Gasified Feedstock Injection for Reactor Pressure and Distribution
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing product gas from carbonaceous material streams do not efficiently distribute and maintain pressure of the mixing gas with each of the plurality of gas-laden carbonaceous material streams within the first reactor.
Innovation Solution
The method involves splitting a source of bulk carbonaceous material into a plurality of carbonaceous material streams; providing a supply of reduced-pressure mixing gas; mixing the reduced-pressure mixing gas with each of the plurality of carbonaceous material streams to form a plurality of gas-laden carbonaceous material streams, each having a carbonaceous material to gas weight ratio less than about 50:1; transferring the streams to a first reactor via circumferentially spaced inlets; and endothermically reacting the carbonaceous material with steam to produce a first reactor product gas containing char.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If bulk carbonaceous material is introduced continuously into the reactor, then feedstock throughput is high, but the feedstock cannot be properly distributed within the reactor and pressure cannot be maintained
Solution Approach 1:
The continuous bulk carbonaceous material is divided into multiple separate streams (first, second, third, and fourth carbonaceous material streams) that are introduced into different locations around the reactor periphery. This segmentation allows the reactor to maintain proper pressure while distributing feedstock effectively throughout the reaction zone, resolving the contradiction between high throughput and pressure maintenance.
2Productivity
If carbonaceous material is introduced continuously, then feedstock throughput is high, but the feedstock cannot be distributed within the reactor
Solution Approach 1:
The feedstock is segmented into multiple streams introduced at different peripheral locations, creating uniform distribution throughout the reactor volume. This resolves the distribution problem while maintaining high throughput.
Solution Approach 2:
The feedstock introduction is transitioned from a single-point or centralized approach to a distributed peripheral approach, utilizing the radial dimension of the reactor. Multiple inlets are positioned around the periphery at different locations, creating three-dimensional distribution that improves feedstock dispersion while maintaining high throughput.
3Stability of the object's composition
If mixing gas is used to facilitate distribution, then feedstock distribution improves, but the complexity of the system increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system uses the carbonaceous material itself as the distribution medium rather than requiring external mixing gases or complex mechanical mixing systems. The material streams naturally distribute throughout the reactor as they are introduced at different peripheral locations, eliminating the need for additional mixing infrastructure and reducing system complexity while achieving effective distribution.
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 method effectively produces a first reactor product gas by efficiently distributing carbonaceous material within the reactor, maintaining reactor pressure, and optimizing the carbonaceous to gas ratio, thereby enhancing the thermochemical reaction process.
Implementation Method 1
mixing the reduced-pressure mixing gas with each of the plurality of carbonaceous material streams to form a plurality of gas-laden carbonaceous material streams
Implementation Method 2
endothermically reacting the transferred carbonaceous material with steam in a first reactor to produce a first reactor product gas containing char
Data Source
AI summary
A feedstock delivery system transfers a carbonaceous material, such as municipal solid waste, into a product gas generation system. The feedstock delivery system includes a splitter for splitting bulk carbonaceous material into a plurality of carbonaceous material streams. Each stream is processed using a weighing system for gauging the quantity of carbonaceous material, a densification system for forming plugs of carbonaceous material, a de-densification system for breaking up the plugs of carbonaceous material, and a gas and carbonaceous material mixing system for forming a carbonaceous material and gas mixture. A pressure of the mixing gas is reduced prior to mixing with the carbonaceous material, and the carbonaceous material to gas weight ratio is monitored. A transport assembly conveys the carbonaceous material and gas mixture to a first reactor where at least the carbonaceous material within the mixture is subject to thermochemical reactions to form the product gas.