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US3619142A
Expired / Lapsed
US
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Continuous steam-iron process
Assignee: Consolidation Coal Co
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Filing: 1969-02-11
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Granted: 1971-11-09
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Expires: 1989-02-11
Abstract
Abstract In a continuous steam-iron process wherein finely divided iron oxides are reduced in a reduction zone and the reduced iron oxides are reacted with steam in an oxidation zone to make hydrogen, the reduction of the iron oxides is effected by means of a continuously recirculating stream of hot, finely divided carbonaceous solids which are mixed with the iron oxides in a downwardly moving bed under reducing conditions, and heat is supplied to the reduction zone by the carbonaceous solids which are heated by partial combustion outside the reduction zone. In the preferred embodiment of the process, the mixture of reduced iron oxides and carbonaceous solids from the reduction zone is separated in a fluidized separation zone into a stream of reduced iron oxides and a stream of carbonaceous solids. The stream of reduced iron oxides is conducted to the oxidation zone where the reduced iron oxides fall through a fluidized bed of hydrocarbonaceous solids in countercurrent flow relationship to steam, whereby a product gas is produced which contains methane by virtue of the reaction of the hydrogen (produced by the steamiron reaction) with the hydrocarbonaceous solids.
Inventors
- 👤 James L Johnson
- 👤 Frank C Schora
- 👤 Paul B Tarman
Bibliographic Details
Application Number
—
Jurisdiction
US
Data Source
google_patents
Last Synchronized
2026-10-30 08:30
CPC Classifications
C; C01; C01B; C01B3/00; C01B3/02; C01B3/06; C01B3/061; C01B3/063; C01B3/08; C01B3/10; Y; Y02; Y02E; Y02E60/00; Y02E60/30; Y02E60/36
Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 7
Claim 1
Independent Claim
51 words
The process according to claim 1 in which the reduction zone is maintained at a temperature between 1500* and 2100* F. and a pressure between 100 and 1500 p.s.i.; and the oxidation zone is maintained at a temperature between 1400* and 1800* F. and a pressure between 100 and 1500 p.s.i.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
366 words
A continuous process for making hydrogen which comprises: a. passing a stream of particulate iron oxides comprising principally Fe3O4 and FeO and a stream of particulate carbonaceous solids concurrently and downwardly into the top of a reduction zone, b. subjecting said stream of particulate iron oxides to direct reactive contact with said stream of particulate carbonaceous solids in a downwardly moving bed in said reduction zone, there being no molecular oxygen-containing gases introduced into said moving bed in said reduction zone, c. maintaining the following conditions in said reduction zone: temperature, 1000* to 2600* F.; pressure, atmospheric or superatmospheric; residence time of solids, 15 seconds to 60 minutes; carbon depletion of p.s.i.; carbonaceous solids per pass through said reduction zone, 1 to 10 percent of the carbon in said carbonaceous solids; and a carbon content of said carbonaceous solids which is at least 20 percent by weight, whereby said iron oxides are reduced to a mixture comprising principally FeO and Fe, d. withdrawing the mixture of carbon-depleted carbonaceous solids and reduced iron oxides from said reduction zone and transferring said mixture to a separation zone, e. passing a gas through said mixture of carbon-depleted carbonaceous solids and reduced iron oxides in said separation zone at a velocity sufficient to effect separation by virtue of the difference in densities of the reduced iron oxides and carbonaceous solids; f. withdrawing carbon-depleted carbonaceous solids from said separation zone and partially burning same outside said reduction zone to raise the temperature of said carbonaceous solids sufficiently high to supply adiabatically the heat required in said reduction zone; g. returning said partially burned carbonaceous solids to said reduction zone, h. withdrawing iron oxides from said separation zone and reacting same with steam in an oxidation zone, i. maintaining the following conditions in said oxidation zone: temperature, 1000 to 2000* F.; pressure, atmospheric or superatmospheric; and residence time of the solids, 30 seconds to 200 minutes, whereby hydrogen is formed and a mixture of iron oxides comprising principally Fe3O4 and FeO is produced, j. returning said mixture of iron oxides from said oxidation zone to said reduction zone, and k. adding carbonaceous solids to replenish the carbonaceous solids consumed in the process.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
51 words
The process according to claim 3 in which the reduction zone is maintained at a temperature between 1500* and 2100* F. and a pressure between 100 and 1500 p.s.i.; and the oxidation zone is maintained at a temperature between 1400* and 1800* F. and a pressure between 100 and 1500 p.s.i.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
375 words
A continuous process for making hydrogen which comprises: a. passing a stream of particulate iron oxides comprising principally Fe3O4 and FeO and a stream of particulate carbonaceous solids concurrently and downwardly into the top of a reduction zone, b. Subjecting said stream of particulate iron oxides to direct reactiVe contact with said stream of particulate carbonaceous solids in a downwardly moving bed in said reduction zone, there being no molecular oxygen-containing gases introduced into said moving bed in said reduction zone, c. maintaining the following conditions in said reduction zone: temperature, 1000* to 2600* F.; pressure, atmospheric or superatmospheric; residence time of solids, 15 seconds to 60 minutes; carbon depletion of said carbonaceous solids per pass through said reduction zone, 1 to 10 percent of the carbon in said carbonaceous solids; and a carbon content of said carbonaceous solids which is at least 20 percent by weight, whereby said iron oxides are reduced to a mixture comprising principally FeO and Fe, d. withdrawing the mixture of carbon-depleted carbonaceous solids and reduced iron oxides from said reduction zone and transferring said mixture to a separation zone, e. Passing a fluidizing gas through said mixture of carbon-depleted carbonaceous solids and reduced iron oxides in said separation zone at such a velocity that a fluidized bed of said carbonaceous solids is established and maintained from which said iron oxides and said carbonaceous solids may be separately withdrawn, f. withdrawing carbon-depleted carbonaceous solids from said fluidized separation zone and partially burning same outside said reduction zone to raise the temperature of said carbonaceous solids sufficiently high to supply adiabatically the heat required in said reduction zone; g. returning said partially burned carbonaceous solids to said reduction zone, h. withdrawing iron oxides from said separation zone and reacting same with steam in an oxidation zone, i. maintaining the following conditions in said oxidation zone: temperature, 1000* to 2000* F.; pressure, atmospheric or superatmospheric; and residence time of the solids, 30 seconds to 200 minutes, whereby hydrogen is formed and a mixture of iron oxides comprising principally Fe3O4 and FeO is produced, j. returning said mixture of iron oxides from said oxidation zone to said reduction zone, and k. adding carbonaceous solids to replenish the carbonaceous solids consumed in the process.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
51 words
The process according to claim 5 in which the reduction zone is maintained at a temperature between 1500* and 2100* F. and a pressure between 100 and 1500 p.s.i.; and the oxidation zone is maintained at a temperature between 1400* and 1800* F. and a pressure between 100 and 1500 p.s.i.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
20 words
The process according to claim 5 in which the fluidizing gas used in the separation zone is an inert gas.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
18 words
The process according to claim 5 in which the fluidizing gas used in the separation zone contains steam.
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USPTO Annuity & Maintenance Windows
| Annuity Stage | Window Opens | Payment Deadline | Surcharge Period Until | Estimated Fee | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 3.5 Years (Year 4) | 1974-11-08 | 1975-05-10 | 1975-11-09 | $2000.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 7.5 Years (Year 8) | 1978-11-08 | 1979-05-10 | 1979-11-09 | $3760.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |
| 11.5 Years (Year 12) | 1982-11-08 | 1983-05-10 | 1983-11-09 | $7700.00 | Window Closed / Lapsed |