High efficiency gasification

Abstract

A gasification reactor for conversion of a feedstock to syngas and biochar. The gasification reactor includes a biomass input configured to receive feedstock, a gasifying medium inlet adjacent to the biomass input and configured to receive a gasifying medium, and a reactor vessel configured to gasify the feedstock with the gasifying medium to generate syngas and biochar. The reactor vessel is disposed downstream of the gasifying medium inlet. The reactor vessel may comprise cement along an inner surface of the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel may further comprise a blower coupled to the gasifying medium inlet to drive the gasifying medium into the reactor vessel. The reactor vessel may further comprise a biomass movement instrument to regulate the flow of the feedstock.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A gasification reactor for conversion of a feedstock to syngas and biochar, the gasification reactor comprising:
 a biomass input configured to receive feedstock;   a gasifying medium inlet adjacent to the biomass input and configured to receive a gasifying medium; and   a reactor vessel configured to gasify the feedstock with the gasifying medium to generate syngas and biochar, wherein the reactor vessel is disposed downstream of the gasifying medium inlet.   
     
     
         2 . The gasification reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor vessel comprises cement along an inner surface of the reactor vessel. 
     
     
         3 . The gasification reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor vessel comprises:
 a reaction chamber configured to receive heat and to process the feedstock and the gasifying medium; and   a refractory layer wall surrounding the reaction chamber.   
     
     
         4 . The gasification reactor of  claim 3 , wherein the refractory layer wall comprises cement. 
     
     
         5 . The gasification reactor of  claim 4 , wherein the cement includes hydraulic cement. 
     
     
         6 . The gasification reactor of  claim 3 , wherein the reactor vessel further includes an outer shell including mild steel. 
     
     
         7 . The gasification reactor of  claim 6 , wherein the refractory layer wall includes a layer wall of cement that is thicker than the outer shell. 
     
     
         8 . The gasification reactor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a blower coupled to the gasifying medium inlet to drive the gasifying medium into the reactor vessel.   
     
     
         9 . The gasification reactor of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the gasifying medium inlet is coupled to a blower disposed upstream of the reactor vessel, and   wherein the blower injects the gasifying medium to the gasifying medium inlet.   
     
     
         10 . The gasification reactor of  claim 9 , wherein the blower injects the gasifying medium to the gasifying medium inlet using slight pressure of up to 4 psi above atmospheric pressure. 
     
     
         11 . The gasification reactor of  claim 9 , wherein the blower includes a regenerative blower. 
     
     
         12 . The gasification reactor of  claim 9 , further comprising:
 a reaction controller coupled with the blower and configured to control the blower to regulate an amount of the gasifying medium that is injected by the blower into the gasifying medium inlet.   
     
     
         13 . The gasification reactor of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock and the gasifying medium flow in the same direction. 
     
     
         14 . The gasification reactor of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a feed controller; and   a biomass movement instrument coupled with the feed controller and the biomass input, wherein the feed controller is configured to control the biomass movement instrument to:
 cause the feedstock to flow downward from the biomass input to the reactor vessel; and 
 regulate the flow of the feedstock into the reactor vessel. 
   
     
     
         15 . The gasification reactor of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the gasification reactor further comprises a biochar chamber configured to store the biochar, the biochar chamber disposed below the reactor vessel,   wherein the biomass movement instrument includes a shaker assembly, and   wherein the shaker assembly is disposed at the bottom of the reactor vessel and above the biochar chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The gasification reactor of  claim 14 ,
 wherein the biomass movement instrument includes a screw conveyor, a rotary valve, or any combination thereof, disposed below the reactor vessel.   
     
     
         17 . A method for converting a feedstock to syngas and biochar, the method comprising:
 receiving, by a biomass input of a gasification reactor, the feedstock;   receiving, by a gasifying medium inlet adjacent to the biomass input, a gasifying medium; and   gasifying, by a reactor vessel, the feedstock with the gasifying medium to generate syngas and biochar, wherein the reactor vessel is disposed downstream of the gasifying medium inlet.   
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 regulating, by a biomass movement instrument, a flow of the feedstock into the reactor vessel; and   storing, by a biochar chamber, the biochar.   
     
     
         19 . A method of fabricating a gasification device, the method comprising:
 providing a biomass input configured to receive a feedstock;   disposing a gasifying medium inlet adjacent to the biomass input, wherein the gasifying medium inlet is configured to receive a gasifying medium;   disposing a firetube downstream of the gasifying medium inlet, wherein the firetube is configured to gasify the feedstock with the gasifying medium to generate syngas and biochar;   lining an inner space of the firetube with a wall layer of cement;   lining an outer space of the firetube with a layer of mild steel; and   disposing a blower upstream of the firetube, wherein the blower is configured to inject the gasifying medium into the firetube.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19 , further comprising:
 disposing a biomass movement instrument to regulate a flow of the feedstock into the firetube.