Inventors:
John W. Smith - Germantown TN
Assignee:
Memphis State University - Memphis TN
International Classification:
C10J 300
Abstract:
A method of producing a source of rich (in the general range of 900 BTU per cubic foot) gaseous fuel, and a method of producing a rich gaseous fuel, both include reducing metallic manganese or a mixture of metals in which manganese predominates and carbonaceous material to a powder finer than 200 mesh, mixing the powders in a proportion by weight between 1 to 1 and 4 to 1 manganese to carbonaceous material (available carbon), and heating the mixture, in a reducing atmosphere, to a temperature of between 600. degree. and 950. degree. C. to substantial equilibrium by completion of reaction, generally for a period of about forty minutes. The production of gaseous fuel includes the step of treating the source material with a reactant taken from the group consisting of steam and a mildly acidic solution. The source material residue is then recycled.