CA2926434C

CA2926434C - Rotating kiln and apparatus for thermal conversion of organic wastes, method for converting organic wastes into useful products, manufacturing of rotating kilns and apparatus and uses thereof

Info

Publication number: CA2926434C
Application number: CA2926434A
Authority: CA
Inventors: Louis Bertrand; Lucie Wheeler
Original assignee: Individual
Current assignee: Individual
Priority date: 2016-04-07
Filing date: 2016-04-07
Publication date: 2024-05-07
Anticipated expiration: 2036-04-07
Also published as: CA2926434A1

Abstract

A polyvalent apparatus, for the thermal conversion of a feed material into useful products, comprising: a) a central module for thermal conversion of the feed material into a solid-gas mixture; and b) a post-treatment module for performing a solid-gas separation on the solid-gas mixture exiting the central module, and 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. A polyvalent apparatus as above with a pre-treatment module for preparing, from the feed material, a feedstock that will be liquid or partially solid and/or partially heterogenic and/or partially dewatered and/or heated. Polyvalent apparatus, with at least one of the following properties: an improved overall efficiency; an improved safety; an improved length for operation without maintenance; and a reduced energy conception. Use of the polyvalent apparatus for the thermal conversion of an organic waste materials and/or waste oil into the valuable products that are preferably gas, light oils, fuel oils and specialty products. Process for thermally converting of an organic waste materials and/or waste oil into valuable products, involving the polyvalent apparatus, and useful 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 recovering oil from oil spills. Manufacturing processes for fabricating the polyvalent apparatus and involving known assembling methods. Rotating kilns having, at one end of the reactor an extension, that is configured to be at least partially heated and to constitute the exit of the solid-gas mixtures produced in the rotating reactor.

Description

ROTATING KILN AND APPARATUS FOR THERMAL CONVERSION OF ORGANIC WASTES, METHOD FOR CONVERTING ORGANIC WASTES INTO USEFUL PRODUCTS, MANUFACTURING
OF ROTATING KILNS AND APPARATUS AND USES THEREOF
FIELD OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to rotating kiln and to polyvalent apparatus for the thermal conversion of a feed material into useful products.
The present invention relates also to the uses of the rotating kilns and of the polyvalent apparatus for the thermal conversion of an organic waste materials and/or waste oil mainly into gas and/or liquid and/or solid products that are useful and environmentally friendly.
The present invention further relates to processes for thermally converting of an organic waste materials and/or waste oil into valuable products.
The present invention additionally relates to manufacturing processes for fabricating the rotating kilns and for fabricating polyvalent apparatus and involving or not known assembling methods.
PRIOR ART
WO 201114370 describes a reactor and its internals for thermal cracking of a mixture, said reactor comprises: a. a rotating kiln; b. a heating system; c. at least one shelf of the reactor wall with minimal stress due to thermal expansion; d. a charge of plates of consistent shapes; e. means for bringing the mixture to be cracked on the surface of at least part of the plates; f. means for removing the fine solids from the reactor either through entrainment with the exiting vapours, or through a separate solids exit; g. means for recovering the reaction and straight run products and It means for venting the gas obtained by the thermal cracking outside the reactor zone. The reactor is used for the thermal cracking of mixtures comprising organic compounds and allow the recovering of valuable by-products, some of them are reusable in an environmental acceptable form and/or way.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 W02014121369 describes a mobile plant, for thermally treating a feed stream, comprising a first unit designed for heating the feed oil (Unit I); ii. a second unit comprising a rotating reactor designed to perform the thermal processing (pyrolizing) of the feed oil and a vapour solid separator (Unit II); and iii. a third unit (Unit III) that is a product separation unit and that is preferably configured for recycling at least part of the treated feed stream (heavy oil), recovered in Unit III, into Unit I. The first unit and/or the second unit is (are) configured for injecting a sweep gas in the feed oil and/or in the rotating reactor, and/or the second unit is configured in a way that the rotating reactor may work under positive pressure. The processes for thermally treating a feed material by using a mobile plant. The uses of the processes for various environmental and non-environmental applications. Processes for manufacturing the mobile plants. Uses of oil containing resins (such as cracked and/or polarized oils) for cleaning purposes and other specialty applications.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
Figure 1 represents a portion of the flow sheet of a first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention wherein the pre-treatment module is designed for pre-treating a mixture of waste oils and of tires or plastics and wherein the central-module is of the rotating kiln type.
Figure 2 represents the flow-sheet complementary to the flow sheet of the detailed view of the exit of the central module according to Figure 1, the corresponding exit pipe extension from the central module and the post-treatment module with the transit line, the seal between the central module and the post treatment module, the gas-solid separation equipment operating at a temperature close to the temperature at the exit of the central module, the equipment extracting solids from the remaining heavy oil fraction.
Figure 3 represents a embodiment of the invention used mostly when the cracking unit is added to an existing re-refinery or other such processing plant: a simplified Flow Sheet showing: the final cleaning of products vapours using a self-refluxing condenser (or dephlegmator); the condensing of the reactor products; and the separating the water and non condensable gas from the product oil.
Figure 4 represents a simplified Flow Sheet of an embodiment of the invention wherein the hydrocarbon vapours exiting the thermal cracking unit is cleaned in the dephlegmator (or self

2 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 refluxing condenser); then routed to a distillation column wherein the products are cooled and separated; the configuration of the distillation column may change with the feed to the reactor and with the desired product slate.
Figure 5 is a view of the inside of the rotating kiln used as central module in the preferred embodiment Figure 6: Figure 6A is a front view of a screen/disc made of wire mesh and Figure 6B is a front view of a screen/disc made of a perforated disc; both screens/discs having a significant hole in the centre of the disc.
Figure 7 is detailed view of an embodiment of the invention showing the horizontal positioning of the rotating kiln referred to in the preferred embodiment, the slope of the shelves and the corresponding slope of the plates positioned on the shelves, the perforated disk defining the end zone of the reactor wherein hoppers/scoops collect the residual solid and dump the residual solids falling from the top hopper to the screen conveyor.
Figure 8 is a detailed view of an embodiment of the invention showing the positioning of the scoops and interaction with plates and hopper screen in reactor's zone close to the exit of the reactor on the side of the rotating kiln that is opposite of the feeding entry.
Figure 9 is detailed view of the apparatus as referred to in the description of the preferred embodiment and wherein the rotating kiln, the extension of the rotating and the transit line are insulated.
Figure 10 is a detailed view of an embodiment of a rotating reactor that may be used as central module of the apparatus of the invention.
GENERAL DEFINITION OF THE INVENTION
Introduction The polyvalent apparatus of the invention comprises at least 2 modules (central module and post-treatment module) and alternatively 3 modules (Pre-treatment module, central module and post-

3 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 treatment module) and is used for treating organic wastes, such as plastics and tires, that are optionally mixed with waste oil.
Mixtures of organic wastes, such as plastics and tires, are in a pre-treatment module eventually mixed with waste oil and are for example heated to dewater the mixture and melt the solids in the mixture, resulting in a hot liquid that may or not contain solids or partially melted materials.
The hot liquid is thus pumped into a central module comprising a reactor designed for the thermal conversion of the mixture into valuable compounds; the mixture is thermally cracked into environmentally friendly and useful products.
Steam is optionally injected into the reactor feed stream, where it acts as sweep gas, controls reactor residence time, prevents secondary reactions, acts as stripping steam in downstream equipment, and provides an element of safety in case of a leak of hydrocarbon vapours in the from central module or in a post-treatment module treating the solid-gas mixture exiting the central module and/or the post-treatment module, and above their auto-ignition temperatures.
The reactor is advantageously a rotating kiln, containing plates on which the liquid mixture is sprayed. The rotating kiln is inside a heated enclosure, such as a fired heater, where the reactor walls are heated externally. Shelves, attached to the inside wall of the reactor, lift the plates, keeping them against the hot reactor wall.
If the reactor is mounted horizontally, the shelves are advantageously slanted with respect to the axis to help advance solids, already present in the feed material or those produced in the cracking reactions, towards the reactor exit.
If the reactor is mounted slanted, the shelves are advantageously mounted parallel with respect to the central axis to help advance the solids, produced in the cracking reactions, towards the reactor exit.
Such rotating reactors are similar to those that have been made the subject-matter inter alia of the international patent application PCT/CA2011/050207 or those rotating kilns that are obtained by modifying those rotating kilns that have been made the subject-matter inter alia of the

4 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 international patent application PCT/CA2011/050207.
According to a preferred embodiment, the modified reactors of the present invention differ from those known in the prior art in that:
- at least one the internal shelves present in a reactor's zone defined by a screen is inclined in respect to the horizontal; and/or - there is always a screen between the reactor's zone wherein plates are moving and reactor's zone wherein scoop are present for recovering residual solids such as coke.
The residual solids resulting, in the central module, from thermal conversion are, for example, separated from the vapours in a box and/or in a cyclone situated in a second heated enclosure.
The temperature of the products at the entry of the separating equipment is advantageously kept about or above the reactor exit temperature.
The line between the two heated enclosures is also advantageously kept about or above the reactor outlet temperature with an extension of the second heated enclosure. A
cleanout door is advantageously provided on this line to remove deposits for example when the plant is shut down.
Another alternative embodiment is constituted by having a sweeper broom that can be alternatively moved back and forth inside the transit channel. This broom being designed to scrape the inside wall of transit line, even during operation of the apparatus.
The vapours exiting the gas-solids separating equipment is routed to an equipment of the flash drum type with a self-refluxing condenser mounted above it to scrub the reactor products and remove residual solids.
The clean vapours exiting from the self-refluxing condenser are condensed and separated into products such as wide range diesel, heavy oil, naphtha and gas in an equipment of the distillation column type.
The heating and/or the insulation of the extension between the exit of the central module and the transit line, and/or of the transit line is important to optimize the solid-gas separation.

5 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 A first object of the present invention is constituted by polyvalent apparatus for the thermal conversion of a feed material into useful products. The apparatus comprising:
a) a central module for thermal conversion of the feed material into a solid-gas mixture;
and b) post-treatment module for performing a solid-gas separation on the solid-gas mixture exiting the central module, and being characterized in that 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.
A second object of the present invention is constituted by polyvalent apparatus for the thermal conversion of a feed material into useful products, said apparatus comprising:
a) a pre-treatment module for preparing, from the feed material, a feedstock that will be liquid or partially solid and/or partially heterogenic and/or partially dewatered and/or heated;
b) a central module for thermal conversion of the pre-treated feedstock into a solid-gas mixture; and c) a post-treatment module for performing a solid-gas separation on the solid-gas mixture exiting the central module, and being characterized in that 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.
According to a preferred embodiment, the rotating kilns constituting of the central module are characterized by the fact that the internal wall of the rotating kiln are equipped with slanted shelves in order to facilitate moving of residual solids produced in the reactor and/or the moving of the inert solid present in the feed material, to the corresponding recovering zone of the rotating kiln. This phenomena is called the solid migration to the exit of the reactor.
More preferably, the angle (a) defined by the main axle of the rotating kiln and by the direction of a shelf is such as to facilitate the migration of the solids such as the inert solids and/or those produced during the thermal processing to the reactor's zone designed for the recovering of the solids and to avoid substantial damage of parts of the rotating kiln such as the screens present inside the rotating kiln for keeping each set of plate within a specific zone.
This angle (a) is

6 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 preferably comprised between 2 and 45 degrees, and more advantageously between 3 and 10 degrees, more advantageously this angle is about 6 degrees. The angle depending inter alia of the nature of the feedstock.
According to another preferred embodiment of the invention, the rotating kiln is equipped with at least one screen/disc protecting the scoop.
Preferably the screen/disc has at least one restrictive holes that is sufficiently big to allow the transit of the residual solids produced in the reactor but too small to enable the plates moving inside the rotating kiln to go through the screen. The screen/disc may be perforated and/or have other holes that may be greater.
Advantageously, the restrictive hole(s) is (are) positioned on the peripheral area of the disc/screen.
The screens/discs are preferably positioned in order to create sections in order to avoid migration of the plates and/or in order to reinforce the structure of the rotating kiln.
At least one of the section created by the discs will contain scoops and will be aimed to protect the scoops that recover the residual solids. The scoop section is a section having advantageously no plate.
The distance between two discs is dependent upon: the size of the reactor and/or the number and the size of the plates and/or of the feed material and/or the number and slope of the shelves and/or the operating temperature of the kiln and/or of the desired product slate.
The feed material may advantageously include mostly organic waste materials and/or waste oil.
The feed material may also comprise at least one chemical agent such as detergents that may comprise phosphorous and/or sulfur.
The post-treatment module is advantageously configured for keeping the solid-gas mixture at a temperature above or about the temperature of the gas at the exit of the central module, but when the temperature is above the temperature at the exit of the central module, the temperature is inferior to the cracking temperature of the gas present in the solid-gas mixture.

7 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 The post-treatment module may also be configured for keeping the solid-gas mixture at a temperature slightly under the temperature of the gas at the exit of the central module; but, in this case, the difference between both temperatures is preferably lower or equal to 10 (preferably to 5, more preferably about 1) degree(s) Celsius.
The difference between the temperature in the post-treatment module and the temperature at the exit of the central module is preferably inferior or equal to 10 degrees Celsius.
According to a preferred embodiment those polyvalent apparatus, comprise means for injecting steam inside the feed material and/or inside the feedstock, and/or inside the pre-treatment module and/or inside the central module.
The post-treatment module is advantageously positioned close to the exit of the central module.
Those polyvalent apparatus, allow the thermal conversion to be performed with a reduced residence time ranging from example from 2 seconds to 120 minutes.
The organic waste material that may be treated by those polyvalent apparatus are, for example, those selected among the group constituted by plastics, tires, rubber, waste oils and mixtures thereof. A feed material that is, in the pre-treatment zone, is an heterogenic mixture and that is heated for at least partial dewatering and/or for at least partial melting of the solids, is advantageously treated by the polyvalent apparatus of the invention.
According to a preferred embodiment of the invention, the feed material, resulting from the treatment(s) in the pre treatment module is a hot liquid that may still or not contain solids or partially melted solids.
Polyvalent apparatus of the invention are, advantageously, configured for the temperature of the feed material resulting from the treatment(s) in the pre treatment module being advantageously comprised between 90 and 350 degrees Celsius.
The polyvalent apparatus are configured in a way that the feed material, or the feed stock, directly feed into the central module, is thermally cracked into environmentally friendly and useful products.

8 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 The polyvalent apparatus presents the advantage to be able to treat undesirable chemicals present in the feed material or present in the feed stock in order to destroy the undesirable chemicals during thermal cracking.
According to a preferred embodiment, steam is directly injected into the hot liquid resulting from the thermal treatments performed on the feed material in the pre-treatment module and/or steam is injected in the central module, preferably in the feedstock or at any place in the central module. Steam can also be injected at any stage of the process. Although steam is the preferred inert gas used in the process, other gasses such as recycle gas from the process or nitrogen can also be used.
Preferably, the polyvalent apparatus is configured in order for the steam to be injected at a pressure sufficient to create a sweep gas effect in the central module. The steam thus acts as a sweep gas and/or is used to controls reactor residence time and/or is used to prevent secondary reactions and/or acts as stripping steam in downstream equipment and/or provides an element of safety in case of a leak of hydrocarbon vapours for example at the exit of the central module and above their auto-ignition temperatures. Steam, injected into the reactor feed stream, can improve the flow regime in the feed line, and prevent premature cracking as well as plugging of the feed spray nozzles.
According to an advantageous embodiment, the polyvalent apparatus are configured in a way that 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.
According to another preferred embodiment, the polyvalent apparatus is equipped with:
- the transit line connecting the two heated enclosures constituting of the central module and of the post-treatment module; and - an extension of the second heated enclosure and/or of the central module 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.

9 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 The transit line between the two heated enclosures is also advantageously kept at a temperature slightly below or above ( for example: + or - 5 degrees Celcius or for example 5 % above or below) the temperature of the gas at the exit of the central module.
According to another preferred embodiment, the polyvalent apparatus:
- 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) .
As a matter of exemplification, the transit line is 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.
As another example, the length of the transit line is lower or equal to 10 meters.
According to a preferred embodiment, the central module is of the rotating kiln type, and preferably of the type that has been made the subject-matter of international patent application PCT/CA2011/050207.
The rotating kiln advantageously contains plates on which the liquid mixture is sprayed.
According to another preferred embodiment, the rotating kiln is at least partially, and preferably mainly, and more preferably completely inside a heated enclosure, such as a fired heater, and wherein the reactor walls are advantageously heated externally.
The shelves are preferably attached to the inside wall of the reactor, lift the plates when the reactor is rotating and keep them against the hot reactor wall when the reactor is rotating.
In a preferred embodiment:
- the reactor is mounted slanted, the shelves are parallel to the central axis to help to advance the solids, produced in the cracking reactions, towards the reactor exit; and - the reactor is mounted horizontal, the shelves are slanted with respect to the axis to help advance the solids, produced in the cracking reactions, towards the reactor exit.

10 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 The rotating equipment is attached to the kiln end but must be out of the heated housing to preserve the support and/or of the ball bearings of the support rollers.
According to another advantageous embodiment, the central module include 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 central module preferably include 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 slightly (for example 3 %) above the temperature inside the first zone.
According to a preferred embodiment, the polyvalent apparatus are configured in a way that the solids resulting from the thermal processing in the central module 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 to the central module.
Preferably, the temperature of the products at the exit of the separating equipment is advantageously kept at or above the reactor exit temperature.
Polyvalent apparatus allows the clean vapours exiting from the post treatment module are condensed and separated into products such as gas, light oils, fuel oils.
According to a preferred embodiment, the polyvalent apparatus are considered in a way that the separating equipment is configured to be connected with an equipment of the distillation column type.
According to another advantageous embodiment, the polyvalent apparatus are configured in way that the vapours, exiting the gas-solids separating equipment are 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.

11 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 The polyvalent apparatus are preferably configured in a way that the clean vapours exiting from the post treatment module, are condensed and separated in an equipment of the distillation column type.
According to a preferred embodiment of the first and second object of the invention, of a particular interest are the polyvalent apparatus wherein the rotating kill comprises:
a. at least one shelf of the reactor wall;
b. a charge of plates of consistent shapes;
c. means for bringing the mixture to be cracked on the surface of at least part of the plates;
d. means for removing the fine solids from the reactor;
e. means for recovering the reaction and straight run products; and h. means for venting the gas obtained by the thermal cracking outside the reactor zone.
A third object of the present invention is the use of the polyvalent apparatus according to the first or according to the second object of the invention for the thermal conversion of an organic waste materials and/or waste oil into the valuable products that are preferably gas, light oils, and fuels and speciality products.
Of a particular interest for the thermal conversion of an organic waste materials and/or waste oil into Wide Range Diesel, Wide Range 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.
Advantageous uses of the invention are those 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 - recovering oil from oil spills.
Of a particular interest are those uses of a process 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

12 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 = 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.
A fourth object of the present invention is the manufacturing processes for fabricating those apparatus defined in the first and in the second object of the invention, and in particular those manufacturing processes involving known assembling methods such as welding, screwing, sticking.
A fifth object of the present invention is constituted by processes for thermally converting of organic waste materials and/or waste oil into valuable products, which process comprises the steps of:
- a) feeding a reactor and its internals with said mixture, - b) heating said reactor and its internals at a temperature corresponding to the cracking temperature of the mixture; and - c) recovering of the products resulting from the cracking and for their elimination of said reactor, wherein the mixture to be pyrolysed is brought in contact with at least part of the surface of the plates of the charge and result in a reaction and 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 rotation of the reactor.
Of a particular interest, are those processes wherein the mixtures to be treated include organic compounds having the following thermodynamic and physical features: a specific gravity between 0.75 and 2.2, preferably between 0.75 and 1.1, and/or atmospheric distillations between 20 C and 9 50 C as per ASTM 1160.

13 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 According to advantageous embodiments of the processes of the invention, the average residence time in the reactor ranges from 2 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.
Of a particular interest are those processes wherein the heating temperature in the reactor ranges from 350 C to 550 C, preferably from 390 C to 460 C, more preferably from 420 C and 455 C and, more advantageously, is about 425 C when used lube oils are treated.
Of a particular interest are those processes treating plastics and wherein the heating temperature in the reactor ranges from 150 C to 550 C, preferably from 150 to 450 C, and more preferably in the case of PEP is about 180 C. The temperature ranges depending upon the type of plastics to be treated by the processes of the invention.
Of a particular interest are those processes treating rubber and wherein the heating temperature in the reactor ranges from 350 C to 525 C, advantageously from 400 C to 500 C, more advantageously, is about 450 C.
According to a preferred embodiment, the rotation speed of the central module (for example of the rotating reactor) ranges from 0.5 rpm to 10 rpm more preferably from 1 rpm to 5 rpm, and is more advantageously about 3 rpm.
According to another preferred embodiment, the various fractions generated by the cracking are recovered as follows:
- by liquid fraction is recovered by distillation;
- gaseous fraction is recovered by distillation; and - by solid fraction is recovered for example: by reduction of the speed of the gas, in baffle, in cyclones, and self refluxing condenser.
Among the numerous advantages of the processes of the invention, when applied to used oil, the followings are:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction represents between 80% and 100%
weight of the reactor feed;

14 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 - the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 0% weight and 10%
weight of the reactor feed; and - the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 0% weight and 8% weight Among the numerous advantages of the processes of the invention, when applied to plastic, the followings are:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction i.e. of diesel represents between 70% and 90%
weight of the reactor feed;
- the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction i.e. of the recovered vapours represents between 2 to 10 % weight and of the recovered naphtha represents between 2 and

15 %
weight of the reactor feed; and - the amount of the recovered solid fraction i.e. of recovered coke represents between 1 and 10 % weight.
In the case wherein the feed material is plastic, the temperature in the central module is advantageously comprised between 150 and 550 degrees Celsius, depending upon the type of plastics. The overall yield is also dependent upon the type of plastic treated.
Among the numerous advantages of the processes of the invention, when applied to rubber, the followings are:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction i.e. wide range diesel represents between 45 %
and 55 % weight of the reactor feed;
- the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction, mainly gas and naphtha, represents between 10 % weight and 20% weight of the reactor feed; and - the amount of the recovered solid fraction i.e. the carbon black represents between 30 %
weight and 40 % weight In the case wherein the feed material is rubber, the temperature in the central module is advantageously comprised between 350 and 525 degrees Celsius.
The sulfur being mainly in the carbon black The processes of the invention may be operated in a continuous or in semi batch mode or in a batch mode.

Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 A sixth object of the present invention is constituted by rotating kilns characterized in that they have at one end of the reactor an extension that is configured to be at least partially heated and to constitutes the exit of the solid-gas mixtures produced in the rotating reactor.
The rotating kilns of the invention are preferably obtained by modification of a rotating kiln as described in the first object, or as described in the second object of the invention or as disclosed in the description of international patent application PCT/CA2011/050207 as originally filed.
The rotating kiln of the invention are further connected in a way that the extension is connectable with a transit line that is advantageously heated and/or insulated and configured to bring solid-gas mixtures exiting the rotating kiln to a heated post-treatment module configured to separate gas and solids present in the solid-gas mixture.
In a preferred embodiment, the extension has the form of a cylinder.
PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS OF THE INVENTION
The following preferred embodiment illustrated by Figures 1 to 5 and by the details thereafter provided. The preferred embodiment is given as a matter of illustration only and should not be constructed as constituting a limitation of the scope of the invention in its generality.
Figure 1 represents the partial of the flow sheet of a first embodiment of the apparatus of the invention wherein the pre-treatment module 110 is designed for pre-treating a mixture 112 of waste oils and of tires or plastics (mixed in mixing tank 114 and directed to the pre-treatment module 110 through pump or screw conveyor 116) and wherein the central-module 118 is of the rotating kiln type equipped with heater 120 (where pre-treated material is transferred from pre-treatment-module 110 through pump 122). Arrow 124 indicate transfer of waste and light oil product from pre-treatment to cooling and separation, arrow 126 indicate the injection of steam and arrow 128 indicate transfer of the product to post-treatment module (not shown).
Figure 2 represents the flow-sheet complementary to the flow sheet of the detailed view of the exit (arrow 128) of the central module 118 according to Figure 1, the corresponding exit pipe extension from the central module 118 and the post-treatment module with the transit line, the seals 204 and 204a between the central module's enclosure 200, the reactor 201 and the post treatment module 211, the gas-solid separation equipment operating at a temperature close to the

16 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 temperature at the exit of the central module, the equipment extracting solids from the remaining heavy oil fraction. The gas transfer is shown on 203 and the solids exit from the shovels 202 to the hopper 207 then the screw conveyor 208 to exit at the opening 207a. The post-treatment module include the diverter 209 and the cyclone 212 all in the second heated enclosure 211 where there are flames 214, and cyclone condenser 213. The gases from the flames in the heated enclosures are evacuated by chimneys 205 205a. The tubes between the two modules have expansion joints 206.
Figure 3 represents a embodiment of the invention used mostly when the cracking unit is added to an existing re-refinery or other such processing plant. Figure 3 is a simplified Flow Sheet showing: the final cleaning of products vapours 300 from a previous processing step into flash drum 310 using a self-refluxing condenser 320 (or dephlegmator); the condensing of the reactor products through cooler 330 towards a 3-phase accumulator 340; and the separating of the water 350 and non condensable gas 360 from the product oil 370. Arrow 380 indicate the flux of heavy oil towards storage.
Figure 4 represents a simplified Flow Sheet of an embodiment of the invention wherein the hydrocarbon vapours 300 exiting the thermal cracking unit is cleaned in the dephlegmator 320 (or self refluxing condenser), similar to Figure 3 but then routed to a distillation column 400 wherein the products are and separated to heavy-oil 380, wide range diesel 370 and lighter portions. The lighter portions are directed to the cooler 330 and 3-phase accumulator 340 where it is further separated to gas to fuel the reactor 360, to water in storage or treatment 350 and to naphta to use as fuel or to be sold. Some of the naphta is refluxed to the distillation column. The configuration of the distillation column may change with the feed to the reactor and with the .. desired product slate.
As apparent on Figure 5, the central module comprises an indirectly fired rotating kiln (1) that is represented in the sectional view of Figure 5 and obtained from the rotating kiln described in details in the preferred embodiment of international patent application PCT/CA2011/050207 and wherein by addition of the insulated and removable extension as represented in Figure 2 at the exit of the reactor heated enclosure, containing a charge of metal plates (2) that are lifted by one or more narrow shelves (3) as the reactor rotates. The shelves are wide enough to hold two plates one against the wall, and a second one against the first plate. The plates are flat pieces of metal of regular shapes. The heat (5) coming through the reactor wall heats the plates as they are dragged and lifted against the reactor wall by one or more narrow shelves. As the rotation continues, the

17 Date Recue/Date Received 2023-09-12 plates fall off the shelves or off the plates below them, and flip as they fall, presenting the hot surface to the oil jet (4) projected unto the plates (5).
The plates carry the heat from the reactor walls and provide a hot surface where the reactions take place. The plates are lifted and kept against the reactor walls by shelves (3). Depending on the thickness of the plates, the shelves can be designed to hold one, two or more plates. As the kiln rotates, the plates fall off the shelves or off the plates below, presenting the face that was against the reactor wall to the oil spray.
As they slide over each other, the metal plates become a surface that protects the reactor walls from contact with the relatively cold oil spray and the resulting thermal shock Also, as they slide down the reactor, the plates scrape the reactor walls and each other clean of coke. The coke released is entrained out of the reactor with the hydrocarbon gas.
The shelves may be directly attached to the reactor wall or they may be attached to the reactor walls with clamps (6) to reduce stress due to the differential thermal expansion between the reactor walls and the shelves. The clamps are spaced in such a way that, even at the hottest reactor temperature, the shelves are strong enough to support hot the plates on it Depending on the spacing between the shelves, there may be only one double row of plates per shelf or several rows one on top of each other. Both the plates and shelves increase the heat transfer area from the heat source to the reaction site.
The clamps (6) are shaped like a T (figures 4 and 5). The base of the T (7) is welded to the rotating kiln walls. The cross bar or top of the T (8) is U shaped to receive the shelve (3) ends, leaving room for the thermal expansion of the shelves, both longitudinally and perpendicular to the reactor wall. Bolts (9) close off the U brackets and keep the shelves from falling out of the brackets. The branches of top of the T (6) are wide enough to allow for the thermal expansion of the shelves within them, while providing strength and support for the load of 1, 2 or more layers of the metal plates along the full length of the shelves in the reactor, and as many rows as the spacing between the shelves will accommodate.
Figure 7 is a detailed view of an embodiment of the invention showing the horizontal positioning of the rotating kiln 700 referred to in the preferred embodiment, the slope of the shelves 710 and the corresponding slope of the plates 720 positioned on the shelves 710, the perforated disk 730

18 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 defining the end zone of the reactor wherein hoppers/scoops 740 collect the residual solid and dump the residual solids falling from the top hopper to the screw conveyor 750.
As apparent on Figure 8, scoops (10) are attached to the kiln wall at the exit end of the kiln to .. remove heavier coke that may have deposited on the bottom of the kiln. The scoops are pipe sections with one end closed, and the other end cut on a slant, to allow any hydrocarbon vapours to escape before the coke falls into the hopper (11). The scoops are sized small enough so that the metal plates cannot enter with the coke. As the reactor rotates, the scoops turn upside down and dump their load of coke into a hopper mounted on the solids exit tube (12). To ensure that none of the plates block the coke exit from the reactor, the hopper has a metal grid (13) that will deflect any plate towards the bottom of the kiln. The solids exit tube (12) has a screw conveyor (15) to push the coke out of the reactor. The solids exit tube can be above the vapour exit tube (14), within the vapour exit tube or even at separate ends. There must be at least two exits from the kiln, or one oversized exit, to ensure that the reactor exit is never obstructed. In normal .. operation, the coke will exit the reactor mostly through the vapour exit (14). The scoops are required when the feed to the kiln is interrupted and there is no vapour to carry the coke out, or when the coke is wet or heavy.
Figure 9 is a detailed view of the apparatus as referred to in the description of the preferred embodiment wherein the end of rotating kiln 700, as in Figure 7 is shown, including perforated disks 730, hopper 740 and screw conveyor 750, wherein the extension of the rotating kiln 900 and the transit line (not shown) are insulated with insulation 920.
Figure 10 is a detailed view of an embodiment of a rotating reactor that may be used as central .. module of the apparatus of the invention. Figure 10 shows the heated enclosure 1000 with feed line 1010 bringing the VTAE coming in the opposing end of the vapours and coke exit. A feedline line support 1020 with the detail showing the attachment to the reactor wall 1021 and the support 1022 being rods attached to a support ring are illustrated. The support rods are protected from the plates by perforated disk 1030. The detail shows center hole 1031 to let the vapours thru .. and perforations 1032 small enough so that the plates 1040 cannot go thru but large enough to let the solids pass. The shelves push the plates 1050 when the reactor turns. The solids when they reach the end of the reactor are picked up by the shovels 1060 which dump the solid in the hopper 1070. The solids are taken by the screw 1080 to the diverter 1090 where they drop down to the exit for the coke 1100. The vapours in the diverter 1090 and cyclone 1130 are kept at the temperature higher by the second heated enclosure 1110 which keeps he vapours inside the two

19 Date Recue/Date Received 2023-09-12 higher than in the reactor. The vapours from the diverter 1090 go to the cyclone were the coke entrained is separated from the solids to get clean hydrocarbon.
Example 1 There is a growing concern for used oil re-refiners in Europe and North America. About 15% of the oil entering their plants is vacuum tower bottoms, where most of the hazardous components of used oils are concentrated. VTAE, Vacuum Tower Asphalt Extender, is currently sold as an additive to asphalt binders. However, this practice is banned in a growing number of j urisdictions.
By using a typical use lubricating oil (ULO) having the features thereafter defined and a demonstration unit processing ULO including as central module a rotating kiln (size of the heated part: diameter 10 feet and length 8 feet) and a post-treatment module as represented on Figure 7 of the present invention, the corresponding results thereby obtained are thereafter summarized.
The feed VTAE distillation was taken from the heaviest 50% of the ULO. It was entered as 850 Kg/hr, at 3000C and 2 atmospheres.
The VTAE stream was specified with a specific gravity of 0.95 and an ASTM D-2887 distillation as follows:
% weight vaporized Temperature 0C

20 445 34 Kg/hr of steam at 180 C and 10 atmospheres was mixed with the VTAE, and the resulting mixture was introduced into the reactor. The reactor operates at 510 C and a positive pressure of 127 KPa.
Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 Comparative analysis of the input and of the output shows substantially a complete removal of the coke particles, about 7 microns and over, from the reactor products.
By keeping the transit line/tunnel and the cyclone (post treatment module) heated, fouling and plugging are reduced. The recovering of the residual solids before condensation prevents the return of metal, such as zinc, into the product oils.
The reactor products exit the reactor as vapours or solids. The amount and composition of the reactor products are calculated using the disappearance of the heavier portion of ULO in the demonstration unit, and the difference between the cuts entering the reactor and the same cuts exiting the reactor as gas, naphtha, gasoil, heavy oil and coke.
The 30 Kg/hr non-condensable gas was pared down from the actual gas produced in the demonstration plant, and entered as:
Methane 20% wt Ethane 18% wt Propane 20% wt Butane 1% wt.
Pentane 7% wt.
Hexane 30% wt.
Sulphur 4% wt.
The 34 Kg/hr steam entering the reactor exits without transformation. The 85 Kg/hr solids are entered as carbon. In fact the coke exiting the reactor in the demonstration unit was about 50%
carbon, 40% metals and 10% sulphur.
The remainder of the reactor products will be condensed into fuels. They were entered as three different streams: 90 Kg/hr naphtha, 550 Kg/hr gasoil and 95 Kg/hr heavy oil.
Heavy % wt. distilled Naphtha Gasoil Oil

21 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 In a first embodiment, the solids are separated from the reactor products and the vapours are cooled and condensed into three phases: non-condensable gas, liquid oil and water.
5 In a second embodiment, the solids are separated from the reactor products and the vapours are distilled into 42 1<g/hr non-condensable gas, 31 Kg/hr water, 90 Kg/hr naphtha, 565 Kg/hr gasoil and 71 Kg/hr heavy oil. Note 3 kg of water exits with the gas.
Heavy % wt. distilled Naphtha Gasoil Oil C

The first embodiment will be for a unit that treats VTAE from an existing re-refinery that already 10 has a products distillation column.

22 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29 In the second embodiment, the distillation column was designed to meet European standards for the transportation of diesel fuels: a Flash Point of 55 C, and 80% distilled at 360 C.
From the precedings it may be deduced that it is possible to thermally crack VTAE, while destroying the harmful products in ULO.
ADVANTAGES OF THE INVENTION
Those apparatus and those rotating kiln of the invention, having when compared to the conversion apparatus and to the rotating kiln of the prior art, at least one of the following properties:
- an improved overall efficiency;
- an improved safety;
- an improved length for operation without maintenance; and - a reduced energy consumption;
- ease of manufacturing and maintenance;
- better protection for supports of the rotating reactor, such as the rollers and the bearing inside of the roller supporting the rotating kiln; and - better product's slate both in quality and quantity.
Moreover, the post treatment module is simplified and very efficient, particularly in respect of very low rate of residual solid in the recovered gas.
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 said 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.

23 Date Recue/Date Received 2022-12-29

Claims

1. A polyvalent apparatus for the thermal conversion of a feed material into useful products, said apparatus comprising:
a) a central module for thermal conversion of the feed material into a solid-gas mixture; and b) 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.

2. A polyvalent apparatus for the thermal conversion of a feed material into useful products, said apparatus comprising:
a) a pre-treatment module for preparing, from the feed material, a feedstock that will be at least one of liquid or partially solid, partially heterogenic, partially dewatered and heated;
b) a central module for thermal conversion of the pre-treated feedstock into a solid-gas mixture; and c) 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 centsal module.

3. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the feed material comprises organic waste materials.

4. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the organic waste materials is selected from rubber, plastics, waste oil and mixtures thereof.

5. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 3 or 4, wherein the feed material further comprises detergents comprising phosphorous and/or sulfur.

6. The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claim 1 to 5, wherein the post-treatment module is configured for keeping the solid-gas mixture at a temperature about the Date Reçue/Date Received 2023-09-12 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 a cracking temperature of the gas present in the solid-gas mixture.

7. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 6, 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.

8. The polyvalent apparatus, according to any one of claims 1 to 7, further comprising means for injecting steam inside the feed material, and/or inside the central module.

9. The polyvalent apparatus, according to claim 2, comprising means for injecting steam inside the feed material, inside the feedstock, inside the pre-treatment module and/or inside the centTal module.

10. The polyvalent apparatus, according to any one of claim 1 to 9, wherein the post-treatment module is positioned proximate to the exit of the central module.

11. The polyvalent apparatus, according to any one of claims 1 to 10, configured for allowing the thermal conversion to be performed with a residence time ranging from 2 seconds to 10 minutes.

12. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 2 or 9, wherein the feed material, in the pre-treatment module, is an heterogenic mixture and is heated for at least partial dewatering and/or for at least partial melting of the solids.

13. The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 2, 9 and 12, wherein the feed material, resulting from the treatment in the pre-treatment module is a heated liquid that may still or not contains solids or partially melted solids.

14. The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 2, 9, 12 and 13;
configured for the temperature of the feed material resulting from the treatment in the pre-treatment module being comprised between 100 and 350 degrees Celsius.

15. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the feed material or the feedstock feed into the central module, is thermally cracked into environmentally friendly and useful products.
Date Reçue/Date Received 2023-09-12

16. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 14, wherein undesirable chemical agents present in the feed material or present in the feed stock are destroyed when the feed is thermally cracked.

17. The polyvalent apparatus, according to any one of claims 2, 9 and 12 to 16, wherein steam is directly injected into the heated liquid resulting from the thermal treatments performed on the feed material in the pre-treatment module and/or steam is injected in the central module.

18. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 17, wherein the steam is injected at a pressure sufficient to create a sweep gas effect in the central module.

19. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 17 or 18, wherein the steam at least one of: acts as a sweep gas, is used to controls reactor residence time, is used to prevent secondary reactions, acts as stripping steam in downstream equipment, and provides an element of safety in case of a leak of hydrocarbon vapours above their auto-ignition temperatures.

20. The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 19, 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.

21. The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 19, equipped with:
- a transit line connecting two heated enclosures constituting of the central module and of the post-treatment module; and - an extension, of the heated enclosure of the central module, having the function of assuring a connection with an end of the transit line, said extension being also kept at or above the module outlet temperature.

22. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 21, 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.

23. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 21 or 22, wherein:
- the transit line between the two heated enclosures is equipped with an automatic or manual cleanout device provided on this transit line to remove deposits; and Date Reçue/Date Received 2023-09-12 - the sealing of the connection between the extension of the central module and the end of the transit line being assumed by a ring and by a seal.

24. The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 20 to 23, wherein the transit line is in the form of a cylinder, has a length L and an internal diameter D
and the Ratio L/D is lower or equal to 2.

25. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 24, wherein the length of the transit line is lower or equal to 10 meters.

26. The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 25, wherein the central module is a rotating kiln.

27. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the rotating kiln contains plates on which a liquid mixture is sprayed.

28. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 27, wherein the rotating kiln is at least partially inside a central heated enclosure, and wherein the rotating kiln comprises kiln walls which are heated externally.

29. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 27 or 28, wherein shelves are attached to an inside wall of the rotating kiln, and are configured to lift the plates and keep the plates against the inside wall when the rotating kiln is rotating.

30. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 29, wherein the rotating kiln is mounted horizontally about an axis, and the shelves are slanted with respect to the axis to help advance the solids, produced therein, towards the rotating kiln exit.

31. The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 28 or 29, wherein:
- the rotating kiln is mounted slanted about a central axis, the shelves are parallel to the central axis to help advance the solids, produced therein, towards the kiln exit.

32.The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 28 to 31, wherein a rotating equipment is attached to an end of the rotating kiln, out of the central heated enclosure to preserve support rollers and/or ball bearings of the rotating equipment.

33.The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein, the central module comprises a first zone placed in a central heated enclosure and a second zone that is outside the central heated enclosure and insulated internally to keep the solid-Date Reçue/Date Received 2023-09-12 gas mixture produced in the first zone heated until entering a solid-gas separation equipment.

34.The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein, the central module comprises a first zone placed in a central heated enclosure and a second zone that is outside the central heated enclosure and insulated internally to keep the reactor products at a temperature higher than the temperature inside the first zone.

35.The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 34, wherein the solids resulting from the thermal conversion in the central module are separated from the gas in gas-solids separation equipment, situated in a heated enclosure placed downstream to the central module.

36.The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 35, wherein the temperature of the products at the exit of the separation equipment is kept at or above the exit temperature.

37.The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 36, wherein the gas exiting from the post treatment module is condensed and separated into products selected from Wide Range Diesel, Wide Range 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.

38.The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 36, the separation equipment is configured to be connected with a distillation column equipment.

39.The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 36, wherein the gas, exiting the gas-solids separation equipment is routed to a flash drum equipment, said flash drum equipment having a self-refluxing condenser mounted above it to scrub the products and to remove residual solids.

40.The polyvalent apparatus, according to any one of claims 1 to 34, wherein the gas exiting from the post treatment module, are condensed and separated in a distillation column equipment.

41.The polyvalent apparatus according to claim 26, wherein the rotating kiln comprises:
a. at least one shelf of a kiln wall;
b. a charge of plates of consistent shapes;
c. means for bringing the feed material to be thermally converted on a surface of at least part of the plates;
d. means for removing fine solids from the rotating kiln;
e. means for recovering reaction and straight run products and Date Reçue/Date Received 2023-09-12 h means for venting the gas obtained by the thermal conversion outside the rotating kiln.

42. Use of the polyvalent apparatus as defined in any one of claims 1 to 41 for the thermal conversion of an organic waste materials and/or waste oil into valuable products selected from gas, light oils, fuel oils and specialty products.

43. Use according to claim 42 for the thermal conversion of an organic waste materials and/or waste oil into wide range diesel.

44. Process for thermally converting an organic waste material and/or waste oil into valuable products, which process comprises the steps of:
- a) feeding a polyvalent apparatus as defined in any one of claims 1 to 41 with said feed material, - b) heating said polyvalent apparatus at a temperature corresponding to the cracking temperature of the feed material; and - c) recovering of the products resulting from the thermal conversion and for their elimination of said polyvalent apparatus, wherein the feed material to be thermally converted is brought in contact with at least part of a surface of plates of the polyvalent apparatus and result in a reaction and vaporization of the feed material and products allowing removal of the feed material in the form of gas and solids phases, and wherein at least part of the plates moves during rotation of the polyvalent apparatus.

45. The process according to claim 44, wherein the feed material comprises:
organic compounds having the following thermodynamic and phy sical features:
- a specific gravity between 0.75 and 2.2, and - distillations between 20 C and 1200 C as per ASTM 1160.

46. The process according to claim 44 or 45, wherein the average residence time in the polyvalent apparatus ranges from 2 seconds to 2 hours.

47. The process according to any one of claims 44 to 46, wherein the heating temperature in the polyvalent apparatus ranges from 350 C to 550 C when used lube oils are treated.

Date Reçue/Date Received 2023-09-12

48. The process according to any one of claims 44 to 47, wherein a rotation speed of the polyvalent apparatus ranges from 0.5 rpm to 10 rpm.

49. The process according to any one of claims 44 to 48, wherein the various fractions generated by the thermal conversion are recovered as follow:
- the liquid fraction is recovered by distillation - the gaseous fraction is recovered by distillation; and - the solid fraction is recovered in cyclones.

50. The process according to claim 49, wherein, if used lubrication oil (ULO) is treated, at least one of:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction represents between 80% and 100%
weight of the feed material;
- the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 0% weight and 10% weight of the feed material; and - the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 0% weight and 5% weight.

51. The process according to any one of claims 44 to 50, wherein said process is operated in a continuous, in semi batch mode or in a batch mode.

52. Use of a process as defined in any one of claims 44 to 51 for at least one of:
- treating wastes oils selected from used lubricating oils, form oils, metal treating oils, refinery or transportation oil tank bottoms;
- destroying hazardous and/or toxic products;
- reusing waste products in an environmental acceptable form or way; and - recovering oil from oil spills.

53. The use according to claim 52 for treating used oils and to prepare at least one of:
= a fuel, a component in a blended fuel, a low sulphur marine fuel, a diesel engine fuel, a static diesel engine fuel, power generation fuel, farm machinery fuel, off road or on road diesel fuel;
= a cetane index enhancer;
= a drilling mud base oil or component;
= a solvent or component of a solvent;
Date Reçue/Date Received 2023-09-12 = a diluent for heavy fuels, bunker or bitumen;
= a light lubricant or component of a lubricating oil;
= a cleaner or a component in oil base cleaners;
= a flotation oil component;
= a wide range diesel;
= a clarified oil; and = a component in asphalt blends.

54. The process according to claim 49, wherein, when applied to plastic, at least one of:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction represents between 70 % and 90 %
weight of the feed material;
- the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 2 to 10 %

weight and the amount of a recovered naphtha represents between 2 and 15 %
weight of the feed material; and - the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 2 and 10 %
weight.

55. The process according to claim 54, wherein the heating temperature in the central module ranges from 150 C to 550 C when plastics are treated.

56. The process according to claim 49, wherein, when applied to rubber, at least one of:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction represents between 45 % and 55 %
weight of the feed material;
- the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 30 % weight and 40 % weight of the feed material; and - the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 10 % weight and 20 % weight of gas and naphtha.

57. The process according to claim 56, wherein the heating temperature in the polyvalent apparatus ranges from 350 C to 525 C when rubbers are treated.

58. The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 41, further comprising a sweeper device configured to be alternatively moved back and forth inside a transit line; the sweeper device designed to scrape an inside wall of the transit line, even during operation of the apparatus.

59.The polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 41, wherein the central module comprises:

Date Reçue/Date Received 2023-09-12 - at least one internal shelf present in a zone defined by a screen, and being inclined in respect to the horizontal; and/or - a perforated disc between the zone wherein plates are moving and scoops are present for recovering residual solids.

Date Reçue/Date Received 2023-09-12