Macroapparatus for the production and treatment of gas obtained from mineral coal

Abstract

A plant and a method for the production of energy from coal CM. In the plant, a macroapparatus comprises: an updraft gasifier, a dedusting unit; an evaporative cooler; a scrubber; and a humidifier. The cooler and the scrubber each comprise means for spraying an aqueous mixture into the gas, a basin for storing a quantity of condensed aqueous mixture, a recirculation circuit for removing the aqueous mixture from the basin and supplying it to the spraying means, and a bleed for removing the condensed pollutants and conveying them to the gasifier. The scrubber also comprises a heat exchanger along the recirculation circuit. The humidifier comprises: means for spraying into an oxygenated gas the aqueous mixture drawn from the cooler basin; a line for supplying the wet oxygenated gas to the gasifier.

1 - 12 . (canceled) 
     
     
         13 . Macroapparatus for production and treatment of gas, comprising:
 a gasifier of the updraft type suitable for receiving a flow of oxygenized gas and of fuel and for emitting a flow of gas;   a dedusting unit;   an evaporative cooler suitable for treating the flow of gas, comprising:
 means for spraying an aqueous mixture in the flow of gas, 
 a basin suitable for decanting and for maintaining in the cooler a reserve of the aqueous mixture in condensed state, 
 a recirculation circuit suitable for removing from the basin of the evaporative cooler the aqueous mixture and for supplying the mixture to the spraying means of the evaporative cooler; and 
 a bleed tube suitable for removing from bottom of the basin of the evaporative cooler condensed pollutants and for conveying the pollutants outside of the evaporative cooler; 
   a scrubber suitable for treating the flow of gas, comprising:
 means for spraying the aqueous mixture in the flow of gas, 
 a basin suitable for decanting and for maintaining in the scrubber a reserve of the aqueous mixture in condensed state, 
 a recirculation circuit suitable for removing from the basin of the scrubber part of the aqueous mixture and for supplying the mixture to the spraying means of the scrubber, 
 a bleed pipe suitable for removing from bottom of the basin of the scrubber condensed pollutants and for conveying the pollutants outside of the scrubber, 
 a heat exchanger placed along the recirculation circuit of the scrubber, and 
 a compensation pipe suitable for removing from the basin of the scrubber part of the aqueous mixture and for supplying the aqueous mixture part to the basin of the evaporative cooler; 
   a line suitable for conveying the flow of gas from the gasifier to the dedusting unit;   a line suitable for conveying the flow of gas from the dedusting unit to the evaporative cooler;   a line suitable for conveying the flow of gas from the evaporative cooler to the scrubber;   a line suitable for conveying the flow of gas from the scrubber to outside of the macroapparatus;   a humidifier suitable for receiving a flow of oxygenized gas and of the aqueous mixture and for emitting a flow of humid oxygenized gas, the humidifier comprising:
 a line for intaking the flow of oxygenized gas; 
 means for spraying the aqueous mixture in the flow of oxygenized gas; 
 a pipe suitable for drawing a quantity of the aqueous mixture from the basin of the evaporative cooler and for supplying the aqueous mixture to the spraying means of the humidifier; and 
 a line suitable for conveying the humid oxygenized gas from the humidifier to the gasifier. 
   
     
     
         14 . The macropparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the gasifier is of the opencore type. 
     
     
         15 . The macroapparatus of claim  1 , wherein the evaporative cooler comprises means for breaking up solid or semi-solid encrustations forming inside the evaporative cooler during treatment of the flow of gas. 
     
     
         16 . The macroapparatus of  claim 15 , wherein the evaporative cooler comprises at least one screw conveyor suitable for removing from the basin bottom of the evaporative cooler the pollutants collecting there, said pollutants comprising one or more of tars of varying fluidity degree and of pieces of the solid or semi-solid encrustations minced by the breaking means. 
     
     
         17 . The macroapparatus of  claim 13 , wherein the gasifier comprises means for raising outer jacket of gasifier, suitable to move the outer jacket from an operating closed configuration, to a maintenance open configuration. 
     
     
         18 . Plant for production and treatment of gas, comprising the macroapparatus of claim  1 , an electrostatic precipitator and a user unit. 
     
     
         19 . The plant of  claim 18 , wherein said user unit comprises one or more of an internal combustion engine and a burner. 
     
     
         20 . The plant of  claim 18 , wherein the electrostatic precipitator comprises a thermal insulation suitable for avoiding heat exchange between the gas and outer environment. 
     
     
         21 . A method for production and treatment of gas, comprising, in its steady state, the steps of:
 providing the macroapparatus of claim  1 ;   supplying a flow of oxygenized gas and of fuel to the gasifier;   conveying a flow of gas from the gasifier to the dedusting unit;   conveying the flow of gas from the dedusting unit to the evaporative cooler;   spraying in the evaporative cooler an aqueous mixture in the flow of gas so as to obtain washing of the gas and a first cooling step due to heat absorption in the aqueous mixture;   storing and decanting in the basin of the evaporative cooler a reserve of the aqueous mixture in the condensed state;   removing from the basin of the evaporative cooler the aqueous mixture and supplying the aqueous mixture to the spraying means of the evaporative cooler;   removing from bottom of the basin of the evaporative cooler condensed pollutants and conveying the pollutants to outside;   conveying the flow of gas from the evaporative cooler to the scrubber;   spraying in the scrubber the aqueous mixture in the flow of gas so as to obtain a second cooling step due to heat removal by the aqueous mixture;   storing and decanting in the basin of the scrubber a reserve of the aqueous mixture in the condensed state;   removing from the basin of the scrubber part of the aqueous mixture and supplying the aqueous mixture part to the spraying means of the scrubber;   removing from the basin of the scrubber part of the aqueous mixture and supplying the aqueous mixture part to the basin of the evaporative cooler;   removing from bottom of the basin of the scrubber the condensed pollutants and conveying them to outside;   cooling by means of the heat exchanger the aqueous mixture along its way from the basin of the scrubber to the spraying means of the scrubber;   introducing a flow of the oxygenized gas in the humidifier;   drawing a quantity of the aqueous mixture from the basin of the evaporative cooler;   spraying in the humidifier the aqueous mixture MA drawn from the basin of the evaporative cooler in the flow of the oxygenized gas so as to obtain a flow of humid oxygenized gas;   conveying the humid oxygenized gas to the gasifier; and   conveying the flow of gas from the scrubber to outside of the macroapparatus.   
     
     
         22 . Gasifier of an updraft opencore type, the gasifier comprising means for raising outer jacket, suitable for moving the outer jacket from an operating closed configuration, to a maintenance open configuration. 
     
     
         23 . The gasifier of  claim 22 , wherein the raising means comprise a plurality of jacks arranged on an outer perimeter of the outer jacket. 
     
     
         24 . The gasifier of  claim 22 , wherein, in the maintenance open configuration, the outer jacket is lifted and defines an opening which establishes communication between inside of the gasifier and external environment, so as to permit a direct access to a bottom grille.