JP2012176896A - Apparatus for manufacturing alkali activated carbon, and controlling method of apparatus for manufacturing alkali activated carbon - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an apparatus for manufacturing an alkali activated carbon capable of discharging an activation reaction product and unreacted materials in a furnace to the outside of the furnace when some trouble occurs in a tunnel kiln and stably manufacturing an alkali activated carbon by efficiently removing an alkali compound sticking to the furnace wall and the like.SOLUTION: The apparatus for manufacturing an alkali activated carbon by activating a carbon material with an alkali metal compound includes: the tunnel kiln 3 equipped with a heating means and an inert gas introducing path 12a in which dehydration and activation reaction of the carbon material are done while a vessel charged with raw materials passes therethrough; a three-way valve 14 for introducing steam through a second introducing path 12b into the tunnel kiln 3; and a steam introducing path 15.

Description

  The present invention relates to an alkali activated charcoal production apparatus and an alkali activated charcoal production apparatus management method for producing activated carbon having a high specific surface area by activating a carbon material with an alkali metal compound.

An alkali activation method is known as one of methods for producing activated carbon having a high specific surface area such that the BET specific surface area exceeds 1,500 m ² / g.

  This alkali activation method is characterized in that the specific surface area of the product activated carbon can be increased and the capacitance is high as compared with the conventional steam activation method.

  In recent years, the demand for the activated alkali activated carbon obtained by the alkali activation method has been increasing as an electrode of an electric double layer capacitor, as a catalyst carrier, or as an adsorbent.

  Moreover, regarding the manufacturing technology of alkali activated carbon, what manufactures the activated carbon which has a high specific surface area with a batch-type reaction furnace (for example, refer patent document 1), and specified the material of the conveyance rail in an alkaline atmosphere baking furnace (For example, refer to Patent Document 2), a device for describing the configuration of each part in a high specific surface area activated carbon production apparatus (for example, refer to Patent Document 3), a trap chamber for collecting metal by carbon dioxide at the exit of a tunnel furnace An activated carbon production apparatus provided with (for example, refer to Patent Document 4) is known.

Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2-97414 JP-A-3-294780 Japanese Patent No. 32766981 JP 2007-15870 A

  However, any of the above prior arts is based on the premise that the manufacturing apparatus is operating normally, and when an abnormality occurs in the tunnel furnace, for example, the hole on the wall of the furnace is corroded due to corrosion. There is no indication of a removal measure when the vacant or alkaline compound that becomes a factor that hinders the production of alkali activated charcoal adheres to or accumulates in the tunnel furnace inner wall.

  The present invention has been made in consideration of the problems in the conventional alkali activated carbon production apparatus as described above, and the first object is to activate the reaction in the tunnel furnace when an abnormality occurs in the tunnel furnace. The second object is to provide an apparatus for producing alkali activated carbon that can safely discharge products and unreacted materials outside the furnace. The second object is to efficiently remove alkali metal compounds adhering to the furnace wall. An object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for producing alkali-activated charcoal that can stably produce alkali-activated charcoal. Moreover, it is providing the management method of an alkali activated carbon manufacturing apparatus.

The apparatus for producing alkali-activated charcoal of the present invention is an apparatus for producing alkali-activated charcoal for producing alkali-activated charcoal by activating a carbon material with an alkali metal compound.
A tunnel furnace having a heating means and an inert gas introduction path, in which dehydration and activation of the carbon material are performed while the container after the raw material is charged;
It has a gist of having a water vapor introducing means for introducing water vapor into the tunnel furnace.

  In the apparatus for producing alkali activated carbon of the present invention, the water vapor introducing means can be provided in at least one of an inlet portion, an intermediate portion, and an outlet portion constituting a cooling zone of the tunnel furnace.

  Moreover, the said water vapor | steam introduction means can be provided with the water vapor | steam nozzle arrange | positioned toward the cylinder axis direction of the said tunnel furnace.

  Further, when a second inert gas introduction path is connected to the outlet portion of the tunnel furnace, an inert gas introduction position and a water vapor are connected to the second inert gas introduction path as the steam introduction means. While providing a switching valve for switching the flow path to and from the introduction position, the water vapor introduction path can be connected to the water vapor introduction position of the switching valve.

  In addition, when the inert gas introduction path is connected to the intermediate portion of the tunnel furnace, the inert gas introduction path is provided between the inert gas introduction position and the steam introduction position as the water vapor introduction means. A switching valve for switching the flow path is provided in the inert gas introduction path, and the water vapor introduction path can be connected to the water vapor introduction position of the switching valve.

  Thereby, it becomes possible to introduce water vapor from the middle part of the tunnel furnace, and it becomes possible to fill the water in the tunnel furnace faster than when water vapor is introduced only from the tunnel furnace outlet part.

The management method of the alkali activated charcoal production apparatus of the present invention is a management method of an alkali activated charcoal production apparatus that produces alkali activated charcoal by activating a carbon material with an alkali metal compound,
By introducing water vapor into the tunnel furnace that performs the dehydration and activation reaction of the carbon material while the container having the heating means and the inert gas introduction path passes through after the raw material is charged,
The gist is to deactivate the alkali metal compound when an abnormality occurs in the tunnel furnace, or to clean the tunnel furnace during maintenance of the tunnel furnace.

  According to the apparatus for producing alkali activated carbon of the present invention, when an abnormality occurs in the furnace, the activated reaction product and the unreacted substance in the furnace can be safely discharged out of the furnace.

  Further, it is possible to efficiently remove the alkali metal compound adhering to the furnace wall and stably produce the alkali activated carbon.

  According to the management method of the alkali activated carbon production apparatus of the present invention, when an abnormality such as a container transportation trouble occurs in the tunnel furnace, the alkali metal compound is quickly deactivated by introducing water vapor into the tunnel furnace. Can be achieved. Moreover, if the steam is introduced into the tunnel furnace during the maintenance of the tunnel furnace, the inside of the tunnel furnace can be cleaned.

It is a top view which shows the whole structure of the alkali activated carbon manufacturing apparatus which concerns on this invention. FIG. ₂ is a piping route diagram of N ₂ gas and exhaust gas introduced into the tunnel furnace of FIG. 1.

  Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on the embodiments shown in the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a plan view showing an embodiment of an apparatus for producing alkali activated charcoal (hereinafter abbreviated as activated charcoal producing apparatus) according to the present invention.

  In the figure, activated charcoal manufacturing apparatus A manufactures an alkali activated charcoal having a high specific surface area by activating a carbon material with an alkali metal compound, and includes a raw material supply unit 1, an inlet side replacement chamber 2, a tunnel. It mainly comprises a furnace 3, a cooling zone (cooling section) 4, a water injection chamber 5, an outlet side replacement chamber 6, a reaction mixture discharge section 7, container moving paths 8a to 8d, pushers 9a to 9k, and a water seal device 10 described later. ing.

  As a specific example of the alkali activated carbon, activated carbon is shown.

  In the raw material supply unit 1, a carbon material and an alkali metal compound are charged into an empty container C.

  Examples of the alkali metal compound include alkali metal hydroxides such as potassium hydroxide and sodium hydroxide, alkali metal carbonates such as potassium carbonate and sodium carbonate, and alkali metal sulfates such as potassium sulfate and sodium sulfate. Indicated.

The inlet side replacement chamber 2 is provided at the entrance of the tunnel furnace 3 so that deaeration and replacement with an inert gas are performed. The inert gas is not particularly limited as long as it does not adversely affect the reaction between the carbon material and the alkali metal compound. For example, N ₂ gas is used. Ar can be used in addition to N ₂ .

  The tunnel furnace 3 includes a heating means, and performs dehydration and carbon material activation reaction while the container C after the raw material is charged passes through.

  As the heating means, a heating method using an electric heater such as a graphite heater, a metal heater, or a sheathed heater can be adopted. However, not only the electric heater but also a gas combustion heating method can be adopted.

  The cooling zone 4 is provided at the exit of the tunnel furnace 3 and cools the reaction mixture in the container C that has passed through the tunnel furnace 3.

An inert gas introduction part is provided in at least one of the tunnel furnace 3 and the cooling zone 4. The inert gas is not particularly limited as long as it does not adversely affect the reaction between the carbon material and the metal alkali compound. For example, N ₂ gas is used.

  By passing through the cooling zone 4, the reaction mixture in the vessel C heated to the activation temperature is cooled to a temperature that is safe even when taken out of the furnace and to a temperature at which water can be injected in the water injection chamber 5 of the next step. Is done. In addition, cooling is normally performed by water cooling.

The water injection chamber 5 is provided at the outlet end of the cooling zone 4 and injects water into the reaction mixture in the container C. An inert gas such as N ₂ gas is also introduced into the water injection chamber 5.

  By the water injection treatment in the water injection chamber 5, the reaction mixture is further cooled, and the metal alkali is converted to alkali hydroxide. This eliminates the risk of the reaction mixture igniting or exploding.

The outlet-side replacement chamber 6 is provided at the outlet portion of the water injection chamber 5 and can be deaerated and replaced with an inert gas. For example, N ₂ gas is also used as the inert gas in this case.

  The reaction mixture discharge section 7 separates and discharges the reaction mixture in the container C that has passed through the outlet side replacement chamber 6 from the container C.

  The container moving paths 8a to 8d include the above-described processing units, that is, the raw material supply unit 1, the inlet side replacement chamber 2, the tunnel furnace 3, the cooling zone 4 of the tunnel furnace 3, the water injection chamber 5, the outlet side replacement chamber 6, The reaction mixture discharge section 7 is communicated in this order of description.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a piping path of N ₂ gas as an example of the inert gas introduced into the tunnel furnace 3 and exhaust gas discharged from the tunnel furnace 3. For the sake of simplicity, the description of the N ₂ gas introduction path introduced into the inlet side replacement chamber 2 and the outlet side replacement chamber 6 is omitted.

In FIG. 2, N ₂ gas is introduced into the outlet of the cooling zone 4 through a second introduction path (second inert gas introduction path) 12b, and tunnel furnace through the first introduction path (inert gas introduction path) 12a. 3 is introduced into the intermediate portion 3a.

  On the other hand, the exhaust gas from the entrance of the tunnel furnace 3 is collected in the water seal tank as the water seal device 10 through the first exhaust passage 13a, and the exhaust gas from the water injection chamber 5 is collected through the second exhaust passage 13b. The exhaust gas is treated.

  When alkali activation is continuously performed using the activated charcoal manufacturing apparatus A having the above-described configuration, in the unlikely event that a problem occurs in the activated charcoal manufacturing apparatus A, the activation reaction is quickly stopped and the activation reaction is performed. Products and unreacted materials must be safely discharged outside the tunnel furnace 3.

  When stopping the activation reaction, the energization to the electric heater in the tunnel furnace 3 is cut off, the temperature in the tunnel furnace 3 is lowered, and then the activation reaction products and unreacted substances are removed from the outlet of the tunnel furnace 3. For example, when it becomes impossible to discharge the container C by a normal operation method due to a container C transport trouble in the tunnel furnace 3, the tunnel furnace 3 is opened and an activation reaction is generated. Waste and unreacted materials must be forcibly discharged.

However, in the tunnel furnace 3, the alkali metal produced by the reaction between the alkali metal compound and the carbon material is present in a floating state or attached to the inner wall of the tunnel furnace, and the container C is not inactivated. If it is taken out into the atmosphere, it may ignite, and since H ₂ is also present, it may explode.

  As a method of inactivating the metal alkali, a method of reacting with an acidic gas such as carbon dioxide and a method of neutralizing with an aqueous solution of weak acid can be considered, but from the viewpoint of quickly and reliably inactivating, None of the above methods are perfect.

  Therefore, in the present invention, by introducing water vapor from the downstream side of the tunnel furnace 3 toward the upstream side along the cylinder axis of the tunnel furnace 3 shown in FIG. The temperature in the tunnel furnace 3 was successfully reduced.

The steam used in the tunnel furnace (volume of about 8 m ³ ) 3 of this embodiment is preferably introduced at a temperature of 100 ° C. to 150 ° C. into the tunnel furnace 3 at a flow rate of 1 m ³ / min. The temperature is not limited, and it is sufficient if the temperature and the amount of water vapor are sufficient to react with and dissolve the alkali metal compound in the tunnel furnace 3.

  As a configuration for introducing water vapor, a water vapor nozzle 11 is provided in the cooling zone 4 which is an exit portion of the tunnel furnace 3 so that the water vapor can be introduced along the cylinder axis (X axis) direction of the tunnel furnace 3. did. The water vapor nozzle 11 functions as a water vapor introducing means.

  If the water vapor nozzle 11 is provided at the entrance 3 b of the tunnel furnace 3, it is possible to introduce water vapor from the upstream side to the downstream side of the tunnel furnace 3.

  Moreover, the advantage by employ | adopting water vapor | steam for inactivation is as follows.

  In the case of inactivation by carbon dioxide, a. The reaction with the potassium compound adhering to the lump is only the surface layer, and it is difficult to react to the lump, b. It is difficult to obtain the effect of peeling and removing potassium carbonate after the reaction, c. If unreacted potassium compounds remain, there is a risk of ignition when the tunnel furnace is opened to the atmosphere, and d. There is a drawback that it is difficult to judge visually whether or not it has been completely inactivated.

  In contrast, inactivation with water vapor, a. By reacting with the bulk potassium compound and dissolving the excess potassium vapor in the generated potassium hydroxide, the deactivation proceeds to the inside of the lump, and it is possible to inactivate every corner of the tunnel furnace, b . The potassium hydroxide after the reaction can be dissolved in water by excess steam and removed to every corner of the tunnel furnace, c. By sufficiently moistening with water, there is no risk of ignition, d. If it is visually confirmed that the substrate is sufficiently wet, it can be determined that the inactivation is sufficient, e. Even if an unreacted active potassium compound remains, if it is wet with water, the heat generated by the reaction is absorbed by the heat of evaporation of water, so the possibility of ignition is reduced.

  Thus, according to the present invention in which water vapor is introduced, it is possible to discharge the activated reaction product and the unreacted material safely and quickly even when the tunnel furnace 3 needs to be opened due to a trouble. Become.

Further, the steam nozzle 11 may be newly provided for the outlet portion of the cooling zone 4, but can also be used a second introduction passage 12b for introducing the already routed, N ₂ gas.

As shown in FIG. 2, if, for example, a three-way valve 14 is provided in the second introduction path 12b so that the second introduction path 12b can be switched to the water vapor introduction path 15 for introducing water vapor, the second introduction path 12b is normally used. By introducing N ₂ gas and switching the three-way valve 14 to the steam introduction path 15 when trouble occurs, it becomes possible to introduce the steam into the tunnel furnace 3 through the second introduction path 12b. The three-way valve 14 and the water vapor introduction path 15 function as water vapor introduction means.

The three-way valve 14 and the water vapor introduction path 15 can be provided not only in the second introduction path 12b but also in the first introduction path 12a for introducing N ₂ gas into the tunnel furnace 3. If comprised in this way, since water vapor | steam is also introduce | transduced also into the intermediate part of the tunnel furnace 3, it becomes possible to fill water vapor | steam faster in the tunnel furnace 3. FIG.

  Further, if the configuration in which the water vapor is introduced into the tunnel furnace 3 is adopted, a maintenance effect can be obtained in which the tunnel furnace can be cleaned safely and efficiently, not only in an emergency.

  The cleaning in the tunnel furnace will be described in detail below.

  While continuing the activation process using the tunnel furnace, the alkali metal volatilized in the tunnel furnace adheres to the inner wall of the furnace, piping and the like. If the deposits are peeled off and fall into the container C, the quality of the activated carbon as a product is deteriorated, and the deposits deposited on the furnace bottom hinder the smooth conveyance of the container C.

  Therefore, it is necessary to periodically clean the inside of the tunnel furnace 3.

  Conventionally, when cleaning the inside of a tunnel furnace, it is necessary to insert a cleaning tool from the entrance or exit of the tunnel furnace and scrape off the deposit while applying water. Alkali metal firmly fixed in the tunnel furnace A great deal of time was spent removing the compound.

  Moreover, when the alkali metal compound remained in the tunnel furnace with insufficient deactivation by water, there was a risk of ignition.

  On the other hand, according to the activated carbon production apparatus of the present invention, water vapor can be introduced into the tunnel furnace from at least one of the inlet part, the intermediate part, and the outlet part of the tunnel furnace. Can reach every corner of the tunnel furnace and completely inactivate and dissolve the alkali metal compound.

  The dissolved alkali metal compound aqueous solution is discharged from the tunnel furnace inlet or the tunnel furnace outlet. Therefore, according to the present invention, the inside of the tunnel furnace 3 can be cleaned completely and effectively.

  In addition, the activated carbon manufacturing apparatus A of this invention is applicable not only to manufacture of activated carbon but manufacture of activated carbon with a small specific surface area.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Raw material supply part 2 Inlet side substitution room 3 Tunnel furnace 4 Cooling zone 5 Water injection room 6 Outlet side substitution room 7 Reaction mixture discharge part 8a-8d Container moving path 9a-9k Pusher 10 Water seal device 11 Steam nozzle 12a First introduction path (Inert gas introduction path)
12b Second introduction path (second inert gas introduction path)
13a 1st exhaust path 13b 2nd exhaust path 14 Three-way valve 15 Water vapor | steam introduction path A Activated charcoal manufacturing apparatus C Container

Claims (6)

In the production apparatus of alkali activated charcoal for producing alkali activated charcoal by activating a carbon material with an alkali metal compound,
A tunnel furnace having a heating means and an inert gas introduction path, in which dehydration and activation of the carbon material are performed while the container after the raw material is charged;
An apparatus for producing alkali activated charcoal, comprising: a steam introducing means for introducing steam into the tunnel furnace.   The apparatus for producing alkali-activated coal according to claim 1, wherein the water vapor introducing means is provided in at least one of an inlet part, an intermediate part, and an outlet part constituting a cooling zone of the tunnel furnace.   The apparatus for producing alkali-activated charcoal according to claim 2, wherein the steam-introducing means has a steam nozzle arranged toward the cylinder axis direction of the tunnel furnace.   A second inert gas introduction path is connected to the outlet portion of the tunnel furnace, and the second inert gas introduction path is provided between the inert gas introduction position and the water vapor introduction position as the water vapor introduction means. An apparatus for producing alkali-activated charcoal according to claim 2, wherein a switching valve for switching the flow path is interposed and a steam introduction path is connected to a steam introduction position of the switching valve.   The inert gas introduction path is connected to the intermediate portion of the tunnel furnace, and the flow path is switched between the inert gas introduction position and the water vapor introduction position as the water vapor introduction means to the inert gas introduction path. The apparatus for producing alkali activated carbon according to claim 2 or 4, wherein a switching valve is interposed in the inert gas introduction path, and a steam introduction path is connected to a steam introduction position of the switching valve. It is a management method of an alkali activated charcoal production apparatus for producing an alkali activated charcoal by activating a carbon material with an alkali metal compound,
By introducing water vapor into the tunnel furnace that performs the dehydration and activation reaction of the carbon material while the container having the heating means and the inert gas introduction path passes through after the raw material is charged,
A method for managing an alkali activated carbon production apparatus, comprising: deactivating an alkali metal compound when an abnormality occurs in the tunnel furnace, or cleaning the tunnel furnace during maintenance of the tunnel furnace.

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