Methods for gasification of carbonaceous materials

Abstract

The present disclosure is generally directed to process of gasification of carbonaceous materials to produce synthesis gas or syngas. The present disclosure provides improved methods of gasification comprising adding a molecular oxygen-containing gas and optionally adding water into said gasifier. This disclosure is also directed to process of production of one or more alcohols from said syngas via fermentation or digestion in the presence of at least one microorganism.

1 . A non-catalytic gasifier to produce syngas wherein said gasifier produces a product gas comprising carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and tar; said method comprising: adding one or more carbonaceous materials, adding a molecular oxygen-containing gas and optionally adding water into said gasifier; wherein amount of total oxygen added to said gasifier in pounds per pound of total carbon added to said gasifier comprises greater than 2.0 and less than about 3.0; wherein the gasifier produces ash comprising ash-carbon and wherein said ash comprises less than about 10% of ash-carbon; wherein said product gas is treated at a temperature of about 1750° F. to about 3500° F. in the presence of molecular oxygen to produce a raw-syngas comprising carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and syngas-carbon; wherein said raw-syngas comprises less than about 0.5 pound syngas-carbon per 1000 SCF raw-syngas produced; wherein said product gas comprises CO to CO 2  ratio greater than 1.4; and wherein said raw-syngas volume ranges from 50387 to 86109 KSCF/DT. 
     
     
         2 . (canceled) 
     
     
         3 . The gasifier of  claim 1  comprising water addition to said gasifier. 
     
     
         4 . The gasifier of  claim 1  comprising direct steam addition into said gasifier. 
     
     
         5 . The gasifier of  claim 1  comprising water addition by partial direct steam addition into said gasifier. 
     
     
         6 . The gasifier of  claim 1  comprising adding one or more said carbonaceous materials containing moisture into said gasifier. 
     
     
         7 . The gasifier of  claim 1  wherein one or more said carbonaceous materials comprises selection from carbonaceous material, carbonaceous liquid product, industrial carbonaceous liquid recycle, carbonaceous municipal solid waste (MSW), carbonaceous urban waste, carbonaceous agricultural material, carbonaceous forestry material, carbonaceous wood waste, carbonaceous construction material, carbonaceous vegetative material, carbonaceous petrochemical coproducts, carbonaceous coal, plastic, waste plastic, coke oven tar, fibersoft, tires, lignin, black liquor, polymers, waste polymers, polyethylene terephthalate (PETA), polystyrene (PS), sewage sludge, animal waste, crop residues, energy crops, forest processing residues, wood processing residues, livestock wastes, poultry wastes, food processing residues, fermentative process wastes carbonaceous industrial waste, alcohol production wastes, ethanol coproducts, spent grains, spent microorganisms or their combinations. 
     
     
         8 . The gasifier of  claim 1  wherein carbon content of one or more said carbonaceous materials comprises about 0.25 to about 1.0 pounds per pound of one or more said carbonaceous materials on a water free basis. 
     
     
         9 . The gasifier of  claim 1  wherein hydrogen content of one or more said carbonaceous materials comprises about 0.0 to about 0.25 pounds per pound of one or more said carbonaceous materials on a water free basis. 
     
     
         10 . The gasifier of  claim 1  wherein oxygen content of one or more said carbonaceous materials comprises about 0.0 to about 0.5 pounds per pound of one or more said carbonaceous materials on a water free basis. 
     
     
         11 . (canceled) 
     
     
         12 . The gasifier of  claim 1  wherein the gasifier produces ash comprising ash-carbon and wherein said ash comprises less than about 5% of ash-carbon. 
     
     
         13 . (canceled) 
     
     
         14 . The gasifier of  claim 1 , wherein carbon to hydrogen mass ratio in one or more of said carbonaceous materials comprises 1 to 20. 
     
     
         15 . The gasifier of  claim 1 , wherein carbon to oxygen mass ratio in one or more of said carbonaceous materials comprises greater than about 1 to about 200. 
     
     
         16 . (canceled) 
     
     
         17 . A non-catalytic gasifier to produce raw-syngas; said gasifier comprising a first reaction zone and a second reaction zone; comprising: adding one or more carbonaceous materials into said first reaction zone of gasifier; adding a molecular oxygen containing gas and optionally adding water or steam into one or both of said first reaction zone and second reaction zone of said gasifier; wherein amount of total oxygen added to said gasifier in pounds per pound of total carbon added to said gasifier comprises greater than 2.0 and less than about 3.0; wherein said raw-syngas comprises less than about 0.5 pound syngas-carbon per 1000 SCF raw-syngas produced; wherein said raw-syngas comprises CO to CO 2  ratio greater than 1.4; and wherein said raw-syngas volume ranges from 50387 to 86109 KSCF/DT. 
     
     
         18 . (canceled) 
     
     
         19 . The gasifier of  claim 17  wherein said first reaction zone temperature comprises 650-1450° F. 
     
     
         20 . The gasifier of  claim 17  wherein said second reaction zone temperature comprises 1750-3500° F. 
     
     
         21 . The gasifier of  claim 17  further comprising: subjecting said raw-syngas to cooling and cleaning up to produce a clean syngas; contacting said clean syngas with a biocatalyst in a fermentation container to produce an alcohol product mixture. 
     
     
         22 . The gasifier of  claim 17 , wherein carbon to hydrogen mass ratio in one or more of said carbonaceous materials comprises 1 to 20. 
     
     
         23 . The gasifier of  claim 17 , wherein carbon to oxygen mass ratio in one or more of said carbonaceous materials comprises 1 to 200. 
     
     
         24 . (canceled) 
     
     
         25 . (canceled) 
     
     
         26 . (canceled) 
     
     
         27 . (canceled)