DE102014108691A1 - Thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains - Google Patents

Abstract

To prepare pomace and / or grain to obtain biogas therefrom, the use of a device (1) having at least a first portion and at least a second portion directly associated with the first portion, the first portion as Heating zone (2) is formed with a direct steam heating, which comprises at least one steam introduction device (3) through which steam (D) in the continuously by the heating zone (2) pomace and / or spent grains (T) is introduced and heats it and wherein the second section is designed as a residence time section (4) through which the heated pomace and / or spent grains continuously flow during operation, and a process comprising the steps of a) continuously feeding pomace and / or spent grains (T) b) heating same to a temperature T_2 by introducing steam (D), c) maintaining the temperature T_2 for a period of time t_Verweil in he continuously supplied residence time distance (4) provided.

Description

The invention relates to the use of a device and a method for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains.

Porridges are the predominantly solid residues left over after squeezing the juice from plant components. Especially in viticulture pomace in the form of pressing residues of grapes. Porridges are also produced during pressing of apples, carrots or tomatoes and as residue when grinding and pressing coffee beans for espresso. Also in olive oil production, the residues are referred to as pomace. Occasionally, this term is also used for mash residues in beer and whiskey production; However, one usually speaks of Marc. For such residues, the terms "pomace" or "spent grain" are used below.

The goal of many efforts is to extract energy from biomass. For this purpose, the combustion can be used. However, it must be remembered that the high proportion of water in the biomass prevents efficient use of energy. Thermal drying initially requires a lot of energy and has not been economical so far.

Mechanical pulping processes are subject to very heavy wear, include only a small fraction of the available biomass and lead to a deterioration of the filterability.

In electropervaporation, high voltage pulses are closed by the fluid in which the cells are located. The high voltage pulses generate small holes in the cells and allow the exchange of fluids outside and inside the cell. However, only a small fraction of the available carbon can be made available in this way, namely a part of it that is inside the cell. All undissolved substances, cell walls and the like can not be disrupted.

In thermal digestion processes, heating by pipe walls is problematic. The heat transfer via wall contact causes the walls to clog at higher temperatures and thus to reduce the heat transfer and thus to the deterioration of the heating.

There are currently high levels of pomace and grape, especially in wine and beer production, which contain a correspondingly large amount of biomass. This is usually disposed of.

An object of the invention is to prepare pomace and / or grain to the effect that biogas can be obtained therefrom.

One way to use the energetically utilizable organic substance is in the digestion of the pomace or spent grains with the aim of making them better bioavailable.

One approach will be in WO 2011/006854 A1 described as thermal hydrolysis of biomass. Biomass is transported into a preheating tank and heated up there. The heated biomass is pumped sequentially into at least two reactors, which are heated by the addition of steam and pressurized. This is followed by a holding time at certain values for temperature and pressure, before the biomass is expanded by means of a nozzle and thereby released. The process works batchwise in the reactors to ensure a sufficient residence time at high temperatures. The released in the expansion of steam is withdrawn from the reactor and fed to the preheating tank.

A problem of in WO 2011/006854 A1 described method is steam cavitation. To heat the biomass in the form of sludge with a dry matter content of 5 to 30% in the preheating tank, process steam from the downstream reactors is used. The steam fills the cavities of the surrounding mud. Under the influence of the external pressure, these cavities then collapse and there is a steam shock (bubble implosion). These impacts lead to continuous vibrations or vibrations in the entire reactor area. The vibrations had an impact on the electronic parts of the measuring instruments, causing disturbances. In addition, the vibrations caused cracks in the area of the tank head from the preheating tank.

It is therefore an object of the invention to provide a thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains, which avoids the occurrence of steam shocks.

Furthermore, it is an object of the invention to be able to carry out the heat transfer to the pomace and / or spent grains reliably and efficiently.

In particular, it is an object of the invention to avoid wall caking of the pomace and / or spent grain when it is heated.

These objects are achieved in a surprisingly simple manner using a device and a method according to the independent claims. Advantageous developments The invention are the subject of the respective associated subclaims.

The invention provides a use of an apparatus for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains having at least a first portion and at least a second portion directly communicating with the first portion, the first portion serving as a heating zone with direct steam heating is formed, which comprises at least one steam introduction device through which steam is introduced into the continuously flowing through the heating zone pomace and / or spent grains and heats the pomace and / or spent grains, and wherein the second section is formed as a residence time, through which Operation of the heated pomace and / or spent grains flows continuously.

The second section follows in particular directly to the first section, so that heated pomace and / or spent grains enters directly in the residence time. According to the invention, a thermal hydrolysis in continuous flow of the pomace and / or spent grains is made possible, in which the heat transfer takes place via a direct steam heating. This means that steam is bubbled into the suspension, that is to say in the pomace and / or spent grains, and the fluid is heated by transferring the condensation enthalpy. This results in a dilution of the fluid through the steam introduced. However, the required amount of heating makes it possible to carry out, because only small amounts of water are added. The dilution is on the order of about 20%.

The pomace and / or spent grains continuously flows through the heating zone during direct steam injection and then continues to flow into the residence time zone. Due to the permanent uniform movement and mixing of the fluid instabilities, which lead to steam shock, minimized.

The inventive use of the device is also particularly simple and stable in operation. The heating of the pomace and / or spent grains by direct steam injection avoids the deposits of heat exchanger plates, since the direct supply of steam does not require surfaces.

In an advantageous development of the invention, it is provided that the at least one steam introduction device has at least one steam inlet surface and is arranged in the heating zone so that it continuously passes during operation of pomace and / or spent grains, in particular flows around it, so that steam passes through the steam injection surface is fed through the pomace and / or grape flowing past it.

The steam introduction device also has a steam feed, which leads steam to the steam injection surface. Steam and pomace or spent grains are not conducted in cocurrent, but in the manner of a cross-flow and preferably substantially in countercurrent to each other.

If the device is used with several, for example, two steam injection devices, the steam in the heating zone can be supplied distributed at various locations in order to further minimize the risk of steam shocks. In addition, less energy is wasted in multi-stage steam injection.

In the case of very high-viscosity pomace and / or tartar, the mixing with the injected steam and thus the efficiency of the heat transfer can be improved by the heating zone comprising a dynamic mixer, preferably a stirrer, particularly preferably a stirred tank, in which the at least one vapor introduction device is integrated ,

For this purpose, in a particularly simple embodiment, a stirrer can be mounted in a pipe section which forms the heating zone. In order to improve the heat transfer, it has been found that even the additional active mixing of relatively small volumes is sufficient to achieve a significant effect. According to a development of the invention it is therefore provided that the dynamic mixer, preferably the stirrer, is designed such that it mixes a small volume during operation of the device. For a pilot plant with a throughput of, for example, 40 liters / hour this will be in the range of less than 10 liters, preferably a volume in the range between 1 liter and 10 liters, more preferably a volume of 2 liters, or the stirred tank has a volume in the Range of less than 10 liters, preferably a volume in the range between 1 liter and 10 liters, more preferably a volume of 2 liters.

For a larger plant, this volume will be larger, for example scaled in proportion to throughput. For example, the reactor volume for mixing and heating for a plant with a throughput of 3 m ³ / h could be between 20 liters and 500 liters, preferably in the range of 50 liters. The residence time distances which are suitable for keeping high temperatures are designed according to the invention according to the desired residence time. At the specified throughput So the volume could be in the range between 500 to 3000 liters, preferably at 750 liters.

In order to match the steam feed and the dynamic mixture of the pomace and / or spent grain, according to a further advantageous embodiment, a device is used in which a wall of the heating zone adjacent to the dynamic mixer, preferably the stirred tank, comprises at least one cutout which is formed in such a way that the recess can be closed with a steam inlet surface.

The recess can be arranged for example in the wall of the stirred tank. It can be provided a plurality of recesses, which are arranged distributed over the in operation with pomace or spent grains in contact with the inner surface of the stirred tank, in particular evenly distributed. Due to the forced mixing with the stirrer, the mixing of the pomace and / or spent grains with steam can be improved, especially in the case of highly viscous fluids with a heating zone comprising a stirred tank. Thus, the heating time can be reduced, which further increases the efficiency of the device according to the invention.

The steam input can be increased with a small size of the recess in the wall of the heating zone in that the steam introducing means has a cavity which is at least partially closed by the steam inlet surface and which has an opening, wherein the opening is designed for connection to a steam supply.

The steam inlet surface can also enclose a cavity in the context of the invention and form, for example, a hollow cylinder closed on one side, whose open end can be connected to the steam supply. The cavity enclosed by the steam inlet surface is positioned in the heating zone. The steam supply is carried out, for example, in the form of a pipeline from a steam source such as a steam boiler or exhaust steam from downstream process steps to the steam injection device.

The steam is passed under overpressure relative to the pressure in the continuously flowing biomass in the heating zone, wherein in an advantageous embodiment of the invention, the Dampfeintragsfläche is the surface of a porous and / or perforated material.

The term "porous material" is understood to mean a body having a pore structure in the interior, for example in the manner of an open-pore foam, in which the openings of the pores are shown on its surface. The term "perforated material" is understood to mean a body, for example in the manner of a metal plate or a sheet, in which through holes have been introduced as a perforation, for example holes introduced by micromechanical methods.

The overpressure and the pores of the Dampfeintragsfläche prevent a repelling of the steam, the so-called steam shocks, which lead in known devices to large vibrations, the destruction of parts of the system or to abrasion of the steam-introducing nozzles.

Depending on the requirement profile for the pomace and / or spent grains to be treated, the invention offers different possibilities for the production of the steam injection surface. Thus, in a further development, the invention provides for the use of a device having a vapor introduction surface, the material of the vapor introduction surface being a ceramic material or a metallic material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium, nickel-based alloys, in particular Monel, Inconel 600, Inconel 625, Hastelloy C22, and Hastelloy C276.

The pores, by means of which the vapor is introduced into the heating zone according to the invention, can be produced particularly simply in that the material of the steam injection surface is a microporous material, preferably an open-porous sintered material, particularly preferably a sintered metal.

The steam introduction device can be formed, for example, by a commercially available filter candle made of sintered metal, which is provided with a connection for the steam supply. It has surprisingly been found that sintered metals completely circumvent the problem of steam strikes.

According to an advantageous embodiment of the use of the device according to the invention, the steam injection surface has holes or pores with mean diameters in the range of greater than or equal to 0.5 microns to less than or equal to 200 microns, preferably in the range between 1 microns and 100 microns, more preferably in the range between 2 microns and 50 microns, especially between 3 microns and 10 microns on.

The tolerance for all pore diameters is ± 10%.

About the size of the Dampfeintragsfläche - in filter cartridges, for example, the length and diameter of the filter cartridge - can Magnitude of the steam input can be predetermined. The exact adjustment of the steam input is preferably carried out as a function of the temperature in the heating zone.

In order to influence the heat flow to be introduced into the pomace and / or spent grains in the heating zone via the mass flow of injected steam or its pressure, it is provided according to a further embodiment of the invention that a device is used which at least one control valve for the steam supply in which comprises at least one steam introduction device.

According to a development, a device may also be used which has a plurality of vapor introduction devices which are individually connected to the vapor supply line via respective control valves. As a result, steam can be supplied to the heating zone at several points, wherein the pressure of the individual supplied steam flows can be different, so that an exergetic advantage can be realized.

In order to enable a regulation and / or control of the temperature of the pomace and / or spent grains in the heating zone, the heating zone may have at least one temperature measuring point and / or at least one pressure measuring point.

In an advantageous embodiment, a device is used which comprises means for transmitting the at least one measured temperature value and / or the at least one measured pressure value to the control valve. With the help of the control valve, the steam input is controlled or regulated as a function of temperature and / or pressure in the heating zone.

A particularly simple design of the device can be realized in that the heating zone and the residence time section are interconnected sections of a flow tube, wherein the first section of the flow tube is formed as a heating zone with direct steam heating, and wherein the second section of the flow tube is formed as a residence time, through which the heated biomass flows continuously during operation.

In order to be able to pressurize the pomace and / or spent grains during continuous flow through the device, it is provided that a device is used which comprises at least one conveying means for continuously transporting the pomace and / or spent grains through the flow tube, the device being designed in this way is that in operation the residence time of the heated pomace and / or spent grains in the residence time alone by the predetermined by the conveyor continuous volume flow of heated pomace and / or spent grains and / or the length of the residence time and / or the area of the flowed through cross section of the residence time is variable.

Through the flow tube, a plug flow of pomace and / or spent grains is realized according to the invention approximately. As conveying means, for example, an eccentric screw pump or a piston pump can be used. These act simultaneously as pump and screw conveyor.

The residence time distribution is set by the throughput of heated pomace and / or spent grains and / or the length of the residence time. Both sizes can be controlled well, so that, unlike in a stirred tank reactor in the flow tube according to the invention, a very narrow residence time distribution can be realized. In this case, the residence time distribution has at least one characteristic in which less than 20% of the fluid elements have half the residence time and less than 20% of the fluid elements have twice the residence time in relation to the mathematically determined average residence time.

Due to the very close flow of a plug flow through the flow tube, it is possible to push the pomace and / or spent grains with the aid of a volume of water in the manner of a piston through the flow tube. As a result, the pomace and / or spent grains do not have to be pumped by themselves, but after the pomace and / or spent grains have been introduced into a tube upstream of the flow tube, water is pumped through the device which drives the pomace and / or spent grains in front of it. but without diluting it appreciably.

The preservation of the pressure in the pomace and / or spent grains during operation of the device can be influenced by a further parameter that the device has an outlet device downstream of the Auslasseinrichtung comprising a back pressure valve.

In a preferred embodiment, the back pressure valve is designed as a pinch valve, in particular as a pneumatic pinch valve or as an electropneumatic pinch valve.

The back pressure valve is arranged in the discharge of the device through which the heated, pressurized pomace and / or spent grains can be forwarded to downstream devices. As a back pressure valve, a valve is used which has no dead spaces that could come into contact with the pomace and / or spent grains.

For example, encloses a pinch valve, the passage opening of the derivative. An elastic hose piece placed in the valve housing is closed at both ends. In the closed tube piece, a fluid such as compressed air can be admitted. As a result, the piece of tubing deforms expansively into the drain and reduces its diameter, so that a back pressure is exerted on the flowing heated pomace and / or spent grains. With the back pressure valve, the pressure in the device and thus in the flow tube can be set or controlled or regulated, for example, via the opening degree of the passage opening of the elastic tube piece in the case of an (electro) pneumatic Schlauchquetschventils. A cone valve could also fulfill the above purpose.

After the residence time, the hydrolyzed pomace and / or spent grains leaves the device via flash relaxation or another relaxation, whereby a hydrodynamic and mechanical load can be exerted in addition to the thermal one.

In order to make the temperature control more economical, the invention offers the possibility that a device is used, which has a cooling section following the residence time and / or that the device before the inlet into the heating zone has a preheating line, wherein preferably means for supplying the Waste heat from the cooling section are provided in the preheating section.

The means for supplying the waste heat from the cooling section into the preheating section can be realized, for example, by a fluid circuit surrounding the cooling section and the preheating section, wherein a heat transfer medium is used as the fluid which discharges the heat released in the cooling section over the wall from the pomace and / or spent grains Absorbs heat, leads to the wall surrounding the preheating and transfers heat there to the pomace and / or spent grains in the preheating. The preheating section and / or the cooling section can also advantageously be provided with means for regulating and / or controlling the temperature and / or the pressure.

In a further advantageous embodiment of the invention, at least one static mixer is positioned inside the device.

Static mixers help to reduce the thickness of the lumps and / or grains of the laminar underlayer in use when the device is used so that the flow profile is as close as possible to that of a plug flow. One or more static mixers may be positioned in the preheat zone, the preheat zone, the residence time line, and / or the quench line. Preferably, as a static mixer in the context of the invention, a component is used that guides the product in a circular design such as a helix spiral through a pipe. The helical spiral or a static mixer designed in another way is inserted as an extremely simple component without moving parts in the relevant pipe sections.

The invention thus makes it possible to thermally hydrolyze pomace and / or spent grains via direct steam without steam strikes in a simply constructed tubular reactor without heat transfer surfaces. In a further development, the heating can take place via steam injection in different pressure stages and thus with improved utilization of the available waste heat resources. The advantage of the invention lies in an extremely simple and inexpensive construction by using simple tubes, static spiral mixers and, for example, commercially available sintered metals as a filter cartridge for steam injection. Further advantages are the short residence time necessary to ensure hydrolytic digestion. This results in a very small construction.

• a) kontinuierliches Zuführen von Trester und/oder Treber
• b) Aufheizen des Tresters und/oder Trebers auf eine Temperatur T_2 durch Eintragen von Dampf in den Trester und/oder Treber,
• c) Halten der Temperatur T_2 für einen Zeitraum t_Verweil in einer kontinuierlich durchströmten Verweilzeitstrecke.

The invention further provides a process for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains, comprising the following steps:

• a) continuous feeding of pomace and / or spent grains
• b) heating the pomace and / or spent grain to a temperature T_2 by introducing steam into the pomace and / or spent grains,
• c) holding the temperature T_2 for a period of time t_Werweil in a continuously flowing residence time.

The volume flow of pomace and / or spent grains during steps a) to c) up to the continuous removal of the pomace and / or spent grains according to the invention thus temporally and spatially constant, there is no intermediate buffering in stirred tanks at a certain level or the like, because the residence time experienced by the pomace and / or spent grains at the temperature level T_2 at a uniform flow, in particular with a substantially designed as a plug flow flow profile.

In step b) the steam is fed under pressure into the pomace and / or spent grains. The overpressure results from the vapor pressure at the temperature of the steam for heating the pomace and / or spent grains to the temperature T_2, the pressure of the flowing pomace and / or spent grains and the flow resistance through the Dampfeintragsfläche plus a safety margin. Due to the overpressure, a condensation of the vapor within the Dampfeintragsfläche, such as a filter cartridge prevented.

The invention offers the advantage of enabling reliable hydrolysis even with very short residence times, wherein the residence time t_Verweil is below 60 minutes, preferably in the range between 5 minutes and 30 minutes, more preferably in the range between 10 minutes and 15 minutes.

The temperature T_2 of the heated pomace and / or spent grains is according to the invention below 300 ° C, preferably in the range between 130 ° C and 180 ° C, more preferably in the range between 150 ° C and 160 ° C.

In an advantageous development, the method according to the invention comprises a further step, namely d) cooling the heated pomace and / or spent grain to a temperature T_3, which is in particular below 100 ° C, preferably in the range between 30 ° C and less than 100 ° C. , more preferably in the range between 50 ° C and 60 ° C.

The temperature control can be designed particularly efficiently if, according to a further advantageous embodiment, the process according to the invention is carried out with a further step, namely a1) preheating the heated pomace and / or spent grain to a temperature T_1 which is in particular below 100 ° C. in the range between 30 ° C and less than 100 ° C, more preferably in the range between 80 ° C and 100 ° C.

In the proposed method, pomace and / or spent grains is fed into the corresponding device by pumping, and first passes through a preheating, in which a certain proportion of the heat energy, which is transmitted through the wall on the product in the ideal case by a static mixer is the Increased flow velocity and thus reduces wall adhesion. This preheating is carried out up to a temperature of about 100 ° C. In experiments, it was found that up to about this temperature, the caking on the walls are not relevant.

Exergetic advantages can be realized by at least two-stage heating of the pomace and / or spent grains takes place in step b) of the method, wherein in a first stage steam under the pressure p_1 and in the last stage steam under the pressure p_n greater p_1 is introduced.

The invention further offers the possibility of increasing the hydrolysis of the pomace and / or spent grain by increasing the driving force for the hydrolysis, by adding in step a1) and / or in step a) and / or in step b) and / or in Step c) an adjustment of the pH of the pomace and / or spent grains to a value in the range of greater than 7, preferably to a value in the range between greater than 7 and less than 10, particularly preferably to a value in the range between 8 and 9, is set.

Studies have shown that adjusting the pH to alkaline can be beneficial. For this purpose, a corresponding chemical, such as, for example, calcium oxide, sodium hydroxide solution, potassium hydroxide solution or other alkaline substances which raise the total pH, preferably to a value in the range from about 8 to about 9. An increase in the pH accelerates the Process. With the resulting chemical reaction of hydrolysis, a portion of the OH groups is consumed. As a result of the chemical reaction, the pH drops again to near the neutral point.

The yield of the hydrolysis of the pomace and / or spent grains is increased in a further advantageous embodiment of the invention characterized in that in step a1) and / or in step a) and / or in step b) and / or in step c) hydrolytic enzymes be added.

Through the use of hydrolytic enzymes, the digestion of the pomace and / or spent grains can be faster and more intense. The group of hydrolytic enzymes includes cellulose and hemicellulose-cleaving enzymes such as cellulases, xylanases and β-glucanases. Tests of thermal hydrolysis using hydrolytic enzymes showed an increase in biogas yield of up to 18% compared to processes in which the biomass used for biogas production was not treated with hydrolytic enzymes.

The invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings with reference to embodiments. The same components are provided with the same reference numerals. Show it:

1 a schematic representation of a first embodiment of the device according to the invention in longitudinal section,

2 a schematic representation of a second embodiment of the device according to the invention in longitudinal section,

3 a schematic representation of a third embodiment of the device according to the invention in longitudinal section,

4 a schematic representation of a Dampfeintragseinrichtung invention in longitudinal section and

5 a schematic representation of another embodiment of a heating zone according to the invention in longitudinal section.

In 1 is a first embodiment of the device according to the invention 1 shown schematically. The device 1 is designed as a flow tube and has a heating zone 2 on, in which the pomace and / or Marc T occurs during operation. When passing the heating zone 2 The pomace and / or spent grain T flows around the area of the steam inlet 31 a steam injection device 3 , Through the steam injection device 3 Steam V becomes the area of steam entry 31 through and through them into the area of the steam inlet 31 contacting biomass B pressed into it. In the embodiment shown, the steam input surface 31 provided by a porous filter candle.

While the pomace and / or spent grain T essentially passes through the heating zone in the form of a plug flow, vapor bubbles emerging from the steam injection surface are detached from the flow of the pomace and / or spent grain and introduced into the pomace and / or spent grain T. The heating zone 2 is sized and operated so that vapor bubbles in the entire volume of the Dampfeintragsfläche 31 pomace and / or spent grains T flowing around between the steam inlet surface and the adjacent inner wall of the heating zone 2 can be entered. In this way, an entry of steam D into the pomace and / or spent grain T and thereby their desired heating to a temperature T_2 in a very small volume, which is the compact design of the device 1 allows.

The heated pomace and / or spent grains comes from the heating zone 2 in the residence time line 4 one. This is dimensioned and operated in such a way that it heated pomace and / or spent grains the residence time 4 in a predeterminable residence time t_Verweil happens essentially in the form of a plug flow.

At the end of the residence time line 4 the hydrolysis of the pomace and / or spent grains is completed. The residence time may be between, for example, between 5 and 30 minutes. A particularly favorable point is between 10 and 15 minutes. The heating takes place at a temperature T_2 of about 150 to 160 ° C and is regulated by pressure and temperature. A lower temperature leads to less hydrolytic digestion or a more necessary increase in the residence time. Increasing the temperature to above 180 ° C can lead to the formation of harmful substances that inhibit subsequent digestion with gas generation.

In general, pomace has the consistency of moist potting soil. In order to make such moist solids more eligible and to make the heating economically efficient, in a further embodiment of the inventive use of the device of the heating zone is a preheating 20 upstream. Such a device is in 2 shown schematically in longitudinal section.

In the preheating section 20 For example, the pomace and / or spent grain may be heated to a temperature T_1 of about 100 ° C with a low pressure stage of the vapor. However, such heating can also be carried out with a heat transfer through the pipe wall, without too much Wandanbackungen arise, so that even a double-walled pipe as Vorwärmstrecke 20 can be used.

The heating of the spent grains and / or pomace to temperatures up to 100 ° C improves the flowability of the pomace and / or spent grains, so that it is particularly eligible for sludge pumps.

Pumpable grape and / or pomace is in highly pasty form via a pump to be selected accordingly 15 , For example, a screw conveyor, brought to an appropriate application pressure. This application pressure is generally below 15 bar, preferably below 10 bar, for example in the range between 5 and 8 bar. When leaving the heating zone 2 is the highest value of pressure and temperature reached in the flowing heated pomace and / or spent grain T.

Is by means of several, in particular staggered arranged in the heating zone and / or the preheating steam entry devices 31 heated and heated, the highest value of the pressure in the hydraulically connected reactor causes the pressure levels of the previously completed heating stages. If one starts from 10 bar, the appropriate funding must 15 For example, the screw conveyor or extruder, a pressure of 10 bar apply to exceed the saturated steam of the highest temperature level. In this case, a resolution of the cell walls and a hydrolytic cracking of the long-chain hydrocarbons can be achieved by the hydrothermal pressure digestion.

After leaving the residence time line 4 The product continuously enters the next pipe section. This may be in a development of the device 1 as a cooling section 5 , be designed in particular with heat recovery. Here, the temperature is lowered by heat transfer to walls of the flow tube.

The pressure maintenance of the entire system is done on the one hand by the funding 15 For example, an eccentric screw pump, at the inlet of the device 1 , which already the pomace and / or Marc T in the preheating 10 promotes. The funding 15 acts simultaneously as booster pump and screw conveyor. On the other hand, the pressure maintenance of the entire system via a corresponding outlet 11 guaranteed.

This outlet device 11 causes, for example via a pressure-responsive membrane the solid outlet. This outlet includes a back pressure valve 110 , which has a portion which is formed of an elastic material and exerts a certain back pressure on the pomace and / or spent grain T via laterally or radially applied pressure by introducing a valve fluid V such as compressed air. This back pressure can be ensured according to the invention relatively independent of the throughput. The combination of funding 15 and backpressure valve 110 thus causes a constant pressure maintenance within the device 1 ,

After passing the outlet 11 the pomace and / or spent T is further promoted under pressure and at high temperature T_2 in the reactor and with possible recovery of energy in a flash tank 120 relaxed. The cooled and relaxed pomace and / or spent grains can then be fed to a fermentation process, the yield of which is markedly increased by the treatment according to the invention of the pomace and / or spent grains as substrate compared to untreated pomace and / or pomace.

In 3 is another embodiment of the device used in the invention 1 shown. About the inlet 10 enters the pomace and / or Marc T in the device 1 and is through a preheating line 20 in the heating zone 2 guided. There he passes the steam inlet area 31 a steam injection device 3 and will continue to heat up. In 3 not shown is the steam supply into the steam injection device 3 , This can be like in 2 be shown with a control valve.

Following the heating zone 2 is the heated pomace and / or spent grains in the residence time 4 passed and passes through this at a substantially constant temperature T_2 during the residence time t_Verweil. After completion of the hydrolysis in the residence time 4 the pomace and / or grain passes through the cooling section 5 before leaving the outlet 11 with the back pressure valve 110 happens. Thereafter, the pomace and / or spent grains in the flash tank 120 reconciled.

At least the preheating zone 20 , the heating section 2 , Residence time distance 4 and cooling zone 5 are components of a single flow tube 9 , They each have connecting flanges 800 of which, for the sake of clarity, only one in 3 is provided with the reference numeral. The skilled artisan readily recognizes the remaining flanges on the compounds of the components 10 . 20 . 2 . 4 . 5 . 11 and 120 ,

The flow tube 9 has at least partially static guiding elements for the pomace and / or spent grain T. In the illustrated embodiment, the preheating zone 20 , the residence time line 4 and the cooling zone 5 with baffles 12 fitted. These can for example be designed as a spiral screw, which is embedded as a simple component without moving parts in the flow tube. The static mixer 12 then realize in operation a helical guide of the pomace and / or spent grains around the central axis of the flow tube. By using static mixers, the average flow velocity through the flow tube can be increased, thereby further reducing wall adhesion.

The heat transfer in the preheating section 20 and the cooling zone 5 takes place in the 3 illustrated embodiment of the device 1 over the wall of the flow tube 9 with the help of a double-jacket tube 50 , This each has an inlet 51 and a process 52 for that to the pomace and / or grains in the preheating section 20 Heat-releasing medium or for the from the pomace and / or spent grains in the cooling section 5 Heat-absorbing medium on. In the in 3 illustrated embodiment forms the double-jacket tube 50 with the flow tube 9 the cooling zone 5 as well as the preheating section 20 a countercurrent heat exchanger. In the context of the invention, however, also for the cooling zone 5 and / or the preheating section 20 a DC heat exchanger can be realized.

From an energetic point of view, the hydrolysis is an endothermic partial process, which means that it requires considerable amounts of heat, for heating the pomace and / or spent grains and for the chemical hydrolysis. The waste heat generated during the heating processes can be recovered at least partially via heat exchangers cost-effectively. The Recovery rate is at least about 40%. went out.

The device 1 can also be equipped with a direct heat recovery by the medium, which is the drain 52 of the double jacket tube 50 the cooling zone 5 leaves, in the inflow 51 of the double jacket tube 50 the preheating zone 10 is initiated. This creates an external circulation of the heat transfer medium. This recovers a considerable part of the energy to be used. After completing the reheat recovery route 5 the pomace and / or spent grains is cooled to temperatures in the range of about 50 to 100 ° C.

The device 1 also has measuring points 8th in the inlet, the preheating section 20 , the heating zone 2 , the residence time line 4 and the cooling section 5 on. These are designed as sleeves, through which probes for temperature and / or pressure can be introduced into the interior of the flow tube and positioned there. The corresponding temperature sensors and / or pressure transducers can be used with the steam supply to control or control the steam supply in the heating zone 2 get connected.

In further education the in 3 illustrated embodiment, the device 1 at least in the heating zone 2 , especially in the preheating zone 20 , is equipped with a plurality of heat input devices, preferably with two or more steam injection devices 3 in the heating zone 2 ,

An exemplary embodiment of the device according to the invention 1 is designed for the throughput of one ton of pomace and / or spent grains per hour with a dry matter content of 30% and the availability of waste heat at a high temperature level of 100 kW. However, material streams with a lower dry matter content can also be advantageously processed. If required, waste heat fluxes of up to 500 kW can be used at lower temperature levels.

In 4 is a particularly suitable embodiment of a steam introduction device 3 shown schematically. Such a steam introduction device can be realized in the form of a commercially available filter candle made of sintered metal. The steam injection device 3 has a Dampfeintragsfläche 31 which is the outside of a hollow cylinder of microporous material sealed on one side.

About an opening 33 is the steam injection device 3 designed for connection to a steam supply. For this purpose, it has a threaded connection, the thread of which meshes in the installed state with a complementarily formed thread at the connection of the steam supply.

The steam injection device 3 has a cavity 32 is introduced into the pressurized steam in operation in the Dampfeintragseinrichtung and pressed through the microporous material to the Dampfeintragsfläche and therethrough.

In 5 is another embodiment for a heating zone 2 shown schematically, which is particularly suitable for difficult to convey pomace and / or grain, for example, with high viscosity. The heating zone comprises a stirred tank 25 , which has connections 800 into the flow tube 9 the device 1 can be installed. The stirred tank 25 has a stirrer 251 which in operation the pomace and / or spent grain T forcibly on the Dampfeintragsfläche 31 promotes by. This puts the stirrer 251 a dynamic mixer for forced movement of the pomace and / or spent grains. The promotion of the pomace and / or grain by the device 1 takes place by the funding 15 which the pomace and / or spent grains through the stirred tank 25 drives through.

The stirred tank has in its wall at least one opening into which a Dampfeintragsfläche 31 can be installed. In the bottom of the stirred tank is a bottom outlet valve 900 , For example, a piston valve, provided by which sedimented, undissolved ingredients can be removed if necessary.

A heating zone with dynamic mixer as in 5 shown alone or in addition to the heating zone 2 , as in 3 shown, within the scope of the inventive use of the device 1 be used.

It will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the invention is not limited to the embodiments described above, but rather can be varied in many ways. In particular, the features of the individual embodiments can also be combined or replaced with each other.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMBERS

T

Pomace, Marc

D

steam

V

Valve fluid, compressed air

1

contraption

10

Intake

12

static mixer, guide element

15

Conveyor, pump

2

heating zone

20

preheating

25

stirred tank

251

dynamic mixer, stirrer

3

Steam feed means

31

Steam entry area

32

cavity

33

Opening, connection

4

holdup

5

cooling section

50

Heat transfer medium, double-jacket tube

51, 52

Inlet, outlet of the double-walled pipe

6

steam supply

7

Control valve

8th

Connection for temperature measuring point, connection for pressure measuring point, sleeve

9

flow tube

11

outlet

110

Check valve

120

expansion tank

800

Connection element, flange

900

Bottom drain valve, piston valve

QUOTES INCLUDE IN THE DESCRIPTION

This list of the documents listed by the applicant has been generated automatically and is included solely for the better information of the reader. The list is not part of the German patent or utility model application. The DPMA assumes no liability for any errors or omissions.

Cited patent literature

• WO 2011/006854 A1 [0010, 0011]

Claims (25)

Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T), the device having at least a first portion and at least a second portion directly communicating with the first portion, the first portion serving as a heating zone ( 2 ) is formed with a direct steam heating, which at least one steam introduction device ( 3 ), through which in operation steam (D) in the continuously through the heating zone ( 2 ) pomace and / or spent grape (T) is introduced and heats the pomace and / or spent grains, and wherein the second section as residence time distance ( 4 ) is formed, through which the heated pomace and / or spent grains continuously flows during operation. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to claim 1, characterized in that the at least one steam introduction device ( 3 ) at least one Dampfeintragsfläche ( 31 ) and in the heating zone ( 2 ) is arranged so that in operation it continuously passes from the pomace and / or the spent grain, in particular flows around it, so that steam through the steam injection surface ( 31 ) is introduced through it into the pomace and / or spent grains flowing past it. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating zone ( 2 ) a dynamic mixer, preferably a stirrer ( 251 ), more preferably a stirred tank ( 25 ), in which the at least one steam introduction device ( 3 ) is integrated. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to claim 3, characterized in that a dynamic mixer ( 251 ) adjacent wall of the heating zone ( 2 ), preferably the stirred tank ( 25 ), at least one recess, which is formed such that the recess with a Dampfeintragsfläche ( 31 ) is closable. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to one of claims 2 to 4, characterized in that the steam introduction device ( 3 ) a cavity ( 32 ), which at least partially from the Dampfeintragsfläche ( 31 ) and which has an opening ( 33 ), wherein the opening ( 33 ) for connection to a steam supply ( 6 ) is trained. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to any one of claims 2 to 5, characterized in that the vapor introduction surface ( 31 ) is the surface of a porous and / or a perforated material. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to claim 6, characterized in that the material of the vapor introduction surface ( 31 ) is a ceramic material or a metallic material selected from the group consisting of stainless steel, titanium, nickel-base alloys, in particular Monel, Inconel 600 , Inconel 625 , Hastelloy C22 and Hastelloy C276. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to claim 7, characterized in that the material of the steam injection surface ( 31 ) is a microporous material, preferably an open-pored sintered material, more preferably a sintered metal. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to any one of claims 6 to 8, characterized in that the steam input surface ( 31 ) Holes or pores having average diameters in the range of greater than or equal to 0.5 microns to less than or equal to 200 microns, preferably in the range between 1 microns and 100 microns, more preferably in the range between 2 microns and 50 microns, in particular between 3 microns and 10 micrometers, has. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device ( 1 ) at least one control valve ( 7 ) for the steam supply line into the at least one steam introduction device ( 3 ). Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating zone ( 2 ) at least one connection ( 8th ) for a temperature measuring point and / or at least one connection ( 8th ) for a pressure measuring point. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the heating zone ( 2 ) and the residence time distance ( 4 ) interconnected portions of a flow tube ( 9 ), wherein the first section of the flow tube ( 9 ) as a heating zone ( 2 ) is formed with the direct steam heating, and wherein the second portion of the flow tube ( 9 ) as residence time distance ( 4 ) is formed, through which the heated pomace and / or spent grains (T) continuously flows during operation. Use of a device ( 1 ) for continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to claim 12, characterized in that the device ( 1 ) at least one funding ( 15 ) for continuously transporting the pomace and / or spent grain (T) through the flow tube ( 9 ), the device ( 1 ) is designed such that in operation the residence time of the heated pomace and / or spent grains in the residence time ( 4 ) solely by the grant ( 15 ) predetermined continuous volume flow of heated pomace and / or spent grains and / or the length of the residence time course ( 4 ) and / or the area of the flow-through cross section of the residence time zone ( 4 ) is variable. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device ( 1 ) one of the residence time distance ( 4 ) downstream outlet ( 11 ) having a back pressure valve ( 110 ). Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to claim 14, characterized in that the counter-pressure valve ( 110 ) Conical valve or as a pinch valve, in particular as a pneumatic pinch valve or as electropneumatic Schlauchquetschventil formed. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to one of the preceding claims, characterized in that the device ( 1 ) following the residence time course ( 4 ) a cooling section ( 5 ) and / or that the device ( 1 ) before the inlet into the heating zone ( 2 ) a preheating line ( 20 ), wherein preferably means ( 50 . 51 . 52 ) are provided for supplying the waste heat from the cooling section in the preheating section. Use of a device ( 1 ) for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains (T) according to any one of the preceding claims, characterized in that inside the device ( 1 ) at least one static mixer ( 12 ) are positioned. A process for the continuous thermal hydrolysis of pomace and / or spent grains, preferably using a device according to one of claims 1 to 17, comprising the following steps: a) continuous feeding of pomace and / or spent grains (T) b) heating of the pomace and / or of the spent grain to a temperature T_2 by introducing steam (D) into the pomace and / or the spent grain (T), c) maintaining the temperature T_2 for a period of time t_Verweil in a continuously flowing residence time course ( 4 ). A method according to claim 18, characterized in that the residence time t_Verweil is less than 60 minutes, preferably in the range between 5 minutes and 30 minutes, more preferably in the range between 10 minutes and 15 minutes. A method according to claim 18 or 19, characterized in that the temperature T_2 is below 300 ° C, preferably in the range between 130 ° C and 180 ° C, more preferably in the range between 150 ° C and 160 ° C. Method according to one of claims 18 to 20, with another step d) cooling the heated pomace and / or spent grains to a temperature T_3, which is in particular below 100 ° C, preferably in the range between 30 ° C and less than 100 ° C, more preferably in the range between 50 ° C and 60 ° C. , Method according to one of claims 18 to 21, with another step a1) preheating the heated pomace and / or spent grain to a temperature T_1, which is in particular below 100 ° C, preferably in the range between 30 ° C and less than 100 ° C, more preferably in the range between 80 ° C and 100 ° C. , Method according to one of claims 18 to 22, characterized in that in step b) at least two-stage heating of the pomace and / or spent grains takes place, wherein in a first stage steam under the pressure p_1 and in the last stage steam under the pressure p_n larger p_1 is introduced. Method according to one of claims 18 to 23, characterized in that in step a1) and / or in step a) and / or in step b) and / or in step c) adjusting the pH of the pomace and / or spent grains is set to a value in the range of greater than 7, preferably to a value in the range between greater than 7 and less than 10, particularly preferably to a value in the range between 8 and 9. Method according to one of claims 18 to 24, characterized in that in step a1) and / or in step a) and / or in step b) and / or in step c) hydrolytic enzymes are added.

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