KR20140032460A - System for the torrefaction of lignocellulosic material - Google Patents

Abstract

The compressed semi-carbon reactor vessel includes a rotating shaft extending vertically down through the top of the vessel; Scraper devices at different heights coaxial to the shaft within the vessel; A tray connected to each one of the scraper devices such that the scraper device is directly over the tray of the tray assembly, the tray being open mesh or impermeable to passage of biomass through the tray; Each tray includes a discharge opening that delivers the biomass from the tray and down to the bottom tray of one of the tray assemblies, wherein the discharge opening in the lowest tray assembly is a portion of the biomass in the vessel. The biomass is delivered to a pile, and the bottom discharge port of the vessel is released through the semi-carbonized biomass.

Description

SYSTEM FOR THE TORREFACTION OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC MATERIAL}

This application claims priority to US Patent Application No. 61 / 502,116, issued June 28, 2011, and is related to US Patent Application No. 61 / 501,900, issued June 28, 2011. The entirety of these applications is embodied by reference.

The present invention relates generally to a method for torrefaction of a biomass material, such as lignocellulosic material, which comprises wood and other biomass, in particular a compressed reactor vessel for the semicarbonization of such material. vessel).

Semi-carbonization can be applied, for example, to convert biomass such as wood into efficient fuels with increased energy density relative to the input biomass. For example, trees usually contain hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin. Semi-carbonization removes organic volatile components from the tree. Semi-carbonization can also depolymerize the long polysaccharide chains of the hemicellulose part of the biomass into monomers, and hydrophobic, hard, flammable to increase energy density and improved grindability (on an integrated foundation). It can also produce fuel products. Since semi-carbonization changes the chemical structure of biomass, semi-carbonized biomass can be burned into coal-fired plants (semi-carbonized wood or biomass has characteristics similar to those of low rank coal) and high grade Can be compressed into fuel pellets.

Semi-carbonization is usually between 200 and 400 in an oxygen-deficient atmosphere ^It relates to the thermal treatment of biomass at ^o C or at relatively low temperatures of 200 to 350 ^o C, or at temperatures outside the range used for the process known as pyrolysis. An atmosphere that lacks oxygen can have a percentage of oxygen that is lower than the white light rate of oxygen in the atmosphere. Semi-carbonization processes are described in US patent application Ser. No. 61 / 235,114.

Uncompressed reactor vessels with a plurality of trays have been used for semi-carbonization, as described in US Published Patent 2010/0083530 ('530 Application). The '530 application states that semi-carbonization should be done in reactor vessels operating at atmospheric pressure. By mentioning that it is advantageous to operate the vessel at atmospheric pressure, the '530 application teaches that the vessel should not be operated above atmospheric pressure. See paragraph 0061 of the '530 application.

Compressed reactor vessels with a plurality of trays have been used in pulp mills to deignify lignin from pulp through oxidation. Examples of pulping reactor vessels having a plurality of trays are disclosed in US Pat. Nos. 3,742,735 ('735 patent) and 3,660,225 (' 225 patent). The plurality of tray vessels allows the pulp to fall through the trays arranged vertically in the reactor. The trays allow the pulp to fall into separate batches down through the vessel. Oxygen-rich environments within the pearling reactor promote lignin removal and bleaching of the pulp. The '735 and' 225 patents do not suggest the use of a pulping reactor vessel having an oxygen deficient environment for the semi-carbonization of wood or other biomass materials.

The difficulty with uncompressed reaction vessels is their large size needed to handle the large volume of gas required to transfer a given amount of heat to the semi-carbonized material. The mass of gas per unit volume at atmospheric pressure is substantially less than the mass of gas per unit volume at substantial pressures such as at least 20 bar gauge (290 psig). The volumetric flow rate of gas affects the pressure drop in the bed of material, pipes, heat exchangers, and requires larger devices and higher energy consumption to achieve the same thermal efficiency.

Compressed gas increases the mass of the gas for a given volume flow rate. For an uncompressed vessel, the compressed reaction vessel may have a smaller volume due to the use of compressed gas. The ability of a gas to transfer heat to biomass is proportional to the mass of the gas. The greater its mass, the faster the gas can heat up the biomass.

As is well known in the art, compressed reaction vessels require seals and other devices to retain the gases and materials in the vessel under pressure. Likewise, the pressure delivery device requires a pressurized vessel that requires input or pressurizes the material introduced into the vessel from the feed system. Pressurized reaction vessels also require pressurized gas and conduits for pressurized gas.

The new reaction vessel is based on the concept of having vertically stacked trays for drying or heating the biomass using hot oxygen-deficient hot gases under substantial pressure for the semi-carbonization of the biomass material. Stacked trays provide for being a moving bed for biomass in a relatively compact vertical reactor vessel. In addition, the vessel may be substantially smaller than the reaction vessel for semi-carbonization carried out at atmospheric pressure. Oxygen deprived gas can be circulated through the vessel and through a compressed conduit that reheats the gas.

The vessel is constantly heated through each tray, through which the semi-carbonized material is uniformly heated at each height within the vessel. The flow of oxygen deficient gas through the bed of material on each tray to achieve constant heating of the material on each tray is regular within the range of 1 to 6 kilograms of gas per kilogram of dry material handled on the tray. The flow rate of the oxygen-deficient gas to dry material over the bed of material on each tray may have other ranges, such as in the range of 1-3.

The oxygen-deficient gas flow through each of the trays can be continuous. Gases that lack oxygen need to be free of oxygen. Gas is a heat transfer medium that heats or removes heat from a material while it is semi-carbonized. The gas flows through the material and the trays. The flow of oxygen-deficient gas through the material in the tray heats the material and causes the gas to be at a higher temperature than the material. The constant flow of gas may cause the material to become semi-carbonized interaction hotter than gas and may cool the heat dissipating material. If the material is overheated, the semicarbon interactions may interact excessively. Thus, a constant flow of gas regulates the temperature of the material in each tray to be at about the same temperature as the gas.

The biomass material may have a total retention period of 15 to 60 minutes in all trays in the reactor vessel. This retention period may include trays in which the material undergoes semi-carbonization and bottom trays in which the material is cooled after reaction. The retention period in the reaction vessel may be selected based on the material to be processed in the vessel. For example, the total retention period in a vessel may be 15 to 25 minutes for lignocellulosic such as trees.

Each tray may have a pie-segment shaped opening where the biomass material falls from the vessel to the tray at the next bottom height. The biomass material moves on the tray around the vessel and then falls through the opening. The scraper can slide the material over the tray towards the opening. The rotational speed of the scraper is selected to provide the desired retention period on each tray. The retention period may be constant for each of the trays in the vessel. The retention period may (optionally) be selected based on the number of trays that perform drying, semi-carbonization and cooling of the biomass and the period required to perform each of these processes.

The method is based on the concept of having trays stacked using a semi-carbon reactor vessel for the semi-carbonization of biomass and includes the following: The biomass material is placed on the upper tray of trays stacked vertically in the reactor. Feeding the biomass to the upper inlet; Heating and drying the biomass material with the oxygen deficient gas injected into the vessel under a pressure of 3 to 20 bar when the biomass is moved around the vessel in each of the stacked trays; Cascading the biomass down through the tray by passing the biomass through each inlet of the tray that placed the biomass on the bottom tray; Discharging the semi-carbonized biomass from the bottom outlet of the semi-carbon reactor vessel, and circulating the gas discharged from the bottom height of the reactor and feeding the gas to the upper region of the vessel.

Oxygen deficient gases may include superheated steam, nitrogen and other non-oxygen gases or lean gases suitable for the purposes of the present invention. The biomass may be compressed before feeding the vessel to the pressure delivery device. The trays may be mesh, screen or have penetrations or slots, and heating and drying of the biomass includes passing gas through the biomass and trays. The scraper device may rotate to move the biomass across the tray in an arched path. Optionally, the trays can rotate while the scraper device and biomass are not rotating relative to the vessel. The opening in each tray may be a portion of a triangle extending from the shaft in the vessel to the wall of the vessel.

Gas can be injected into the vessel at multiple heights and the gas is hotter when injected at the bottom height than the gas injected at the top height. At the height below the vessel from which gas is released, the biomass may continue to fall downward through the tray.

The concept of semi-carbonization of lignocellulosic biomass using a semi-carbon reactor vessel with stacked tray assemblies includes the following: biomass on the upper tray assembly of a plurality of tray assemblies stacked vertically in the reactor. Continuously feeding the biomass to the top inlet to the semi-carbon reactor vessel to place the material; When the biomass moves within the vessel while being supported by the tray of each tray assembly, heating and drying the biomass material with the gas injected into the vessel, and placing the biomass on the tray of the next bottom tray assembly. Dropping the biomass down through the trays by passing the biomass through the openings in each of the trays; Releasing the semi-carbonized biomass from the bottom outlet of the semi-carbonized reactor, and circulating the gas extracted from the reactor vessel back to the reactor, wherein the gas does not substantially oxidize the biomass and at least 3 bar gauge Under a pressure of at least 200 to 250 ^o have a temperature in the C range.

Each of the trays of the tray assembly has a mesh, screen, or penetrating portion, and heating and drying of the biomass includes passing gas through the biomass and trays. Certain holes and openings in the tray assembly may be covered by a mesh or screen material of higher quality than the material used to form the tray assembly. Gas entering each tray assembly may pass through a pipe that is substantially flush with the discharge pipe that exhausts the gas from directly above the tray assembly. In addition, each tray assembly may include a rotating scraper device above the tray and a discharge gas chamber below the tray.

The gas injected into the tray assembly for semicarbonization may be, for example, 5 to 60 ^° C. hotter than the gas injected into the tray assemblies for drying or cooling. In addition, the empty space below all tray assemblies at the bottom of the vessel may allow biomass to form a pile. The empty space can be used to finish the semicarbonization of the biomass and cool the semicarbonized biomass before it is released from the vessel. The cooling gas injected into the cooling zone may be colder than the gas injected into the cooling tray assemblies, the cooling zone being exposed to the atmosphere and cooling the semi-carbonized biomass to stop or weaken the semi-carbon interactions. Cooling the semi-carbonized biomass below the temperature at which the biomass begins to auto-combust. It is possible for the gas flow to be simultaneously with the flow of biomass material in the empty space or to flow in countercurrent.

The gases released from the tray assemblies and the cooling zone can be circulated back to the blowers or compressors. The circulated gases may pass through a filter separating cyclone, condenser or particles and condensed by-products before the gas flows into the compressor or blower. Gases circulating back to the semi-carbonized tray assembly may be heated before being injected into the semi-carbonized tray assemblies. The portion of gases released from the tray assemblies can be directed to a combustor to generate thermal energy that is added to the gases circulated back to the semi-carbonized tray assemblies or other process steps.

The compressed semi-carbon reactor vessel includes a vessel wall extending substantially vertically; A rotating shaft extending vertically down through the top of the vessel; Scraper devices at different heights coaxial to the shaft within the vessel; Tray assembly; A plurality of gas outlet openings in the vessel wall; And a bottom discharge port of the vessel from which the semi-carbonized biomass is discharged, wherein each tray assembly is connected to one of the scraper devices such that the scraper device is directly above the tray of the tray assembly, and at least one of the tray assemblies And a tray, a gas discharge passage below the tray, and a gas inlet passage above the tray, wherein the tray is open mesh or otherwise permeable to allow gas to flow and is impermeable to passage of biomass through the tray, respectively. The tray of the discharge chamber includes a discharge opening that delivers the biomass from the tray and down to the tray of the bottom one of the tray assemblies, wherein the discharge opening in the lowest tray transfers the biomass to a pile of biomass within the vessel. And at least one of the gas outlet openings is a gas It is arranged in the output path, and the other one of the gas discharge opening is in the lowest tray assembly below and above the biomass pile height concept.

Are included herein.

1 is a perspective view of the front and top of a compressed reactor treatment vessel in which the front wall of the vessel is removed to allow depiction of the internal components of the vessel.
2 is a perspective view of the front and bottom of the compressed reactor treatment vessel in which the front wall of the vessel is removed to allow depiction of the internal components of the vessel.
3 is a perspective view of the bottom region of the compressed reactor treated vessel depicting the support legs and the bottom discharge outlet of the vessel, showing a concentrated portion inside the vessel.
4 is a view from the bottom to the top of the compressed reactor treatment vessel.
5 is a side view of a compressed reactor treated vessel having a quarter portion of the vessel removed for depiction purposes.
6 is a side view from the top of a compressed reactor treated vessel having a quarter portion of the vessel removed for depiction purposes.
7 is a close-up view of a cross section of a portion of a compressed reactor treatment vessel depicting portions of tray assemblies.
8 shows the open top of the compressed processing vessel and the outer wall of the vessel is removed to depict the components of the tray assembly.
9 is a bottom view of the open top of a compressed processing vessel.
10 is a vertical sectional view of a portion of a compressed processing vessel depicting a vertical shaft and a bottom support for the shaft.
11 is a perspective view of the spoke wheel scraper component of the tray assembly.
11A is a schematic diagram of an enlarged portion of one bottom edge of the spokes or blades of the scraper device.
12 is a perspective view of a tray and a bottom plate of the tray assembly.
13 is a perspective view of a concentrated portion of the compressed reactor vessel.
FIG. 14 is an enlarged view of a concentrated portion showing a screen allowing gas released from the portion.
15 is a schematic diagram of a tray assembly depicting gas flow in and out of biomass in a tray.
15A is an enlarged view of a vertical section of a tray depicting slots, holes, or openings of an example in the tray.
16-18 are process flow diagrams showing an exemplary semi-carbonization process using a compressed reactor treatment vessel.

References will be made to the drawings in which like elements in the different figures bear the same reference numerals.

1 and 2 depict a compressed treatment vessel 10 that receives, processes, dries, and cools biomass material from the supply of biomass 12 through the upper outlet 14. The biomass may be wood chips, wood pulp or other ground cellulose material. While moving over the upper series of drying tray assemblies 16 in the vessel, the biomass is dried. In addition or alternatively, the biomass may be dried before entering the vessel 10.

The upper inlet 14 into the compressed vessel is continuous feeding, such as a conventional rotary valve or plug screw feeder, for feeding the biomass from the source of biomass into the compressed vessel at atmospheric pressure. , Can be coupled to pressure isolation device. Vessel 10 operates in a gaseous state that allows the biomass to remain dry in the vessel.

The biomass may be fed to the inlet 14 into the vessel if the dryer 21 preheats the biomass at an ambient temperature, or from 80 ^° C. to 120 ^° C. or higher before entering the vessel. The biomass is heated in a vessel following compressed, hot, oxygen deprived or deprived gases. The gases entering the vessel may be at temperatures in the range of 200 to 600 ^° C., in particular 250 to 400 ^° C., 250 to 300 ^° C. and 300 to 380 ^° C.

The biomass enters the pressure treatment vessel 10 through the upper inlet 14 and the upper inlet may be a single inlet orifice or arrays of inlet orifices at the top or upper portion of the vessel. The biomass can be dried before entering the vessel or the biomass can be dried in the optional drying zone (trays 15) within the upper region of the vessel. Under the drying zone, the biomass enters the semi-carbonization zone 41 (the trays and optionally the chamber below the trays).

Just below the upper inlet in the vessel 10 may be a chute that receives biomass from the inlet and guides the biomass to the tracer portion of the upper tray of the drying tray assembly 16. The tracer is adjacent to the discharge opening 64 (FIG. 12) in the upper tray. Biomass is moved on the arc path across the tray and across the tray until the biomass passes over the leading edge of the opening to the tray and falls to the tracking portion of the next bottom tray. The tracer is the area of the tray furthest from the opening in the tray relative to the path of biomass on the tray. Placing biomass on the tracer of the tray ensures that the biomass entering the vessel is preserved on the upper tray for a near full rotation of the tray.

Each opening 64 (which may be referred to as an "opening") preferably does not vertically align the openings 64 in the trays directly above and below the tray. If the openings are aligned vertically, the biomass can be dropped from one opening and immediately through the opening in the underlying tray without staying on the support surface of the underlying tray.

The openings 64 may be staggered vertically such that each opening is above the tracking portion of the upper portion of the tray just above the opening. The trace of the tray is behind the adjoining opening in the direction of rotation of the scraper device 56. By aligning the opening 64 over the track on the bottom tray, the biomass falls through the opening onto the track. As the scraper rotates, the biomass slides across the complete top surface of the tray in an arc-shaped path from the tracer to the opening. Maintaining biomass on the top side of each tray maximizes the shelf life of the biomass on the tray, thus allowing the biomass to be heated and dried (at the top tray) and anti-carbonization (at the bottom tray) Let's go.

One or more semi-carbonized tray assemblies 18 are disposed such that the dried biomass material directly above the optional drying tray assembly (s) 16 is subject to conditions causing semi-carbon interactions. Optional cooling tray assembly (s) 20 are disposed below the semi-carbonized tray assemblies. The structure of each tray assembly 16, 18, 20 may be substantially the same. Each tray assembly is an effectively moving bed where the biomass is exposed to a flow of oxygen deficient gas.

The flow of heated gas from, into, and into the compression reaction vessel may be configured to facilitate the flow of hot and compressed gas through tray assemblies at the top height of the vessel where the biomass is heated to the desired temperature for semi-carbonization. Can be. As shown in FIG. 1, hot oxygen deprived gas can be injected into the upper portion of the vessel 10 through the top input manifold 86 and the gas inlet nozzles 34 are located in the tray assembly ( 16, 18, 20 may be arranged at various heights.

The oxygen deprived gas flowing at various heights in the vessel may be at temperatures and combinations that vary the tray assemblies. For example, hot gas 86 entering the highest height of the vessel is slightly higher, for example 10 to 40 ^o C, than for example 100 ^o C temperature of the dried biomass 12 fed to the vessel. May be temperature. Incoming hot gases at consecutive bottom heights of the vessel may be slightly more incrementally hot above the temperature of the biomass in the vessel adjacent to the incoming hot gas. Optionally, the gases introduced for drying and semi-carbonization may be at substantially the same temperature and configuration, and the gases cooling the biomass may be recycled gases released from other coolers in the vessel. For example, the discharge gas from the drying trays will be colder than that from the semicarburization height and will be below the temperature required for the semicarburization.

The number of tray assemblies for drying, semi-carbonization, and cooling depends on a variety of factors, including the carbonization and cooling zones 22, whether the optional drying device 21 dries the biomass before the material enters the vessel 10. , 24) or cooling screw 68 (FIG. 16) may depend on the extent to which the biomass can be cooled from the temperature at which the semicarbon interaction occurs at the bottom temperature at which the semicarbon is cooled.

For example, the total number of tray assemblies may be N and range from 5 to 15. The number DTA of the drying tray assemblies 16 may be 0 or 1 (shown in FIG. 16) or may be determined based on the following algorithm;

DTA = N * L

Where L is in the range of 0.2 to 0.3.

The number CTA of the cooling tray assemblies 20 may be two as shown in FIG. 16 or may be determined based on the following algorithm;

CTA = N-(N * M)

Where M is in the range of 0.7 to 0.8.

The number TTA of the semi-carbonized tray assembly 16 may be larger than each of the DTA and the CTA, as in the four TTAs in FIG. 16 or may be determined based on the following algorithm;

TTA = ((N * L) + 1)-((N * M) -1)

The number of tray assemblies and the ratio of drying, semi-carbonizing and cooling tray assemblies in the vessel will depend on the design requirements for the vessel. For example, the total number of tray assemblies in the vessel may be in the range of 4-20 and 6-15. The proportion of dry tray assemblies and cooling tray assemblies may range from 15 to 30% of the total number of tray assemblies, respectively. The proportion of tray assemblies for semi-carbonization may be in the range of 7-40% of the total number of tray assemblies. These ranges are embodiments and are not limited based on the number of tray assemblies. For example, the vessel may have no dry tray assemblies or cold tray assemblies, and may have all tray assemblies for semi-carbonization.

Semi-carbonization can occur in the center tray assemblies. The range of center tray assemblies in which semi-carbonization occurs can be any of 15 to 85%, 30 to 60%, 15 to 100% of the total number of tray assemblies. Semi-carbonization occurs in most or all of the tray assemblies, and drying of the biomass can occur completely or partially outside of the vessel and upstream of the vessel, and optional cooling may be associated with the discharge of the bottom region or vessel of the vessel. It can occur in a pile of semi-carbonized biomass in a near cooling screw.

Inlet nozzles and discharge nozzles are numbered in FIG. 16 according to their corresponding tray assemblies. The upper tray assembly 16 receives hot oxygen deficient gas from the heat exchanger 84 or from the gas discharged from the cooling tray assembly or from the upper inlet 86 which receives the gas from the zone of the vesil 10.

The supply of biomass 12 may provide such as lignocellulosic material that is cut or cut to have dimensions of between 10 and 50 millimeters in length, between 10 and 50 millimeters in width and between 5 and 20 millimeters in thickness. The cut thickness may be in other ranges such as 20 to 30, 15 to 25, 3 to 10 millimeters. These chip dimensions may be best suited for wood. Other cut dimensions may be adapted depending on the type of material other than the wood or wood used as biomass.

Under the stack of tray assemblies 16, 18, 20, the vessel 10 may have a semi-carbonized zone 22 and an optional bottom cooling zone 24. Semi-carbonized zone 22 and bottom cooling zone 24 may be hollow regions of the pressure reactor vessel below the lowest tray 20, extending the bottom half or two thirds of the height of the pressure vessel can do. The pressure vessel may have dimensions such as the composition of the biomass material, such as diameter or height, and the volume fraction of biomass flowing through the vessel, based on the desired operating state. In general, for industrial scale units, the pressure vessel may have a height of at least 100 feet (33 meters) and a diameter of at least 9 feet (3 meters).

(DIAMONDBACK

) 집중 부분일 수 있다.The bottom cooling zone 24 of the pressure reactor vessel may include a concentrated portion, such as a one-dimensional concentration, to provide constant movement of the biomass through the bottom of the vessel and to the bottom discharge port 26. The focus is sold by the Andritz Group and is disclosed in U.S. Patents 5,500,083; Diamond bag depicted in 5,617,975 and 5,628,873

(DIAMONDBACK

) May be a focused part.

The bottom zone 24 of the pressure reactor vessel may be maintained at a bottom temperature than the mold assemblies used for semi-carbonization. The bottom zone 24 can hold a pile of semi-carbonized biomass material that is processed within the tray assemblies and falls into the bottom zone.

The temperature in the bottom zone may be below 265 ^o C, 240 ^o C or 200 ^o C, in addition or optionally the temperature in the bottom zone 24 is at least 15 above the maximum temperature of the hot gases entering the semi-carbonized tray assemblies. To 40 ^o C can be lower. In order to control or maintain the temperature in the bottom zone, the cooling gas flows into the bottom zone, such as inlet nozzle 92 (FIG. 16), to provide a cooling gas flowing concurrently with the flow down the biomass through the reactor vessel. It can be introduced into the upper part. Such gases may be more desirable to flow in countercurrent and biomass flow, and may be replaced by hot pollutant gases entering the biomass along the top of the piles. Optionally, cooling gas may enter the bottom portion of the bottom region through the nozzles 94, and the nozzles may be part of the central pipe extending axially and upwardly through the vessel. Cooling gas entering through the nozzle 94 flows cross-currently with the biomass flow. In addition, the cooling gas nozzles 94 may be provided to provide a transverse gas flow through the vessel such that gas is injected at one side of the vessel and discharged at the opposite side of the vessel. Inflow and outflow of cooling gases may occur at various heights of the bottom zone 24. The temperature of the cooling gases entering the cooling tray assemblies and the cooling zone may be controlled to allow coolant gases to be cooled into the bottom heights of the vessel. The semi-carbonized biomass material may be below the temperature at which the vessel automatically burns at the bottom of the vessel or may be at a temperature at least when passed through the pressure shift device after the biomass has been exposed to the atmosphere.

(DIAMONDBACK

) 집중 부분 위의 베셀 상에서 몇?의 중앙 지점에 위치되는 지지 링의 사용을 포함할 수 있다. 지지 링과 같은 것은 몇몇의 적절한 방식으로 구축된 구조에 부착될 수 있다. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the pressure reactor vessel may be supported by support legs 28 extending vertically between the vessel and the ground. The support legs raise the bottom of the vessel, allowing the discharge device to be mounted below the vessel and to which the discharge port 26 is mounted. Optional support structures include skirt arrangement or diamond bag

(DIAMONDBACK

) The use of a support ring positioned at some center point on the vessel above the concentrating portion. Such as a support ring can be attached to the constructed structure in some suitable manner.

The pressure vessel may include an access and observation port 30 that provides access to the vessel's cooling and concentration zones when opened. The access and observation ports are usually closed during operation of the vessel. The viewing port may include a transparent window to provide viewing of the interior of the vessel. Other viewing ports with transparent windows or visible glasses may be located at other locations within the vessel than at the access and viewing port 30.

5 is a vertical sectional diagram of a compressed processing vessel 10. The vertical shaft 32 is coaxial with the vessel and extends at least up through the tray assemblies 16, 18, 20 in the vessel. The upper portion of the shaft 32 is rotationally driven by a motor and gear assembly 33 extending from the top of the vessel and fixed to the top of the vessel for torsion support. The bottom end of the shaft 32 may be supported by bearings and brackets below the lowest tray in the vessel. Similarly, the top of the shaft is supported by bearings at the top of the vessel and connected to the gear and motor assembly. The spadon journal may rotatably couple the shaft 32 to the bearing and bracket assembly 35.

6 is a perspective view of the top and sides of the vessel 10 with a quarter of the vessel removed for illustration. The shaft 32 extends over the top of the vessel. On the top of the shaft the spline fits snugly into the motor and gear assembly. Top plate 38 (FIG. 5) seals the top of the vessel and provides support for the shaft bearing, motor and gear assembly 33.

6-12 show the structure and operation of the tray assemblies 16, 18, 20. The tray assemblies 16, 18, 20 each have a horizontal tray 40 which is perforated, screened, meshed or structured to allow gases to pass through the tray and block the passage of biomass material such as fibers. . The tray 40 is annular and may extend radially from the shaft 32 to the inner side of the circular wall 42 of the vessel 10. The tray may also be horizontal or generally flat. The tray may be fixed to the vessel and may not rotate on the shaft. For example, the tray may be a perforated steel mesh arranged horizontally and substantially covering the open area in the vessel between the shaft 32 and the wall 42 of the vessel. Other materials that may be used to form the tray 10 may include steel plates that are punched or penetrated by openings, slots or holes by laser cut.

15A is an enlarged view of the vertical cross section of the tray to depict slots, holes or openings 100 of the example in the tray. As the biomass moves past the surface of the tray in the direction of the flow arrow 102, the gas flows down through the biomass and through the opening of the gas passage 52 below the tray. Optionally and as shown in FIG. 15A, it may include a generally constant top portion 104 in the vertical section and a bottom portion 106 extending in the vertical section downwards. The upper portion of the slot, hole or opening 100 may be 30-50 percent of the thickness of the tray. In addition, the upper rim of the slot, hole, or opening may be bevel, such as a tracking edge, as shown in FIG. 15. Bevel 108 helps to avoid fibers from the biomass caught on the upper rim of the slot, hole or opening, in particular on the tracking edge of the rim. Slots, holes or openings may be covered with fine mesh or screen material.

Just below the tray is a rigid annular bottom plate 44 which forms a floor in the gas passage 52 between the tray 40 and the plate 44. The gas passage is for gases pulled through the biomass and the trays discharged to the discharge nozzles 36 mounted to the vessel's wall 42 at heights corresponding to the gas passages between the tray and the bottom plate 44. have. The baffle plates 46, 48, 50 are mounted on the bottom plate 44 and extend upwards through the gas passages to the trays. The baffle plates direct the gases towards the inlets to the discharge nozzles 36. The baffle plates may include a short extension plate 46 with a radial direction, a long extension plate 48 and a circular wall plate 50 forming an end wall for the gas passage. The radially long plate 48 divides the gas path into the triangular screen segments. For example, each tray can have four to eight screen segments. In addition to a tray formed of pie-shaped segments, plate 44 may be pie-shaped segments and radially long plates 48 may form sidewalls in each of these segments.

The baffle plates provide support for the screen and grating of the tray 40. The circular wall plate allows gases to flow to the inlet to the discharge nozzle 36 and allows the pipe for the inlet nozzle 34 to pass through the bottom plate 44 from the walls of the vessel and open to the next bottom tray assembly. It may have open slots.

The trays 40 may be supported by the inner surface of the wall 42 of the compressed processing vessel 10. The wall 42 may have hangers, ridges or other support surfaces that place the outer rim of each tray. The trays can be removed, replaced and rearranged in the vessel by opening the vessel and sliding the trays in and out of the vessel.

Optionally, the trays, the rotating scrapers and the shaft can be configured as a cartridge assembly and mainly supported from the top head plate of the vessel. The cartridge assembly may be inserted as a whole or removed from the vessel. Semi-rotating cleans or pieces may be secured to the vessel walls to prevent the cartridge assembly from rotating in the vessel.

Biomass flowing through the chute 116 falls to the optional bottom portion 80 of the vessel. Biomass may form a dummy at the bottom portion that optionally stores the biomass at the bottom portion. While in the heap, biomass continues to undergo semi-carbon interactions. Semi-carbonized biomass is discharged from outlet 116.

As an alternative to the rotating scraper device, the trays can rotate with the shaft. The stationary scraper device may be in a fixed position and may have radial arms that extend beyond the tray.

Inlet nozzles 34 may extend through the gas passage and have an outlet 53 extending through the bottom plate 44. The outlet 53 discharges gas into the biomass passage 54 formed between the bottom plate of one tray assembly and the tray 40 of the tray assembly immediately below the bottom plate. The biomass passageway has a volume for receiving biomass in the vessel 10. The number of inlet nozzles 34 for each tray is constant and selected based on the operational needs of the vessel. The selection of the number of nozzles may be sufficient to provide a constant gas flow through the biomass on the tray, with a constant flow distribution and gas temperature. For example, six to eight inlet nozzles can be used to provide a constant gas flow to each tray.

Inlet nozzles 34 may be configured to provide one to four kilograms of gas per kilogram of biomass on a tray. The volume of gas supplied by the inlet nozzles may be 1 to 6 kilograms, 1 to 12 kilograms or 1 to 24 kilograms per kilogram of biomass.

Inlet nozzles may be made of tray 40, bottom plate 44 and baffle plates 46, 48, 50. For example, each pie-shaped segment, bottom plate, baffle plates and inlet nozzle of the tray may be prefabricated and installed, for example, with radial spokes as a support structure in the vessel. In addition, these fabricated tray assembly segments or fabricated tray assemblies can be installed in the vessel by removing the top plate 38 and tilting the fabricated assemblies down in the vessel to the appropriate heights, the assemblies being placed Will be. Once placed, the inlet nozzle is coupled to the nozzle opening at the side wall 42 of the vessel 10. Likewise, when the tray assembly is placed in the vessel, the openings in the outer baffle plate 50 are aligned with the ejection nozzles 36 mounted to the sidewalls 42 of the vessel.

Below each tray may be one or more gas ejection nozzles 36 which are disposed substantially at the same height on the outer wall of the vessel and classified at an angle around the vessel. The number of gas discharge nozzles may be the same as or different from the gas inlet nozzles. For example, one, two or three gas discharge nozzles may be under each tray or optionally one for each tray segment. The gas inlet nozzles 34 may have a smaller diameter than the gas discharge nozzle, especially if the gas lacking oxygen expands as it enters the vessel. The gas inlet manifolds for the nozzles 34, 36 may be thick walled pipes or made of steel. For each tray, gas enters the vessel through the gas inlet nozzles 34, passes through the biomass material and through the tray on the tray, and exits the vessel through the discharge nozzles 36.

11 shows a scraper device 56 for moving the biomass through the biomass passageway of each tray assembly. The scraper device 56 may include radial scraper spokes or blades, a central collar and an outer annular ring 56. Ring 56 is close to wall 42 of vessel 10, such as within 3-5 millimeters of wall 42. The bottom edges of the blades 60 are close to the top surface of the tray, for example within 3 to 10 millimeters of the tray. The upper edges of the blades are close to the bottom plate of the next higher tray assembly, for example at 10-25 millimeters. The spokes or blades of the scraper device are parallel and aligned with radial lines extending between the collar and the ring. Optionally, the spokes or blades 60 can be inclined with respect to the radial lines at an angle of 15 to 20 degrees relative to the angle of rotation (as shown in FIG. 11), with the blades being curved relative to the angle of rotation. Or tilt backwards.

11A is a schematic diagram of an enlarged portion of one bottom edge of the spokes or blades 60 of the scraper device. The slot and pipe or other gas passage 112 may include openings or nozzles provided on the bottom edge and disposed along the radial length of the passage 112. The source of high pressure gas 114 is coupled to the passage 112 along the shaft 32 of the vessel. The high pressure gas source 114 may be external to the vessel and is shown on the shaft alone in FIG. 11 for illustrative purposes. High pressure gas flowing along the passage 112 and the nozzles 114 is applied to clean the openings 100 in the tray to ensure that the gas flows freely through the openings. Optionally, the high pressure gas source 114 may be an intake source such as an air pump or blower. Suction applied to passage 112 and nozzles 114 removes fibers and debris from the openings. As the blade with passage 112 rotates over the tray, the tracer openings 100 are cleaned. Cleaning of the openings in the tray may occur simultaneously with the treatment of the biomass in the vessel 10.

The scraper device 56 may be fabricated and installed by sliding the device down inside the vessel. The central collar can be welded or otherwise secured to the shaft. The diameter of the scraper bar may correspond to the inner diameter of the vessel with small spacing. The central collar may be secured to the shaft 32 such that the scraper device rotates with the shaft. The height of the scraper device 56 may be approximately equal to the height of the biomass space 54 or may be approximately the desired thickness of the biomass 66 on the tray, as shown in FIG. 15.

Rotation of the shaft 32 rotates the scraper device 56 directly above each of the trays 40. The biomass fills or partially fills the volume between the spokes 60 of the scraper device. Rotation of the scraper device relative to its individual tray moves the biomass material across the tray. As the biomass material moves across the tray, the material is exposed to a constant flow of oxygen-deficient gas at a constant temperature. The gas enters the vessel through gas inlet nozzles 34 having an opening in the outer wall of the vessel or having an opening 53 in the bottom plate 44 above the tray and biomass space 54. The opening 53 in the bottom plate may be a gas distribution manifold 55 having one discharge port or an array of gas discharge ports disposed above the biomass on the tray. The opening 53 can flare up to help distribute the oxygen deficient gas onto the biomass on the tray. The gas distribution manifold 53 may be a pipe that is fitted with an array of pipes and nozzles and is assembled to a tray assembly. An opening or gas distribution manifold may be provided to uniformly distribute the gas over the biomass on the complete tray. To achieve a constant gas distribution, a plurality of inlet nozzles, such as at least one nozzle for each tray segment, can be disposed around the wall of the vessel.

As the gas moves through the biomass and the tray, the scraper device rotates to move the biomass in an arc-shaped path along the tray assembly. Biomass travels through the tray assembly and is discharged through the opening 64 as shown in FIG. The opening includes a chute, duct revolving door or other discharge device in the tray. The opening falls through the opening 64 in the scraper device and onto the tray of the next bottom tray assembly. The opening 64 is aligned perpendicular to the opening 64 in the next bottom tray assembly through which the biomass can fall to the triangular portion of the scraper device that only rotates over the chute in the next bottom tray assembly. This alignment of the chutes allows the biomass to move into the arc above the complete tray and provide the maximum retention time of the biomass in each of the tray assemblies. The lowest tray may be an inverted cone with a central release chute to allow the biomass to flow to the vertical center of the cooling zone.

13 and 14 show the concentration zone 24 in the bottom portion of the vessel 10. The concentrating portion may include regions concentrating in only one dimension, such as having flat sidewalls concentrating and curved walls joining these sidewalls not concentrating. The one-dimensional concentration portions reduce the tendency of the biomass material to get lost in the vessel while flowing to the outlet 26. One-dimensional focus on the portions were marketed by Andriy recreational groups below Diamond Back ^TM (Diamondback ^TM) affected. Although one-dimensional lumped portions have been disclosed herein, other means of bringing material from the bottom of the vessel, such as motor driven moving floor units, such as scrapers and outlet device assemblies, to the discharge point can be used.

15 is a schematic diagram of gas flow through a tray assembly. The gases together flow through the inlet nozzle 34 and pass through the gas passage 52 directly above the tray assembly. Incoming oxygen-deficient gas flows through the outlet and flows from the tray assembly to the biomass space 54. There may be multiple inlet nozzles 34 with outlets 53 arranged radially around the biomass space for each tray assembly. The gas flow is uniformly distributed over the upper surface of the bed of biomass by entering the gas space in the biomass space 54 over the bed. For example, the thickness of the bed may be 1 meter or other thickness that achieves the desired biomass efficiency and allows constant heated gases to flow through the bed. For example, the bed thickness may be in the range of 150 millimeters to 1 meter or greater than 1 meter. The bed rests on the tray 40.

Gases flow down through the bed and tray and enter the gas passage 52. The gas exits from the gas path through discharge nozzles 36 disposed radially around the sides of the vessel and in each segment of the tray. Gas discharge nozzles 36 may be arranged to facilitate a constant flow of gases through the biomass on a tray. The number of gas discharge nozzles may be smaller than the number of gas inlet nozzles 34.

15A is an enlarged view of a vertical section of a tray showing an exemplary slot, hole or opening 100 in a tray (not shown with a good mesh or good screen material that can be used to cover the hole, slot or opening 100). to be. As the biomass moves over the surface of the tray in the direction of the flow arrow 102, the gas flows down through the biomass and through the opening to the gas passage 52 under the tray. Slots, holes or openings can usually have a constant vertical cross section through the tray. Optionally and as shown in FIG. 15A, the holes, slots or openings 100 may generally include an upper portion 104 having a constant vertical cross section and a bottom portion 106 in which an area of the vertical cross section extends downwards. have. The upper portion of the slot, hole or opening 100 may be 30 to 50 percent thick of the tray. In addition, the upper rim of the slot, hole or opening may be bevel 108 in a portion, such as the tracking portion, as shown in FIG. 15A.

16-18 are process flow charts showing an embodiment of semi-carbonization processes that may be performed in vessel 10. A common feature of these processes is that the semi-carbonized biomass material is cooled before being decompressed and exposed to the atmosphere. Cooling can occur in the bottom trays of the vessel, in the cooling zone 24 or in the compressed cooling chip tube 67 and in the cooling screw 68 assemblies along the flow of the vessel's discharge 26. Optionally cooling may occur in the fluid bed (not shown). It is also possible for the zone 24 to be a mixed reaction zone along the cooling zone.

Cooling gases may enter the lower trays, cooling zones, chip tubes or chip screws to cool the semi-carbonized biomass before exiting from the reactor. Cooling gases can be used to stop or slow the semicarbon interaction and to make the semicarbonized biomass safe and suitable for the vessel's external oxygen atmosphere. For example, cooling to stop or slow the semi-carbon interaction may occur to make the biomass suitable for the oxygen atmosphere and may occur in the cooling zone 22 or in compressed cooling devices following the flow of the vessel. have. Cooling to stop or slow the semi-carbon interaction may require cooling gases that are 10-30 ° C. cooler than the gases introduced into the semi-carbon tray assemblies to facilitate the semi-carbon interaction. Cooling gases that make the semi-carbonized biomass safe for the oxygen atmosphere are additional 10 to 30 ° C., or 10 to 50 ° C., or 10 to 80 ° C., or 10 to 100 ° C., or from cooling gases added to the cooling tray assemblies. It may be cooled to 20 to 120 ℃.

Gases from the cooling zone 24, such as in the concentrated portion, may be withdrawn through the screen 65 at the sidewalls of the vessel, as shown in FIGS. 13 and 14. Likewise, cooling gases may be withdrawn from the bottom cooling tray or chip tube and screw 68.

The cooled semi-carbonized gas passes through a pressure transmission device 70 such as a rotary valve. The pressure of the semicarbonized biomass along the flow of the pressure transmission device may be atmospheric pressure. The semi-carbonized biomass from the pressure transfer device is transferred to other processes using something like a screw conveyor 72.

Before semi-carbon interactions occur in vessels, biomass is 200 to 400 ^o Can be dried and heated in an oxygen-deficient environment at a temperature of C. The biomass can be dried and heated in a separate dryer operating on the biomass 12 before it reaches the vessel 10. Additionally or alternatively, the biomass may be dried in an upper drying zone of the vessel 10, which may include one or more tray assemblies. The biomass can be directly heated with, for example, superheated steam, nitrogen or a mixture of both, which enters the top of the vessel or dryer.

The volume of hot oxygen deprived gas required for the vessel is dramatically reduced in the compressed reaction vessel 10 as compared to the vessel operating at atmospheric pressure. By compressing the treatment vessel 10, the volume of hot gas required to heat the biomass is reduced by a factor of 2 to 35 compared to the vessel at atmospheric pressure. The reduction factor for the vessel depends on the pressure at the vessel.

Due to the reduced volume of hot gas required in the compressed reactor, the volume and thus size and cost of the vessel 10 can be significantly reduced compared to the vessel operating at atmospheric pressure. Compressed vessels into which hot gases are introduced provide efficient and economical heat transfer from the gas to the biomass in the vessel.

The vessel can be compressed at a pressure of 35 bar gauge, such as in the range of 3 to 35 bar gauge, by introducing a gas lacking oxygen, for example a gas that is poor in oxygen. The compressed vessel 10 operates in an oxygen deficient gas environment where the heated compressed gas circulates directly through the vessel heating the biomass and promotes semi-carbonization interaction with the biomass.

The hot, oxygen deficient gas can be, for example, steam such as superheated steam, nitrogen or carbon dioxide and can store less by-products of gas from semi-carbon interactions. In addition, hot gases may be introduced into the biomass in a feed system (not shown), such as at an inlet following the flow of pressure isolation or the flow of a high pressure delivery device. If there is a high pressure delivery device, a pressure isolation device may be unnecessary at the inlet to the vessel 10.

In dry and semi-carbonized tray assemblies, hot gas flows through the biomass in the vessel 10 and is from 240 to 300 ^o Heat the biomass to the same temperature as in the range of C, to a temperature that promotes the semicarbonization interaction in the material. Hot gas generated in the reactor and which gas is discharged from the reactor at various heights through the discharge nozzles 36. The gas is approximately 250 to 280 ^o may be released from the vessel at a temperature of C; The gases used for drying may be cooler than the gases used for semicarbonization. The gases for drying may be gases released from the semi-carbonized tray assemblies, and using a blower is circulated to the drying tray assemblies without adding additional heat to the gases. Gases circulated back to the semicarbon trays may be heated in the heat exchanger before returning to the semicarbon tray assemblies.

Part of the gas that is released is removed from the vessel for use outside the semi-carbonization system. The other portion of the released gas is indirectly heated in the heat exchanger 84 (or other heat transfer device) and returned to the gas input manifold 24 at the top of the vessel 10. Heat exchanger 34 is for example approximately 250 to 300 Thermal energy can be added to heat the gas emitted from ^o C to 380 ^o C. Reheating and recirculating the released gas reduces the amount for additional compressed and heated oxygen deprived gas required to feed the vessel's gas input manifold.

The process flow of the embodiment in FIG. 16 shows a compressed vessel 10 having a drying tray assembly 16, four semi-carbonized tray assemblies 18 and two cooling tray assemblies 20. Hot oxygen deprived gas is circulated through vessels, blowers 74 and 79 and heat exchanger 84 at elevated pressures of 3 to 20 bar gauge (300 to 2000 kilopascals) or in the range of 5 to 8 bar gauge. do. Hot gases for the drying tray assembly 16 and the semi-carbonized tray assembly are provided from the heat exchanger 84. Thermal energy is added to the oxygen deprived gases flowing through the heat exchanger, for example by hot gases 88 from the combustor. Warm combustion gases emitted from the heat exchanger 84 may flow to warm the air flowing into the combustor.

17 and 18 show a process in which the dry gas flowing to the top inlet 90 is cooled, for example, 10 to 30 ^° C. more than the oxygen-deficient gases flowing to the semi-carbonized tray assemblies 18. 17 and 18, gas flowing to the upper inlet 90 also enters the cooling tray assembly 20.

The oxygen deficient gas shown in the process flows of FIGS. 16-18 is circulated through the compressed processing vessel 10 in a substantially closed gas loop system.

The portion of the gases may be removed from the system as bleed off gases (90). That portion may be the lowest one or several semi-carbonized tray assemblies, all semi-carbonized tray assemblies, a central set of semi-carbonized tray assemblies, or only gases from gases removed from the dry tray assembly (s). Bleed off gases may be selected to have a high concentration of semi-carbon interaction byproducts that are removed and later burned or otherwise processed. Optionally, the bleed off gases can be selected based on having a low concentration of semi-carbon interaction byproducts used in combustion or other processes.

Gases deficient in oxygen are circulated through the vessel 10 and the heat exchanger 84. The blowers 74, 76, 78 provide the kinetic force for circulating the gases. Hot gases from the semi-carbonized tray assemblies are passed through the high temperature blowers 76 and 74 and the heat exchanger 84 before returning to the semi-carbonized tray assemblies 18 and optionally the upper inlet 86 of the vessel. Can flow. A plurality of blowers 74, 76 may be used to provide the required flow rate for circulating the gases through many semi-carbonized tray assemblies. The valves 80 between the blowers 74 and 76 may be open to allow hot gases flowing in parallel through these blowers. The valves 82 may be closed to prevent hot gas flowing through the hot blowers 74, 76 from mixing with the cold gases flowing through the cold blower 78. The valves 80, 82 may be installed to be open or closed depending on the proportion of hot gas emitted from the vessel as compared to the proportion of cooling gases released from the vessel.

Relatively more oxygen-deficient gases may be from the cooling tray assemblies 20, the cooling zone 22 of the vessel (such as through the screen 65), optionally from the drying tray assembly 16, and the semi-carbonized tray Hotter oxygen released from the assemblies is released from the flow through the pipes separated from the used pipes lacking oxygen. The more cooled gases pass the gas back to the vessel into which they enter through the inlet nozzles 34 to the top of the cooling zone 22 through the nozzles 92 that are aligned with the cooling tray assemblies 20 and optionally the bottom tray assembly. It is removed through the discharge nozzles 36 by the cold blower 78 that pushes it.

The bleed off gases provide a means of eliminating the major byproducts of the semi-carbon interactions occurring in the vessel 10. These major byproducts may include acetic acid, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, formaldehyde, formic acid, water and lignin moieties and other lesser elements. These major byproducts are typically gases at the temperature and pressure at which the semi-carbon interactions occur in the vessel. Some by-products may be aerosols or may be in the form of fine char carried in bleed off gases. Likewise, fine particles of lignocellulosic material from biomass can flow with the gas as it passes along screens in trays and vessels and can be transported by bleed off gases outside of the system.

Major by-products can be combined or condensed to form tar-like materials. If it is allowed to condense in the vessel and along the flow of the processing elements, materials such as tar can be placed on the face of the vessel and the elements, in particular on the inner surfaces of the pipes and heat exchangers.

Gases circulated through reactor vessel 10 and heat exchanger 84 may be treated to remove interaction byproducts from the circulating gases. The system for circulating gas through the vessel 10 and the heat exchanger 84 may include separation devices 96 that remove interaction byproducts. Separation devices 96 may be a condensation device that cools gases that cause byproducts that are condensed and removed into liquid before the gases are reheated in the heat exchanger. Other examples of separation device 96 include devices that go through a separator such as a cyclone that uses centrifugal force to oxidize the byproducts, change the byproducts by catalytic reaction, filter the byproducts from the gas stream, and separate particles from the gas stream. do. These devices 96 may be used alone or in combination in a system. By-products separated by these elements can be further processed by separating, concentrating and purifying them into usable products. Bleed off gases 90 remove major byproducts from the vessel while these byproducts are in gaseous form. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the bleed off gases may be gases that are discharged from the discharge nozzle 36 for the drying tray assemblies and in particular the drying tray assembly. The gases released from the drying tray assemblies are abundant with moisture and are likely to be below the temperature required to start semicarbonization. As shown in FIG. 18, the bleed off gases may be released from semi-carbonized tray assemblies 18, especially those at lower heights from the center of such tray assemblies 18. The concentration of organic byproducts in the gases released from the semicarbon tray assemblies may be at a maximum height compared to the gases emitted from the vessel 10.

The bleed off gases 90 may flow into the combustor where the gases are mixed and combusted with fuel of natural gas or other gas. Combustion will release thermal energy from the byproducts used to reheat the gases circulating in the heat exchanger 84. Heat from the combustion can be used to dry and heat the biomass in an optional dryer 21.

While the invention has been described in connection with what are now contemplated as more practical and preferred embodiments, the invention is not limited to the disclosed embodiments and, conversely, variously encompassed within the spirit and scope of the claimed claims. It may be intended to cover modifications and equivalent arrangements.

Claims (30)

A vessel wall extending substantially vertically;
A rotating shaft extending vertically down through the top of the vessel;
Scraper devices at different heights coaxial to the shaft within the vessel;
Tray assembly;
A plurality of gas outlet openings in the vessel wall; And
A bottom discharge port of the vessel from which the torrefactiond biomass is discharged;
Including;
Each tray assembly is connected to one of the scraper devices such that the scraper device is directly above the tray of the tray assembly,
At least one of the tray assemblies includes the tray, a gas outlet passage below the tray, and a gas inlet passage above the tray, wherein the tray is an open mesh or otherwise permits gas to flow. Impermeable and impermeable to the passage of biomass through the tray,
Each tray includes an ejection opening that delivers the biomass from the tray and down to the bottom tray of one of the tray assemblies, wherein at the lowest tray the ejection opening is formed of the biomass within the vessel. Delivering the biomass to a pile,
At least one of the gas outlet openings is aligned with the gas outlet passage, and another one of the gas outlet openings is at a height below the lowest tray assembly and above the pile of biomass. Bessel.
The method of claim 1,
The tray assemblies and scraper devices are alternately interleaved and stacked vertically along the shaft of the vessel.
3. The method according to claim 1 or 2,
Said trays being formed with at least one perforated steel mesh or perforated steel plate.
4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
The perforations in the tray are compressed vessels which are perforated holes, laser cuts or slots.
5. The method of claim 4,
And the holes or slots in the tray have a cross-sectional area that increases in a downward direction.
6. The method of claim 5,
Wherein said slots or holes each have a top region of constant cross-section and a bottom region with increasing cross-sectional area.
The method according to claim 4 to 6,
And the upper rim of the holes or slots is at least beveled along the tracking portion of the rim.
8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
At least one of the tray assemblies comprises a solid bottom plate.
9. The method of claim 8,
The gas inlet passage for one of the tray assemblies extends between the tray and a solid, rigid bottom plate of the next higher tray assembly.
10. The method according to claim 8 or 9,
A compressed vessel, through which a gas distribution manifold passes and is mounted to the bottom plate and coupled to the gas inlet passage.
11. The method of claim 10,
The gas distribution manifold is at least one assembled metal structure, the compressed vessel comprising a pipe part.
The method according to claim 10 or 11,
Wherein the gas distribution manifold comprises at least one nozzle for dispensing gas over the biomass on a tray of a bottom tray assembly.
13. The method according to any one of claims 10 to 12,
Wherein the gas distribution manifold includes a plurality of nozzles that allow gas to flow regularly directly over the biomass on a tray of a tray assembly of the next bottom.
The method according to any one of claims 1 to 13,
Wherein each tray is an annular array of pie shaped tray segments, and wherein said discharge opening is an opening of said pie detector in said annular array.
The method according to claim 1, wherein
And a baffle plates extending radially in said gas discharge passageway.
16. The method of claim 15,
And the baffle plates extending plates vertically and attached to the tray and bottom plate of the tray assembly.
17. The method according to any one of claims 14 to 16,
Each pie shaped tray assembly having side plates extending vertically between the tray and the bottom plate.
18. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17,
At least one cleaning nozzle directly connected to at least one of said trays, said cleaning nozzle compressing to guide compressed fluid flow relative to said through portions, slots, holes or mesh of said tray. Bessel.
19. The method of claim 18,
And the cleaning nozzles are mounted to the lower edge of the blade of the scraper device.
20. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 19,
The gas inlet passage connecting to at least one gas injection port at the wall of the vessel.
The method of claim 1, wherein
A compressed vessel with one of the gas outlet openings for each segment of the tray assembly connected to the outlet opening.
22. The method according to any one of claims 16 to 21,
The scraper device includes blades extending from the shaft toward the wall of the vessel, wherein the blades are disposed at an angle around the shaft.
23. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 22,
The scraper device rotates to the shaft, and rotation of the scraper devices moves the biomass directly above the tray directly below the scraper device.
24. The method according to claim 22 or 23,
The scraper device includes a central hub attached to the shaft, wherein the blades of the scraper device extend outwardly from the hub.
25. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 24,
Said blades having radially outer ends connected to a collar, said collar being a compressed vessel close to said wall of said vessel.
26. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 25,
Each of said blades having a bottom edge in the range of 3 to 5 millimeters, 3 to 10 millimeters, or 10 to 25 millimeters of the tray immediately below the blade.
27. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 26,
Each of said blades having an inclination from 0 to 20 degrees in the direction of rotation of said scraper device with respect to a radial line corresponding to said blade.
28. The method according to any one of claims 22 to 27,
Said blades being bent or tilted backwards in the direction of rotation of said scraper device.
The method according to any one of claims 22 to 28, wherein
At least one of said blades of said scraper device includes a radial slot for receiving a high pressure passage, said passageway having a suction port for applying suction to said tray or a nozzle for guiding gas to said trade under said blade; Compressed vessel containing the.
30. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 29,
The region below the tray includes a semi-carbon reaction zone and a cooling zone below the semi-carbon reaction zone.

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