Patent ID: 6497737
Filing Date: 2002-12-24
Classification: C10F,F26B

Abstract:
A method of heating a solid carbonaceous material in a process vessel, which method comprises:(a) supplying a charge of the solid carbonaceous material to the vessel to form a packed bed; (b) supplying a fluid to the packed bed to pressurize the contents of the vessel; (c) supplying steam to the vessel to heat the solid carbonaceous material in the packed bed by indirect heat exchange while maintaining the contents of the vessel under pressure; and (d) controlling the operating conditions in step (c): (i) to transfer heat to the solid material and allow any water in the solid material to be removed as a liquid phase in a first wet stage of the method; and (ii) to transfer heat to the solid material to boil at least a part of any remaining water from the solid material as a vapour phase in a second dry stage of the method.