Entrained-flow gasifier with cooling screen and sliding seal

1. A reactor for gasification of entrained solid and liquid fuels at temperatures between 1,200 and 1,900° C. and at pressures between ambient pressure and 10 MPa where solid fuels comprise pulverized coal of various degrees of coalification, petroleum coke or other substances containing solid carbons and liquid fuels can comprise oils, oil-solid suspensions or water-solid suspensions, using an oxidizing agent which contains free oxygen, comprising:

a burner;

a gasification chamber;

a cover flange;

a pressure shell; and

a cooling screen comprising cooling tubes connected to the pressure shell in a gastight manner via a sliding seal in order to allow length changes in the direction of the central axis of the reactor wherein the sliding seal surrounds the burner concentrically; and

a fluid conduit that provides a fluid communication between pilot burner fuel gas upstream of the burner and an annular gap, effective to enable pressurization of the annular gap between the pressure shell and the cooling screen with pilot burner fuel gas,

wherein the connection of the cooling screen to the pressure shell does not allow any gasification gas into the annular gap in order to prevent corrosion of the cooling screen and/or pressure shell, and

wherein an overpressure relative to the gasification chamber is established and maintained in the annular gap between the pressure shell and the cooling screen by the fluid conduit such that the reactor operates with a steady state pressure difference.

2. The reactor as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the annular gap between the pressure shell and the cooling screen is exposed to pressure via an external gas network.

3. The reactor as claimed in claim 2 , wherein the sliding seal interacts with a tubular piece that extends the cooling screen.

4. The reactor as claimed in claim 3 , wherein the sliding seal is compressed by tightening the cover flange.