Claims
- 1. A gasifier for biomass fuel, comprising:
an enclosed chamber having upstream and downstream ends and a longitudinal axis passing through said ends; a first reaction section within said chamber and adjacent the upstream end, said first reaction section comprising a fuel inlet for introducing solid biomass fuel, first inlet for oxidizing gas, and a support for a bed of said biomass fuel; a second reaction section within said chamber and downstream of said first reaction section, said second reaction section comprising a second inlet for oxidizing gas, and a support for a char bed; means for removing a gaseous fuel product from said apparatus; and means for removing solids from said second reaction section; wherein said first and second inlets are operative to introduce oxidizing gas into said chamber with a substantially laminar or radial flow in a direction substantially perpendicular to said axis.
- 2. A gasifier for biomass fuels, comprising:
an enclosed chamber having upstream and downstream ends; a first gasification module disposed inside said chamber near said upstream end, the first gasification module comprising a biomass fuel inlet, and a support for a biomass fuel bed; a second gasification module downstream of said first combustion chamber, said second gasification module comprising a support for a char bed; a first gas inlet/outlet port upstream of said biomass fuel bed support; and a plurality of gas inlet/outlet ports disposed between said first gas inlet/outlet means and the downstream end of said apparatus, wherein at least two of said gas inlet/outlet ports are configured for inputting a gas in a laminar or radial flow geometry; wherein said apparatus is operable in a plurality of gasification modes, each mode determined by a different selection of inlet and outlet functions of said inlet/outlet means, and wherein at least one of the modes includes downdraft flow of an oxidizing gas.
- 3. A system for gasifying a biomass fuel, comprising:
a solid particulate fuel supply subsystem; a biomass fuel gasifier according to claim 1, wherein said gasifier is operative to receive particulate fuel from said fuel supply system and output fuel gas; and a gas cooling/cleaning subsystem operative to receive gas output from said apparatus.
- 4. A process for gasification of biomass fuels, comprising the steps of:
providing a fuel bed comprising a particulate biomass fuel at the upstream end of a gasifier, wherein said fuel bed has a desired profile of partly burned fuel; providing an oxidizing gas to a pyrolysis zone in said fuel bed for a first stage of tar destruction and fuel gas formation, wherein said oxidizing gas is distributed in a geometry that allows continuous production of an adequate supply of char; providing a char bed downstream of and spaced apart from said fuel bed; providing additional oxidizing gas to said char bed for a second stage of tar destruction and fuel gas formation; and outputting said fuel gas.
CROSS REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION
[0001] This application claims priority to copending U.S. provisional patent application serial No. 60/232,642, filed Sep. 14, 2000, entitled, “Method and Apparatus for Controlling and Utilizing Combustible Gas,” which is incorporated herein in its entirety.
Provisional Applications (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
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60232642 |
Sep 2000 |
US |