Patent ID: 7922782

Claim:
A process for the gasification of carbonaceous solids, said process comprising: contacting carbonaceous solids in particulate form with steam in the presence of an alkali metal catalyst in a reactor wherein raw product gases are formed and char particles are produced, said char particles containing carbon, inorganic constituents, and alkali metal catalyst constituents, withdrawing a stream of said raw product gases from said reactor, recovering a product gas stream from said stream of said raw product gases, contacting a stream of char particles from said reactor with water in a fracturing unit whereby said char particles fracture and a portion of said alkali metal catalyst constituents dissolve into said water to form a fracturing unit solution and washed solids, withdrawing from said fracturing unit a stream of said washed solids and a stream of said fracturing unit solution, wherein said stream of water washed solids is withdrawn at a temperature in the range of about 50° C. to about 300° C.