EP2424957A1

EP2424957A1 - Device, use thereof, method and system for continuously converting biomass

Info

Publication number: EP2424957A1
Application number: EP10707233A
Authority: EP
Inventors: Bernd Schottdorf
Original assignee: European Charcoal AG
Current assignee: European Charcoal AG
Priority date: 2009-04-27
Filing date: 2010-03-08
Publication date: 2012-03-07
Also published as: EA201190263A1; DE102009030013A1; CA2760218A1; AU2010243969A2; US8986507B2; EA025670B1; CA2760218C; AU2010243969B2; US20120079762A1; AU2010243969A1; WO2010124761A1

Abstract

The invention relates to a device (100; 302), the use thereof, a method, and a system (300) for continually converting biomass (102; 304). The device (100; 302) comprises the following: an infeed area (104) for receiving a moving bed from the biomass (102; 304), particularly wood, having an upper segment (140) for drying, a middle segment (142), a flame zone, for degassing, and a lower segment (146), a smoldering zone, for carbonizing the biomass (102; 304) into a solid converted product (158; 306), particularly charcoal; a grate (110) supporting the moving bed and permeable downward for the solid converted product (158; 306). A collection tank (136) for collecting the solid converted product (158; 306) is disposed below the grate (110) and can be coupled to the infeed area (104), gas-tight to the environment, and comprising a wall area having a cooling device (160). The system (300) comprises the device (100; 302), a biogas plant (314) and/or a combined heat and power plant (310), wherein a liquid converted product (156) from the converting of biomass (102; 304), particularly pyroligneous acid or acetic acid, can be fed to the biogas plant (314), and/or the solid converted product (158) from the converting of biomass (102; 304), particularly charcoal, can be fed to a combined heat and power plant (310).

Description

5 Apparatus, its use, method and system for continuous

Conversion of biomass

The present invention relates to a device, the use thereof, a method and a system for the continuous conversion of biomass, in particular the present invention relates to a device, a method and a system, in which

Biomass dried, degassed, carbonized and collected.

In the following, the prior art is briefly summarized.

DE 10 2005 038 135 B3 discloses a device for the continuous production of charcoal in a moving bed of wood or other biomass. The apparatus comprises a wood or other biomass feed device, a shaft in which the moving or wood biomass bed is dried, degassed and charred, one or more air supply means located at the bottom of the well and one at the bottom of the well arranged grid.

The charcoal passing through the grate is collected below it in a water basin, cooled, conveyed out of the water basin and must be dried before further use.

DE 3517972 A1 discloses a combined discharge and cooling device for charcoal from countercurrent carbonization plants. To reduce the thermal load on the discharge and to prevent false air entering the charring and associated uncontrolled burning of the charcoal, the charcoal is pre-cooled on the water-cooled walls of a trough before they a discharge screw reaches the bottom of the trough, which conveys the charcoal from the laterally open trough.

EP 1 473 351 A1 discloses a method and a system for the smokeless production of coal. The starting material, e.g. Wood or bamboo, it is exposed to high heat. The heat is created by burning the gases, which are released by heating the material. The material is not completely burned, but regulated the combustion by air. This system includes a material loading port through which the material is introduced. The material is then sequentially carbonized in a chamber where it is first degassed or dried. This is carbon dioxide,

Carbon monoxide and wood vinegar freely, the exhaust gases are discharged laterally at the bottom of the chamber in a direction parallel to the chamber fireplace upwards. The porous carbon product (charcoal) falls through a grid in the bottom of the chamber onto a guide chute and then through a conveyor into a sump. The wall of the chute is flowed through by cooling liquid and thereby cools the porous

Carbon product. The filled collection container can be removed to empty via a flap to the outside.

EP 1 508 607 discloses a reactor for producing charcoal. The reactor is in a continuous operation from above with Einfüllgut (wood) fed, and at the

Bottom of the reactor, the discharge of charred products is carried out by a conveyor in a tightly sealable receptacle. The carbonization in the reactor is controllable by an air inlet device. In the lower part of this reactor, a perforated basket is arranged, in which the Kohlungsgut is charred. The openings of the perforated basket allow fresh air supply. The basket is conical and has a small opening facing down. The conical shape serves to control the residence time of the coal in the region of the mesh basket. The flue gas produced during the carbonization process is removed in the upper part of the reactor via a flue and directed to a separator, which separates wood oil.

The object of the present invention is to provide an improved and simplified apparatus, the use thereof, a method and system for the continuous conversion of biomass. According to the invention, this object is achieved by the subject matter of the independent claims. Variants and preferred embodiments of the invention will become apparent from the claims, the following description and the drawings.

5

The apparatus according to claim 1 comprises a supply area for receiving a moving bed of biomass, in particular wood, comprising: an upper section for drying, a middle section, a flame zone, for degassing and a lower section, a Glimmzone, for charring the biomass to a solid o conversion product, in particular charcoal; a grate which supports the moving bed and which is permeable to the solid conversion product, wherein a collecting container is provided for collecting the solid conversion product, which is arranged under the grate, gas-tight to the environment with the feed region and has a wall portion with a cooling device , 5

This can eliminate a pool of water to stop the charring process. It is only a dense, cooling sump required. The solid conversion product, a carbon concentrate, i. a conversion product comprising essentially carbon, e.g. Charcoal, so no longer needs to be removed wet from a o cooling pool and then dried, but can be used immediately after cooling in the sump.

In addition, the arrangement of the collection container (directly) under the grate allows the solid conversion product to fall into the collection container solely by gravity. 5 An additional funding and possibly necessary cooling of the eventual

Conveyor, as used in DE 3517972 Al, or a cooled guide chute as in EP 1 473 351 Al can also be omitted.

Owing to the simple design of the conversion device according to the invention, the seal with the environment at the interface between collecting container and

Feed area easy to realize. It causes the conversion process in the sump to be reliably stopped by lowering the temperature and on the other combustion gases or atmospheric oxygen remain in the supply area (chimney effect) and so the charring process is interrupted in two ways.

Essentially any type of biological solid fuel is suitable, according to DIN 5 preEN 14961-1: 2009, in particular the classes of origin comminuted forest, plantation, industrial or used wood or mixtures thereof. These classes of origin may be further distinguished in terms of their commercial form: logs, e.g. logs; Wood chips (hereinafter also referred to generally as wood chips), e.g. shredded wood with cutting tools; Shredded material, e.g. shredded wood with blunt, shattering tools; Pellets or briquettes.

Forest and / or plantation wood includes in particular full trees, logs, wood residues, stumps, bark and woody biomass from the agricultural sector. Industrial wood may include chemically untreated wood residues, chemically treated wood residues and fibrous waste from the pulp and paper industry.

Used wood essentially comprises chemically treated and untreated wood.

Comminuted woody biomass is inexpensive because it can be machined e.g. can be produced from waste products of forestry. The comminuted woody biomass may be less bulky than un-shredded woody biomass and thus easier to transport.

In addition to woody biomass, stalk biomass, e.g. Cereals, grasses, etc., and biomass of fruits suitable.

5 Also limited storable wood chips high moisture, especially wood chips with a humidity of> 30%, is suitable.

If wood chips are produced, for example, from shredded, freshly harvested wood with a high moisture content of more than 30% or more than 50%, then the accumulated wood chips can heat up to self-ignition when stored by biological conversion processes.

Furthermore, unhealthy mold fungi can arise. Wood decomposing fungi can also find good conditions in high humidity and thereby reduce the energy content of the wood chips. Therefore, uncut wood is often pre-dried and then further dried as crushed wood chips. However, this is time consuming, requires much possibly roofed and ventilated storage capacity and already produced high quality wood chips, ie 5 wood chips with a humidity <30% in coarse sharp-edged form with a

Edge length of about 5 cm, were sorted out at the green parts and fine material, so that when poured storage enough space for air circulation and further drying remain.

o The device according to the invention should also lower-quality wood chips produced, ie. Wood chips with a moisture content of> 30% and / or fine material content and / or green parts and / or crumbled state and / or convert much needle and / or leaf content to valuable charcoal. As a result, the device according to the invention saves or reduces, for example, the predrying of the uncrushed wood; the further 5 drying of the wood chips; the sorting out of any fines, green parts, needle and leaf parts; as well as time and storage capacity. Furthermore, the weight per calorific value in the conversion product charcoal is lower than in wood chips, so generally lower transport costs for charcoal incurred.

The size of constituents in the biomass and / or the bulk density of the biomass (ie the weight / volume of the biomass in the dumped state) can, among other things, influence the flow behavior of the biomass moving bed. In particular, a high bulk density of a biomass in the feed area results in a higher pressure on the grid than a biomass of lower bulk density - at the same volume - would cause. The pressure on the grate can be changed inter alia by the following measures: increasing or decreasing the feed area; high or low filling level of the biomass absorbed in the supply area; Compacting or loosening the biomass with a compacting device (eg shredder, press) or loosening device (eg rake) or changing the size of the openings of the o grid. For this purpose, openings of the grate in the supply area, for example, are made adjustable, so that the coal size or the flow rate of the biomass is controlled by the size of the openings. Furthermore, the grid can be against another Grid replaced or extended by an additional grid to realize different sized openings can.

According to a further development, the collecting container is connected to the supply area via a funnel which widens toward the supply area 5 and / or a pipeline.

There are three alternative embodiments of how the sump communicates with the feed area: 0

First, the sump communicates with the feed area via a conduit. The advantage that the solid conversion product falls by gravity into the sump and can be collected there remains intact. Through the pipeline, possibly with a smaller cross-section, but the temperature difference between the 5 cooled collecting container and the Glimmzone is increased in the feed, as the radiant heat from the Glimmzone is better shielded. This facilitates the cooling in the collecting container and also the conversion process in the supply area takes place with lower thermal losses.

o Secondly, the sump can communicate with the feed area via a funnel that widens toward the feed area. This has the advantage that the container needs only a small opening to be sealed and yet the solid conversion product falls by gravity into the sump and can be collected there. This simplifies the construction and also improves the thermal decoupling between collecting container and supply area.

Third, the sump may communicate with the supply area via a conduit and a funnel adjoining the conduit and expanding to the supply area. As a result, the advantages referred to first and second o can be combined.

Furthermore, further devices (discharge means, ventilation, temperature measurement, etc.) can be arranged in the funnel and pipeline area. According to a further development, the collecting container is detachably coupled to the supply region and / or an unloading device is arranged on the collecting container in order to discharge the solid conversion product. Preferably, the collecting container can also be provided with a removable insert.

The sump may be coupled to the feed area by known mechanisms (such as sleeve, sealing strip, cuff). If necessary, the mechanism is opened or removed to decouple the sump from the feed area. 0

The collecting container may also be provided with wheels, rollers or the like, so that a first collecting container, when filled with the solid conversion product and cooled therein, can be exchanged for a second empty collecting container. An advantage of exchangeable collecting containers is that such containers 5 can simultaneously serve as transport containers.

Further, the solid conversion product collected in the sump and cooled may be discharged through an unloading device disposed on or in the sump, such as a sump. a flap, a slide, a rotary valve or the like are discharged.

In addition, the collection container may include a removable insert. The insert may be designed as an upwardly open container (trough), which is arranged in the sump so that it can collect and / or cool the solid conversion product. 5 The insert can from the sump by a arranged there gas-tight for

Close closable flap or the like can be removed and replaced with another empty use. The space between the collecting container and use can then additionally receive a cooling medium.

o For example, the sump can also be designed as a rotatable removable magazine. In this case, a magazine part, when filled with the solid conversion product and the solid conversion product cooled therein, can be rotated away from the pipe, the hopper and / or the supply area and at the same time empty Magazine part are turned and coupled gas-tight to the environment. This allows a largely continuous operation without withdrawal losses.

According to one embodiment, an air supply between grate and reservoir 5 is provided, via which a controllable amount of air can be supplied. The air supply is preferably formed by two fittingly arranged in one another pipe sections, each having in their wall longitudinal slots.

A piece of pipe, e.g. the inner tube piece, on the other hand, e.g. the outer tube piece o, be rotatable and / or longitudinally displaceable. One of the pipe sections is closed at one end face. The longitudinal slots of the two pipe sections can be arranged in the side walls so that they are aligned with each other at a certain position of the pipe sections. The air supply is open. In another rotational position in each case the interstices of a pipe section can cover the slots of the other. The 5 air supply is closed.

If the slots of the two pipe pieces are in alignment with each other, a maximum opening for the admission of air into the apparatus is formed. If, for example, the inner tube piece is then twisted or longitudinally displaced, the overlaps of the slots and thus the opening for the admission of air into the tubes are reduced

Contraption. The inner tube piece can be twisted or shifted so far that there is no longer any overlapping of the slots, i. no opening to the inlet of air is more available.

5 The air supply can be the amount of air flowing into the device and thereby the

Controlling the process of carbonization of biomass in the tuff area.

As further implementations of the air supply, for example, a flap, a valve or the like may be used. Also known ventilation rosettes o can be provided. According to a development, the cooling device is a passive

Heat transfer means, such as a particular shape or surface of the wall portion, and / or an active heat transfer means, such as an electric cooling device.

5 The advantage of a cooling device that is defined by the shape or surface of the wall area, such as the wall. Beading and bulges is formed, is that the passive cooling effect of the environment is optimally usable (wind, cold or humid air, rain, etc.). Such a form may e.g. be a integrally formed with the wall portion or thermally coupled cooling fin or the like. The surface of the entire wall portion of the collecting container may be e.g. be maximized in relation to its volume, e.g. Surrounding air flows around to act as a cooling device.

Preferably, the cooling device at least cools the solid conversion product collected in the collection container so that it is safe, i. without igniting itself at the time of removal, which can be exposed to ambient air. The

Ignition temperature is the temperature at which the solid conversion product in ambient air would just ignite itself.

According to a development, the cooling device is a fluid cooling device, which is preferably arranged on the wall region. The fluid cooling device may be active, e.g. with a circulation pump, or passive, e.g. by convection.

According to a development at least in the interior of the device below the moving bed at least one collecting device is provided, in particular a channel 5 for collecting and discharging a condensed on a vertical side wall of the device liquid conversion product, in particular wood acetic acid, water, acetic acid, acetone, methyl acetate, acetaldehyde or Methanol, to the outside.

About such a catcher can be taken in addition to the solid conversion product o liquid conversion product. In the conversion of biomass, liquid conversion products can also be obtained directly or initially formed as gas / vapor and then at least partially condensed; mostly in cooler areas, especially the sidewalls of the feed area. The liquid Conversion product then flows down and enters the catcher. The collecting means, eg a gutter, may be inclined in itself such that the liquid conversion product (s) flow therein to its lowest point and can be discharged therefrom.

Preferably, the channel is provided within the device below the grate on the hopper and / or on the pipe. The gutter may also be provided at or near the grate. Furthermore, a plurality of grooves may be provided at multiple locations within the conversion device.

According to one embodiment, a discharge means, in particular a siphon, discharges the liquid conversion product. The siphon, e.g. a tube siphon or bottle siphon, may prevent the entry of gases, e.g. Intake of atmospheric oxygen into the conversion device and the exit of a gaseous conversion product from the conversion device while deriving the liquid conversion product.

Thus, liquids are discharged from the device in one direction only, but neither gas enters the device from outside through the discharge means, nor any gaseous conversion products from the device to the outside.

According to a further development, exhaust gases are discharged upwards through the feed region during operation and are conducted above the feed region into a column or a distillator. There at least one volatile conversion product is at least partially separable. For this purpose, a drainage means (e.g., siphon) is provided which dissipates the deposited conversion product.

Thus, the device can extract both solid, liquid and gaseous or volatile conversion products from the conversion of biomass and dissipate or derive.

The advantage of a column, ie a multiple distillator for the distillation and fractionation of gases with different condensation temperatures, lies in it, different, present during the conversion gas / vapor Distillate conversion products and to fractionate or precipitate, such as water, acetic acid, acetone, methyl acetate, acetaldehyde or methanol. The advantage of a (simple) distiller is to deposit a volatile mixture of conversion products, for example wood acetic acid, which essentially comprises acetic acid 5 and water.

According to a further development, the column or distillator distills wood vinegar.

The wood vinegar or the acetic acid contained therein can be supplied to a biogas plant for methanogenesis, for example. 0

A method for the continuous conversion of biomass according to claim 13, comprising the steps of: supplying a moving bed of biomass, in particular wood, in a feed area; Drying the moving bed in an upper portion of the feeding area; Degassing the moving bed in a flame zone in a central portion of the supply area; Charring the moving bed in a smoldering zone in a lower portion of the feed area to a solid conversion product, especially charcoal; Supporting the moving bed on a grid arranged in the lower area of the shaft and passing the solid conversion product downwards; characterized by collecting the solid conversion product in a collection container, placing the collection container under the grid, coupling the collection container to the supply region in a gastight manner to the environment, and cooling a wall region of the collection container.

According to a further development, the biomass for the process according to the invention comprises 5 comminuted forest and / or plantation wood and / or industrial wood and / or

Used wood or mixtures thereof.

According to a further development, the biomass for the method according to the invention comprises comminuted, finely storable wood chips of high moisture content, in particular wood chips o with a moisture content of> 30%.

Claim 16 relates to a system with a conversion device according to the invention, in which the method for the continuous conversion of biomass according to claim 13 is feasible and a biogas plant and / or a combined heat and power plant, wherein a liquid conversion product from the conversion of biomass, in particular wood acetic acid or acetic acid, the biogas plant can be fed and / or a solid conversion product from the conversion of biomass, especially charcoal, 5 a cogeneration plant can be fed ,

Such a combination of conversion device, biogas plant and combined heat and power plant results in a flexible system that can generate heat energy and electricity using high efficiency renewable energy sources. o The conversion device can, in addition to charcoal for the block heating, which in turn u.a. produced electrical power, also produce wood acetic or acetic acid for use in a biogas plant. The acetic acid can be fed to the biogas plant for methanogenesis. In combined heat and power plant, the almost soot-free combustion of charcoal is useful because in particular their combustion chamber and 5 heat exchanger no longer so much sooted and therefore need to be maintained less frequently. The biogas plant can also benefit from a byproduct of charcoal production by feeding it with wood acetic acid or acetic acid to control its chemical reactions.

o Claim 17 relates to a use of the inventive conversion device for the conversion of wood chips in charcoal.

Hereinafter, further embodiments of the invention will be explained in more detail with reference to schematic drawings. Show: 5

Fig. 1 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view of an inventive

contraption

2a and 2b are each a view of an air supply and

3 is a block diagram of a system 0 according to the invention

1 shows a conversion apparatus 100 for continuously converting biomass 102 having a vertical, cylindrical feed area 104 defining an interior space 106, a wall 108, and a floor forming one Grating 110 and arranged on the cover 112 of the feed section 104 hopper 1 14, which is closed by a flap 1 16 gas-tight to the environment. The hopper 1 14 is in communication with the inner space 106 of the feed area 104.

Furthermore, a column 1 18, which is in communication with the supply region 104, is arranged on the cover 12. Under the grate 110, a downwardly tapering hopper 120 is connected with its hopper wall 122 to the feed area 104.

Inside the hopper wall 122, a circumferential collecting channel 124 is arranged. It is so inclined in itself that it has a lowest point. At this lowest point 126, a conduit through the funnel wall 122 leads outwards to a siphon 128.

At the lower narrow end of the hopper 120, a further downwardly leading pipe 130 is connected. The pipe 130 has a pipe wall 132, in which halfway 5 height of an air supply 134 is inserted. Downstream of the pipeline 130, a cuboid collecting container 136 connects to the bottom, which can be removably and gas-tightly coupled to the pipeline 130 from the environment. Supports 138, two of which are visible in FIG. 1, support the conversion device 100. Wall portions of the collection container 136 are provided with cooling fins 160. 0

Through the hopper 114 biomass 102, such as wood, wood pellets, wood chips or other carbonaceous raw materials, continuously or batchwise enters the interior 106. When starting the device is filled to about ³ A with biomass 102, which is then ignited. If the biomass 102 has a low bulk density, such as, for example, wood shavings or straw (eg bulk density of 100 kg / ^m.sup.3 ), the biomass 102 is pressed through a press, then fed through the feed hopper 114 and the interior space 106 is almost completely filled. In retracted operation, the feed section 104 has three sections: an upper section 140 in which the biomass 102 is dried by rising warm vapors and gases 144 in the feed section 104. Below the upper portion 140 is a middle portion 142, a

Flame zone in which the vapors, eg wood vapors or gases 144 escape from the biomass and burn partially at the air flowing from below through the air supply 134 air. Below the central portion 142, a lower portion 146, a Glimmzone, in which the temperature is regulated by inflowing air through the controlled air supply 134 to a temperature of 500-600 ° C and in the further present in the biomass products are burned and / or vaporized, while substantially a carbon concentrate 158, eg Charcoal left over that is so friable 5 that it falls through the grate 1 10.

The carbon 158 passes through the pressure of the overlying and continuously moving biomass 102 as well as by gravity due to the grid 1 through 10. Openings of the grid 1 10 are made adjustable, so that the o coal size or the flow rate of the biomass 102 and the carbon 158 through the

Size of the openings is controllable. Small openings about 5 mm in width are suitable, e.g. for coal from P16A wood chips (see Table 1). Large openings with a clear width of about 10 mm, e.g. for coal from P45A wood chips (see Table 1). The carbon 158, due to gravity through the funnels 120 and 5, falls directly into the sump 136. When the sump 136 is full, it is exchanged for another empty sump (not shown).

The air supply 134 in the pipeline 130 shown in FIG. 1 controls the supply of air or oxygen into the interior 106. The convection-generated gas flow to the top in the supply region 104 draws in ambient air through the opened air supply 134 and through the pipeline 130 and the funnel 120 pulled up into the interior 160. No air enters the sump 136 since it is itself gas-tight to the environment and gas-tightly coupled to the environment with the conduit 130 and therefore no draft or chimney effect can occur which could promote ambient air 5 down into the sump 136. The charcoal 158 or the

So carbon is largely cooled in the sump under exclusion of air. As a result, the charring process in the sump stops quickly.

Partially, the gaseous conversion products 144 resulting from the conversion condense on the wall 108 and, together with other liquid conversion products 156 (dotted lines), flow down the wall 108 by gravity down through the grate 110 and from there to the top of the wall Funnel 120 in the channel 124th There all flow liquid Conversion products 156 to the lowest point 126 and are derived therefrom via the siphon 128 from the conversion device 100. Liquid in the siphon 128 forms a gastight seal between the environment and the interior of the funnel 120.

5

The sump 136 is surrounded by lamellar cooling fins 160 formed on wall portions of the sump 136. The cooling fins 160 increase the wall surface which is effectively in contact with the environment. Since the sump 136 collects hot pieces of coal 158, the heat o present in it is discharged through the wall portions and the cooling fins 160 to the environment.

Vapors 144 rise partially in the interior space 106 with the exhaust gases further up into the column 118 where they are partially separated and fractionated into substances 148-154 (number exemplified). The 5 fractionated substances 148-154 are each discharged via siphons (not shown) from the

Column 118 derived. The residual gases thus purified exit from the column 118 and are discharged into the environment or, if appropriate, further treated.

As biomass 102, all types of wood chips can be used. The origin, type of trade and characteristics of woodchips are in DIN prEN

14961-1: 2009 or the Austrian standard ÖNORM M 7133, see Tables 1 and 2.

5

0 Table 1: Wood chips classes - particle size distribution, according to DIN prEN 14961-1: 2009

Table 2: Water content according to DIN prEN 14961-1: 2009

The conversion device 100 converts both small and dry wood chips, ie those of the classes P16A to P45A or MIO to M30, into charcoal as well as large ones and moist wood chips, ie those of the classes P45B to PlOO or M35 to M55 or

M55 +.

Since during the conversion in the feed region 104 at the same time a rapid drying of the 5 wood chips takes place, the initial water content or moisture is the

Subsequent woodchips. The shape (eg with fines, green parts, needle and leaf portions) and size (eg P63, PlOO) of the chips to be converted in the conversion device 100 is - provided that the hopper 114 and the interior 106 are large enough - subordinate because the charcoal produced therefrom For example, o ground and pressed into charcoal briquettes, regardless of the initial shape and

-large is the wood chips.

Fig. 2a shows an exploded perspective view of an air supply 200. The air supply 200 is a pipe 201 arranged and formed by two fitting into each other 5 arranged pipe sections 202, 204, each in its side wall

Have longitudinal slots 206. The inner tube piece 202 is closed at the end remote from the pipe 201 end by a cover 207. The pipe 201 facing ends of the pipe sections 202, 204 are open.

The inner tube piece 202 may be rotated relative to the outer tube piece 204 such that the longitudinal slots 206 of both tube pieces 202, 204 are aligned, or such that the spaces between the longitudinal slots 206 of one tube piece 202, 204 partially or completely cover the other.

Alternatively or additionally, the inner tube piece 202 may be displaced longitudinally relative to the outer tube piece 206. This also allows the longitudinal slots 202 of the two pipes 202, 206 are aligned with each other or covered by the spaces between the longitudinal slots 202 of the other pipe section 202, 204. 0

By rotating and displacing the inner tube piece 202, the effective opening area is set to the environment and the amount of air sucked into the conversion device can be controlled. For rotating the inner tube piece 202, an actuating lever (not shown) may be provided. In addition, the inner tube piece can be arranged on the pipeline 201, and the outer tube piece can be arranged rotatable and displaceable around the inner one. The cover 207 is accordingly arranged on the outer pipe piece at the end facing away from the pipe 201.

FIG. 2b shows a further air supply 208 in a plan view. The air supply 208 is designed as a plate 210 with radially arranged slots 212. The plate 210 is disposed in the pipe 211. Behind the plate 210, a closure plate 214 is arranged, which is rotatably mounted to the plate 210. The closure plate 214 bears flat against the plate 210 and has a rotary knob 216 which leads from behind through the plate 210 to the front of the plate 210, as shown in Fig. 2. The closure plate 214 has the same slits as the plate 210. In a certain rotational position of the closure plate 214 relative to the plate 210, the longitudinal slots are aligned with each other so that maximum opening of the air supply occurs and much air can be drawn into the conversion device 100. In another rotational position of the closure plate 214, gaps between the slots 212 of the plates 210, 214 partially or completely overlap their slots 212, so that little or no air is supplied. In an area between the two mentioned

Rotary positions, the opening to the air supply is variable. Over the effective opening cross-section, the amount of air flowing in the conversion device 100 is controlled. The air supply 134, in addition to the illustrated arrangement in the pipeline 130, 201, 211, may also be provided at other suitable locations in the conversion apparatus 100 5, e.g. in the hopper 120 or in the wall 108. It can also be provided in several places an air supply.

FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of a system 300 according to the invention. In the conversion device 302, biomass 304 is converted into solid, liquid and gaseous products, including charcoal 306 and wood vinegar 308. The charcoal 308 operates a combined heat and power plant 310 that converts electrical and / or gaseous products therefrom. or heat energy 312 generated. The wood vinegar 308 is used in a biogas plant 314 for methanogenesis. The biogas plant 314 generates biogas 316. The biogas 316 can be burned next to the charcoal 308 in the cogeneration plant 310 and also serve to generate electrical energy 312.

Claims

A device (100; 302) for the continuous conversion of biomass (102; 304) with:

5 - a supply area (104) for receiving a moving bed from the

Biomass (102), in particular wood, with an upper section (140) for drying, a middle section (142), a flame zone, for degassing, and o - a lower section (146), a glow zone, for charring the biomass (102; 304) to a solid conversion product (158; 306), especially charcoal; a grate (110) which supports the moving bed and which is permeable to the solid conversion product (158; 306); 5, characterized in that a collecting container (136) for collecting the solid conversion product (158; 306) is provided, which is arranged under the grating (1 10) and gas-tight to the environment with the supply region (104) is coupled and 0 - a wall portion with a cooling device (160).

The apparatus (100; 302) of claim 1 adapted for converting biomass of different size or bulk density.

The device (100; 302) according to claim 1 or 2, which is a size changeable one

Feed area, and / or a Füllhöhensteuerung, and / or a compaction or loosening device, and / or a large adjustable grid comprises.

4. Device (100; 302) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein the

Collecting container: via a funnel (122) which widens toward the feed region (104) and / or a pipe (130; 201, 211) communicates with the supply area (104).

The apparatus (100; 302) of any one of the preceding claims, wherein the collection bin (136) is removably coupled to the supply area (104) and / or an unloading device is disposed on the collection bin to discharge the solid conversion product (158) , 0

6. Device (100, 302) according to one of the preceding claims, in which at least one air supply (134, 200, 208)) is provided between grate (110) and collecting container (136), via which a controllable amount of air can be supplied. 5

A device (100; 302) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling means comprises: a passive heat transfer means (160), such as a certain shape or

Surface of the wall portion, and / or an active heat transfer medium, such as an electric cooling device, o is.

An apparatus (100; 302) according to any one of the preceding claims, wherein the cooling means is a fluid cooling means.

9. Device (100, 302) according to one of the preceding claims, wherein in

Interior (106) of the device (100; 302) below the moving bed at least one collecting device (124), in particular a gutter, for collecting and discharging outwardly on a vertical side wall of the device condensed liquid conversion product (156), in particular wood vinegar, o water , Acetic acid, acetone, methyl acetate, acetaldehyde or methanol, from the continuous conversion of biomass (102) is provided.

A device (100; 302) according to claim 9, wherein a discharge means (128), in particular a gas-tight siphon, discharges the liquid conversion product (156).

An apparatus (100; 302) as claimed in any one of the preceding claims, wherein, in use, exhaust gases (144) are exhausted upwardly through the feed region (104), above the feed region (104) into a column (1 18) or one Are passed at least one volatile conversion product (148, 150, 152, 154) from the exhaust gas (144) at least partially and a o discharge means, in particular a gas-tight siphon is provided, which the deposited conversion product (148, 150, 152 , 154).

The apparatus (100; 302) of claim 11, wherein the column (118) or distillator distillates wood vinegar. 5

13. A process for the continuous conversion of biomass comprising the steps of:

Feeding a moving bed of biomass, in particular wood, into a feed area; 0 - drying of the moving bed in an upper portion of the feed area;

Degassing the moving bed in a flame zone in a central portion of the feed area;

Charring the moving bed in a smoldering zone in a lower portion of the feeding area to a solid conversion product, in particular 5 charcoal;

Supporting the moving bed on a arranged in the lower part of the shaft grate and

Passing down the solid conversion product; characterized by o collecting the solid conversion product in a collection container,

Placing the collection container under the grate,

Coupling of the collecting container with the supply area gas-tight to the environment and

Cooling a wall portion of the collecting container.

The method of claim 13, wherein the biomass (102) comprises shredded woodland and / or plantation wood and / or industrial wood and / or used wood or mixtures thereof.

15. The method of claim 13 or 14, wherein the biomass limited storable wood chips high moisture, in particular wood chips with a humidity of> 30%.

A system (300) for continuously converting biomass by the method of claim 13, comprising: a conversion device (100; 302) according to any one of claims 1 to

12 and a biogas plant (314) and / or - a combined heat and power plant (310), wherein a liquid conversion product (156) from the conversion of

Biomass (102, 304), in particular wood acetic or acetic acid, the

Biogas plant (314) can be fed and / or - a solid conversion product (158) from the conversion of biomass

(102, 304), in particular charcoal, a cogeneration plant (310) can be fed.

17. Use of the conversion device (100, 302) according to one of claims 1 to 12 for the conversion of wood chips into charcoal.