ES2532552B1 - Procedure and device for obtaining hydrocarbons - Google Patents

Abstract

Procedure and device for obtaining hydrocarbons. # Thermo-sono-chemical procedure (TSQ), consisting of the combination of ultrasonic-assisted thermochemical process to convert waste materials into a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons of high added value, which can be used as fuel or its transformation into other chemicals. This procedure includes the combination of starting materials from waste or biomass, with active additives to sonication, which with an adequate dosage together with a thermal and energy contribution by ultrasound maximizes the generation of hydrocarbon liquids.

Description

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DESCRIPTION

Method and device for obtaining hydrocarbons OBJECT OF THE INVENTION

The present invention can be included in the technical field of waste treatment and other polymeric materials, in particular in the transformation of solid polymeric materials into liquid and / or gaseous materials using thermal and chemical systems. Additionally, it can also be included in the technology sector to obtain organic products.

Specifically, the object of the invention relates to a process and a device for obtaining hydrocarbons from the cracking of starting materials containing polymers, where in particular, but not exclusively, the starting materials come from waste, whether urban, forestry, agricultural, livestock, industrial, etc.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The treatment of waste for its energy recovery is regulated by various regulations at different levels, from a more global scope at the European Union level, through increasingly local areas, such as the member states of the European Union and, finally , in the case of Spain, in a more local area, at the level of the autonomous communities themselves.

One of the most studied aspects, due to its relevance, is the suitability presented by each of the different types of waste as a starting material for its energy use. This is due to the fact that in waste there is a variety of materials, which in turn have a variable composition in energy terms. For the use of waste it is necessary to identify the different materials present in said waste, such as organic matter, plastics, cardboard and other fractions susceptible to energy use.

Currently, within the treatment of waste, an alternative considered is the disposal of such waste, which can be carried out in different ways, depending on whether or not an energy use of the waste is made.

Among those that do not involve energy use, the most common is the disposal in controlled landfill, where the different materials present in the waste undergo physical, chemical and biological transformations that generate polluting products with a remarkable environmental impact.

In relation to energy use technologies, incineration is mentioned, which requires a capacity to process high amounts of waste, as well as large investments in environmental control and verification systems. Other technologies, such as gasification, present difficulties in handling and controlling processes and generate, in turn, a significant amount of waste from gas scrubbing systems.

All these technologies generally allow the recovery of electrical and thermal energy from waste, with an efficiency that in general is between 15 and 40%.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a process and a device for obtaining hydrocarbons from a starting material comprising polymers. Preferably, the starting material comes from waste, such as urban waste,

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industrial, agricultural, forestry, livestock, etc.

The invention is characterized by implementing a method that involves the use and / or the transformation of mechanical energy, chemical energy and ultrasound, to crack the molecules of the polymers, transforming them into hydrocarbons of shorter chains, at lower temperatures than those commonly used. in the state of the art.

The procedure comprises the following stages:

• a stage of processing the matter in a reactor where the starting material is transformed into liquid and / or gaseous hydrocarbons and comprising the following sub-stages:

or a first heat exchange sub-stage exceeding 150 ° C / second controlled by mass balance and energy balance, with agitation conditions exceeding 700 revolutions per minute and where the temperature is in the range between 150 and 450 ° C.

or a second sub-stage of adjustable application of ultrasound frequencies on the mixture for a time of at least 0.5 seconds by means of the combination of active additives to sonication.

or a third sub-stage of homogenization and energy exchange to the liquefied and / or gaseous starting material through compression and friction exerted by pumping,

where the energy communicated to the mixture through the first heat exchange sub-stage by stirring and the second stage of adjustable application of ultrasound frequencies causes thermochemical reactions of cracking of the polymers;

• an optional stage of fractionation of the resulting products, with the objective of separating the different components into the different fractions. As a consequence of the thermochemical reactions, hydrocarbons are generated which, in the operating conditions, vaporize and leave through the top of the reactor. The gases are conducted to a fractionation column for the separation of the different components of interest. This stage includes the following sub-stage:

or a first sub-stage of recirculation of the flows from the fractionation base to the reactor, to complete the thermochemical reactions up to the stoichiometric limits of the different starting materials.

• an optional stage of improvement and stabilization where impurity filtration and phase separation are carried out for later use or storage.

With the procedure described above, a liquid is obtained that is suitable for thermal uses in boilers, in engines and other devices, and is composed of simple and branched hydrocarbons, by combining some active additives to sonication together with the development of the reaction, in a chemical reactor, in which thermal energy is provided, in the form of agitation and with ultrasound.

The use of product mixtures as active additives under energy from

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Ultrasound and in the presence of water, allow the development of thermochemical reactions that transform solid materials into liquids at room temperature. These liquids can be called renewable liquids if they come from renewable materials. The simultaneous use of active additives to sonication, together with the mixed energy input (thermal, stirring and ultrasound) allow the development of thermochemical reactions at a lower temperature than the processes known in the state of the art in an order of magnitude of 100 to 150 ° C.

The invention also relates to a device for obtaining hydrocarbons from a starting material comprising polymers according to the process described above.

This device comprises a chemical reactor, in which polymers are introduced that may come from waste, such as urban, industrial, agricultural, forestry, livestock, etc. and where a thermal exchange greater than 150 ° C / second is carried out controlled by mass balance and energy balance. The reactor comprises ultrasound emitters for the adjustable application of ultrasound frequencies and stirrers.

The device also comprises a mixing pump-compressor connected to the chemical reactor that has an eccentricity that allows it to act as a compressor.

The reactor further comprises a lower outlet for inert and coke residues generated in the thermo-sonochemical process in the reactor whose drive is regulated by temperature and a higher outlet for the release of hydrocarbons in the vapor state.

The device further comprises a fractionation column for the separation of the various components of interest of the hydrocarbons in the vapor state.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

To complement the description that is being made and in order to help a better understanding of the characteristics of the invention, according to a preferred example of practical implementation thereof, a set of drawings is attached as an integral part of said description. where, for illustrative and non-limiting purposes, the following has been represented:

Figure 1.- Shows a schematic view of the device for obtaining hydrocarbons of the present invention.

Figure 2.- Shows a sectional view of the pump of the device for obtaining hydrocarbons of the present invention.

PREFERRED EMBODIMENT OF THE INVENTION

Next, a detailed description of a preferred embodiment of the invention is described with the aid of Figures 1 to 2 above.

The present invention relates to a process and a device for obtaining hydrocarbons from a starting material comprising polymers. Preferably, the starting material comes from waste, such as urban, industrial, agricultural, forestry, livestock, etc.

The procedure comprises the following stages:

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• a first stage of preparation of the starting materials to be processed comprising polymers, to ensure that the materials to be processed are free of impurities and harmful elements for the machinery and the process, where said first stage comprises the following sub-stages:

or a first sub-stage for receiving the starting materials to be processed and eliminating the undesirable materials for the process. These materials are inert elements such as glass or metals that can damage the machinery involved in the handling of the equipment involved in the procedure and will be described later.

or a second sub-stage of adequacy of the moisture content of the mixture between 5 and 20% by weight. It is necessary to control the humidity of the starting materials and the mixture thereof, so that the total mixture of the mixture maintains this humidity within the established parameters.

or a third sub-stage of pH adjustment of the mixture obtained in the previous sub-stage above 5 by the addition of a mixture of bases derived from calcium, potassium and magnesium, or mixtures thereof with other alkaline or alkaline earth materials;

• a second stage of homogenization of the mixture obtained in the previous stage comprising the following sub-stages:

or a first sub-stage for regulating the temperature of the mixture at a temperature higher than the temperatures at which the mixture of the input materials flows in semi-solid conditions,

or a second mixing sub-stage with active additives under sonication conditions. The additives are dosed in a controlled manner as the materials to be processed are provided,

or a third sub-stage for controlling oxidation reactions by incorporating nitrogen gas until inertization conditions;

where the second sub-stage of mixing with the active additives under sonication conditions facilitates the initiation of the reactions that occur in a third stage which will be described below; Available additives are, for example, compounds containing at least one of: aluminum oxides, alumina, iron oxides, and aluminosilicates. Preferably, the proportion of additives is between 1 and 8% by weight.

• a third stage of matter processing in a reactor where the mixture of starting materials is transformed into liquid and / or gaseous hydrocarbons and comprising the following sub-stages:

or a first heat exchange sub-stage exceeding 150 ° C / second controlled by mass balance and energy balance, with agitation conditions exceeding 700 revolutions per minute and where the temperature is in the range between 150 and 450 ° C .

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or a second sub-stage of adjustable application of ultrasound frequencies on the mixture for a time of between 0.5 and 30 seconds by combining active additives to sonication. The mixture with active additives to sonication are subjected to ultrasound energy at a frequency between 20 kHz and 2 MHz and an intensity between 0.2-20 W / cm2. This effect, in addition to the energy input, increases the reactivity of the additives. In this way hydrocarbons from C5 to C25 are generated.

or a third sub-stage of homogenization and exchange of energy to the liquefied and / or gaseous starting material through compression and friction exerted by pumping at a pressure between 1 and 2 bar.,

where the energy communicated to the mixture through the first heat exchange sub-stage by stirring and the second stage of adjustable application of ultrasound frequencies causes thermochemical reactions of cracking of the polymers.

• a fourth stage of fractionation of the resulting products, with the objective of separating the different components into the different fractions. As a consequence of the thermochemical reactions, hydrocarbons are generated which, in the operating conditions, vaporize and leave through the top of the reactor. The gases are conducted to a fractionation column for the separation of the different components of interest. This stage includes the following sub-stage:

or a first sub-stage of recirculation of the flows from the fractionation base to the reactor, to complete the thermochemical reactions up to the stoichiometric limits of the different starting materials.

• a fifth stage of improvement and stabilization where impurity filtration and phase separation are carried out for later use or storage.

The use of mixtures of products as active additives under energy from ultrasound and in the presence of water, allow the development of thermochemical reactions that transform solid materials into liquids at room temperature. These liquids can be called renewable liquids if they come from renewable materials. The simultaneous use of active additives to sonication, together with the mixed energy input (thermal, stirring and ultrasound) allow the development of thermochemical reactions at a lower temperature than the processes known in the state of the art in an order of magnitude of 100 to 150 ° C.

The invention also relates to a device for obtaining hydrocarbons from a starting material comprising polymers according to the process described above.

This device comprises a chemical reactor (1), in which polymers (2) are introduced that may come from waste, such as urban, industrial, agricultural, forestry, livestock, etc. and where a thermal exchange greater than 150 ° C / second controlled by mass balance and energy balance is carried out, The reactor (1) comprises ultrasound emitters (3) for the adjustable application of ultrasound frequencies and stirrers. In this preferred embodiment, the reactor comprises between 3 and 5 ultrasonic emitters (3) with a total power of between 1,000 and 10,000 W.

The device also comprises a mixing pump-compressor (4) connected to the chemical reactor that has a central body (7) with an eccentricity that allows it to act as a compressor to reach a pressure of between 1 and 2 bar in the polymer mixture present in the reactor (1).

5 The reactor (1) also comprises a lower outlet (5) for inert and coke residues generated in the thermo-sonochemical process whose operation is regulated by temperature and an upper outlet (6) for the output of hydrocarbons in the state steam.

The device further comprises a fractionation column (not shown) for the separation of the various components of interest from the hydrocarbons in the vapor state.

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Claims (10)

5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 1. - Process for obtaining hydrocarbons from a starting material comprising polymers characterized by comprising: • a processing stage where the starting material is transformed into liquid and / or gaseous hydrocarbons and comprising the following sub-stages: or a first heat exchange sub-stage exceeding 150 ° C / second controlled by mass balance and energy balance, with agitation conditions exceeding 700 revolutions per minute and where the temperature is in the range between 150 and 450 ° C. or a second sub-stage of adjustable application of ultrasound frequencies on the starting material for a time of at least 0.5 seconds by means of the combination of active additives to the sonication. or a third sub-stage of homogenization and energy exchange to liquefied and / or gaseous starting material through compression and friction exerted by pumping, where the energy communicated to the mixture through the first heat exchange sub-stage by stirring and the second stage of adjustable application of ultrasound frequencies causes thermochemical reactions of cracking of the polymers. 2. - Method for obtaining hydrocarbons according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises: • an optional stage of fractionation of the resulting products in the stage of claim 1. 3. - Method for obtaining hydrocarbons according to claim 2 characterized in that it comprises: • a stabilization stage where impurity filtration and phase separation are carried out for later use or storage. 4. - Method for obtaining hydrocarbons according to claim 1 characterized in that it comprises: • a stage of preparation of the starting materials to be processed comprising polymers prior to the stage of claim 1, wherein said first stage comprises the following sub-stages: or a first sub-stage for receiving the starting materials to be processed and eliminating undesirable materials for the process, or a second sub-stage of adequacy of the moisture content of the mixture between 5 and 20% by weight, and or a third sub-stage of pH adjustment of the mixture obtained in the previous sub-stage above 5 by adding a mixture of 5 10 fifteen twenty 25 30 35 40 bases derived from calcium, potassium and magnesium, or mixtures thereof with other alkaline or alkaline earth materials. 5. - Method for obtaining hydrocarbons according to claim 41 characterized in that it comprises: • a homogenization stage of the mixture obtained in the preparation stage of the starting materials comprising the following sub-stages: or a first sub-stage for regulating the temperature of the mixture at a temperature higher than the temperatures at which the mixture of the input materials flows in semi-solid conditions, or a second mixing sub-stage with active additives under sonication conditions, and or a third sub-stage for controlling oxidation reactions by incorporating nitrogen gas until inertization conditions. 6. - Process for obtaining hydrocarbons according to claim 5 characterized in that the proportion of additives is between 1 and 8% by weight of the mixture. 7. - Method for obtaining hydrocarbons according to any of the preceding claims characterized in that the second sub-stage of adjustable application of ultrasound frequencies of the processing stage takes place at a frequency between 20 kHz and 2 MHz and an intensity between 0.2-20 W / cm2. 8. - Device for obtaining hydrocarbons from a starting material comprising polymers according to the method of any of claims 1 to 7 characterized in that it comprises • a chemical reactor (1), in which polymers (2) are introduced and where a thermal exchange greater than 150 ° C / second is carried out, reactor (1) comprising ultrasound emitters (3) for application Adjustable ultrasound frequencies and stirrers. • a mixing pump-compressor (4) connected to the chemical reactor (1) that has a central body (7) with an eccentricity to act as a compressor. • a lower outlet (5) for inert and coke residues generated in the reactor (1) whose drive is regulated by temperature and an upper outlet (6) for the discharge of hydrocarbons in the vapor state. 9. - Device for obtaining hydrocarbons from a starting material comprising polymers according to claim 8 characterized in that it also comprises a fractionation column for the separation of the different components of the hydrocarbons in the vapor state. 10. - Device for obtaining hydrocarbons from a starting material comprising polymers according to any of claims 8 or 9 characterized in that the reactor comprises between 3 and 5 ultrasonic emitters (3) with a total power of between 1,000 and 10,000 W.