An improved method for the generation of power in a combustion gas turbine utilizing fuel gas comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide in which said fuel gas is subjected to a water gas shift reaction whereby said fuel gas is enriched in both hydrogen and carbon dioxide prior to combustion in said combustion gas turbine. Undesirable nickel compounds contained in said fuel gas are removed and undesirable carbonyl sulfide decomposed by said water gas shift reaction.

Incineration of waste products such as hydrocarbon oils or similar products which are difficult to combust is accomplished in a two-stage incinerator including a first stage vaporization zone with burner and forced air supply and a catalyst material. Communication is provided between the first stage vaporization zone and a second stage combustion zone with burner and forced air supply.

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.

Apparatus and a method of disposing of trash comprised of a wide variety of constituents including garbage, metals, glass, plastic and other scrap materials, wherein the trash is directed into an incinerator and subjected to high temperatures to reduce the trash in a manner to permit part of the effluent from the incinerator to be processed for recovery of chemicals therein and to permit all residues to be collected, separated out and further processed as desired. In processing the effluent to retrieve the chemicals therein, chemicals from seawater, brine wells or salt is utilized to combine with the effluent to effect the isolation of a plurality of chemicals derivable from the trash. The chemicals can be stored for subsequent use. Electrical energy, hydrogen and steam can be generated by the burning of the trash in the incinerator.

The present invention provides a method for the destruction of hazardous carbonaceous wastes comprising solids which comprises the steps of (a) gasifying said wastes and producing an intimate admixture of the gaseous products of said gasification with air, said admixture containing at least a stoichiometric amount of air, (b) passing said admixture to a plug flow combustion zone, and (c) effecting sustained and essentially complete combustion of said admixture under essentially adiabatic conditions to destroy said gaseous products and to form a combustion effluent of high thermal energy; said combustion being characterized by said admixture having an adiabatic flame temperature such that that actual flame temperature in the combustion zone is greater than about 1350 K.