The invention relates to an arrangement for preparing a gas in a closable reactor by supplying the reactor with carbon-based biomass or chopped wood material, such as chips, in substantially oxygen-free conditions, by allowing the biomass or wood material to gasify at a high temperature, and by recovering the gas generated in a gasification reaction. In that the arrangement the reactor has its interior defined by a feed pipe whose inlet end is closable with a shut-off valve, especially with a ball valve, and whose outlet end adjoins a heatable gasification dome, biomass or chopped wood material is delivered from the feed pipe's inlet end into the reactor's interior, the reactor's interior is supplied with free water/water vapor in its supercritical state, which is optionally prepared catalytically by splitting water/water vapor, the biomass or wood material is conveyed into a gasification space of the reactor's interior, which is in connection with the heated gasification dome and which is adapted to have existing conditions selected in a manner such that the water present in said gasification space is present in its supercritical state, and the gas generated in the gasification reaction is recovered.

A reactor system made up of a single canister or a plurality of separate canister sections for the advanced thermal chemical conversion processing of municipal solid waste (MSW), either sorted or unsorted, and autoclaves specially designed to process the waste at suitable temperature and pressure combinations is disclosed. The canister sections can be individually and separately filled with compressed bales of MSW or with selected loose MSW. The reactor system can produce syngas that has an enhanced BTU value, typically between about 300 to 700 BTU/ft.sup.3. The remainder solid waste material generally amounts to approximately 5% of the original MSW volume. This material can then be sorted for metals with the balance being sent to a landfill or other recycling processes depending on its composition.

A method of processing MSW, either sorted or unsorted, which can be carried out through the use of canisters to hold the waste feedstock, and autoclaves specially designed to process the waste at suitable temperature and pressure combinations is disclosed. The final solid product is a mixture of carbon ash and non-combustible materials, such as, metals, drywall, etc., and syngas that has an enhanced BTU value, typically between about 300 to 700 BTU/ft.sup.3. The remainder solid material generally amounts to approximately 5% of the original MSW volume. This material can then be sorted for metals with the balance being sent to a landfill or other recycling processes depending on its composition.

A method of processing MSW, either sorted or unsorted, which can be carried out through the use of canisters to hold the waste feedstock, and autoclaves specially designed to process the waste at suitable temperature and pressure combinations is disclosed. The final solid product is a mixture of carbon ash and non-combustible materials, such as, metals, drywall, etc., and syngas that has an enhanced BTU value, typically between about 300 to 700 BTU/ft.sup.3. The remainder solid material generally amounts to approximately 5% of the original MSW volume. This material can then be sorted for metals with the balance being sent to a landfill or other recycling processes depending on its composition.

A syngas production system includes a gasification reactor and a syngas pressure vessel downstream of the gasification reactor. The syngas pressure vessel includes a pressure vessel having a body with a first portion and a second portion. The syngas pressure vessel also includes an evaporator disposed in the pressure vessel; a coil disposed in the pressure vessel; and a tongue-and-groove flange assembly. The tongue-and-groove flange assembly includes: a first flange with a raised ring extending from a face of the first flange, the first flange attached to the first portion of the body; a second flange with a groove defined in a face of the second flange. The second flange is attached to the second portion of the body. The raised ring extends from the face of the first flange and is positioned in the groove defined in the face of the second flange.

A syngas production system includes a gasification reactor and a syngas pressure vessel downstream of the gasification reactor. The syngas pressure vessel includes a pressure vessel having a body with a first portion and a second portion. The syngas pressure vessel also includes an evaporator disposed in the pressure vessel; a coil disposed in the pressure vessel; and a tongue-and-groove flange assembly. The tongue-and-groove flange assembly includes: a first flange with a raised ring extending from a face of the first flange, the first flange attached to the first portion of the body; a second flange with a groove defined in a face of the second flange. The second flange is attached to the second portion of the body. The raised ring extends from the face of the first flange and is positioned in the groove defined in the face of the second flange.

A process for the gasification of a solid carbonaceous feed, the process comprising the steps of: introducing a batch of the solid carbonaceous feed into a sluice vessel, while an internal pressure in the sluice vessel is at a first pressure; introducing at least recycled CO2 into the sluice vessel via one or more gas inlets covered by the solid carbonaceous feed, to pressurize the sluice vessel from the first pressure to a second pressure exceeding the first pressure, during a predetermined time period; closing the one or more gas inlets; opening a feed outlet of the sluice vessel to supply the batch of the solid carbonaceous feed to a feed vessel for feeding the solid carbonaceous feed to a gasification reactor; closing the feed outlet; venting the sluice vessel to reduce the internal pressure to the first pressure; and repeating the process.

A process for the gasification of a solid carbonaceous feed, the process comprising the steps of: introducing a batch of the solid carbonaceous feed into a sluice vessel, while an internal pressure in the sluice vessel is at a first pressure; introducing at least recycled CO2 into the sluice vessel via one or more gas inlets covered by the solid carbonaceous feed, to pressurize the sluice vessel from the first pressure to a second pressure exceeding the first pressure, during a predetermined time period; closing the one or more gas inlets; opening a feed outlet of the sluice vessel to supply the batch of the solid carbonaceous feed to a feed vessel for feeding the solid carbonaceous feed to a gasification reactor; closing the feed outlet; venting the sluice vessel to reduce the internal pressure to the first pressure; and repeating the process.

An improved process is provided for catalytic pyrolysis of biomass, comprising pneumatically injecting a biomass feed via a pneumatic injection line into a fluidized heat medium, for example, hot catalyst, with a carrier gas at a velocity of from 5 to 40 m/s in at least one mixing zone in communication with a pyrolysis reactor in which catalytic pyrolysis occurs, and maintaining a catalyst/biomass mixture flowrate ratio (C/B) of from 4 to 40 downstream from the point of catalyst injection via a catalyst injection line in the at least one mixing zone.

An improved process is provided for catalytic pyrolysis of biomass, comprising pneumatically injecting a biomass feed via a pneumatic injection line into a fluidized heat medium, for example, hot catalyst, with a carrier gas at a velocity of from 5 to 40 m/s in at least one mixing zone in communication with a pyrolysis reactor in which catalytic pyrolysis occurs, and maintaining a catalyst/biomass mixture flowrate ratio (C/B) of from 4 to 40 downstream from the point of catalyst injection via a catalyst injection line in the at least one mixing zone.