Carbonaceous Fuels and Processes for Making and Using Them

Abstract

The present invention provides carbonaceous fuels and processes for making them. Moreover, the invention also relates to processes using the carbonaceous fuels in the production of cement products. One embodiment of the invention is a carbonaceous fuel comprising (a) unconverted fines of a carbonaceous feedstock, the carbonaceous feedstock having an ash content of greater than 1%, the fines having an average particle size less than about 45 μm; and (b) a char residue formed by catalytic gasification of the carbonaceous feedstock, the char residue having an ash content of greater than about 30%, wherein the ash includes at least one aluminum-containing compound or silicon-containing compound; and having a weight ratio of fines to char residue in the range of about 4:1 to about 1:4, and a total dry basis wt % of carbon of least about 40%. Another embodiment of the invention is a process of making a cement product comprising: (a) providing a carbonaceous fuel as described above; (b) passing the carbonaceous fuel into a cement-making zone; and (c) at least partially combusting the carbonaceous fuel to provide heat for a cement producing reaction within the cement-making zone.

1 . A carbonaceous fuel comprising (a) unconverted fines of a carbonaceous feedstock, the carbonaceous feedstock having an ash content of greater than about 1 wt % (based on the weight of the carbonaceous feedstock), the fines having an average particle size less than about 45 μm; and (b) a char residue formed by catalytic gasification of the carbonaceous feedstock, the char residue having an ash content of greater than about 30 wt % (based on the weight of the char residue), wherein the ash includes at least one aluminum-containing compound or silicon-containing compound; and having a weight ratio of fines to char residue in the range of from about 4:1 to about 1:4, and a total dry basis wt % of carbon of least about 40 wt % (based on the weight of the carbonaceous fuel). 
   
   
       2 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the carbonaceous fuel is a substantially dry particulate solid. 
   
   
       3 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 1 , further comprising water in an amount sufficient to form a slurry. 
   
   
       4 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 3 , having a weight ratio of fines and char residue to water in the range of from about 5:95 to about 40:60. 
   
   
       5 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 1 , having a weight ratio of fines to char residue in the range of from about 2:1 to about 1:2. 
   
   
       6 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 1 , having a total dry basis wt % of carbon of at least about 55% (based on the weight of the carbonaceous fuel). 
   
   
       7 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the char residue is made by a gasification process comprising the steps of:
 (i) providing particulates of the carbonaceous feedstock suitable for gasification in a reactor; and   (ii) reacting the particulates in the reactor in the presence of steam and a gasification catalyst under suitable temperature and pressure to form the char residue and a plurality of gaseous products comprising methane and at least one or more of hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and other higher hydrocarbons.   
   
   
       8 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 7 , wherein the gasification catalyst comprises an alkali metal component. 
   
   
       9 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the char residue is formed by catalytic gasification of the petroleum feedstock followed by substantial extraction of alkali metal compounds. 
   
   
       10 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 1 , further comprising at least one cement feedstock. 
   
   
       11 . The carbonaceous fuel of  claim 1 , wherein the fines have an average particle size of less than about 25 microns. 
   
   
       12 . A process for making one or more gaseous products and a carbonaceous fuel, the process comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing (1) unconverted fines of a carbonaceous feedstock, the carbonaceous feedstock having an ash content of greater than about 1 wt % (based on the weight of the carbonaceous feedstock), the fines having an average particle size less than about 45 μm, and (2) particulates of the carbonaceous feedstock suitable for gasification in a reactor;   (b) reacting the particulates in the reactor in the presence of steam and a gasification catalyst under suitable temperature and pressure to form the one or more gaseous products and a char residue having an ash content greater than about 30 wt % (based on the weight of the char residue), wherein the ash includes at least one aluminum-containing compound or silicon-containing compound; and   (c) combining the fines with the char residue in a weight ratio in the range of from about 4:1 to about 1:4 to form the carbonaceous fuel,   wherein the carbonaceous fuel has a dry basis wt % carbon of at least about 40%.   
   
   
       13 . The process of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of substantially extracting the gasification catalyst from the char residue before combining it with the fines. 
   
   
       14 . The process of  claim 12 , wherein the gasification catalyst comprises an alkali metal component. 
   
   
       15 . The process of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of combining at least one calcium-containing material or at least one silicon-containing material with the fines and the char residue. 
   
   
       16 . The process of  claim 12 , further comprising the step of combining water with the fines and the char residue to form a carbonaceous fuel slurry. 
   
   
       17 . A process for making a cement product, the process comprising the steps of:
 (a) providing the carbonaceous fuel of  claim 1 , or the carbonaceous fuel made according to the process of  claim 12 ;   (b) passing the carbonaceous fuel into a cement-making zone; and   (c) at least partially combusting the carbonaceous fuel to provide heat for a cement producing reaction within the cement-making zone.   
   
   
       18 . The process of  claim 17 , further comprising the step of passing at least one cement feedstock into the cement-making zone. 
   
   
       19 . The process of  claim 18 , wherein the at least one cement feedstock includes clay, shale, sand, gypsum, a silicate, a calcium silicate, an aluminate, an aluminosilicate, a calcium aluminosilicate, iron ore, bauxite, fly ash and slag.