Apparatus and method for high temperature, auto thermal gasification of
solid material are disclosed. Resulting in a clean burning uniform gas usually referred to as
Producer Gas. The apparatus is comprised of an outer chamber encircling a multi fold gas-path chamber that is suspended. The center of said chamber also serves as a continuous feed stock inlet.
Combustion oxidizer is introduced to the lower portion of said chamber through a
nozzle, just below a fire grate or screen, producing a
high velocity oxidizer flow resulting in a high temperature localized heat zone. Flow is vertical through the
combustion zone and into the descending feed stock, resulting in a counter-current flow. Gases and volatized
tar and oil flow vertically in the space between the labyrinth and shell where said gas flow velocity is reduced considerably. Some
tar and oil condensing takes place and said
tar and oil flows downwardly to the heat zone to be further cracked. Said
velocity reduction also inhibits
particulate flow in said gas
stream. Said gases enter the labyrinth as a reduced gas flow where further condensing of remaining tar and oil also takes place in the labyrinth where they will flow downwardly to the concentrated heat zone, resulting in a distilling, reducing, reacting environment. This process is repeated through the several labyrinth passes that produce the conditions and time necessary for complete
cracking of the
hydrocarbon compounds to a stable gas eliminating the need for tar removal equipment and or scrubbers. This utilizes more of the total B.T.U. available in the
solid fuel. Evolved gases are eventually drawn off as a very uniform clean burning synthesis gas, filtered for
particulates and fed directly to an
internal combustion engine. Below the gasification chamber is an ash collection region, which allows for collection and removal of ash produced in the gasification process