Systems and methods for slurry preheating

Abstract

A system includes a heat exchanger including a first channel having a syngas flow path and a second channel having a slurry flow path. The heat exchanger, when in operation, causes a heat transfer from a syngas along the syngas flow path to a slurry along the slurry flow path. The heat transfer causes heating of the slurry from a first slurry temperature to a second slurry temperature and causes cooling of the syngas from a first syngas temperature to a second syngas temperature.

1 . A system, comprising:
 a heat exchanger, comprising
 a first channel having a syngas flow path; and 
 a second channel having a slurry flow path, wherein the heat exchanger, when in operation, causes a heat transfer from a syngas along the syngas flow path to a slurry along the slurry flow path, wherein the heat transfer causes heating of the slurry from a first slurry temperature to a second slurry temperature and causes cooling of the syngas from a first syngas temperature to a second syngas temperature. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a controller having a processor, a memory, and instructions stored on the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the instructions comprise temperature control instructions to control the heat transfer from the syngas along the syngas flow path to the slurry along the slurry flow path. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions comprise gasification monitoring instructions to monitor sensor feedback associated with a gasifier that receives the slurry from the heat exchanger, and the temperature control instructions are responsive to the sensor feedback associated with the gasifier. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the instructions comprise contamination detection instructions to detect a slurry contamination of the slurry with the syngas or a syngas contamination of the syngas with the slurry. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the instructions comprise contamination response control instructions to initiate one or more control actions in response to the slurry contamination or the syngas contamination. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a contamination detection system comprising one or more sensors coupled to the heat exchanger, in a first slurry flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, in a second slurry flow path downstream from the heat exchanger, in a first syngas path upstream of the heat exchanger, in a second syngas path downstream from the heat exchanger, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more sensors are configured to obtain sensor input indicative of a leak condition between the slurry flow path and the syngas flow path. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the one or more sensors comprise a temperature sensor, a pressure sensor, a flow rate sensor, a bubble sensor, a moisture sensor, a gas composition sensor, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the contamination detection system comprises one or more valves disposed in the heat exchanger, in the first slurry flow path upstream of the heat exchanger, in the second slurry flow path downstream from the heat exchanger, in the first syngas path upstream of the heat exchanger, in the second syngas path downstream from the heat exchanger, or any combination thereof. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a gasifier configured to generate the syngas at the first syngas temperature and receive the slurry at the second slurry temperature from the second channel. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , comprising a scrubber configured to receive the syngas at the second syngas temperature from the first channel, wherein the scrubber is configured to separate a leaked slurry from the syngas. 
     
     
         12 . A system, comprising:
 a controller having a processor, a memory, and instructions stored on the memory and executable by the processor, wherein the instructions comprise:   temperature control instructions to control a heat transfer in a heat exchanger from a syngas along a syngas flow path to a slurry along a slurry flow path; and   contamination detection instructions to detect a slurry contamination of the slurry with the syngas or a syngas contamination of the syngas with the slurry.   
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions comprise gasification monitoring instructions to monitor sensor feedback associated with a gasifier that receives the slurry from the heat exchanger, and the temperature control instructions are responsive to the sensor feedback associated with the gasifier. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein the instructions comprise contamination response control instructions to initiate one or more control actions in response to the slurry contamination or the syngas contamination. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 12 , comprising a contamination detection system having the controller and one or more sensors configured to obtain sensor input indicative of a leak condition between the slurry and the syngas in the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 12 , comprising the heat exchanger, a gasifier that receives the slurry and produces the syngas, a scrubber that receives the syngas and removes a leaked slurry from the syngas, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         17 . A method, comprising:
 receiving a slurry at a first temperature through a first inlet of a heat exchanger;   receiving a syngas at a second temperature through a second inlet of a heat exchanger, wherein the second temperature is higher than the first temperature; and   exchanging heat from the syngas to the slurry through the walls of the heat exchanger to heat the slurry to a third temperature.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising controlling the third temperature of the slurry based on a flow rate of the slurry to the first inlet, based on the flow rate of the slurry to a gasifier, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 17 , comprising detecting a leaked slurry in the syngas or a leaked syngas in the slurry. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , comprising flushing the heat exchanger of the leaked slurry or the leaked syngas by controlling one or more valves with a controller.