A waste management system, primarily intended to be for waste floating in water, though it can also be used on land. A shredding device will reduce the size of the particles of waste. Ocean water is removed by a drying device. The dried waste material is cryogenically frozen using liquid nitrogen or other suitable means. The frozen waste material is then pulverized and ground into a powder. The powder may then be sprayed into a gas-filled chamber and heated. Temperature, pressure and humidity are maintained within the chamber for more than one minute. Microwave or other radiation and catalysts may be used to enhance the process of extraction. The processed material is then removed from the chamber. Carbon and water may be recycled. The carbon may be used as fuel by the ship. Water may also be used by the ship or returned to the ocean in a non-toxic condition.

A large-scale fluidized bed biogasifier provided for gasifying biosolids. The biogasifier includes a reactor vessel with a pipe distributor and at least two fuel feed inlets for feeding biosolids into the reactor vessel at a desired fuel feed rate of more than 40 tons per day with an average of about 100 tons per day during steady-state operation of the biogasifier. A fluidized bed in the base of the reactor vessel has a cross-sectional area that is proportional to at least the targeted fuel feed rate such that the superficial velocity of gas is in the range of 0.1 m/s (0.33 ft/s) to 3 m/s (9.84 ft/s). In operation, biosolids are heated inside the fluidized bed reactor to a temperature range between 900 F. (482.2 C.) and 1600 F. (871.1 C.).

A universal feeder system that combines with a fluidized bed gasification reactor for the treatment of multiple diverse feedstocks including sewage sludge, municipal solid waste, wood waste, refuse derived fuels, automotive shredder residue and non-recyclable plastics. The invention thereby also illustrates a method of gasification for multiple and diverse feedstocks using a universal feeder system. The feeder system comprises one or more feed vessels and at least one live bottom dual screw feeder. The feed vessel is rectangular shaped having three vertical sides and an angled side of no less than 60 degrees from the horizontal to facilitate proper flow of feedstock material that have different and/or variable flow properties. The feedstocks are transferred through an open bottom chute to a live bottom dual screw feeder and through another open bottom chute to a transfer screw feeder that conveys feedstock to the fuel feed inlets of a gasifier.

The invention is directed to a process to prepare a char product and a syngas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a solid biomass feed comprising the following steps: (i) performing a continuously operated partial oxidation of the solid biomass feed at a gas temperature of between 700 and 1100 C. and at a solids residence time of less than 5 seconds, (ii) continuously separating the formed char particles as the char product from the formed gaseous fraction and (iii) subjecting the gaseous fraction obtained in step (ii) to a continuously operated partial oxidation and/or to a steam reforming to obtain the syngas mixture. The solid biomass feed has been obtained by torrefaction of a starting material comprising lignocellulose and is a sieve fraction wherein 99 wt % of the solid biomass particles is smaller than 2 mm.

The invention present provides a method (and suitable apparatus) to convert biomass to ethanol, comprising gasifying the biomass to produce raw syngas; feeding the raw syngas to an acid-gas removal unit to remove at least some CO.sub.2 and produce a conditioned syngas stream; feeding the conditioned syngas stream to a fermentor to biologically convert the syngas to ethanol; capturing a tail gas from an exit of the fermentor, wherein the tail gas comprises at least CO.sub.2 and unconverted CO or H.sub.2; and recycling a first portion of the tail gas to the fermentor and/or a second portion of the tail gas to the acid-gas removal unit. This invention allows for increased syngas conversion to ethanol, improved process efficiency, and better overall biorefinery economics for conversion of biomass to ethanol.

A carbonaceous fuel gasification system for a supercritical CO.sub.2 power cycle system includes a micronized char preparation system comprising a devolatilizer that receives solid carbonaceous fuel, hydrogen, oxygen, and fluidizing steam and produces micronized char, steam, hydrogen, and volatiles. An indirect gasifier includes a vessel comprising a gasification chamber that receives the micronized char, a conveying gas, and steam where the gasification chamber provides syngas, ash, and steam. A combustion chamber receives syngas and an oxidant and burns the mixture of syngas with the oxidant to provide heat for gasification and for heating incoming flows, thereby generating steam and CO.sub.2. The heat for gasification is transferred from the combustion chamber to the gasification chamber by circulating refractory sand. A syngas cooler cools the syngas and generates steam and provides to a supercritical CO.sub.2 power cycle system that performs a supercritical CO.sub.2 power cycle for generating power.

Various aspects provide for a multistage fluidized bed reactor, particularly comprising a volatilization stage and a combustion stage. The gas phases above the bed solids in the respective stages are separated by a wall. An opening (e.g., in the wall) provides for transport of the bed solids from the volatilization stage to the combustion stage. Active control of the gas pressure in the two stages may be used to control residence time. Various aspects provide for a fuel stream processing system having a pretreatment reactor, a combustion reactor, and optionally a condensation reactor. The condensation reactor receives a volatiles stream volatilized by the volatilization reactor. The combustion reactor receives a char stream resulting from the removal of the volatiles by the volatilization reactor.

A gasification co-generation process of coal powder in a Y-type entrained flow bed, comprising: spraying coal water slurry or coal powder, gasification agent and water vapor into a gasification furnace through a top nozzle and a plurality of side nozzles for performing combustion and gasification with a residence time of 10 s or more; chilling the resulting slag with water, and subjecting the chilled slag to a dry method slagging to obtain gasification slag used as cement clinker; discharging the produced crude syngas carrying fine ash from the Y-type entrained flow bed to perform ash-slag separation.

A large-scale fluidized bed biogasifier provided for gasifying biosolids. The biogasifier includes a reactor vessel with a pipe distributor and at least two fuel feed inlets for feeding biosolids into the reactor vessel at a desired fuel feed rate of more than 40 tons per day with an average of about 100 tons per day during steady-state operation of the biogasifier. A fluidized bed in the base of the reactor vessel has a cross-sectional area that is proportional to at least the targeted fuel feed rate such that the superficial velocity of gas is in the range of 0.1 m/s (0.33 ft/s) to 3 m/s (9.84 ft/s). In operation, biosolids are heated inside the fluidized bed reactor to a temperature range between 900 F. (482.2 C.) and 1600 F. (871.1 C.).

In one aspect, a method for coal purification and gasification may include steps of heating the coal including various hydrocarbons and harmful substances such as sulfides, phosphates, etc. to 900 to 1200 C. in a coal gasifier; providing a reaction chamber with oxygen and connecting with the coal gasifier; the sulfides, phosphates, etc. in the gasified coal entering the reaction chamber from the coal gasifier and reacting with the oxygen therein; separating mixtures from the reaction chamber to collect hydrocarbons in its fluidized phase; heating the fluidized hydrocarbons; and providing oxygen to react with the gasified form of hydrocarbons to achieve a complete burning of the hydrocarbons.