Patent ID: 8926231
Filing Date: 2015-01-06
Classification: B65G,C10J,F23K

Abstract:
1. A system comprising: a high-pressure vessel including a plurality of inlets for receiving solid particulate fuel, an outlet located downstream of the plurality of inlets and through which the solid particulate fuel is delivered to a gasifier, and a screw feeder enclosed within the high-pressure vessel and comprising a pitch that increases in a direction of flow of the solid particulate fuel from the plurality of inlets to the outlet, and a plurality of pumps for delivering the solid particulate fuel to the high-pressure vessel through respective pipelines to respective ones of the plurality of inlets; and a plurality of conveyance gas lines, each conveyance line connected to a pipeline of a respective pump for delivering a conveyance gas that pressurizes the solid particulate fuel within the pipeline, wherein at least one of the plurality of inlets is situated at a first location of the high-pressure vessel and least one other of the plurality of inlets is situated at a second location of the high-pressure vessel such that the second location is situated downstream of the first location, wherein the pitch of the screw feeder is greater at the second location than at the first location, and wherein the system has an operating pressure greater than a pressure within the gasifier so as to maintain a positive pressure difference with the gasifier.