Process for the production of an improved reducing gas comprising essentially H.sub.2 +CO and having a minimum "reducing ratio" (H.sub.2 +CO)/(H.sub.2 O+CO.sub.2) of 15. The reducing gas is generated in a separate unpacked noncatalytic reaction zone by the partial oxidation of a liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel, substantially in the absence of supplemental H.sub.2 O. The temperature in the reaction zone is moderated by a gas mixture having a "reducing ratio" greater than about 1, for example: a portion of cooled reducing gas from the reaction zone; or a portion of the off-gas from an integrated process zone such as an ore reduction zone; or a mixture of both of these gases. In addition to the metallurgical applications, the gas mixtures, as produced by the process of this invention, may be used directly as a fuel gas or as feedstock in processes for the synthesis of methanol, hydrocarbons, or oxygenated organic chemicals. 6 Claims, No Drawings
Gas turbines for producing mechanical and electrical power without polluting the atmosphere are fueled by an improved clean fuel gas having a heat of combustion of preferably about 70-100 BTU/SCF. Fuel-gas is produced by the partial oxidation of a hydrocarbonaceous fuel in a free-flow non-catalytic fuel gas generator. Feedstock to the fuel gas generator may include high ash, high sulfur, hydrocarbonaceous fuel. Pollutants are separated from the process stream of fuel gas, and a CO.sub.2 -rich stream is recovered. Optionally, this CO.sub.2 -rich stream may be used either as a portion of the temperature moderator in the gas generator or in a noncatalytic, thermal, reverse water-gas shift reaction with hydrogen in the process fuel gas stream to increase the mole ratio (CO/H.sub.2), or both. The clean fuel gas is burned in the combustion chamber of a gas turbine with a gaseous oxidizing stream which comprises air and a portion of the exhaust flue gas from said power-developing expansion turbine. Preferably, a portion of the exhaust flue gas may be passed through a heat exchanger in indirect heat exchange with the clean flue gas on its way to the gas turbine combustor. A remaining portion of said exhaust flue gas is passed through a heat exchanger in indirect heat exchange with said compressed gaseous oxidizing stream feeding said combustor.
3884648 - Process for making a reducing gas - Owned by Texaco Inc. (New York, NY) [*] Notice:The portion of the term of this patent subsequent to October 8, 1991 has been disclaimed.
Gaseous mixtures comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide are produced continuously in the reaction zone of a free-flow unpacked gas generator by the noncatalytic partial oxidation of a dispersion of liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel in a methane-rich gas carrier, e.g., natural gas plus a relatively small amount of steam with a free-oxygen containing gas. The effluent gas from the gas generator is produced having a comparatively high reducing ratio. That is, the mole ratio H.sub.2 +CO/H.sub.2 O+CO.sub.2 of the product gas is at least about 9. For a given soot level, it was unexpectedly found that this reducing ratio is greater than the reducing ratio of product gas from a natural gas fired gas generator or the product gas from a liquid hydrocarbon fired gas generator in which only steam was used as the temperature moderator. Further, in comparison with the case where a liquid hydrocarbon fuel is dispersed in a natural gas carrier without the supplemental addition of steam, the addition of the relatively small amounts of steam to the natural gas carrier in the subject invention causes a favorable drop in gas generator temperature and the free-oxygen consumption is reduced, while the net H.sub.2 +CO produced is increased.
Gaseous mixtures comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide are produced continuously by the noncatalytic partial oxidation of a dispersion of liquid hydrocarbonaceous fuel in a methane-rich gas carrier, e.g., natural gas, with a free-oxygen containing gas in the reaction zone of a free-flow unpacked gas generator. The effluent gas from the gas generator is produced having a comparatively high reducing ratio. That is, the mole ratio H.sub.2 +CO/H.sub.2 O+CO.sub.2 of the product gas is at least about 10. For a given-soot level, this reducing ratio is greater than the reducing ratio of product gas from a natural gas fired gas generator or the product gas from a liquid hydrocarbon fired gas generator. Further, in comparison with a steam carrier the SCFH of H.sub.2 +CO produced per pound of oil feed may be increased about 60%. The product gas may be used as a reducing gas, fuel gas, or as synthesis gas.
Gas turbines for producing mechanical and electrical power without polluting the atmosphere are fueled by an improved clean fuel gas having a heat of combustion in the range of about 75-350 BTU/SCF and a mole ratio (CO/H.sub.2) of at least 0.30. The fuel-gas is produced by partial oxidation of a hydrocarbonaceous fuel in a free-flow noncatalytic fuel-gas generator. Feedstock to the fuel-gas generator may include high ash, high sulfur, hydrocarbonaceous fuels. Pollutants are separated from the process stream of fuel gas, and a CO.sub.2 -- rich stream is recovered. The CO.sub.2 -rich stream may be used either as a portion of the temperature moderator in the gas generator or in a noncatalytic, thermal, reverse water-gas shift reaction with hydrogen in the process fuel gas stream to increase the mole ratio (CO/H.sub.2), or for both purposes. Sensible heat in the clean fuel gas leaving the gas turbine may be recovered by superheating steam. The superheated steam may be used as the working fluid in a steam turbine used to drive an electric generator or a turbocompressor or both. At least a portion of the clean flue gas leaving the turbine may be introduced into the gas generator as a temperature moderating gas. The remainder of the clean flue gas may be safely discharged to the atmopshere without causing pollution.
