Process for the gasification of coal

Claim 2

In a process for the gasification of coal comprising introducing particulate coal and steam into a reaction zone wherein the steam and coal react to form an ash product and a gaseous product the improvement comprising introducing sulfur dioxide into the reaction zone in an amount of from 0.1 to 20% of the volume of said steam, maintaining the reaction zone at a temperature of from 1200° F to 1450° F, removing hydrogen sulfide from said gaseous product, converting the hydrogen sulfide to sulfur dioxide, and recycling at least a portion of said sulfur dioxide to said reaction zone, the amount of sulfur dioxide being sufficient to promote the reaction between the coal and steam, and the temperature being less than that required for the gasification of the coal in the absence of sulfur dioxide.

Claim 3

In the process of claim 1 the further improvement comprising maintaining said reaction zone at a temperature from 1300° F to 1450° F.

Claim 4

A continuous process for the gasification of coal, comprising: (a) passing steam and a volume of sulfur dioxide ranging from between 0.1 and 20% of the volume of said steam into a gasifier vessel, said volume of sulfur dioxide being sufficient to promote the reaction between the coal to be gasified and the steam; (b) continuously supplying particulate coal to said gasifier vessel maintained at a temperature of from 1200°-1450° F whereby the steam reacts with coal to form an ash product and a gaseous product containing hydrogen sulfide, said temperature being less than that required for the gasification of the coal in the absence of sulfur dioxide; (c) continuously removing the ash product from the gasifier vessel; (d) withdrawing the gaseous product from the reaction zone and at least substantially removing said hydrogen sulfide; and (e) converting said removed hydrogen sulfide to sulfur dioxide and removing a sulfur dioxide portion equivalent to the sulfur content of the coal from said sulfur dioxide and passing the remaining sulfur dioxide to the gasifier vessel.

Claim 5

A continuous process for the gasification of coal, comprising: (a) passing steam and a volume of sulfur dioxide ranging from between 0.1 and 20% of the volume of said steam into a gasifier vessel, said volume of sulfur dioxide being sufficient to promote the reaction between the coal to be gasified and the steam; (b) continuously supplying particulate coal to said gasifier vessel maintained at a temperature of from 1200°-1450° F whereby the steam reacts with coal to form an ash product and a gaseous product containing hydrogen sulfide, said temperature being less than that required for the gasification of the coal in the absence of sulfur dioxide; (c) continuously removing the ash product from the gasifier vessel; (d) withdrawing the gaseous product from the reaction zone and at least substantially removing said hydrogen sulfide; and (e) converting said removed hydrogen sulfide to sulfur dioxide and removing a sulfur dioxide portion equivalent to the sulfur content of the coal from said sulfur dioxide and passing the remaining sulfur dioxide to the gasifier vessel.

Claim 6

A continuous process for the gasification of coal according to claim 3, wherein said coal is reacted with said steam at a temperature between 1300° F. and 1450° F. and said sulfur dioxide is injected into the steam before said steam is passed into the gasifier vessel.