Method of discharging residues from a pressurized gasification chamber

Claim 1

A method of discharging heavy residues, resulting from gasification of coal or solid carbonaceous fuel in a gasification chamber filled at the lower portion thereof with water and having a gas cushion at high pressure above the level of water, from the chamber through a water-filled sluicing container having an upper end located beneath and water-tightly connectable to and disconnectable from the chamber into conveyor means, comprising the steps of connecting said sluicing container to the lower end of said chamber and discharging residues by gravity from said chamber into said sluicing container; providing a pressure equalizer permanently connected to the upper end of said sluicing container and maintaining, during discharge of residues from said chamber, in said pressure equalizer water at the same level as in said chamber and above the water level a cushion of neutral gas of the same pressure as the gas cushion in the chamber; interrupting the connection between said chamber and said sluicing container while reducing the pressure of said cushion of neutral gas in said pressure equalizer; connecting the lower end of the sluicing container with said conveyor means while feeding simultaneously a neutral gas at low pressure into said pressure equalizer; interrupting, after emptying said sluicing container to a predetermined degree, the connection between the latter and said conveyor means and refilling said sluicing container and said pressure equalizer with water; and subsequently reestablishing the connection between said chamber and said sluicing container while feeding neutral gas under higher pressure than that in said chamber into said pressure equalizer to bring the pressure in the sluicing system, comprising the pressure equalizer and the sluicing container, again up to the pressure prevailing in the chamber.

Claim 2

A method of discharging heavy residues, resulting from gasification of coal or solid carbonaceous fuel in a gasification chamber filled at the lower portion thereof with water and having a gas cushion at high pressure above the level of water, from the chamber through a water-filled sluicing container having an upper end located beneath and water-tightly connectable to and disconnectable from the chamber into conveyor means, comprising the steps of connecting said sluicing container to the lower end of said chamber and discharging residues by gravity from said chamber into said sluicing container; providing a pressure equalizer permanently connected to the upper end of said sluicing container and maintaining, during discharge of residues from said chamber, in said pressure equalizer water at the same level as in said chamber and above the water level a cushion of neutral gas of the same pressure as the gas cushion in the chamber; interrupting the connection between said chamber and said sluicing container while reducing the pressure of said cushion of neutral gas in said pressure equalizer; connecting the lower end of the sluicing container with said conveyor means while feeding simultaneously a neutral gas at low pressure into said pressure equalizer; interrupting, after emptying said sluicing container to a predetermined degree, the connection between the latter and said conveyor means and refilling said sluicing container and said pressure equalizer with water; and subsequently reestablishing the connection between said chamber and said sluicing container while feeding neutral gas under higher pressure than that in said chamber into said pressure equalizer to bring the pressure in the sluicing system, comprising the pressure equalizer and the sluicing container, again up to the pressure prevailing in the chamber.