Patent ID: 8142528

Claim:
A gasification system comprising: a pressure vessel comprising a combustion zone; a lockhopper coupled in flow communication with said pressure vessel for removing particulates discharged from said pressure vessel; a water-filled trough coupled in flow communication with said lockhopper and configured to separate first fines from slag, said water-filled trough comprising: at least one conveyor; and a conveying pump configured to separate first fines from slag such that said at least one conveyor removes slag from said water-filled trough, and said conveying pump forces first fines suspended in said water-filled trough out of said water-filled trough; a recycle tank coupled in flow communication with said water-filled trough and configured to: receive the first fines channeled from said water-filled trough and second fines recovered from a location other than the pressure vessel; and mix the first fines with the second fines to form a fines combination; and a fuel injection system configured to inject a mixture of a fuel and the fines combination into the combustion zone, such that when the mixture is combusted, the fines combination facilitates reducing a viscosity of a sludge generated when the fuel is combusted without the fines.