CA2926434A1

CA2926434A1 - 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: CA2926434A1
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: 2017-10-07
Anticipated expiration: 2036-04-07
Also published as: CA2926434C

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 h. 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.

PROJET
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 PROJET
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 PROJET
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 PROJET
international patent application PCT/CA2011/050207. Full content of PCT/CA2011/050207 as filed is therein incorporated by reference.
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 PROJET
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) 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.
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 PROJET
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 PROJET
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 PROJET
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 PROJET
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 that is completely incorporated herein by reference.
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 PROJET
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 PROJET
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 PROJET
= 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 200C and 950 C as per ASTM 1160.

13 PROJET
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 PROJET
- 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.

PROJET
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, which content is completely incorporated by reference.
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 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.

16 PROJET
As apparent on Figure 5, the central module comprise 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 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,

17 PROJET
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.
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 (13) 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.
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 jurisdictions.
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.

18 PROJET
The VTAE stream was specified with a specific gravity of 0.95 and an ASTM D-2887 distillation as follows:
% weight vaporized Temperature C

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 510.0 and a positive pressure of 127 KPa.
20 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 25 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 30 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.

19 PROJET
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 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.
In a second embodiment, the solids are separated from the reactor products and the vapours are distilled into 42 Kg/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.

PROJET
Heavy % wt. distilled Naphtha Gasoil Oil The first embodiment will be for a unit that treats VTAE from an existing re-refinery that already has a products distillation column.
5 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.

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:
15 - an improved overall efficiency;
- an improved safety;
- an improved length for operation without maintenance; and - a reduced energy consumption;
- ease of manufacturing and maintenance;

20 - better protection for supports of the rotating reactor, such as the rollers and the bearing inside of the roller supporting the rotating kiln; and

21 PROJET
- 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.

22

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 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, 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.

3. Polyvalent apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, 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 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.

4. Polyvalent apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the feed material comprises organic waste materials such as rubber or plastics and/or waste oil and mixtures thereof.

5. Polyvalent apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the feed material comprises chemical(s) such as detergents that may comprise phosphorous and/or sulfur.

6. Polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claim 1 to 5, wherein the post-treatment module is 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 is lower to the temperature of the solid-gas mixture at the exit of the central module for 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.

7. A 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. Polyvalent apparatus, according to anyone of claims 1 to 7, comprising 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.

9. Polyvalent apparatus, according to anyone of claim 1 to 8, wherein the post-treatment module being positioned close to the exit of the central module.

10. Polyvalent apparatus, according to anyone of claims 1 to 9, configured for allowing the thermal conversion to be performed with a residence time ranging from 2 seconds to 10 minutes.

11. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 2 to 10, wherein the organic waste material is selected among the group constituted by plastics, tires, rubber, waste oils and mixture thereof.

12. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 2 to 11, wherein the feed material is, in the pre-treatment zone, is an heterogenic mixture and is heated for at least partial dewatering and/or for at least partial melting of the solids.

13. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 2 to 12, wherein the feed material, resulting from the treatment(s) in the pre treatment module is a hot liquid that may still or not contains solids or partially melted solids.

14. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 2 to 12; configured for the temperature of the feed material resulting from the treatment(s) in the pre treatment module being advantageously comprised between 100 and 350 degrees Celsius.

15. A polyvalent apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the feed material or the feed stock feed into the central module, is thermally cracked into environmentally friendly and useful products.

16. A polyvalent apparatus according to claim 14, wherein the undesirable chemical agents present in the feed material or present in the feed stock are destroyed during thermal cracking.

17. A polyvalent apparatus, according to anyone of claims 2 to 16, wherein 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.

18. A 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. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 18, wherein the steam 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.

20. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 19, wherein the post-treatment module 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.

21. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 2 to 20, 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.

22. A polyvalent apparatus according to claim 20 or 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. A polyvalent apparatus according to claims 16 to 18, 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's type) .

24. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone 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 advantageously lower or equal to 2.

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

26. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 25, wherein 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 that is completely incorporated herein by reference.

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

28. A polyvalent apparatus according to claim 27, wherein 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.

29. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 26 to 28, wherein shelves, are 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.

30. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 26 to 29, wherein the reactor is mounted horizontally, and the shelves are slanted with respect to the axis to help advance the solids, produced in the cracking reactions, towards the reactor exit.

31. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 26 to 29, wherein:
- the reactor is mounted slanted, the shelves are parallel to the central axis to help 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.

32. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 26 to 31, wherein the rotating equipment is attached to the kiln end but must be out of the heated housing to preserve the support rollers and/or the ball bearings.

33. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 32, wherein, the central 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 solid-gas mixture, produced in the first zone, hot until entering a solid-gas separation equipment.

34. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 33, wherein, the central 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.

35. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 34, wherein 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.

36. A polyvalent apparatus according to claims 34 or 35, wherein the temperature of the products at the exit of the separating equipment is kept at or above the reactor exit temperature.

37. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 21, wherein the clean vapours exiting from the post treatment module are condensed and separated into products such as 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. A polyvalent apparatus according to claim 36, the separating equipment is configured to be connected with an equipment of the distillation column type.

39. A polyvalent apparatus according to claim 16, 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 self-refluxing condenser mounted above it to scrub the reactor products and to remove residual solids.

40. A polyvalent apparatus, according to claim 22, wherein the clean vapours exiting from the post treatment module, are condensed and separated in an equipment of the distillation column type.

41. A polyvalent apparatus according to anyone of claims 26 to 40, 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.

42. Use of the polyvalent apparatus as defined in anyone of claims 1 to 42 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/or specialty products.

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

44. Process for thermally converting of an organic waste materials and/or waste oil into valuable products, which process comprises the steps of:
- a) feeding a reactor and its internals as defined in anyone of claims 1 to 43 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.

45. Process according to claim 44, wherein the mixture comprises:
- organic compounds having the following thermodynamic and physical features:
a specific gravity between 0.75 and 2.2, and - distillations preferably between 20°C and 1 200°C as per ASTM
1160.

46. Process according to claims 44 or 45, wherein 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.

47. Process according to anyone of claims 44 to 46, 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.

48. Process according to anyone of claims 44 to 47, wherein the rotation speed 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.

49. Process according to anyone of claims 44 to 48, 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 - the solid fraction is recovered in cyclones.

50. Process according to claim 49, wherein, if ULO is treated, - the amount of the recovered liquid fraction represents between 80% and 100%
weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 0% weight and 10%
weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 0% weight and 5% weight.

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

52. Use of a process according to anyone of claims 44 to 51 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.

53. Use of a process according to claim 52 for treating used oils and to prepare :
.cndot. 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 .cndot. a cetane index enhancer; and/or .cndot. a drilling mud base oil or component; and/or .cndot. a solvent or component of a solvent; and/or .cndot. a diluent for heavy fuels, bunker or bitumen; and/or .cndot. a light lubricant or component of a lubricating oil; and/or .cndot. a cleaner or a component in oil base cleaners; and/or .cndot. a flotation oil component; and/or .cndot. a wide range diesel; and/or .cndot. a clarified oil; and/or .cndot. a component in asphalt blends.

54. A manufacturing process for fabricating polyvalent apparatus as defined in anyone of claims 1 to 41, said manufacturing process involving known assembling methods such as welding, screwing, sticking.

55. 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.

56. Rotating kiln according to claim 55, 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 is originally filed.

57. Rotating kiln according to claim 55 and 56, configured in a way that the extension is connectable with a transit line that is advantageously heated 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.

58. Rotating kiln of the invention configured in a way that the extension is connectable with a transit line that is advantageously heated 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.

59. Rotating kiln of the invention configured in a way that the extension is connectable with a transit line that is advantageously heated and configured to bring solid-gas mixtures exiting the rotating kiln to a post-treatment module configured to separe gas and solids present in the solid-gas mixture.

60. Process according to anyone of claims 1 to 59, wherein, when applied to plastic:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction, preferably, of the recovered diesel represents between 70 % and 90 % weight of the reactor feed; and/or - the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction i.e. of the recovered vapours represents between 2 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 % weight.

61. Process according to claim 60, wherein the heating temperature in the central module ranges from 150°C to 550 °C, preferably from 160 °C to 400°C, and, more advantageously, is about 425°C when plastics are treated.

62. Process according to anyone of claims 1 to 59, wherein, when applied to rubber:
- the amount of the recovered liquid fraction i.e mainly wide range diesel represents between 45 % and 55 % weight of the reactor feed;
- the amount of the recovered gaseous fraction represents between 30 % weight and 40.
% weight of the reactor feed;
- the amount of the recovered solid fraction represents between 10.% weight and 20 %
weight of gas and naphtha.

63. Process according to claim 62, wherein the heating temperature in the reactor ranges from 350 °C to 525 °C, and, more advantageously, is about 425°C when rubbers are treated.

64. Apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 41, comprising a sweeper device that can be alternatively moved back and for inside the transit channel; the sweeper device, being advantageously a broom, designed to scrape the inside wall of transit line, even during operation of thee apparatus.

65. Apparatus according to anyone of claims 1 to 44, wherein the central unit comprised:

- 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 - perforated disc between the reactor's zone wherein plates are moving and reactor's zone wherein scoop are present for recovering residual solids such as coke.