Dual Gasification Reactors for Continuous Synthesis Gas
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Solution Overview
Problem
Gasification reactors using solid feeds like coal have low availability due to frequent shutdowns for maintenance, disrupting hydrogen and synthesis gas production, especially in refinery environments where high hydrogen availability is critical.
Innovation Solution
A method involving two gasification reactors, one for particulate carbonaceous streams and another for gaseous streams, alternating operation to ensure continuous synthesis gas production, with shared oxygen supply from an air separation unit, minimizing oxygen capacity requirements.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Reliability
If a single gasification reactor using particulate carbonaceous feed is operated, then the reactor design is simple, but the availability of synthesis gas drops due to shutdowns for maintenance
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into multiple gasification reactors (first reactor for particulate feed, second reactor for gaseous feed) that operate independently. This segmentation allows one reactor to be maintained while the other continues production, resolving the contradiction between reliability and device complexity by distributing the functional load across separate units.
Solution Approach 2:
The invention changes the operational parameters by alternating between different feed types (particulate vs. gaseous carbonaceous material) in different reactors. This parameter variation enables continuous synthesis gas production while maintaining flexibility in reactor operation and maintenance schedules.
2Reliability
If two gasification reactors operating in parallel are used to ensure continuous synthesis gas production, then the availability increases, but the capital investment in oxygen supply infrastructure doubles
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous useful action by ensuring that while one reactor is online producing synthesis gas, the other is undergoing maintenance. The alternating operation pattern guarantees uninterrupted synthesis gas supply, resolving the contradiction by achieving continuity through temporal distribution rather than simultaneous dual operation.
Solution Approach 2:
The gasification reactors operate in periodic alternation, with each reactor cycling between operation and maintenance phases. This periodic action pattern allows the oxygen supply infrastructure to serve one reactor at a time, reducing the required oxygen capacity compared to simultaneous dual reactor operation, while still maintaining high overall availability.
3Reliability
If frequent maintenance shutdowns are performed on the gasification reactor, then the reactor reliability improves, but the productivity of synthesis gas production decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The invention merges the operational cycles of two gasification reactors, where the productivity losses from maintenance shutdowns in one reactor are compensated by the continuous operation of the other. This merging of operational streams ensures that overall synthesis gas production volume is maintained while individual reactors receive necessary maintenance attention.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach ensures high availability of synthesis gas with reduced capital investment in oxygen supply infrastructure, maintaining hydrogen and power supply continuity in refinery settings.
Implementation Method 1
at least partially oxidising the first carbonaceous stream in the first gasification reactor, thereby obtaining a first raw synthesis gas
Data Source
Figure 1
AI summary
The present invention relates to a system (1) for producing synthesis gas (20, 40) comprising CO and H2 , the system (1) at least comprising: a first gasification reactor (2) having an inlet (7) for a first oxygen containing stream (60) , an inlet (6) for a first, particulate or liquid carbonaceous stream (10) , an outlet (8) for raw synthesis gas (20) produced in the first gasification reactor (2) ; a second gasification reactor (3) having an inlet (11) for a second oxygen containing stream (70) , an inlet (9) for a second carbonaceous stream (30) , and an outlet (12) for raw synthesis gas (40) produced in the second gasification reactor (3), the seccnd carbonaceous stream (30) being selected from the group consisting of a gaseous and liquid stream, or a mixture thereof ; a source (4) of an oxygen containing stream (50) ; and a distributor (25) for fluidly connecting the source (4) to the inlet (7) for the first, oxygen containing stream (60) of the first gasif ication reactor (2) and to the inlet (11) for the second oxygen containing stream (70) of the second gasif ication reactor (3) ; wherein the distributor (25) is arranged to selectively connect the source (4) to the first (2) or second (3) gasification reactor.