided to the industrial supplier or one of its contracted entities is desirably a plastic of the same family or type as the plastic or article containing the plastic provided by the industrial supplier to the recipient.

[0124] “Recycle content allotment” or “quota” means a recycled content value that:

[0125] a. from recycled waste (which is any recycled waste stream, whether or not it contains recycled plastic) to a receiving composition (e.g., a compound, polymer, article, intermediate, feedstock, product, or stream) which may or may not have a physical component traceable to the recycled waste; or

[0126] b. deposited in a recycling inventory, at least a portion of which is derived from recycled waste.

[0127] Recovery content values ​​(whether mass or percentage or any other unit of measurement) can optionally be determined according to a standard system for tracing, allocating and / or crediting recovery content in various compositions.

[0128] The "recycled content value" is a unit of measurement that represents the amount of material whose origin is recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic. The recycled content value can be derived from any type of recycled plastic or any recycled plastic processed in any type of process prior to gasification.

[0129] The specific recycled content value can be determined by a mass balance method or a mass ratio or a percentage or any other unit of measurement, and can be determined according to any system for tracing, allocating and / or crediting recycled content in various compositions. The recycled content value can be deducted from the recycling inventory and applied to the product or composition to attribute the recycled content to the product or composition. The recycled content value does not have to be derived from gasified recycled plastics, and can be a unit of measurement with a known or unknown source in any technology for processing recycled plastics. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the recycled plastics from which the quota is obtained is also gasified as described throughout one or more embodiments of this article; for example, combined with fossil fuels and gasified.

[0130] In one embodiment, at least a portion of the recycled content quota or recycled value deposited into the recycled content inventory is obtained from recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic. Desirably, at least 60%, or at least 70%, or at least 80%, or at least 90%, or at least 95%, or up to 100% of the following:

[0131] a. Quota, or

[0132] b. The amount of inventory entered into the recycling catalog, or

[0133] c. The recycled content value in the recycling catalog, or

[0134] d. Recovery content value applied to the composition to prepare the recovered PIA

[0135] Obtained from recycled plastic or pre-ground plastic.

[0136] Recycled content quotas may include recycled content quotas or recycled content credits earned through the transfer or use of raw materials. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the embodiments mentioned, the polymer, intermediate, composition, article, or stream receiving the recycled content quota may be or contain a portion of a non-recycled composition (e.g., a compound, polymer, raw material, product, or stream). "Non-recycled" refers to a composition (e.g., a compound, polymer, raw material, product, or stream), none of which is directly or indirectly derived from any type of recycled waste, including plastics.

[0137] "Recycled content allocation" and "allocation" refer to a type of recycled content quota in which an entity or individual supplying a composition sells or transfers the composition to a receiving individual or entity, and the individual or entity that prepares the composition has a quota, at least a portion of which may be associated with the composition sold or transferred by the supplying individual or entity to the receiving individual or entity. The supplying entity or individual may be controlled by the same entity or individual or by various affiliates that are ultimately at least partially controlled or owned by a parent entity (a "family of entities"), or they may be from different families of entities. Typically, the recycled content quota travels with the composition and downstream derivatives of the composition. Allocations may be deposited into a recycling catalog and taken out of the recycling catalog as allocations and applied to a composition to prepare a recycled PIA.

[0138] “Recycled Content Credit” and “Credit” means a type of recycled content allowance that is available for sale or transfer or use, or has been sold or transferred or used, or:

[0139] a. not sell the composition, or

[0140] b. Although the Composition is sold or transferred, the quota is not related to the sale or transfer of the Composition, or

[0141] c. Deposited into or removed from a recycling inventory that does not trace molecules of recycled content raw materials to molecules of resulting compositions made with recycled content raw materials, or that has such traceability but does not trace specific quotas applied to compositions.

[0142] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, an allocation may be deposited into a recycling catalogue and credits may be taken from the catalogue and applied to a composition to prepare a recycled PIA. This would be the case where an allocation is generated from recycled plastic and deposited into a recycling catalogue, a recycled content value is deducted from the recycling catalogue and applied to a composition to prepare a recycled PIA, the composition having no portion derived from syngas or having a portion derived from syngas, but such syngas constituting that portion of the composition is not a recycled content syngas. In this system, there is no need to trace the source of a reactant compound or composition back to the manufacture of a recycled derived syngas stream or back to any atom contained in a recycled derived syngas stream, but rather any reactant compound or composition prepared by any method may be used and already associated with such a reactant compound or composition, or already associated with a recycled PIA - recycled content quota. In one embodiment, the recycled PIA reactant (the composition used to prepare the recycled PIA or the composition to which the quota is applied) does not contain recycled content.

[0143] In one embodiment, the composition portion receiving the quota to prepare the recycled PIA is derived from a syngas stream obtained by any gasification process. The feedstock for the gasification process may optionally include solid fossil fuels, such as coal. The feedstock may also optionally include a combination of solid fossil fuels and recycled plastics or pre-ground plastics. In one embodiment, a method is provided, wherein:

[0144] a. Obtained recycled plastics,

[0145] b. Obtaining recycled content values ​​(or quotas) from recycled plastics, and

[0146] i. Deposit into a recycling catalogue and take a quota (or credit) from the recycling catalogue and apply it to the composition to obtain a recycling PIA, or

[0147] ii. applied to the composition to obtain recovered PIA; and

[0148] c. subjecting at least a portion of the recycled plastic to a gasification process, optionally by combining it with a solid fossil fuel as a feedstock for a gasifier, optionally according to any of the methods described herein.

[0149] design or methodology; and

[0150] d. Optionally, at least a portion of the composition in step b. is derived from a synthesis gas stream, optionally, the synthesis gas stream has been obtained by any of the feedstocks and methods described herein.

[0151] Steps b. and c. do not have to occur at the same time. In one embodiment, they occur within one year of each other, or within six (6) months of each other, or within three (3) months of each other, or within one (1) month of each other, or within two (2) weeks of each other, or within one (1) week of each other, or within three (3) days of each other. The method allows time to pass between the moment the entity or person receives the recycled plastic and generates the quota (which may occur upon receipt or possession of the recycled plastic) and the actual processing of the recycled plastic in the gasifier.

[0152] As used herein, "recycle inventory" and "inventory" mean a group or set of quotas (allocations or credits), from which the deposits and deductions of quotas under any unit can be traced back. The inventory can be in any form (electronic or paper), using any one or more software programs, or using various modules or applications (which are traced back to deposits and deductions as a whole). Desirably, the total amount of recovered content taken out (or applied to the recovery of PIA) is not greater than the total amount of credits on the recovered content quota or deposit in the recovery inventory (from any source, not only from the gasification of recycled plastics). However, if a deficit in the recovered content value is achieved, the recovered content inventory is rebalanced to achieve zero or positive available recovered content values. The time schedule for rebalancing can be determined and managed according to the rules of a specific certification system adopted by a recovered content syngas manufacturer or by a member of its entity family, or alternatively, rebalanced within one (1) year, or six (6) months, or three (3) months, or one (1) month of achieving a deficit. The time arrangement of depositing quota into the recycling catalog, applying quota (or credit) to composition to prepare recycling PIA and gasifying recycled plastic need not be simultaneous or in any particular order. In one embodiment, the step of gasifying the recycled plastic of a specific volume occurs after the recycled content value or quota of the recycled plastic from the volume is deposited into the recycling catalog. In addition, the quota or the recycled content value taken out from the recycling catalog do not need to be traceable to recycled plastic or traceable to gasified recycled plastic, but can be obtained by any waste recycling stream and from any method of processing recycled waste stream. Desirably, at least a portion of the recycled content value in the recycling catalog is obtained by recycling plastic, optionally, at least a portion of recycled plastic is processed in one or more gasification processes as described herein, optionally within one year of each other, optionally, at least a portion of the volume of recycled plastic (the recycled content value from this volume is deposited into the recycling catalog) is also processed by any one or more in the gasification process as described herein.

[0153] Determining whether a recycled PIA is directly or indirectly derived from recycled waste is not based on the presence or absence of intermediate steps or entities in the supply chain, but rather on whether at least a portion of the recycled plastic molecules fed to the gasifier can be traced back to the recycled PIA. The recycled PIA is considered to be directly derived from or in direct contact with recycled plastic if at least a portion of the molecules in the recycled PIA can be traced back to at least a portion of the recycled content syngas molecules, optionally through one or more intermediate steps or entities. Any number of intermediates and intermediate derivatives may be prepared prior to preparing the recycled PIA.

[0154] Recycled PIA can be indirectly derived from recycled plastic if any portion of its molecules is not derived from recycled content syngas molecules, or some portion of its molecules is derived from recycled content syngas molecules, but the recycled PIA has a recycled content value that exceeds the recycled content syngas molecules associated with the recycled content syngas molecules, and in the latter case, the recycled PIA can be directly and indirectly derived from recycled plastics.

[0155] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the recovered PIA is indirectly derived from recycled plastic or recycled content syngas. In another embodiment, the recovered PIA is directly derived from recycled plastic or recycled content syngas. In another embodiment, the recovered PIA is indirectly derived from recycled plastic or recycled content syngas and no portion of the recovered PIA is directly derived from recycled plastic or recycled content syngas.

[0156] In another embodiment, various methods are provided for allocating recycled content among various recycled PIA compositions made by any one or combination of entities in a family of entities of which a recycled content syngas manufacturer is a part. For example, a recycled content syngas manufacturer, or any combination or all of its family of entities, or sites, may:

[0157] a. Employ a symmetrical distribution of recycled content values ​​in its products based on the same fractional percentage of recycled content in one or more feedstocks, or based on the amount of quota received. For example, if 5 wt.% of the gasification feedstock is recycled plastic, or if the recycled content value is 5 wt.% of the total gasification feedstock, then all recycled PIA compositions can contain a recycled content value of 5 wt.%. In this case, the amount of recycled content in the product is proportional to the amount of recycled content in the feedstock from which the product is made; or

[0158] b. Adopt an asymmetric distribution of recycled content values ​​in its products based on the same fractional percentage of recycled content in one or more feedstocks, or based on the amount of quota received. For example, if 5wt.% of the gasifier feed is recycled plastic, or if the quota value is 5wt.% of the entire gasifier feed, then one volume or batch of recycled PIA may receive a greater amount of recycled content value than other batches or volumes of recycled PIA. A batch of PVA may contain 20% recycled content by mass, while another batch may contain zero 0% recycled content, even though the two volumes may be identical in composition, as long as the amount of recycled content value taken from the recycling catalog and applied to the recycled PIA is not greater than the amount of recycled content value deposited into the recycling catalog, or if a deficit is realized, the overdraft is rebalanced to zero or a positive credit available state as described above. In an asymmetric distribution of recycled content, manufacturers can tailor the recycled content to the volume of recycled PIA sold as needed among customers, thereby providing flexibility among customers, where

[0159] Some customers may require more recycled content in the PVA volume than others.

[0160] Symmetrical and asymmetric distributions of recycled content can be proportional on a site-wide basis or on a multi-site basis. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the embodiments mentioned, the recycled content input (recycled plastic or quota) can be within a site, and the recycled content value from the input is applied to one or more compositions prepared at the same site to prepare a recycled PIA. The recycled content value can be applied symmetrically or asymmetrically to one or more different compositions prepared at the site.

[0161] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, a recycled content input or generation (recycled content feedstock or allowance) can be to or at a first site, and a recycled content value from the input is transferred to a second site and applied to one or more compositions prepared at the second site. The recycled content value can be applied to the compositions symmetrically or asymmetrically at the second site.

[0162] As used herein, a compound or composition includes liquids, solids, formulations, polymers, and each of the solids can be in any form including pellets, sheets, films, strands, mats, webs, fibers, flakes, extrudates, agglomerates, and the like.

[0163] In one embodiment, the recycled PIA has associated therewith, or contains, or is labeled, advertised or certified as containing, an amount of recycled content of at least 0.01 wt.%, or at least 0.05 wt.%, or at least 0.1 wt.%, or at least 0.5 wt.%, or at least 0.75 wt.%, or at least 1 wt.%, or at least 1.25 wt.%, or at least 1.5 wt.%, or at least 1.75 wt.%, or at least 2 wt.%, or at least 2.25 wt.%, or at least 2.5 wt.%, or at least 2.75 wt.%, or at least 3 wt.%, or at least 3.5 wt.%, or at least 4 wt.%, or at least 4.5 wt.%, or at least 5 wt.%, or at least 6 wt.%, or at least 7 wt.%, or at least 10 wt.%, or at least 15 wt.%, or at least 20 wt.%, or at least 25 wt.%, or at least 30 wt.%, or at least 35 wt.%, or at least 40 wt.%, or at least 45 wt.%. %, or at least 50 wt.%, or at least 55 wt.%, or at least 60 wt.%, or at least 65 wt.% and / or the amount may be at most 100 wt.%, or at most 95 wt.%, or at most 90 wt.%, or at most 80 wt.%, or at most 70 wt.%, or at most 60 wt.%, or at most 50 wt.%, or at most 40 wt.%, or at most 30 wt.%, or at most 25 wt.%, or at most 22 wt.%, or at most 20 wt.% %, or up to 18wt.%, or up to 16wt.%, or up to 15wt.%, or up to 14wt.%, or up to 13wt.%, or up to 11wt.%, or up to 10wt.%, or up to 8wt.%, or up to 6wt.%, or up to 5wt.%, or up to 4wt.%, or up to 3wt.%, or up to 2wt.%, or up to 1wt.%, or up to 0.9wt.%, or up to 0.8wt.%, or up to 0.7wt.%. The recycled content associated with recycled PIA can be associated by applying a quota (credit or allocation) to any polymer and / or article manufactured or sold. The quota can be included in a quota directory created, maintained or operated by or for a recycled PIA manufacturer. The quota can be obtained from any source along any manufacturing chain of the product, as long as its source is in the gasification of raw materials containing solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics.

[0164] The amount of recycled content in the reactant compound or composition, or the amount of recycled content applied to recover the PIA, or in the case where all recycled content from the recycled plastic feedstock is applied to recover the PIA, the amount of recycled plastic (recycled plastic feedstock) required to feed the gasifier to recover the required amount of recycled content in the PIA, can be determined or calculated by any of the following methods:

[0165] (i) the amount of allowances associated with the recycled PIA is determined by the amount certified or declared by the supplier of the transferred recycled PIA, or

[0166] (ii) the amount of the allocation claimed by the entity using the Reclaimed PIA, or

[0167] (iii) using a mass balance approach to back-calculate the minimum amount of recycled content in the feedstock from the amount of recycled content declared, advertised, or charged by the manufacturer, whether or not accurate, as applied to recycled PIA products,

[0168] (iv) Blending non-recycled content with pre-ground plastic feedstock using a proportional mass approach, or associating recycled content with a portion of the feedstock.

[0169] In one embodiment, the recycled PIA manufacturer may prepare the recycled PIA, or process the reactant compound or composition and prepare the recycled PIA, or prepare the recycled PIA by obtaining the reactant compound or composition from any source from a supplier, whether or not such reactant compound or composition has any recycled content, and:

[0170] i. also obtains a recycled content quota for application to the syngas or for application to any product, article, polymer or composition from the same supplier of the reactant compound or composition, or ii. obtains a recycled content quota from any person or entity without providing the reactant compound or composition from the person or entity to which the recycled content quota is transferred.

[0171] The quota in (i) can be obtained from a supplier of a reactant compound or composition used to prepare a recycled PIA, and the supplier also supplies and transfers the reactant compound or composition to a recycled PIA manufacturer or its family of entities. The situation described in (i) allows the recycled PIA manufacturer to obtain a supply of reactant compounds or compositions with non-recycled content, and also obtain a recycled content quota from the reactant compound or composition. In one embodiment, the reactant compound or composition supplier transfers the recycled content quota to the recycled PIA manufacturer, and transfers the supply of the reactant compound or composition to the recycled PIA manufacturer, wherein the recycled content share is not associated with the supplied reactant compound or composition, provided that the transferred recycled content share originates from gasification recycled pre-ground plastics. The recycled content quota does not have to be associated with the amount of recycled content in the reactant compound or composition or any monomer used to prepare the recycled PIA, but the recycled content quota transferred by the reactant compound or composition supplier can be related to other products from its source in the recycled-derived syngas stream, rather than to products in the reaction process for preparing polymers and / or articles. For example, the reactant compound or composition can transfer the recycled content associated with r-butyraldehyde to the recycled PIA manufacturer and can also provide a certain amount of propionic anhydride, even if the r-butyraldehyde is not used in the synthesis of polymers and / or articles such as cellulose diacetate, either directly or via downstream products. This allows the reactant compound or composition supplier and the recycled PIA manufacturer to flexibly allocate the recycled content between the various products they each manufacture. However, in each of these cases, the recycled content quota originates from the gasification recycled plastic.

[0172] In one embodiment, the supplier of reactant compounds or compositions transfers a recycling content quota to a recycling PIA manufacturer, and transfers the supply of reactant compounds or compositions to the recycling PIA manufacturer, wherein the recycling content quota is associated with the reactant compounds or compositions. Optionally, the supplied reactant compounds or compositions may be derived from recycled plastic raw materials, and at least a portion of the transferred recycling content quota may be the recycled content in the reactant compounds or compositions. The recycling content quota transferred to the recycling PIA manufacturer may be prior to the supply of reactant compounds or compositions, optionally in batches, or together with each reactant compound or composition part supplier, or distributed between the parties as needed.

[0173] The allocation in (ii) is obtained from any individual or entity by the recovery PIA manufacturer (or its entity family), and the supply of reactant compound or composition is not obtained from the individual or entity. The individual or entity can be a reactant compound or composition manufacturer that does not provide reactant compound or composition to the recovery PIA manufacturer or its entity family, or the individual or entity can be a manufacturer that does not manufacture reactant compound or composition. In either case, the situation of (ii) allows the recovery PIA manufacturer to obtain the recovery content quota, without having to purchase any reactant compound or composition from the entity that supplies the recovery content quota. For example, an individual or entity can transfer the recovery content quota to the recovery PIA manufacturer or its entity family by a buy / sell mode or contract, without the need to purchase or sell quotas (for example, as a product exchange of products that are not reactant compounds or compositions), or an individual or entity can directly sell quotas to the recovery PIA manufacturer or one of its entity families. Alternatively, an individual or entity can transfer products other than reactant compounds or compositions together with their associated recovery content quotas to the recovery PIA manufacturer. This is attractive to a recycled PIA manufacturer with a diversified business that manufactures a variety of products in addition to recycled PIA that require raw materials that are not reactant compounds or compositions that an individual or entity can provide to the recycled PIA manufacturer.

[0174] The quotas may be deposited into a recycling catalog (e.g., a quota catalog). In one embodiment, the quotas are allocations created by manufacturers of recycled derived syngas streams. Recycled PIA manufacturers may also manufacture polymers and / or articles with or without recycled content applied to the polymers and / or articles, and with or without recycled content used in the polymers and / or articles, taken from the catalog. For example, a recycled derived syngas stream manufacturer and / or a recycled PIA manufacturer may:

[0175] a. Store the quota in a directory and only store it; or

[0176] b. Store quotas in the directory and apply quotas from the directory to all

[0177] Products other than items:

[0178] i. any product derived directly or indirectly from a recycled derived synthesis gas stream, or

[0179] ii. polymers and / or articles made by a manufacturer of recycled PIA, or

[0180] c. Selling or transferring quotas from a directory into which at least one quota acquired as described above is deposited.

[0181] However, if necessary, any amount of any recovery content quota can be deducted from the catalog and applied to polymers and / or articles to prepare recovery PIA. For example, a recovery catalog with quotas for various sources for creating quotas can be generated. Some recovery content quotas (credits) can be derived from methanol decomposition of recycled waste, or from mechanical recycling of waste plastics or metal recycling, and / or from pyrolysis to recycle waste, or from any other chemical or mechanical recycling technology. The recycling catalog may or may not track the source or basis for obtaining the recovery content value, or the catalog may not allow the source or basis of the allocation to be associated with the allocation applied to the recovery PIA. Allocation is deducted from the allocation catalog and applied to the recovery PIA, and no matter the source of the allocation is sufficient, as long as the recovery content quota obtained from the recycled plastic raw material containing solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics exists in the quota catalog at the time of removal, or the recovery content quota is obtained by the recovery PIA manufacturer as specified in step (i) or step (ii), and no matter whether the recovery content quota is actually deposited in the catalog. In one embodiment, the recycled content quota obtained in step (i) or (ii) is deposited into a quota inventory. In one embodiment, the recycled content quota deducted from the inventory and applied to the recycled PIA is derived from gasifying a recycled plastic feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastic.

[0182] As used throughout, a quota directory may be owned by a recycled derived syngas manufacturer, or owned by a recycled PIA manufacturer, or operated by any of them, or owned or operated by neither, but at least in part for the benefit of any of them, or licensed by any of them. Likewise, as used throughout, a recycled derived syngas manufacturer or a recycled PIA manufacturer may also include any of their families of entities. For example, while any of them may not own or run a directory, one of their families of entities may own such a platform, or license it from an independent supplier, or operate it for any of them. Alternatively, an independent entity may own and / or run a directory, and operate and / or manage at least a portion of the directory for any of them for a service fee.

[0183] In one embodiment, the recycled PIA manufacturer obtains a supply of reactant compounds or compositions from a supplier and also obtains a quota from the supplier, wherein such quota amount is derived from the gasification of a feedstock comprising solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics, and optionally the quota is associated with the supplied reactant compounds or compositions. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the quota obtained by the recycled PIA producer is:

[0184] a. applied to the recovery PIA prepared by the supply of reactant compounds or compositions;

[0185] b. applied to a recycled PIA that is not prepared from a supply of reactant compounds or compositions, such as where a recycled PIA has been prepared and is stored in a catalog or is to be prepared in the future; or

[0186] c. Deposit into a directory from which the quota applied to Reclaim PIA (Reclaim PIA Application Allocation) is deducted, and the deposited allocation contributes or does not contribute to the amount of Reclaim PIA Application Allocation withdrawn therefrom.

[0187] d. Save to directory and store.

[0188] In all embodiments, it is not necessary to use recycled plastic raw materials to prepare recycled PIA compositions, or to obtain recycled PIA from recycled content quotas associated with reactant compounds or compositions. In addition, it is not necessary to apply quotas to recycled plastic raw materials to prepare recycled PIA, and the recycled content is applied to the recycled PIA. On the contrary, as described above, even if the quota is associated with the reactant compound or composition when the reactant compound or composition is obtained, the quota can also be stored in an electronic catalog. However, in one embodiment, the reactant compound or composition associated with the quota is used to prepare recycled PIA compounds or compositions. In one embodiment, recycled PIA is obtained from recycled content quotas associated with gasified recycled plastic raw materials. In one embodiment, at least a portion of the quota obtained from gasified solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics is applied to recycled PIA to prepare recycled PIA.

[0189] In one embodiment, a recycling derived syngas stream manufacturer generates quotas by gasifying a combination of solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics, and:

[0190] a. Apply the quota to any compound or composition (whether liquid or solid or in any form of polymer, including pellets, sheets, fibers, flakes, etc.) produced directly or indirectly (e.g. via a reaction scheme of several intermediates) from a synthesis gas stream derived from recycling; or

[0191] b. Apply the quota to compounds or compositions that are not directly or indirectly produced from a recycled derived synthesis gas stream, such as where a reactant compound or composition has been produced and stored in an inventory or is a non-recycled content reactant compound or composition produced in the future; or

[0192] c. deposited into the catalog, minus any allocations applied to the reactant compound or composition from the catalog; and the deposited allocations are associated or unassociated with the specific allocations applied to the reactant compound or composition; or

[0193] d. are saved in a directory and stored for later use.

[0194] Now also provide the packaging or combination of recycling PIA and the recycling content identifier associated with recycling PIA, wherein the identifier is or contains the representation that recycling PIA contains or originates from or is associated with recycling content.Packaging can be any suitable packaging for containing polymer and / or article, such as plastic or metal barrel, railway carriage, tank container (isotainer), tote (tote), plastic tote (polytote), IBC tote (IBC tote), bottle, compressed bale (compressedbale), oil drum and plastic bag.Identifier can be certificate document, product manual stating recycling content, label, mark or certification mark from certification body, it indicates that article or packaging contains content or recycling PIA contains, or is made of source or is associated with recycling content, or it can be an electronic statement accompanying purchase order or product by recycling PIA manufacturer, or posted on website as statement, display, or mark indicates that recycling PIA contains or is made of source associated with recycling content or contains recycling content, or it can be electronic transmission, by website or in website, by email or by television or through commercial exhibition in each case with recycling PIA advertisement. The identifier need not state or indicate that the recycled content is derived from gasifying a feedstock comprising solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics. Rather, the identifier may merely convey or communicate that the recycled PIA has or is derived from recycled content, regardless of the source. However, the recycled PIA has a recycled content quota derived at least in part from gasifying solid fossil fuels and recycled plastics.

[0195] In one embodiment, the recycled content information about the recycled PIA can be communicated to a third party, wherein such recycled content information is based on or derived from at least a portion of the allocation or credit. The third party can be a customer of a recycled derived syngas manufacturer or a recycled PIA manufacturer or supplier, or can be any other individual or entity or government organization other than an entity that owns any of them. The transmission can be electronic, by document, by advertisement or any other communication means.

[0196] In one embodiment, a system or package is provided, comprising:

[0197] a. Recovering PIA or articles made therefrom, and

[0198] b. An identifier, such as a credit, label or certificate, associated with the recycled PIA or an article made therefrom, wherein the identifier is an indication that the polymer and / or article or an article made therefrom has or is derived from recycled content

[0199] Provided that the recycled PIA or articles made therefrom have an allowance, or are made from reactant compounds or compositions, at least in part derived directly or indirectly from gasified solid fossil fuels and pre-ground recycled plastics.

[0200] The system can be a physical combination, such as a package having at least a recycled PIA as its content, and the package has a label, such as a logo, which is, for example, a recycled PIA content with or derived from recycled content. Alternatively, whenever it transfers or sells a recycled PIA with or derived from recycled content, the label or certificate can be issued to a third party or customer as part of the standard operating procedure of the entity. The identifier does not have to be physically on the recycled PIA or on the package, and does not have to be on any physical document accompanying the recycled PIA or associated with the recycled PIA. For example, the identifier can be an electronic credit electronically transmitted by the recycled PIA manufacturer to a customer associated with the sale or transfer of the recycled PIA product, and only because it is a credit, it represents that the recycled PIA has recycled content. The identifier itself only needs to convey or communicate that the recycled PIA has or is derived from recycled content, regardless of the source. In one embodiment, the article manufactured by the recycled PIA can have an identifier, such as a stamp or logo embedded or adhered to the article. In one embodiment, the identifier is an electronic recycled content credit from any source. In one embodiment, the identifier is an electronic recycled content credit derived from gasifying raw materials containing solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics.

[0201] Recycled PIA is made from a reactant compound or composition, whether or not the reactant is a recycled content reactant (recycled plastic feedstock). Once a recycled PIA composition is prepared, it can be designated as having a recycled content based on and derived from at least a portion of the quota, again, whether or not the recycled plastic feedstock was used to prepare the recycled PIA composition. Allocations can be taken out or deducted from the catalog. The amounts deducted and / or applied to the recycled PIA can correspond to any of the methods described above, such as a mass balance method.

[0202] In one embodiment, the reclaimed PIA compound or composition can be prepared by having a distribution catalog, reacting the reactant compound or composition in a synthetic method to prepare the reclaimed PIA, and applying the reclaimed content to the reclaimed PIA, thereby obtaining the reclaimed PIA by deducting the distribution amount from the distribution catalog. The reclaimed PIA manufacturer can have a distribution catalog by itself or by a member of its entity family (the member owns, handles or runs the catalog) or by a third party, and the third party is at least a part of the catalog for the reclaimed PIA manufacturer or its entity family, or as a service provided to the reclaimed PIA manufacturer or a member of its entity family. The distribution amount deducted from the catalog is flexible and will depend on the amount of the reclaimed content applied to the reclaimed PIA. If it is not a complete amount, it is sufficient to correspond to at least a part of the reclaimed content applied to the reclaimed PIA. The calculation method can be a mass balance method, or the above-mentioned calculation method. The distribution catalog can be established based on any basis, and can be a mixture of bases, as long as at least a certain amount of the distribution in the catalog can be attributed to the raw materials of gasifying solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics. The recycled content quota applied to the recycled PIA does not necessarily have to be derived from gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics, but can be derived from any other method of generating an allocated amount from recycled waste, such as by methanolysis or gasification of recycled waste, as long as the quota inventory also contains quotas or has quota deposits derived from gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics. However, in one embodiment, the recycled content applied to the recycled PIA is a quota obtained by gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics.

[0203] The following are examples of specifying or stating the recovered content to the recovered PIA or to the recovered content of a reactant compound or composition:

[0204] 1. A recycled PIA manufacturer applies at least a portion of the quota to polymer and / or article compositions, where the share is associated with a pre-ground plastic-derived syngas stream and the reactant compounds or compositions used to prepare the recycled PIA do not contain any recycled content or do contain recycled content; or

[0205] 2. A recycled PIA manufacturer applies at least a portion of the quota to polymer and / or article compositions, where such portion is derived directly or indirectly from recycled content reactant compounds or compositions, regardless of whether such reactant compound or composition volumes are used to make recycled PIA; or

[0206] 3. A recycled PIA manufacturer applies at least a portion of a quota to a recycled PIA composition, wherein the quota is derived directly or indirectly from recycled plastic feedstock used to make the recycled PIA to which the quota is applied, and:

[0207] a. Apply all recycled content in the recycled plastic feedstock to determine the amount of recycled content in the recycled PIA, or

[0208] b. applying only a portion of the recycled content in the recycled plastic feedstock to determine the amount of recycled content applied to the recycled PIA, with the remainder stored in the catalog for use in future recycled PIAs, or for application to other existing recycled PIAs made from recycled plastic feedstock that does not contain any recycled content, or for increasing the recycled content on an existing recycled PIA, or a combination thereof, or

[0209] c. The recycled content in the recycled plastic feedstock is not applied to the recycled PIA but is instead stored in an inventory and the recycled content from any source is deducted from the inventory and applied to the recycled PIA; or

[0210] 4. A recycled PIA manufacturer applies at least a portion of a quota to a reactant compound or composition used to make the recycled PIA, thereby obtaining the recycled PIA, wherein the quota is obtained by transferring or purchasing the same reactant compound or composition used to make the recycled PIA, and the quota is associated with the recycled content in the reactant compound or composition; or

[0211] 5. A recycled PIA manufacturer applies at least a portion of a quota to a reactant compound or composition used to make the recycled PIA, thereby obtaining the recycled PIA, wherein the quota is obtained by transferring or purchasing the same reactant compound or composition used to make the recycled PIA, and the quota is not associated with the recycled content in the reactant compound or composition; instead, it is associated with the recycled content of the monomer used to make the reactant compound or composition; or

[0212] 6. Recycling PIA manufacturers apply at least part of their quota to manufacturing recycling

[0213] a reactant compound or composition of PIA, thereby obtaining a recycled PIA, wherein the quota is not obtained through the transfer or purchase of the reactant compound or composition and the quota is associated with the recycled content of the reactant compound or composition; or

[0214] 7. Recycling PIA manufacturers apply at least part of their quota to manufacturing recycling

[0215] a reactant compound or composition of a PIA, thereby obtaining a recycled PIA, wherein the quota is not obtained through the transfer or purchase of the same reactant compound or composition, and the quota is not associated with the recycled content of the reactant compound or composition; but rather is associated with the recycled content of any monomer used to make the reactant compound or composition; or

[0216] 8. Recycling PIA manufacturers have obtained an allocation, the source of which is gasification containing

[0217] Solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastic feedstocks, and:

[0218] a. not applying a portion of the quota to a reactant compound or composition to prepare a recovered PIA, and applying at least a portion to a recovered PIA to prepare a recovered PIA;

[0219] or

[0220] b. Less than all of the portion is applied to reactant compounds or compositions used to prepare a recycled PIA, while the remainder is stored in an inventory or applied to a recycled PIA prepared in the future or to an existing recycled PIA in the inventory.

[0221] In one embodiment, recycled PIA or articles made therefrom can be offered or sold as recycled PIA containing recycled content or obtained with recycled content. The sale or offer for sale can be accompanied by proof or token of a recycled content claim associated with the recycled PIA or articles made with recycled PIA.

[0222] Allocations and designations may be obtained (whether internally, such as through a bookkeeping or catalog tracking software program, or externally, through a statement, certification, advertising, representation, etc.) by a recycling PIA manufacturer or within a family of recycling PIA manufacturer entities. Designation of at least a portion of a recycling PIA as corresponding to at least a portion of a quota (e.g., an allocation or credit) may be performed in a variety of ways and according to the system employed by the recycling PIA manufacturer, which may vary from manufacturer to manufacturer. For example, the designation may occur solely internally, through a log entry in a book or file of the recycling PIA manufacturer or other catalog software program, or through an advertisement or statement on an instruction sheet, packaging, product, through a mark associated with the product, through a certification declaration associated with the product sold, or through a formula that calculates the amount to be deducted from the catalog relative to the amount of recycled content applied to the product.

[0223] Alternatively, the recycled PIA may be sold. In one embodiment, a method of offering for sale or selling a polymer and / or article is provided by:

[0224] a. A recycled PIA manufacturer or family of entities thereof that obtains or generates a recycled content allocation derived from gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics and that may be obtained by any of the methods described herein and may be deposited into a catalog,

[0225] b. converting a reactant compound or composition during a synthesis to produce a compound, composition, polymer and / or article composition,

[0226] c. Designating (e.g., assigning or associating) recycled content to at least a portion of a compound, composition, polymer, and / or article composition from an allocation catalog, wherein the catalog contains at least one entry that is an allocation derived from gasification of a feedstock comprising pre-ground plastic. The designation can be an allocation amount deducted from the catalog, or an amount of recycled content declared or determined by the recycling PIA manufacturer in its accounts. Thus, the amount of recycled content does not necessarily have to be physically applied to the recycled PIA product. The designation can be an internal designation made to or by the recycling PIA manufacturer or its family of entities or a service provider that has a contractual relationship with the recycling PIA manufacturer or its family of entities, and

[0227] d. Offering for sale or selling a compound, composition, polymer and / or article composition containing or obtained with a recycled content that corresponds at least in part to the designated recycled content. The amount of recycled content expressed as contained in the recycled PIA sold or offered for sale has a relationship or association with the designation. The amount of recycled content can be in a 1:1 relationship between the amount of recycled content declared on the recycled PIA offered for sale or sold and the amount of recycled content assigned or designated to the recycled PIA by the recycled PIA manufacturer.

[0228] The steps do not have to be sequential and can be independent of each other. For example, if a recycled plastic feedstock composition is used to prepare a recycled PIA, step a) of obtaining the allocation and the step of preparing the recycled PIA from the reactant compound or composition can be simultaneous and related because the recycled plastic feedstock is both a reactant compound or composition and has a recycled content allocation associated with it.

[0229] As used throughout, the step of deducting the allocation from the allocation catalog does not need to be applied to the recovery PIA product. Deduction does not mean that the quantity disappears or is removed from the catalog log. Deduction can be an adjustment entry, a take-out, an addition as a debit entry, or any other algorithm, which is based on the amount of the recovery content associated with the product and one or the cumulative deposit allocation in the catalog to adjust the input and output. For example, deduction can be a simple step of deducting / debiting entries from one column and adding / crediting to another column in the same program or book, or an automated deduction and entry / addition and / or application or specified algorithm to the application or specification of the product information board. The step of applying the allocation to the recovery PIA product (wherein such allocation is deducted from the catalog) does not need to be physically applied to the recovery PIA product or to any document issued in association with the recovery PIA product sold. For example, the recovery PIA manufacturer can ship the recovery PIA product to the customer, and the "application" of the allocation to the recovery PIA product is satisfied by transmitting the recovery content credit electronically to the customer.

[0230] In one embodiment, the amount of recycled content in a recycled plastic feedstock or recycled PIA will be based on an allocation or credit obtained by a manufacturer of the recycled PIA composition, or the amount available in a quota catalog of a recycled PIA manufacturer. Some or all of the allocations or credits obtained or owned by a manufacturer of recycled PIA may be designated and allocated to the recycled plastic feedstock or recycled PIA based on a mass balance. The allocated value for the recycled content of the recycled plastic feedstock or recycled PIA should not exceed the total amount of all allocations and / or credits available to the manufacturer of the recycled PIA or other entity authorized to allocate recycled content values ​​to the recycled PIA.

[0231] There is also provided a method for introducing or establishing recycling content in a compound, composition, polymer and / or article without having to use a reactant compound or composition having recycling content. In this method,

[0232] a. Syngas producers produce a syngas stream derived from recycled plastics, and

[0233] b. Polymer and / or product manufacturers:

[0234] i. obtain quotas for a synthesis gas stream originating from gasified recycled plastic or derived from said recycled plastic - either from a synthesis gas producer or from a third party that transfers said quotas,

[0235] ii. preparing polymers and / or articles from any reactant compounds or compositions, and

[0236] iii. Associating at least a portion of the quota with at least a portion of the polymer and / or article, regardless of whether the reactant compounds or compositions used to prepare the polymer and / or article contain recycled content.

[0237] In this method, polymer and / or article manufacturers do not need to purchase recycled reactant compounds or compositions from a specific source or supplier, and do not need polymer and / or article manufacturers to use or purchase reactant compounds or compositions with recycled content to successfully establish recycled content in polymer and / or article compositions. Polymer or article manufacturers can use reactant compounds or compositions from any source, and at least a portion of the allocation or credit is applied to at least a portion of reactant compounds or composition raw materials or at least a portion of polymer and / or article products. The association of polymer and / or article manufacturers can appear in any form, whether through a catalog, internal accounting methods, or a statement or claim made to a third party or the public.

[0238] Also provided is the use of the reactant compound or composition, which includes converting the recycled pre-ground plastic in any synthesis process such as gasification to produce synthesis gas and / or recover PIA.

[0239] Also provided is a use of recycled pre-ground plastics, which comprises converting a reactant compound or composition in a synthesis process to produce a polymer and / or an article, and applying at least a portion of a quota of the polymer and / or article to the reactant compound or composition, wherein the quota originates from gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and recycling pre-ground plastics, or from a quota catalogue, wherein at least one entry in the catalogue is deposited with a feedstock originating from gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and recycling pre-ground plastics.

[0240] In one embodiment, a polymer and / or article composition obtained by any of the methods described above is provided.

[0241] Reactant compounds or compositions, for example, reactant compounds or compositions can be stored in storage containers and transported to a recycled PIA manufacturing facility by truck, pipeline or ship, or as further described below, a reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility can be integrated with a recycled PIA facility. The reactant compounds or compositions can be transported or transferred to an operator or facility that prepares polymers and / or articles.

[0242] In one embodiment, the method for preparing the recovered PIA can be an integrated method. One such example is a method for preparing the recovered PIA by the following steps:

[0243] a. Gasification of feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and recycling of pre-ground plastics to produce

[0244] recovering the derived syngas stream; and

[0245] b. reacting the recycled derived syngas or the non-recycled content syngas prepared in the reaction scheme in the gasifier to produce a reactant compound or composition;

[0246] c. reacting any reactant compound or composition in a synthetic process to prepare a polymer.

[0247] Compositions and / or products;

[0248] d. Depositing the quota into the quota catalogue, the quota originating from the gasification of solid fossil

[0249] Fuel and recycled pre-ground plastics feedstock; and

[0250] e. Applying any quota from the inventory to the polymer and / or article to obtain a recycled content polymer and / or article composition.

[0251] In one embodiment, two or more facilities can be integrated and prepared for recovery PIA. The facilities for preparing recovery PIA, reactant compounds or compositions, or syngas can be independent facilities or facilities integrated with each other. For example, a system for producing and consuming reactant compounds or compositions can be established as follows:

[0252] a. Providing a reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility configured to produce a reaction

[0253] a compound or combination of compounds;

[0254] b. providing a polymer and / or article manufacturing facility having a reactor configured to receive a reactant compound or a composition from a reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility;

[0255] compositions and preparing polymers and / or articles; and

[0256] c. providing a supply system in fluid communication between the two facilities, the supply system being capable of supplying reactant compounds or compositions from the reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility to the polymer and / or article manufacturing facility,

[0257] Where the reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility produces the allowances by gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and recycled pre-ground plastics, and:

[0258] (i) The quota applies to reactant compounds or compositions, or to polymers and / or

[0259] or product reactants, or

[0260] (ii) deposited in a quota catalogue and any quota is removed from the catalogue and applied to the reactant compound or composition or polymer and / or article.

[0261] A reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility can prepare a recycled PIA by accepting any reactant compound or composition from a reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility and applying recycled content to polymers and / or articles by deducting credits from its inventory and applying them, optionally in amounts using the above-described methods, to polymers and / or articles prepared with the reactant compound or composition. The credits taken from the inventory and applied can be credits obtained from any source of recycled content and need not be credits associated with gasification recycling of pre-ground plastics.

[0262] In one embodiment, a system for producing recycled PIA is also provided as follows:

[0263] a. Providing a gasification manufacturing facility configured to produce an output composition, the output composition

[0264] The composition comprises recycling a derived synthesis gas stream;

[0265] b. providing a reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility configured to receive a recycled derived syngas stream from a gasification manufacturing facility and to prepare one or more downstream products of the syngas through a reaction scheme to produce a feedstock comprising the reactant compound or composition;

[0266] out a composition;

[0267] c. providing a polymer and / or article manufacturing facility having a reactor configured to receive a reactant compound or composition and producing an output composition

[0268] The composition comprises a recycled content recycled PIA; and

[0269] d. A supply system providing fluid communication between at least two of these facilities and capable of supplying the output composition of one manufacturing facility to another one or more of said manufacturing facilities.

[0270] A polymer and / or article manufacturing facility may prepare recycled PIA. In this system, a gasification manufacturing facility may have its output fluidly connected to a reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility, and conversely, a reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility may have its output fluidly connected to a polymer and / or article manufacturing facility. Alternatively, the manufacturing facilities of a) and b) may be fluidly connected separately, or only b) and c) may be fluidly connected. In the latter case, the polymer and / or article manufacturing facility may directly prepare recycled PIA by converting the pre-ground plastic content syngas produced in the gasification manufacturing facility into recycled PIA; or indirectly prepare recycled PIA by the following steps: accepting any reactant compound or composition from a reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility, applying the recycled content to the recycled PIA by deducting quotas from its catalog and applying them (optionally in amounts using the above method) to the recycled PIA. The quotas obtained and stored in the catalog may be obtained by any of the methods described above,

[0271] Fluid communication can be gaseous or liquid or both. Fluid communication does not need to be continuous, and can be interrupted by storage tank, valve or other purification or treatment facilities, as long as fluid can be transported to subsequent facilities from manufacturing facilities by interconnected pipeline network and do not use truck, train, ship or airplane. In addition, facilities can share the same site, or in other words, a site can include two or more facilities. In addition, facilities can also share storage tank sites or storage tanks for auxiliary chemicals, or can also share utilities, steam or other heat sources, etc., but because their unit operations are separated, they are also considered to be discrete facilities. Facilities are usually defined by device boundary line (battery limit).

[0272] In one embodiment, the integrated process includes at least two facilities that are co-located within 5 miles, or within 3 miles, or within 2 miles, or within 1 mile of each other (as a straight-line measurement). In one embodiment, at least two facilities are owned by the same family of entities.

[0273] In one embodiment, an integrated recycling PIA production and consumption system is also provided. The system includes:

[0274] a. Providing a gasification manufacturing facility configured to produce an output composition comprising recycled derivatives obtained by gasifying solid fossil fuels and recycling pre-ground plastics

[0275] Raw syngas stream;

[0276] b. providing a reactant compound or composition manufacturing facility configured to receive a recycled derived syngas stream from a gasification manufacturing facility and to prepare one or more downstream products of the syngas through a reaction scheme to produce a feedstock comprising the reactant compound or composition;

[0277] out a composition;

[0278] c. providing a polymer and / or article manufacturing facility having a reactor configured to receive the reactant compound or composition and preparing an output composition,

[0279] The output composition comprises a polymer and / or an article; and

[0280] d. A piping system interconnecting at least two of the facilities, optionally with intermediate processing equipment or storage facilities, the piping system being capable of taking an output composition from one facility and receiving the output at any one or more of the other facilities.

[0281] The system does not necessarily need the fluid communication between the two facilities, although fluid communication is desirable.For example, the synthesis gas derived from recovery can be transported to reactant compound or composition facility by interconnected pipeline network, and the interconnected pipeline network can be interrupted by other processing equipment, and the other processing equipment such as processing, purification, pump, compression or equipment or storage facilities suitable for merging streams, all of which facilities include optional metering, valves or interlocking devices.The equipment can be fixed to the ground or fixed to the structure fixed to the ground.The interconnected pipeline does not need to be connected to reactant compound or composition reactor or cracker, but is connected to the delivery and receiving point at the respective facilities.The interconnected pipeline system does not need to connect all three facilities to each other, but the interconnected pipeline system can be between facility a)-b) or b)-c) or a)-b)-c) between.

[0282] In one embodiment, the total amount of carbon in the pre-ground plastic added to the solid fossil fuel is at least 70 wt.%, or at least 75 wt.%, or at least 80 wt.%.

[0283] The total amount of hydrogen in the pre-ground plastic is desirably at least 5 wt.%, or at least 8 wt.%, or at least 10 wt.%.

[0284] In another embodiment, the ratio of total hydrogen to total carbon in the plastic feed is higher than that in the solid fossil fuel. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the ratio of total hydrogen to total carbon in the pre-ground plastic used in the feedstock is at least 0.075, or at least 0.08, or at least 0.085, or at least 0.09, or at least 0.095, or at least 0.1, or at least 0.11, or at least 0.12, or at least 0.13.

[0285] In another embodiment, the average fixed carbon content of the pre-ground plastic used in the feed stream is less than 75wt.%, or not more than 70wt.%, or not more than 65wt.%, or not more than 60wt.%, or not more than 55wt.%, or not more than 45wt.%, or not more than 40wt.%, or not more than 35wt.%, or not more than 30wt.%, or not more than 25wt.%, or not more than 20wt.%, or not more than 15wt.%, or not more than 10wt.%, or not more than 8wt.%, or not more than 6wt.%, or not more than 5wt.%, or not more than 4wt.%, or not more than 3wt.%, or not more than 2wt.%, or not more than 1wt.%, based on the weight of the pre-ground plastic. The fixed carbon content is the combustible solids (except ash) remaining after the coal is heated and volatiles are removed. It can be determined by subtracting the percentages of moisture, volatiles, and ash from the sample. If the solids have a large mismatch in fixed carbon content, the variation in syngas composition may exceed the desired limit. For example, in an entrainment flow high temperature gasifier, solids with very low fixed carbon content can be gasified more easily than coal, proceeding from making carbon monoxide to producing more carbon dioxide in the residence time experienced by the coal, while a co-feed of solids with much higher fixed carbon content than coal will take longer to gasify and produce more unconverted solids. The degree of syngas composition variation that can be tolerated will depend on the use of the syngas, and in the case of the preparation of chemicals, it is desirable to minimize factors that may cause wider syngas composition variation. In the process of the present invention, syngas composition variation due to the use of plastics can be ignored because the concentration of plastics in the solids is kept low.

[0286] In another embodiment, the average fixed carbon content of the pre-ground plastic used in the feedstream is at least 3% less, or at least 5% less, or at least 7% less, or at least 9% less, or at least 10% less, or at least 13% less, or at least 15% less, or at least 17% less, or at least 20% less, or at least 23% less, or at least 25% less, or at least 27% less, or at least 30% less, or at least 32% less, or at least 35% less, or at least 38% less, or at least 40% less, or at least 43% less, or at least 45% less, or at least 47% less, or at least 50% less, or at least 55% less, or at least 60% less, or at least 70% less, or at least 80% less, or at least 90% less, or at least 95% less than the fixed carbon content of coal, or all solid fossil fuels used in the feedstream, or optionally any solids other than plastics.

[0287] The pre-ground plastic may have a low or only trace average sulfur content. The average sulfur content of the pre-ground plastic is at most 5 wt.%, or at most 4 wt.%, or at most 3.5 wt.%, or at most 3 wt.%, or at most 2.5 wt.%, or at most 2 wt.%, or at most 1.5 wt.%, or at most 1 wt.%, or at most 0.5 wt.%, or at most 0.25 wt.%, or at most 0.1 wt.%, or at most 0.05 wt.%, or at most 0.01 wt.%, or at most 0.005 wt.%, based on the weight of the pre-ground plastic.

[0288] The pre-ground plastic can have a widely varying ash content, depending on the type of plastic in the plastic stream and the purity of the plastic stream for the selected plastic. The average ash content of the pre-ground plastic can be at least 1 wt.%, or at least 2 wt.%, or at least 3 wt.%, or at least 4 wt.%, or at least 10 wt.%, or at least 15 wt.%, or at least 20 wt.%, or at least 25 wt.%, or at least 30 wt.%, or at least 35 wt.%, or at least 40 wt.%, or at least 45 wt.%, based on the weight of the pre-ground plastic. The average ash content of the pre-ground plastic, based on the weight of the pre-ground plastic, can be greater than 60wt.%, or not more than 55wt.%, or not more than 55wt.%, or not more than 55wt.%, or not more than 55wt.%, or not more than 40wt.%, or not more than 30wt.%, or not more than 20wt.%, or not more than 15wt.%, or not more than 10wt.%, desirably not more than 8wt.%, or not more than 7wt.%, or not more than 6wt.%, or not more than 5.5wt.%, or not more than 5wt.%, or not more than 4.5wt.%, or not more than 4wt.%, or not more than 3wt.%, or not more than 2.5wt.%.

[0289] In another embodiment, the average oxygen content in the plastic can be zero or at least 0.1 wt.%, or at least 0.5 wt.%, or at least 1 wt.%, or at least 2 wt.%, or at least 4 wt.%, or at least 6 wt.%, or at least 8 wt.%, or at least 10 wt.%, or at least 13 wt.%, or at least 15 wt.%, or at least 18 wt.%, or at least 20 wt.%. Desirably, to improve HHV, the amount of oxygen is kept low, for example, no more than 20 wt.%, or no more than 15 wt.%, or no more than 10 wt.%, or no more than 8 wt.%, or no more than 5 wt.%, or no more than 4 wt.%, or no more than 2 wt.%, or no more than 1 wt.%, based on the weight of the pre-ground plastic.

[0290] In the pre-ground plastic, the content of minerals, metals and elements other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulfur can be at least 0.01wt.%, or at least 0.1wt.%, or at least 0.5wt.%, or at least 1wt.%, or at least 1.5wt.%, or at least 1.8wt.%, or at least 2wt.%, or at least 2.3wt.%, or at least 2.5wt.%, or at least 2.8wt.%, or at least 3wt.%, based on the weight of the pre-ground plastic. There is no particular restriction on the upper limit, and it is usually not more than 8wt.%, or not more than 7wt.%, or not more than 6wt.%, or not more than 5wt.%, or not more than 4.5wt.%, or not more than 4wt.%, or not more than 3.8wt.%.

[0291] The plastic fed to the gasifier has been processed through at least one granulation step to reduce the size of the plastic from its original form or from a comminuted / crumb plastic form having an average size of 1 / 4 inch or greater in its longest dimension. Desirably, the plastic has been processed with a first pass granulation or comminution from the original form of the plastic prior to arriving at the gasification facility. The coarsely granulated plastic is then further finely granulated and optionally further comminuted or ground to the final desired particle size. The gasification facility can receive the pre-granulated plastic at its final particle size, or can receive the coarsely ground plastic, and the operator / owner of the gasification equipment can perform the granulation steps necessary to obtain the desired particle size present in the feed stream.

[0292] The plastics are ground prior to addition to other fossil fuels, meaning they are ground and optionally but desirably sieved to a final particle size ("pre-ground plastics") prior to combining them with the solid fossil fuel. As described below, original size plastics, or coarsely ground plastics (e.g., those averaging 1 / 4 inch or more in their largest dimension, or even 0.5 inch or more) cannot be processed through an entrained flow coal gasifier. Furthermore, the elasticity of plastics makes them unsuitable for co-granulation with harder and more brittle carbonaceous fuel sources such as coal or petroleum coke.

[0293] The plastic is pre-ground to a suitable particle size, optionally screened, and then combined with one or more fossil fuel components of the feed stream at any location before the feed stream is introduced into the gasification zone in the gasifier. As described above, plastics are not easy to grind simultaneously in the same equipment used to grind coal, especially in slurries, because many plastics are soft, elastic and not brittle. However, coal grinding equipment will provide an excellent energy source for mixing pre-ground plastics with fossil fuels while reducing the size of coal particles. Therefore, one of the desired locations for combining pre-ground plastics with target sizes to feed into the gasifier is into an equipment for grinding other carbon-containing fossil fuel sources (e.g., coal, petroleum coke). In a slurry-fed gasifier, this location is particularly attractive because it is desirable to use a feed with the highest possible stable solids concentration, and at higher solids concentrations, the viscosity of the slurry is also high. The torque and shear forces used in the fossil fuel grinding equipment are high, and combined with the shear-thinning behavior of the coal slurry, good mixing of the pre-ground plastic with the ground fossil fuel can be obtained in the fossil fuel grinding equipment.

[0294] Other locations for combining the pre-ground plastic with the fossil fuel source could be on the fossil fuel loaded onto the main fossil fuel conveyor feeding the grinder, or on the main fossil fuel conveyor feeding the grinder before the fossil fuel is loaded onto the conveyor, or into a storage tank containing the fossil fuel slurry ground to final size, particularly if the storage tank is agitated.

[0295] Several sites provide a safe, economical and efficient way to introduce pre-ground solid plastics, including recycled plastics, into a slurry-fed coal gasifier. In another embodiment of the invention, Figure 5 Four locations are shown where recycled plastic content can be introduced. All of these points are in the low pressure section of the process (lower than the pressure within the gasifier or gasification zone), thus reducing the cost of the modification.

[0296] exist Figure 5In the embodiment of the present invention shown, recycled plastic content can be introduced at position 100, i.e., the main coal feed conveyor. Plastic is metered onto the main coal feed conveyor as it moves with the coal feed already loaded on the conveyor. Plastic is added to the conveyor using a weighing belt feeder or other similar device to measure the mass of the material, and the speed of the conveyor is measured to determine the rate of addition. Coal is similarly added to the same conveyor and will be below the plastic. The combined solid mixture of coal and plastic in appropriate proportions is then conveyed to a surge hopper and other storage and conveying equipment until it is finally fed to the coal mill. In the coal mill, coal, plastic, water and viscosity modifier are thoroughly mixed, and the size of the coal is reduced to the target grinding size distribution, and the mixture becomes a viscous slurry. Since plastic is a softer material, it undergoes very little or no reduction in diameter, but since it is included in the slurry production process, it benefits from extreme mixing in the mill. The plastic has been pre-ground to the target size (e.g., less than 2 mm) and does not require any further reduction in diameter.

[0297] In another embodiment of the present invention, Figure 5 As shown in position number 110, recycled plastic content can be introduced. This is the same process as described above in position 100, except that the plastic is first added to the main coal conveyor before the coal is added. In this way, the coal is on top. Since the plastic will be pre-ground and may be inherently less dense than the coal, this material may be more susceptible to blowing off the conveyor in strong winds. As the coarser and denser coal covers the recycled material, this dust and material loss will be greatly reduced.

[0298] In another embodiment of the invention, recycled plastic content can be added at position number 120, the mill. With existing equipment, coal, water and viscosity modifiers are already added to the mill to reduce the particle size of the coal and produce a high solids content viscous slurry. The plastic can be delivered separately to the entry point of the mill and added directly to the mill in the appropriate proportions. Then, during the process, the mill will grind the coal, produce the slurry and thoroughly mix in the plastic. This avoids the effects of wind and weather on the coal, recycled material mixture.

[0299] In another embodiment of the invention, the recycled plastic content can be introduced at location 130, the slurry storage tank. Since the plastic is pre-ground to the appropriate particle size for introduction into the gasifier, it can be added directly to the slurry storage tank after the grinding / slurry operation. Alternatively, it can be added to the tank through a separate screen or screens used by the slurry to ensure that no large particles enter the tank. This is the last low pressure addition point before the slurry is pumped under pressure to the gasifier. This will minimize the amount of material that is mixed together during processing. Agitation in the slurry tank will mix in the plastic to ensure that it is evenly distributed.

[0300] Fossil fuels (coal or petroleum coke) and plastics are ground or milled for a variety of purposes. Plastics must be ground to a small size, and fossil fuel sources must also be ground to a small size to (i) allow for faster reactions once inside the gasifier due to mass transfer limitations, (ii) produce a stable, fluid slurry at a high concentration of solids to water, and (iii) pass through processing equipment with tight clearances, such as high-pressure pumps, valves, and feed injectors. Typically, this means that the solids in the feedstock, including plastics, are ground to a particle size of 2 mm or less. As used throughout the text, the particle size refers to at least 90 wt.% of the particles having a maximum size within the size, or alternatively, 90 wt.% passing a sieve designated as the particle size. Either condition satisfies the particle size designation. Larger sized plastics have the possibility of being blown through the gasification zone without being fully gasified, particularly when gasification conditions are established to gasify solid fossil fuels with a particle size of 2 mm or less.

[0301] The plastic is desirably ground to a particle size that is acceptable for gasification within the design parameters of the gasifier after optional screening. Desirably, the particle size of the plastic used in the feedstock, or the particle size of the plastic fed to or mixed with the solid fuel, is 2 mm or less, or constitutes a particle size passing through 10 mesh, or 1.7 mm or less (those particles passing through 12 mesh), or 1.4 mm or less (those particles passing through 14 mesh), or 1.2 mm or less (those particles passing through 16 mesh), or 1 mm or less (those particles passing through 18 mesh), or 0.85 mm or less (those particles passing through 20 mesh), or 0.7 mm or less (those particles passing through 25 mesh), or 0.6 mm or less (those particles passing through 30 mesh), or 0.5 mm or less (those particles passing through 10 mesh). In another embodiment, the size of the ground plastic particles is at least 0.037 mm (or 90% retained on 400 mesh). A sample of pre-ground plastic will be considered to be within the stated particle size limits if 90 vol.% of the sample is within the specified limits.

[0302] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, 90% of the particle size of the pre-ground plastic used in the raw material composition is 1 mm or less, or 0.5 mm or less, or 0.25 mm or less, or 0.1 mm or less (or those particles passing through 140 mesh), or 0.07 mm or less (those particles passing through 200 mesh), or 0.044 mm or less (those particles passing through 325 mesh), or 0.037 mm or less (those particles passing through 400 mesh) in its largest dimension.

[0303] In another embodiment, the particle sizes of the rubber and fossil fuel can be sufficiently matched to maintain slurry stability and avoid coal / plastic separation at high solids concentrations prior to entering the gasification zone in the gasifier. Feedstreams that phase separate, either between solids / liquids or plastics / fossil fuels, can plug pipelines, create localized areas of gasified plastic, produce inconsistent fossil fuel / plastic ratios, and can affect the consistency of the syngas composition. Variables considered in determining the optimal particle size of the ground plastic include the bulk density of the ground coal, the concentration of all solids in the slurry if a slurry is used, the effectiveness of any additives used such as surfactants / stabilizers / viscosity modifiers, and the velocity and turbulence of the feedstream entering the gasifier and through the injector nozzles.

[0304] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the bulk density of the uncompacted (loose) ground plastic after final grinding is within 150%, or within 110%, or within 100%, or within 75%, or within 60%, or within 55%, or within 50%, or within 45%, or within 40%, or within 35% of the loose bulk density of the ground fossil fuel after final grinding. For example, if the pelletized coal has 40 lbs / ft 3 The bulk density of the pelletized plastic is 33 lbs / ft 3 If the loose bulk density of the plastic is within 21% of the ground coal, the bulk density of the plastic will be within 21% of the ground coal. For measurement purposes, the bulk density of pre-ground plastics and fossil fuels after final grinding is determined dry (without addition of water), even if they are ultimately used as slurries.

[0305] In an alternative embodiment or in addition to any other embodiment described herein, the maximum particle size of the ground plastic is selected to be similar to (lower or higher than) the maximum particle size of ground coal. The maximum particle size of the ground plastic is desirably within 50% of (lower or higher than) the maximum particle size of ground coal, or within 45%, or within 40%, or within 35%, or within 30%, or within 25%, or within 20%, or within 15%, or within 10%, or within 5%. The maximum particle size is not determined as the maximum size of the particle distribution, but is determined by sieving through the sieve holes. The maximum particle size is determined as the first sieve hole allowing at least 90% by volume of the ground particle sample to pass. For example, if less than 90% by volume of the sample passes through 300 mesh, then passes through 100 mesh, 50 mesh, 30 mesh, 16 mesh, but successfully passes through 14 mesh, it is considered that the maximum particle size of the sample corresponds to the first sieve hole size that allows at least 90% by volume to pass, and in this case, 14 mesh corresponds to a maximum particle size of 1.4 mm.

[0306] The amount of ground plastic present in the feed stream can be up to 25 wt.%, or up to 20 wt.%, or up to 15 wt.%, or up to 12 wt.%, or up to 10 wt.%, or up to 7 wt.%, or up to 5 wt.%, or less than 5 wt.%, or 0.1 wt.% to 25 wt.%, or 0.1 wt.% to 20 wt.%, or 0.1 wt.% to 15 wt.%, or 0.1 wt.% to 12 wt.%, or 0.1 wt.% to 10 wt.%, or 0.1 wt.% to 7 wt.%, desirably 0.1 wt.% to up to or less than 5 wt.%, based on the weight of all solids. Since plastics have a much lower fixed carbon content on average than solid fossil fuels, they will produce a greater amount of carbon dioxide in the gasification zone at the same residence time and based on the same weight than solid fossil fuels. Desirably, the concentration of the pre-ground plastic is low to gain the advantage of minimizing the increase in carbon dioxide content over that produced by solid fossil fuels alone. Desirably, the concentration of the pre-ground plastic is less than 5 wt.%, or not more than 4.5 wt.%, or not more than 4 wt.%, or not more than 3.5 wt.%, or not more than 3 wt.%, or not more than 2.5 wt.%, or not more than 2 wt.%, and in each case at least 0.1 wt.%, or at least 0.5 wt.%, or at least 1 wt.%, each based on the weight of the solids in the feed stream. Examples of the content of ground plastics present in the feed stream include 0.25wt.% to less than 5wt.%, or 0.25wt.% to 4wt.%, or 0.25wt.% to 3wt.%, or 0.25wt.% to 2.5wt.%, or 0.5wt.% to 5wt.%, or 0.5wt.% to 4wt.%, or 0.5wt.% to 3wt.%, or 0.5wt.% to 2.5wt.%, or 1wt.% to 5wt.%, or 1wt.% to 4wt.%, or 1wt.% to 3wt.%, or 1wt.% to 2.5wt.%, each based on the weight of the solids in the feed stream. These ranges are particularly useful when using mixed plastic streams.

[0307] The pre-ground plastic is desirably isolated as ground plastic feed for mixing with one or more components of the feed stream at the final destination. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, at least 80 wt.%, or at least 85 wt.%, or at least 90 wt.%, or at least 95 wt.%, or at least 96 wt.%, or at least 97 wt.%, or at least 98 wt.%, or at least 99 wt.%, or at least 99.5 wt.%, or 100 wt.% of all solid feedstock other than solid fossil fuel in the feed stream fed to the gasifier is pre-ground plastic.

[0308] The solids in the feed stream desirably do not contain sewage sludge, waste paper, or biomass. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feed stream contains any one of sewage sludge, waste paper, biomass, or a combination of two or more thereof, in an amount not greater than 10 wt.%, or not greater than 6 wt.%, or not greater than 5 wt.%, or not greater than 4 wt.%, or not greater than 3 wt.%, or not greater than 2 wt.%, or not greater than 1 wt.%, or not greater than 0.5 wt.%, or not greater than 0.25 wt.%, or not greater than 0.1 wt.%, each based on the weight of the solids in the feed stream.

[0309] Even after final grinding, the pre-ground plastic will contain a certain level of other materials, such as metals, fillers and other materials. The amount of such materials other than rubber fed into the feed stream in the pre-ground plastic is desirably less than 8 wt.%, or not more than 6 wt.%, or not more than 5 wt.%, or not more than 4 wt.%, or not more than 3.5 wt.%, or not more than 2 wt.%, or not more than 1.5 wt.%, or not more than 1 wt.%, or not more than 0.75 wt.%, or not more than 0.5 wt.%, based on the weight of the pre-ground plastic particles.

[0310] The amount of solid fossil fuel, such as coal, in the feedstock or fed to the gasifier can be at least 10 wt.%, or at least 80 wt.%, or at least 85 wt.%, or at least 90 wt.%, or at least 93 wt.%, or at least 95 wt.%, or at least 97 wt.%, or at least 98 wt.%, or at least 98.5 wt.%, or at least 99 wt.% and less than 100 wt.%, or less than 99.5 wt.%, based on the weight of solids in the feedstock.

[0311] Coal contains a certain amount of ash, and the ash also contains elements other than carbon, oxygen and hydrogen. Based on the weight of all dry solids in the feed stream, or alternatively based on the weight in the feed stream, the amount of elements other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen and sulfur in the feed stream is desirably no greater than 9 wt.%, or no greater than 8.5 wt.%, or no greater than 8 wt.%, or no greater than 7.5 wt.%, or no greater than 7 wt.%, or no greater than 7.5 wt.%, or no greater than 7 wt.%, or no greater than 6.5 wt.%, or no greater than 6 wt.%, or no greater than 5.5 wt.%, or no greater than 5 wt.%, or no greater than 4.5 wt.%.

[0312] The heating value of the plastic is desirably similar to or better than that of coal. For example, the heating value of the plastic is at least 13,000, or at least 13,500, or at least 14,000 BTU / lb, or in the range of 13,000 to 15,000 BTU / lb (30 MJ / Kg-35 MJ / Kg), while bituminous coal may have a heating value in the range of 12,500 to 13,300 BTU / lb (29-31 MJ / Kg). In addition, any ash or non-organic material will be melted and vitrified into the ash or slag matrix produced by the inorganic matter in the coal. Therefore, plastic can be viewed as a direct substitute for coal in the feed process.

[0313] The concentration of solids (e.g., fossil fuels and plastics) in the feedstock stream should not exceed the stability limit of the slurry, or be no greater than the ability to pump or feed the feedstock to the gasifier at the target solids concentration. Desirably, the solids content of the slurry should be at least 50 wt.%, or at least 55 wt.%, or at least 60 wt.%, or at least 62 wt.%, or at least 65 wt.%, or at least 68 wt.%, or at least 69 wt.%, or at least 70 wt.%, or at least 75 wt.%, with the remainder being a liquid phase that may include water and liquid additives. The upper limit is not particularly limited because it depends on the gasifier design. However, considering the practical pumpability limitations of solid fossil fuel feeds and maintaining a uniform distribution of solids in the slurry, the solids content of the slagging gasifier for solid fossil slurry feeds desirably should not exceed 75 wt.% or 73 wt.%, with the remainder being a liquid phase that may include water and liquid additives (as described above, gases are not included in the calculation of weight percentages).

[0314] The feedstock flow is expected to be stable in 5 minutes, or even 10 minutes, or even 15 minutes, or even 20 minutes, or even half an hour, or even 1 hour, or even two hours. If the initial viscosity of the feedstock slurry is 100,000 cP or lower, the feedstock slurry is considered to be stable. The initial viscosity can be obtained by the following method. Under ambient conditions (e.g., 25 ° C and about 1 atm), 500-600g of a well-mixed sample is allowed to stand in a 600mL glass beaker. After the slurry is fully mixed (e.g., forming a uniform distribution of solids), a Brookfield R / S rheometer equipped with a V80-40 blade and operated at a shear rate of 1.83 / s is immersed in the slurry to the bottom of the beaker. After a specified period of time, a viscosity reading is obtained at the beginning of rotation, which is an initial viscosity reading. If the initial reading of the viscosity measurement at the start of the specified period of time is not more than 100,000 cP, the slurry is considered to be stable. Alternatively, the same procedure can be used with a Brookfield viscometer equipped with a LV-2 spindle rotating at a rate of 0.5 rpm. Since different viscosity values ​​will be obtained using different equipment, the type of equipment used should be reported. However, regardless of the difference, under either method, the slurry is considered stable only if its viscosity is no greater than 100,000 cP during the reported time.

[0315] The amount of solids in the feed stream and its particle size are adjusted to maximize the solids content while maintaining a stable and pumpable slurry. A pumpable slurry is a slurry having a viscosity of less than 30,000 cP, or not more than 25,000 cP, or not more than 23,000 cP, and desirably not more than 20,000 cP, or not more than 18,000 cP, or not more than 15,000 cP, or not more than 13,000 cP in each case under ambient conditions (e.g., 25°C and 1 atm). At higher viscosities, the slurry becomes too thick to be practically pumped. Viscosity measurements are made to determine the pumpability of the slurry by mixing the slurry sample until a uniform distribution of particles is obtained, then immediately immersing a Brookfield viscometer with a LV-2 spindle rotating at a rate of 0.5 rpm in the well-mixed slurry and taking the reading without delay. Alternatively, a Brookfield R / S rheometer with a V80-40 blade spindle operating at a shear rate of 1.83 / s may be used. The measurement method is reported because the values ​​measured between the two rheometers at their different shear rates will produce different values. However, the above cP values ​​apply to either of the rheometer equipment and procedures.

[0316] Conventional plastic granulators can be used to obtain the desired particle size. These can include systems that use high-capacity shredders to cut the plastic into pieces, followed by granulation, and if necessary, a fine / powder granulator can be used in the final step. For the final step, the fine / powder granulator can be connected to a conveying system to convey the granulated plastic to a storage container, from which the granulated plastic can be fed to any location for preparing the raw material stream, or the granulated particles can be continuously fed from the fine granulator to the desired location for preparing the raw material stream. Feeding the granulated plastic particles from the storage container can be a batch mode or a continuous mode.

[0317] Carbonaceous materials, such as fossil fuels and plastics are advantageously loose and not compacted by mechanical or chemical means after final pelletization to prepare pre-ground plastics (except for natural compaction that may result from storage under their own weight), or desirably compacted before preparing pre-ground plastics and at any time after their post-industrial manufacture or post-consumer use. For example, coal briquettes are pelletized in the presence of water and are not compacted thereafter, and plastics are finely ground / crushed without compaction operations before they are added to water.

[0318] For the reasons stated above, coal must be ground to an acceptable particle size before being fed to the gasifier. These same considerations apply to plastic particles, although as stated above, the plastic must be pre-ground before being combined with the feedstock composition or before being added to the coal grinding equipment because coal grinding equipment is not suitable for grinding plastics.

[0319] Coal is typically ground to a size of 2 mm or less, and may be ground to any of the plastic particle sizes described above with respect to pelletization. The small size of the coal and plastic particles is important to ensure uniform suspension in the liquid carrier without settling, to allow adequate movement relative to the gaseous reactants, to ensure substantially complete gasification, and to provide a pumpable slurry of high solids content with minimal grinding.

[0320] The quality of the coal used is not limited. Anthracite, bituminous coal, sub-bituminous coal, lignite and wood coal can be the source of the coal raw material. In order to improve the thermal efficiency of the gasifier, the carbon content of the coal used is desirably more than 35wt.%, or at least 42wt.%, based on the weight of the coal. Therefore, bituminous coal or anthracite is ideal due to its higher energy content.

[0321] Sulfur is also commonly present in solid fossil fuels. Desirably, the sulfur content is less than 5wt.%, not more than 4wt.%, or not more than 3wt.%, or not more than 2.5wt.%, and may also include amounts of sulfur, such as at least 0.25wt.%, or at least 0.5wt.%, or at least 0.75wt.%.

[0322] It is also desirable to use coal with low inherent moisture content to improve the thermal efficiency of the gasifier. It is desirable to use coal with a moisture content of less than 25 wt.% or less than 20 wt.% or less than 15 wt.% or not more than 10 wt.% or not more than 8 wt.% without applying external artificially applied heat.

[0323] Desirably, the coal feed has a heating value of at least 11,000 BTU / lb, or at least 11,500 BTU / lb, or at least 12,500 BTU / lb, or at least 13,000 BTU / lb, or at least 13,500 BTU / lb, or at least 14,000 BTU / lb, or at least 14,250 BTU / lb, or at least 14,500 BTU / lb.

[0324] Although the feed stream may contain a small amount of liquid hydrocarbon oil leached from plastics or coal, the feed stream desirably contains less than 5wt.%, or not more than 3wt.%, or not more than 1wt.%, or not more than 0.1wt.% of liquid (under ambient conditions) non-oxidized hydrocarbon petroleum, which is introduced into the feed stream as is. Desirably, the feed stream contains less than 2wt.%, or not more than 1wt.%, or does not contain the added liquid fraction from refining crude oil or reforming any such fraction. Desirably, the amount of liquid in the feed stream is different from the solid content. The liquid content or water content present in the feed stream desirably is not more than 50wt.%, or not more than 35wt.%, or not more than 32wt.%, or not more than 31wt.%, or not more than 30wt.%, based on the weight of the feed stream. Desirably, in each case, the liquid or water content in the feed stream is desirably at least 10 wt.%, or at least 15 wt.%, or at least 20 wt.%, or at least 25 wt.%, or at least 27 wt.%, or at least 30 wt.%, based on the weight of the feed stream. Desirably, the liquid present in the feed stream contains at least 95 wt.% water, or at least 96 wt.% water, or at least 97 wt.% water, or at least 98 wt.% water, or at least 99 wt.% water, based on the weight of all liquids fed to the gasifier. In another embodiment, the liquid content of the feed stream is at least 96 wt.% water, or at least 97 wt.% water, or at least 98 wt.% water, or at least 99 wt.% water, based on the weight of all liquids fed to the gasifier, excluding chemical additives that are chemically synthesized and contain oxygen or sulfur or nitrogen atoms.

[0325] In one embodiment, the water present in the feed stream is not wastewater, or in other words, the water fed to the solids to prepare the feed stream is not wastewater. Desirably, the water used is not industrially discharged from any process for synthesizing chemicals, or it is not municipal wastewater. The water is desirably fresh water or drinking water.

[0326] The feed stream includes at least ground coal and ground plastic. Desirably, the feed stream also contains water. The amount of water in the feed stream can be 0wt.% to 50wt.%, or 10wt.% to 40wt.%, or 20wt.% to 35wt.%. The feed stream is desirably an aqueous slurry.

[0327] In addition to coal, water and plastic, other additives can be added to and included in the feed stream, such as viscosity modifiers and pH modifiers. The total amount of additives can be 0.01wt.% to 5wt.%, or 0.05wt.% to 5wt.%, or 0.05wt.% to 3wt.%, or 0.5wt.% to 2.5wt.%, based on the weight of the feed stream. The amount of any individual additive may also be within these stated ranges.

[0328] Viscosity modifiers, which include surfactants, can improve the solids concentration in the slurry. Examples of viscosity modifiers include:

[0329] (i) alkyl-substituted amine surfactants, such as alkyl-substituted aminobutyric acid, alkyl-substituted polyethoxyamide, alkyl-substituted polyethoxy quaternary ammonium salt, etc.; and

[0330] (ii) sulfates, such as organic sulfonates, including ammonium, calcium and sodium sulfonates, especially those with lignin and sulfoalkylated lignite;

[0331] (iii) phosphates;

[0332] (iv) Polyoxyalkylene anionic or nonionic surfactants.

[0333] More specific examples of the alkyl-substituted aminobutyric acid surfactants include: N-coco-β-aminobutyric acid, N-tallow-β-aminobutyric acid, N-lauryl-β-aminobutyric acid and N-oleyl-β-aminobutyric acid. N-coco-β-aminobutyric acid.

[0334] More specific examples of alkyl-substituted polyethoxyamide surfactants include polyoxyethylene oleamide, polyoxyethylene tallowamide, polyoxyethylene lauramide and polyoxyethylene cocamide, wherein 5 to 50 polyoxyethylene moieties are present.

[0335] More specific examples of the alkyl-substituted polyethoxylated quaternary ammonium salt surfactants include methyl bis(2-hydroxyethyl)cocoammonium chloride, methyl polyoxyethylenecocoammonium chloride, methyl bis(2-hydroxyethyl)oleylammonium chloride, methyl polyoxyethyleneoleylammonium chloride, methyl bis(2-hydroxyethyl)octadecylammonium chloride and methyl polyoxyethyleneoctadecylammonium chloride.

[0336] More specific examples of the sulfonates include sulfonated formaldehyde condensates, naphthalenesulfonate formaldehyde condensates, benzenesulfonate-phenol-formaldehyde condensates and lignin sulfonates.

[0337] More specific examples of the phosphate include trisodium phosphate, potassium phosphate, ammonium phosphate, sodium tripolyphosphate or potassium tripolyphosphate.

[0338] Examples of polyoxyalkylene anionic or nonionic surfactants have 1 or more repeating units derived from ethylene oxide or propylene oxide, or 1 to 200 oxyalkylene units.

[0339] Desirably, the surfactant is an anionic surfactant, such as an organic sulfonic acid. Examples are calcium, sodium and ammonium salts of organic sulfonic acids such as 2,6-dihydroxynaphthalenesulfonic acid, lignitesulfonic acid and ammonium ligninsulfonic acid.

[0340] Examples of pH adjusters include aqueous solutions of alkali and alkaline earth metal hydroxides such as sodium hydroxide, and ammonium compounds such as 20-50 wt.% aqueous ammonium hydroxide. The aqueous ammonium hydroxide solution may be added directly to the feedstock composition prior to entering the gasifier, for example, in the coal pulverizer or any downstream vessel containing the slurry.

[0341] The atomic ratio of total oxygen to carbon entering the gasification zone may be a value within the range of 0.70 to less than 2, or 0.9 to 1.9, or 0.9 to 1.8, or 0.9 to 1.5, or 0.9 to 1.4, or 0.9 to 1.2, or 1 to 1.9, or 1 to 1.8, or 1 to 1.5, or 1 to 1.2, or 1.05 to 1.9, or 1.05 to 1.8, or 1.05 to 1.5, or 1.05 to 1.2. The atomic ratio of free oxygen to carbon entering the gasification zone may also be within these same values. The weight ratios of total oxygen and free oxygen to carbon (in pounds) entering the gasification zone may also each be within these stated values.

[0342] The total carbon content in the feedstream is at least 40 wt.%, or at least 45 wt.%, or at least 50 wt.%, or at least 55 wt.%, or at least 60 wt.%, or at least 65 wt.%, and desirably at least 70 wt.%, or at least 75 wt.%, or at least 80 wt.%, or at least 85 wt.%, or at least 90 wt.%, each based on the total solids content.

[0343] The feed stream is desirably injected into the refractory lined combustion chamber of the syngas generating gasifier along with the oxidant. The feed stream (desirably a slurry) and the oxidant are desirably injected into the gasification zone at a significant pressure through an injector, the pressure being typically about 500 psig or higher, or 600 psig or higher, or 800 psig or higher, or 1000 psig or higher. The velocity or flow rate of the feed and oxidant streams injected from the injector nozzles into the combustion chamber will exceed the rate of flame propagation to avoid flashback.

[0344] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments of the present invention, it is advantageous to add only one feedstock stream to the gasifier or gasification zone, or in other words, feed all carbon fuel sources to the gasifier in only one stream. In another embodiment, only one feedstock stream is necessary or used to produce a syngas or product stream, which is a feedstock for synthesizing compounds.

[0345] In another embodiment, the chemical is made from a first syngas, the first syngas being derived from a first gasifier fed with a first feed stream containing coal, and the first syngas stream is not combined with a second syngas, the second syngas being derived from any other gasifier fed with a second feed stream, wherein the coal content between the first and second feed streams differs by more than 20%, or more than 10%, or more than 5%. For example, a first syngas stream generated from a first feed stream containing 90 wt.% coal will not be combined with a syngas stream generated from a different gasifier fed with a feed stream containing 70 wt.% coal or no coal, but may be combined with a syngas stream containing 72 wt.% coal or more.

[0346] Before entering the gasifier, the feed stream may be subjected to a variety of other optional processes. For example, the coal-rubber slurry may flow through a thickener, in which excess water is removed from the slurry to obtain the final desired solid concentration of the slurry entering the gasifier vessel. In addition, the feed stream may be preheated before entering the gasifier. In this embodiment, the feed stream is heated to a temperature below the boiling point of water at the operating pressure present in the reaction zone. When a preheater is used, the preheater reduces the heat load on the gasifier and improves the utilization efficiency of both fuel and oxygen. In this embodiment, all the water required to produce synthesis gas in the reaction zone is supplied in the liquid phase. When petroleum coke is used as a fuel for the gasifier, part of the water, such as 1wt.%-about 90wt.% of water based on the weight of water, can be evaporated in the slurry feed preheater, or combined with the oxide stream as evaporated water.

[0347] Oxidant is desirably an oxidizing gas, which may include air, and desirably an oxygen-rich gas, the amount of which is greater than the amount found in air. The reaction of oxygen and solid fossil fuel is exothermic. Desirably, based on the total moles in the oxidant gas stream injected into the reaction (combustion) zone of the gasifier, the oxidant gas contains at least 25mol% of oxygen, or at least 35mol%, or at least 40mol%, or at least 50mol%, or at least 70mol%, or at least 85mol%, or at least 90mol%, or at least 95mol%, or at least 97mol%, or at least 98mol% of oxygen, or at least 99mol%, or at least 99.5mol%. In another embodiment, the total concentration of oxygen in all gases supplied to the gasification zone is also the above amount. Considering the amount relative to the amount of the feed stream, the amount of the feed, the process conditions and the gasifier design, the specific amount of oxygen supplied to the reaction zone is desirably sufficient to obtain carbon monoxide and hydrogen obtained from the gasification reaction close to or at maximum yield relative to the components in the feed stream.

[0348] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, steam is not supplied to the gasification zone. The amount of water in the slurry feed system is typically greater than sufficient for co-reactants and heat sinks to regulate the gasification temperature. Adding streams in a slurry fed gasifier will typically unduly absorb heat from the reaction zone and reduce its efficiency.

[0349] Other reducible oxygen-containing gases can be supplied to the reaction zone, such as carbon dioxide, nitrogen or simply air. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the embodiments mentioned, no gas stream rich in carbon dioxide or nitrogen (e.g., greater than the molar amount present in air, or greater than 2 mol%, or greater than 5 mol%, or greater than 10 mol%, or greater than 40 mol%) is charged into the gasifier. Many of these gases are used as carrier gases to propel the dry feed into the gasification zone. Due to the pressure in the gasification zone, these carrier gases are compressed to provide power for introduction into the gasification zone. The consumption of energy and equipment for compressing the carrier gas to the feed stream is avoided to be a slurry feed. Therefore, in another embodiment, the feed stream containing at least pre-ground plastic and ground solid fossil fuel flowing to the gasifier, or the feed stream introduced into the injector or feeding pipe, or the feed stream introduced into the gasification zone, or a combination of all of the above, does not contain gas compressed in a gas compression device. Alternatively or additionally, no gas compressed in a gas compression device is fed to the gasification zone or even to the gasifier, except for the oxygen-rich stream described above. It is noteworthy that a high pressure feed pump processed for slurry feed introduced into the gasification zone is not considered a gas compression device.

[0350] Desirably, no gas stream containing more than 0.03 mol%, or more than 0.02 mol%, or more than 0.01 mol% carbon dioxide is added to the gasifier or gasification zone. In another embodiment, no gas stream containing more than 77 mol%, or more than 70 mol%, or more than 50 mol%, or more than 30 mol%, or more than 10 mol%, or more than 5 mol%, or more than 3 mol% nitrogen is added to the gasifier or gasification zone. In another embodiment, steam is not added to the gasification zone or gasifier. In yet another embodiment, a gaseous hydrogen stream (e.g., a gaseous hydrogen stream containing more than 0.1 mol% hydrogen, or more than 0.5 mol%, or more than 1 mol%, or more than 5 mol% hydrogen) is not added to the gasifier or gasification zone. In another embodiment, a methane gas stream (e.g., a methane gas stream containing more than 0.1 mol%, or more than 0.5 mol%, or more than 1 mol%, or more than 5 mol% methane) is not added to the gasifier or gasification zone. In another embodiment, the only gas stream introduced into the gasification zone is an oxygen-rich gas stream as described above.

[0351] The gasification method that is expected to be adopted is partial oxidation gasification reaction. In order to improve the output of hydrogen and carbon monoxide, the oxidation process involves partial rather than complete oxidation of fossil fuels and plastics, and therefore desirably operates in an oxygen-poor environment relative to the amount required for complete oxidation of 100% carbon and hydrogen bonds. The total oxygen demand of the gasifier desirably exceeds the theoretical amount required for converting the carbon content of solid fuels and plastics into carbon monoxide by at least 5%, or at least 10%, or at least 15%, or at least 20%. Usually, satisfactory operation can be obtained under a total oxygen supply of 10% to 80% exceeding theoretical requirements. The example of a suitable amount of oxygen per pound of carbon is 0.4 to about 3.0 pounds of free oxygen per pound of carbon, or 0.6 to 2.5, or 0.9 to 2.5, or 1 to 2.5, or 1.1 to 2.5, or 1.2 to 2.5 pounds of free oxygen.

[0352] The mixing of the feed stream and the oxidant is desirably accomplished entirely within the reaction zone by introducing separate streams of the feed and oxidant so that they impinge upon each other within the reaction zone. Desirably, the oxidant stream is introduced into the reaction zone of the gasifier at a high velocity to both exceed the flame propagation rate and improve mixing with the feed stream. The oxidant is desirably injected into the gasification zone at a range of 25 to 500 feet per second, or 50 to 400 feet per second, or 100 to 400 feet per second. These values ​​will be the velocity of the gaseous oxidizing stream at the injector-gasification zone interface, or the injector tip velocity.

[0353] One method for increasing the velocity of the oxidant feed to the gasification zone is by reducing the diameter of the injector or oxidant ring near the injector tip. Figure 3 and 4The hollow cone shown converges inwardly. The oxidizing gas is thereby accelerated and discharged from the injector as a high-speed conical stream having a vertex angle in the ideal range of about 30° to 45°. The stream from the injector converges at a point located about 0-6 inches outside the injector surface. The high-speed oxidizing gas stream strikes the relatively low-speed feed stream, atomizing it and forming a fine mist containing tiny particles of water and particulate solid carbonaceous fuel highly dispersed in the oxidizing gas. The particles of solid carbonaceous material strike each other and are further broken down.

[0354] The velocity of the feedstock slurry is determined by the desired throughput of syngas generation. Suitable examples of feedstock velocities introduced into the gasification zone prior to contact with the oxidant are in the range of 5 to 50 feet per second.

[0355] The feed stream and oxidant may optionally be preheated to a temperature above about 200°C, or at least 300°C, or at least 400°C. Advantageously, the gasification process employed does not require preheating of the feed stream to effectively gasify the fuel, and the preheating step may result in a reduction in the energy efficiency of the process. Desirably, the feed stream and optional oxidant are not preheated before they are introduced into the gasifier. The preheating step would be to contact the feed stream or oxidant with a device that sufficiently raises the temperature of the feed stream so that the temperature of the feed stream or oxidant stream is above 200°C, or above 190°C, or above 170°C, or above 150°C, or above 130°C, or above 110°C, or above 100°C, or above 98°C, or above 90°C, or above 80°C, or above 70°C, or above 60°C immediately before introduction into the injector on the gasifier. For example, although coal may be dried with hot air above 200°C, if the feed stream is below 200°C when introduced into the injector, this step would not be considered preheating of the feed stream.

[0356] In another embodiment, no thermal energy (other than incidental heat from processing equipment such as a mill, grinder or pump) is applied to the feedstock stream containing plastic and solid fossil fuel, or to the oxidant stream, which would raise the temperature of the stream to greater than 180°C, or greater than 170°C, or greater than 160°C, or greater than 150°C, or greater than 140°C, or greater than 130°C, or greater than 120°C, or greater than 110°C, or greater than 100°C, or greater than 90°C, or greater than 80°C, or greater than 70°C, or greater than 60°C, or greater than 50°C, or greater than 40°C, or greater than 30°C, at any point prior to introduction of the feedstock stream containing plastic and solid fossil fuel into the injector or gasifier or gasification zone (other than the temperature increase experienced in the injector).

[0357] The method of the present invention utilizes a gasification process, which is different from pyrolysis (pyrolysis is a thermal process that degrades a fuel source in the absence of air or oxygen) or a plasma process because gasification does not utilize a plasma arc.

[0358] Desirably, the type of gasification technology used is a partial oxidation fluidized flow gasifier that produces synthesis gas. This technology is different from a fixed bed (or moving bed) gasifier and a fluidized bed gasifier. In a fixed bed (or moving bed gasifier), the feed stream moves with an oxidant gas in a countercurrent flow, and the oxidant gas commonly used is air. The feed stream falls into the gasification chamber, accumulates and forms a feed bed. Air (or alternatively oxygen) flows upward continuously from the bottom of the gasifier through the feed material bed, while fresh feed continuously falls from the top due to gravity to renew the bed when the bed burns. The combustion temperature is generally lower than the melting temperature of the ash and does not slag. Regardless of whether the fixed bed is operated in a countercurrent or in some cases in a cocurrent mode, the fixed bed reaction process will produce a large amount of tar, oil and methane produced by the pyrolysis of the feed in the bed, thereby polluting the generated synthesis gas and the gasifier. The contaminated syngas requires a lot of effort and cost to remove the tarry residues, which will condense once the syngas cools, and therefore, such syngas streams are generally not used for the preparation of chemicals, but for direct heating applications. In a fluidized bed, the feedstock material in the gasification zone is fluidized by the action of an oxidant flowing through the bed at a sufficiently high velocity to fluidize the particles in the bed. In a fluidized bed, the homogeneous reaction temperature and low reaction temperature of the gasification zone also promote the production of a large amount of unreacted feedstock material and a low carbon conversion rate. The operating temperature in the fluidized bed is generally between 800-1000°C. In addition, in a fluidized bed, it is important to operate under slagging conditions to maintain the fluidization of the feedstock particles, otherwise the feedstock particles will stick to the slag and agglomerates. By using entrained flow gasification, these defects of fixed bed (or moving bed) and fluidized bed gasifiers commonly used for treating waste are overcome.

[0359] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feed stream is introduced at the top 1 / 8 portion of the gasifier, desirably at the top 1 / 12 of the gasifier height defined by the gasifier shell (excluding the injector height protruding from the top of the shell or the tube protruding from the bottom of the shell). The feed stream is desirably not introduced into the side wall of the gasifier. In another embodiment, the feed stream is not a tangential feed injector.

[0360] In another embodiment, the oxidant is introduced at the top 1 / 8 of the gasifier, desirably at the top 1 / 12 of the height of the gasifier defined by the gasifier shell. The oxidant is desirably not introduced into the sidewall of the gasifier or the bottom of the gasifier. In another embodiment, both the feed stream and the oxidant are introduced at the top 1 / 8 of the gasifier, desirably at the top 1 / 12 of the height of the gasifier defined by the gasifier shell. Desirably, the oxidant and the feed stream are fed in parallel to ensure good mixing. In this regard, parallel feeding means that the axes of the feed stream and the oxidant stream are substantially parallel (e.g., the deviation from each other is not greater than 25°, or not greater than 20°, or not greater than 15°, or not greater than 10°, or not greater than 8°, or not greater than 6°, or not greater than 4°, or not greater than 2°, or not greater than 1°) and in the same direction.

[0361] The feedstock stream and the oxidant stream are desirably introduced into the gasification zone through one or more injector nozzles.Desirably, the gasifier is equipped with at least one injector nozzle through which the feedstock stream and the oxidant stream are introduced into the gasification zone.

[0362] Although the feed stream can be a dry feed or a slurry feed, the feed stream is desirably a slurry. The synthesis gas produced in the gasification process is desirably used at least in part to prepare chemicals. Many synthesis methods for preparing chemicals are under high pressure, and in order to avoid energy input to pressurize the synthesis gas flow, it is desirable that the gasifier also operates under high pressure, especially when the synthesis gas flow is directly or indirectly connected to the container gas of the synthetic chemical. The dry feed of the gasifier operating under high pressure is specially treated to ensure that the feed can be effectively blown into and injected into the high pressure gasification zone. Some technologies include entraining nitrogen gas flow at high pressure and high speed, which tends to dilute the synthesis gas flow and reduce the concentration of required components such as carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Other carrier gases or power gases include carbon monoxide, but similar to nitrogen, these gases are compressed before adding solid fossil fuels or compressing with solid fossil fuels, increasing the energy demand and capital cost of the feed lock hopper and / or compression equipment. In order to solve these problems, many dry feed gasifiers will operate at lower pressures, which is sufficient for only generating electricity, but is undesirable for gasifiers that generate synthesis gas flows for manufacturing chemicals. For slurry feed, motive gas is not necessary and can be easily fed to a high pressure gasifier which produces high pressure syngas which is desirable for making chemicals. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the feed stream is not processed through a lock hopper before entering the injector or entering the gasification zone. In another embodiment, the feed composition containing ground plastic and solid fossil fuel is not pressurized in a lock hopper.

[0363] Desirably, the gasifier is non-catalytic, meaning that the gasifier does not contain a catalyst bed, and desirably, the gasification process is non-catalytic, meaning that the catalyst is not introduced into the gasification zone as a discrete, unbound catalyst (as opposed to trapped metals in plastics or solid fossil fuels, which may incidentally be catalytically active). The gasification process in the reaction zone desirably is conducted without added catalyst and does not contain a catalyst bed. The gasification process is also desirably a slagging gasification process; i.e., operated under slagging conditions (well above the melting temperature of the ash) such that molten slag forms in the gasification zone and flows down the refractory walls.

[0364] In another embodiment, the gasifier is not designed to include a pyrolysis zone. Desirably, the gasifier is not designed to include a combustion zone. Most preferably, the gasifier is designed to not include, or does not actually include, a combustion zone or pyrolysis zone. The pyrolysis zone does not completely consume the fuel source, resulting in potentially large amounts of ash, char, and tar-like products. The combustion zone, although not present in the tar, produces large amounts of CO2 and smaller amounts of more desirable carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Desirably, the gasifier is a single-stage reactor, meaning that there is only one zone within the gasifier shell for converting carbon in the feedstock into gas.

[0365] The gasification zone is a void or empty space defined by walls in which oxidation reactions occur and gases are allowed to form within the space. Desirably, the gasification zone does not have a pool of molten material or molten material that accumulates at the bottom of the gasification zone to form a pool. The gasification zone is desirably not closed at the bottom, but is in gaseous communication with other areas below the gasification zone. The slag does not accumulate at the bottom of the gasification zone when it is melted, but flows downward along the sides of the refractory material and flows into an area below the gasification zone, such as a quenching zone, to solidify the slag.

[0366] The flow of hot raw syngas in the gasifier is desirably vertically downward, or a downflow reactor. Desirably, the syngas stream produced in the gasifier flows downward from the highest point where the feed stream is injected, desirably downward from all feed stream locations. In another embodiment, the location where the syngas stream is withdrawn from the gasifier is lower than at least one location where the feed stream is introduced, desirably lower than all locations where the feed stream is introduced.

[0367] The gasifier desirably includes a refractory lining in the gasification zone. Although a steam generating membrane or jacket may be used between the gasifier wall and the surface facing the gasification zone, desirably, the gasifier does not include a membrane wall, or a steam generating membrane, or a steam jacket in the gasification zone or between the inner surface facing the gasification zone and the gasifier shell wall, because this removes heat from the gasification zone. Desirably, the gasification zone is lined with refractory material, and optionally there is no air or steam or water jacket between the refractory lining of the gasification zone (or optionally in any reaction zone, such as combustion or pyrolysis) and the outer shell of the gasifier.

[0368] The gasification process is desirably a continuous process, meaning that the gasifier is operated in a continuous mode. The inclusion of pre-granulated plastic in the feed stream can be intermittent or continuous, as long as a continuous feed of fossil fuel is fed into the gasifier, because the gasification process in the gasifier is a continuous mode. The continuous mode of operation of the gasifier refers to the gasification process continuing for at least 1 month, or at least 6 months, or at least 1 year. Desirably, the granulated plastic is included in the feed stream for at least 1 day, or at least 3 days, or at least 14 days, or at least 1 month, or at least 6 months, or at least 1 year. Despite shutdowns due to maintenance or repairs, the process is considered to be continuous.

[0369] The feedstock can be fed into the gasification zone by one or more injectors. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the gasifier comprises only one injector. In another embodiment, the gasifier comprises only one position for introducing the feedstock. Typically, the injector nozzle serving the gasification chamber is configured so that the feedstock flow concentrically surrounds the oxidant gas flow along the axial core of the nozzle. Optionally, the oxidant gas flow may also surround the feedstock flow ring as a larger substantially concentric ring. Radially surrounding the outer wall of the outer oxidant gas channel may be an annular cooling water jacket that terminates in a substantially flat end face radiator aligned in a plane substantially perpendicular to the nozzle discharge axis. Cooling water is directed from outside the combustion chamber into direct contact with the back side of the radiator end face for conductive heat removal.

[0370] The reaction between the hydrocarbon and oxygen should occur entirely outside the injector to prevent localized concentrations of the combustible mixture at or near the surfaces of the injector elements.

[0371] The gasification zone and optionally all reaction zones in the gasifier are operated at a temperature in the range of at least 1000°C, or at least 1100°C, or at least 1200°C, or at least 1250°C, or at least 1300°C, and up to about 2500°C, or up to 2000°C, or up to 1800°C, or up to 1600°C, each well above the melting temperature of the ash, and desirably operated to form molten slag in the reaction zone. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the reaction temperature is desirably autogenous. Advantageously, the gasifier operating in steady state mode is at autogenous temperature and does not require the application of an external energy source to heat the gasification zone.

[0372] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the gasifier does not include a zone within the gasifier housing for drying feedstock such as coal, petroleum coke or plastic prior to gasification. The elevated temperature within the injectors is not considered a zone for drying.

[0373] Desirably, the gasification zone is not at a negative pressure during operation, but is at a positive pressure during operation. The gasification zone desirably is not equipped with any aspirators or other devices to create a negative pressure under steady state operation.

[0374] The gasifier operates at a pressure of at least 200 psig (1.38 MPa), or at least 300 psig (2.06 MPa), or at least 350 psig (2.41 MPa), and desirably at least 400 psig (2.76 MPa), or at least 420 psig (2.89 MPa), or at least 450 psig (3.10 MPa), or at least 475 psig (3.27 MPa), or at least 500 psig (3.44 MPa), or at least 550 psig (2.76 MPa), or at least 560 psig (2.89 MPa). The reactor is preferably operated at a pressure of at least 3.79 MPa, or at least 600 psig (4.13 MPa), or at least 650 psig (4.48 MPa), or at least 700 psig (4.82 MPa), or at least 750 psig (5.17 MPa), or at least 800 psig (5.51 MPa), or at least 900 psig (6.2 MPa), or at least 1000 psig (6.89 MPa), or at least 1100 psig (7.58 MPa), or at least 1200 psig (8.2 MPa). The specific operating pressure at the high end is adjusted according to various considerations, including operating efficiency, the operating pressure required in a chemical synthesis reactor, especially a chemical synthesis reactor with integrated equipment, and process chemistry. Suitable operating pressures in the gasification zone need not exceed 1300 psig (8.96 MPa) at the high end, or need not exceed 1250 psig (8.61 MPa), or need not exceed 1200 psig (8.27 MPa), or need not exceed 1150 psig (7.92 MPa), or need not exceed 1100 psig (7.58 MPa), or need not exceed 1050 psig (7.23 MPa), or need not exceed 1000 psig (6.89 MPa), or need not exceed 900 psig (6.2 MPa), or need not exceed 800 psig (5.51 MPa), or need not exceed 750 psig (5.17 MPa). Examples of suitable desired ranges include 400 to 1000, or 425 to 900, or 450 to 900, or 475 to 900, or 500 to 900, or 550 to 900, or 600 to 900, or 650 to 900, or 400 to 800, or 425 to 800, or 450 to 800, or 475 to 800, or 500 to 800, or 550 to 800, or 600 to 800, or 650 to 800, or 400 to 750, or 425 to 750, or 450 to 750, or 475 to 750, or 500 to 750, or 550 to 750, each in psig.

[0375] Desirably, the average residence time of the gas in the gasifier reactor is desirably very short to increase throughput. Since the gasifier is desirably operated at high temperature and pressure, substantially complete conversion of the feedstock to gas can occur within a very short time frame. The average residence time of the gas in the gasifier can be as short as less than 30 seconds, or no more than 25 seconds, or no more than 20 seconds, or no more than 15 seconds, or no more than 10 seconds, or no more than 7 seconds. Desirably, the average residence time of the gas in all areas designed to convert the feedstock material into gas is also very short, for example, less than 25 seconds, or no more than 15 seconds, or no more than 10 seconds, or no more than 7 seconds, or no more than 4 seconds. Within these time frames, at least 85 wt.%, or at least or greater than 90 wt.%, or at least 92 wt.%, or at least 94 wt.% of the solids in the feedstock can be converted into gases (substances that remain gases if the gas stream is cooled to 25°C and 1 atm) and liquids (substances that are liquids, such as water, if the gas stream is cooled to 25°C and 1 atm), or greater than 93 wt.%, or greater than 95 wt.%, or greater than 96 wt.%, or greater than 97 wt.%, or greater than 98 wt.%, or greater than 99 wt.%, or greater than 99.5 wt.%.

[0376] A portion of the ash and / or char in the gasifier may be entrained in the hot raw syngas stream leaving the gasification reaction zone. Ash particles in the raw syngas stream in the gasifier are particles that have not reached the melting temperature of the minerals in the solid fuel. Slag is essentially molten ash or molten ash that has solidified into glassy particles and remains in the gasifier. The slag melts until quenching and then forms beads of molten minerals. Char is a porous particle of fuel particles that are devolatilized and partially burned (incompletely converted). The particulate matter gathered at the bottom of the gasifier or in the quenching zone is mainly slag (e.g., 80wt.% or more of slag), and the rest is char and ash. Desirably, there are only trace amounts of tar or no tar in the gasifier, or in the quenching zone, or in the gasification zone, or in the hot raw syngas in the gasifier, or in the raw syngas discharged from the gasifier (this can be measured by the amount of tar condensed from the syngas stream when cooled to a temperature below 50°C). Trace amounts are less than 0.1 wt.% (or less than 0.05 wt.% or less than 0.01 wt.%) of the solids present in the gasifier, or less than 0.05 volume %, or not more than 0.01 volume %, or not more than 0.005 volume %, or not more than 0.001 volume %, or not more than 0.0005 volume %, or not more than 0.0001 volume % of the raw synthesis gas stream discharged from the gasifier.

[0377] In another embodiment, the process does not increase the amount of tar to a significant degree relative to the same process except that the plastic is replaced with the same amount and type of solid fossil fuel used in the mixed feedstock composition.

[0378] The amount of tar produced with the mixed feedstock in the process is less than 10%, or less than 5%, or less than 3%, or less than 2%, or not higher at all than the amount of tar produced under the same conditions with the same feedstock replacing the plastic from the same solid fossil fuel.

[0379] In order to avoid fouling of the downstream equipment of the gasifier (scrubber, CO / H2 shift reactor, acid gas removal, chemical synthesis) and intermediate pipelines, the synthesis gas stream should have a low tar content or no tar content. The synthesis gas stream discharged from the gasifier is desirably free of or contains less than 4wt.%, or less than 3wt.%, or not more than 2wt.%, or not more than 1wt.%, or not more than 0.5wt.%, or not more than 0.2wt.%, or not more than 0.1wt.%, or not more than 0.08wt.%, or not more than 0.05wt.%, or not more than 0.02wt.%, or not more than 0.01wt.%, or not more than 0.005wt.% of tar, based on the weight of all condensable solids in the synthesis gas stream. For the purpose of measurement, condensable solids are those compounds and elements that condense at a temperature of 15°C / 1atm.

[0380] In another embodiment, the tar present in the syngas stream discharged from the gasifier, if present, is less than 10 g / m3 of the discharged syngas, or not more than 9 g / m3, or not more than 8 g / m3, or not more than 7 g / m3, or not more than 6 g / m3, or not more than 5 g / m3, or not more than 4 g / m3, or not more than 3 g / m3, or not more than 2 g / m3, and desirably not more than 1 g / m3, or not more than 0.8 g / m3, or not more than 0.75 g / m3, or not more than 0.7 g / m3 of the discharged syngas. 1 atm, or not more than 0.6 g / m3, or not more than 0.55 g / m3, or not more than 0.45 g / m3, or not more than 0.4 g / m3, or not more than 0.3 g / m3, or not more than 0.2 g / m3, or not more than 0.1 g / m3, or not more than 0.05 g / m3, or not more than 0.01 g / m3, or not more than 0.005 g / m3, or not more than 0.001 g / m3, or not more than 0.0005 g / m3, in each case normal (15°C / 1 atm). For the purpose of measurement, tars are those tars that condense at a temperature of 15°C / 1 atm, and include primary, secondary and tertiary tars, and are aromatic organic compounds and are not ash, char, soot or dust. Examples of tar products include naphthalene, cresol, xylenol, anthracene, phenanthrene, phenol, benzene, toluene, pyridine, catechol, biphenyl, benzofuran, benzaldehyde, acenaphthene, fluorene, naphthofuran, benzanthracene, pyrene, fluoranthene, benzopyrene and other high molecular weight aromatic polynuclear compounds. The tar content can be determined by GC-MSD.

[0381] In another embodiment, the tar yield of the gasifier (a combination of tar in the syngas and tar at the bottom of the reactor and tar in or on the ash, char and slag) is not more than 4 wt.%, or not more than 3 wt.%, or not more than 2.5 wt.%, or not more than 2.0 wt.%, or not more than 1.8 wt.%, or not more than 1.5 wt.%, or not more than 1.25 wt.%, or not more than 1 wt.%, or not more than 0.9 wt.%, or not more than 0.8 wt.%. %, or not more than 0.7 wt.%, or not more than 0.5 wt.%, or not more than 0.3 wt.%, or not more than 0.2 wt.%, or not more than 0.1 wt.%, or not more than 0.05 wt.%, or not more than 0.01 wt.%, or not more than 0.005 wt.%, or not more than 0.001 wt.%, or not more than 0.0005 wt.%, or not more than 0.0001 wt.%, based on the weight of solids in the feed stream fed to the gasification zone.

[0382] Due to the gasification technology used and the very small particle size of the plastic, the amount of char produced by gasifying the plastic-solid fossil fuel feedstock stream can be kept within acceptable limits. For example, the amount of char produced by converting the carbon source in the feedstock stream (or incompletely converted carbon in the feedstock) is no more than 15 wt.%, or no more than 12 wt.%, or no more than 10 wt.%, or no more than 8 wt.%, or no more than 5 wt.%, or no more than 4.5 wt.%, or no more than 4 wt.%, or no more than 3.5 wt.%, or no more than 3 wt.%, or no more than 2.8 wt.%, or no more than 2.5 wt.%, or no more than 2.3 wt.%, or no more than 4.5 wt.%, or no more than 4.5 wt.%, or no more than 4.5 wt.%.

[0383] In this process, the char can be recycled back to the feed stream. In another embodiment, the efficiencies and features of the present invention can be achieved without recycling the char back to the gasification zone.

[0384] The total amount of char (or incompletely converted carbon in the feedstock) and slag produced in the gasifier or by the method is desirably no more than 20 wt.%, or no more than 17 wt.%, or no more than 15 wt.%, or no more than 13 wt.%, or no more than 10 wt.%, or no more than 9 wt.%, or no more than 8.9 wt.%, or no more than 8.5 wt.%, or no more than 8.3 wt.%, or no more than 8 wt.%, or no more than 7.9 wt.%, or no more than 7.5 wt.%, or no more than 7.3 wt.%, or no more than 7 wt.%, or no more than 6.9 wt.%, or no more than 6.5 wt.%, or no more than 6.3 wt.%, or no more than 6 wt.%, or no more than 5.9 wt.%, or no more than 5.5 wt.%, in each case based on the weight of the solids in the feedstock stream. In another embodiment, the same values ​​apply to the total amount of ash, slag and char produced in the gasifier or by the method, based on the weight of the solids in the feedstock stream. In another embodiment, the same values ​​apply to the total amount of ash, slag, char, and tar produced in the gasifier or by the process, based on the weight of solids in the feed stream.

[0385] The raw syngas stream flows from the gasification zone to a quenching zone at the bottom of the gasifier, where the slag and raw syngas stream are cooled, typically to a temperature below 550°C, or below 500°C, or below 450°C. The quenching zone contains water in a liquid state. The hot syngas from the gasification zone can be cooled by directly contacting the syngas stream with liquid water. The syngas stream can be bubbled through a pool of liquid water, or simply contact the surface of the pool. Additionally, the hot syngas stream can be cooled in a water-jacketed chamber having a height above the top surface of the pool to allow the hot syngas to both contact the pool and cool in the water-jacketed chamber. The slag is solidified by the quenching water, and most of the ash, slag, and char are transferred to the water in the quenching tank. The partially cooled gas stream that has passed through the water in the quenching zone can then be discharged from the gasifier as a raw syngas stream and is subjected to a water scrubbing operation to remove any remaining entrained particulate matter.

[0386] The pressure in the quench zone is substantially the same as the pressure in the gasification zone above the level in the gasifier, and the quench water and a portion of the solids at the bottom of the quench tank are removed by a lock hopper system. The quench water flow carrying fine particles leaves the gasifier quench zone in response to a level controller and can be directed to a settler. The solids and water from the lock hopper can then flow into a silo or settler, where optionally coarse solids can be removed by a screen or filter, thereby producing a dispersion of fine solids.

[0387] The raw gas stream discharged from the gasification vessel includes gases such as hydrogen, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and, depending on the fuel source and reaction conditions, may include other gases such as methane, hydrogen sulfide, and nitrogen. The carbon dioxide in the raw synthesis gas stream discharged from the gasification vessel is desirably present in an amount of less than 20 mol%, or less than 18 mol%, or less than 15 mol%, or less than 13 mol%, or not more than 11 mol%, based on the total moles of gas in the stream. Depending on the purity of the fuel and oxygen supplied to the process, some nitrogen and argon may be present in the raw synthesis gas stream.

[0388] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the raw syngas stream (the stream exiting the gasifier and before any further treatment by scrubbing, shifting or acid gas removal) can have the following composition, in mole % on a dry basis and based on the number of moles of all gases (elements or compounds in the gaseous state at 25° C. and 1 atm) in the raw syngas stream:

[0389] a.H2: 15 to 60, or 18 to 50, or 18 to 45, or 18 to 40, or 23 to 40, or 25 to 40, or 23 to 38, or 29 to 40, or 31 to 40

[0390] b.CO: 20 to 75, or 20 to 65, or 30 to 70, or 35 to 68, or 40 to 68, or 40 to 60, or 35 to 55, or 40 to 52

[0391] c.CO2: 1.0 to 30, or 2 to 25, or 2 to 21, or 10 to 25, or 10 to 20

[0392] d.H2O: 2.0 to 40.0, or 5 to 35, or 5 to 30, or 10 to 30

[0393] e. CH4: 0.0 to 30, or 0.01 to 15, or 0.01 to 10, or 0.01 to 8, or 0.01 to 7, or 0.01 to 5, or 0.01 to 3, or 0.1 to 1.5, or 0.1 to 1

[0394] f.H2S: 0.01 to 2.0, or 0.05 to 1.5, or 0.1 to 1, or 0.1 to 0.5

[0395] g.COS: 0.05 to 1.0, or 0.05 to 0.7, or 0.05 to 0.3

[0396] h. Total sulfur: 0.015 to 3.0, or 0.02 to 2, or 0.05 to 1.5, or 0.1 to 1

[0397] i. N2: 0.0 to 5, or 0.005 to 3, or 0.01 to 2, or 0.005 to 1, or 0.005 to 0.5, or 0.005 to 0.3

[0398] The gas composition can be determined by FID-GC and TCD-GC or any other recognized method for analyzing the composition of gas streams.

[0399] The hydrogen / carbon monoxide molar ratio is desirably at least 0.65, or at least 0.68, or at least 0.7, or at least 0.73, or at least 0.75, or at least 0.78, or at least 0.8, or at least 0.85, or at least 0.88, or at least 0.9, or at least 0.93, or at least 0.95, or at least 0.98, or at least 1.

[0400] On a dry basis, the total amount of hydrogen and carbon monoxide relative to the total amount of syngas discharged from the gasifier is high, on the order of greater than 70 mol%, or at least 73 mol%, or at least 75 mol%, or at least 77 mol%, or at least 79 mol%, or at least 80 mol%, based on the discharged syngas.

[0401] In another embodiment, the dry syngas yield, expressed as the volume of gas discharged from the gasifier per kg of solid fuel (e.g., plastic and coal) charged to all locations on the gasifier, is at least 1.7, or at least 1.75, or at least 1.8, or at least 1.85, or at least 1.87, or at least 1.9, or at least 1.95, or at least 1.97, or at least 2.0, in each case Nm3 gas / kg feed solids.

[0402] The single-pass carbon conversion rate is good and can be calculated according to the following formula:

[0403]

[0404] The single pass carbon conversion efficiency in the process may be at least 70%, or at least 73%, or at least 75%, or at least 77%, or at least 80%, or at least 82%, or at least 85%, or at least 88%, or at least 90%, or at least 93%.

[0405] In another embodiment, the crude syngas stream comprises an amount of particulate solids of from greater than 0 wt.% to at most 30 wt.%, or from greater than 0 wt.% to at most 10 wt.%, or from greater than 0 wt.% to at most 5 wt.%, or from greater than 0 wt.% to at most 1 wt.%, or from greater than 0 wt.% to at most 0.5 wt.%, or from greater than 0 wt.% to at most 0.3 wt.%, or from greater than 0 wt.% to at most 0.2 wt.%, or from greater than 0 wt.% to at most 0.1 wt.%, or from greater than 0 wt.% to at most 0.05 wt.%, each based on the weight of solids in the feed stream. In this case, the amount of particulate solids is determined by cooling the syngas stream to a temperature of less than 200° C., such as would occur in a scrubbing operation.

[0406] The percentage cooling efficiency for the mixed plastic / solid fossil fuel approach can be calculated as:

[0407]

[0408] The cooling efficiency is at least 60%, or at least 65%, or at least 66%, or at least 67%, or at least 68%, or at least 69%, or desirably at least 70%, or at least 71%, or at least 72%, or at least 73%, or at least 74%, or at least 75%, or at least 76%, or at least 77%, or at least 78%, or at least 79%.

[0409] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, hydrogen and carbon monoxide from the raw syngas stream discharged from the gasifier or from the washed or purified syngas stream are not recovered or recycled back to the gasification zone in the gasifier. Desirably, carbon dioxide from the raw syngas stream discharged from the gasifier or from the washed or purified syngas stream is not recovered or recycled back to the gasification zone in the gasifier. Desirably, no portion of the syngas stream discharged from the gasifier or from the washed or purified syngas stream is recovered or recycled back to the gasification zone in the gasifier. In another embodiment, no portion of the syngas discharged from the gasifier is used to heat the gasifier. Desirably, no portion of the syngas produced in the gasifier is burned to dry solid fossil fuels.

[0410] The feed stream is desirably gasified with an oxidant such as oxygen in an entrained flow reaction zone under conditions sufficient to produce slag and ash. The slag and ash are separated from the synthesis gas, quenched, cooled and solidified. In the partial oxidation reactor, the coal / plastic / water mixture is injected with oxygen, and the coal / rubber will react with the oxygen to produce various gases, including carbon monoxide and hydrogen (synthesis gas). The slag and unreacted carbon / plastic accumulate in a pool of water in the quenching zone at the bottom of the gasifier to cool and solidify these residues.

[0411] In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the slag discharged from the gasifier is a solid. The slag cools and solidifies in a quenching zone within a gasifier shell within the gasifier and is discharged from the gasifier shell as a solid. The same applies to ash and char. These solids discharged from the gasifier accumulate in a lock hopper, which can then be emptied. The lock hopper is typically isolated from the gasifier and the quenching zone within the gasifier.

[0412] The method can be implemented on an industrial scale and on a scale sufficient to provide synthesis gas as a feedstock to prepare chemicals on an industrial scale. At least 300 tons / day, or at least 500 tons / day, or at least 750 tons / day, or at least 850 tons / day, or at least 1000 tons / day, or at least 1250 tons / day, and desirably at least 1500 tons / day, or at least 1750 tons / day, or even at least 2000t / d of solids can be fed to the gasifier. The gasifier is desirably not designed to be movable, but is fixed to the ground, and desirably is stationary during operation.

[0413] The composition variability of the synthesis gas produced by gasifying a feedstock containing solid fossil fuels and plastics is relatively low over time. In one embodiment or in combination with any of the mentioned embodiments, the composition variability of the synthesis gas stream is low during the time period when the feedstock stream contains solid fossil fuels and pre-ground plastics. The composition variability of the synthesis gas stream can be determined by making at least 6 measurements of the concentration of the relevant gaseous compounds in moles in equal time sub-periods over the entire time that the feedstock solids content is consistent and contains plastics, and the entire time does not exceed 12 days. The average concentration of the gaseous compound is determined in the 6 measurements. Determine the absolute value of the difference between the number farthest from the average and the average, and divide it by the average x 100 to obtain the composition variability percentage.

[0414] Compositional variability in any of the following:

[0415] a.CO amount, or

[0416] b.H2 amount, or

[0417] c.CO2 amount, or

[0418] d. CH4 amount, or

[0419] e.H2S quantity, or

[0420] f.COS amount, or

[0421] g. The amount of H2+CO, or their sequential molar ratio (e.g. H2:CO ratio), or

[0422] h. The amount of H2+CO+CO2, or their sequential molar ratio, or

[0423] i. The amount of H2+CO+CH4, or their sequential molar ratio, or

[0424] j. The amount of H2+CO+CO2+CH4, or their sequential molar ratio, or

[0425] k. H2S+COS amount, or their sequential molar ratio, or

[0426] 1.H2+CO+CO2+CH4+H2S+COS,

[0427] Over a period of 12 days or the shorter of the time the plastic is present in the feedstock composition, it may be no more than 5%, or no more than 4%, or no more than 3%, or no more than 2%, or no more than 1%, or no more than 0.5%, or no more than 0.25%.

[0428] In another embodiment, the variability of the syngas stream produced from a mixed feedstock containing plastic (the "mixed case") is compared to a baseline variability of the syngas stream produced from the same feedstock without the plastic and whose amount is replaced by a corresponding amount of the same fossil fuel (the "solid fossil fuel only case") and processed under the same conditions to obtain the % conversion variability, or in other words, the syngas variability produced by converting between the two feedstock compositions. The variation in the mixed case may be less than or equal to or if higher may be similar to the variation in the solid fossil fuel only case. The time period for determining the variation is set by the shorter of a 12-day period or the time that the plastic is present in the feedstock composition, and is the same time period used for measurements in the solid fossil fuel only case. The measurements made for the solid fossil fuel only case are made before the feedstock containing plastic is fed to the gasifier or within 1 month after the expiration of the feeding of the feedstock containing plastic to the gasifier. The variation in the syngas composition produced by each stream is measured according to the above procedure. The variability of the syngas mix is ​​less than or equal to or not greater than 15%, or not greater than 10%, or not greater than 5%, or not greater than 4%, or not greater than 3%, or not greater than 2%, or not greater than 1%, or not greater than 0.5%, or not greater than 0.25% of the syngas solid fossil fuel only case. This can be calculated as:

[0429]

[0430] Where %SW is the syngas switching variability percentage of one or more measured components in the syngas composition; and

[0431] V m is the variability in the composition of syngas using mixed streams containing plastics and fossil fuels; and

[0432] V ffis the syngas composition variability using a fossil fuel only stream, where the solids concentration is the same in both cases, the fossil fuel is the same in both cases, and the feedstock is gasified under the same conditions other than temperature fluctuations which may be autogenously different due to having plastics in the feedstock, and the variability is relative to any one or more of the syngas compounds determined above. In the case where the %SV is negative, the variability is less for the syngas mixed case than for the syngas solids fossil fuel only case.

[0433] In another embodiment, the ratio of carbon monoxide / hydrogen produced by a stream of plastic and solid fossil fuel (mixed stream) is similar to the ratio of carbon monoxide / hydrogen produced by the same stream with the same solid fossil fuel (ff stream only) replacing the plastic content. The carbon monoxide / hydrogen ratios between the mixed stream and the ff stream only can be within 10%, or within 8%, or within 6%, or within 5%, or within 4%, or within 3%, or within 2%, or within 1.5%, or within 1%, or within 0.5%. The similarity percentage can be calculated by taking the absolute value of the difference in the CO / H2 ratio between the mixed stream and the ff stream only and dividing that number by the CO / H2 ratio of the ff stream only x 100.

[0434] In another embodiment, the amount of CO2 produced by the stream (mixed stream) of plastic and solid fossil fuel is similar to the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the ff stream alone. The method of the present invention can be performed so that the amount of CO2 produced by the stream (mixed stream) of plastic and solid fossil fuel is no more than 25%, or no more than 20%, or no more than 15%, or no more than 13%, or no more than 10%, or no more than 8%, or no more than 7%, or no more than 6%, or no more than 5%, or no more than 4%, or no more than 3%, or no more than 2%, or no more than 1%, or no more than 0.75%, or no more than 0.5%, or no more than 0.25%, or no more than 0.15%, or no more than 0.1%. The similarity percentage can be calculated by subtracting the amount of CO2 produced in the syngas stream using the mixed stream from the amount of CO2 produced in the syngas stream using the ff stream alone, and dividing the number by the CO2 x 100 produced in the syngas stream using the ff stream alone.

[0435] In another embodiment, a continuous method is provided for feeding a continuous feedstock composition containing solid fossil fuel to a gasifier and intermittently feeding a feedstock composition containing plastic and solid fossil fuel, while using syngas produced from a feedstock without plastic as a baseline, maintaining negative, zero or minimal syngas composition switching variability over a time range that includes feedstocks with and without plastic. For example, the switching frequency between a feedstock without plastic (FF only) and the same feedstock in which a portion of the solids are replaced with plastic (mixed) can be at least 52x / yr, or at least 48x / yr, or at least 36x / yr, or at least 24x / yr, or at least 12x / yr, or at least 6x / yr, or at least 4x / yr, or at least 2x / yr, or at least 1x / yr or at least 1x / 2yr, and up to 3x / 2yr without inducing a syngas switching variability that exceeds the above percentages. A switch is counted as the number of times the mixed feedstock is used in a time period.

[0436] To illustrate the embodiment of the whole method, refer to Figure 1 . Coal is fed via line 1 into a coal grinding zone 2 where it is mixed with water from stream 3 and ground to the desired particle size. Suitable coal grinding processes include shearing processes. Examples of suitable equipment include ball mills, rod mills, hammer mills, Raymond mills or ultrasonic mills; ideally rod mills. Rod mills are desirably of the wet grinding type to prepare a slurry. A rod mill comprises a number of rods within a cylinder, wherein the rods rotate about a horizontal axis or close to a horizontal axis. The coal is ground as it is clamped between the rods and the cylinder wall by the rolling / rotating action of the rods. Rod mills can be of overflow type, end peripheral discharge and center peripheral discharge, desirably of overflow type.

[0437] The mill may also be equipped with a classifier to remove particles above the target maximum particle size. An example of a classifier is a vibrating screen or a weir spiral classifier.

[0438] The coal grinding area (which includes at least the grinding equipment, the feed mechanism of the grinder, and any classifiers) is a convenient location for combining pre-ground plastic particles via line 4 with the coal. The required amounts of coal and plastic can be combined onto weigh belts or fed separately via their dedicated weigh belts that feed the grinding equipment. The aqueous slurry of ground coal and plastic is discharged via line 5 and pumped into a storage / feeding tank 6, which is desirably stirred to maintain a uniform slurry suspension. Alternatively, or in addition to the location of the grinder 2, the pre-ground plastic can be added to the feed / storage tank 6 via line 7, particularly when the tank is stirred.

[0439] The feed stream is discharged from the tank 6 directly or indirectly to the gasifier 9, and enters the injector 10 through the pipeline 8, where the coal / rubber / water slurry is co-injected with oxygen-rich gas from the pipeline 11 into the gasification reaction zone 12, where combustion occurs. The injector 10 can be optionally cooled by a water pipeline 13 with a jacket on the injector and discharged through the pipeline 14. After startup and in steady state, the reaction in the reaction zone 12 is spontaneous at an autogenous temperature within the above range, such as 1200-1600°C, and at a pressure within the above range, such as 10-100 atmospheres. The gaseous reaction products of the partial oxidation reaction include carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and lesser amounts of carbon dioxide and hydrogen sulfide. Molten ash, unconverted coal or rubber and slag may also be present in the reaction zone 12.

[0440] Gasifier 9 Figure 2 3,544,291, the entire disclosure of which is incorporated herein by reference. The gasifier includes a cylindrical pressure vessel 50 having a refractory lining 75 defining a cylindrical, compact, unfilled reaction zone 54. A mixture of coal, plastic, water, and oxygen is injected axially through an inlet passage 76 into the upper end of the reaction zone 54 by an injector. The reaction products are discharged axially through an outlet passage 77 from the lower end of the reaction zone 54 into a slag quenching chamber 71. The quenching chamber 71 and the reaction zone 54 are within the shell 50 of the gasifier and are in continuous gas and fluid communication with each other during combustion and reaction in the reaction zone 54. A water pool 78 is maintained at the lower portion of the quenching chamber 71, and a water jacket 79 is provided at the upper portion of the quenching chamber 71 to protect the pressure vessel shell from being overheated by the hot gases from the gasification zone 54. Unconverted solid fuel and molten slag and ash from the solid fuel are discharged with the product gas stream through outlet 77 into quench chamber 71 where larger particles of solids and any molten ash or slag fall into a pool of water. Partially cooled gases are discharged from quench chamber 71 through line 58, which is optionally also provided with a refractory lining 75.

[0441] Back to Figure 1, the hot reaction product gases from the reaction zone 12 are discharged into the quenching chamber 15 together with the slag formed on the refractory surface facing the reaction zone 12, where they are rapidly cooled and solidified in the zone 12 at a temperature below the reaction temperature to form solid slag, ash and unconverted coal, which are separated from the hot raw synthesis gas to form a raw synthesis gas stream, which is discharged from the gasifier vessel. The method achieves separation of ash, slag and unconverted products from the reaction product gases and has advantages over fixed bed or moving bed waste gasifiers because the first step of purifying the gaseous reaction products from the reaction zone 12 has taken place within the gasifier vessel before the raw synthesis gas stream is discharged from the gasification vessel. At the same time, the slag and gasified unconverted fossil fuel components solidify in the quenching water in the quenching zone 15, and a portion of the quenching water is gasified to produce steam, which can be used for subsequent operations, such as the water gas shift reaction of the scrubbed raw synthesis gas stream, in which hydrogen is produced by the reaction of carbon monoxide with water vapor in the presence of a suitable catalyst, such as an iron oxide-chromium oxide catalyst.

[0442] The temperature of the raw syngas stream exiting the gasification vessel via line 16 may be in the range of 150° C. to 700° C. or 175° C. to 500° C. Desirably, the temperature of the raw syngas exiting the gasifier is no greater than 500° C., or less than 400° C., or no greater than 390° C., or no greater than 375° C., or no greater than 350° C., or no greater than 325° C., or no greater than 310° C., or no greater than 300° C., or no greater than 295° C., or no greater than 280° C., or no greater than 270° C. The temperature of the raw syngas exiting the gasification vessel is significantly lower than the temperature of the reaction product gases within the reaction zone. The temperature reduction between the gasification zone gas temperature (or alternatively all reaction zones if more than one stage is used) and the raw syngas temperature discharged from the gasifier vessel can be at least 300°C, or at least 400°C, or at least 450°C, or at least 500°C, or at least 550°C, or at least 600°C, or at least 650°C, or at least 700°C, or at least 800°C, or at least 900°C, or at least 1000°C, or at least 1050°C, or at least 1100°C.

[0443] like Figure 1 As shown, the raw syngas is discharged from the gasifier via line 16 to a suitable scrubber 17, where it is contacted with water from line 18 to remove remaining solid particles from the raw syngas stream. The gas scrubber 17 may include a venturi scrubber, a plate scrubber or a packed tower or a combination thereof, wherein the raw syngas stream is in intimate contact with water to achieve the removal of solid particles from the raw syngas stream. The scrubbed raw syngas stream is discharged via line 19 for further use in other processes, such as acid gas (e.g., sulfur compound) removal processes, so that the resulting purified syngas stream is suitable for the manufacture of chemicals. Suitable methods for acid gas removal include Rectisol. TMand Selexol TM Acid gas removal processes. Once the sulfur species are removed from the syngas stream, the elemental sulfur can be recovered and converted to sulfuric acid and other sulfur products, which can be processed by, for example, Claus TM Methods of commercialization.

[0444] like Figure 1 As shown, the solids-water mixture from the gas scrubber 17 is discharged from the scrubber and optionally enters line 21 through line 20, where it is mixed with quench water containing solids removed from the quench zone 15 through line 22, and the mixture passes through pressure reducing valve 23 to settling tank 24. Heat exchanger 25 is used to heat relatively cold make-up water and recycle water by heat exchange with hot cooling water from line 22, which make-up water and recycle water are supplied from a suitable source through line 26 and pumped to the pipeline used for cooling and / or scrubbing the product gas from the gas generator.

[0445] Solids, including unconverted particulate coal, settle from the water in settling tank 24 by gravity and are removed as a concentrated slurry of ash, unconverted coal and fly ash in water via line 27. This slurry may optionally be recycled to grinding zone 2 via line 28. If desired, a portion of the slurry from line 27 may be transferred via line 29 to mixing tank 6 to adjust the solids concentration in the water-coal-rubber slurry feed stream added to the gasifier. In addition, as Figure 2 As shown, water and solids may be removed from settling tank 66 via line 83 for processing, while water and ash, unconverted coal and fly ash may be removed from settling tank 66 via line 84 and mixed with the raw materials of coal, plastic and water.

[0446] like Figure 1 As shown, the gas released in the settler 24 can be discharged through pipeline 30 and recovered as potential fuel gas. Clarified water from the settler 24 is discharged through pipeline 31 and recycled to the quench water system through pipeline 32. A portion of the water from pipeline 32 is supplied to the quenching zone 15 through pipeline 33 after passing through the heat exchanger 25, and another portion of the water reaches the gas scrubber 17 through pipeline 18. In addition, water from the quenching zone can be discharged to the settler 24 through pipeline 22 via control valve 23. The water level can be controlled by a liquid level controller on the gasifier to maintain a substantially constant water level in the quenching zone.

[0447] Alternatively or additionally, the quench water fed to the quench water zone via line 33 may be provided by a syngas scrubber downstream of the gasifier, such as Figure 2 The quench water stream optionally also fed to the quench zone may be clarified or may contain from about 0.1 wt. % soot to about 1.5 wt. % soot based on the weight of the quench water stream feeding the gasifier.

[0448] If desired, a high temperature surfactant can be added directly to the quench water and into the quench zone / chamber. Examples of such surfactants include any of the surfactants described above for stabilizing the feed stream, such as ammonium lignin sulfonate or an equivalent surfactant that is thermally stable at temperatures of about 300°F to about 600°F. Other surfactants include organic phosphates, sulfonates, and amine surfactants. The surfactant is used to establish a stable suspension of soot in the water at the bottom of the quench chamber, wherein the soot concentration can be at least 1 wt.%, or in the range of about 3.0 wt.% to about 15.0 wt.%, each based on the weight of the water in the quench chamber. The concentration of active surfactant at the bottom of the quench zone can vary in the range of about 0.01 wt.% to about 0.30 wt.%.

[0449] In addition, if Figure 2 As shown, an internal water jacket 79 is provided in the upper portion of the quench zone 71 within the pressure vessel shell 50. The water jacket 79 prevents overheating of the pressure vessel shell below the level of the refractory material 75 surrounding the reaction zone 54. Water is introduced into the water jacket 79 from line 80 and is discharged therefrom via line 81 through valve 82 and may be fed directly or indirectly (via settling tank 66) to the scrubber 59.

[0450] like Figure 1 As shown, slag and other heavy incombustible solids that settle to the bottom of the quench zone 15 are periodically discharged as a water-solid slurry through line 34 and valve 35 into a lock hopper 36. Aggregated solid material from the lock hopper 36 is discharged through line 37, as controlled by valve 38. In operation of the lock hopper, during filling, valve 35 is opened and valve 38 is closed, wherein solid material from the quench chamber 15 is transferred to the lock hopper 36. Valve 35 is then closed and the lock hopper 36 is emptied through line 37 by opening valve 38. Solid residue and water are discharged from the lock hopper 36 through line 37. Figure 2 Equivalent equipment and lines for outlet 85, valves 86 and 88, line 89 and lock hopper 87 are shown.

[0451] In such Figure 1In the illustrated alternative embodiment, fresh water may be charged to the lock hopper 36 to displace the acidic water in the lock hopper 36. Cold clean water from line 39 is introduced into the lower portion of the lock hopper 36 through valve 40. Valve 41 in line 42 is opened to establish communication between line 33 and the lock hopper 36. As the cold clean water enters the lower portion of the lock hopper 36, hot acidic water is discharged from the lock hopper and flows through line 42 and line 33 into the quench zone 15 as part of the make-up water for the quench system. After the acidic water has been discharged from the lock hopper 36, valves 40 and 41 are closed and valve 38 is opened to allow the slag and clean water to be discharged from the lock hopper through line 37.

[0452] In an alternative embodiment, if Figure 1 As shown, after the lock hopper has been charged with slag and acid water from the quenching zone 15 and valve 35 is closed, a stripping gas such as carbon dioxide or gas generated by the gasifier (from which the acid gases have been removed by chemical treatment) can be introduced into the lower part of the lock hopper 36 through line 43. By opening valve 44 in line 43, pressurized stripping gas is introduced into the lower part of the lock hopper 36. At the same time, valve 41 in line 42 is opened to allow gas to enter the quenching zone 15 through lines 42 and 33. The stripping gas from line 43 desorbs acid gases, i.e., sulfides, cyanides and other harmful gases, from the water in the lock hopper 36. When the desorbed gases are introduced back into the gasifier, they mix with the hot product gases and are discharged as part of the product gas stream after passing through the quenching zone through line 16 to the gas scrubber 17 for further purification and utilization.

[0453] To illustrate one embodiment of the injector, refer to Figure 3 , which shows a partial cross-sectional view of a syngas gasifier at the injector location. The gasifier vessel includes a structural shell 90 and an internal refractory lining 91 (or multiple linings) surrounding an enclosed gasification zone 93. Protruding outward from the shell wall is an injector mounting neck 94 for supporting an elongated fuel injector assembly 95 in the gasifier vessel. The injector assembly 95 is aligned and positioned so that the face 96 of the injector nozzle 97 is substantially flush with the inner surface of the refractory lining 91. The injector mounting flange 96 secures the injector assembly 95 to the mounting neck flange 97 of the gasifier vessel to prevent the injector assembly 95 from being ejected during operation. The oxygen feed flows into the central inner nozzle through a pipe 98. The feedstock stream is fed to the injector assembly through a pipeline 99, entering the annular space around the central oxidant nozzle. The cooling jacket surrounding the injector assembly 95 above the injector mounting flange 96 is supplied with cooling water 100 to prevent the injector assembly from overheating. An optional second oxidant feed flows through line 101 into the annular space surrounding at least a portion of the outer surface of the housing defining the feed annulus.

[0454] Figure 4 A more detailed view of the injector is shown in FIG. A cross-sectional view of a portion of the injector assembly 80 toward the injector nozzle tip is shown. The injector assembly 80 includes an injector nozzle assembly 125, which includes three concentric nozzle housings and an outer cooling water jacket 110. The inner nozzle housing 111 discharges oxidant gas from an axial bore opening 112, which is directed along the inner nozzle housing 111. Figure 3 The coal slurry is extruded from the annular space 114 defined by the inner shell wall 111 and the intermediate wall 113 as a fluidized solid. The outer oxidant gas nozzle housing 115 surrounds the outer nozzle discharge ring 116. Figure 3 As shown, the upper assembly port 101 supplies additional oxidizing gas flow to the outer nozzle discharge ring. Centering fins 117 and 118 extend laterally from the outer surfaces of the inner nozzle shell wall 111 and the intermediate nozzle shell wall 113, respectively, to maintain their respective shells coaxially centered relative to the longitudinal axis of the injector assembly. It will be appreciated that the structure of the fins 117 and 118 forms a continuous band around the inner shell and the intermediate shell and provides little resistance to fluid flow within the corresponding annular spaces.

[0455] To vary the flow rate, both the inner nozzle housing 111 and the middle nozzle housing 113 can be axially adjusted relative to the outer nozzle housing 115. As the middle nozzle 113 is axially displaced from the conically tapered inner surface of the outer nozzle 115, the outer discharge ring 116 is enlarged to allow for greater oxygen flow. Similarly, as the outer tapered surface of the inner nozzle 111 is axially pulled toward the inner conical surface of the middle nozzle 113, the feedstock slurry discharge area 114 is reduced.

[0456] Surrounding the outer nozzle housing 115 is a coolant fluid jacket 110 having an annular end cap 119. A coolant fluid conduit 120 carries a coolant, such as water, from Figure 3 The upper assembly supply port 100 in the nozzle is directly delivered to the inner surface of the end cover plate 119. The flow channel baffle 121 controls the path of the coolant flow around the outer nozzle body to ensure substantially uniform heat removal and prevent coolant channeling and the creation of local hot spots. The end cover 119 includes a nozzle lip 122 that defines an outlet hole or discharge opening for feeding reactive materials into the injection injector assembly.

[0457] The planar end of the cooling jacket 119 includes an annular surface 123 disposed toward the combustion chamber. Typically, the annular surface 123 of the cooling jacket is constructed of a cobalt-based metal alloy material. Although cobalt is a preferred material of construction for the nozzle assembly 125, other high temperature melting point alloys, such as molybdenum or tantalum, may also be used. The heat shield 124 is formed of a high temperature melting point material, such as silicon nitride, silicon carbide, zirconium oxide, molybdenum, tungsten, or tantalum.

[0458] While this discussion is based on the injector and feed flow arrangements as previously described, it should be understood that the injector may consist of only two channels for introducing and injecting the oxidant and feed flows, and that they may be in any order, with the feed flow passing through a central axial bore opening while the feed passes through an annulus surrounding at least a portion of the central oxidant conduit, or the order may be reversed as described above.

[0459] An example of the operation of the gasifier and scrubber is shown in Figure 2 The coal / plastic raw material slurry is fed to the gasifier 50 through the injector 51 installed on the top 52 of the gasifier, and is fed together with oxygen through the pipeline 53 and injected into the gasification zone 54 to produce a raw synthesis gas. The raw synthesis gas discharged from the gasifier is fed to the contactor 55. Water is injected into the contactor 55 from the pipeline 56 through the injectors 56 and 57. The close contact between the raw synthesis gas from the pipeline 58 and the water from the pipeline 56 is desirably achieved through a venturi tube, a nozzle or a plate hole. In the contactor 55, the synthesis gas flow is accelerated, and water is injected into the accelerated gas flow from a plurality of injectors 56 and 57 at the throat of the nozzle, venturi tube or orifice.

[0460] The resulting mixture of gas and water formed in the contactor 55 is directed to the scrubber 59 through a dip leg 60 extending downwardly into the lower portion of the scrubber 59. The gas stream from the contactor 55 also carries entrained solid particles of unconsumed fuel or ash. A portion of water is maintained in the scrubber 59, the water level of which can be controlled in any suitable manner, such as by a level controller 61 shown schematically. The dip leg 60 discharges the mixture of water and gas below the water level in the scrubber 59. By discharging the mixture of gas and water through the open end of the dip leg 60 into close contact with the water, solid particles from the gas stream are captured in the water.

[0461] The scrubber 59 is suitably in the form of a tower having an optional packing section 62 above the entry point of the gas stream from the contactor 55. Water from line 63 is introduced into the scrubber 59 above the height of the packing material 62. In the packing section 62, the gas stream is in intimate contact with the water in the presence of a suitable packing material, such as a ceramic forming body, to achieve substantially complete removal of solid particles from the gas stream. The product gas comprises carbon monoxide and hydrogen, and contains water vapor, atmospheric gases and carbon dioxide, which is discharged from the upper end of the scrubber 59 via line 64 at a temperature corresponding to the equilibrium evaporation temperature of water at the pressure present in the scrubber 59. The clean synthesis gas from line 64 can be further processed, for example, for the production of a higher concentration of hydrogen by a water-gas shift reaction, and suitable downstream purification to remove sulfur.

[0462] Water from the lower portion of scrubber 59 is fed by pump 65 through line 56 to injectors 56 and 57. Clarified water from settler 66 may also be fed to line 56 through pump 67 through line 68. Water is discharged from scrubber 59 by pump 69 and passes through valve 70 which responds to level controller 61 on the scrubber and through line 72 into quenching zone 71 to control the liquid level in scrubber 59.

[0463] Any heavy solid particles removed from the gas stream in dipleg 60 settle into the water slurry, are collected in the water bath at the bottom of scrubber 59, and are discharged at periodic intervals at bottom pipe 73 through line 74 under the control of valve 75.

[0464] Any suitable scrubber design can be used in the process. Other scrubber designs include tray-type contact towers in which the gas is contacted with water in countercurrent. Water is introduced into the scrubber at a location near the top of the tower.

[0465] Examples

[0466] Example 1

[0467] The plastic was ground to a nominal particle size between 1 mm and 0.5 mm. The coal was dried and crushed in a Retsch jaw crusher to a nominal size of <2 mm. A predetermined amount of water was added to a 4.5 L metal bucket. Ammonium lignin sulfonate was added to the water in the metal bucket and mixed with a spatula until it was evenly distributed. The ground plastic and coal were added to the water and ALS mixture in the metal bucket, and the blend was then mixed by an overhead mixer. Ammonia water was added to the slurry to adjust the pH to 8 ± 0.2. After thorough mixing, the sample was placed in a laboratory rod mill equipped with 5 1 / 2" X 9" stainless steel rods, 8 5 / 8" X 9" stainless steel rods, 8 3 / 4" X 9" stainless steel rods, 2 1" X 9" stainless steel rods and 1 11 / 4" x 9" stainless steel rod. The slurry was ground at about 28 rpm (mill outer diameter = 11.75 inches) for 1 hour. While the slurry was mixed by the overhead mixer, the pH was again adjusted to 8 ± 0.2 using aqueous ammonia. Each batch of slurry was made to a total of about 3000 grams, with about 69% solids, and with different amounts of recycled materials, as shown in Table 1 below. The results of the viscosity and stability tests are listed in Table 1.

[0468] A 500-550g sample of coal slurry was transferred to a 600mL glass beaker to measure viscosity and stability. The stability of each sample can be judged by visual inspection. The slurry is thoroughly mixed to produce a uniform distribution of particles throughout the sample, and the slurry is allowed to stand undisturbed for a period of time. The slurry is then remixed. If a layer of particles separates at the bottom of the beaker, the slurry will be difficult to remix and is then considered to have settled. Over a period of time, the slurry will have sedimentation. However, the longer the amount of time required for sedimentation, the more it determines whether the stability of the slurry is considered good, medium or poor. If the slurry settles before 5 minutes, it is considered to be poor.

[0469] In an alternative method, the stability of the slurry can be quantitatively determined. The viscosity of the slurry sample is measured at room temperature using a Brookfield viscometer with a LV-2 spindle rotating at a rate of 0.5 rpm (method A) or a Brookfield R / S rheometer with a V80-40 blade spindle operating at a shear rate of 1.83 / S (method B). The average of 3 viscosity measurements is reported.

[0470] Stability is measured by either Method A or Method B by immersing the spindle of the rheometer into the slurry at the bottom of a beaker after the slurry has been thoroughly mixed to form evenly distributed solids. After a specified period of time, the viscosity is measured with the spindle at the bottom of the beaker. Viscosity increases with sedimentation, and the slurry is considered to have settled if the initial reading when starting the viscosity measurement is 100,000 cP. Therefore, if the initial viscosity is 100,000 cP or less after standing for 5 minutes, the slurry is considered stable.

[0471] The slurry is considered pumpable if the viscosity reading is 30,000 cP or less (desirably 25,000 cP or less or more preferably 20,000 cP or less) when the reading is taken immediately after the slurry is thoroughly mixed to form a uniform distribution of solids.

[0472] The results for stability were determined by visual inspection and the results for pumpability are recorded in the viscosity column using Method A in Table 1. The ground plastic was virgin PET pellets ground to a nominal size of 1 mm or less. Stability was determined at the 5 minute mark.

[0473] Table 1 - Effect of increasing ground plastic loading on coal-water slurry properties.

[0474]

[0475] a Measured by Method A.

[0476] All tested mixtures showed good slurry properties up to 61.7% solids (26.2% of total slurry) and were usable in a gasifier. At low loadings, the stability of the slurry was good.

[0477] Example 2

[0478] Batches of coal / plastic slurries were prepared using low density polyethylene as the plastic as described in Example 1 and in the amounts reported in Table 2. The results of stability and pumpability using Method B in each case are reported below in Table 2. A report of "Stable" in the Stability column indicates that the viscosity readings were less than 100,000 cP over the stated time period.

[0479] Table 2 - Effect of increasing ground LDPE loading on coal-water slurry properties.

[0480]

[0481] All samples remained stable at 5 minutes. However, at 10% solids loading, the LDPE samples were considered too viscous to be pumped effectively.

[0482] Example 3

[0483] All recycled plastics were reduced and ground so that they passed through a 1.5 mm screen. Batches of coal / recycled plastic slurries were prepared according to the following instructions using various different types of plastics in the amounts described in Example 1 and reported in Table 2. The results of stability and pumpability using Method B in each case are recorded in Table 2 below.

[0484] The following illustrations describe the plastics used:

[0485] PEX: Cross-linked polyethylene

[0486] LDPE Low Density Polyethylene

[0487] PET Polyethylene terephthalate

[0488] CDA: Cellulose diacetate

[0489] DEP: Diethyl Phthalate

[0490] HDPE: High Density Polyethylene

[0491] Cellulose Tow: Cellulose Acetate Tow:

[0492]

[0493]

Claims

1. A method for producing synthesis gas, the method comprising: a. charging an oxidant and a feedstock composition into a gasification zone in a gasifier, wherein the feedstock composition comprises a solid fossil fuel and less than 5 wt.% of plastic, wherein the content of the plastic is based on the weight of the solids in the feedstock composition, and 90 wt.% of the plastic has a particle size of no greater than 2 mm in the largest dimension; b. gasifying the feedstock composition together with the oxidant in a gasification zone to produce a synthesis gas composition; as well as c. discharging at least a portion of the syngas composition from the gasifier; and producing organic compounds from said synthesis gas composition, Wherein, the gasifier is an entrained flow gasifier; Therein, the plastic is added to a solid fossil fuel grinder or to a conveyor belt containing the fossil fuel that feeds the grinder.

2. A method for producing synthesis gas, comprising: a. charging an oxidant and a feedstock slurry composition into a gasification zone in a gasifier, the feedstock slurry composition comprising a plastic, a solid fossil fuel, and water, wherein (i) the amount of the plastic is less than 5 wt.%, based on the weight of the solids in the feedstock slurry, and (ii) 90 wt.% of the plastic has a particle size of no greater than 2 mm in the largest dimension; b. gasifying the feedstock composition together with the oxidant in a gasification zone to produce a synthesis gas composition; as well as c. discharging at least a portion of the syngas composition from the gasifier, and producing organic compounds from the syngas composition, At least one of the following conditions exists: (i) gasification in the gasification zone is carried out at a temperature of at least 1000°C, or (ii) the pressure in the gasification zone is greater than 2.7 MPa, or (iii) no steam is introduced into the gasifier into the gasification zone, or (iv) a tar yield of less than 4 wt.%, or (v) the gasifier does not include a membrane wall in the gasification zone, or (vi) a combination of two or more of the above conditions; Therein, the plastic is added to a solid fossil fuel grinder or to a conveyor belt containing the fossil fuel that feeds the grinder.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The organic compound includes at least one selected from the group consisting of methanol, acetate, acetic anhydride, C2-C5 oxygen-containing compounds, MTBE, carbonylation products, aldehydes, and isobutylene.

4. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The raw material is slurry.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein: The amount of CO2 produced by the stream of plastic and solid fossil fuel is no more than 25% of the amount of carbon dioxide produced by the fossil fuel only stream in which the amount of plastic is replaced by the solid fossil fuel.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein: The carbon monoxide / hydrogen ratio produced by a stream of plastic and solid fossil fuel is within 10% of the carbon monoxide / hydrogen ratio produced by the same stream with the plastic content replaced by the same solid fossil fuel.

7. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The fossil fuel includes coal, petroleum coke or a combination thereof.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein: The plastics are not subjected to a heat treatment by subjecting the plastics to temperatures above 150° C. before they are introduced into the gasification zone or before they are introduced into one or more components of the feed stream.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein: No portion of the feed stream is dried, and no portion of the solids in the feed stream are dried prior to their use in the feed stream.

10. The method according to claim 9, wherein: The average content of minerals, metals and elements other than carbon, hydrogen, oxygen, nitrogen and sulphur in the plastic is at least 0.5 wt. % and in each case not more than 10 wt. %.

11. The method according to claim 10, wherein: The plastic is pre-ground before being added to the fossil fuel to produce plastic.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein: The plastic in the feedstock composition or when fed to or combined with a solid fuel is 2 mm or smaller.

13. The method according to claim 12, wherein: The bulk density of the plastic after final grinding without compaction is within 150% of the loose bulk density of the ground fossil fuel after its final grinding.

14. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The bulk density of the uncompacted plastic after final grinding is within 110% of the loose bulk density of the ground fossil fuel after final grinding thereof.

15. The method according to claim 1, wherein: The amount of plastic present in the feed stream is from 0.1 wt.% to less than 5 wt.%, based on the weight of all solids.

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