Patent ID: 8444724

Claim:
A method for gasifying a carbonaceous feedstock, said method comprising: (a) at least partly combusting said feedstock in a first stage reactor section defining a first reaction zone to thereby produce a first reaction product, wherein said first reaction zone is cooperatively defined by a plurality of inner surfaces, wherein at least about 50 percent of the total area of said inner surfaces has an upright orientation, wherein less than about 10 percent of the total area of said inner surfaces has a normal vector extending at an angle greater than 45 degrees above horizontal, thereby facilitating the removal of slag and other gasification byproducts within the first stage reactor section, wherein said first stage reactor section comprises a main body and at least two inlet projections extending outwardly from said main body, wherein said main body and said inlet projections cooperatively define said first reaction zone, wherein less than about 50 percent of the total volume of said first reaction zone is defined within said inlet projections, wherein the maximum outside diameter of said main body is at least 25 percent greater than the maximum outside diameter of said inlet projections, thereby increasing the maximum internal pressure that can be withstood by said reactor system; (b) further reacting at least a portion of said first reaction product in a second stage reactor section defining a second reaction zone that is located generally above said first reaction zone to thereby produce a second reaction product.