BERTRAND LOUIS (CA)
| US2726996A | 1955-12-13 | |||
| US20080223268A1 | 2008-09-18 | |||
| US20170095790A1 | 2017-04-06 | |||
| CA2757061A1 | 2013-04-20 |
| CLAIMS 1. A stationary reactor and its internals for thermal processing of a mixture, said reactor comprising plates and at least one plate(s) supporting and/or guiding mean(s) configured to allow sliding of a plate on the upper surface of plate(s) supporting and/or guiding means, a plate sliding from an upper position of the reactor to a lower position of the reactor, said reactor being further caracterized in that the at least one plate(s) supporting and/or guiding means is preferably inclined and in that at least part of the surface of said plates being used to performed said thermal processing of the mixture. 2. A stationary reactor and its intemals for thermal processing of a mixture, according to claim 1, said stationary reactor comprising: - one or several plate(s) displaceable inside the stationary reactor from an upper internal position of the reactor to a lower internal position of the reactor; - at least one plate(s) supporting mean positioned inside the stationary reactor and configured to allow for the sliding down of a plate on the upper surface of the at least one plate supporting mean(s); and/or - at least one plate(s) guiding mean positioned inside the stationary reactor and configured to allow sliding down of a plate in the guides of the at least one plate guiding means; - feeding means for bringing the mixture on at least part of the surface of said at least one plate being used to perform the thermal processing of the mixture; - exit means for existing gaseous, liquid and solid materials, formed during the thermal treatment, outside the stationary reactor; and -internal and/or external heating means for heating at least one plate and preferably all plates. 3. A stationary reactor and its intemals, according to claim 2, for thermal processing of a mixture, said stationary reactor having walls defining an internal part called reaction's zone of the stationary reactor and comprising: - internal and/or external heating means for heating the stationary reactor and/or for heating its internals and/or for heating the at least one plate(s) supporting means and/or for heating the at least one guiding mean(s); and - feeding means for spraying the mixture on at least part of the surface of said at least one plate being used to perform the thermal processing of the mixture in the reaction's zone, wherein said stationary reactor being further caracterized in that the at least one plate supporting means and/or in that the at least one guiding means is preferably inclined; and wherein said stationary reactor optionally comprises, preferably in its bottom part, an entry for feeding the reaction's zone with a gaseous stream resulting optionnally with solids from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a feed that is preferably essentially made of hydrocarbons. 4. Stationary reactor and its internals according to claim 3, for thermal processing of a mixture, said reactor comprising at least one of the following features: - a plate entry, preferably positioned in the upper part of the stationary reactor, and allowing the loading of the plates in the upper part of the stationary reactor; - a plate exit, preferably positioned in the lower part of the stationary reactor and allowing the exit of the plates from the lower part of the reactor after falling down from the lowest supporting and/or guiding means; - an elevator closely positioned inside or close to the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor, and configured to displace a plate from the internal lower part of the stationary reactor to the internal upper part of the stationary reactor; and - optionally, displacement means for initiating the sliding of a plate on the at least one supporting means and/or on the at least one guiding means. 5. Stationary reactor and its internals, according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein: - the thermal processing of the mixture is performed on at least part of the surface of a plate in movement, is of the pyrolysis type and is more preferably of the flash cracking type; and/or - sliding of the plates in the reaction's zone is generated by gravity and/or by mechanical means and/or by sliding means. 6. Stationary reactor and its internals, according to any one of claims 2 to 6, configured in order that: - at least 10%, preferable at least 20%, more preferably at least 70%, even more preferably at least 90 % of the surface of the plates present inside the stationary reactor is used for performing the thermal processing of the mixture; and/or - at least 10 %, preferably at least 30 %, more preferably at least 60% of the plates present in the reactor are involved in the thermal processing of the mixture. 7. Stationary reactor, according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein at least one of the surfaces of the plates is cleaned by cleaning means such as scraping devices, said cleaning means being positioned: - inside the reaction's zone, also named reaction chamber, of stationary reactor, preferably close to the surface of the plate wherein thermal processing occurs; and/or - outside the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor; and/or - in the internal and/or in the external elevator when an elevator is present. 8. Stationary reactor, according to any one of claims 2 to 6, wherein pyrolysis of said mixture is performed by spraying, contacting and depositing said mixture on the upper and/or on the lower and/or on at least one of the lateral surfaces of a plate; wherein: - internal and/or external heating means are configured for heating at least part of the reaction support and/or without inducing overheating of the reaction surface, the reaction's support i.e. the surface of the plate wherein pyrolysis reaction takes place; - heating means are preferably closely positioned to the surface of a plate to be heated when heating means are induction means or Infra-Red; advantageously the heating means are positioned inside the enclosure, more advantageously heating means are positioned in a zone of the enclosure; - heating means are positioned outside the reaction's zone in a combustion chamber, when heating means are of the combustion type; more advantageously in the case of IR or convection heating means said heating means are positioned above or under the plate when sliding on the supporting means and/or when sliding on a guiding means; - the reaction's zone may be traversed by an inert gas; and - the reaction's zone has reduced oxygen content that is preferably less than 1 % oxygen, and advantageously the internal and/or external heating means are configured to heat the surface of the reaction's support at a temperature ranging: - in the case of particulates, advantageously over 120 Celsius degrees, preferably over 140 Celsius degrees, more preferably from 200 to 525 Celsius degrees, even more preferably from 350 to 570, still even more preferably from 400 to 500 Celsius degrees, and more advantageously about 450 Celsius degrees; and - in the case of a liquid feed, advantageously over 120 Celsius degrees, preferably over 140 Celsius degrees, more preferably from 200 to 525 Celsius degrees, advantageously from 300 to 450 Celsius degrees, preferably ranging from 325 to 425 Celsius degrees, and more advantageously at a temperature about 400 Celsius degrees. 9. Stationary reactor, according to any one of claims 2 to 8, wherein, particularly when heating means are of the combustion type, plates contribute to the uniformity of temperature conditions in said stationary reactor. 10. Stationary reactor, according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein, particularly when heating means are of the combustion type, plates contribute to the heat transfer from the heat sources to the reaction chamber. 11. Stationary reactor, according to any one of claims 2 to 9, connected through connecting means to a combustion chamber, positioned external to the reaction's chamber of the stationary reactor, said combustion chamber being configured for: - reheating a plate after pyrolysis reaction took place on the surface of the plate; and/or - burning coke formed on the surface of a plate by the pyrolysis reaction occurring on the surface of the plate; and/or - producing hot exhaust gases that may be used to warm up theextemal enclosure of the stationary reactor warm air that is fed into the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor. 12. Stationary reactor, according to any one of claims 2 to 10, wherein the stationary reactor is not connected to a combustion chamber and the reheating of plates is performed by a non-combustion heating system, such as an induction source, infra-red and micro-waves, positioned preferably outside the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor but preferably inside the stationary reactor. 13. Stationary reactor, according to any one of claims 3 to 12, wherein: - the bottom of the stationary reactor is connected to the bottom of the plates elevator by connecting means, such as a tube, allowing the transfer of plates from the upper closest supporting and/or guiding means to the bottom part of the elevator; and/or - the top of the stationary reactor is connected to top of the plates elevator by connecting means, such as a tube, allowing the feeding of the upper part of the stationary reactor by plates coming from the upper part of the elevator; - connecting means between the combustion chamber and the stationary reactor preferably have separation means configured to avoid contamination of the gas and steam, produced by the thermal processing performed in the reaction chamber, with oxygen from the combustion chamber, separation means are preferably seals, doors, inert gas and/or overpressure. 14. Stationary reactor, according to any one of claims 3 to 13, wherein the stationary reactor is connected to a plate elevator in a way that at least one of the following features is present: the stationary reactor is positioned vertical or slanted; the plate elevator is positioned vertical or slanted; connecting means are a top pressurised chamber preventing the flow of vapour produced in the reaction chamber to enter the upper part of the plates elevator and/or to enter the combustion heating chamber, said connecting means being positioned preferably between the reaction chamber of the stationary reactor and the combustion chamber; a bottom pressurised chamber, preferably positioned at the bottom of the elevator, preventing the flow of vapour from the stationary reactor to enter the bottom part of the elevator; at least one solid/vapour separator such as a filter, spunch oil column, a liquid wash column or a cyclone and/or such as a dephlegmator, preferably positioned outside the reaction chamber, to remove solid material from the vapour-solid mixture exiting the top of the stationary reactor; a reactor feeding tube for feeding the stationary reactor with mixture to be thermally processed inside the stationary reactor, preferably the feeding tube is a multi branched feeding tube configured to feed the stationary reactor at different heights, simultaneously or alernatively, or according to a predetermined sequence; a reactor exit tube, preferably positioned on the top of the reaction chamber of the stationary reactor, to allow the flow of products resulting from the thermal processing to stream out the reactor; at least one reactor sweep gas entrance, preferably positioned within or close to the feeding tube or on a side wall of the reaction chamber; flippers, preferably mounted on a rotational axis about perpendicular to the plates displacement direction in the reaction chamber, to flip the plates before said plates slides down and fall from one supporting and/or guiding means (such as a tray) to another; flipping trays, preferably positioned about parallel to and directly above the supporting and/or guiding means, for preventing the plates from falling from one supporting and/or guiding means (such as a tray) to another, before a certain percentage of the length of the plates passes the extremity of the tray directly below the flipping tray; curved tray that catches the plates which hang at an angle that allows the plate to flip upon falling from one tray to another; lifter that is the element of the elevator which move upwards and catches the plates as they slide off the, preferably pressured, connection means; scraping means, such as: - those of the static scraper bars type and/or brushes, that scrape the bottom and/or the top and/or a lateral surface of the plates while said plates slide on the one sliding and/or guiding means (such as a tray) to which the scraper bar is attached, and - those of the rotating chains type that are preferably attached to a wall in the lower part of the stationary reactor; spraying nozzles, preferably positioned vertical and/or above and/or under and/or laterally to the guiding and/or supporting means, said spraying nozzles being configured to spray the mixture on the surface of at least one plate; the guiding and/or supporting means are slanted and the angle in respect of the horizontal advantageously ranges from 10 to 60 degrees, preferably ranges from 15 to 45, advantageously is about 30 degrees, more preferably is about 20 degrees when stainless steel is used; the stationary reactor is compact and is a mobile reactor, preferably fitting in a standard container or fitting a high cube container; the pyrolysis reaction occuring only on the surface of a plate and being exclusively of the flash craking type; and the stationary reactor is for example one of those repesented in the Figures part. 15. A pyrolysis system for thermal processing of a mixture, said system comprising: a) a stationary reactor as defined in any one of claims 1 to 14; b) an internal or external heating system; c) a charge of plates of consistent shapes; d) means, such as spray nozzles, for directing or for contacting the mixture to be thermally processed to the surface of at least part of the plates; e) means for removing the fine solids from the reactor, preferably either through entrainment with the exiting vapours, or through a separate solids exit, or both; f) means for recovering the reaction and straight run products; and g) means for venting the gas obtained by the thermal processing outside the stationary reactor zone. 16. Pyrolysis system, according to claim 15, wherein the stationary reactor has a form that is about parallelepipedic or cyclindrical. 17. Pyrolysis system, according to claim 15 or 16, wherein the means for directing the mixture to be thermally processed on at least part of the surface of the plates, bring said mixture on the surface of at least more than 20% of the plates, preferably on the surface of at least more than 50% of the plates, and more advantageously on between 75 and 85 % of the surface of plates present in said reactor. 18. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 17, wherein: - the mixture is liquid, gas, solid or is a mixture of at least two of these; and/or - the gaseous stream resulting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of celullosic material and/or of a mixture comprising more than 10 weight percent of long chain hydrocarbons, such as a mixture of cellulosic materials and of long chain hydrocarbons such as used oils. 19. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 18, wherein said mixture and said gaseous stream comprises mostly organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing. 20. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 19, wherein said: - mixture comprises at least 80 % of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing; and - gaseous stream is obtained by at least one of following treatments: thermochemical biomass transformation, pyrolysis of organic material biomass, anaerobic digestion of organic waste material and composting of organic waste material. 21. Pyrolysis system, according to claims 20, wherein said mixture contains at least about 95% of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing. 22. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 21, wherein the mixture may comprise other components that are not organic compounds and/or that may not be transformed by thermal processing. 23. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 22, wherein said other components are selected among: water, steam, nitrogen, sand, earths, shale, metals, inorganic salts, inorganic acids, lime, organic gas that won't be transformed in the reactor and among combination of at least two of these components. 24. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 23, wherein said mixture is composed of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing in: a liquid phase, a gaseous phase, a solid phase, or in a combination of at least two of these phases. 25. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 24, wherein said mixture is mostly composed of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing to at least a liquid phase, a gaseous phase, a solid phase or in a combination of at least two of the latter phases. 26. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 25, wherein said mixture is selected among the family of mixtures of plastics, wood chips, used oils, mixtures of waste oils, ship fuels or a mixture of at least two of these mixtures. 27. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 26, operating in the absence, in the reactor, of a substantial organic solid, liquid or of a slurry phase. 28. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 27, operating in less than 30% vol., preferably in less than 5% vol. of an organic solid, and/or of a liquid and/or of a slurry phase. 29. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 28, operating in the presence or absence of a liquid and/or slurry phase. 30. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 29, wherein the plates of said reactor are directly and/or indirectly heated. 31. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 30, wherein the inside of the stationary reactor is directly and/or indirectly heated. 32. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 31, wherein the heat source is generated by electricity, a hot oil and/or a gas stream, or obtained from the combustion of gas, naphtha, reaction's products of the pyrolysis, other oily streams, coke, coal, organic waste or by a mixture of at least two of these. 33. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 32, wherein the inside of the stationary reactor is indirectly heated by an electromagnetic field (such as induction and/or infrared sources and/or microwaves). 34. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 33, wherein the plates are directly heated by a hot gas, liquid or solid stream, electricity or partial combustion of the feedstock, coke, products or by-products. 35. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 34, wherein the heating means comprises at least one heating system external to the walls of the stationary reactor, for example in a case of an indirectly fired kiln. 36. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 35, wherein the external walls of the stationary reactor are heated at a temperature exceeding temperature of the dew point of the vapours thereby produced, such as when having the reactor walls in contact with the combustion chamber. 37. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 36, wherein the walls of the stationanry reactor are surrounded by a fire box, and said fire box is stationary and contains one or more burners. 38. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 37, wherein one or more of the supporting and/or guiding means are attached to the internal walls of the stationary reactor and/or to subsections of the stationary reactor walls and/or on self supporting stands. 39. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 38, wherein the supporting and/or guiding means are attached to the wall of the stationary reactor in a way allowing for the thermal expansion with minimum stress on the reactor wall and the supporting and/or guiding means. 40. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 39, wherein the supporting and/or guiding mean(s) is (are) symmetrically attached to the internal wall of said reactor. 41. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 40, wherein the supporting and/or guiding mean(s) is (are) attached to the internal wall in a designed and/or random pattern. 42. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 41, wherein the number of supporting and/or guiding means(s) that is (are) disposed, per square meter of the internal surface of the stationary reactor, on the internal wall of said reactor ranges from 0,1 to 20, preferably from 0,2 to 3. 43. Pyrolysis system, according to claim 42, wherein the number of supporting and/or guiding mean(s) that is (are) disposed, per square meter of the internal surface of the reactor, on the internal wall of the stationary reactor is about 2. 44. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 43 wherein the number of supporting and/or guiding means depends on the weight of the plates and/or on the material the supporting and/or guiding means and plates are made of and/or of the angle made by the supporting and/or guiding means in respect of the horizontal and/or of the shape of the plates and/or of the friction coefficient of the plates against the supporting and/or guiding means, and/or of the thermal expansion coefficient of the material constituting the plates and/or of the guides and/or if the reactor is designed for allowing or not the flipping of the plates when leaving the supporting and/or guiding means. 45. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 44, wherein the distance spacing two supporting and/or guiding means represents from 0,1 to 20% of the height of the reactor. 46. Pyrolysis system, according to claim 45, wherein the distance spacing two supporting and/or guiding means represents from 0,2 to 2 % of the height of the stationary reactor. 47. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 46, wherein the form of the supporting and/or guiding means is selected in the group constituted by flat or straight forms. 48. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 47, wherein the supporting and/or guiding means are about parallel straight guides. 49. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 48, wherein the height and/or the width of the supporting and/or guiding means is calculated and depends on at least one of the following parameters: the space between the supporting and/or guiding means, the material the supporting and/or guiding means are made of and the weight of the plates, the sliding angle and the number of supporting and/or guiding means by square meter of the reactor's wall. 50. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 49, wherein the height or width of the supporting means ranges from the width of the plate to 1 mm, preferably to the width of the plate plus 1 cm. 51. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 50, wherein the height or width of the supporting and/or guiding means as representing 1 to 100 % of the width of the plates, and preferably 5% of the width of the plates. 52. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 51, wherein the width and the height of the supporting and/or guiding means are selected in order for the supporting and/or guiding means to be able to retains at least one, advantageously between 3 and 6, and preferably 2 or 3 plates. 53. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 52, wherein the shape of the plates of the charge is selected among the group of parallelograms, discs, elipsoids and ovoids. I l l 54. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 53, wherein the plates of the charge are rectangular, triangular, hexagonal or octagonal. 55. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 54, wherein the shape of the plates of the charge is about perfect. 56. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 55, wherein all the plates present in the stationary reactor have about the same size and shape. 57. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 56, wherein the volume of the plates of the charge present in the reactor represents from 1 % to 40% of the internal volume of the reaction chamber. 58. Pyrolysis system, according to claim 57, wherein the volume of the plates of the charge present in the reactor represents from 2 to 5 % of the internal volume of the stationary reactor. 59. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 58, wherein the charge of the stationary reactor is constituted by flat and/or slightly curved metal plates of consistent thickness and shape. 60. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 59, wherein the plates have a melting point which is at least 100 degrees Celsius, and more preferably is at least 150 degrees Celsius above the stationary reactor wall maximum operating temperature in the thermal processing zone and/or combustion chamber. 61. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 60, wherein the plates are heavy enough in order its sliding movement to not be substantially stopped by the scraper(s), and more preferably in order to not be reduced by more than 70%, preferably not by more than 30% of the sliding speed of the plates. 62. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 61, wherein each plate has a density that is superior to 2,0 g/cm3, preferably superior to 3,0 g/cm3 and more preferably the density of a plate is comprised between 5,5 g/cm3 and 9,0 g/cm3. 63. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 62, wherein the means for bringing the mixture in contact with at least part of the surfaces of the plates are pouring means; dumping, means or spraying means such as spray nozzles. 64. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 63, wherein the means for bringing the mixture in contact with at least part of the surfaces of the plates are spray nozzles that spray the mixture onto at least part of the surfaces of the plates of the charge when the feedstream is liquid and/or a mixture of liquid and/or gas and/or fine solids. 65. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 64, wherein the spraying means are positioned above, under or laterally in respect of a horizontal plate; the spraying direction being perpendicular or slanted in respect of a surface of a plate. 66. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 65, wherein the means for bringing the solids outside the stationary reactor is (are) entrainment with the product gas, scoop(s), screw conveyors and/or gravity and/or pumps and/or compressors and/or vacuum pumps. 67. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 66, wherein the means for bringing the solids outside said stationary reactor comprises an exit hopper arrangement attached to the solids exit tube, or a screw conveyor or simply gravity. 68. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 67, wherein said reactor has two exits: one for the solids and one for the gas/vapours and entrained solids obtained. 69. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 68, wherein the gas/vapours obtained contain entrained solids. 70. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 69, wherein said reactor is equipped with means for avoiding accumulation of solids in the reactor and/or for avoiding plugging of any of the exits. 71. Pyrolysis system, according to claim 70, wherein the means for avoiding accumulation are rotating fins, propellers(s), blowers(s) and/or a screw conveyor in the solids exit tube, or a slanted solids exit tube preferably positioned at the bottom part of the stationary vertical reactor. 72. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 15 to 71, wherein the reactor feed is made laterally trough at least one entry positioned between the top and the bottom of the stationary reactor and/or wherein the exit of the vapor is positioned on the top of the stationary reactor. 73. Pyrolysis system, according to any one of claims 14 to 72, wherein at least one of following features is present: - cleaning means are positioned advantageously at least temporary in contact with the superior surface of the reaction support wherein pyrolysis reaction takes place, cleaning means are preferably configured to clean at least part of the surface of the moving reaction's supports after pyrolysis reaction took place, said cleaning means preferably additionally comprising: - at least one rake in permanent or temporary contact with at least part of the surface of a reaction's supports wherein pyrolysis takes place, and/or - at least one rotating flail chain in permanent or temporary contact with at least part of the surface of the reaction's support wherein pyrolysis takes place, and/or - at least one ultrasonic means in permanent or temporary contact with at least part of the surface of the reaction's support wherein pyrolysis takes place, and/or - at least one directed blow means blowing air, with low content in oxygen, or an inert gas in permanent or temporary contact with at least part of the surface of a reaction's support wherein pyrolysis takes place; and/or - feeding means are advantageously feeding line mounted with spray nozzles, said spray nozzles, depending on the physical nature of the feeding material, are: - of the liquid feed type, and/or - of the solid feed in form of small particulates type, and/or - of the feeding stream liquid but containing solid particulates type; advantageously, said spray nozzles are configured to spray only the surface of the reaction's support: - drops of the liquid feeding oily stream having an average drop size of less than 10 mm, preferably of less than 5 mm, and more advantageously lower than 2 mm, and/or - particulates having an average size less than 3 mm, preferably less than 2 mm, more advantageously the average size ranging from 0,5 to 1,5 mm; and/or - a mixture of liquid and particulates with a ratio particulates/liquid being in weight percent ranging from 5 to 95 %, preferably from 15 to 75 %, preferably, feeding means is a feeding line mounted with spray nozzles, spray nozzles being positioned to spray feeding oily feed material essentially on the superior and/or the inferior surface of a reaction's support; and/or preferably, feeding means is a feeding line mounted with spray nozzles, spray nozzles being configured for spraying, on demand, a specific amount of feeding material, in order substantially no liquid film would be able to form from the individual drops reaching the surface of the reaction's supports; and/or wherein particulates and/or drops of the feeding material are preferably sprayed to the reaction's surface at a controlled pressure. 74. Use of the stationary reactor and its internals, according to any one of claims 2 to 14 or of the pyrolysis system according to any one of claims 15 to 73, for the thermal processing of: - organic mixtures comprising for examples mixtures of used oils, waste oils, heavy oils and plastics, and preferably substantially in the absence of an organic liquid and/or slurry phase; and/or - gaseous stream resuting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of cellulosic material. 75. Use of the reactor and its internals, according to claim 74 in a continuous process. 76. Process for thermally processing a mixture comprising organic compounds, which process comprises the steps of: - a) feeding a stationary reactor and its internals as defined in any one of claims 2 to 14 with: - said mixture being sprayed or poured or dumped on at least part of the plates surfaces during sliding of the plates on the supporting and/or guiding means, and - optionally, a gaseous stream resuting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of cellulosic materaial; - b) heating the plates of said stationary reactor and its internals at a temperature corresponding to the thermal processing temperature of part of the mixture; and - c) recovering of the products resulting from the vaporizing and/or thermal processing and for their elimination from said reactor; wherein the mixture to be thermally processed is brought in contact with at least part of the surfaces of the plates of the charge and results in a reaction and/or vaporization of the feed and products allowing the removal of the mixture in the gas and solids phases, and wherein at least part of the plates of the charge moves during the process, and wherein the gaseous stream resulting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of celluosic material is brought in contact with at least part of the surface of the plates of the charge and results in a reaction and/or vaporization of the feed and products allowing the removal of the mixture in the gas and solids phases, and wherein at least part of the plates of the charge moves during the process. 77. Process, according to claim 76, for thermal processing a mixture comprising organic compounds wherein in step b) said part is the part of said mixture that will be thermally processed during the process. 78. Process, according to claim 76 or 77, for thermally processing a mixture comprising organic compounds, wherein the part of the mixture that will be thermally processed is the heavy part of the mixture and may eventually contain additives (and in particular those additives used in the field of lubricating oils) and their degradation by-products. 79. Process, according to any one of claims 76 to 78, wherein the mixture comprises organic compounds having the following thermodynamic and physical features: a specific gravity as per ASTM D-4052 for used oils between 0.75 and 1.1 and/or for oily stream distillation temperatures between 20 degrees Celsius, for plastics a specific gravity ranging from 0.3 to 1.5 ( in liquid or in solid form) as per ASTM 792, and for organic liquids or mixtures a specific gravity ranging from 0.7 to 1.3 as per ASTM D 4052. 80. Process, according to any one of claims 76 to 79, wherein the average residence time in the stationary reactor: - a) is, when no gas stream resulting from incomplete pyrolysis of hydrocarbons is injected in the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor, comprised between 1 seconds to 10 hours, preferably between 30 seconds and 2 hours, and more preferably is between 90 seconds and 10 minutes; and - b) has a value, when a gas stream resulting from incomplete pyrolysis of hydrocarbons is injected in the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor, reduced by at least about 10 % when compared with the average residence time according to a). 81. Process, according to any one of claims 76 to 80, wherein the heating temperature in the reactor ranges from 120°C to 800°C or 350°C to 750°C. 82. Process, according to claim 81, wherein the heating temperature of the plates in the reactor ranges from 150°C to 560°C, preferably 200°C to 525°C, more preferably 400°C to 460°C, even more preferably 200°C to 460°C, still more preferably from 420°C to 455°C and, more advantageously, is about 425°C, particularly when used lube oils are treated. 83. Process, according to claim 82, wherein the heating temperature in the reactor ranges from 500°C to 520°C, and is preferably about 505°C, more preferably about 510°C, particularly when shredded tires, bitumen, heavy oils, contaminated soils, or oil sands naturally contaminated with heavy oils, are treated. 84. Process, according to any one of claims 76 to 97, wherein the pressure in the vertical stationary reactor ranges from 0 to 5, preferably from 1 to 2, more preferably range from 1.2 to 1.3 atmospheres. 85. Process, according to any one of claims 76 to 84, wherein a sweep gas is in introduced in the stationary reactor in an amount representing up to 30 % or up to 80 % of the volume of the gas produced during the pyrolysis transformation in the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor. 86. Process, according to any one of claims 76 to 85, wherein the various fractions generated by the thermal processing are recovered as follows: - the liquid fraction is recovered by distillation; - the gaseous fraction is recovered by distillation; and - the solid fraction is recovered for example in cyclones, a solids recovery box, a scrubber, liquid wash column, spring oil, and/or a refluxing condenser and/or a dephlegmator and/or in a filter and/or in a condensor. 87. Process, according to claim 86, wherein : a) when the feedstock is solely used lubricating oil: - the amount of the recovered liquid fraction represents between 75% and 100% weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 0% weight and 20% weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 0% weight and 25% weight of the reactor feed, and b) when the feedstock is used lubricating oil and a gaseous stream resuting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of hydrocarbons, the amount of the recovered liquid fraction and the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents at least 105 % of the amount obtained in a). 88. Process according to any one of claims 76 to 87, wherein said process is operated in a continuous or in a batch mode. Use of a process, according to any one of claims 76 to 88, for: - treating cellulosic material such as waste papers, wood chips, sawdust; - treating plastics, Municipal Solid Wast; - treating agricultural wast such as straw, com stalks; - treating wastes oils such as used lubricating oils, form oils, metal treating oils, refinery or transportation oil tank bottoms; and/or - destroying hazardous and/or toxic products; and/or - reusing waste products in an environmentally acceptable form and/or way; and/or - cleaning contaminated soils or beaches; and/or - cleaning tar pits; and/or - use in coal-oil co-processing; and/or - recovering oil from oil spills; and/or - PCB free transformed oils. 90. Use of a process, according to claim 89 for treating organics to prepare fules and for treating used oils and to prepare: - a fuel, or a component in a blended fuel, such as a home heating oil, a low sulphur marine fuel, a diesel engine fuel, a static diesel engine fuel, power generation fuel, farm machinery fuel, off road diesel fuel and on road diesel fuel; and/or - solid fuel; and/or - a solvent or component of a solvent; and/or - a diluent for heavy fuels, bunker or bitumen; and/or - a light lubricant or component of a lubricating oil; and/or - a cleaner or a component in oil base cleaners; and/or - a wide range diesel; and/or - a clarified oil; and/or - a component in asphalt blends; and/or - a component of drilling fluids; and/or - a component of flotation oils; and/or - a component of dedusting oils. 91. A manufacturing process for fabricating the stationary reactor and its internals for thermal processing, according to any one of claims 1 to 14, which process comprise assembly, by known means, of the constituting elements of said reactor. 92. A manufacturing process, according to claim 91 , for fabricating the stationary reactor and its internals for thermal processing, wherein known assembling means comprise screwing, jointing, riveting and welding. 93. A Process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that is organic material, in a form of agglomerates, said starting material, preferably with a reduced content in water, metal, glass and/or rocks, being thermally liquefied and further dewatered; the thereby obtained liquid fraction being thereafter submitted to a pyrolysis treatment, performed in a vertical stationary reactor, preferably of the type described in claims 2 to 14, and resulting in a solid gas fraction exiting the reactor, said solid-gas fraction allowing the recovery of a liquid fuel after a controlled gas- solid separation treatment. 94. A Process, according to claim 93, for producing liquid fuels, wherein the feed can be in a form of pellets, granules and/or powder. 95. A Process, according to claim 93 or 94, for producing liquid fuels, wherein the agglomerates have, after drying and filtering, at least one of the following features: - a humidity content lower than 75 %; - a content in metal and stones/glass representing both together less than 25 % weight percent of the total amount of agglomerates; and - a total carbon content of at least 30 % by weight and preferably at least 90% by weight. 96. A Process, according to any one of claims 93 to 95, for producing liquid fuels, wherein the agglomerates are in the form of pellets with an average weight ranging from 1 to 500 grams. 97. A Process, according to claim 95 or 96, for producing liquid fuels, wherein the agglomerates are in the form of pellets with a total carbon content ranging from 30 % to 90, preferably % 30 % to 75 %, and wherein pellets have a humidity content less than 60 %, preferably ranging from 1 to 65 % weight, preferably 5 to 65 % weight. 98. A Process, according to any one of claims 93 to 97, wherein the recovered liquid fuel has a low sulfur content that is, according to ASTM D7544, ASTM preferably D7544 - 12, comprised between 0.03 % and 5 %, preferably lower than 0.05 %, more preferably lower than 0.03 %, and advantageously lower than 0.01 % weight. 99. A Process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organic materials or a mixture of the two, such as municipal waste material, said process includes: a) an optional preliminary step wherein water content of the starting material is reduced preferably to a value lower than 55 % and/or wherein particulate size has been reduced to a size ranging from 0,1 mm to 5 mm; b) a thermal step wherein at least partial liquefying and at least partial dewatering of the starting material, eventually obtained in previous steps a) occurs, wherein starting material is heated under: - a pressure that is preferably ranging from 0,05 to 1 atmosphere and, more preferably, this pressure is about absolute, and preferably is about 0,5 atmosphere, and - at a temperature that is preferably lower than 300 degrees Celsius; c) recovering of the liquid fraction resulting from step b), said liquid fraction can contain solid matters in suspension; a pyrolysis step wherein: - liquid fraction obtained in step b) or c), is treated in a stationary reactor, preferably of the type described in claims 1 to 14 and preferably under positive pressure and/or preferably in the presence of a sweep gas, that is preferably an inert gas, - reaction and straight run products are recovered from the stationary reactor as solids and as a solid-gas mixture, - preferably, with a reduced amount of oxygen present in the stationary reactor; and e) a post treatment step wherein the solid-gas mixture exiting the stationary reactor is submitted to a solid-gas separation allowing the recovery of substantially clean vapours and solids; f) a condensation and/or fractionation step to obtain liquid fuel and gas, and wherein part of the heavy bio-oil and/or heavy hydrocarbon fraction recovered from pyrolysis step may be incorporated in the liquid fraction resulting from step c), preferably in order to adjust solid liquid ratio in the liquid feed stream entering the reactor. 100. A Process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organics material or a mixture of the two, such as municipal waste material, said process includes: a) an optional preliminary step wherein water content of the starting material is reduced preferably to a value lower than 55 % and/or wherein stone and/or metallic content is reduced below 10 weight percent; b) a thermal step wherein at least partial liquefying and at least partial dewatering of the starting material eventually obtained in previous steps a), occurs and wherein starting material is heated under: - an absolute pressure that is preferably ranging from 0,05 to 1 atmosphere and more preferably this pressure is ranging from about 0,5 to 1,5 atmospheres, and - at a temperature that is preferably lower than 250 degrees Celsius; c) recovering of the liquid fraction resulting from step b); d) recovering unliquified solid fraction from step b); e) mixing the fluid fraction obtained in step b) and the solid fraction resulting from grinding in a proportion that does not substantially affect the thermodynamic properties of the liquid fraction, the mixing results in a liquid containing solids in suspension; and f) a pyrolysis step wherein: - liquid obtained in step c) or e), is treated in a stationary reactor, preferably of the type described in claims 1 to 13, advantageously under positive pressure and/or preferably in the presence of a sweep gas, that is preferably an inert gas, and - reaction and straight run products are recovered from the vertical rotating reactor as solids and as a solid-gas mixture; and g) a post treatment step wherein solid-gas mixture exiting the vertical stationary reactor is submitted to a solid-gas separation allowing the recovering of substantially clean vapours and solids; and h) a condensation and/or fractionation step to obtain liquid fuel and gas, and - wherein, in the case wherein liquefaction in step c) is incomplete, the remaining unliquified solid fraction is incorporated in the liquid obtained in step c) preferably before entering the pyrolysis stationary reactor and at concentration and/or particle size that does not affect significantly the physico-dynamic properties of the liquid entering the stationary reactor; and - wherein heavy hydrocarbon and/or heavy bio-oil fraction recovered from pyrolysis step is incorporated in liquid fraction resulting from step c), preferably in order to adjust the solid-liquid ratio in the liquid feed stream entering the reactor. 101. A Process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organics material or a mixture of the two, in a form of agglomerates, such as municipal waste material, said process includes: a) a pre-treatment step wherein agglomerates, such as pellets and/or powder, are made from the starting material; b) an optional drying step, wherein agglomerates obtained in the pre-treatment step and/or coming from the market and/or waste collection are dried to a water content lower than 55% weight percent; c) a thermal step wherein at least partial liquefying and at least partial dewatering of the agglomerates obtained in previous steps a) and/or b) occurs; d) a pyrolysis step, wherein: o liquid obtained in step c), is treated in a stationary reactor, preferably of the type described in claims 2 to 13 and preferably under positive pressure and/or preferably in the presence of a sweep gas, that is preferably an inert gas, and o reaction and straight run products are recovered from the stationary reactor as solids and as a solid-gas mixture; e) a post treatment step wherein solid-gas mixture exiting the stationary reactor is submitted to a solid-gas separation allowing the recovery of substantially clean vapours and solids; and f) a condensation and/or fractionation step to obtain liquid fuel and gas, and wherein, in the case wherein liquefaction in step c) is incomplete, the remaining un- liquefied solid fraction is incorporated in the liquid obtained in step c), preferably before entering the stationary reactor and at concentration and/or particle size that does not affect significantly the physico-dynamic properties of the liquid entering the stationary reactor. 102. Process, according to any one of claims 93 to 101, for producing liquid fuels from starting material that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organics material or a mixture of the two, wherein: - solids present in starting material are broken into small pieces below 20 mm; and/or - agglomerates are made of at least 75% by weight of organics or hydrocarbons mixed with water; and/or - metals and rocks have been sorted out from the agglomerates, preferably by gravity and/or by magnetic separation; and/or -the water content in the starting material is less than 87 weight % as, during the (agglomeration) pelletizing part, the water was taken out; and/or - the solid content of the agglomerates (preferably pellets) preferably before entering the second stage of the drying/liquefying step, has been increased to 15 to 30 weight % in a mill of the dry "HammermiH" type (for example of the Wackerbauer type); and/or - the solid content is further increased, in a screw press, up to 50 to 60 weight %, eventually, with a special system, such as separation mill, turbo dryer, high efficiency dryer, press or filter, raised up to 85 weight %; and/or - dewatering is done with drum dryers or belt dryers or settler to get to a lower water content. 103. Process, according to claim 102, for producing liquid fuels from starting material that is waste hydrocarbons and/or organic materials or a mixture of the two, wherein in step c) of said process the partially dewatered and pre-treated feedstock is heated in a vessel at conditions of temperature and pressure allowing to: evaporate part of the water still present; and liquefy more than 50 % of the heavier hydrocarbons and/or organics present in the starting material, while managing cracking of the feedstock under treatment. 104. Process, according to claim 103, for producing liquid fuels from starting material that is waste hydrocarbons and/or organic materials or a mixture of the two, wherein in step c): the water and lighter materials eventually including cracked material, such as proteins, fats and/or plastics, that are separated from the heavier portion that is at a liquid stage at operating temperature, allowing to eliminate water and to recover lighter products which can be further separated into gas and liquid with low solid content and used in a previous or in a subsequent step to further dry and /or crack the feed stock and/or to be used as fuel of any heating system and/or to be sold in a liquid form as a liquid fuel. 105. Process, according to claim 104, for producing liquid fuels from starting material that is waste hydrocarbons and/or organic materials or a mixture of the two, wherein in step c), the thermal separation treatment is performed in a vessel, at temperature to liquefy the most of the hydrocarbons and/or organics and at a pressure that is preferably below the atmospheric pressure. 106. Process, according to claim 105, for producing liquid fuels from starting material that is waste hydrocarbons and/or organic materials or a mixture of the two, wherein in step c), the recovered lighter material is separated in two fractions: - the first fraction that is a heavy bio-oil fraction that falls back in the vessel wherein step c) is performed; and - the remaining fraction that is the light fraction and that is also separated in 2 liquid fractions (with remaining solid) and a gaseous fraction or in at least 3 subtractions: respectively in an aqueous, oil and gaseous fraction. 107. Process, according to claim 106, for producing liquid fuels from starting material that is waste hydrocarbons and/or organic materials or a mixture of the two, wherein in step c): the water and lighter materials and lighter portion, only present if some material cracks, are separated from the heavier portion allowing to eliminate water and to recover lighter products which can be further separated and used as fuel. 108. Process, according to any one of claims 100 to 107, for producing liquid fuels from starting material that is waste hydrocarbons and/or organic materials or a mixture of the two, wherein in step d): the liquefied materials and entrained solids (resulting of step c) are directed to the vertical stationary reactor, preferably with added sweep gas, and/or preferably with an inert gas, preferably directly in the piping or conduit to treat them in a, preferably indirectly fired, stationary reactor operating preferably under positive pressure and/or preferably with a pressure control system; said indirectly fired stationary reactor having: a. a heating system; b. at least one plate moving inside the stationary reactor; c. a charge of plates of consistent shapes; d. means for bringing the mixture of the liquefied materials and entrained solids resulting from step c) to be thermally processed on the surface of at least part of the plates; e. optionally, at least one step performed in the stationary reactor operating under positive pressure managing system; and/or f. at least one step performed in the stationary reactor wherein a sweep gas is injected in the stationary vertical reactor or in the feed stream entering the stationary vertical reactor; g. means for removing solids from the reactor, preferably either through entrainment with the exiting vapours, or through a separate solid exit, or both; h. means for recovering the reaction and straight run products; and i. means allowing the exit vapours to be directed to a post-treatment module for performing a solid-gas separation on the solid-gas mixture exiting the central module, the transfer is done ensuring that the walls of the post-treatment modules are at least 10 degrees Celsius above the condensation point of the vapours and below the cracking point of the vapours. 109. Process, according to any one of claim 93 to 108, for producing liquid fuels from starting material that is organic materials such as waste hydrocarbons, wherein the transformation conditions in the vertical stationary reactor are at least one of the followings: - temperature range from 200 to 750 degrees Celsius; - pressure lower than 5 atmospheres, preferably below 2 atmospheres, more preferably about 1.1 atmospheres; - residence times ranges from 1 second to 2 hours, preferably 5 seconds to 10 minutes, preferably about 3 minutes; and - the height of the shelves of the vertical reactor, versus the thickness of the plates, ranges from 6 to 1 (6 plates for 1 shelf to 1 plate for 1 shelf). 110. Process, according to claims 93 to 109, for producing liquid fuels from starting material that is organic materials such as waste hydrocarbons, wherein in step e), the post treatment module is configured to perform the solid-gas separation, substantially without any condensation of the gas present in the solid-gas mixture exiting the central module; and/or the post treatment module has preferably at least one cyclone and preferably two cyclones; and/or solids are further separated in a self-refluxing condenser and/or in a equipement changing steam direction, such as a diverter, and/or a wash column; and/or thereafter, the vapours are condensed and separated either in a distillation column or in multiple condensers and/or in a flash drum. 111. A process, according to any one of claims 93 to 110, wherein the thereby obtained liquid fuels present at least one of the following features that are dependent upon the kind of upgrading performed on the bio-oil (hydrodeoxygenation, use of catalysts, etc ): - viscosity as per ASTM D445 below 80, advantageoulsy 40 cSt @ 40°C, more preferably below 20 cSt @ 40°C, more preferably below 10 cSt @ 40°C, more preferably below 5 cSt @ 40°C, more preferably below 3 cSt @ 40°C; - flash point as per ASTM D92 or D93 over 40 °C (preferably after fractionation); - flash point over 55 °C for medium fraction (preferably after fractionation); and - water content, as meseaured by ASTM D1533, below 25 weight %, more preferably below 15 weight %, more preferably below 5 weight % after fractionation. 112. A process, according to any one of claims 93 to 111, wherein bio-diesel and/or heavy hydrocarbons and/or heavy bio-oil fraction, recovered from the solid-vapour fraction exiting the pyrolysis step, is(are) added to the feeding stream before entering the stationary reactor. 113. A process, according to claim 112, wherein bio-diesel is added in the feed material resulting from step b) or from step c) at a rate ranging from 0 to 90 weight % of the feed mass flow rate entering the stationary reactor, preferably less than 50 weight % of the feed mass flow rate entering the stationary reactor, more preferably less than 25 weight %, advantageously ranging from 5 to 20 weight % or 10 to 20 weight % of the feed mass flow rate entering the stationary reactor. 114. A process, according to any one of claims 93 to 113, wherein a weak organic acid is added in the feeding stream before the pyrolysis treatment, preferably before entering the vertical stationary reactor and/or wherein solid fraction recovered from step c) is submitted to a preliminary treatment in order to at least partially destructurize cellulose present in said recovered fraction. 115. A process, according to claim 114, wherein a acid, that advantageously a weak organic acid, preferably a carboxylic acid such as a formic acid and/or carboxylic acid, is used in the preliminary treatment. 116. A process, according to claims 115, wherein the amount of weak acid added in the feeding stream represents from 0 to 50 weight percent of the feed material. 117. A process, according to any one of claims 93 to 116, wherein the feeding stream, is submitted to a physical and/or microwave and/or chemical treatment allowing, before the feeding stream is sprayed on a sliding plate, to at least partially destructurize cellulosic material present in the feed stream. 118. A process, according to any one of claims 93 to 117, wherein the temperature of the feeding stream used in the pyrolysis step is adjusted to a temperature ranging from 80 to 400 degrees Celsius before entering the stationary vertical reactor, more preferably this temperature ranges from 100 to 350 degrees Celsius, 200 to 250 degrees Celsius or 100 to 300 degrees Celsius, more preferably about 180 degrees Celsius. 119. A process, according to any one of claims 93 to 118, performed in a continuous, semi-continuous or batch mode. 120. A process, according to any one of claims 93 to 119, wherein at least one of the following components is used to reduce solid content in the feed stream: gaseous and/or liquid fraction recovered at the exit of the stationary reactor in operation 121. A process, according to any one of claim 120, wherein said recovered fraction is the heavy oil. 122. A process, according to any one of claims 93 to 121, wherein said reactor comprises plates and at least part of the surface of said plates is used to perform said thermal processing. 123. A process, according to claim 122, wherein thermal processing being performed on at least part of the surface of said plates in movement. 124. A process, according to claim 122 or 123, for thermal processing of a mixture, wherein thermal processing being performed on at least 1%, preferably on at least 5%, more preferably on 10 % of the surface of said plates and/or on at least 5%, preferably on at least 10% of the plates. 125. A process, according to any one of claims 122 to 124, wherein said plates contribute to the uniformity of temperature conditions in said stationary reactor. 126. A process, according to any one of claims 122 to 125, for thermal processing of a mixture, wherein said plates contribute to heat transfer from the heated sources to the surface of said plates and to the feed material to process. 127. A process, according to any one of claims 122 to 126, wherein said plates contribute to the heat transfer taking place from the heated walls to the surface of said plates. 128. A process, according to claim 127, wherein said mixture comprises mostly organic compounds and/or hydrocarbon that may be transformed by thermal processing. 129. A process, according to claim 128, wherein said mixture comprises at least 80 weight %, preferably at least 90 weight % of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing. 130. A process, according to claim 129, wherein said mixture comprises at least about 95 weight % of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing. 131. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 130, wherein the mixture may comprise other components that are not organic compounds and/or that may not be transformed by thermal processing. 132. A process, according to claim 131, wherein said other components are selected among: water, steam, ash, nitrogen, sand, earths, shale, metals, inorganic salts, inorganic acids, lime, organic gas that won't be transformed in the reactor and among mixtures of at least two of these components. 133. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 132, wherein said mixture is composed of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing in: a liquid phase, a gaseous phase, a solid phase, or in a combination of at least two of these phases. 134. A process, according to claim 133, wherein said mixture is mostly composed of organic compounds that may be transformed, by thermal processing, in at least a liquid phase, a gaseous phase and a solid phase. 135. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 134, wherein the plates are heated in a specific internal zone of the stationary reactor. 136. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 135, wherein the plates are heated along a side, preferably along a vertical side, of the stationary reactor. 137. A process, according to 135 or 136, wherein the heat source is generated by electricity, IR or convection, a hot oil and/or bio-oil and/or gas stream, or obtained from the combustion of gas, naphtha, other oily streams, coke, coal, or organic waste or a mixture of at least two of these. 138. A process, according to claim 137, wherein the inside of the reactor is indirectly heated by an electromagnetic field, micro-waves and/or infra-red. 139. A process, according to claim 138, wherein the inside of the reactor is directly heated by a hot gas, liquid or solid stream, by electricity or by partial combustion of the feedstock, coke, products or by-products. 140. A process, according to claim 139, wherein the external walls of the reactor are at least partially surrounded by electrical wires by one or more burners and/or exposed to combustion gas and/or hot solids. 141. A process according to any one of claim 139 or 140, wherein the walls of said reactor are surrounded by electrical wires or by a fire box, and said fire box is stationary and contains one or more burners. 142. A process, according to any one of claims 139 to 141, wherein the supporting and/or guiding means are attached to the internal wall in a designed and/or random partem of said reactor. 143. A process, according to any one of claims 121 to 142, wherein the thickness of the plates ranges from 0,05 to 8 cm, preferably from 0,1 to 5 cm and more preferably from 0,3 to 0,4 cm. 144. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 143, wherein the shape of the plates of the charge is selected among the group of parallelograms, such as triangles, squares, rectangles, lozenges, or trapezes. 145. A process, according to claim 144, wherein the plates of the charge are rectangular. 146. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 145, wherein the shape of the plates of the charge is imperfect and/or wherein all the plates present in the reactor have about the same size and shape. 147. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 146, wherein the plates have a melting point which is at least about 100 degrees Celsius, and more preferably is at least 150 degrees Celsius above the reactor wall maximum operating temperature in the thermal processing zone and/or combustion zone. 148. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 147, wherein the plates are heavy enough to scrape coke off other plates and/or to have coke scraped off it by moving over scraping mechanisms without loosing more than 90 % or 70 % of initial velocity of a plate when sliding or when falling. 149. A process, according to claim 148, wherein each plate has a density that is superior to 2.0 g/cm3, preferably superior to 7.5 g/cm3 and more preferably comprised between 5.5 g/cm3 and 9.0 g/cm3. 150. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 149, wherein the means for bringing the mixture in contact with at least part of the surfaces of the plates are spraying means of the nozzle type. 151. A process, according to claim 150, wherein the means for bringing the mixture in contact with at least part of the surfaces of the plates are spray nozzles that spray the mixture onto the surface of the plates of the charge when the feed stream is liquid and/or mixture of liquid and/or gas and/or entrained solids. 152. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 151, wherein the means for bringing the solids outside the reactor is (are) entrainment with the product gas, scoop(s), screw conveyor(s) and/or propeller and/or rotating fins and/or blower(s) and/or gravity and/or comprise an exit hopper arrangement attached to the solids exit tube. 153. A process, according to claim 152, wherein said reactor has two exits: one for the solids and one for the gas/vapours and entrained solids obtained. 154. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 153, wherein the gas/vapours obtained contain entrained solids. 155. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 154, wherein said reactor is equipped with means for avoiding accumulation of solid in the reactor and/or for avoiding plugging of any of the exits and/or wherein the means for avoiding accumulation are a screw conveyor in the solids exit tube, or a slanted solids exit tube; said means may also be positioned in the bottom part of the vetical stationary reactor. 156. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 155, wherein the feeding of the mixture is on the top of the reactor or is at about equal distance of each end, preferably vertical end of the stationary reactor. 157. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 156, wherein the exit of the solids is on the bottom of the reactor. 158. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 157, for thermally processing a mixture comprising organic compounds, wherein the part of the mixture that will be thermally processed is the heavy part of the mixture and may eventually contain additives commonly used in this field and their degradation by-products. 159. A process, according to claim 158, wherein the mixture comprises organic compounds having the following thermodynamic and physical features: a specific gravity as per ASTM D-4052 ranging from 0.5 to 2.0, and/or distillation temperatures between 20°C and 950°C as per ASTM D-1160. 160. A process, according to claims 158 or 159, wherein the average residence time in the stationary reactor is between 1 seconds to 10 hours, preferably between 30 seconds and 2 hours, and more preferably is between 90 seconds and 10 minutes. 161. A process, according to any one of claims 158 to 160, wherein the heating temperature in the reactor ranges from 50°C to 750°C, preferably froml00°C to 650°C, more preferably 200°C to 550°C, and even more preferably from 250°C to 450°C. 162. A process, according to claim 161, wherein the heating temperature in the reactor ranges from preferably 140°C to 550°C, more preferably 370°C to 525°C, even more preferably from 420°C and 500°C and, more advantageously, is about 420°C or 470°C particularly when MS W combined with used lube oils are treated. 163. A process, according to claim 160, wherein the heating temperature in the reactor ranges from 500°C to 520°C, and is preferably about 505°C, more preferably about 510°C when rubber is fed in the stationary reactor. 164. A process, according to any one of claims 158 to 163, wherein the stationary reactor has, considering that plates are defined by L for length, W for width, T for thickness of a plate, at least one of the following features: - the average width of the plates of a guiding and/or of a sliding means is larger than the width by 0 to 30, advantageously by 2 to 15 % , preferably by 5 to 10 %, more preferably is about 3 %; the inner length of the stationary reactor or the inner diameter when the stationary reactor is a cylinder; - the average thickness of the plate must be less than or equal to 8 cm; - the Ratio LAV is less than or equal to 3; and - the length of a plate is at most 5 times the width of a plate. 165. A process, according to any one of claims 158 to 164, wherein the supporting and/or guiding means have the shape of a single rectangle and/or a series of rectangles and/or a series of rectangles with guides directly below them and/or a series of rectangles with guides attached to them and/or a series of pegs and/or a series of pegs with guides directly below them and/or a series of pegs with guides attached to them. 166. A process, according to any one of claims 158 to 165, wherein the solid-gas mixture exiting the vertical stationary reactor are directed to a post-treatment module for performing a solid-gas separation on the solid-gas mixture exiting the central module, wherein the post treatment module is configured to perform the solid-gas separation, substantially without any condensation of the gas present in the solid gas-mixture exiting the central module. 167. A process, according to claim 166, wherein the post-treatment module is configured for keeping the solid-gas mixture at a temperature that is about the temperature of the gas at the exit of the central module, or at a temperature that is above the temperature at the exit of the central module but inferior to the cracking temperature of the gas present in the solid-gas mixture; preferably, the temperature of the solid-gas mixture in the post treatment module is higher than the temperature of the solid-gas mixture at the exit of the central module by no more than 5 degrees Celsius or is preferably greater than the temperature of the solid-gas mixture at the exit of the central module. 168. A process, according to claim 167, wherein the difference between the temperature in the post-treatment module and the temperature at the exit of the central module ranges from 0 to + or - 10 degrees Celsius. 169. A process, according to any one of claims 167 or 168, comprising means for injecting inert gaz such as nitrogen, recycled gaz and/or steam inside the feed material and/or inside the feedstock, and/or inside the pre-treatment module and/or inside the central module. 170. A process, according to any one of claim 167 to 169, wherein the post-treatment module being positioned close to the vapour exit of the central module. 171. A process, according to any one of claims 167 to 170, configured for allowing the thermal conversion to be performed with a residence time ranging from 1 seconds to 10 minutes. 172. A process, according to any one of claims 167 to 171, wherein the post- treatment module comprises a transit line, directly connected to the gas-solid mixture exit of the central module, for bringing the gas-solid mixture into the also heated post-treatment module. 173. A process, according to any one of claims 167 to 172, wherein the post treatment module is equipped with: - a transit line connecting the two heated enclosures constituting of the central module and of the post-treatment module; and/or - an extension, of the central heated enclosure, having the function of assuring the connection with an end of the transit line, said extension being also kept at or above the reactor outlet temperature; and/or - an extension of the combustion chamber surrounding the pyrolysis reactor being connected with the post-treatment module, preferably by means of heat transfer line(s). 174. A process, according to claim 167 or 173, wherein the transit line between the two heated enclosures is also kept at a temperature slightly above or below the temperature of the gas at the exit of the central module, preferably the two enclosures and the transit line are inside the same heating vessel. 175. A process, according to claims 167 to 174, wherein: - the line between the two heated enclosures is equipped with an automatic or manual cleanout device, such as a door, provided on this line to remove deposits for example when the plant is shut down; and - the sealing of the connection between the extension of the Central module and the end of the connection line being preferably assumed by a ring (preferably a metallic ring) and by a seal (preferably of the graphite type and of the asbestos' type). 176. A process, according to any one of claims 167 to 175, wherein the transit line is permanently heated when in operation. 177. A process, according to claim 176, wherein the length of the transit line is lower or equal to 10 meters. 178. A process, according to any one of claims 167 to 177, wherein the pyrolysis vertical reactor comprises a first zone placed in a heated enclosure and a second zone that is outside the heated enclosure but insulated internally to keep the solid-gas mixture, produced in the first zone, hot until entering a solid-gas separation equipment. 179. A process, according to any one of claims 167 to 178, wherein the vertical pyrolysis reactor module comports a first zone placed in a heated enclosure and a second zone that is outside the heated enclosure but insulated internally to keep the reactor products at a temperature higher that the temperature inside the first zone. 180. A process, according to any one of claims 167 to 179, wherein the solids resulting from the thermal processing in the vertical stationary reactor are separated from the vapours in gas-solids separation equipment, preferably in a box and/or in a cyclone, situated in a second heated enclosure placed downstream or upstream to the central module. 181. A process, according to claims 167 to 180, wherein the temperature of the products at the exit of the separating equipment is kept at or above the reactor exit temperature. 182. A process, according to any one of claims 167 to 181, wherein the clean vapours exiting from the post treatment module are condensed and separated into products such as Wide Range Bio-Diesel being defined by reference to Number 1 to Number 6 diesels, and by reference to marine oil specifications and/or to heating oil specifications and/or alkene products such as kerosene. 183. A process, according to claim 182, wherein the separating equipment is configured to be connected with an equipment of the distillation column type. 184. A process, according to claim 183, wherein the vapours, exiting the gas-solids separating equipment is routed to an equipment of the flash drum type, said equipment of the flash drum type having preferably a refiuxing condenser mounted above it to scrub the reactor products and to remove residual solids. 185. A process, according to claim 184, wherein the clean vapours, exiting from the post treatment module, are condensed and separated in an equipment of the distillation column type. 186. Process, according to claims 184 or 185, wherein the average residence time in the vertical stationary reactor ranges from 1 seconds to 2 hours, advantageously from 3 seconds to 15 minutes, preferably from 50 seconds to 15 minutes, and more preferably from 90 seconds to 10 minutes. 187. Process, according to claims 186, wherein the heating temperature, depending of the feed material and of the product desired, in the stationary reactor, ranges from 140°C to 575°C, 300°C to 420°C or 350°C to 550°C, preferably from 390°C to 460°C or 510°C to 520°C, more preferably from 420°C and 455°C and, more advantageously, is about 425°C, about 510°C or about 520°C. 188. Process, according to any one of claims 185 to 187, wherein the various fractions generated by the cracking are recovered as follow: - the liquid fraction is recovered by distillation - the gaseous fraction is recovered by distillation and/or partial condensation; and - the solid fraction is recovered in cyclones. 189. Process, according to any one of claims 167 to 188, wherein: - the amount of the recovered liquid fraction represents between 30% and 90% weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 1 % and 30% weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 1% and 40% weight of the reactor feed, and when applied to plastic: - the amount of the recovered liquid fraction, preferably, of the recovered diesel represents between 50 % and 90 % weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction i.e. of the recovered vapours represents between 1 to 10 % weight of the reactor feed and the amount of the recovered naphtha represents between 2 and 15 % weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered solid fraction i.e of recovered coke represents between 2 and 40 % weight of the reactor feed. 190. A process, according to any one of claims 126 to 189, wherein the vertical stationary reactor is configured in a way that the extension is connectable with a transit line that is advantageously heatable and configured to bring solid-gas mixtures exiting the stationary reactor to a post-treatment module configured to separate gas and solids present in the solid-gas mixture. 191. A process, according to claim 190, wherein the stationary reactor is configured in a way that the extension is connectable with a transit line that is advantageously heatable and configured to bring solid-gas mixtures exiting the stationary reactor to a post-treatment module configured to at least partially separate solids present in the solid-gas mixture. 192. Process, according to any one of claims 172 to 191 , wherein the various fractions generated by the thermal processing are recovered as follow: - the liquid fraction is recovered by distillation; - the gaseous fraction is recovered by distillation; and - the solid fraction is recovered for example in wash column, filters, cyclones, a solids recovery box, a scrubber, and/or a refluxing condenser. 193. Process, according to claim 192, wherein - the amount of the recovered liquid fraction represents between 30% and 80% weight of the organic reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 30% weight and 60% weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 0% weight and 20% weight of the reactor feed, when the feedstock is organic waste material. 194. Use of a process, according to any one of claims 171 to 192 for treating municipal waste material such as municipal solid or liquid waste, biomass, plastic and/or tires. 195. Use of the process, according to claim 194, for treating MSW and/or organic matter and/or used oils and to prepare: - a fuel, or a component in a blended fuel, such as a home heating oil, a low sulphur marine fuel, a diesel engine fuel, a static diesel engine fuel, power generation fuel, farm machinery fuel, off road diesel fuel and/or on road diesel fuel; and/or - a cetane index enhancer; and/or - a drilling mud base oil or component; and/or - a solvent or component of a solvent; and/or - a diluent for heavy fuels, bunker or bitumen; and/or - a light lubricant or component of a lubricating oil; and/or - a cleaner or a component in oil base cleaners; and/or - a flotation oil component; and/or - a wide range diesel; and/or - a clarified oil; and/or - a component in asphalt blends; and/or - a soil amendment; and/or - an additive to animal feed; and/or - an insulator; and/or - a humidity regulator; and/or - an air decontaminator; and/or - a protective element against electromagnetic radiation; and/or - an element to decontaminate soil and/or water; and/or - a biomass additive; and/or - a biogas slurry treatment; and/or - an element for paints and/or food colorants; and/or - a detoxification agent; and/or - a carrier for active pharmaceutical ingredients; and/or - an exhaust filter; and/or - a semiconductor; and/or - a therapeutic bath additive; and/or - a skin cream additive; and/or - a soap additive; and/or - a solid fuel; and/or - a substitute for lignite; and/or - a filling for mattresses and/or pillows; and/or - an ingredient in food; and/or - a bio-oil for combustion; and/or - chemicals such as acids, alcohols, aromatics, aldehydes, esters, ketones, sugars, phenols, guaiacols, syringols, furans, alkenes; and/or - emulsification agent for fuels; and/or - refining secondary feeds et dedusting oils; and/or - a feed for steam reforming. 196. Managing system allowing continuous optimisation of a process as defined in any one of the preceeding process claims for producing fuel from waste hydrocarbon and/or organic material, said system comprising at least one captor for measuring at least one of the following parameters : - humidity in the agglomerates; - rate of cellulosic material present in the feed stream before entering the vertical stationary reactor; - brix index and/or temperature of the feeding stream in a liquid or in a semi liquid stage and/or heterogeneous state before entering the vertical stationary reactor; - temperature and/or pressure in the vessel and/or in the vertical stationary reactor; - a storage unit for storing data collected by sensors of the system; and - calculation unit configured to adjust solid content present in the feed stream to the vessel preferably a pretreatment vessel, and/or to adjust solid content in the feed stream to the vertical stationary reactor. 197. Managing system, according to claim 196, wherein feed stream solid content is adjusted by at least one of the following means for: - injecting in the feed stream a weak organic acid; - injecting in the feed stream a diesel, preferably a heavy diesel, product oil or used lubricating oils; and/or - adjusting pressure at positive or negative value; and - adjusting temperature of the feeding stream in the range from 25 to 350 Celsius degrees. |
The present application claims priority to Canadian patent application No 2,979,651, filed on September 20, 2017. This document is hereby incorporated by reference in its entirety.
FIELD OF THE INVENTION The invention relates to a stationary reactor for producing valuable liquid fuel from waste hydrocarbon and/or from organic material and/or from contaminated soils and/or from an oily feed material. The invention also relates to pyrolysis systems incorporating a stationary reactor of the invention.
The invention also relates to manufacturing processes for building the stationary reactor or a pyrolysis system of the invention and to thermal processes involving the vertical reactor or the pyrolysis system of the invention in the thermal step.
The invention further concern the use of the stationary reactor or of the pyrolysis system for converting mixtures, essentially made of hydrocarbons, Municipal Waste and/or waste oil, into valuable products. The invention relates to a thermal process for producing fuel from a variety of organic material, such as municipal solid waste and/or waste hydrocarbons or a mixture of the two treated simultaneously.
The invention also concerns corresponding managing systems allowing a continuous optimisation of the corresponding thermal processusing astaionary reactor or a pyrolysis system of the invention. PRIOR ART
US2017095790 describes a rotating reactor and its internals used for the thermal processing of a liquid mixture. The reactor comprises plates and at least part of the surface of said plates is used to perform the thermal processing. The reactor and its internals are used for the thermal processing of various liquid mixtures containing organic compounds. This patent document also describe processes, for thermal processing the mixture comprising organic compounds, comprising the steps of feeding the reactor and its internals and being useful for treating wastes oils and/or for destroying hazardous and/or toxic products; and/or for reusing waste products in an environmentally acceptable form and/or way, and/or for cleaning contaminated soils or beaches, and/or cleaning tar pits, and/or use in coal-oil co-processing, and/or recovering oil from oil spills, and/or PCB free transformed oils.
US 2009/0114567 describes a continuous process and apparatus for treating feedstocks containing carbonaceous materials involves heating bodies to heat the feedstock to vaporize and crack hydrocarbons and carbon formed on heating bodies is removed through direct contact to a flame heater.
There was a need for a compact stationary reactor free of at least one o the drawbacks of the prior art reactor and processes.
There was also a need for an efficient equipment, with a simple and compact mechanical structure that can be easily fabricated at low costs, dismounted and mounted on a remote site and allowing the efficient producing of mixtures easy to separate in an efficient way and with reduced maintenance of the equipment.
SUMMARY
According to one aspect, there is provided a stationary reactor and its internals for thermal processing of a mixture, said reactor comprising plates and at least one plate(s) supporting and/or guiding mean(s) configured to allow sliding of a plate on the upper surface of plate(s) supporting and/or guiding means, a plate sliding from an upper position of the reactor to a lower position of the reactor, said reactor being further caracterized in that the at least one plate(s) supporting and/or guiding means is preferably inclined and in that at least part of the surface of said plates being used to performed said thermal processing of the mixture.
According to another aspect, there is provided a pyrolysis system for thermal processing of a mixture, said system comprising:
a. a stationary reactor as defined in the present invention;
b. an internal or external heating system;
c. a charge of plates of consistent shapes;
d. means, such as spray nozzles, for directing or for contacting the mixture to be thermally processed to the surface of at least part of the plates; e. means for removing the fine solids from the reactor, preferably either through entrainment with the exiting vapours, or through a separate solids exit, or both;
f. means for recovering the reaction and straight run products; and g. means for venting the gas obtained by the thermal processing outside the stationary reactor zone.
According to a further aspect, there is provided a process for thermally processing a mixture comprising organic compounds, which process comprises the steps of:
- a) feeding a stationary reactor and its internals as defined in the present invention with:
- said mixture being sprayed or poureds or dump on at least part of the plates surfaces during sliding of the plates on the supporting and/or guiding means, and
- optionally, a gaseous stream resuting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of cellulosic materaial;
- b) heating the plates of said stationary reactor and its internals at a temperature corresponding to the thermal processing temperature of part of the mixture; and
- c) recovering of the products resulting from the vaporizing and/or thermal processing and for their elimination from said reactor; wherein the mixture to be thermally processed is brought in contact with at least part of the surfaces of the plates of the charge and results in a reaction and/or vaporization of the feed and products allowing the removal of the mixture in the gas and solids phases, and wherein at least part of the plates of the charge moves during the process, and wherein the gaseous stream resulting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of celluosic material is brought in contact with at least part of the surface of the plates of the charge and results in a reaction and/or vaporization of the feed and products allowing the removal of the mixture in the gas and solids phases, and wherein at least part of the plates of the charge moves during the process.
According to another aspect, there is provided a process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that is organic material, in a form of agglomerates, said starting material, preferably with a reduced content in water, metal, glass and/or rocks, being thermally liquefied and further dewatered; the thereby obtained liquid fraction being thereafter submitted to a pyrolysis treatment, performed in a vertical stationary reactor, preferably of the type described in the present invention, and resulting in a solid gas fraction exiting the reactor, said solid-gas fraction allowing the recovery of a liquid fuel after a controlled gas-solid separation treatment.
According to another aspect, there is provided a process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organic materials or a mixture of the two, such as municipal waste material, said process includes:
a) an optional preliminary step wherein water content of the starting material is reduced preferably to a value lower than 55 % and/or wherein particulate size has been reduced to a size ranging from 0,1 mm to 5 mm;
b) a thermal step wherein at least partial liquefying and at least partial
dewatering of the starting material, eventually obtained in previous steps a) occurs, wherein starting material is heated under:
- a pressure that is preferably ranging from 0,05 to 1 atmosphere and, more preferably, this pressure is about absolute, and preferably is about 0,5 atmosphere, and
- at a temperature that is preferably lower than 300 degrees Celsius; c) recovering of the liquid fraction resulting from step b), said liquid fraction can contain solid matters in suspension;
d) a pyrolysis step wherein:
- liquid fraction obtained in step b) or c), is treated in a stationary reactor, preferably of the type described in the present invention and preferably under positive pressure and/or preferably in the presence of a sweep gas, that is preferably an inert gas,
- reaction and straight run products are recovered from the stationary reactor as solids and as a solid-gas mixture,
- preferably, with a reduced amount of oxygen present in the stationary reactor; and
e) a post treatment step wherein the solid-gas mixture exiting the stationary reactor is submitted to a solid-gas separation allowing the recovery of substantially clean vapours and solids; f) a condensation and/or fractionation step to obtain liquid fuel and gas, and
wherein part of the heavy bio-oil and/or heavy hydrocarbon fraction recovered from pyrolysis step may be incorporated in the liquid fraction resulting from step c), preferably in order to adjust solid liquid ratio in the liquid feed stream entering the reactor.
According to another aspect, there is provided a process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organics material or a mixture of the two, such as municipal waste material, said process includes:
a) an optional preliminary step wherein water content of the starting material is reduced preferably to a value lower than 55 % and/or wherein stone and/or metallic content is reduced below 10 weight percent;
b) a thermal step wherein at least partial liquefying and at least partial
dewatering of the starting material eventually obtained in previous steps a), occurs and wherein starting material is heated under:
- an absolute pressure that is preferably ranging from 0,05 to 1 atmosphere and more preferably this pressure is ranging from about 0,5 to 1,5 atmospheres, and
- at a temperature that is preferably lower than 250 degrees Celsius; c) recovering of the liquid fraction resulting from step b);
d) recovering unliquified solid fraction from step b);
e) mixing the fluid fraction obtained in step b) and the solid fraction resulting from grinding in a proportion that does not substantially affect the
thermodynamic properties of the liquid fraction, the mixing results in a liquid containing solids in suspension; and
f) a pyrolysis step wherein:
- liquid obtained in step c) or e), is treated in a stationary reactor, preferably of the type described in the present invention, advantageously under positive pressure and/or preferably in the presence of a sweep gas, that is preferably an inert gas, and
- reaction and straight run products are recovered from the vertical rotating reactor as solids and as a solid-gas mixture; and g) a post treatment step wherein solid-gas mixture exiting the vertical stationary reactor is submitted to a solid-gas separation allowing the recovering of substantially clean vapours and solids; and
h) a condensation and/or fractionation step to obtain liquid fuel and gas, and
- wherein, in the case wherein liquefaction in step c) is incomplete, the remaining unliquified solid fraction is incorporated in the liquid obtained in step c) preferably before entering the pyrolysis stationary reactor and at concentration and/or particle size that does not affect significantly the physico-dynamic properties of the liquid entering the stationary reactor; and
- wherein heavy hydrocarbon and/or heavy bio-oil fraction recovered from pyrolysis step is incorporated in liquid fraction resulting from step c), preferably in order to adjust the solid-liquid ratio in the liquid feed stream entering the reactor.
According to another aspect, there is provided a process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organics material or a mixture of the two, in a form of agglomerates, such as municipal waste material, said process includes:
a) a pre-treatment step wherein agglomerates, such as pellets and/or powder, are made from the starting material; an optional drying step, wherein agglomerates obtained in the pre-treatment step is(are) or coming from the market and/or waste collection are dried to a water content lower than 55% weight percent;
c) a thermal step wherein at least partial liquefying and at least partial
dewatering of the agglomerates obtained in previous steps a) and/or b) occurs;
d) a pyrolysis step, wherein:
o liquid obtained in step c), is treated in a stationary kiln, preferably of the type described in the present invention and preferably under positive pressure and/or preferably in the presence of a sweep gas, that is preferably an inert gas, and
o reaction and straight run products are recovered from the rotating kiln as solids and as a solid-gas mixture;
e) a post treatment step wherein solid-gas mixture exiting the stationary reactor is submitted to a solid-gas separation allowing the recovering of substantially clean vapours and solids; and
f) a condensation and/or fractionation step to obtain liquid fuel and gas, and wherein, in the case wherein liquefaction in step c) is incomplete, the remaining unliquified solid fraction is incorporated in the liquid obtained in step c), preferably before entering the stationary reactor and at concentration and/or particle size that does not affect significantly the physico-dynamic properties of the liquid entering the stationary reactor. According to another aspect, there is provided a managing system allowing continuous optimisation of a process as defined in any one of the preceeding process-claims for producing fuel from waste hydrocarbon and/or organic material, said system comprising at least one captor for measuring at least one of the following parameters
- humidity in the agglomerates;
- rate of cellulosic material present in the feed stream before entering the vertical stationary reactor; - brix index and/or temperature of the feeding stream in a liquid or in a semi liquid stage and or heterogeneous state before entering thevertical stationary reactor;
- temperature and/or pressure in the vessel and/or in the vertical stationary reactor;
- a storage unit for storing data collected by sensors of the system; and
- calculation unit configured to adjust solid content present in the feed stream to the vessel, and/or to adjust solid content in the feed stream to the vertical stationary reactor.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
The following drawings are presented as non-limitative examples. Figure 1 is a simplified flow diagram illustrating an embodiment of the process according to the present invention.
Figure 2 is an example of an outside front view, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of a reactor and its accompanying elevator system, in which the reactor feed stream is thermally processed on hot plates, wherein there is no downstream processing to remove solids from the vapours exiting said reactor.
Figure 3 is an example of an outside front view, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of a reactor and its accompanying elevator system, in which the reactor feed stream is thermally processed on hot plates, wherein downstream processing to remove solids from the vapours exiting said reactor exists. Figure 4 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an example of the first embodiment of the reactor and its charge of plates, and in which the reactor feed stream is thermally processed on hot plates which slide down a series of n trays due to gravitational forces, and in which plates do not flip in between trays. Figure 5 represents a top view cross section of the reactor in between points A and A' on Figure 4, illustrating the movement of plates and examples of three configurations of guides on which plates slide. Figure 6 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an example of the top-most section of the first embodiment of the reactor, showing the first tray, in which the angle with respect to the horizontal axis of said first tray changes from the right-most end of a tray to the left-most end of a tray, and in which there is no vertical gap between the reactor entrance door and said first tray.
Figure 7 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an example of the second embodiment of the reactor and its charge of plates, in which the reactor feed stream is thermally processed on hot plates which slide down a series of n trays due to gravitational forces, and in which plates flip as they transition between trays via the use of flippers located at the bottommost extremity of each tray, excluding the last tray.
Figure 8 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an example of the third embodiment of the reactor and its charge of plates, in which the reactor feed stream is thermally processed on hot plates which slide down a series of n trays due to gravitational forces, and in which plates flip as they transition between trays via the use of flipping trays located directly above each tray, excluding the last tray.
Figure 9 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an example of the first embodiment of the elevator system, in which plates are heated via the use of burners and conveyed upwards via the use of lifters and supports, and in which the outside front view of the accompanying reactor, according to the same plan, is shown.
Figure 10 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an example of the second embodiment of the elevator system, in which plates are heated via the use of induction heating and conveyed upwards via the use of lifters and supports, and in which the outside front view of the accompanying reactor, according to the same plan, is shown.
Figure 11 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 4, illustrating the movement of plates entering the reactor and sliding on the first tray, in which there is a vertical gap between the entrance of the reactor and said first tray. Figure 12 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 7, illustrating the movement of plates entering the reactor, sliding on the first tray and being flipped via the use of a flipper while transitioning between trays, in which there is a vertical gap between the entrance of the reactor and said first tray.
Figure 13 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, illustrating the movement of plates entering the reactor, sliding on the first tray and being flipped via the use of a flipping tray while transitioning between trays, in which there is a vertical gap between the entrance of the reactor and said first tray.
Figure 14 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 4, illustrating the movement of plates entering the reactor and sliding on the first and second trays, in which there is a vertical gap between the entrance of the reactor and said first tray.
Figure 15 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 7, illustrating the movement of plates entering the reactor, sliding on the first and second trays and being flipped via the use of flippers while transitioning between trays, in which there is a vertical gap between the entrance of the reactor and said first tray.
Figure 16 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, illustrating the movement of plates entering the reactor, sliding on the first and second trays and being flipped via the use of flipping trays while transitioning between trays, in which there is a vertical gap between the entrance of the reactor and said first tray. Figure 17 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 4, illustrating the movement of plates entering the reactor and sliding on the first, second and third trays, in which there is a vertical gap between the entrance of the reactor and said first tray.
Figure 18 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 7, illustrating the movement of plates entering the reactor, sliding on the first, second and third trays and being flipped via the use of flippers while transitioning between trays, in which there is a vertical gap between the entrance of the reactor and said first tray.
Figure 19 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, illustrating the movement of plates entering the reactor, sliding on the first, second and third trays and being flipped via the use of flipping trays while transitioning between trays, in which there is a vertical gap between the entrance of the reactor and said first tray. Figure 20 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the bottom-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 4, illustrating the movement of plates on the last tray.
Figure 21 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the bottom-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 4, illustrating the movement of plates on the two last trays.
Figure 22 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the bottom-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 7, illustrating the movement of plates on the two last trays and the plates being flipped via the use of a flipper.
Figure 23 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the bottom-most section of the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, illustrating the movement of plates on the two last trays and the plates being flipped via the use of a flipping tray.
Figure 24 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 7, showing the first sequence in a series of five sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flippers located at the bottom-most extremity of said trays, wherein the flippers are starting to lift said plates off of the trays and the plates are resting on a flipper arm.
Figure 25 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 7, showing the second sequence in a series of five sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flippers located at the bottom-most extremity of said trays, wherein the flippers are continuing to lift said plates off of the trays and the plates are still resting a flipper arm but have increased momentum relative to the sequence prior.
Figure 26 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 7, showing the third sequence in a series of five sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flippers located at the bottom-most extremity of said trays, wherein the flippers have lifted said plates off of the trays, the plates only have part of their lower surface resting on a flipper arm and the plates are flipping due to the momentum gained by the rotational movement of the flipper on which they were resting.
Figure 27 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 7, showing the fourth sequence in a series of five sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flippers located at the bottom-most extremity of said trays, wherein the flippers have lifted said plates off of the trays, the plates are no longer in contact with the flipper on which they were resting and the plates have flipped and are falling onto the tray directly below.
Figure 28 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 7, showing the fifth sequence in a series of five sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flippers located at the bottom-most extremity of said trays, wherein the flippers have lifted said plates off of the trays, the plates are no longer in contact with the flipper on which they were resting, the plates have flipped and have fell onto the tray directly below and the plates are now sliding on said tray below due to gravitational forces.
Figure 29 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, showing the first sequence in a series of seven sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flipping trays located above the trays supporting said plates, wherein the plates are sliding downwards and have not yet reached the bottom-most edges of the trays on which they slide.
Figure 30 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, showing the second sequence in a series of seven sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flipping trays located above the trays supporting said plates, wherein the plates are sliding downwards and have begun to surpass the bottom-most edges of the surfaces of the trays on which they slide, but have not yet passed said edges enough to start falling downwards off said trays.
Figure 31 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, showing the third sequence in a series of seven sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flipping trays located above the trays supporting said plates, wherein the plates are sliding downwards and have continued to surpass the bottom-most edges of the surfaces of the trays on which they slide, have surpassed said edges enough to start falling downwards off said trays, and are starting to tip over off said trays.
Figure 32 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, showing the fourth sequence in a series of seven sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flipping trays located above the trays supporting said plates, wherein the plates have slid downwards and have sufficiently surpassed the bottom-most edges of the surfaces of the trays on which they slid to begin flipping, have continued to fall downwards off said trays, but their downwards movement is inhibited by the flipping trays directly above said trays and the plates have not yet made contact with the curved trays directly below. Due to this inhibition of movement caused by the flipping trays, the top-most part of said plates are beginning to slide on said flipping trays and said plates are rotating towards the center of the reactor during their descent, causing the plates to flip.
Figure 33 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, showing the fifth sequence in a series of seven sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flipping trays located above the trays supporting said plates, wherein the plates have slid downwards and have sufficiently surpassed the bottom-most edges of the surfaces of the trays on which they slid to begin flipping, have continued to fall downwards off said trays, but their downwards movement is inhibited by the flipping trays directly above said trays and the plates have made contact with the curved trays directly below, but are still in contact with the flipping trays and have not yet begun to slide on the curved trays. Due to this inhibition of movement caused by the flipping trays, the top-most part of said plates have continued to slide on said flipping trays and said plates are rotating towards the center of the reactor during their descent, causing the plates to flip.
Figure 34 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, showing the sixth sequence in a series of seven sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flipping trays located above the trays supporting said plates, wherein the plates have slid downwards and have sufficiently surpassed the bottom-most edges of the surfaces of the trays on which they slid to begin flipping, have continued to fall downwards off said trays, their downwards movement is no longer inhibited by the flipping trays and are now in contact with the curved tray directly below as they continue to flip.
Figure 35 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an intermediate stage within the reactor according to the embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 8, showing the seventh sequence in a series of seven sequences illustrating an example of the flipping motion plates undergo while transitioning between trays via the use of flipping trays located above the trays supporting said plates, wherein the plates have slid downwards and have sufficiently surpassed the bottom-most edges of the surfaces of the trays on which they slid to begin flipping, have continued to fall downwards off said trays, their downwards movement is no longer inhibited by the flipping trays and are now in contact with both the curved tray directly below and the tray attached to said curved tray as they have finished flipping and are now sliding downwards due to gravitational forces. Figure 36 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the bottom section of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of said elevator system, showing the first sequence in a series of four sequences illustrating an example of how a plate may fall onto the elevator system and be carried upwards, wherein said plate is sliding on the bottom pressurised chamber floor and making contact with the top surface of a support.
Figure 37 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the bottom section of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of said elevator system, showing the second sequence in a series of four sequences illustrating an example of how a plate may fall onto the elevator system and be carried upwards, wherein said plate is lifted off the bottom pressurised chamber floor by the support in contact with said plate and is sliding downwards on the arm of said support, in the direction of the lifter directly below the bottom-most part of said plate.
Figure 38 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the bottom section of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of said elevator system, showing the third sequence in a series of four sequences illustrating an example of how a plate may fall onto the elevator system and be carried upwards, wherein said plate has hit the back end of the lifter directly below the bottom-most part of said plate and landed on the bottom end of said lifter, while the top-most part of said plate is being supported by the arm of the support in contact with said plate.
Figure 39 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the bottom section of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of said elevator system, showing the fourth sequence in a series of four sequences illustrating an example of how a plate may fall onto the elevator system and be carried upwards, wherein the plate is being lifted and, due to the greater speed of ascent of the lifters relative to the speed of ascent of the supports, has caused the angle of said plate, relative to the horizontal axis, to decrease during said plate's ascent.
Figure 40 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top section of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of said elevator system, showing the first sequence in a series of four sequences illustrating an example of how a plate may be carried upwards and directed onto the top pressurised chamber floor, wherein said plate is being carried upwards by the support and lifter in contact with said plate, and wherein said plate's movement is inhibited by the elevator left wall.
Figure 41 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top section of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of said elevator system, showing the second sequence in a series of four sequences illustrating an example of how a plate may be carried upwards and directed onto the top pressurised chamber floor, wherein said plate's left side has surpassed the edge of said floor and is beginning to slide on the surface of said floor, while still being in contact with the lifter and support directly below said plate.
Figure 42 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top section of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of said elevator system, showing the first sequence in a series of four sequences illustrating an example of how a plate may be carried upwards and directed onto the top pressurised chamber floor, wherein said plate's left side is sliding on the surface of said floor, while still being in contact with the support directly below said plate and no longer being in contact with any lifter. Figure 43 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top section of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of said elevator system, showing the first sequence in a series of four sequences illustrating an example of how a plate may be carried upwards and directed onto the top pressurised chamber floor, wherein most of said plate's bottom surface is sliding on the surface of said floor, while no longer being in contact with any support or lifter, and while pushing on the top pressurised chamber entrance door, thus causing said door to open.
Figure 44 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the top, middle and bottom sections of the elevator system according to the first embodiment of said elevator system, illustrating an example of the change in the plates' angle relative to the horizontal as they ascend the elevator system due to the lifters having a greater speed than the supports and illustrating the movement of plates entering the bottom pressurised chamber and exiting the top pressurised chamber, wherein the trays are not shown for simplicity.
Figure 45 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of an example of the pulley system according to the first and second embodiment of the elevator system, illustrating the counter-clockwise rotation of pulleys which drive the movement of the supports and lifters to allow said supports and lifters to move upwards on the left side of said pulley system and move downwards on the right side of said pulley system.
Figure 46A represents an example of the front view of the first embodiment of a flipper which has a bar at the tip of each of said flipper's arms and which said bar connects the left and right sides of the flipper's arm, and which said arms are oriented parallel to the vertical and horizontal axis.
Figure 46B represents a left side view of the flipper represented in Figure 46A.
Figure 46C represents an example of the front view of the flipper described in Figure 46A in which said the arms of said flipper are oriented at an angle of approximately 45° from the vertical or horizontal axis.
Figure 46D represents a left side view of the flipper represented in Figure 46C. Figure 47 represents 3D view of an example of a flipper arm, according to the first embodiment of a flipper, which has a bar at its tip and which said bar connects the left and right sides of a flipper arm.
Figure 48A represents a front view of an example of a tray which is equipped with four scraper bars, wherein said scraper bars are spaced out in order to allow for the movement of the arms of the flippers attached to said tray and of the arms of the flippers attached to the tray directly above said tray.
Figure 48B represents a top view of the tray described in Figure 48A.
Figure 48C represents a right-side view of the tray described in Figure 48A, in which the scraper bars are thin.
Figure 48D represents a right-side view of the tray described in Figure 48A, in which the scraper bars are thick.
Figure 49A represents a front view of an example of a tray which is not equipped with any means of scraping the bottom surface of the plates sliding on said tray, other than scraping of the bottom surface of said plates which contact the guides of said tray.
Figure 49B represents a top view of the tray described in Figure 49A.
Figure 49C represents a right-side view of the tray described in Figure 49 A.
Figure 50A represents a front view of an example of a tray which is equipped with two scraper meshes, wherein said scraper meshes are spaced out in order to allow for the movement of the arms of the flippers attached to said tray and of the arms of the flippers attached to the tray directly above said tray.
Figure 50B represents a top view of the tray described in Figure 5 OA.
Figure 50C represents a right-side view of the tray described in Figure 50A.
Figure 51A represents a front view of an example of a tray which is equipped with two punctured scrapers, wherein said punctured scrapers are spaced out in order to allow for the movement of the arms of the flippers attached to said tray and of the arms of the flippers attached to the tray directly above said tray.
Figure 51B represents a top view of the tray described in Figure 51 A.
Figure 51C represents a right-side view of the tray described in Figure 51 A. Figure 52A represents a front view of an example of a tray which is equipped with nine scraper bars, wherein said scraper bars are spaced out approximately evenly along the length of said tray.
Figure 52B represents a top view of the tray described in Figure 52A. Figure 52C represents a right-side view of the tray described in Figure 52A.
Figure 53A represents a front view of an example of a tray which is equipped with a scraper mesh along the total length of said tray.
Figure 53B represents a top view of the tray described in Figure 53 A.
Figure 53C represents a right-side view of the tray described in Figure 53A. Figure 54A represents a front view of an example of a tray which is equipped with a punctured scraper along the total length of said tray.
Figure 54B represents a top view of the tray described in Figure 54A.
Figure 54C represents a right-side view of the tray described in Figure 54A.
Figure 55A represents a front view of an example of a tray and curved tray which are equipped with a scraper mesh along the total length of said tray and curved tray.
Figure 55B represents a top view of the tray and curved tray described in Figure 55 A.
Figure 55C represents a right-side view of the tray and curved tray described in Figure 55A.
Figure 56A represents a front view of an example of a tray and curved tray which are equipped with total of 17 scraper bars along the total length of said tray and curved tray.
Figure 56B represents a top view of the tray and curved tray described in Figure 56A.
Figure 56C represents a right-side view of the tray and curved tray described in Figure 56A. Figure 57A represents a front view of an example of a tray and curved tray which are not equipped with any means of scraping the bottom surface of the plates sliding on said tray and curved tray, other than scraping of the bottom surface of said plates which contact the guides of said tray and curved tray.
Figure 57B represents a top view of the tray and curved tray described in Figure 57A. Figure 57C represents a right-side view of the tray and curved tray described in Figure 57A.
Figure 58A represents a front view of an example of a tray and curved tray which are equipped with a punctured scraper along the total length of said tray and curved tray. Figure 58B represents a top view of the tray and curved tray described in Figure 58A.
Figure 58C represents a right-side view of the tray and curved tray described in Figure 58A.
Figure 59 represents a 3D view of an example of a lifter which has a back end and a bottom end and can be used alongside supports within the elevator system to carry plates from the bottom pressurised chamber floor to the top pressurised chamber floor, in which the lifter is represented as white instead of black to more effectively show its different parts.
Figure 60 represents a front view of the lifter described in Figure 59.
Figure 61 represents a 3D view of an example of a rectangular support which is equipped with an arm and can be used alongside lifters within the elevator system to carry plates from the bottom pressurised chamber floor to the top pressurised chamber floor.
Figure 62 represents a 3D view of an example of a cylindrical support which is equipped with an arm and can be used alongside lifters within the elevator system to carry plates from the bottom pressurised chamber floor to the top pressurised chamber floor.
Figure 63A represents a simplified representation of the left side view of an example of a pair of pulleys equipped with pins which could be used to pull on the chains on which the lifters are attached, thus allowing said lifters to move up and down in the elevator and carry plates from the bottom pressurised chamber floor to the top pressurised chamber floor.
Figure 63B represents a front view of the left-most pulley described in Figure 63A. Figure 63C represents a 3D view of the pulley described in Figure 63B. Figure 63D represents a 3D view of the pair of pulleys described in Figure 63 A. Figure 64A represents a simplified representation of the left side view of an example of a pair the pulleys described in Figure 63A, in which a lifter, the lifter inner chain and the lifter outer chains attached to said lifter are being pulled by said pulleys, and in which the lifter, its inner chain and its outer chain are represented in white to illustrate its positioning.
Figure 64B represents a front view of the left-most pulley described in Figure 64A, in which the lifter's position along the inner and outer rings of said pulley is visible and in which said lifter, said inner chain and said outer chain are represented in white to illustrate its positioning. Figure 64C represents a 3D view of the pair of pulleys, the lifter and the chains attached to said lifter described in Figure 64A, in which said lifter is represented in white and said inner chains and said outer chains are represented in black for simplicity.
Figure 65 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of a fourth embodiment of the reactor and its charge of plates which is used to describe an example illustrating the functionality of the reactor, in which liquid material is thermally processed by being sprayed, via the use of nozzles attached to the left side of said reactor, onto the hot plates moving downwards within said reactor on a series of four trays, in which the plates sliding down the trays do not flip in between trays, and in which solid material is shown to be falling downwards and being removed from the reactor through the solid exit tube after being removed from the bottom surfaces of the plates via the use of scraper bars (not shown) attached to the trays.
Figure 66 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of a fifth embodiment of the reactor and its charge of plates, in which liquid material is thermally processed by being sprayed, via the use of nozzles attached to the left side of said reactor, onto the hot plates moving within said reactor on a series of n trays, and in which the plates sliding down the trays flip in between trays via the use of flippers, according to their second embodiment shown in Figures 70 and 71, which allow liquid feed material to be sprayed onto plates located behind the flipper arms without having liquid feed material contact said flipper arms. Figure 67 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of a sixth embodiment of the reactor and its charge of plates, in which liquid material is thermally processed by being sprayed, via the use of nozzles attached to the back wall of said reactor and located below the trays, onto the bottom surfaces of the hot plates moving within said reactor on a series of n trays, in which the plates sliding down the trays flip in between trays via the use of flippers, according to their second embodiment shown in Figures 70 and 71, and in which only the first three spray nozzles are shown to spray liquid feed material for simplicity. Figure 68 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of a seventh embodiment of the reactor and its charge of plates, in which liquid material is thermally processed by being sprayed, via the use of nozzles attached to the back wall of said reactor and located above the trays, onto the top surfaces of the hot plates moving within said reactor on a series of n trays, in which the plates sliding down the trays flip in between trays via the use of flippers, according to their second embodiment shown in Figures 70 and 71, and in which only the first spray nozzle is shown to spray liquid feed material for simplicity.
Figure 69 represents a left side view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the seventh embodiment of the reactor shown in Figure 68, in which the trays are not attached to the front and/or back reactor walls, wherein the scraper bars attached to the trays are shown, and wherein the charge of plates, the feed spray and the flippers are not shown for simplicity.
Figure 70A represents an example of the front view of a second embodiment of a flipper which has a no bar at the tip of each of said flipper's arms connecting each side of said arms, and thus said arms are in two separate pieces to allow for feed spray to pass through said arms without contacting said arms, and which said arms are oriented parallel to the vertical or horizontal axis.
Figure 70B represents a left side view of the flipper represented in Figure 70A. Figure 70C represents an example of the front view of the flipper described in Figure 70A in which the arms of said flipper are oriented at an angle of approximately 45° from the vertical or horizontal axis.
Figure 70D represents a left side view of the flipper represented in Figure 70C. Figure 71 represents 3D view of an example of a flipper arm, according to the second embodiment of a flipper, which has a no bar at the tip of each of said flipper's arms connecting each side of said arms, and thus said arms are in two separate pieces to allow for feed spray to pass through said arms without contacting said arms, and which said arms are oriented parallel to the vertical or horizontal axis.
Figure 72 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the central symmetrical axis, of the bottom section of the reactor according to its first embodiment, its charge of plates and the bottom section of the elevator according to its first embodiment used in the example illustrating the accumulation of plates on the bottom-most tray during start-up, in which said plates are immobile due to the placement of a support which blocks the movement of the bottom-most plate, which in turn blocks the movement of all subsequent plates, (highlighted in blue because I did not receive Figure 72 with all the other figures, but I remember what it looks like and will double check the correctness of this description on Tuesday September 4 th , 2018)
Figure 73 represents a 3D view of the front and top parts of a plate.
Figure 74 represents a 3D view of the front and bottom parts of a plate.
Figure 75 represents a 3D view of the back and top parts of a plate.
Figure 76 is an outside front view, according to a plan symmetrical to the vertical axis, of an example of the one piece reactor, in which the reactor liquid feed stream is thermally processed on hot plates by being sprayed onto said plates via the use of spray nozzles, and in which said plates are moved from the bottom-most tray to the top-most tray via the use of a conveyor system which is located in the same enclosement as the trays and feed spray, wherein there is no downstream processing to remove solids from the vapours exiting said reactor.
Figure 77 is an outside top view, according to a plan symmetrical to the horizontal axis, of the one piece reactor seen in Figure 76.
Figure 78 is an outside left view, according to a plan symmetrical to the vertical axis, of the one piece reactor seen in Figure 76. Figure 79 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the vertical axis, of an example of the first embodiment of the one piece reactor and its charge of plates, in which liquid feed material is thermally processed on hot plates by being sprayed onto said plates, in which said plates slide down a series of n trays do not flip in between trays, in which said trays are equipped with scraping equipment (not shown) to remove solid material from the bottom surfaces of the plates, and in which the plates falling off the bottom-most tray land on a conveyor system which heats up the plates and carries them to the top-most tray, wherein the conveyor system is in the same enclosure as the trays and feed spray.
Figure 80 is an outside front view, according to a plan symmetrical to the vertical axis, of an example of the one piece reactor, in which the reactor liquid feed stream is thermally processed on hot plates by being sprayed onto said plates via the use of spray nozzles, and in which the plates are moved from the bottom-most tray to the top-most tray via the use of a conveyor system which is located in the same enclosement as the trays and feed spray, wherein there is downstream processing to remove solids from the vapours exiting said reactor.
Figure 81 represents a front view vertical cross section, according to a plan symmetrical to the vertical axis, of the embodiment of the one piece reactor seen in Figure 79, but wherein the reactor is equipped with equipment downstream from the reactor exit tube to remove entrained solid materials from the reactor vapor exit stream.
Figure 82A is the first sequence in a series of three sequences illustrating an example of how plates fall off the bottom-most tray, land on the conveyor belt and are heated as they are conveyed to the top-most tray, wherein the reactor walls, reactor ceiling, reactor floor, reactor solid exit tube, reactor sweep gas entrance tube and reactor screw conveyor are not shown for simplicity.
Figure 82B is the second sequence in a series of three sequences illustrating an example of how plates fall off the bottom-most tray, land on the conveyor belt and are heated as they are conveyed to the top-most tray, wherein the reactor walls, reactor ceiling, reactor floor, reactor solid exit tube, reactor sweep gas entrance tube and reactor screw conveyor are not shown for simplicity.
Figure 82C is the third sequence in a series of three sequences illustrating an example of how plates fall off the bottom-most tray, land on the conveyor belt and are heated as they are conveyed to the top-most tray, wherein the reactor walls, reactor ceiling, reactor floor, reactor solid exit tube, reactor sweep gas entrance tube and reactor screw conveyor are not shown for simplicity. DETAILLED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
The following examples are presented in a non-limitative maner
Preliminary definitions:
Municipal solid waste (MSW) and/or plastics, commonly known as trash or garbage in the United States and as refuse or rubbish in Britain, is a waste type consisting of everyday items that are discarded by the public. Waste can be classified in several ways but the following list represents a typical classification:
- biodegradable waste: food and kitchen waste, green waste, paper (most can be recycled although some difficult to compost plant material may be excluded);
- recyclable materials: paper, cardboard, glass, bottles, jars, tin cans, aluminum cans, aluminum foil, metals, certain plastics, fabrics, clothes, tires, batteries, etc.;
- inert waste: construction and demolition waste, dirt, rocks, debris, ;
- electrical and electronic waste (WEEE) - electrical appliances, light bulbs, washing machines, TVs, computers, screens, mobile phones, alarm clocks, watches, etc.;
- composite wastes: waste clothing, Tetra Packs, waste plastics such as toys; - hazardous waste including most paints, chemicals, tires, batteries, light bulbs, electrical appliances, fluorescent lamps, aerosol spray cans, and fertilizers; and
- toxic waste including pesticides, herbicides, and fungicides.
Organic material: means organic matter, organic material, or natural organic matter (NOM) refers to the large pool of carbon-based compounds found within natural and engineered, terrestrial and aquatic environments, such as hydrocarbons. It is matter composed of organic compounds that has come from the remains of organisms such as plants and animals and their waste products in the environment. Organic molecules can also be made by chemical reactions that don't involve life. Basic structures are created from cellulose, tannin, cutin, and lignin, along with other various proteins, lipids, and carbohydrates. Organic matter is very important in the movement of nutrients in the environment and plays a role in water retention on the surface of the planet. Organic material may also include hydrocarbons and/or MSW or a mixture of the two. Contaminants: In MS W, the contaminants are non-combustible material and/or nonorganic material, for example metals, stones and glass.
Liquid fuel: are combustible or energy-generating molecules that can be harnessed to create mechanical energy, usually producing kinetic energy; they also must take the shape of their container. It is the fumes of liquid fuels that are flammable instead of the fluid. Most liquid fuels in widespread use are derived from fossil fuels; however, there are several types, such as hydrogen fuel (for automotive uses), ethanol, and biodiesel, which are also categorized as a liquid fuel. Many liquid fuels play a primary role in transportation and the economy. Liquid fuels are contrasted with solid fuels and gaseous fuels.
Agglomerate: are coarse accumulations of solid particles and/or blocks. In the meaning of the present invention they are accumulations of particles obtained from the solids present in MS W and that have been previously transformed into smaller particles, for example by mechanical means. Agglomerates are typically poorly sorted, may be monolithologic or heterolithic, and may contain some blocks of various rocks.
Flash cracking: is a fast pryrolysis that preferably takes less than 2 seconds to be performed on a heated reaction's surface, such as a heated plate.
Guiding means: are means that are in contact just a lateral side of a plate and that direct a plate during is sliding and force a plate within a specific path; for examples, guiding means have a section in form of L or of U, thus they can be to L shaped or U-shaped on the side of a plate.
Internals: any element that is in the general inside the enclosure of the reactor.
Supporting means: are means in contact with the lowest part of a plate there are fixed elements forcing the plate to slide rather that to fall, they are preferably inclined and planar.
Sliding means: combination of a sliding means and of a supporting means.
Pellets: means a small rounded compressed mass of substance, that may, for example, be in the general form of cylinders.
Used Lubricating Oil (ULO): are oils or greases that were used as lubricants, usually in engines, and were discarded. Examples would include car engine oils, compressor oils, and diesel engine oils among others. Lubricating oils generally contain additives, which are carefully engineered molecules added to base oils to improve one or more characteristic of the lubricating oil for a particular use. Used lubricating oil is classified as a hazardous product in many jurisdictions because of its additives and contaminants.
Organic vapour: is the vapour produced from the pyrolysis of the feed material entering the rotating kiln. The components of the organic vapour may include hydrocarbons and may also comprise of only hydrocarbons.
Bio-oil: is the product from the condensation of the organic vapour. Bio-oil also includes specific chemicals obtained from the condensed organic vapour, which may be separated individually from the other components of the condensed organic vapour.
Liquification: means to increase the liquid fraction of a material which has at least a solid fraction. The resulting material after liquification is then considered a liquid and may or may not have entrained solids and/or gasses.
Substantially non-reactive gas: is a gas such as nitrogen, recycled reaction gas, carbon dioxide or water steam that does not affect or enter into the thermal processing or that does not substantially combine with either the feed or reaction products in the reactor operating range, for example in a temperature range ranging from 350 to 850 degrees Celsius, in a temperature range up to 700 degrees Celsius, preferably up to 525 degrees Celsius.
Waste oils: are oils or greases that are discarded. They include used lubricating oils (ULO) as well as a wide range of other oils such as marpol, refinery tank bottoms, form oils, metal working oils, synthetic oils and PCB-free transmission oils, to name a few.
Consistent shapes: means shapes so they can stay on the narrow shelves and/or each other, while protecting the reactor wall from direct contact with the relatively cold feed. In the meaning of the invention, the expression consistent shapes also means:
- a multiplicity of physical elements having substantially the same form; - a multiplicity of physical elements having substantially the same form and substantially the same size;
- a multiplicity of physical elements having substantially the same size, provided those forms are compatible in such an extent that are globally symmetrical and stay substantially constant during rotation inside the rotating kiln; and
- a multiplicity of physical elements having shapes that permit that plates sit upon each other, preferably in such a way that there is no space or substantially no space between them. Dynamical wall: the multiplicity of plates of consistent shapes results, because of the rotation, in a continuously reconstructing wall.
Thermal processing/thermally treating: is preferably any change in phase and/or composition, and/or reactions initiated or facilitated by the application, or withdrawal, of heat and/or temperature. Examples of thermal processing include evaporating, cracking, condensing, solidifying, drying, pyrolyzing and thermocleaning. In the meaning of the invention the expressions Thermal processing/thermally treating preferably exclude combustion and more specifically apply in the context of indirectly fired rotating kiln. Sweep gas: is any non-reactive or substantially non-reactive gas. Preferably it is an inert gas such nitrogen, recycled reactor non-condensable gas or water steam. It was surprisingly found that such gas not only have as sweeping effect in the reaction's zone of rotating operating reactor, but may help control the pressure in the reactor, may increase the safety in plant operations, may help control the reactions in the reactor and globally may improve the efficiency of the process. For example, the sweep gas is a gas stream that may additionally serve in various the following functions such as:
- when injected into the reactor feed line, the sweep gas changes the density of the total feed stream; it changes the flow regimes within the feed line and/or nozzles, which results in lower incidence of fouling and plugging of the piping and spray nozzles, and in improved spray patterns; further, the sweep gas favours atomization of the organic liquid feed stream before the organic liquid reaches the reaction sites on the hot plates, and/or - if introduced into the liquid feed at temperatures above that of the organic liquid feed stream, it will increase the feed stream temperature and reduce the energy, or heat, provided by the kiln, and/or
- it reduces the organic vapour's and/or organic liquid's residence time in the reactor, by sweeping the organic vapours out of the reactor soon after they are formed, thereby reducing the incidence of secondary reactions, or over- cracking, resulting in higher liquid yields and more stable liquid product bio- oils, and/or
- the sweep gas present in the reactor reduces the organic vapour's partial pressure, and favours the vaporization of the lighter organic fractions, for example gasoil and naphtha, in the feed and products; this also reduces over cracking in the lighter fraction and increases the stability of the bio-oil liquid products, and/or
- the sweep gas helps to stabilize the pressure in the reactor, and/or - when steam or nitrogen are used, the sweep gas reduces the risk of fires in the event of a leak in the reactor or in the downstream equipment; it will disperse the combustible vapours escaping and, hopefully, keep the combustible vapours from igniting, even if they are above their auto-ignition point, and/or
- it can also be part of the stripping gas stream in the product distillation unit.
Spraying means: means configured for moving in a mass of dispersed droplets or fine parti cules to a reaction's surface i.e. a surface of a plate that is preferably hot.
A first object of the invention is a stationary reactor and its internals for thermal processing of a mixture, said reactor comprising plates and at least one plate(s) supporting and/or guiding mean(s) configured to allow sliding of a plate on the upper surface of plate(s) supporting and/or guiding means, a plate sliding from an upper position of the reactor to a lower position of the reactor, said reactor being further caracterized in that the at least one plate(s) supporting and/or guiding means is preferably inclined and in that at least part of the surface of said plates being used to performed said thermal processing of the mixture.
Advantageously, said stationary reactor comprises:
- one or several plate(s) displaceable inside the stationary reactor from an internal position of the reactor to a lower internal position of the reactor; - at least one plate(s) supporting mean positioned inside the stationary reactor and configured to allow sliding down of a plate on the upper surface of the at least one plate supporting mean(s); and/or
- at least one plate(s) guiding mean positioned inside the stationary reactor and configured to allow sliding down of a plate in the guides of the at least one guiding mean;
- feeding means for bringing the mixture on at least part of the surface of said at last one plate being used to perform the thermal processing of the mixture;
- exit means for existing gaseous, liquid and solids, formed during the thermal treatment, outside the stationary reactor.
Preferably, the stationary reactor have walls defining an intemal part called reaction's zone of the stationary reactor and comprisies:
- internal and/or external heating means for heating the stationary reactor and/or for heating its internals and/or for heating the at least one plate(s) supporting and/or for heating the at least one guiding mean(s): and
- feeding means for spraying the mixture on at least part of the surface of said at last one plate being used to perform the thermal processing of the mixture in the reaction's zone, wherein said stationary reactor being further caracterized in that the at least one plate(s) supporting and/or in that the at least one guiding means is preferably inclined; and wherein said stationary reactor optionally comprises, preferably in its bottom part, an entry for feeding the reaction's zone with a gaseous stream resuting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a feed that is preferably essentially made of hydrocarbons.
According to aprefered embodiment of the invention, the stationary reactor comprises at least one of the following features:
- a plate entry, preferably positioned in the upper part of the stationary reactor, and allowing the loading of the plates in the upper part of the stationary reactor; - a plate exit, preferably positioned in the lower part of the stationary reactor and allowing the exit of the plates from the lower part of the reactor after falling down from the lowest supporting and/or guiding mean;
- an internal elevator configured to deplace a plate from the internal lower part of the stationary reactor to the internal upper part of the stationary reactor;
- an external elevator, preferably closely postioned to or adjacent to an external wall of the stationary reactor and configured to:
- bring a plate from the lower part of the external elevator to the bottom part of the external elevator,
- elevate a plate from the bottom part of the external elevator to the upper part of the external elevator; and
- bring a plate from the internal upper part of the external elevator to the upper internal part of the stationary reactor; and
- optionally, deplacement means for inititiating sliding of the plates on the at least one supporting and/or on the at least one guiding means.
Advantageously:
- the thermal processing of the mixture is performed on at least part of the surface of a plate in movement, is of the pyrolysis type and is more preferably of the flash cracking type; and/or
- sliding of the plates in the reaction's zone is generated by gravity and/or by mechanical means and/or by sliding means.
The stationary reactor and its internals is advantageously configured in order that:
- at least 10%, preferable at least 20%, more preferably at least 70%, even more preferably at least 90 % of the surface of the plates present inside the stationary reactor is used for performing the thermal processing of the mixture; and/or
- at least 10 %, preferably at least 30 %, more preferably at least 60% of the plates present in the reactor are involved in the thermal processing of the mixture. Preferably, at least one of the surface of the plates is cleaned by cleaning means such as scraping device, said cleaning means being positioned :
- inside the stationary reactor, preferably close to the surface of plate wherein thermal processing occurs; and/or
- outside the stationary reactor; and/or
- in the internal and/or in the external elevator when an elevator is present.
Reactor of the invention is particularly suited for performing a pyrolysis of a mixture: when heating means are present inside the stationary reactor and/or inside the elevator, by spraying said mixture on the upper and/or on the lower and/or on at least one of the lateral surface of a plate; and/or when heating means are different from those of the combustion type, for example when heating means are of the induction's type, by depositing and/or by spraying the mixture on the upper, and/or on the lower and/or on one of the lateral surface of a plate , and wherein:
internal and/or external heating means are configured for heating at least part of the reaction support and /or without inducing overheating of the reaction surface, the reaction's support i.e. the surface of the plate wherein pyrolysis reaction takes place; heating means are preferably closely positioned to the surface of a plate to be heated; heating means are preferably induction means, IR and hot gases, advantageously the heating means are positioned inside the enclosure, more advantageously heating means are positioned- in a zone of the enclosure;
- having a reduced oxygen content, the reduced oxygen content that is preferably less than 1 % oxygen, and/or
- being traversed by an inert gas, more advantageously in the case of IR or convection heating means said heating means are positioned above or under the plate when sliding on the supporting means and/or when sliding on a guiding means, advantageously the internal and/or external heating means are configured to heat the surface of the reaction's support at a temperature ranging: - in the case of particulates, advantageously over 120 Celsius degrees, preferably over 140 Celsius degrees, more preferably from 200 to 525 Celsius degrees, even more preferably from 350 to 570, still even more preferably from 400 to 500 Celsius degrees, and more advantageously about 450 Celsius degrees; and - in the case of a liquid feed, advantageously over 120 Celsius degrees, preferably over 140 Celsius degrees, more preferably from 200 to 525 Celsius degrees, advantageously from 300 to 450 Celsius degrees, preferably ranging from 325 to 425 Celsius degrees, and more advantageously at a temperature about 400 Celsius degrees. Particularly, when heating means are of the combustion's type, plates contribute to the uniformity of temperatures conditions in said stationary reactor.
Particularly, when heating means are of the combustion's type, plates contribute to heat transfer from the heat sources to the reaction chamber.
According to a preferred embodiment, the stationary reactor is connected through connecting means with a combustion chamber, positioned external to the reaction's chamber of the stationary reactor, said combustion chamber being configured for :
- reheating a plate after pyrolysis reaction took place on the surface of a plate; and/or
- burning coke formed on the surface of a plate by the pyrolysis reaction occurring on the surface of a plate; and/or
- producing warm air that is fed into the reaction's zone of the stationaray reactor .
When the stationary reactor is not connected with a combustion chamber, the reheating of plates is performed by a non-combustion heating system, such as an induction source, infra-red, micro-waves ... , positioned preferably outside the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor but preferably inside the stationary reactor. According to another preferred embodiment of the invention:
- the bottom of the stationary reactor is connected to the bottom of the plates elevator by connecting means, such as a tube, allowing the transfert of plates from the upper closest supporting and/or guiding to the bottom part of the elevator; and/or
- the top of the stationary reactor is connected to top of the plates elevator by connecting means, such as a tube, allowing the feeding of the upper part of the stationary reactor by plates coming from the upper part of the elevator; and/or
- connecting means between the combustion chamber and the stationary reactor preferably have seperation means configured to avoid contamination of the gas and steam, produced by the thermal processing performed in the reaction chamber, with oxygen from the combustion chamber, separation means are preferably seals, doors, inet gas and overpressure.
The stationary reactor is preferably connected to a plate elevator in a way that at least one of the following features is present:
- the stationary reactor is positioned vertical or slanted;
- the plate elevetor stationary reactor is positioned vertical or slanted; connecting means, are a top pressurised chamber preventing flow of vapour produced in the reactor chamber to enter upper part of the plates elevator and/or to enter combustion heating chamber, saif connecting means being positioned preferably between the reaction chamber of the stationary reactor and the combustion chamber; a bottom pressurised chamber, preferably positioned at the bottom of the elevator, preventing flow of vapour from the stationary reactor to enter the bottom part of the elevator; at least one solid/vapour separator such as a filter, spunch oil column, a liquid wash column or a cyclone and/or such as a deplegmator, preferably positioned outside the reaction chamber, to remove solid material from the vapour-solid mixture exiting the top of the stationary reactor; a reactor feeding tube for feeding the stationary reactor with mixture to be thermally processed inside the stationary reactor, preferably the feeding tube is a multi branched feeding tube configured to feed the stationary reactor at different eigth, simultaneously or alematively, or according to a predetermined sequence; a reactor exit tube, preferably positioned on the top of the reaction chamber of the stationary reactor, to allow flow of products resulting from thermal processing to stream out the reactor; at least one reactor sweep gas entrance, preferably positioned within or close to the feeding tube or on a side wall of the reaction chamber; flippers, preferably monted on a rotational axis about perpendicular to the plates displacement direction in the reactio chamber, to flip the plates before said plates slides down and fall from one supporting and/or guiding means (such as a tray) to another; flipping trays, preferably positioned about parallel to and directly above the supporting and/or guiding means, for preventing the plates from falling from one supporting and/or guiding means (such as a tray) to another, before a certain percentage of the length of the plates passes the extremity of the tray directly below the flipping tray; curved tray that catches the plates which hang at an angle that allows to flip upon faling from one tray to another; lifter that is the element of the elevator which move upwards and catch the plates as they slide off the, preferably pressured, reaction's chamber floor; scraping means, such as:
- those of the static scraper bars type or brushes, that scrap the bottom and/or top and/or the lateral surface of the plates while said plates slide on the one sliding and/or guiding means (such as a tray) to which the scrapper bar is attached, and
- those of the chains rotatingtype that are preferably attached on a wall in the lower part of the stationary reactor; spraying nozzles, preferably positioned vertical and/or above and/or under and/or laterally to the guiding and/or supporting means, said spraying nozzles being configured to spray mixture on the surface of at least one plate;
- the guiding and/or supporting means are slanted and the angle in respect of the horizontal advantageously ranges from 10 to 60 Celsius, preferably ranges from 15 to 45, more preferably is about 20 degrees when stainless steel is used;
- the stationary reactor is compact and is a mobile reactor, preferably fitting of a standart container or fitting a high cube container;
- the pyrolysis reaction occuring only on the surface of a plate and beying exclusively of the type flash craking type; and
- the stationary reactor is for example one of those repesented in the Figures.
A second objet of the present invention is constituted by a system comprising:
a. a stationary reactor as defined in the present invention;
b. an internal or external heating system;
c. a charge of plates of consistent shapes;
d. means, such as spray nozzles, for directing the mixture to be thermally processed to the surface of at least part of the plates;
e. means for removing the fine solids from the reactor, preferably either through entrainment with the exiting vapours, or through a separate solids exit, or both;
f. means for recovering the reaction and straight run products; and g. means for venting the gas obtained by the thermal processing outside the stationary reactor zone.
The stationary reactor in the system has preferably a form that is about parallelipepedic or reactor has the form of a cylinder.
According to apreferred embodiment of the reactor, the means for directing the mixture to be thermal processed on at least part of the surface of the plates, bring said mixture on the surface of at least more than 20% of the plates, preferably on the surface of at least more than 50% of the plates, and more advantageously on between 75 and 85 % of the surface of plates present in said reactor.
The pyrolysis system, of the invention is particularly suited when:
- the mixture is liquid, gas and/or solid and/or is a mixture of at least two of these; and/or
- the gaseous stream resulting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of celullosic material and/or of a mixture comprising more than 10 weigth percent of long chain hydrocarbons, such as a mixture of cellusic materials and of long chain hydrocarbons such as used oils. Advantageously, said mixture and said gaseous stream comprises mostly organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing.
Preferably, the pyrolysis system of the invention is used to treat :
- a mixture comprises at least 80 % of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing; and/or - a gaseous stream is obtained by at least one of following treatments: thermochemical biomass transformation, pyrolysis of organic material biomass, anaerobic digestion of organic waste material and composting of organic waste material.
The mixture preferably contains at least about 95% of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing.
The mixture may comprise other components that are not organic compounds and/or that may not be transformed by thermal processing. The other components are advantageously selected among: water, steam, nitrogen, sand, earths, shale, metals, inorganic salts, inorganic acids, lime, organic gas that won't be transformed in the reactor and among combination of at least two of these components.
The mixture is advantageously composed of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing in: a liquid phase, a gaseous phase, a solid phase, or in a combination of at least two of these phases. Preferably, the mixture is mostly composed of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing to at least a liquid phase, a gaseous phase and a solid phase or in a combination of at least 2 of the latter phases.
The mixture may be selected among the family of mixtures of plastics, wood chips, used oils, mixtures of waste oils, ship fuels and the mixtures of at least two of these mixtures.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the pyrolysis system is configured to be operated in the absence, in the reactor, of a substantial organic solid, liquid and of a slurry phase and/or in less than 30% vol., preferably in less than 5% vol. of an organic solid, and/or of liquid and/or of a slurry phase.
According to another embodiment, the pyrolysis system is configured to be operated in the presence or absence of a liquid and or slurry phase.
The plates of the stationary reactor may be directly and/or indirectly heated, and advantageously the inside of the stationary reactor is directly and/or indirectly heated.
The heat source may be generated by electricity, IR or convection a hot oil and/or gas stream, or obtained from the combustion of gas, naphtha, reaction' products, other oily streams, coke, coal, or organic waste or by a mixture of at least two of these.
The inside of the stationary reactor may be indirectly heated by an electromagnetic field (such as induction and/or infrared sources and/or microwaves).
The plates may be directly heated by a hot gas, liquid or solid stream, electricity or partial combustion of the feedstock, coke, products or by-products.
Advantageously, the pyrolysis system comprises at least one heating system external to the walls of the stationary reactor, for example in a case of an indirectly fired kiln.
The heating means are advantageously configured in order the external walls of the stationary reactor are advantageously heated at a temperature exceeding temperature of the dew point of the vapours thereby produced, such as when having the reactor walls in contact with the combustion chamber.
Advantageously , the walls of the stationanry reactor are surrounded electrical wires or by a fire box, and said fire box is stationary and contains one or more burners. According to a preferred embodiment, one or more of the supporting and/or guiding means are attached to the internal walls of the stationary reactor and/or to subsections of the stationary reactor walls and/or on self supporting stands.
The supporting and/or guiding means are attached to the wall of the stationary reactor in a way allowing for the thermal expansion with minimum stress on the reactor wall and the supporting and/or sliding means. Advantageously, the supporting and/or sliding mean(s) is (are) symmetrically attached to the internal wall of said reactor.
Advantageously, supporting and/or guiding mean(s) is (are) attached to the internal wall in a designed and/or random pattern. The number of supporting and/or guiding means(s) that is (are) disposed, per square meter of the internal surface of the stationary reactor, on the internal wall of said reactor ranges advantageously from 0,1 to 20, preferably from 0,2 to 3. The number of supporting and/or guiding mean(s) that is (are) disposed, per square meter of the internal surface of the reactor, on the internal wall of the stationary reactor is morre preferably about 2. The number of supporting and/or sliding means depends advantageously on the weight of the plates and/or on the material the supporting and/or guiding means and plates are made of and/or of the angle made by the supporting and/or sliding means in respect of the horizontal and/or of the shape of the plates and/or of the friction coefficient of the plate and/or of the thermal expansion coefficient of the material constituting the plates and/or of the guides and/or if the reactor is designed for allowing or not the flip of the plates when leaving the supporting and/or sliding means. The distance spacing two supporting and/or guiding means represents advantageously from 0,1 to 20% of the higth of the reactor. The distance spacing two supporting and/or sliding means represents preferably from 0,2 to 2 % of the eigth of thestationary reactor. According to a preferred embodiment of the pyrolysis system, the form of the supporting and/or guiding means is selected in the group constituted by flat or straigth forms. Advantageously, the supporting and/or sliding means are about paralell straight guides.
According to another preferred embodiment, the height and/or the width of the supporting and/or sliding means is calculated and depends on at least one of the following parameters: the space between the supporting and/or sliding means, the material the supporting and/or sliding means are made of and the weight of the plates, the sliding angle and the number of supporting and/or sliding means by square meter of the reactor's wall. Advantageously, the height or width of the supporting means ranges from 1 mm to the width of the plate. Preferably, the height or width of the supporting and/or guiding means as representing 1 to 100 % of the width of the plates, and preferably 5% of the width of the plates.
The width and the height of the supporting and/or sliding means are advantageously selected in order for the supporting and/or sliding means to be able to retains at least one and preferably 2 or 3 plates.
The shape of the plates of the charge is advantageously selected among the group of parallelograms, discs, elipsoids and ovoids. The plates of the charge may alos be rectangular, triangular, hexagonal or octagonal. The shape of the plates of the charge is advantageously about perfect. Preferably, all the plates present in the stationary reactor have about the same size and shape.
Accordingly, the volume of the plates of the charge present in the reactor represents from 1% to 40% of the internal volume of the said reaction chamber.
The volume of the plates of the charge present in the reactor represents advantageously from 2 to 5 % of the internal volume of the stationary reactor.
According to a preferred embodiment of the pyrolysis system, the charge of the stationary reactor is constituted by flat and/or slightly curved metal plates of consistent thickness and shape.
The plates have a melting point which is advantageouslyat least of 100 degrees Celsius, and more preferably is of at least 150 degrees Celsius above the stationary reactor wall maximum operating temperature in the thermal processing zone and/or in combustion chamber. The plates are heavy enough in order its sliding movment not to be substantially stop by the scraper(s), and more preferably in order not to reduce for more than 70%, preferably not for more than 30% the sliding speed.
Each plate has advantageously, a density that is superior to 2,0 g/cm 3 , preferably superior to 2,0 g/cm 3 and more preferably the density of a plate is comprised between 5,5 g/cm 3 and 9,0 g/cm 3 . The means advantageously used for bringing the mixture in contact with at least part of the surfaces of the plates are spraying means that are advantageously spray nozzles that spray the mixture onto the surface of the plates when feedstream/mixture is liquid and/or mixture of liquid and/or gas and/or lquids and fine solids. The spraying means are advantageously positioned above, under or laterally in respect of an horizontal plate; the spraying direction being perpendicalar or slanter in respect of a surface of a plate. The means for bringing the solids outside the stationary reactor is (are) advantageously entrainment with the product gas, scoop(s), screw convey or(s) and/or propeller and/or rotating fins and/or blower(s); and/or gravity and/or pumps and/or compressors and/or vacuum pumps.
The means for bringing the solid outside the said reactors advantageously comprise an exit hopper arrangement attached to the solids exit tube, or ascrew conveyer or simply gravity.
In the pyrolysis system, the stationary reactor has two exits: one for the solids and one for the gas/vapours and entrained solids obtained. The gas/vapours obtained may contain entrained solids.
The stationary reactor is advantageously equipped with means for avoiding accumulation of solid in the reactor and/or for plugging of any of the exits. Those means are preferably a screw conveyor in the solids exit tube, or a slanted solids exit tube preferably positioned at the bottom part of the stationary vertical reactor.
According to a preferred embodiment of the pyrolysis system, the reactor feed is made laterally trough at least one entry positioned between the top and the bottom of the stationary reactor and/or wherein the exit of the vapor is positioned on the top of the stationary reactor.
Pyrolysis systems of the invention having of a particular interest are those wherein:
- cleaning means are positioned advantageously at least temporary in contact with the superior surface of the reaction support wherein pyrolyze reaction takes place, cleaning means are preferably configured to clean at least part of the surface of the moving reaction's supports after pyrolysis reaction took place, said cleaning means preferably additionally comprising: - at least one rake in permanent or temporary in contact with at least part of the surface of a reaction's supports wherein pyrolysis takes place, and/or
- at least one rotating flail chain in permanent or temporary contact with at least part of the surface of the reaction's support means wherein pyrolysis takes place, and/or
- at least one ultrasonic means in permanent or temporary contact with at least part of the surface of the reaction's support means in contact with part of the surface of a reaction's supports wherein pyrolysis takes place, and/or
- at least one directed blow means blowing air, with low content in oxygen, or an inert gas in permanent or temporary contact with at least part of the surface of a reaction's support wherein pyrolysis takes place; and/or
- feeding means is are advantageously feeding line mounted with spray nozzle's, said spray nozzles, depending on the physical nature of the feeding material, are:
- of the liquid feed type; and/or
- of the solid feed in form of small particulates type; and/or
- of the feeding stream liquid but containing solid particulates type, advantageously, said spray nozzle are configured to spray, only the surface of the reaction's support:
- drops of the liquid feeding oily stream having an average drop's size of less than 10 mm, preferably of less than 5 mm, and more advantageously lower than 2 mm, and/or
- particulates having an average size less than 3 mm, preferably less than 2 mm, more advantageously the average size ranging from 0,5 to 1,5 mm; and/or
- a mixture of liquid and particulates with a ratio particulates/liquid being in weight percent ranging from 5 to 95 %, preferably from 15 to 75 %, preferably, feeding means is a feeding line mounted with spray nozzle's, spray nozzles being positioned to spray feeding oily feed material essentially on the superior and/or the inferior surface of a reaction's support; and/or preferably, feeding means is a feeding line mounted with spray nozzle's, spray nozzles being configured for spraying, on demand, a specific amount of feeding material, in order substantially or in order no liquid film would be able to form from the individual drops reaching the surface of the reaction's supports; and/or wherein particulates and/or drops of the feeding material are preferably sprayed to the reaction's surface at a controlled pressure.
A third object of the present invention is constituted by the use of a stationary reactor as defined in the first object or of the pyrolysis system as defined in the second object of the invention, for the thermal processing of :
- organic mixtures comprising for examples mixtures of used oils, waste oils, heavy oils and plastics, and preferably substantially in the absence of an organic, liquid and/or slurry phase; and/or
- gaseous stream resuting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of cellulosic material. The use of the stationary reactor and its internals and of the pyrolysis system may be in a continuous thermal process.
A fourth object of the present invention is a process for thermal processing a mixture comprising organic compounds, which process comprises the steps of:
- a) feeding a stationary reactor and its internals as defined in the present invention with:
- said mixture, by spraying the mixture on at least part of the plates surfaces during sliding of the plates on the supporting and/or on guiding means, and
- optionally, a gaseous stream resuting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of cellusic materaial;
- b) heating the plates of said stationary reactor and its internals at a temperature corresponding to the thermal processing temperature of part of the mixture; and - c) recovering of the products resulting from the vaporizing and/or thermal processing and for their elimination from said reactor; wherein the mixture to be thermal processed is brought in contact with at least part of the surface of the plates of the charge and result in a reaction and/or vaporization of the feed and products allowing the removal of the mixture in the gas and solids phases, and
wherein at least part of the plates of the charge moves during the proces, and wherein the gaseous stream resuting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of celluosic material processed is brought in contact with at least part of the surface of the plates of the charge and result in a reaction and/or vaporization of the feed and products allowing the removal of the mixture in the gas and solids phases, and wherein at least part of the plates of the charge moves during the process.
Advantageously, in step b) said part is the part of the mixture that will be thermally processed during the process. The process of the invention is particularly suited for thermally processing a mixture comprising organic compounds, wherein the part of the mixture that will be thermally processed is the heavy part of the mixture and may eventually contain additives commonly used in this field (and in particular in the field of lubricating oils) and their degradation by-products. The mixture advantageously comprises organic compounds having the following thermodynamic and physical features: a specific gravity as per ASTM D-4052 for used oils between 0.75 and 1.1 and/or for oily stream distillation temperatures between 20 degrees Celsius, for plastics a specific gravity ranging from 0.3 to 1.5 ( in liquid or in solid form) as per ASTM 792, and for organic liquids or mixtures a specific gravity ranging from 0.7 to 1.3 as per ASTM D 4052. Advantageously, the average residence time in the sationary reactor:
- a) is, when no gas stream resulting from incomplete pyrolysis of hydrocarbons is injected in the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor, comprised between 1 seconds to 10 hours, preferably between 30 seconds and 2 hours, and more preferably is between 90 seconds and 10 minutes; and
- b) has a value, when a gas stream resulting from incomplete pyrolysis of hydrocarbons is injected in the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor, reduced by at least about 10 % when compared with the average residence time according to a).
During performance of the process, the heating temperature in the stationary reactor ranges from 120°C to 800°C or 350°C to 750°C. The heating temperature of the plates in the reactor advanatgeously ranges froml50°C to 560°C, preferably 200°C to 525°C, more preferably 400°C to 460°C, even more preferably 200°C to 460°C, still more preferably from 420°C to 455°C and, more advantageously, is about 425°C, particularly when used lube oils are treated. The heating temperature in the stationary reactor ranges from 500°C to 520°C, an is preferably about 505°C, more preferably about 510°C, particularly when shredded tires, bitumen, heavy oils, contaminated soils or oil sands or soil contaminated with heavy oils are treated. Advantageously, the pressure in the vertical stationary reactor ranges from 0 to 5, preferably from 1 to 2, more preferably range from 1,2 to 1,3.
When performing the process of the invention, a sweet gas is in introduced in the stationary reactor in amount representing up to 30 % or up to 80 % of the volume of the gas produced during the pyrolysis transformation in the reaction's zone of the stationary reactor.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the various fractions generated by the thermal processing are recovered as follow:
- the liquid fraction is recovered by distillation
- the gaseous fraction is recovered by distillation; and
- the solid fraction is recovered for example in cyclones, a solids recovery box, a scrubber, liquid wash column, spring oil, and/or a refluxing condenser and/or a dephlegmator and/or in a filter and/or in a condensator. The process of the invention is of a particular interest when :
a) the feedstock is solely used lubricating oil, thus:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction represents between 75% and 100% weight of the organic reactor feed; and/or
- the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 0% weight and 20% weight of the reactor feed; and/or
- the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 0% weight and 25% weight, and
b) the feedstock is used lubricating oil and a gaseous stream resuting from the incomplete pyrolysis reaction of a mixture of hydrocarbon, thus the amount of the recovered liquid fraction and the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents at least 105 % of the amount obtained in a).
The process may also be operated in a continuous or in a batch mode.
The process of the invention is of particular interest when used for:
- treating wastes oils such as used lubricating oils, form oils, metal treating oils, refinery or transportation oil tank bottoms; and/or
- destroying hazardous and/or toxic products; and/or
- reusing waste products in an environmental acceptable form and/or way; and/or
- cleaning contaminated soils or beaches; and/or
- cleaning tar pit; and/or
- use in coal-oil co-processing; and/or
- recovering oil from oil spills; and/or
- PCB free transformed oils.
The process of the invention is of particular interest when used for treating used oils and to prepare:
- a fuel, or a component in a blended fuel, such as a home heating oil, a low sulphur marine fuel, a diesel engine fuel, a static diesel engine fuel, power generation fuel, farm machinery fuel, off road and on road diesel fuel; and/or
- a cetane index enhancer; and/or
- a drilling mud base oil or component; and/or
- a solvent or component of a solvent; and/or - a diluent for heavy fuels, bunker or bitumen; and/or
- a light lubricant or component of a lubricating oil; and/or
- a cleaner or a component in oil base cleaners; and/or
- a flotation oil component; and/or
- a wide range diesel; and/or
- a clarified oil; and/or
- a component in asphalt blends; and/or
- a component in asphalt blends; and/or
- a component of drilling fluids; and/or
- a component of flotation oils; and/or
- a component of dedusting oils.
A fifth object of the present invention is a manufacturing process for fabricating the stationary reactor and its internals and for fabrication the corresponding pyrolysis system, that comprises the assembly, by known means, of the constituting elements of said reactor. Known assembling means may comprise screwing, jointing, riveting and welding.
A sixth object of the present invention is a process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that is organic material, in a form of agglomerates, said starting material, preferably with a reduced content in water, metal, glass and/or rocks, being thermally liquefied and further dewatered; the thereby obtained liquid fraction being thereafter submitted to a pyrolysis treatment, performed in a vertical stationary kiln, preferably of the type described in the first object of the present invention, and resulting in a solid gas fraction exiting the reactor, said solid gas fraction allowing the recovering of a liquid fuels after a controlled liquid solid separation treatment. The feed can be in a form of pellets, granules and/or powder. Advantageously, the agglomerates have, after drying and filtering, at least one of the following features: a humidity content lower than 75 %, a content in metal and stones/glass representing both together less than 25 % weight percent of the total amount of agglomerates; and a total carbon content of at least 30 % by weight and at least 90% by weight. The agglomerates are in the preferably in the form of pellets with an average weight ranging from 1 to 500 grams. More preferably, the agglomerates are in the form of pellets with a total carbon content ranging from 30 % to 75 % and wherein pellets have a humidity content less than 60 %, preferably ranging from 5 to 65 %. The liquid fuel recovered has a low sulfur content that is, according to ASTM D7544 - 12, comprised between 0,03 % and 5 %, preferably lower than 0,05 %, more preferably lower than 0,03 %, and advantageously lower than 0,01 %.
A seventh object of the present invention is a process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organics material or a mixture of the two, such as municipal waste material, said process includes:
a) an optional preliminary step wherein water content of the starting material is reduced preferably to a value lower than 55 % and/or wherein particulate size has been reduced to a size ranging from 0,1 mm to 5 mm;
b) a thermal step wherein at least partial liquefying and at least partial dewatering of the starting material, eventually obtained in previous steps a) occurs, wherein starting material is heated under:
- a pressure that is preferably ranging from 0,05 to 1 atmosphere and, more preferably, this pressure is about absolute, and preferably is about 0,5 atmosphere, and
- at a temperature that is preferably lower than 300 degrees Celsius; c) recovering of the liquid fraction resulting from step b), said liquid fraction can contain solid matters in suspension;
d) a pyrolysis step wherein:
- liquid fraction obtained in step b) or c), is treated in a stationary reactor, preferably of the type described in the first object of the invention or is treated in a pyrolysis system as described in the second object of the invention, and preferably under positive pressure and/or preferably in the presence of a sweep gas, that is preferably an inert gas, - reaction and straight run products are recovered from the stationary reactor as solids and as a solid-gas mixture;
- preferably, with a reduced amount of oxygen present in the stationary reactor; and
e) a post treatment step wherein solid-gas mixture exiting the stationary reactor is submitted to a solid-gas separation allowing the recovering of substantially clean vapours and solids; f) a condensation and/or fractionation step to obtain liquid fuel and gas, and wherein part of the heavy bio-oil and/or heavy hydrocarbon fraction recovered from pyrolysis step may be incorporated in liquid fraction resulting from step c), preferably in order to adjust solid liquid ratio in the liquid feed stream entering the reactor.
The present invention also relates to a process is advantageously used for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organics material or a mixture of the two, such as municipal waste material, said process includes:
a) an optional preliminary step wherein water content of the starting material is reduced preferably to a value lower than 55 % and/or wherein stone and/or metallic content is reduced below 10 weight percent; b)a thermal step wherein at least partial liquefying and at least partial dewatering of the starting material eventually obtained in previous steps a), occurs and wherein starting material is heated under:
- an absolute pressure that is preferably ranging from 0,05 to 1 atmosphere and more preferably this pressure is ranging from about 0,5 to 1,5 atmospheres, and
- at a temperature that is preferably lower than 250 degrees Celsius; c) recovering of the liquid fraction resulting from step b);
d) recovering unliquified solid fraction from step b);
e) mixing the fluid fraction obtained in step b) and the solid fraction resulting from grinding in a proportion that does not substantially affect the thermodynamic properties of the liquid fraction, the mixing results in a liquid containing solids in suspension; and
f) a pyrolysis step wherein:
- liquid obtained in step c) or e), is treated in a stationary reactor, preferably of the type described in the first object of the invention or is treated in a pyrolysis system as described in the second object of the invention, advantageously under positive pressure and/or preferably in the presence of a sweep gas, that is preferably an inert gas, and
- reaction and straight run products are recovered from the vertical rotating reactor as solids and as a solid-gas mixture; and a post treatment step wherein solid-gas mixture exiting the vertical stationary reactor is submitted to a solid-gas separation allowing the recovering of substantially clean vapours and solids; and h) a condensation and/or fractionation step to obtain liquid fuel and gas, and
- wherein, in the case wherein liquefaction in step c) is incomplete, the remaining unliquified solid fraction is incorporated in the liquid obtained in step c) preferably before entering the pyrolysis stationary reactor and at concentration and/or particle size that does not affect significantly the physico-dynamic properties of the liquid entering the stationary reactor; and
- wherein heavy hydrocarbon and/or heavy bio-oil fraction recovered from pyrolysis step is incorporated in liquid fraction resulting from step c), preferably in order to adjust the solid-liquid ratio in the liquid feed stream entering the reactor.
A further object of the invention is a process for producing liquid fuels from starting material, that are waste hydrocarbons and/or organics material or a mixture of the two, in a form of agglomerates, such as municipal waste material, said process includes: a) a pre-treatment step wherein agglomerates, such as pellets and/or powder, are made from the starting material;
b) an optional drying step, wherein agglomerates obtained in the pre-treatment step is(are) or coming from the market and/or waste collection are dried to a water content lower than 55% weight percent; c) a thermal step wherein at least partial liquefying and at least partial dewatering of the agglomerates obtained in previous steps a) and/or b) occurs; d)a pyrolysis step, wherein:
o liquid obtained in step c), is treated in a stationary kiln, preferably of the type described in the first object of the invention or in a pyrolysis system as described in the second object of the invention, and preferably under positive pressure and/or preferably in the presence of a sweep gas, that is preferably an inert gas, and
o reaction and straight run products are recovered from the rotating kiln as solids and as a solid-gas mixture; e) a post treatment step wherein solid-gas mixture exiting the stationary reactor is submitted to a solid-gas separation allowing the recovering of substantially clean vapours and solids; and
f) a condensation and/or fractionation step to obtain liquid fuel and gas, and wherein, in the case wherein liquefaction in step c) is incomplete, the remaining unliquified solid fraction is incorporated in the liquid obtained in step c), preferably before entering the stationary reactor and at concentration and/or particle size that does not affect significantly the physico-dynamic properties of the liquid entering the stationary reactor.
Advantageously, starting material that are used in the process are waste hydrocarbons and/or organics material or a mixture of the two, wherein:
- solids present in starting material are broken into small pieces below 20 mm; and/or
- agglomerates are made of at least 75% by weight of organics or hydrocarbons mixed with water; and/or
- metals and rocks have been sorted out from the agglomerate, preferably by gravity and/or by magnetic separation; and/or
-the water content in the starting material is less than 87% as during the (agglomeration) pelletizing part the water was taken out; and/or
- the solid content of the agglomerates (preferably pellets) preferably before entering the second stage of the drying/liquefying step, has been increased to 15 to 30 % in a mill of the dry "Hammermill" type (for example of the Wackerbauer type); and/or
- the solid content is further increased, in a screw press, up to 50 to 60 %, eventually, with special system, such as separation mill, turbo dryer, high efficiency dryer, press or filter, raised up to 85%; and/or
- dewatering is done with drum dryers or belt dryers or settler to get to a lower water content.
Advantageously, in step c) of said process the partially dewatered and pre-treated feedstock is heated in a vessel at conditions of temperature and pressure allowing to: evaporate part of the water still present; and
liquefy more than 50 % of the heavier hydrocarbons and/or organics present in the starting material,
while managing cracking of the feedstock under treatment.
Advantageously, in step c): the water and lighter materials eventually include cracked material, such as proteins, fats and/or plastics, that are separated from the heavier portion that is at a liquid stage at operating temperature, allowing to eliminate water and to recover lighter products which can be further separated into gas and liquid with low solid content and used in a previous or in a subsequent step to further dry and or crack the feed stock and/or as fuel of any heating system and/or to be sold in a liquid form as a liquid fuel.
According to a preferred embodiment, in step c), the thermal separation treatment is performed in a vessel, at temperature to liquefy the most of the hydrocarbons and/or organics and at a pressure that is preferably below the atmospheric pressure.
Advantageously, in step c), the recovered lighter material is separated in two fractions: the first fraction that is a heavy bio-oil fraction that falls back in the vessel wherein step c) is performed; and the remaining fraction that is the light fraction of the lighter material is also separated in 2 liquid fractions (with remaining solid) and a gaseous fraction or in at least 3 subfractions: respectively in an aqueous, oil and a gaseous fraction.
In step c): the water and lighter materials and lighter portion, only present if some material cracks, are advantageously separated from the heavier portion allowing to eliminate water and to recover lighter products which can be further separated and used as fuel. According to another preferred embodiment, in step d): the liquefied and entrained solids (resulting of step c) are directed to the vertical stationary reactor, preferably with added sweep gas, and/or preferably with an inert gas, preferably directly in the piping or conduit to treat them in a, preferably indirectly fired, stationary reactor operating preferably under positive pressure and/or preferably with a pressure control system; said indirectly fired stationary kiln having:
a. a heating system;
b. at least one plate moving inside the stationary reactor; c. a charge of plates of consistent shapes;
d. means for bringing the mixture of the liquefied and entrained solids resulting from step c) to be thermally processed on the surface of at least part of the plates;
e. optionally, at least one step performed in the stationary reactor operating under positive pressure managing system; and/or f. at least one step performed in a stationary reactor wherein a sweep gas is injected in the stationary vertical reactor or in the feed stream entering the stationary vertical reactor, g. means for removing solids from the reactor, preferably either through entrainment with the exiting vapours, or through a separate solid exit, or both;
h. means for recovering the reaction and straight run products; and i. means allowing the exit vapours to be directed to a post-treatment module for performing a solid-gas separation on the solid-gas mixture exiting the central module, the transfer is done ensuring that the walls of the post-treatment modules are 10 degrees above the condensation point of the vapours and below the cracking point of the vapours.
The transformation condition in the vertical stationary reactor are advantageously at least one of the followings:
- temperature range from 200 to 750 degrees Celsius;
- pressure lower than 5 atmospheres, preferably below 2 atmospheres, more preferably about 1,1 atmospheres;
- residence times ranges from 1 second to 2 hours, preferably 5 seconds to 10 minutes, preferably about 3 minutes; and
- the height of the shelves of the vertical reactor is versus the thickness of the plates range from 6 and 1 (6 plates for 1 shelf to 1 plate for 1 shelf).
In step e), the post treatment module is advantageously configured to perform the solid-gas separation, substantially without any condensation of the gas present in the solid gas-mixture exiting the central module; and/or
the post treatment module has preferably at least one cyclone and preferably two cyclones
solids are further separated in a self-refluxing condenser and/or in a equipement changing steam direction, a diverter and/or a wash column;
finally, the vapours are condensed and separated either in a distillation column or multiple condensers and/or in a flash drum.
The liquid fuels thereby obtained present at least one of the following features that are dependent upon the kind of upgrading performed on the bio-oil (hydrodeoxygenation, use of catalysts, etc ):
- viscosity below 80, advantageaously 40 cSt @ 40°C, more preferably below 20 cSt @ 40°C, more preferably below 10 cSt @ 40°C, more preferably below 5 cSt @ 40°C, more preferably below 3 cSt @ 40°C; - flash point as per ASTM D92 or D93 over 40 °C (preferably after fractionation);
- over 55 °C for medium fraction (preferably after fractionation); and
- water content, as measured by ASTM D1533 below 25%, more preferably below 15%, more preferably below 5% after fractionation.
Bio-diesel and/or heavy hydrocarbon and/or heavy bio-oil fraction, recovered from the solid vapour fraction exiting the pyrolysis step, is(are) advantageoussly added to the feeding stream before entering the stationary reactor.
Bio-diesel is advantageously added in the feed material resulting from step b) or from step c) at a rate ranging from 0 to 90 % of the feed mass flow rate entering the stationary reactor, preferably less than 50 % of the feed mass flow rate entering the stationary reactor, more preferably less than 25%, advantageously ranging from 5 to 20 % by weight or 10 to 20 % by weight of the feed mass flow rate entering the stationary reactor.
A weak organic acid may be added in the feeding stream before the pyrolysis treatment, preferably before entering the vertical stationary reactor and/or wherein solid fraction recovered from step c) is submit to a preliminary treatment in order to at least partially destructurize cellulose present in said recovered fraction. The weak organic acid, preferably a carboxylic acid such as a formic acid and/or carboxylic acid, is used in the preliminary treatment. The amount of weak acid added in the feeding stream represents from 0 to 50 weight percent of the feed material.
Advantageously, the feeding stream, is submitted to a physical and/or microwave and/or to a chemical treatment allowing, before the feeding stream to be spread on a sliding plate, to at least partially destructurize cellulosic material present in the feed stream.
The temperature of the feeding stream used in the pyrolysis step is preferably adjusted to a temperature ranging from 80 to 400 degrees Celsius before entering the stationary vertical reactor, more preferably this temperature ranges from ranges from 100 to 350 degrees Celsius, 200 to 250 degrees Celsius or 100 to 300 degrees Celsius, more preferably about 180 degrees Celsius.
The processe of the invention may be performed in a continuous, semi-continuous or batch mode. Advantgaeously, at least one of the following components is used to reduce solid content in the feed stream: gaseous or liquid fraction recovered at the exit of the stationary vertical reactor in operation
The fraction recovered by performing aprocess of the invention is preferably the heavy oil.
The stationary reactor used in the proces of the invention preferably comprises plates and at least part of the surface of said plates being used to performed said thermal processing. Advantageously, thermal processing being performed on at least part of the surface of said plates in movement. Thermal processing is advantageously performed on at least 1%, preferably on at least 5%, more preferably on 10 % of the surface of said plates and/or on at least 5%, preferably on at least 10% of the plates. The plates advantageously contribute to the uniformity of temperatures conditions in said reactor. And/or the plates contribute to heat transfer from the heated sources to the surface of said plates and to the feed material to process. The plates also advantageously contribute to the heat transfer taking place from the heated walls to the surface of said plates.
The mixtures that may be treated during the pyrolysis reaction occuring on the surface of the plates by using the processes of the invention are advanatgeoisly mixtures that comprise mostly organic compounds and/or hydrocarbon that may be transformed by thermal processing. The mixture comprises at least 80%, preferably at least 90% of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing. The mixtures advantageously comprises at least about 95% of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing. The mixtures may comprise other components that are not organic compounds and/or that may not be transformed by thermal processing. The other components are advantageously selected among:, water, steam, ash, nitrogen, sand, earths, shale, metals, inorganic salts, inorganic acids, lime, organic gas that won't be transformed in the reactor and among mixtures of at least two of these components. The mixtures are advanatgeously composed of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing in: a liquid phase, a gaseous phase, a solid phase, or in a combination of at least two of these phases. Preferably, the mixture is mostly composed of organic compounds that may be transformed by thermal processing, in at least a liquid phase, a gaseous phase and a solid phase. According to apreferred embodiment of the processes of the invention, the plates are heated in a specific internal zone of the stationary reactor. The plates are advantageously heated along a side, preferably along a vertical side, of the stationary reactor. The heat source may be generated by electricity, IR or convection, a hot oil and/or bio-oil and/or gas stream, or obtained from the combustion of gas, naphtha, other oily streams, coke, coal, or organic waste or by a mixture of at least two of these. The inside of the reactor may be indirectly heated by an electromagnetic field, microwaves and/or infra-rouge. The inside of the stationary reactor may also be directly heated by a hot gas, liquid or solid stream, electricity or partial combustion of the feedstock, coke, products or by-products. The extemal walls of the stationary reactor are advantageously at least partially surrounded by one or more burners and/or exposed to combustion gas and/or hot solids. The walls of the stationary reactor may be surrounded by a fire box, and said fire box is stationary and contains one or more burners.
In the stationary reactor, the supporting and/or guiding means are advantageously attached to the internal wall in a designed and/or random pattern of said reactor . The thickness of the plates advantageously ranges from 0,05 to 8 cm, preferably from 0,1 to 5 cm and more preferably from 0,3 to 0,4 cm. The shape of the plates of the charge is advantageously selected among the group of parallelograms, such as triangles, squares, rectangles, lozenges, or trapezes. The plates of the charge are preferably rectangular. The shape of the plates of the charge may be imperfect and/or all the plates present in the reactor my have about the same size and shape. The plates advantageously have a melting point which is at least of 100 degrees Celsius, and more preferably that is of at least 150 degrees Celsius above the reactor wall maximum operating temperature in the thermal processing zone and/or the combustion chamber. The plates are preferably heavy enough to scrape coke off other plates and/or to have coke scraped off it bymoving over scrapping mechanism without loosing more than 90 % or 70 % of initial velocity of a plate when sliding or when falling. Preferably, each plate has a density that is superior to 2.0 g/cm 3 , preferably superior to 7.5 g/cm 3 and more preferably comprised between 5.5 g/cm 3 and 9.0 g/cm 3 .
The means for bringing the mixture in contact with at least part of the surfaces of the plates are advantageously spraying means of the nozzle type or pouring means; or dumping means. According to a preferred embodiment, spray nozzles spray the mixture onto the surface of the plates of the charge when the feed stream is liquid and/or mixture of liquid and/or gas and/or entrained solids.
The means for bringing the solids outside the stationary reactor is (are) entrainment with a product gas, scoop(s), screw conveyors and/or gravity and/or comprise an exit hopper arrangement attached to the solids exit tube. The stationary reactor has preferably two exits: one for the solids and one for the gas/vapours and entrained solids obtained. The gas/vapours obtained may contain entrained solids. The stationary reactor may be equipped with means for avoiding accumulation of solid in the staationary reactor and/or for plugging of any of the exits, those means are advantageously rotating fins, propellers(s), blowers(s) and/or screw conveyor in the solids exit tube, or a slanted solids exit tube; said means may also be positioned in the bottom part of the vetical stationary reactor. The feeding tube of the mixture is advantaeously positioned on the top of the reactor or is at equal distance of each end of the stationary reactor and the exit of the solids is on the bottom of the stationary reactor.
Advantageously, the part of the mixture that will be thermally processed is the heavy part of the mixture and may eventually contain additives commonly used in this field and their degradation by-products. The mixture may comprise organic compounds having the following thermodynamic and physical features: a specific gravity as per ASTM D-4052 range from 0.5 and 2.0, and/or distillation temperatures between 20°C and 950°C as per ASTM D-1160.
The average residence time in the stationary reactor is usually between 1 seconds to 10 hours, preferably between 30 seconds and 2 hours, and more preferably is between 90 seconds and 10 minutes. The heating temperature in the stationary reactor advantageously ranges from 50°C to 750°C, preferably froml00°C to 650°C and more preferably from 250°C to 450°C . The heating temperature in the stationary reactor ranges from 140 to 550 °C or 200°C to 555°C, 370°C to 525°C, more preferably from 420°C and 500°C and, more advantageously, is about 420°C or about 470°C particularly when MSW combined with used lube oils are treated. The heating temperature in the reactor ranges from 500°C to 520°C, an is preferably about 505°C, more preferably about 510°C when rubber is feed in the stationary reactor .
The stationary reactor used in the processs of the invention, advantageously has, considering that plates are defined by L for length, W for width, T for thickness of a plate, at least one of the following features: the average width of the plate range from 4 to 30, preferably from 5 to 10 % the inner diameter of the stationary reactor, the average thickness of the plate must be less than or equal to 8 cm, the Ratio LAV is less or equal to 3; and the The length of a plate is at most 5 times the width of a plate.
The supporting and/or guiding means in the stationary reactor used in aprocess of the invention have the shape of a single rectangle and/or a series of rectangles and/or a series of rectangles with guides directly below them and/or a series of rectangle with guides attached to them and/or a series of pegs and/or a series of pegs with guides directly below them and/or a series of pegs with guides attached to them.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the solid-gas mixture exiting the vertical stationary reactor are directed to a post-treatment module for performing a solid-gas separation on the solid-gas mixture exiting the central module, wherein the post treatment module is configured to perform the solid-gas separation, substantially without any condensation of the gas present in the solid gas-mixture exiting the central module.
The post-treatment module is advantageously configured for keeping the solid-gas mixture at a temperature about the temperature of the gas at the exit of the central module, or at a temperature that is above the temperature at the exit of the central module but inferior to the cracking temperature of the gas present in the solid-gas mixture; preferably, the temperature of the solid-gas mixture in the post treatment module is higher than the temperature of the solid-gas mixture at the exit of the central module by no more than 5 degrees Celsius or is preferably greater than the temperature of the solid-gas mixture at the exit of the central module. The difference between the temperature in the post-treatment module and the temperature at the exit of the central module preferably ranges from 0 to + or - 10 degrees Celsius. The post-treatment module is advantageously being positioned close to the exit of the central module. According to another prefered embodiment of the processes of the invention, injection of steam inside the feed material and/or inside the feedstock, and/or inside the pre- treatment module and/or inside the central module. Parameters of the process are advantageously configured for allowing the thermal conversion to be performed with a residence time ranging from 1 seconds to 10 minutes.
The post-treatment module may comprise a transit line, directly connected to the gas- solid mixture exit of the central module, for bringing the gas-solid mixture into the also heated post-treatment module. The post treatment module is advantageously equipped with:
- a transit line connecting the two heated enclosures constituting of the central module and of the post-treatment module; and/or
- an extension, of the central heated enclosure, having the function of assuring the connection with an end of the transit line, said extension being also kept at or above the reactor outlet temperature and/or
- an extension of the combustion chamber surrounding the pyrolysis reactor being connected with the post-treatment module, preferably by means of heat transfer line(s).
The transit line between the two heated enclosures is advantageously kept at a temperature slightly above or below the temperature of the gas at the exit of the central module, preferably the two enclosures and the transit line are inside the same heating vessel.
Advantageously, the line between the two heated enclosures is equipped with an automatic or manual cleanout device, such as a door, provided on this line to remove deposits for example when the plant is shut down; and the sealing of the connection between the extension of the Central module and the end of the connection line being preferably assumed by a ring (preferably a metallic ring) and by a seal (preferably of the graphite type and of the asbestos's type).
The transit line is advantageously in the form of a cylinder, has a length L and an internal diameter D and the Ratio L/D is advantageously lower or equal to 2. The length of the transit line is preferably lower or equal to 10 meters. The stationary pyrolysis reactor used in the processes of the invention is advantageously about vertical and comports a first zone placed in a heated enclosure and a second zone that is outside the heated enclosure but insulated internally to keep the solid-gas mixture, produced in the first zone, hot until entering a solid-gas separation equipment. The about vertical stationary pyrolysis reactor advantageously comports a first zone placed in a heated enclosure and a second zone that is outside the heated enclosure but insulated internally to keep the reactor products at a temperature higher that the temperature inside the first zone. The solids resulting from the thermal processing in the vertical stationary reactor are advantageously separated from the vapours in gas- solids separation equipment, preferably in a box and/or in a cyclone, situated in a second heated enclosure placed downstrean upstream to the central module. The temperature of the products at the exit of the separating equipment is advantageously kept at or above the reactor exit temperature. The clean vapours exiting from the post treatment module are advantageously condensed and separated into products such as Wide Range Bio-Diesel being defined by reference to Number 1 to Number 6 diesels, and by reference to marine oil specifications and/or to heating oil specifications and/or alkene products such as kerosene. The separating equipment is configured to be connected with an equipment of the distillation column type. The vapours, exiting the gas-solids separating equipment is advantageously routed to an equipment of the flash drum type, said equipment of the flash drum type having preferably a self-refluxing condenser mounted above it to scrub the reactor products and to remove residual solids. The clean vapours exiting from the post treatment module, are advantageously condensed and separated in an equipment of the distillation column type. The average residence time in the vertical stationary reactor preferably ranges from 1 seconds to 2 hours, advantageously from 3 seconds to 15 minutes, preferably from 50 seconds to 15 minutes, and more preferably from 90 seconds to 10 minutes. The heating temperature in the stationary reactor depending of the feed material and of the product desired in the stationary reactor, ranges from 140°C to 575°C, 300°C to 420°C or 350°C to 550°C, preferably from 390°C to 460°C or 510°C to 520°C, more preferably from 420°C and 455°C and, more advantageously, is about 425°C, about 510°C or about 520°C.
The various fractions generated by the cracking are preferably recovered as follow: the liquid fraction is recovered by distillation, the gaseous fraction is recovered by distillation and/or partial condensation, and the solid fraction is recovered for example in wash column, cyclones, a solids recovery box, a scrubber, and/or a refluxing condenser.
The amount of the recovered liquid fraction representspreferably between 30% and 90% weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 1 % weight and 30% weight of the reactor feed; and/or
- the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 1% weight and 40% weight, and
when applied to plastic:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction, preferably, of the recovered diesel represents between 50 % and 90 % weight of the reactor feed; and/or
- the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction i.e. of the recovered vapours represents between 1 to 10 % weight and the amount of the recovered naphtha represents between 2 and 15 % weight of the reactor feed; and/or
- the amount of the recovered solid fraction i.e of recovered coke represents between 2 and 40 % weight.
Advantageously, when used in the processes of the invention, the vertical stationary reactor is configured in a way that the extension is connectable with a transit line that is advantageously heatable and configured to bring solid-gas mixtures exiting the rotating kiln to a post-treatment module configured to separate gas and solids present in the solid-gas mixture. Preferably, the rotating kiln is configured in a way that the extension is connectable with a transit line that is advantageously heatable and configured to bring solid-gas mixtures exiting the rotating kiln to a post-treatment module configured to at least partially separate solids present in the solid-gas mixture. When the feedstock is organic waste material The the amount of the recovered liquid fraction advantageously represents between 30% and 80% weight of the organic reactor feed and/or the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction advantageously represents between 30% weight and 60% weight of the reactor feed and/or the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents advantageously between 0% weight and 20% weight,
The processes of the invention may be used for treating waste material, such as waste materail, biomass, plastic and/or tires. The processes may additionnaly be used for treating MSW and/or organic matter and/or used oils and to prepare:
- a fuel, or a component in a blended fuel, such as a home heating oil, a low sulphur marine fuel, a diesel engine fuel, a static diesel engine fuel, power generation fuel, farm machinery fuel, off road and on road diesel fuel; and/or
- a cetane index enhancer; and/or a drilling mud base oil or component; and/or a solvent or component of a solvent; and/or a diluent for heavy fuels, bunker or bitumen; and/or a light lubricant or component of a lubricating oil; and/or - a cleaner or a component in oil base cleaners; and/or a flotation oil component; and/or a wide range diesel; and/or a clarified oil; and/or a component in asphalt blends; and/or a soil amendment; and/or
- an additive to animal feed; and/or an insulator; and/or a humidity regulator; and/or
- an air decontaminator; and/or a protective element against electromagnetic radiation; and/or
- an element to decontaminate soil and/or water; and/or a biomass additive; and/or a biogas slurry treatment; and/or an element for paints and/or food colorants; and/or
- a detoxification agent; and/or a carrier for active pharmaceutical ingredients; and/or
- an exhaust filter; and/or a semiconductor; and/or a therapeutic bath additive; and/or
- a skin cream additive; and/or a soap additive; and/or a substitute for lignite; and/or
- a filling for mattresses and/or pillows; and/or an ingredient in food; and/or a bio-oil for combustion; and/or chemicals such as acids, alcohols, aromatics, aldehydes, esters, ketones, sugars, phenols, guaiacols, syringols, furans, alkenes; and/or
emulsification agent for fuels; and/or
- refining secondary feeds et dedusting oils; and/or
a feed for steam reforming.
A eigth object of the present invention is a managing system allowing continuous optimisation of a process as defined in any one of the preceeding process-claims for producing fuel from waste hydrocarbon and/or organic material, said system comprising at least one captor for measuring at least one of the following parameters: humidity in the agglomerates, rate of cellulosic material present in the feed stream before entering the vertical stationary reactor, brix index and/or temperature of the feeding stream in a liquid or in a semi liquid stage and or heterogeneous state before entering thevertical stationary reactor,temperature and/or pressure in the vessel and/or in the vertical stationary reactor, a storage unit for storing data collected by sensors of the system, and calculation unit configured to adjust solid content present in the feed stream to the vessel, and/or to adjust solid content in the feed stream to the vertical stationary reactor. In the managing systemof the invention, feed stream solid content is advantageously adjusted by at least one of the following means: injection a weak organic acid in the feed stream, injection of a diesel having preferably following feature in the feed stream, adjustment of the pressure at a positive or negative value, and adjustment of the temperature of the feeding stream in the range from 25 to 350 Celsius degrees.
The following table 1 describe constituting elements of the stationary reactor and of corresponding pyrolysis system. Function, positionning and interactions with other components as well as the type of interactions are also reported with references to corresponding element numbers as apparent on various Figures. It is to be considered that the fonction associated with a constituent element of astyaionary reactor and with apyrolysis system of the envent applies to any corresponding feature previosly defined in its broadness in the previous general definition.
ID Name Function Position Interacts Type of interaction with
VR Vertical Location in which Seen in Figure
reactor thermal reactions take 2
place on heated plates
sliding on trays, in
which plates are fed to
and from the elevator.
E Elevator Receives plates from the Seen in Figure
bottom of the vertical 2
reactor, heats them and
feeds them into the top
of the vertical reactor.
OPR One-piece Location in which Seen in Figure
reactor thermal reactions take 76
place on heated plates
sliding on trays, in
which trays are
conveyed from the
bottom-most tray to the
top-most tray and heated
on a conveyor system
which is located in the
same enclosure as the
trays and feed spray.
TC Top Prevents vapours within Before the
pressurise the reactor from entrance of
d chamber entering the elevator by plates into the
introducing a sweep gas reactor. Placed
into the chamber, while between the
allowing the flow of reactor and the
plates from the elevator elevator and
into the vertical reactor. above the
bottom
pressurised
chamber.
Seen in Figure
2
BC Bottom Prevents vapours within After the exit
pressurise the reactor from of plates out of
d chamber entering the elevator by the reactor.
introducing a sweep gas Between the
into the chamber, while reactor and the
allowing the flow of elevator and
plates from the vertical below the top
reactor into the elevator. pressurised
chamber. Seen in Figure
2
CI Cyclone 1 Removes solid material Within the B Removes solids from from the vapour-solid reactor exit the reactor vapour mixture (reactor vapour tube, before exit stream (B) exit stream) exiting the cyclone 2.
vertical reactor.
Seen in Figure
3
C2 Cyclone 2 Remove solid material Within the B Removes solids from from the vapour-solid reactor exit the reactor vapour mixture (reactor vapour tube, after exit stream (B) exit stream) exiting cyclone 1.
cyclone 1.
Seen in Figure
3
F Reactor Stream of feed material Seen in Figure
feed which may be 2
stream comprised of solids,
liquids, gasses or a
combination of at least
two of these, which is at
least partially
transformed during
thermal processing
inside the vertical
reactor
L Reactor Stream of feed material
liquid feed comprised mainly of a
stream liquid, but may also
have entrained solids
and/or gasses, which is
sprayed onto hot plates
inside the vertical
reactor and/or the one- piece reactor and is at
least partially
transformed during
thermal processing
B Reactor Comprises of sweep Seen in Figure
vapour gas, vapours produced 2
exit stream from thermal reactions,
material fed into the
reactor that remains
untransformed, solid
material removed from
plates or any
combination of at least
two of these.
P Reactor Vapours exiting the Seen in Figure
product cyclone(s) which have 3
stream at least slightly less solid material than the
reactor vapour exit
stream
s Screw Stream of solid material Seen in Figure conveyor exiting the reactor solid 2
solid exit exit tube
stream
s Cyclone Stream of solid material Seen in Figure solid exit exiting the cyclone(s) 3
stream
G Sweep gas Stream of sweep gas Seen in Figure feed which enters at least one 2
stream of the sweep gas
entrance tubes to
provide a pressure
which prevents vapours
from exiting the vertical
reactor and/or the one- piece reactor
X Exhaust Stream of gasses Seen in Figure stream produced in and/or fed 2
into the elevator which
exit the exhaust tube.
May have entrained
solid material.
H Horizontal Used for descriptive Seen in Figure axis purposes 2
V Vertical Used for descriptive Seen in Figure axis purposes 2
ES Empty Used for descriptive Seen in Figure space purposes 5
a Angle of Used for descriptive Seen in Figure the top purposes 37 pressurise
d chamber
β Angle of Used for descriptive Seen in Figure the bottom purposes 41 pressurise
d chamber
y Angle of a Used for descriptive Seen in Figure plate purposes 39 τ Low angle Used for descriptive Seen in Figure of the purposes 2
reactor
floor
σ Steep Used for descriptive Seen in Figure angle of purposes 69 reactor
floor
Φ Angle of a Used for descriptive Seen in Figure tray purposes 14
Location in which the
reactor screw conveyor Seen in Figure
housed. 2
Reactor Allows flow of sweep Within the
sweep gas gas into the vertical reactor solid
entrance reactor and/or one-piece exit tube.
tube reactor through the
reactor solid exit tube so Seen in Figure
that vapours within said 2
reactor do not exit said
reactor through the
reactor solid exit tube
Reactor Location on which Seen in Figure 11, 10 Trays (11) may be left wall plates can bounce off of 2 attached. Plates (10) when transitioning may bounce off when between trays. Trays transitioning may be attached between trays
Reactor Location on which Seen in Figure 11, 10 Trays (11) may be right wall plates can bounce off of 2 attached. Plates (10) when transitioning may bounce off when between trays. Trays transitioning may be attached between trays
Reactor Seen in Figure
ceiling 2
Reactor Allows plates to pass Near the top of 10, TC, Allows plates (10) to entrance through the door from the reactor, VR, 16, exit the top door the top pressurised directly next to 21 pressurised chamber chamber into the and/or above (TC) and enter the reactor. It also scrapes the top-most vertical reactor (VR). the surface of the plates tray. Scrapes the surface which pass through it. of said plates which
Seen in Figure may remove at least 4 part of the solid material (16) on said surface. Rotates along the reactor entrance door axis of rotation (21)
Plate Location on which Seen in Figure 10, 11, Plates (10) slide on thermal processing 4 6, 7, 22, trays (11) and bounce occurs. Plates are heated 23, 91, off the left and right in the elevator by 97, 98, reactor walls (6, 7) burner(s) and/or 92, 93, while transitioning inductive heater(s) 94, 9, between trays. They and/or are heated in the 12, 52, may be flipped by conveyor system by 64, 40, flipper(s) (22) and/or inductive heater(s). 49, 16, flipping tray(s) (23)
54, 53, while transitioning
When falling off the 42, 30, between trays.
conveyor system, the 33
plates land on tray(s) Guides (91), center and descend the one- guide(s) (97), guide piece reactor by sliding plate(s) (98), scraper on said tray(s). bar(s) (92), scraper mesh(es) (93) and/or
When falling off the punctured scraper(s) elevator system, they (94) scrape the land on the top bottom surface of the pressurised chamber plates as they slide on floor and slide into the the trays. The plates top pressurised chamber slide through the by passing through the reactor entrance door top pressurised chamber (9), the reactor exit entrance door, which door (12), the bottom may remove at least part pressurised chamber of the solid material exit door (52) and the located on the top top pressurised surface of said plates. chamber entrance They continue to slide door (64), which on said floor within the scrape the top surface top pressurised chamber of the plates. The and enter the vertical plates slide on the reactor by passing bottom pressurised through the top chamber floor (40) pressurised chamber and the top exit door, which may pressurised chamber remove at least part of floor (49), which the solid material may scrape the located on the top surface of the plate surface of said plates. sliding on said floor.
Within the vertical When scraped, at reactor and/or one-piece least part of the solid reactor, the plates slide material (16) on said downwards on tray(s) surface may be and may have at least remove from said part of the solid material surface.
located on the bottom
surfaces of said plates Within the elevator, removed by guides, they are lifted by center guide(s), guide lifters (54) and plate(s), scraper bar(s), supports (53) and scraper mesh(es) and/or scrape along the left punctured scraper(s). elevator wall (42) During the plates' while they ascend decent, reactor feed said elevator. Within material and/or feed the one-piece reactor, spray contacts said they land on the plates, causing said feed conveyor belt (30) to thermally react to and are pushed form pyrolysis vapours upwards by conveyor and char. plate supports (33). When transitioning Plates are heated by between trays, the plates burner(s) (63) and/or hit the left or right inductive heater(s) reactor wall or flip via (66)
the means of flippers or
flipping plates.
As plates slide off the
bottom-most tray of the
one-piece reactor, they
land on a conveyor
system which heats said
plates and bring them to
the top-most tray of said
reactor.
As plates slide off the
bottom-most tray of the
vertical reactor, they
pass through the bottom
pressurised chamber
entrance door, which
may remove at least part
of the solid material
located on the top
surface of said plates,
and slide on the bottom
pressurised chamber
floor into the bottom
pressurised chamber.
They continue to slide
on said floor within the
bottom pressurised
chamber and enter the
elevator by passing
through the bottom
pressurised chamber
exit door, which may
remove at least part of
the solid material
located on the top
surface of said plates.
Tray Allows plates to be Within the 10, 12, Allows plates (10) to directed downwards reactor, placed 36 slide downwards towards the reactor exit in sequence towards inside the door and/or conveyor and spaced vertical reactor (VR) system. Object which apart from one towards the reactor consists of at least one another such exit door (12) and/or guide on which plates that there is slide downwards can slide and two guide space for within the one piece walls which prevent the plates to fall reactor (OPR) plates sliding on said from one tray liquid feed stream 49, 3, 4, formed on the and/or is formed during VR, surfaces of the plates thermal reactions. Is OPR, B, (10), which is removed from the 13, E, scraped off by surfaces of the plates X, 65 guide(s) (91), center and fed out of the guide(s) (97), plate vertical reactor, elevator guide(s) (98), scraper and/or one piece reactor bar(s) (92), scraper by being pushed by a mesh(es) (93), screw conveyor or by punctured scraper(s) being entrained with a (94), the bottom stream exiting the pressurised chamber vertical reactor, elevator floor (40) and/or the and/or one piece reactor. top pressurised chamber floor (49).
Solid material removed
that falls on the reactor Solid material which floor is directed into the lands on the reactor solid exit tube due to the floor (3) is directed angle of said floor. into the reactor solid exit tube (4)
Entrained out of the vertical reactor (VR) and/or one piece reactor (OPR) by being entrained by the reactor vapor exit stream (B) and/or by being pushed the reactor screw conveyor (13).
Entrained out of the elevator (E) by being entrained by the exhaust stream (X) and/or by being pushed by the elevator screw conveyor (65)
Reactor Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
central purposes 4
symmetrical axis
Vertical Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
center of purposes 69
the reactor
left wall
Feed spray Spray of liquid feed Seen in Figure 27, 10 Sprayed from material produced by 65 nozzles (27). nozzles which contact Contacts plates (10) the plates and undergo and undergoes thermal reactions thermal reactions.
Reactor Has a different angle Top-most tray 10, VR, Allows plates (10) to entrance than the top-most tray located 9 slide into the vertical tray within the vertical directly next to reactor (VR) after reactor to facilitate the or below the passing through the entrance of a plate into reactor reactor entrance door said reactor entrance door. (9).
Attached to
another tray.
Seen in Figure
6
Reactor Allows the reactor Located at the 9 Allows the rotation entrance entrance door to rotate top of the of the reactor door axis when a plate pushes on reactor entrance door (9) of rotation said door. Through this entrance door.
rotation, the plate can
pass through said door. Seen in Figure
11
Flipper Flips the plates as they Located at the 10, 22, Flips plates (10) by transition between trays. bottom-most 26 the rotating extremity of a movement of the tray. Not flipper arms (22). located on the Rotates along the bottom-most flipper axis of tray. rotation (26)
Seen in
Figure 12
Flipping Prevents the plates from Located 10, 11 Prevents the plates tray falling before a certain directly above (10) from falling percentage of the length each tray, before a certain of the plates pass the except for the percentage of the bottom-most extremity bottom-most length of the plates of the tray directly tray. Attached passes the extremity below the flipping tray. to at least one of tray (11) directly By preventing the plates reactor wall. below the flipping from falling, they hang tray (23), thus at an angle which allows Seen in Figure allowing them to flip them to flip as they fall 13 as they transition onto the curved tray between trays.
directly below the
flipping tray.
Curved Catches plates which are Attached to 10, 23, Catches plates (10) tray flipped by flipping trays the top-most 11 which are flipped by and allows them to slide part of each flipping trays (23) onto the next tray. The tray except for and allows them to curved shape of the tray the top-most slide onto the next allows the plates which tray. Attached tray (11). fall on it to slide to at least one
downwards towards the reactor wall. Allows plates to rest bottom-most belt while in against it and move the tray and above movement plates from the bottomthe top-most
most tray to the toptray.
most tray
Seen in Figure
79
Conveyor Equipped with a motor, Between the 30 Enables the driver it drives the movement conveyor belt, movement of the of the conveyor belt located at the conveyor belt (30) extremities of
the conveyor
and in areas
where the
conveyor
angle is
changing
Seen in Figure
79
Inductive Protects the inductive Between the 66 Protects the inductive heater heater from contact with conveyor belt heater (66) protective plates and/or hot and the
wall vapours and/or solid inductive
material. heater
Seen in Figure
79
Conveyor Supports plates as they Perpendicular 10, 30 Supports the plates plate ascent the conveyor to the (10) on the conveyor support conveyor belt, belt (30), preventing spaced out them from falling. from one Attached to the another along conveyor belt said conveyor
belt.
Seen in Figure
79
Internal Location on which Seen in Figure 10, 11 Plates (10) hit the left wall plates can bounce off of 79 wall and fall onto a when sliding off the tray (11) below trays
Internal Wall on which inductive 66 Wall on which right wall heater is attached inductive heater (66) is attached
Conveyor Allows plates to be On the right 10, 11 Transports plates system brought from the side of the (10) from the bottom-most tray to the one-piece bottom-most tray top-most tray, while reactor, (11) to the top-most allowing for the plates positioned tray and heats them to be heated such that during their ascent. plates which
fall off the
bottom-most
tray land on
said system
and are carried
to the top-most
tray.
Seen in Figure
79
Bottom Allows plates and other Floor of the 10, VR, Allows plates (10) to pressurise solids to slide on it and bottom BC, E, slide from the d chamber pass through the bottom pressurised 16, 73 vertical reactor (VR) floor pressurised chamber chamber, into bottom into the elevator. May leading to the pressurised chamber scrape the bottom elevator (BC) and into the surface of the plates and system elevator (E). May remove at least part of scrape the bottom the solid material from Seen in Figure surface of the plates said surface. Allows 3 and remove at least plates to fall off said part of the solid floor and onto the material (16) from elevator system said surface. Allows plates to fall onto the elevator system (73)
Bottom Allows the flow of Located within G, BC Allows the passage pressurise sweep gas into the the bottom of sweep gas (G) into d chamber bottom pressurised pressurised the bottom sweep gas chamber so that the chamber. pressurised chamber entrance pressure within said (BC)
tube chamber can increase Seen in Figure
and become larger than 3
the pressure within the
vertical reactor, thus
preventing the flow of
vapours from said
reactor into said
chamber.
Elevator If elevator does not have Seen in Figure 10, 42, Plates (10) scrape left wall an inductive heater, the 3 73 along the elevator elevator left wall allows left wall (42) when plates to lean against ascending the said wall while elevator and said ascending the elevator, wall prevents pates thus allowing the angle from falling off the of the plates to change elevator system (73) during said ascent
without falling off the
lifters and supports. If the elevator has an
inductive heater, wall
acts simply as an
enclosure and the plates
lean on the inner coil
wall instead.
Elevator Location on which Seen in Figure
right wall burners may be placed 3
Elevator Seen in Figure
ceiling 3
Elevator Allows the solids within Location on
floor the elevator to fall on the which at least
elevator floor and be part of the
pushed out of said elevator screw
elevator by the elevator conveyor is. Is
screw conveyor. attached to the
Location in which the elevator solid
elevator screw conveyor exit tube
is.
Seen in Figure
3
Elevator Allows flow of solids Located at the
solid exit out of the elevator. bottom of the
tube Location in which at elevator,
least part of the elevator attached to the
screw conveyor is elevator floor.
located. Location in
which at least
part of the
elevator screw
conveyor is.
Seen in Figure
3
Bottom Allows plates to be Located 10 Does not interfere slanted carried upwards through directly above with the plates (10) elevator the elevator without the bottommovement wall getting suck between the most end of
corner of the wall the bottom
directly above the pressurised
bottom pressurised chamber floor.
chamber floor and the
support and/or lifter Seen in Figure
directly below the plate 3
which is being carried
upwards.
Top Allows for more room Located 10 Does not interfere slanted for the plates which directly above with the plates (10) elevator slide off the lifters and the top-most movement wall supports onto the top end of the top
pressurised chamber pressurised
floor. This is prevents chamber floor. the plates from getting
stuck in between the Seen in Figure
corner of the wall 3
directly above the top
pressurised chamber
floor and the support
and/or lifter directly
below the plate which is
sliding on to the top
pressurised chamber
floor.
Top Allows plates and Seen in Figure 10, 73, Allows plates (10) to pressurise possibly other solid 3 TC, 11, slide off the elevator d chamber material to slide on it VR system (73) onto the floor and pass from the top pressurised elevator, through the top chamber floor, into pressurised chamber the top pressurised and into the reactor. chamber (TC) and onto the first tray (11) of the vertical reactor (VR).
Top Allows the flow of Located within G, TC Allows the passage pressurise sweep gas into the top the top of sweep gas (G) into d chamber pressurised chamber so pressurised the top pressurised sweep gas that the pressure within chamber. chamber (TC) entrance said chamber can
tube increase and become Seen in Figure
larger than the pressure 3
within the vertical
reactor, thus preventing
the flow of vapours
from said reactor into
said chamber.
Exhaust Allows the gasses Located within X Allows the passage tube within the elevator to the elevator. of the exhaust stream exit said elevator. (X)
Seen in Figure
3
Bottom Allows plates to pass Located along 10, BC, Allows plates (10) to pressurise through the door from the bottom 69 exit the bottom d chamber the bottom pressurised pressurised pressurised chamber exit door chamber into the chamber floor, (BC) and scrapes the elevator. Also scrapes after the surface of said plates. the surface of the plates reactor exit Rotates along the which pass through it. door and also bottom pressurised after the chamber exit door bottom axis of rotation (69) pressurised
chamber
sweep gas
entrance tube. Seen in Figure
9
Support Part of the elevator Located along 10, 53, Plates (10) rest on the which move upwards the inner and 56, 55 supports (53) while and give a place for outer support ascending the plates to rest on while chains within elevator, thus they are carried through the elevator. carrying them. The the elevator. They move support is carried by at a speed slower than Seen in Figure the support inner the movement of the 9 chain (56) and the lifters, thus allowing the support outer chain angle of the plates to (55).
change as the ascent the
elevator.
Lifter Part of the elevator Located along 10, 58, Plates (10) rest on the which move upwards the inner and 57 lifters (54) while and catch the plates as outer lifter ascending the the slide off the bottom chains within elevator, thus pressurised chamber the elevator. carrying them. The floor. The length of the lifter is carried by the bottom part of the lifters Seen in Figure lifter inner chain (58) is such that the plates 9 and the lifter outer have a tendency of chain (57).
falling off the lifter and
onto the support beside
said lifter. They also
provide a surface on
which plates can rest on
while they are carried
through the elevator.
They move at a speed
faster than the
movement of the
supports, thus allowing
the angle of the plates to
change as the ascent the
elevator.
Support Outer chain of the Located along 53, 120 Carries the supports outer chain elevator system which and in between (53) upwards. Is carries the supports the top and moved by pegs of a around the pulleys. bottom pulley (120).
support
pulleys.
Placed further
from the
center of said
pulleys
relative to the
support inner
chain and
positioned
such that the supports
attached to
these inner and
outer support
chains can
move along
the elevator
system
without having
their
movement
hindered
Seen in Figure
9
Support Inner chain of the Located along 53, 120 Carries the supports inner chain elevator system which and in between (53) upwards. Is carries the supports the top and moved by pegs of a around the pulleys. bottom pulley (120).
support
pulleys.
Placed closer
to the center of
said pulleys
relative to the
support outer
chain and
positioned
such that the
supports
attached to
these inner and
outer support
chains can
move along
the elevator
system
without having
their
movement
hindered
Seen in Figure
9
Lifter Outer chain of the Located along 54 Carries the lifters outer chain elevator system which and in between (54) upwards. Is carries the lifters around the top and moved by pegs of a the pulleys. The lifter's bottom lifter pulley (120).
bottom parts are pulleys. Placed
attached to this chain. further from
the center of
said pulleys relative to the
lifter inner
chain and
positioned such
that the lifters
attached to
these inner and
outer lifter
chains can
move along the
elevator system
without having
their
movement
hindered
Seen in Figure
9
Lifter Inner chain of the Located along 54 Carries the lifters inner chain elevator system which and in between (54) upwards. Is carries the lifters around the top and moved by pegs of a the pulleys. The lifter's bottom lifter pulley (120).
back parts are attached pulleys. Placed
to this chain. closer to the
center of said
pulleys relative
to the lifter
outer chain and
positioned such
that the lifters
attached to
these inner and
outer lifter
chains can
move along the
elevator system
without having
their
movement
hindered
Seen in Figure
9
Bottom Bottom-most pulley Located within 55, 56 Pulley which pulls on support which rotates and pulls the elevator, the support inner pulley the inner and outer below the chain (56) and support chains, thus bottom-most support outer chain moving the supports part of the (55).
through the elevator bottom
system. pressurised
chamber floor. Seen in Figure
9
Bottom Bottom-most pulley Located within 57, 58 Pulley which pulls on lifter which rotates and pulls the elevator, the lifter inner chain pulley the inner and outer lifter below the (58) and lifter outer chains, thus moving the bottom-most chain (57).
lifters through the part of the
elevator system. bottom
pressurised
chamber floor.
Seen in Figure
9
Top Top-most pulley which Located within 55, 56 Pulley which pulls on support rotates and pulls the the elevator, the support inner pulley inner and outer support above the topchain (56) and chains, thus moving the most part of support outer chain supports through the the top (55).
elevator system. pressurised
chamber floor.
Seen in Figure
9
Top lifter Top-most pulley which Located within 57, 58 Pulley which pulls on pulley rotates and pulls the the elevator, the lifter inner chain inner and outer lifter above the top(58) and lifter outer chains, thus moving the most part of chain (57).
lifters through the the top
elevator system. pressurised
chamber floor.
Seen in Figure
9
Burner Consumes oxygen and a Located along X, 10, E Consumes the carbonaceous fuel to the elevator oxygen and a produce thermal energy. right wall. carbonaceous fuel to This thermal energy produce thermal heats the plates which Seen in Figure energy to heat the are carried upwards 9 plates (10). Produces through the elevator. exhaust which leaves the elevator (E) with the exhaust stream (X)
Top Allows plates to pass Located along 10, TC, Allows plates (10) to pressurise through the door from the top 70 enter the top d chamber the elevator into the top pressurised pressurised chamber entrance pressurised chamber. chamber floor, (TC) and scrapes the door Also scrapes the surface before the top surface of said of the plates which pass reactor plates. Rotates along through it. entrance door the top pressurised and also chamber exit door before the top axis of rotation (70) pressurised
chamber
sweep gas
entrance tube.
Seen in Figure
9
Elevator Turns above the elevator Located 16, 46 Pushes the screw screw floor and within the directly above conveyor solid conveyor elevator solid exit tube the elevator material (16) out of to push solids out of the floor and the elevator solid exit elevator. within the tube (46).
elevator solid
exit tube.
Seen in Figure
9
Inductive Inductive heater in Located 10 Heats plates (10). heater which current is passed between the
in order to produce a inner coil wall
magnetic field which and the outer
ultimately heats the coil wall
plates which are carried within the
upwards through the elevator.
elevator.
Located
The inductive heater is between the
represented as a long inductive
cylindrical coil, but may heater
also be in the form a protective wall
series of flat induction and the
coils. internal right
wall within the
one piece
reactor.
Seen in Figure
10
Inner coil Allows plates to lean Located within 10, 42, Plates (10) scrape wall against the wall while the elevator, E, 16, along the elevator ascending the elevator, below the top 66 left wall (42) when thus allowing the angle pressurised ascending the of the plates to change chamber floor elevator and said during said ascent and above the wall prevents pates without falling off the bottom slanted from falling off the lifters and supports. elevator wall. elevator (E)
Also protects the
inductive heater and Seen in Figure Protects the inductive from the plates and/or 10 heater from plates vapours and/or gasses and/or vapours and/or solid material and/or gasses and/or and/or heat from other solid material (16) sources while allowing and/or heat from the inductive heater to other sources while heat the plates. allowing the inductive heater (66) to heat the plates.
Outer coil Serves as an enclosure Located to the 66 Serves as an wall for the inductive heater left of both the enclosure for the inner coil wall inductive heater (66) and the
inductive
heater.
Seen in Figure
10
Bottom Allows the bottom Located at the 52 Allows the rotation pressurise pressurised chamber top of the of the bottom d chamber exit door to rotate when bottom pressurised chamber exit door a plate pushes on said pressurised exit door (52) axis of door. Through this chamber exit
rotation rotation, the plate can door.
pass through said door.
Seen in Figure
36
Top Allows the top Located at the 64 Allows the rotation pressurise pressurised chamber top of the top of the bottom d chamber exit door to rotate when pressurised pressurised chamber exit door a plate pushes on said chamber exit exit door (64) axis of door. Through this door.
rotation rotation, the plate can
pass through said door. Seen in Figure
40
Bottom Seen in Figure
pressurise 9
d chamber
ceiling
Top Seen in Figure
pressurise 9
d chamber
ceiling
Elevator Conveys plates which Seen in Figure 10, 40, Conveys plates (10) system fall off the bottom 45 49 which fall off the pressurised chamber bottom pressurised floor up to the top chamber floor (40) pressurised chamber up to the top floor via the use of pressurised chamber lifters and supports floor (49)
RightUsed for descriptive Seen in Figure
most purposes 9
extremity
of the top
pressurise
85 Left side Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
of a flipper purposes 47
arm
86 Left side Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
of the front purposes 46B
of a flipper
arm
87 Right side Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
of the front purposes 46B
of a flipper
arm
90 Wall of a Wall which prevents the Located at the 10, 11 Prevents the plates tray plates sliding on the back and front (10) sliding on the trays to deviate from of a tray. trays (11) to deviate their path. from their path
Seen in Figure
48
91 Guide of a Part of the tray on which Located in 10, 11, Allows plates (10) to tray plates can slide. between the 16 slide on the trays (11)
Prevents plates from walls of the and prevents plates falling through the tray. tray, from falling through May scrape the bottom preferably said trays. May surface of the plates and along said scrape the bottom remove at least part of walls. surface of the plates the solid material from and remove at least said surface. Seen in Figure part of the solid
48 material (16) from said plate.
92 Scraper Bar which scrapes the Located in 10, 92, Scrapes the bottom bar bottom surface of the between the 16 surface of the plates plates while said plates guides of the (10) sliding over the slide on the tray to tray, scraper bar (92) to which the scraper bar is preferably remove at least part attached. perpendicular of the solid material to said walls, (16) from said and spaced out surface.
to leave room
for fluids
and/or solids
to pass
through the
tray. Also, if
flippers are
present, they
are not placed
in the way of
the flipper
arms attached
to said tray
and/or the
flipper arms
attached to the tray directly
above said
tray.
Seen in Figure
48
93 Scraper Mesh which scrapes the Located in 10, 93, Scrapes the surface mesh bottom surface of the between the 16 of the plates (10) plates while said plates guides of the sliding over the slide on the tray to tray. Also, if scraper mesh (93) to which the scraper bar is flippers are remove at least part attached. present, they of the solid material are not placed (16) from said in the way of surface.
the flipper
arms attached
to said tray
and/or the
flipper arms
attached to the
tray directly
above said
tray.
Seen in Figure
50
94 Punctured Surface comprising Located in 10, 94, Scrapes the surface scraper holes which scrapes the between the 16 of the plates (10) bottom surface of the guides of the sliding over the plates while said plates tray. Also, if punctured scraper slide on the tray to flippers are (94) to remove at which the scraper bar is present, they least part of the solid attached. are not placed material (16) from in the way of said surface.
the flipper
arms attached
to said tray
and/or the
flipper arms
attached to the
tray directly
above said
tray.
Seen in Figure
51
95 Start of Used for descriptive Located on the
guides purposes left or right
wall on which
the curved tray
is attached. Seen in Figure
55
96 End of Used for descriptive Located
curve purposes between the
curved trays
and the flat
trays which
are attached
together.
Seen in Figure
55
97 Center Additional guide placed Placed along 10, 16 Provides a surface on guide between both guides of the length of a which plates (10) can a tray which provides an tray, at the slide. May scrape the additional surface on same height of bottom surface of the which the plates can the guides of plates and remove at slide, which reduces the said tray. least part of the solid stress on the guides of a material (16) from tray which are attached Seen in Figure said surface to the walls of a tray. 5
May also scrape the
bottom surface of the
plates and remove at
least part of the solid
material from said
surface.
98 Guide Provides a larger surface Placed along 10, 16 Provides a surface on plate on which plates can the bottom of a which plates (10) can slide and replaces the tray. slide. May scrape the use of guides of a tray. bottom surface of the Does not allow the Seen in Figure plates and remove at passage of fluids. 5 least part of the solid material (16) from said surface
100 Bottom Bottom part of the lifter Bottom part of 10, E Carries the plates end of a on which the plate being the lifter, (10) upwards through lifter lifted can rest on. It is angled and the elevator (E).
angled such that plates pointing
have a crevice to rest in. towards the
supports,
attached to the
outer lifter
chain.
Seen in Figure
59
101 Back end Back part of the lifter Back part of 10, 45, Prevents the plates of a lifter which prevents the plate the lifter, E (10) from falling being lifted from falling which is onto the elevator off. Also prevents plates directed along floor (45). Also which fall off the carries the plates bottom pressurised the inner lifter upwards through the chamber floor from chain. elevator (E).
passing the lifters and
falling onto the elevator Seen in Figure
floor. 59
102 Top of Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
bottom purposes 59
end of a
lifter
103 Front of a Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
bottom purposes 60
end of a
lifter
104 Bottom of Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
a bottom purposes 60
end of a
lifter
105 Side of a Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
bottom purposes 59
end of a
lifter
106 Front of Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
the back purposes 60
end of a
lifter
107 Back of Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
the back purposes 59
end of a
lifter
108 Side of the Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
back end purposes 59
of a lifter
109 Top of the Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
back end purposes 59
of a lifter
110 Body of a Main part of the support Main part of 10, E Carries the plates support on which plates can rest the support (10) upwards through on while being carried located along the elevator (E). upwards through the the inner and
elevator. outer support
chains.
Seen in Figure
61
111 Arm of a Part of a lifter which Attached to 10, E Carries the plates support allows extra space for the body of a (10) upwards through the plate to rest on while support, the elevator (E). said plate rests on the angled and
lifter carrying said plate. pointing in the
direction of
the lifters. Seen in Figure
36
112 Top of the Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
body of a purposes 61
support
113 Side of the Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
body of a purposes 61
support
114 Top of the Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
arm of a purposes 61
support
115 Side of the Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
arm of a purposes 61
support
116 Front of Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
the arm of purposes 61
a support
117 Angle of Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
the arm of purposes 61
a support
120 Peg of a Peg which hooks on to Attached 55, 56, Pulls the lifter and pulley the inner and outer along the inner 57, 58 support outer and support chains and inner and outer rings inner chains (55, 56, and outer lifter chains. of the top and 57 and 58).
Moves with the bottom lifter
movement of the pulley and support
to which it is attached. pulleys.
Seen in Figure
63A
121 Outer ring Outer ring of pegs Ring of pegs 55, 57 Pulls the lifter and of a pulley which pull on the outer located close support outer chains support/lifter chains. to the edge of a (55 and 57).
pulley.
Seen in Figure
63B
122 Inner ring Inner ring of pegs which Ring of pegs 56, 58 Pulls the lifter and of a pulley pull on the outer located closer support inner chains support/lifter chains. to the center of (56 and 58).
pulley relative
to the outer
ring of said
pulley.
Seen in Figure
63B
130 Top Used for descriptive Seen in Figure
surface of purposes 73
a plate 131 Bottom Used for descriptive Seen in Figure surface of purposes 74 a plate
132 Front Used for descriptive Seen in Figure surface of purposes 73 a plate
133 Back Used for descriptive Seen in Figure surface of purposes 74 a plate
134 Right Used for descriptive Seen in Figure surface of purposes 73 a plate
135 Left Used for descriptive Seen in Figure surface of purposes 74 a plate
136 Top right Used for descriptive Seen in Figure edge of a purposes 73 plate
EXAMPLES
The following example is given as a matter of exemplification only and may not be interpreted as bringing any restriction to the definition of the invention in its broadest scope.
Example 1: treatment of a used oil
Set-up - The vertical reactor (VR), according to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 65, is used to thermally treat 16 L/h of used oil comprised of used lubricating oils as well as other oily streams such as metal working oils, transmission fluids, greases, form oils, and any number of unknown waste oil streams. About 5 wt% steam was injected into this feed stream prior to being sprayed onto the plates. In the case of the present example, as seen in Figure 2, the reactor has a height of 252.3 cm, a length of 104 cm and a width of 11 cm. Its walls (6, 7 14, 15), floor (3) and ceiling (8) are made of 304L stainless steel. Said reactor is connected to an elevator (E) according to the embodiment illustrated in Figure 9. The walls (42, 43), floor (45) and ceiling (44) of said elevator (E) are made of 304L stainless steel. All the piping is also made of 304L stainless steel.
The reactor is designed to hold about 21 plates (10) at a time. Said plates are made of 304L stainless steel and have a length (not shown) of 20 cm, a width (not shown) of 10 cm and a height (not shown) of 0.4 cm. They are positioned lengthwise along the length (f) of the trays (11). The reactor had an operating at atmospheric pressure and an operating temperature of 490°C.
The products obtained from the thermal treatment of the used oil is summarised in Table 2 below. All product yields are calculated on a dry oil basis. As seen in Figure 4, the floor (3) of the reactor is angled (x) at 10° downwards towards the center symmetrical axis (17) of the reactor (VR), which leads to the reactor solid exit tube (4) located in the center of said floor.
The solid exit tube has a circular entrance having a diameter of 5 cm. The diameter of the tube in which the reactor screw conveyor (13) is located is also 5 cm. The screw conveyor has a diameter of about 4 cm and is positioned on the bottom of the reactor solid exit tube to push solid material (16) out of the reactor, while leaving space above the screw conveyor for the sweep gas (G) to enter said reactor through said solid exit tube, which can be seen in Figure 2. The reactor sweep gas entrance tube (5) also has a diameter of 5 cm. he sweep gas (G) which is fed into the reactor sweep gas entrance tube (5), the bottom pressurised chamber sweep gas entrance tube (41) and the top pressurised chamber sweep gas entrance tube (50) is steam. The feed rate of steam for each of these tubes is dependant on the pressure inside reactor (VR), bottom pressurised chamber (BC) and top pressurised chamber (TC), respectively.
As seen in Figure 2, the reactor (VR) and elevator (E) are connected by the top and bottom pressurised chambers (TC, BC) which are made of 304L stainless steel. These pressurised chambers operate at 10 kPa above the pressure inside the vertical reactor (VR). As seen in Figures 37 and 41, said chambers have floors (40, 49) and ceilings (71, 72) which are angled (α, β) at 30° downwards from the horizontal axis (H), in order to allow plates (10) to slide on said floors and overcome any frictional forces acting on said plates. The top pressurised chamber is angled downwards towards the vertical reactor (VR) and the bottom pressurised chamber is angled downwards towards the elevator (E). As seen in Figures 38 and 42, the length (ac, ae), width (not shown) and height (ad, af) of said chambers are 40 cm, 10.5 cm and 3 cm respectively. The doors (9, 12, 52, 64) within said chambers are made of 304L stainless steel and have a thickness (not shown), width (not shown) and height (not shown) of 0.1 cm, 10.5 cm and 3 cm respectively. These doors are also equipped with means of rotating along their rotational axis (21, 25, 69, 70). The floor of the bottom pressurised chamber (40) and the floor of the top pressurised chamber (49) are 70 cm long.
As seen in Figure 65, the vertical reactor (VR) contains four trays (11). The first and second trays are designed according to the trays visible on Figure 49 and do not have any scraper bars (92). The third and fourth trays are designed according to the trays visible on Figure 52. Said third tray is equipped with 9 scraper bars (92) and said fourth tray is equipped with 12 scraper bars. Said scraper bars are designed to scrape the entire width of the bottom surface (131) of the plates, thus removing at least part of the solid material off said surfaces as said plates slides on said trays equipped with said scraper bars.
According to the dimensions seen in Figure 49, the length (f) and width (g) of each tray (11) is 100 cm and 11 cm respectively, except for the last tray which has a length of about 134.6 cm. The width of a tray wall (h) and the width of a tray guide (m) are 0.25 cm and 0.6 cm respectively. The height of a tray wall (d) and the height of a tray guide (e) are 1.5 cm and 0.5 cm respectively. As seen in Figure 52, the scraper bars (92) on the trays (11) are made of 304L stainless steel and have a length (p), width (r) and thickness (o) of 10.5 cm, 0.5 cm and 0.3 cm respectively. There is one scraper bar placed 2 cm from each extremity of the tray's length, while the rest of the scraper bars are spread out evenly along the length (f) of the trays. Each scraper bar is integrated into the guides (91) of the trays such that the top surface of said scraper bar is along the same plane as the top surface of the guides to which it is attached.
As seen in Figure 5, each tray is attached to both the front and back reactor walls (15, 14), while also being attached to either the left or right reactor walls (6, 7). As seen in Figure 65, the first tray (11) begins directly next to the bottom edge of the top pressurised chamber floor (28) on the reactor right wall (7). This location is 3 cm below the top-most edge of the reactor entrance door, which is 2 cm below the reactor ceiling. The top-most extremity of each subsequent tray is located 10 cm vertically beneath the bottom-most extremity (29) of the tray (11) directly above, attached to the reactor wall opposite of the wall to which the tray located directly above is attached. The trays are angled (φ) at 30° downwards from the horizontal axis (H), towards the reactor central symmetrical axis (17).
As seen in Figure 65, the vertical reactor (VR) also contains three nozzles (27) which are of type IS 2 Rectangular Pattern Nozzle manufactured by BETE. The first nozzle extends into the reactor from the reactor back wall, is positioned 1.1 cm downwards from the reactor ceiling and 64.4 cm to the left of the reactor right wall and is angled to be perpendicular to the top surface of the plates sliding on the top-most tray. The second nozzle extends into the reactor from the reactor back wall, is positioned 118.9 cm downwards from the reactor ceiling and 64.4 cm to the right of the reactor left wall and is angled to be perpendicular to the bottom surface of the plates sliding on the second top-most tray. The third nozzle extends into the reactor from the reactor back wall, is positioned 121.1 cm downwards from the reactor ceiling and 64.4 cm to the left of the reactor right wall and is angled to be perpendicular to the top surface of the plates sliding on the third top-most tray. Each nozzle is centered along an axis parallel to the vertical center of the reactor left wall, which can be seen in Figure 69.
As seen in Figure 65, the nozzles (27) have a rectangular spray partem which substantially avoids the sprayed feedstock to reach the ceiling (8), the floor (3) and the walls (7, 14, 15) of the vertical reactor (VR) and the walls (90) and guides (91) of the trays (11). The spray is directed on the plates and hits at least the central 9 cm of the width of the plates, while spanning the at least the bottom-most 80 cm of the plates' length along the length of the trays. The surface area affected by the three nozzles (active area) is about 2160 cm 2 . The volume of the reactor, defined by the reactor height, width and length described above, is 288631.2 cm 3 . The ratio of active area to volume is therefore 0.0075 cm 2 /cm 3 .
The nozzles are automated to spray a constant rate of liquid feed material onto the plates as described above. They are also programmed to stop spraying feed material after a certain amount of time if the reactor entrance door is closed for more than 1 second, as this indicates that there are no plates entering the reactor and therefore no plates to spray on. The shutting off and turning on of the spray nozzles is different for each spray nozzle. The timing for each spray nozzle shutting off and turning on is calculated knowing the duration that the reactor entrance door is closed and time is takes for plates to slide down the trays.
The elevator system is designed to carry plates from the right -most extremity of the bottom pressurised chamber floor (75) to the right-most extremity of the top pressurised chamber floor (74) at a rate of about 1 plate every 8.7 seconds, while heating said plates to 490°C through the use of burners.
ADVANTAGES OF THE STATIONARY REACTOR AND OF THE PROCESSES OF THE INVENTION
This is a simple process that can treat a wide variety of waste such as cellulosic material, MS WT, plastic and make useful and environmentally friendly products. This process is in energy equilibrium. The produced gas and naphtha may be consumed on site, and there is little or no need to purchase fuel, or to use the more valuable wide range diesel or heavy oil products from the unit. There is also no naphtha to dispose of. The coke is removed from the vapour oil stream as it leaves the reactor. Therefore, the sulphur and metals are not present when the oil is condensed into liquid fuels. One of the safety features of this process is that there is no vessel containing large amounts of oil in this process. Residence times are low.
In summary some of the advantages of the new thermal processing apparatus include at least one of the followings: - a steady and controllable reaction temperature; - a product slate of consistent quality;
- preventing coke and other material from depositing and sticking on the reaction's surfaces;
- longer run times, shorter shut-downs, less maintenance cost;
- safer operation;
- less by-products to dispose of in industrial landfills;
- less need for the purchase of chemicals and disposal of spent chemicals; - a steady and controllable reaction pressure, and
- possibility to treat very diverse waste material, even without shut-down of the stationary reactor or of the pyrolysis system. Advantages of the reactor operating:
- better control of pressure in the reactor;
- no air ingress into the reactor, combusting the flammable vapours within the reactor;
- less risk of an explosion;
- steadier flow of products out the reactor; and
- better control of cyclone operation.
Advantages of the use of a sweep gas, over the use of the new thermal apparatus alone: - sweep gas injection stabilizes reactor operations, both pressure and temperature are selected and kept in the range appropriate to a particular feedstock;
The presence of sweep gas inside the reactor reduces the partial pressure of the organic reactor feed and/or the organic vapours, helping the vaporization of the lighter bio-oil and/or organic vapour components. This reduces the incidence of over-cracking, resulting in a more stable organic product slate.
Sweep gas helps in keeping the velocity of the vapours exiting the reactor, improving the separation of the solids from the reactor products. Sweep gas injection effectively reduces organic vapours' residence time, thereby reducing the incidence of secondary reactions, and destabilization of the product gasoil and/or bio-oil; and sweep gas injection rates can compensate for variations in feedstock quantities. Similarly, sweep gas injection allows the use of the same reactor to treat very different feedstocks from municipal waste to used lubricating oils to bunker. This, in turn, permits the treating of a wide variety of waste. The injection of the sweep gas makes for safer reactor operations. In the event of a leak in the reactor or downstream equipment, the steam present acts as snuffing steam, reducing the risk of a fire from oil and/or bio-oil and/or combustible vapours above its auto-ignition temperature coming in contact with air. Nitrogen can also reduce the risk of a fire. In the event of steam as sweep gas, injection of steam into the reactor can reduce or replace stripping steam injection in the product separation stage. Sweep gas injected into the reactor feed line can change the flow patterns and prevent coking in the piping and plugging of either the feed line or feed nozzle. It reduces the viscosity of the organic liquid reactor feed, and contributes to the atomization of the organic liquid reactor feed droplets through the spray nozzles. If introduced into the feed line at temperatures above that of the organic liquid feed into the reactor, it reduces the amount of heat that must be generated by the kiln.
Advantages of the process: organic material thermal cracking process has many advantages over other organic material cracking or reuse processes: - it is flexible and permits the treating of a wide variety of organic material;
- the sulphur and metals do not enter into the finished oil and/or bio-oil products;
- each liquid droplet entering the kiln take the energy necessary to crack, but do not reach a temperature at which they will crack again;
- there is no liquid phase present in the reaction 's zone at any time during its operation, so the vapours produced are not wet, and thus do not readily pick up contaminants; and
- the vapours produced from pyrolysis do not travel through a thick film of solid and/or liquid, and thus do not readily pick up contaminants before exiting the kiln;
- there are no open vessels causing a bad odour; and
- the process is relatively quick and there are no long residence times. In the cases wherein composition of the feeding material is about constant, the composition of the mixture exiting the rotating kiln may be about constant and/or easily managed.
Some embodiments of the invention may have only one of these advantages; some embodiments may several advantages and may have all of simultaneously. Although the present invention has been described with the aid of specific embodiments, it should be understood that several variations and modifications may be grafted onto the embodiments and that the present invention encompasses such modifications, usages or adaptations of the present invention that will become known or conventional within the field of activity to which the present invention pertains, and which may be applied to the essential elements mentioned above.
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