Two-stage gasifier and gasification process with feedstock flexibility

1. A gasification process, comprising:

(a) introducing a liquid hydrocarbon feedstock and at least one of a dry feedstock or a first slurried feedstock into a reactor lower section, wherein the at least one dry feedstock or first slurried feedstock is introduced through two primary feed nozzles while the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock is introduced through at least two secondary feed nozzles;

(b) partially combusting the feedstocks in the reactor lower section with a gas stream comprising an oxygen-containing gas or steam to evolve heat and form products comprising hot synthesis gas;

(c) passing said hot synthesis gas from step (b) upward into a reactor upper section; and

(d) introducing a second slurried feedstock into said reactor upper section, whereby heat from said hot synthesis gas supports reaction of the second slurried feedstock by pyrolysis and gasification reactions.

2. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein introducing the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock and at least one of a dry feedstock or a first slurried feedstock into the reactor lower section occur simultaneously.

3. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein introducing the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock into the reactor lower section occurs intermittently, while introducing the at least one dry feedstock or first slurried feedstock is continuous.

4. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein liquid hydrocarbon secondary feed vectors of the at least two secondary feed nozzles are oriented so they maintain a vertical symmetry within the reactor lower section with a primary feed vector of the primary feed nozzle.

5. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein a secondary feed vector of the liquid hydrocarbon feeds from the at least two secondary feed nozzles and a primary feed vector of the primary feed from the primary feed nozzles intersect at a feed intersection point that is substantially in the center of the lower reactor body.

6. The gasification process of claim 5 , wherein secondary feed vectors of the liquid hydrocarbon feeds from the at least two secondary feed nozzles intersect in the center of the lower reactor body and form a straight line through the center of the lower reactor body from one terminal end of the reactor lower section to another terminal end.

7. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein at least one secondary feed vector of the at least two secondary feed nozzles forms an angle from about +/−1-45 degrees with respect to a primary feed vector of the two primary feed nozzles.

8. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein at least one secondary feed vector of the at least two secondary feed nozzles forms an angle from about +/−1-45 degrees with respect to an axis spanning the depth of the center of the reactor lower section.

9. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein the at least two secondary feed nozzles atomize the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock with air, oxygen-enriched air, oxygen, steam, or mixtures thereof.

10. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein an amount of total feedstock introduced into the reactor lower section is at most 60 weight percent liquid hydrocarbon.

11. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein the liquid hydrocarbon feedstock comprises pyrolysis oil, vacuum resid, pitch, coal tar, phenolic materials from low-temperature gasification processes, solvent blowdown from acid gas removal units (AGRs), or mixtures thereof.

12. The gasification process of claim 1 , wherein the dry feedstock and the first slurried feedstock comprises at least one of lignite, sub-bituminous coal, bituminous coal, petroleum coke, char, and mixtures thereof.