Method and apparatus for recovering energy from fossil resources

Abstract

A method and apparatus for recovering energy from a fossil resource that contains organic matter together with mineral material such as oil shale, coal. oil sand, etc., wherein a hydroretort and a gasifier are interconnected and are utilized in such a way as to have the hydroretort serve as the vessel for pyrolizing the resource by direct contact with hot syngas produced in said gasifier in order to extract oil from the resource while co-producing a residual mineral laden with carbon and some hydrocarbons. This residual mineral is fed from said hydroretort to said gasifier via a lockhopper and by means of oxygen and steam injected into the gasifier, the carbon and the hydrocarbons are converted to a hot syngas and the mineral matter converted to a molten slag which is cooled to a non-leaching substance.

1 . A method for processing a fossil resource to recover energy therefrom comprising the following steps: 
 feeding the resource into a first vessel which serves as a containment vessel and as a hydroretort;    directing a hot gas to said hydroretort and passing it through the resource contained in said hydroretort to heat it directly in order to cause the release of its volatile matter while producing a residual material;    exhausting said gas together with said volatile matter which is released within said hydroretort, into downstream processing means;    feeding said residual material from said hydroretort into a second vessel which serves as a gasifier that is capable of: 
 (i) producing a hot gas; and  
 (ii) melting said residual material while converting it into a molten slag;  
   operating said gasifier at a higher pressure than the pressure in said hydroretort to force the hot gas produced in said gasifier to flow to said hydroretort and pass through the resource contained in said hydroretort to cause the release of said volatile matter while producing said residual material; and    cooling said molten slag to convert it to a solid, non-leaching frit.    
   
   
       2 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the step of operating said gasifier at a higher pressure than the pressure in said hydroretort to force the hot gas produced in said gasifier to flow to said hydroretort is further characterized by the steps of moderating the temperature of the hot gas prior to its entry into said hydroretort to effect the efficient release of volatile matter from said resource.  
   
   
       3 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the step of feeding the resource is accomplished via a lockhopper to prevent the loss of pressure from said hydroretort.  
   
   
       4 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the step of feeding said residual material from said hydroretort into said gasifier is further characterized by the step of locating said hydroretort above said gasifier to enable the feed of said residual material by gravity.  
   
   
       5 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the step of operating said gasifier at a higher pressure than the pressure in said hydroretort is further characterized by the step of interposing a lockhopper that operates at an elevated temperature, between said hydroretort and said gasifier to maintain the pressure within said gasifier higher than the pressure within said hydroretort while transferring said residual material from said hydroretort to said gasifier via said lockhopper.  
   
   
       6 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the step of producing a hot gas is further characterized by producing a hot synthesis gas.  
   
   
       7 . The method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein the step of cooling said molten slag includes the quenching of the molten slag in a water pool.  
   
   
       8 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  includes the recovering of heat from the molten slag.  
   
   
       9 . The method as set forth in  claim 8  wherein the recovery of heat from the molten slag includes the step of raising steam.  
   
   
       10 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  includes the step of discharging the hot gas together with the molten slag produced in said gasifier via a common port.  
   
   
       11 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  includes the step of enhancing the downward flow of said resource within said hydroretort by providing relief via the divergence of the walls of said hydroretort by a dimensional increase in the downward direction to prevent bridging.  
   
   
       12 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  includes the step of enhancing the downward flow of said residual material within said gasifier by providing relief via the divergence of the walls of said gasifier by a dimensional increase in the downward direction to prevent bridging.  
   
   
       13 . The method as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said synthesis gas is converted to a synthetic natural gas.  
   
   
       14 . The method as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said synthesis gas is converted to a liquid.  
   
   
       15 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said resource is coal.  
   
   
       16 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said resource is oil shale.  
   
   
       17 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said resource is oil sand.  
   
   
       18 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said resource constitutes any of the following combinations: coal and oil shale, coal and oil sand, shale and oil sand.  
   
   
       19 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein the step of exhausting said gas together with said volatile matter which is released within said hydroretort, into downstream processing means is further characterized by the step of converting said volatile matter into liquid fractions while producing a non-condensable component.  
   
   
       20 . The method as set forth in  claim 19  comprises the converting of said non-condensable component into clean gases or liquids.  
   
   
       21 . The method as set forth in  claim 10  wherein the step of discharging the hot gas together with the molten slag produced in said gasifier via a common port is further characterized by the step of supplying supplemental heat to said common port in order to maintain said port at a temperature above the freezing point of slag.  
   
   
       22 . The method as set forth in  claim 21  comprising the step of adding an oxidant in the vicinity of said common port to combust a portion of said gas to generate the thermal energy required to maintain said port open for the free flow of said slag.  
   
   
       23 . The method as set forth in claim S wherein the step of transferring said residual material from said hydroretort to said gasifier via said lockhopper includes the injection of an oxidant to react with said residual material to convert it to a hot gas while producing a molten slag.  
   
   
       24 . The method as set forth in  claim 23  includes the adding of steam with said oxidant.  
   
   
       25 . The method as set forth in  claim 1  wherein said residual material comprises the remainder from shale, coal, oil sand, or a combination thereof-.  
   
   
       26 . The method as set forth in  claim 6  wherein said synthesis gas is cleaned.  
   
   
       27 . Apparatus for recovering energy from a fossil resource comprising: 
 a hydroretort adapted to pyrolize a resource to produce a volatile matter and a residual material;    means adapted to process said volatile matter;    a gasifier adapted to convert said residual material to a hot gas while producing a molten slag;    means adapted to separate said hot gas from said molten slag;    means adapted to direct said hot gas to said hydroretort to supply the thermal energy required to pyrolize said resource; and    means adopted to cool said molten slag to solidify it.    
   
   
       28 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 27  includes a lockhopper adapted to feed the resource into said hydroretort in such a way as to prevent loss of pressure from said hydroretort.  
   
   
       29 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 28  includes means adapted to maintain the pressure in said gasifier higher than the pressure in said hydroretort to force the flow of gas from said gasifier into said hydroretort.  
   
   
       30 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 27  wherein said means adapted to direct said hot gas to said hydroretort includes heat exchanging means which moderates the temperature of said hot gas.  
   
   
       31 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 27  wherein said means adapted to cool said molten slag to solidify it includes a water quench means.  
   
   
       32 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 31  wherein said water quench means includes a heat recovery steam generator which is disposed ahead of said water quench in order to recover thermal energy prior to the slag coming in contact with said water quench.  
   
   
       33 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 27  wherein said means adapted to process said volatile matter includes fractionator means adapted to produce liquids and a non-condensable gas.  
   
   
       34 . The apparatus as set forth in claim  37  includes means adapted to treat gas in order to produce a clean gas.  
   
   
       35 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 34  includes means for methanating said clean gas to a synthetic natural gas.  
   
   
       36 . The apparatus as set forth in  claim 35  includes means for converting said clean gas into a liquid.