JP5753959B1 - Plant biofuel reforming method, system and production method - Google Patents

Abstract

A biofuel reforming apparatus and method capable of removing potassium and chlorine by a simple technique. SOLUTION: A pulverizing apparatus 2 for atomizing a plant as a raw material, an elution apparatus 6 for eluting a water-soluble substance from a plant atomized by the pulverizing apparatus 2 in an atmospheric pressure environment, and discharging from the elution apparatus 6 The dehydrator 14 is a dehydrator for dehydrating the plant that has been dehydrated, the silo 17 for storing the plant dehydrated by the dehydrator 14, and the eluate tank 20 for storing the solution discharged from the dehydrator 14. [Selection] Figure 1

Description

The present invention relates to a vegetable biofuel.

  When biomass such as oil palm empty fruit bunch is burned in a combustion furnace as boiler fuel, a problem arises because alkali metal such as potassium is contained. Techniques for removing this alkali metal have been proposed.

  In Patent Document 1, even if an attempt is made to remove the calcium contained in the herbaceous biomass by water washing, the content of the calcium is reduced to such an extent that no problem is caused in the combustion furnace simply by washing with water or warm water and dehydration. It is disclosed that it cannot. Patent Document 1 proposes a press dewatering device that pressurizes and dehydrates biomass to remove potassium, then adds water, and presses and dehydrates again to remove potassium.

In addition, there has been proposed a method for removing calcium by steaming with pressurized steam or using wood vinegar.

JP 2012-153790 A JP 2009-191229 A

  However, the above-described removal of the calorium, which applies pressure, is troublesome and costly.

  As a result of an independent study, the inventor obtained knowledge that the biomass is made of porous fibers, and that the water-soluble inorganic substance can be easily eluted if the inside is opened by atomization. .

The present invention is based on this finding, and an object of the present invention is to provide a biofuel reforming method, system and production method capable of removing potassium and chlorine by a simple method.

Bamboo is atomized to a particle size of 6 mm or less , the atomized bamboo is immersed in normal pressure water, the bamboo immersed in normal pressure water is dehydrated, and the dehydrated bamboo is used as fuel, and the solution obtained by dehydration Is used as fertilizer.

ADVANTAGE OF THE INVENTION According to this invention, the biofuel reforming method, system, and production method which can remove potassium and chlorine with a simple method can be provided.

The system | strain of a present Example is shown. The whole structure of a present Example is shown. The elution apparatus of a present Example is shown. The reforming system startup method is shown. The reforming system stop method is shown. The whole structure of the long-term reforming example is shown. It shows the time transition of residual concentration when biomass is immersed in water. It shows the time transition of residual concentration when Sosetsu bamboo is immersed in water. The result of the reformation of Miso bamboo is shown. The example of the cycle which makes the waste from bamboo fuel zero is shown.

  Palm coconuts are generally used as biofuel for the shell and outer shell that remain after taking palm oil, but the bunches where the fruits are grown have a high chlorine content and a low ash melting temperature. It is not used as fuel and is left unattended. The reason why the melting temperature of ash is low is that the content of calcium in the ash is as high as 20-30%.

  Bamboo has a high chlorine content, so we want to use it as a renewable fuel. However, there are a lot of unused biomass that is high in chlorine, sodium and calcium, and cannot be used.

  The following are mentioned as an example. Empty fruit bunches (EFB), pulp fibers, palm palm pruned branches, palm palm old trees (trunk), or Falkata shells, bark, Falkata pruned branches, old Falkata trees, or eucalyptus, acacia, abragiri, Mangrove bark, heartwood after wood chip acquisition, pruned branches, banana empty fruit bunch, banana pruned branches, banana leaves, old banana tree, pineapple, bamboo, etc. It can also be applied to products with high basic components such as lignite, peat and subbituminous coal. In addition, aquatic plants such as algae and vegetables.

  These biomasses have been tried to be reformed by methods such as carbonization and impurity elution with an acid solution, but have not been reformed to a state where they can be used alone (combustion in a combustion state).

  In addition, carbonization increases the single calorific value after carbonization, but in fact the flammable substance changes to carbon monoxide, phenol, etc., so that it becomes less than the single calorific value of real biomass and energy. It can be said that the loss.

  On the other hand, general biofuel is harvested and used as processed fuel for chips. The husk and ash are treated as waste.

  In this way, currently used biomass fuel is simply processed into chips that have been cut, pellets that have been dried and then hardened again, and calories that are necessary for plant growth are discarded. Therefore, components such as calium necessary for plant growth are replenished as fertilizer each time.

  However, if most of the substances such as calcium are separated before being used as fuel and returned to the field, the plant is grown and can be used again as biomass fuel. Unless this circulation system is established, biomass will not grow and decrease.

  The embodiment of the present invention described below is used as a fertilizer by separating in advance substances that affect corrosion and ash properties after combustion so that unused biomass can be used, and the separated substances are necessary for plant growth. The biofuel can be continuously supplied by returning to the biomass field or forest again.

  Hereinafter, an outline of an embodiment described later will be described.

  (1) Since chlorine, potassium, sodium, phosphorus, magnesium, etc. are all water-soluble substances, the plant is atomized so that those substances existing inside the plant can be easily eluted. Just immerse the atomized plant in water, and some of it starts to dissolve.

  (2) When the plant residual concentration of chlorine and calium is low, it can be used as a fuel by simply immersing it in water for several hours to several tens of hours.

  (3) When the plant residual concentration of chlorine and calium is high, a further elution effect can be obtained by soaking in hot water.

  (4) FIGS. 7 and 8 show the behavior of calcium and chlorine in unused biomass (palm palm empty bunch, Munetake bamboo). In the case of hot water, a few minutes after the start, most of the chlorine and potassium are eluted from the inside of the plant. On the other hand, it has been confirmed that even when water is at room temperature, both chlorine and calcium are eluted over time. Furthermore, there was no difference in the calorific value of the plant before and after elution, and since it was 3400 to 3600 kcal / kg, carbohydrates do not elute. This confirmed that there was no decrease in calorific value as biofuel, and that chlorine and potassium could be efficiently reduced.

  (5) Since the solute is present in the aqueous solution, if it is returned to the field in this state or in a concentrated state, it becomes a fertilizer for the plant, and growth is promoted.

  According to the above embodiment, the following effects can be obtained. First, those that cannot be used as plant biomass fuels can be modified to properties that are not problematic for use because of high concentrations of chlorine and calcium. Secondly, not only can it be used after being collected and burned like ordinary biomass fuel, but also the aqueous solution produced in the reforming process can be returned to plant plants and fields as fertilizer for growing plants. As a result, it is possible not only to consume plant biomass fuel but also to supply biomass fuel continuously semipermanently because most of the substances necessary for plants can be reused.

  Incidentally, a system similar to the embodiment of the present invention is disclosed in Patent Document 1. However, these are removing the applied pressure. As the reason, Patent Document 1 describes that even if it is intended to remove the calcium contained in the herbaceous biomass by washing it with water, it is merely washed with water or warm water and dehydrated so that no trouble occurs in the combustion furnace. It is disclosed that the content cannot be reduced.

  Patent Document 2 discloses that the components to be removed are eluted from the crushed EFB. However, if the biomass is made of porous fibers and the inside is opened by atomization, the water-soluble inorganic substance The knowledge that “Calium is easily eluted” is not disclosed. In Patent Document 2, EFB is crushed, but this is for making the size suitable for fuel (diameter of about 50 to 100 mm), and there is no disclosure or suggestion about the elution effect due to internal opening.

  The present invention can be achieved only by this knowledge, and the following examples that can be actually realized only by this knowledge have been conceived.

In fact, plant biomass is currently left unusable due to corrosion and clinker (molten ash) due to its high chlorine content or high ash content. In the following examples, this actually utilized biomass can be efficiently eluted into water before use and reformed into usable one. The extracted material is an essential nutrient for plants, and it is highly meaningful to use it again as a fertilizer. By returning elements essential for plant growth, such as base components, as nutrients again, a circulation cycle can be established.

Examples of short-time reforming (reforming with hot water)
An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

  The raw material biomass is put into the receiving hopper 1 and atomized by the atomizing device 2. Basically, it is desirable to make it as fine as possible. If only the pelletizing machine 15 is considered, it will be cut to a size suitable for fuel (diameter 50-100 mm), but it will be finer than this size, that is, the particle size (diameter of the particle) It is desirable to atomize to a size of 50 mm or less on average. In view of elution efficiency, it is more desirable to atomize to an average size of 10 mm or less.

  The atomized biomass falls into the supply hopper 3. The level of the supply hopper 3 is monitored by a supply hopper level meter 4, and the atomizer 2 is stopped when the level is high. On the other hand, when the level is lowered and the level is lowered, the atomizer 2 is started. The elution device 6 includes an elution device screw 28 which is operated at a constant rotation speed and elutes chlorine and base components of biomass by hot water in the elution device for a specified time. The elution device 6 is filled with water, and is heated by steam by the steam flow rate adjusting valve 8 so that the temperature transmitter 7 keeps the internal temperature constant. By this heating, the water in the elution device 6 becomes hot water.

  The steam that has passed through the steam flow rate adjusting valve 8 enters the elution apparatus steam jacket 29 and heats the inner wall of the elution apparatus 27 to raise the liquid temperature in the elution apparatus 6. On the other hand, when the liquid temperature in the elution apparatus 6 rises too much, the steam flow rate adjusting valve 8 is throttled and controlled within the specified temperature. The steam or drain that has left the steam jacket 29 is returned to the steam supply device side again.

  The atomized biomass is supplied to the elution device 6 by the rotary feeder 5. When the level of the elution device liquid 6 rises due to the biomass input, it flows into the overflow liquid tank 26 and is sent to the dehydrator 14 via the overflow pipe 30. On the other hand, when the level is lowered, the elution water level transmitter 11 is opened by the elution water level transmitter 12, and the elution device is supplied via the elution water level adjustment system for supplying the solution in the eluate tank 20 to the elution device 6. Raise the level by feeding to 6. The liquid in the elution device is monitored by the chlorine / calium concentration transmitter 10, and when chlorine or potassium rises above the specified concentration, the concentration adjustment valve 9 is opened, diluted with industrial water, and the liquid in the elution device 6 The concentration of chlorine and calcium in the water is reduced to the specified value.

  Further, in order to efficiently stir the biomass inside the elution apparatus and efficiently elute it, the nozzle of the eluate and the industrial water entering the apparatus has the same shape as the eluate injection nozzle 25 and the biomass stagnating at the lower part of the inner wall 27 of the elution apparatus Roll up and stir.

  The biomass conveyed to the outlet side of the elution device 6 passes through the biomass discharge port 33, is quantified by the elution device discharge rotary feeder 13, and is sent to the dehydration device 14 together with the solution. The biomass guide plates 34 are installed on both sides so that the biomass inside the elution device 6 flows to the biomass discharge port 33 without stagnation, thereby preventing stagnation of the biomass inside the elution device 6.

  Biomass dehydrated by the dehydrator 14 has a moisture content of 25% or less and is produced into pellets of several centimeters by the pellet manufacturing machine 15. The manufactured pellets are stored 17 in the pellet storage silo by the bucket conveyor 16. The closed truck 19 for transportation regularly transports, but loads from the discharge valve 18 at that time.

  On the other hand, the solution exiting the dehydrator 14 is stored in the eluate tank 20. There is an eluent pump 21 at the outlet of the eluate tank 20, which is used to adjust the level of the elution device 6 through the eluate level control valve 11 after pressurization, and the level is increased by the eluate tank level transmitter 22. Then, the elution liquid is supplied to the fertilizer facility by the elution tank level adjusting valve 23.

  4 and 5 are flowcharts for starting and stopping the reforming system according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  First, in order to start this apparatus, the concentration adjusting valve 9 is opened in the elution apparatus 6 and industrial water is set to a specified level. At this time, the concentration adjusting valve 9 maintains a constant opening as a water filling opening, and closes when it reaches a specified level. When the solution in the elution device 9 reaches a specified level, the steam flow rate adjusting valve 8 is gradually opened to the specified opening, and the temperature of the solution in the elution device 9 is filled with high-temperature steam inside the elution device steam jacket 29. Increase the temperature gradually.

  Once the solution reaches the specified temperature, the steam flow rate adjusting valve 8 is once closed, and a system heating step is entered. First, the elution pump 21 is activated, the time-definite dehydrator 14 is activated, and then the discharge rotary feeder 13 is started. When the discharge rotary feeder 13 starts operation, the solution in the elution device 9 is discharged, so the elution water level control valve 11 is opened and the level is adjusted. When a sudden drop in the solution level in the elution device 6 occurs, the concentration adjustment valve 9 is opened to perform an operation for raising the solution level.

  Further, since the solution temperature is also lowered, the steam flow rate adjusting valve 8 is opened to control the solution temperature. In addition, since the present Example efficiently extracts only the substances not related to the calorific value, there is an advantage that the fluctuation of the calorific value is small.

  On the other hand, since the start-up of the reforming system starts when the system warming is completed, the atomization apparatus 2 enters the automatic operation mode in order to supply the atomized biomass to the supply hopper 3 in advance. When the level of biomass in the supply hopper 3 is low, the atomizer 2 is operated to fill the supply hopper 3 with biomass.

  The determination of the completion of the system heating is made when the steam flow rate adjustment valve 8 becomes 10% or less, and it is determined that a large amount of heating steam is not necessary, and the heating is completed. When the system heating is completed, the 6 elution device and the rotary feeder 5 start operation, and the reforming of the biomass starts.

  In addition, when biomass starts to be supplied, the reformed biomass is discharged from the dehydrator 14, so the pellet manufacturing machine 15 and the bucket conveyor 16 are operated, and the reformed and pelletized biomass is sent to the pellet storage silo 17. Supplied with.

  When the operation is continued and the biomass input and the solution concentration rise, the concentration adjusting valve 9 is opened to dilute the concentration, so that the solution in the system increases. When it increases, the level of the eluate tank 20 rises, and when the level exceeds the specified value, the eluate tank level adjusting valve 23 at the outlet of the eluate pump 21 is opened to supply the eluate to the fertilizer equipment.

  When stopping the reforming system, if the biomass in the system is not discharged, it will be clogged at the time of restart, and it may cause inability to start due to sticking.

  When a stop command is input, the atomizer 2 is forcibly stopped and the supply of biomass to the supply hopper 3 is stopped. The rotary feeder 5 stops after the stop command has expired. This time period is set in advance by measuring the time in which all the biomass in the supply hopper 3 is discharged from the stop level of the atomizer 2 in normal operation, and the time plus one minute. After the rotary feeder 5 is stopped, the elution device 6 and the discharge rotary feeder 13 are operated automatically for 5 minutes plus the time until the biomass inside the elution is produced, and automatically stopped.

  On the other hand, when the biomass is almost discharged at the time before 5 minutes, the concentration control valve 9, the steam flow rate control valve 8, and the elution water level control valve 11 are forcibly closed.

  Since there is no biomass to be supplied to the dehydrator 14 by stopping the elution device 6 and the discharge rotary feeder 13, it stops after the time limit. Thereafter, the pellet manufacturing apparatus 15 and the bucket conveyor 16 are stopped after each time limit.

  In the elution water pump 21, the elution water tank level adjustment valve 23 is fully closed, and if it continues for 20 minutes, the solution in the system will not return to the tank, so the elution pump 21 is stopped and the reforming system is completely stopped. .

Examples of long-term reforming (water reforming)
FIG. 6 shows the overall configuration of an embodiment of the long-time reforming according to the present invention. The main difference from Example 1 is that elution is performed with water instead of hot water. 6, parts common to FIG. 2 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description of parts common to Example 1 is omitted.

  Plant biomass that can be immersed in water to elute chlorine and base components efficiently requires a little time, but this configuration with low energy consumption saves energy.

  An elution device screw 28 is provided inside the elution device 6 and is operated at a constant rotational speed to elution chlorine and base components of biomass with water in the elution device for a specified time.

  The biomass dehydrated by the dehydrator 14 is sent to the drying device 35 and dried so that the moisture content is 25% or less. The heat source at this time is steam, and the drying steam control valve 37 is controlled so that the temperature of the drying device outlet temperature transmitter 36 becomes a specified value. The dried biomass is produced into pellets of several centimeters by the pellet making machine 15.

  The biofuel reforming system according to each of the embodiments described above has a pulverization apparatus 2 for pulverizing a plant as a raw material, and a water-soluble substance is eluted from the plant pulverized by the pulverization apparatus 2 under an atmospheric pressure environment. Elution device 6, dehydrator 14 which is a dehydrator for dehydrating plants discharged from elution device 6, silo 17 for storing plants dehydrated by dehydrator 14, and solution discharged from dehydrator 14 are stored. The eluate tank 20 is provided.

  A plant is atomized, the atomized plant is immersed in atmospheric water, the plant immersed in atmospheric water is dehydrated, the dehydrated plant is used as fuel, and the solution obtained by dehydration is used as fertilizer Thus, it is possible to provide a biofuel reforming apparatus and method that can remove potassium and chlorine by a simple method without requiring a high-pressure environment.

  FIG. 7 shows the time transition of the residual concentration when the biomass is immersed in water. The graph of FIG. 7a is obtained by atomizing palm eggplant (EFB) to 20 mm or less, and the graph of FIG. The graph on the left is immersed in hot water, and the graph on the right is immersed in water. In each graph, the vertical axis represents the residual potassium concentration, the right side represents the residual chlorine concentration, and the horizontal axis represents the passage of time.

  It can be seen from the graph on the right that even if it is soaked in water (if it is atomized), potassium and chlorine can be sufficiently eluted. It can be seen that, when immersed in hot water, potassium and chlorine can be more efficiently eluted than in the case of water.

  FIG. 8 shows the time transition of the residual concentrations of chlorine and potassium when the Sosetsu bamboo is immersed in water. When FIG. 8a is immersed in hot water, FIG. 8b shows the result immersed in normal temperature water. In each graph, the vertical axis of the left graph indicates the chlorine concentration, the vertical axis of the right graph indicates the potassium concentration, and the horizontal axis indicates the immersion time. In each graph, comparative data between a chip having a particle size of 6 mm or less and a powder having a particle size of 150 μm or less are shown.

  For example, from the transition of the potassium concentration in FIG. 8, it can be read that 0.1% is the lower limit for a 6 mm chip, but 0.05% is the lower limit for a 150 μm powder. That is, it can be said that sufficient atomization not only increases the solute speed but also increases the solute mass itself.

  FIG. 9 shows the numerical values before and after the reforming with respect to the chlorine concentration, the calcium concentration, the calorific value, the ash softening temperature, the ash melting temperature, and the ash flow temperature as the results of the reforming of the bamboo shoots.

  Even if a large amount of a base component can be soluted, if solutes having a high softening temperature, such as silica, are dissolved in the same manner, the softening temperature of ash will not increase, and it will become unsuitable as a fuel. The reforming results shown in FIG. 9 show that the softening temperature and the melting temperature flow temperature all rise to 1100 ° C. or higher, and are suitable for fuel.

FIG. 10 shows an example of a cycle in which the waste from bamboo fuel is zero. Bamboo atomized by the atomizer is divided into residue, fertilizer raw material, and bamboo residue chips (crushed material such as edges, leaves, twigs) by the reformer.

  The residue is dried by the exhaust heat of the boiler and then supplied to the boiler as fuel. The portion of the residue that is not supplied to the boiler can be sold as biofuel by pelletizing it.

  Fertilizer raw material and bamboo residue chips are put into a mixer with ash discharged from the boiler and processed into liquid fertilizer. The liquid fertilizer may have a concentration of 8% or more in total of two or more of the three elements of nitrogen, phosphoric acid, and calium, and this example satisfies this condition.

In this embodiment, all of the bamboo put into the atomizer is used as fuel or fertilizer. In other words, there is no waste from bamboo. If the obtained liquid fertilizer is used for growing bamboo, a circulation cycle can be formed.

1: Accepting hopper
2: Atomization device
3: Supply hopper
4: Supply hopper level meter
5: Rotary feeder
6: Elution device
7: Temperature transmitter
8: Steam flow adjustment valve
9: Concentration adjustment valve
10: Chlorine and calcium concentration transmitter
11: Elution water level adjustment valve
12: Elution water level transmitter
13: Elution device discharge rotary feeder
14: Dehydrator
15: Pellet making machine
16: Bucket conveyor
17: Pellet storage silo
18: Dispensing valve
19: Transported closed truck
20: Eluent tank
21: Eluent pump
22: Eluent tank level transmitter
23: Eluent tank level adjustment valve
24: Elution water level adjustment liquid header
25: Eluent injection nozzle
26: Overflow liquid tank
27: Inner wall of elution device
28: Elution device screw
29: Elution device steam jacket
30: Overflow pipe
31: Industrial water injection header
32: Biomass input
33: Biomass outlet
34: Biomass guide board
35: Drying device
36: Dryer outlet temperature
37: Dry steam control valve

Claims (9)

Bamboo is atomized to a particle size of 6 mm or less ,
Soak the atomized bamboo in normal pressure water,
Dehydrate the bamboo soaked in normal pressure water,
Using the dehydrated bamboo as fuel,
A method for reforming plant biofuels using a solution obtained by dehydration as a fertilizer. The method for reforming plant biofuel according to claim 1, wherein the bamboo used as the fuel is obtained without passing through a high-pressure environment . 2. The method for reforming a vegetable biofuel according to claim 1, wherein the atomization is achieved by cutting in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the bamboo .   The method for reforming plant biofuel according to claim 1, wherein the water is hot water heated by heat exchange with an external heat source. An atomizer for atomizing bamboo to a particle size of 6 mm or less;
An elution device for eluting water-soluble substances from the bamboo atomized by the atomization device under an atmospheric pressure environment;
A dewatering device for dewatering the bamboo discharged from the elution device;
A silo for storing the bamboo dehydrated by the dehydrator;
An eluate tank for storing the solution discharged from the dehydrator;
A biofuel reforming system. The biofuel reforming system according to claim 5, wherein the bamboo stored in the silo is obtained without passing through a high-pressure environment . 6. The biofuel reforming system according to claim 5, wherein the atomization is achieved by cutting in a direction perpendicular to the length direction of the bamboo. The biofuel reforming system according to claim 5 , further comprising an elution water level adjustment system for supplying the solution in the eluate tank to the elution device. Bamboo is atomized to a particle size of 6 mm or less ,
Soak the atomized bamboo in normal pressure water to elute the fertilizer.
A method for producing a plant biofuel that dehydrates the bamboo soaked in water at normal pressure.