US20150175889A1 - Pyrolyzer furnace apparatus and method for operation thereof - Google Patents
Pyrolyzer furnace apparatus and method for operation thereof Download PDFInfo
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- US20150175889A1 US20150175889A1 US14/636,666 US201514636666A US2015175889A1 US 20150175889 A1 US20150175889 A1 US 20150175889A1 US 201514636666 A US201514636666 A US 201514636666A US 2015175889 A1 US2015175889 A1 US 2015175889A1
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- coal
- bearing material
- furnace housing
- pyrolyzer furnace
- pyrolyzer
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B47/00—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials with indirect heating, e.g. by external combustion
- C10B47/18—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials with indirect heating, e.g. by external combustion with moving charge
- C10B47/22—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials with indirect heating, e.g. by external combustion with moving charge in dispersed form
- C10B47/24—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials with indirect heating, e.g. by external combustion with moving charge in dispersed form according to the "fluidised bed" technique
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10J—PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES; CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
- C10J3/00—Production of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide from solid carbonaceous fuels
- C10J3/007—Screw type gasifiers
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- B—PERFORMING OPERATIONS; TRANSPORTING
- B30—PRESSES
- B30B—PRESSES IN GENERAL
- B30B11/00—Presses specially adapted for forming shaped articles from material in particulate or plastic state, e.g. briquetting presses, tabletting presses
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B1/00—Retorts
- C10B1/02—Stationary retorts
- C10B1/06—Horizontal retorts
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B1/00—Retorts
- C10B1/02—Stationary retorts
- C10B1/08—Inclined retorts
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- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B11/00—Coke ovens with inclined chambers
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B21/00—Heating of coke ovens with combustible gases
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- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B37/00—Mechanical treatments of coal charges in the oven
- C10B37/04—Compressing charges
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
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- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B45/00—Other details
- C10B45/02—Devices for producing compact unified coal charges outside the oven
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B47/00—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials with indirect heating, e.g. by external combustion
- C10B47/28—Other processes
- C10B47/32—Other processes in ovens with mechanical conveying means
- C10B47/44—Other processes in ovens with mechanical conveying means with conveyor-screws
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- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B49/00—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials by direct heating with heat-carrying agents including the partial combustion of the solid material to be treated
- C10B49/02—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials by direct heating with heat-carrying agents including the partial combustion of the solid material to be treated with hot gases or vapours, e.g. hot gases obtained by partial combustion of the charge
- C10B49/04—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials by direct heating with heat-carrying agents including the partial combustion of the solid material to be treated with hot gases or vapours, e.g. hot gases obtained by partial combustion of the charge while moving the solid material to be treated
- C10B49/08—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials by direct heating with heat-carrying agents including the partial combustion of the solid material to be treated with hot gases or vapours, e.g. hot gases obtained by partial combustion of the charge while moving the solid material to be treated in dispersed form
- C10B49/10—Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials by direct heating with heat-carrying agents including the partial combustion of the solid material to be treated with hot gases or vapours, e.g. hot gases obtained by partial combustion of the charge while moving the solid material to be treated in dispersed form according to the "fluidised bed" technique
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- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B57/00—Other carbonising or coking processes; Features of destructive distillation processes in general
- C10B57/04—Other carbonising or coking processes; Features of destructive distillation processes in general using charges of special composition
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- C10B—DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS
- C10B7/00—Coke ovens with mechanical conveying means for the raw material inside the oven
- C10B7/10—Coke ovens with mechanical conveying means for the raw material inside the oven with conveyor-screws
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- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L5/00—Solid fuels
- C10L5/02—Solid fuels such as briquettes consisting mainly of carbonaceous materials of mineral or non-mineral origin
- C10L5/04—Raw material of mineral origin to be used; Pretreatment thereof
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- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L5/00—Solid fuels
- C10L5/02—Solid fuels such as briquettes consisting mainly of carbonaceous materials of mineral or non-mineral origin
- C10L5/06—Methods of shaping, e.g. pelletizing or briquetting
- C10L5/08—Methods of shaping, e.g. pelletizing or briquetting without the aid of extraneous binders
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- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L5/00—Solid fuels
- C10L5/02—Solid fuels such as briquettes consisting mainly of carbonaceous materials of mineral or non-mineral origin
- C10L5/06—Methods of shaping, e.g. pelletizing or briquetting
- C10L5/10—Methods of shaping, e.g. pelletizing or briquetting with the aid of binders, e.g. pretreated binders
- C10L5/12—Methods of shaping, e.g. pelletizing or briquetting with the aid of binders, e.g. pretreated binders with inorganic binders
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- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L5/00—Solid fuels
- C10L5/02—Solid fuels such as briquettes consisting mainly of carbonaceous materials of mineral or non-mineral origin
- C10L5/06—Methods of shaping, e.g. pelletizing or briquetting
- C10L5/10—Methods of shaping, e.g. pelletizing or briquetting with the aid of binders, e.g. pretreated binders
- C10L5/22—Methods of applying the binder to the other compounding ingredients; Apparatus therefor
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23G—CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- F23G5/00—Incineration of waste; Incinerator constructions; Details, accessories or control therefor
- F23G5/02—Incineration of waste; Incinerator constructions; Details, accessories or control therefor with pretreatment
- F23G5/027—Incineration of waste; Incinerator constructions; Details, accessories or control therefor with pretreatment pyrolising or gasifying stage
- F23G5/0273—Incineration of waste; Incinerator constructions; Details, accessories or control therefor with pretreatment pyrolising or gasifying stage using indirect heating
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10J—PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES; CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
- C10J2200/00—Details of gasification apparatus
- C10J2200/15—Details of feeding means
- C10J2200/156—Sluices, e.g. mechanical sluices for preventing escape of gas through the feed inlet
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10J—PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES; CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
- C10J2300/00—Details of gasification processes
- C10J2300/09—Details of the feed, e.g. feeding of spent catalyst, inert gas or halogens
- C10J2300/0903—Feed preparation
- C10J2300/0909—Drying
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10J—PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES; CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
- C10J2300/00—Details of gasification processes
- C10J2300/09—Details of the feed, e.g. feeding of spent catalyst, inert gas or halogens
- C10J2300/0913—Carbonaceous raw material
- C10J2300/093—Coal
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10J—PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES; CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
- C10J2300/00—Details of gasification processes
- C10J2300/09—Details of the feed, e.g. feeding of spent catalyst, inert gas or halogens
- C10J2300/0953—Gasifying agents
- C10J2300/0973—Water
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10J—PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES; CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
- C10J2300/00—Details of gasification processes
- C10J2300/12—Heating the gasifier
- C10J2300/1207—Heating the gasifier using pyrolysis gas as fuel
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10J—PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES; CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
- C10J2300/00—Details of gasification processes
- C10J2300/12—Heating the gasifier
- C10J2300/1223—Heating the gasifier by burners
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- C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10J—PRODUCTION OF PRODUCER GAS, WATER-GAS, SYNTHESIS GAS FROM SOLID CARBONACEOUS MATERIAL, OR MIXTURES CONTAINING THESE GASES; CARBURETTING AIR OR OTHER GASES
- C10J2300/00—Details of gasification processes
- C10J2300/12—Heating the gasifier
- C10J2300/1246—Heating the gasifier by external or indirect heating
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- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L2290/00—Fuel preparation or upgrading, processes or apparatus therefore, comprising specific process steps or apparatus units
- C10L2290/02—Combustion or pyrolysis
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- C10—PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; FUELS; LUBRICANTS; PEAT
- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L2290/00—Fuel preparation or upgrading, processes or apparatus therefore, comprising specific process steps or apparatus units
- C10L2290/24—Mixing, stirring of fuel components
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- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L2290/00—Fuel preparation or upgrading, processes or apparatus therefore, comprising specific process steps or apparatus units
- C10L2290/28—Cutting, disintegrating, shredding or grinding
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- C10L—FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE OR UNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; FIRELIGHTERS
- C10L2290/00—Fuel preparation or upgrading, processes or apparatus therefore, comprising specific process steps or apparatus units
- C10L2290/30—Pressing, compressing or compacting
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- F—MECHANICAL ENGINEERING; LIGHTING; HEATING; WEAPONS; BLASTING
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- F23G—CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- F23G2201/00—Pretreatment
- F23G2201/30—Pyrolysing
- F23G2201/303—Burning pyrogases
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- F23—COMBUSTION APPARATUS; COMBUSTION PROCESSES
- F23G—CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- F23G2203/00—Furnace arrangements
- F23G2203/80—Furnaces with other means for moving the waste through the combustion zone
- F23G2203/801—Furnaces with other means for moving the waste through the combustion zone using conveyors
- F23G2203/8013—Screw conveyors
Definitions
- the present invention relates to processing methods and apparatus for converting coal or other coal-bearing materials into char.
- Char can be produced by heating coal or other coal-bearing materials to selected temperatures in a reduced-oxygen environment. Char having suitable properties may be used in, among other things, iron and steel processing furnaces.
- coal gas, volatile liquids and a residue of char produces coal gas, volatile liquids and a residue of char.
- volatile materials such as hydrocarbon fuels, in the coal-bearing materials fluidize when heated to a temperature of approximately 650° F. (approximately 350° C.) and higher.
- a pyrolyzer furnace is one apparatus that may be used for processing coal and other hydrocarbon materials into char.
- a pyrolyzer can operate in a batch or in a continuous process.
- one or more drive screws rotate within the pyrolyzer furnace, wherein the coal is heated in a reduced-oxygen environment to a temperature to fluidize the volatile material as the coal-bearing materials are moved through the furnace.
- An example of a continuous pyrolyzer furnace is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,159 to Wolfe, et al.
- Previous pyrolyzer furnaces disclosed by the prior art had heating elements positioned within the furnace housing, which generated hot spots within the furnace, caused uneven heating of the coal or other coal-bearing material, and caused fatigue and shortened the life of the furnace components.
- a pyrolyzer furnace system and method for making char in that system, that substantially reduces the external energy, e.g. propane, fuel oil, or natural gas, needed for the char making process.
- the level of additional energy may be reduced to a point that the char making process is sustained by burning only the fluidized volatile materials generated from char making after start up.
- a char making apparatus comprising:
- the flow of combustion fluids through the inner passageways within the hollow drive screws may be in the same direction as the drive screws move the coal-bearing materials through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- combustion chambers are spaced along the pyrolyzer furnace housing to distribute the combustion fluid moving from such combustion chambers through the heating jacket to exhaust ports from pyrolyzer furnace housing to provide a desired pattern of heat flux from the combustion fluid to the adjacent coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- Flow controllers may be positioned in the heating jacket and are capable of diverting the flow of combustion fluid through said heating jacket to provide a desired heat flux pattern to fluidize volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal bearing material.
- Devices may also be positioned in the inner passageways and are capable of causing the flow of heated fluid through the passageway to have a Reynolds Number greater than 4000.
- the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing downstream through which the coal bearing material moves may have a decreasing cross sectional area in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- the pyrolyzer furnace housing may have a tapered outer wall downstream forming a decreasing cross-sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- the hollow drive shaft through each screw may be tapered; decreasing the cross sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- the pyrolyzer furnace housing may have tapered inner walls and the hollow drive shafts of the drive screws may have tapered outer walls coordinated to decrease the cross sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- the heating jacket may surround at least a portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing, and may surround the pyrolyzer furnace housing substantially along its length.
- the char making apparatus may also be capable of fluidizing volatile materials and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material to a temperature in a range of 650° F. to 1300° F.
- the pyrolyzer furnace housing may be inclined at a variable upward angle in the direction of movement of the coal-bearing material through the housing.
- At least three drive screws may be laterally positioned within the pyrolyzer furnace housing, the drive screws being positioned such that each drive screw interleaves at least one other drive screw. Further, at least one clearing screw having a smaller diameter may be positioned longitudinally through the furnace housing adjacent the drive screws and may be capable of conveying coal-bearing materials from the drive screws through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- At least one clearing screw having a smaller diameter may be positioned longitudinally through the furnace housing adjacent the drive screws and capable of conveying coal-bearing materials from the drive screws through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- the pyrolyzer furnace housing may comprise at least two zones along its length, where the heat flux in the first zone is capable of fluidizing volatile materials, and the second zone is capable of mixing supplemental materials into the coal-bearing materials, and the heat flux in the second and/or subsequent zones is capable of plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the pyrolyzer furnace housing may comprise at least two zones along its length, where heat flux in the first zone is capable of fluidizing volatile materials, and heat flux in at least one of the subsequent zones are capable of plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
- Another char making apparatus comprising:
- a method for making briquettes comprising the steps of assembling a longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing having at least two rotatable drive screws laterally positioned and interleaved within a longitudinal furnace housing and a heating jacket about the longitudinal furnace housing to provide heat flux from combustion fluid moving through the heating jacket to adjacent coal-bearing materials; moving coal-bearing materials through the pyrolyzer furnace by rotation of the drive screws and heating to fluidize volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal bearing material to form processed char; mixing the processed char with a binding agent and a binder coal of a fluidity at least 2,000 ddpm to form a blend of less than 15% binding agent, 25 to 70% processed char and 20 to 70% binder coal; and briquetting the blend to form a briquetted blend that can be carbonized to form metallurgical coke.
- a system for making briquettes comprising a longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing having at least two rotatable drive screws laterally positioned and interleaved within the longitudinal furnace housing, and capable of conveying coal-bearing materials containing volatile material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing and a heating jacket about the longitudinal furnace housing along at least a portion thereof in fluid communication with combustion fluid from multiple combustion chambers to provide heat flux from combustion fluid moving through the heating jacket to adjacent coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to fluidize the volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal bearing material to produce processed char; a mixer for combining a binder coal having a fluidity of at least 2,000 ddpm, a binder and said processed char in a preferred ratio to form a blend having: less than 15% binding agent, 25 to 70% processed char, and 20 to 70% binder coal; and a briquetter for forming the blend to form a briquette which when carbonized forms a metallurgi
- FIG. 1 is a system for making char
- FIG. 2 is a second embodiment of a system for making char
- FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through a pyrolyzer of the present disclosure through the section marked 3 - 3 in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view through the pyrolyzer of FIG. 3 through the section marked 4 - 4 in FIG. 3 ;
- FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view through an alternate embodiment including a double wall pyrolyzer of the present disclosure through the section marked 3 - 3 in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view through the pyrolyzer of FIG. 5 through the section marked 6 - 6 in FIG. 5 ;
- FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view through a third embodiment of a double wall pyrolyzer of the present disclosure through the section marked 3 - 3 in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view through the pyrolyzer of FIG. 7 through the section marked 8 - 8 in FIG. 7 ;
- FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view through a fourth embodiment of a pyrolyzer furnace of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view through a fifth embodiment of a pyrolyzing furnace with three screws through the section marked 3 - 3 in FIG. 1 or FIG. 2 ;
- FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a sixth embodiment of a compacting pyrolyzer of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a seventh embodiment of a compacting pyrolyzer of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 13 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through an eighth embodiment of a compacting pyrolyzer of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 14 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a ninth embodiment of a rotatable pyrolyzer of the present disclosure.
- FIG. 15 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a tenth embodiment of a rotatable pyrolyzer of the present disclosure
- FIG. 16 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through an eleventh embodiment of a pyrolyzer of the present disclosure with mixing capability
- FIGS. 17A and 17B are partial cross sections illustrating two alternate screw flight designs for the pyrolyzer of the present disclosure
- FIG. 18 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a twelfth embodiment of a pyrolyzer of the present disclosure with mixing capability and combustion chambers;
- FIGS. 19A-C are partial cross-sectional views illustrating alternate arrangements of a heating jacket.
- FIG. 20 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a thirteenth embodiment of a pyrolyzer of the present disclosure with mixing capability, combustion chambers, and heating zones.
- FIG. 21 is a graph illustrating CSR vs. CRI for various tested samples.
- FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a briquetting system according to one aspect of the invention.
- coal refers to mined carbonaceous material containing organic compounds and volatile materials that may be converted to a plastic phase at elevated temperatures where carbonaceous material is separated from the volatile materials.
- bituminous coal is one example of this type of coal.
- fluidize means release of volatile material from coal with heating during a process where gases and entrained particulate matter, which may or may not be combined with other gases, are released.
- a furnace apparatus 10 for making char.
- the furnace apparatus 10 receives, as raw materials, coal-bearing material having a predetermined size and processes the coal-bearing material into an atmosphere containing little, if any, oxygen.
- the coal-bearing material is dried and then heated to a temperature to fluidize the volatile materials in the coal and coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the furnace apparatus 10 comprises a receiving hopper 12 for containing coal-bearing materials 14 containing coal particles of a predetermined size.
- the size of the coal particles 14 may be, for example, in a range of about 1 ⁇ 4 inch to about ⁇ 6 Tyler mesh (about 6.4 mm to about 3.3 mm).
- the coal-bearing material 14 pass from the receiving hopper 12 through an airlock 16 and into a pre-dryer 18 .
- the coal-bearing material 14 may less than 20 mesh or so prevalent as effluent from coal washing facilities and in reclaiming coal from settlement ponds created from past coal washing facility operations. These small coal particles are readily available in this coal-bearing material, but generally are not used because they are difficult to transport and use.
- the pre-dryer 18 comprises a drying chamber 20 within a drying furnace 22 having a plurality of burners 24 mounted therein.
- the drying chamber 20 has a drive screw 26 rotatably mounted therein for conveying the coal particles 14 or other coal-bearing material, through the drying chamber 20 .
- the temperature in the drying chamber 20 may be maintained at about 400° F. (approximately 200° C.) to release at least a portion of the water vapor incorporated within the coal-bearing material 14 .
- a portion of the volatile materials 28 in some coal and coal-bearing material may begin to volatilize in the pre-dryer at about 400° F. (approximately 200° C.).
- the pre-dryer 18 may be maintained at a temperature of about 300° F. (approximately 150° C.) or lower to remove water vapor while fluidizing little or no volatile materials 28 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 may be hermetically connected to the pre-dryer 18 and receive the processed coal-bearing material 14 from the pre-dryer by way of an airlock and screw feeder 32 .
- Two drive screws 34 are laterally positioned adjacent each other in an overlapping array within a longitudinal furnace housing 31 of pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- Each drive screw 34 is rotatably mounted interleaved within the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 to move the coal-bearing material therethrough.
- An electric or pneumatic motor 36 may be provided to drive the drive screws 34 through a drive train (not shown).
- a combustion chamber 42 comprises a blower 44 and a plurality of burners 46 designed to combust fluidized volatile materials or other fuel at temperatures at which volatile material in coal-bearing material will fluidize and coal in the coal bearing material will plasticize.
- a conduit 48 transfers combusted fluids from the combustion chamber 42 to the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- the combustion chamber 42 is capable of burning fluidized volatile materials 28 and/or other hydrocarbon fuels (e.g. propane, natural gas, or fuel oil), and transferring the combustion fluids to the pyrolyzer furnace 30 by the blower 44 through the conduit 48 .
- the hot combustion fluids flow through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 and then into a dryer conduit 50 .
- the hot combustion fluids from the combustion chamber may enter the pyrolyzer furnace 30 through conduit 48 at a temperature of about 1600 to 1700° F. (about 870 to 930° C.), and may leave the pyrolyzer furnace 30 through dryer conduit 50 at a temperature of about 400 to 500° F. (about 200 to 260° C.).
- the combustion fluids move through the dryer conduit 50 to the pre-dryer 18 .
- the combustion fluids may pass through the pre-dryer 18 to dry and preheat the coal-bearing material, and may be exhausted at a temperature of about 100° F. (about 38° C.).
- a scrubber 56 may receive the exhausted fluids from the pre-dryer 18 to further separate sulfur and other impurities before being emitted to the ambient environment.
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 is heated to a temperature to fluidize and release the volatile materials 28 and water vapor contained within the coal of the coal-bearing material 14 , including hydrocarbon fuels.
- the fluidized volatile materials 28 may comprise hydrogen and methane.
- Suitable piping or other conduit are provided to transfer the fluidized volatile materials 28 from the pyrolyzer furnace 30 to the combustion chamber 42 , and the pre-dryer 18 , if desired, to fuel burners 46 in the combustion chamber 42 and the burners 24 in pre-dryer 18 .
- a condenser 54 may be optionally provided in communication with the pyrolyzer furnace 30 to separate liquids from the fluidized volatile materials 28 .
- the condenser 54 may be used to separate coal tar liquids 55 and water from gaseous coal fluids using known methods and apparatus. Coal tar liquids may be collected for sale as a commodity, or may be transferred to the combustion chambers 24 in the pre-dryer 18 and the burners 46 in the combustion chamber 42 to be burned as fuel.
- the char making apparatus 10 is best operated with internal recovery where the fluidized volatile material is transferred to the combustion chamber 42 , or the pre-dryer 18 , to be combusted to provide combustion fluids for transfer to the pyrolyzer 30 .
- the longitudinal furnace housing 31 of the pyrolyzer furnace 30 houses a portion where coal in coal-bearing material 14 containing volatile materials may be heated to a temperature to fluidize volatile materials therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the drive screws 34 are rotatably positioned within and along the length of the longitudinal furnace housing 31 . The drive screws 34 are rotated to move coal-bearing material through the furnace housing 31 and discharge devolatilized and plasticized coal residue, char 40 , from the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- Char 40 from the pyrolyzer furnace 30 may be transferred to a char cooler 58 , which may be hermetically connected to the pyrolyzer furnace 30 by way of an airlock and screw feeder 59 .
- the char cooler 58 cools the char 40 to a temperature below that which the char would ignite if exposed to ambient air.
- the exhausting combustion fluids flow through the inner passageways 68 ( FIG. 3 ) of drive shafts 34 in the direction of the coal or coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 .
- the exhausting combustion fluids flow through the inner passageways 68 of the drive shafts 34 opposite, counter-current the direction of the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- FIGS. 3 and 4 More details of the pyrolyzer furnace 30 of the first and second embodiments of FIGS. 1 and 2 is shown in FIGS. 3 and 4 and taken along line 3 - 3 in FIGS. 1 and 2 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace of FIG. 3 comprises the longitudinal furnace housing 31 at least partially covered by an insulating layer 60 .
- At least two drive screws 34 are laterally positioned, adjacent and overlapping, capable of moving coal-bearing material 14 containing volatile materials 28 through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- the two drive screws 34 are rotatably mounted in the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 and are driven by a conventional drive (not shown).
- the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 may be shaped to provide a volume above the drive screws 34 , as illustrated in FIG. 3 .
- the volume above the screws 34 provides a space for coal particles in the coal-bearing material 14 to expand above the drive screws 34 as the coal increases in temperature as it is moved through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 . It is contemplated that some embodiments may provide more or less volume above the screws 34 depending on the thermal expansion or swelling properties of the particular coal in the coal-bearing material 14 that is processed through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- the coal in the coal-bearing material is a bituminous coal.
- each drive screw 34 comprises a hollow drive shaft 62 ( FIG. 3 ) in communication with the combustion chamber 42 .
- the conduit 48 may connect the combustion chamber 42 with the drive shafts 62 .
- the combustion chamber 42 is capable of burning fluidized volatile materials 28 and, if desired, other hydrocarbon fuels, and conveying heated combustion fluids from the combustion chamber 42 through the conduit 48 into the hollow drive shafts and directed and restricted by inner passageways 68 within the hollow drive shafts 62 .
- a diverter 64 is longitudinally positioned within the hollow drive shafts 62 .
- Each diverter 64 comprises an outer surface 66 forming with an inner surface of the drive shaft 62 an inner passageway 68 capable of directing heat flux from heated combustion fluid to adjacent the coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 , to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
- blower 44 moves the exhausted combustion fluids from the combustion chamber 42 through the conduit 48 and into the inner passageways 68 of drive shafts 62 for heating the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- diverter 64 may be centered within each hollow drive shaft 62 by a plurality of ribs 69 extending radially from the outer surface 66 .
- the ribs 69 may extend along the lengths of the diverter 64 .
- a plurality of small ribs 69 may hold the diverter in place.
- the ribs 69 have an airfoil shape.
- the ribs 69 are shaped and positioned to disrupt the flow of fluid through the inner passageway 68 for creating turbulent flow.
- the ends of the diverter 64 may be tapered as illustrated in FIG. 4 . Alternately, the ends of the diverter 64 may be flat, spherical, or any other shape suitable for directing flow of combustion fluid into and through the inner passageways 68 .
- the outer surface 66 of the diverter 64 comprises an approximately cylindrical shape. It is contemplated that the outer surface 66 may comprise a corrugated shape or other shape for forming inner passageways 68 having various shapes and desired fluid flow through inner passageways 68 . In one embodiment, the outer surface 66 comprises a surface corrugated to direct flow in a spiral around the diverter 64 .
- the outer surface 66 of the diverter 64 may comprise fluid agitators or other devices for causing a turbulent flow in the inner passageway 68 . It is contemplated that the agitators or other devices may be protrusions, tabs, ribs, or other shapes suitable for causing turbulent flow in the inner passageway 68 .
- the location, size, and shape of the inner passageways 68 may be varied to generate a turbulent flow having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000.
- the heat flux is efficiently transferred from the combustion fluid to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer 30 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 heats the coal-bearing material 14 to a temperature within a range of approximately 650° F. to 1300° F. (approximately 340° C. to 700° C.) to fluidize volatile materials 28 within the coal-bearing material 14 and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material 14 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 heats the coal-bearing material 14 containing volatile materials 28 to a temperature to about 1700° F. (about 930° C.) or higher.
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 may heat the coal-bearing material to a selected temperature for fluidizing the volatile materials within the coal-bearing material and another selected temperature to plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the insulating layer 60 may be a ceramic or other high temperature insulative material. It is contemplated that the insulating layer 60 may be a fabricated structure, a wrapped insulation blanket, a sprayed-on insulative material, or any other insulative or composite material around the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- the drive screw 26 of pre-dryer 18 comprises a hollow drive shaft 27 in communication with the dryer conduit 50 .
- the pre-dryer drive shaft 27 further comprises a diverter to form an inner passageway between the diverter and an inner surface of the drive shaft 27 , capable of diverting heated fluid adjacent the coal-bearing material moving through the pre-dryer 18 .
- the drive shaft 27 may be capable of receiving oil, and the dryer conduit 50 is in communication with an oil heater for heating the oil flowing through the drive shaft 27 .
- the drive shaft 27 is a Holo-Flite® screw capable of receiving oil heated by the hot combustion fluids from the dryer conduit 50 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 comprises double outer walls 31 A forming an outer passageway 70 or heating jacket in the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 at least partially around the drive screws 34 .
- the outer passageway 70 formed between the outer walls 31 , 31 A is capable of conveying a flow of heated combustion fluid adjacent to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the heating jacket of the pyrolyzer furnace 30 in this embodiment is at least partially covered by the insulating layer 60 . In the embodiment of FIGS.
- the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 comprises the partial double outer wall 31 A, such that the outer passageway 70 surrounds a portion of the pyrolyzer furnace.
- the double outer wall 31 A forming the heating jacket of the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 , such that the outer passageway 70 surrounds the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- a conduit such as the conduit 48 , connects the outer passageway 70 to the combustion chamber 42 for conveying exhausted combustion fluids from the combustion chamber 42 into the outer passageway 70 heating jacket of the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- the combustion chamber 42 is capable of combusting fluidized volatile materials 28 and/or other hydrocarbon fuels, and exhausting combustion fluids through the outer passageway 70 for heating the coal-bearing material and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material within the pyrolyzer furnace.
- the blower 44 may move the exhausted combustion fluids from the combustion chamber 42 through the conduit 48 , and into the inner passageways 68 of the drive shafts 62 and the outer passageway 70 , thereby heating the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 . It is contemplated that the location, size, and shape of the inner passageways 68 and the outer passageway 70 , and the ribs within, may be varied to cause the flow of heated fluid through said passageways to have a turbulent flow having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000.
- the outer passageway 70 may have fluid agitators or other devices positioned between the double walls of the heating jacket to cause a turbulent flow of heated combustion fluid therein. It is contemplated that the agitators or other devices may be protrusions, tabs, ribs, or other shapes suitable for causing turbulent flow in the outer passageway 70 . It is further contemplated that the location, size, and shape of the outer passageway 70 may be varied to cause the flow of heated fluid through said passageway to have a turbulent flow having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000 to improve the heat flux efficiency from combustion fluids to the coal-bearing material to fluidize volatile materials from the coal-bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal-bearing material.
- one or more manifold conduits 76 may be provided for conveying heated combustion fluid to a selected portion of the outer passageway 70 along the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 .
- the manifold conduits 76 may be in communication with the combustion chamber 42 , and capable of transferring heated combustion fluid to selected portions of the outer passageway 70 longitudinally along the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 .
- the manifold conduits 76 may be provided to maintain a selected temperature distribution along the pyrolyzer furnace 30 to fluidize volatile material in the coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the combustion chamber 42 may transfer through conduit 48 combustion fluids to the inner passageways 68 and the outer passageway 70 which may then exit through the manifold conduits 76 .
- At least one exit conduit 78 may be provided for transferring combustion fluid out of the outer passageway 70 .
- the heated combustion fluids may enter the outer passageway 70 through an entry end of the pyrolyzing furnace housing 31 , one or more manifold conduits 76 , and other any suitable location.
- the flow of heated combustion fluid in the inner passageways 68 and outer passageway 70 may be opposite the direction of movement of coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- heated combustion fluid enters the outer passageway 70 by way of one or more manifold conduits 76 , and transfers out of the outer passageway 70 by way of one or more exit conduits 78 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 comprises at least three screws laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, the drive screws 34 being positioned such that each screw overlaps at least one other drive screw.
- the drive screws 34 being positioned such that each screw overlaps at least one other drive screw.
- two larger drive screws 34 are provided, and one small screw 80 is provided having a smaller diameter than adjacent drive screws 34 and positioned longitudinally through the furnace housing adjacent the drive screws.
- the small screw 80 may be capable of conveying additional fine coal to the mix with the coal-bearing material or clearing coal-bearing material from the drive screws 34 through the pyrolyzer furnace housing. It is contemplated that alternate embodiments may comprise at least three drive screws 34 and two clearing screws 80 for either purpose.
- four large drive screws 34 and three small clearing screws 80 may be provided. It is contemplated that any number of screws may be provided to accommodate a desired capacity of coal-bearing material to be processed.
- the small clearing screws 80 may flow counter-current to the large screws 34 .
- clearing screw 80 may comprise a hollow drive shaft and a diverter, forming an inner passageway being in communication with heated combustion fluids from the combustion chamber 42 , as disclosed above with reference to the larger drive screws 34 .
- the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves may have a decreasing cross sectional area in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- FIG. 11 illustrates pyrolyzer furnace 130 having a tapered pyrolyzer furnace housing 131 with a tapered outer wall forming a decreasing cross-sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material.
- the tapered pyrolyzer furnace housing 131 comprises at least two rotatably mounted tapered drive screws 134 , laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, and being capable of conveying coal-bearing material containing volatile materials 28 through the pyrolyzer furnace 130 .
- the tapered drive screws 134 comprise a screw flight 84 having a decreasing diameter corresponding to the reducing cross section of the pyrolyzer furnace 130 , and hollow drive shafts 62 in communication with the combustion chamber 42 .
- the portion 86 located between the drive shaft 62 and the pyrolyzer furnace housing 131 , through which the coal-bearing material moves, decreases in cross sectional area along the length of the pyrolyzer furnace.
- coal-bearing material containing volatile materials is conveyed through the pyrolyzer of the embodiment of FIG. 11 , the coal-bearing material is plasticized and forced into the reducing area 86 by the screw flight 84 , thereby compacting the coal-bearing material as it is conveyed through the pyrolyzer furnace and becomes char. This compaction of the plasticized coal is accentuated if the coal in the coal-bearing material swells as some forms of coal do during plasticization.
- the diverters 64 are positioned within the hollow drive shafts 62 .
- the diverter 64 comprises the outer surface 66 forming with the inner surface of the drive shaft 62 an inner passageway 68 capable of diverting heated combustion fluid adjacent the coal-bearing material and provides high heat flux to coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 130 to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the blower 44 moves the exhausted combustion fluids from the combustion chamber 42 through the conduit 48 and into the inner passageway 68 for directing heat flux to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 130 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 comprises at least two rotatable tapered drive screws 134 , laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, capable of conveying coal-bearing material containing volatile materials and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- each tapered drive screw 134 comprises a hollow tapered drive shaft 162 in communication with and heated by the combustion chamber 42 , and a screw flight 184 having a given outside diameter adjacent to an inner wall of the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 .
- the hollow drive shafts 162 through each drive screw has a tapered outer wall with an increasing diameter along the length of the screw in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material.
- the tapered outer wall of the drive shaft 162 is capable of reducing the cross-sectional area of the portion 186 of the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 through which the coal-bearing material moves, located between the hollow drive shaft 162 and the pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 , in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 may comprise one or more slots 88 to provide an area for the coal-bearing material to expand.
- the coal-bearing material containing volatile materials convey through the pyrolyzer of the embodiment of FIG. 12 , the coal-bearing material is forced in portion 186 through a reduced cross-section by the screw flight 184 , thereby compacting and plasticizing the coal or coal-bearing material as it is conveyed through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- a tapered diverter 164 is positioned within the hollow drive shafts 162 .
- the tapered diverter 164 comprises a reverse taper cooperating with the taper of the drive shaft 162 to form one or more inner passageways 168 through the drive shaft 162 , capable of diverting heated combustion fluid adjacent the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the blower 44 moves the exhausted combustion fluids from the combustion chamber 42 through the conduit 48 and into the inner passageway 168 for directing heat flux to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 30 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace housing 131 may have tapered inner walls (not shown).
- the tapered inner walls may be coordinated with the tapered outer walls of the hollow drive shafts 162 to decrease the cross sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace.
- the tapered pyrolyzer furnace 130 comprises at least two of the drive screws 34 , laterally positioned adjacent and interleaved, and being capable of conveying coal-bearing material containing volatile materials through the pyrolyzer furnace 130 and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the drive screws 34 comprise hollow drive shafts 62 in communication with and heated by combustion fluid exhausted from the combustion chamber 42 . Two drive screws 34 are driven in a direction to move the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace 130 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace 130 comprises a tapering volume above the drive screws 34 .
- the volume above the drive screws 34 provides a space for coal-bearing material 14 , including coal particles to expand above the drive screws 34 as the temperature of the coal-bearing material increases and the volatile materials are fluidized and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the volume above the drive screws has a longitudinal taper with a reducing cross sectional area along the length of the pyrolyzer furnace housing 131 in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material.
- the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace 130 through which the coal-bearing material moves has a decreasing volume along the length of the pyrolyzer.
- the coal-bearing material is forced into the reducing volume of the pyrolyzer furnace 130 by the drive screws 34 , thereby compacting and plasticizing the coal in coal-bearing material as conveyed through the pyrolyzer.
- the diverter 64 is positioned within the hollow drive shafts 62 .
- the diverter 64 comprises the outer surface 66 forming with the inner surface of the drive shaft 62 an inner passageway 68 through the drive shaft 62 , capable of diverting and directing heat flux from the heated combustion fluid to adjacent the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 230 , to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the blower 44 moves the exhausted heated combustion fluids from the combustion chamber 42 through the conduit 48 and into the inner passageways 68 of the drive shafts 62 for heating the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 130 .
- a pyrolyzer furnace 230 has a rotatable outer wall at least partially covered by an insulating layer 60 .
- At least two drive screws 34 is laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, and capable of conveying coal-bearing material containing volatile materials 28 through the pyrolyzer furnace 230 , are rotatably mounted within the pyrolyzer furnace for conveying the coal or coal-bearing material 14 , including coal particles, through the pyrolyzer.
- the pyrolyzer furnace 230 comprises a generally cylindrical pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 , where at least a portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 is rotatably driven about its longitudinal axis.
- the end walls of the cylindrical furnace may be fixed relative to the rotating cylindrical portion.
- the drive screws may be supported by non-rotating end walls or other non-rotating portion of the pyrolyzer furnace 230 .
- each drive screw 34 may rotate about its longitudinal axis, and the pyrolyzer furnace outer wall may rotate about its longitudinal axis.
- the longitudinal axes of the screws and the pyrolyzer furnace may be oriented in a fixed relationship. At least a portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 may be rotatable around the drive screws 34 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace 230 may comprise a double outer wall forming a heating jacket (not shown) in the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 at least partially around the drive screws 34 .
- a double outer wall forms an outer passageway between the outer walls capable of conveying a flow of heated fluid adjacent to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to direct heat flux to coal-bearing material fluidize the volatile materials therein and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
- heated combustion fluid may be directed into the double wall cavity through a conduit, plenum or other channel through the non-rotating portion of the pyrolyzer furnace 230 .
- each drive screw 34 may comprise a hollow drive shaft 62 in communication with the combustion chamber 42 .
- the diverter 64 is positioned within the hollow drive shafts 62 .
- the diverter 64 comprises the outer surface 66 forming with an inner surface of the drive shaft 62 an inner passageway 68 capable of diverting heated fluid adjacent the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 230 , to fluidize the volatile material 28 therein to improve the heat flux efficiency between the combustion fluid and the coal-bearing material to fluidize volatile material in the coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the blower 44 may move the exhausted combustion fluids from the combustion chamber 42 through the conduit 48 and into the inner passageways 68 for direct heat flux to the coal or coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace 230 .
- the location, size, and shape of the inner passageways 68 may be varied to cause the flow of heated fluid through said passageways to have a turbulent flow having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000 to improve heat flux.
- the conduit 48 connects the combustion chamber 42 with the drive shafts 62 .
- the combustion chamber 42 is capable of combusting fluidized volatile materials 28 and/or other hydrocarbon fuels, and exhausting combustion fluids through the inner passageways 68 .
- the blower 44 moves exhausted combustion fluids through the conduit 48 and through the inner passageways 68 .
- the diverter 64 may be centered within the hollow drive shaft 62 by a plurality of ribs 69 extending along the outer surface 66 .
- the ribs may extend continuously the length of the diverter. Alternately, a plurality of small ribs holds the diverter in place.
- the ribs 69 have an airfoil shape. If desired, the ribs 69 may be shaped and positioned to disrupt flow of gas through the inner passageway 68 for creating turbulent flow to improve heat flux.
- the ends of the diverter 64 may be tapered. Alternately, the ends of the diverter may be flat spherical, or any other shape suitable for directing flow into the inner passageways 68 and improving heat flux efficiency.
- the insulating layer 60 may be a ceramic or other high temperature insulative material.
- the insulating layer 60 may be a fabricated structure, a wrapped insulation blanket, a sprayed-on insulative material, or any other insulative or composite material around the pyrolyzer furnace 230 .
- the pyrolyzer furnace 230 may comprise at least three screws laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, the screws being positioned such that each screw overlaps at least two other screws.
- Two larger drive screws 34 are provided, and one small screw 80 is provided having a smaller diameter than an adjacent drive screw 34 .
- the small screw may be a clearing screw or a drive screw.
- alternate embodiments may comprise more than two larger drive screws 34 and at least two smaller screws 80 arranged to convey fine coal particles to coal-bearing material within the rotatable pyrolyzer furnace 230 .
- the smaller screws may be used to clear coal-bearing material from the drive screws as the coal in the coal-bearing swells.
- small screw 80 comprises a hollow drive shaft and a diverter, the hollow drive shaft being in communication with and heated by the combustion fluids from combustion chamber 42 , as disclosed above with reference to the larger drive screws 34 .
- the char produced in the pyrolyzer furnace 30 may be used in various commercial applications.
- the char may be mixed with supplemental materials, such as silicon or iron ore for use in other processes.
- the plasticized char may used directly in steel making or further processed into coke for use in a blast furnace. We have found that when the char is in a heated, plastic state within the pyrolyzer, other materials can be added and mixed with the plasticized char.
- the supplemental materials added to the plasticized char become well-mixed in the char when the char solidifies and cools.
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 comprises a first zone 90 capable of fluidizing volatile materials and a second zone 92 capable of mixing supplemental materials such as coal fines into the char.
- a second zone inlet 94 may be provided for introducing supplemental materials into the furnace housing 31 .
- the second zone inlet 94 may be positioned adjacent the beginning of the second zone 92 .
- the second zone 92 begins at a location where the coal-bearing material in the pyrolyzer furnace becomes molten and plasticized, or at about 1 ⁇ 3 of the length of the pyrolyzer furnace, and the supplemental material may be introduced into the second zone and mixed into the char.
- the pyrolyzer furnace of any of the foregoing embodiments may heat the coal-bearing material to a temperature within a range of approximately 650° F. to 1300° F. (approximately 340° C. to 700° C.) to fluidize the volatile materials 28 contained in the coal or coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 heats the coal-bearing material containing volatile materials 28 to a temperature of approximately 1700° F. (approximately 930° C.) or higher.
- the pyrolyzer furnace 30 may heat the coal-bearing material to a selected temperature for fluidizing the volatile materials within the coal-bearing material and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material being processed.
- screw flights of the drive screws in any of the foregoing embodiments may be varied to process different coal-bearing material and at different rates.
- a screw flight may have tall, closely spaced flights as illustrated by FIG. 17A , or short, spaced apart flights as illustrated by FIG. 17B .
- the screw design may be varied depending on the heat flux properties of different coal or coal-bearing material being processed and desired production capacity.
- the pyrolyzer may be inclined upwardly in the direction of movement of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- An inclined pyrolyzer furnace may increase heat transfer by providing more surface contact between the coal-bearing material and the pyrolyzer.
- the incline angle may be variable to accommodate processing of different types of bituminous coal.
- An inclined pyrolyzer may also reduce the amount of floor space used by the pyrolyzer.
- the flow of exhausted combustion fluids through the inner passageways 68 may be in the same direction as the drive screws move the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing. Alternately, the exhausting combustion fluids flow through the inner passageways opposite the direction of the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace.
- one drive screw has a different screw pitch than an adjacent screw, and positioned such that one screw wipes material from other screw. Also, the drive screws 34 may be able to be reversed in rotation, or driven at different rotational speeds, to assist in keeping the drive screws 34 free of processed coal and coal-bearing material.
- the pitch of a screw may change along the length of the screw to accommodate the coal-bearing material in a solid state at the entry end of the furnace to a plastic state within the furnace to forming char.
- Water may be introduced into any of the foregoing pyrolyzer furnace embodiments for partial gasification of the coal in coal-bearing material in the furnace.
- water is introduced into the pyrolyzer furnace where the coal in coal-bearing material containing volatile materials reaches a temperature to fluidize the volatile materials and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
- the water may react with the fluidized volatile materials for producing carbon monoxide and hydrogen compounds such as hydrogen gas and methane in addition to char.
- the fluidized volatile materials 28 removed from the coal-bearing material may be sufficient to fuel the burners 46 in the combustion chamber 42 without supplemental fuel. However, it is further contemplated that some coal-bearing material may not devolatilize a sufficient amount of volatile material to fuel the combustion chamber 42 , at least when starting a pyrolyzer furnace campaign.
- the hydrogen produced from the introduction of water may be used to additionally fuel the combustion chamber 42 .
- various carbon and hydrocarbon-bearing products such as municipal waste, organic material, tires, hydrocarbon sludge, tar sand, oil shale, coal fines and other carbon-bearing materials may be effectively processed to heat the coal-bearing material and transfer the coal-bearing material into char.
- coal-bearing material 214 is delivered to the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 through screw feeder 232 where the material 214 engages the interleaved pair of drive screws 234 and is processed into char 240 which is delivered through an output 259 to a char cooler or the like.
- fluidized volatile materials 228 are released from the coal-bearing material 214 to be processed in the combustion chamber into combustion fluids.
- the fluidized volatile materials 228 are removed from the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 through an exhaust duct 235 and transferred to a plenum 237 that collects, stores, and provides a relatively steady flow of fluidized volatile materials 228 to a booster pump 238 that pressurizes the coal gas 229 .
- Pressurized fluidized volatile material 229 from the booster pump 238 is transferred to a manifold 241 that feeds a number of combustion chambers 224 A-D (referred to generally as 224 ) each having a combustion burner (not shown).
- the combustion chambers 224 receive the pressurized fluidized volatile material 229 from the manifold 241 and combust it to produce combustion fluids 243 that flow through conduits 276 to the hollow drive shaft 262 typically in both of the interleaved drive screws 234 and to a heating jacket 270 having insulating layer 260 round the pyrolyzer housing 231 .
- the combustion fluids 243 flow through the heating jacket 270 and are exhausted through exit conduits 278 in fluid communication with a waste gas header 279 .
- the waste gas header 279 communicates with a waste gas stack 281 for exhausting the combustion fluids 243 to the atmosphere or additional treatment facility.
- the pyrolyzer furnace 230 includes four combustion chambers 224 , labeled 224 A-D.
- a first burner 224 A is positioned adjacent one or both of the hollow drive shafts 262 extending through typically both of the interleaved drive screws 234 .
- the combustion chamber 224 A receives fluidized volatile material 229 from manifold 241 and combusts it to produce heated combustion fluid 243 .
- This heated combustion fluid 243 is moved through the hollow drive shafts 262 where it is diverted to the inner passageways 268 by the diverters 264 , thereby improving heat flux to the coal-bearing material 214 moving through the interleaved pair of drive screws 234 to heat the coal-bearing material 214 moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 .
- combustion chambers 224 B- 224 D receive fluidized volatile material 229 through manifold 241 and combusts the fluidized volatile material 229 to produce heated combustion fluid 243 .
- This heated combustion fluid 243 is moved through heating jacket 270 , thereby also heating coal-bearing material 214 moving through the interleaved pair of drive screws 234 .
- heating jacket 270 is formed with the insulating layer 260 and surrounds the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 . This heating jacket 270 is in fluid communication with combustion chambers 224 B-D through manifold conduits 276 .
- the combustion chambers 224 B-D combust fluidized volatile material 229 received through manifold 241 and move heated combustion fluid 243 through the manifold conduit 276 into the heating jacket 270 .
- Flow controllers 245 are positioned within the heating jacket ( FIG. 19B ) to direct the combustion gases 243 through the heating jacket 270 in a preferred flow pattern to exhaust through exit conduits 278 positioned connected to heating jacket 270 opposite combustion chambers 224 B-D.
- the combustion gases 243 exhausted through the exit conduits 278 are in fluid communication with waste gas header 279 .
- combustion fluid 243 enters the heating jacket 270 at the underside of the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 , passes through the manifold conduits 276 and exits the upper side of the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 through the exit conduits 278 .
- the combustion fluid 243 may enter one or the other side of the furnace housing 231 and exit from the opposite side of the furnace housing 231 .
- FIG. 19B the combustion fluid 243 may enter one or the other side of the furnace housing 231 and exit from the opposite side of the furnace housing 231 .
- the manifold conduit 276 and exit conduit 278 may be positioned to provide any desired path flow pattern using flow controllers 245 directing heat flux from the combustion fluid 243 to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 , as desired.
- flow controllers 245 directing heat flux from the combustion fluid 243 to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 , as desired.
- Other arrangements and variations are contemplated and will be apparent from the desired heat distribution through the jacket 270 to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 .
- the flow controllers 245 are positioned so that combustion gas flows more evenly around the heating jacket 270 and the heat flows through the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 to the coal-bearing material is symmetrical within the heating jack 270 .
- flow controllers 245 may direct more or less combustion fluid 243 in one direction or another, providing desired heat flux distribution about coal-bearing material moving through the furnace housing within the jacket 270 .
- heat flux provided to the coal or coal-bearing material 214 from the combustion fluid 243 moving through the inner passageways 268 and the heating jacket 270 cause the coal-bearing material 214 moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing 231 to fluidize volatiles in the coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material to form char 240 .
- the combustion fluid 243 with heat reduced, is then exhausted from hollow shafts 262 and heating jacket 270 .
- the heating jacket 270 is separated by dividers 271 into separate heating zones, Z 1 , Z 2 , and Z 3 .
- the first zone Z 1 extends from the screw feeder 232 to a first divider 271 A; the second zone Z 2 from the first divider 271 A to a second divider 271 B; and the third zone Z 3 from the second divider to the output 259 .
- Each of these three heating zones may be independently controlled by the amount of heating of combustion fluids 243 by burning fluidized volatiles material with combustion chambers 2241 , 224 C, and 224 D.
- the heating zones are positioned to provide different levels of heat flux to the coal-bearing material 214 as it moves through the length of the interleaved pair of drive screws 234 .
- the coal-bearing material 214 may travel at different desired rates as the coal-bearing material moves through the different zones along the interleaved pair of drive screws 234 , and thereby be exposed to controlled heat flux levels in each of the heating zones for predetermined amounts of time.
- the dividers 271 may be positioned and insulated to inhibit heat transfer between adjacent zones and ensure proper heat flux levels within each of the zones.
- the first combustion chamber 224 B provides combustion fluid to the first zone Z 1 at a first temperature and heat flux rate to efficiently fluidize the volatiles in the coal-bearing material.
- This first temperature is selected to heat the coal-bearing material 214 to temperature, e.g. 600-700° F., to efficiently result in a large amount of volatile materials in the coal-bearing material being released as gas or particulate, becoming fluidized in the atmosphere above the coal or coal-bearing material in the furnace housing 231 .
- These fluidized volatile materials are captured and conveyed by duct 235 to the plenum 237 .
- the second combustion chamber 224 C provides heated combustion fluid to the second zone Z 2 at a second temperature and heat flux rate to efficiently plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material 214 .
- This second temperature is selected to maintain the temperature of the coal-bearing material 214 at a temperature of 650° F. and above, causing the coal or coal-bearing material to be efficiently plasticized and further release volatile materials into the surrounding atmosphere.
- the heat flux of this second zone Z 2 is selected and maintained to raise the temperature of the coal-bearing material 214 and provide for fluidizing the volatile materials and plasticizing coal in the coal bearing material 214 .
- the fluidized volatile materials are captured by the conduit duct 235 and conveyed to the plenum 237 .
- the amount of fluidized volatile materials released in the second zone Z 2 may be greater than that is released in the first zone Z 1 of the furnace housing 231 .
- coal in coal-bearing material 214 plasticizes at temperature at approximately 640° F. and above, the coal becomes a high viscosity and adhesive liquid which may contain non-plasticized components of the coal-bearing material.
- carbon from the coal forms into long chains while hydrogen, oxygen, and contaminants are released as gases or particulate matter. These gases and particulate matter are fluidized into the surrounding atmosphere where they are captured by the conduits 278 and conveyed to the plenum 237 .
- the plasticized carbon remaining, with most of the volatile materials released, comprises carbon which may agglomerate to devolatized chunks of char as they cool.
- non-coal-bearing material and certain coal that does not plasticize when heated to the plasticization temperature may also be included with the char 240 .
- particles of the non-coal material and non-plasticizing coal may be agglomerated into the plasticized coal.
- 20 mesh coal fines may be added to the coal-bearing material along the pyrolyzer housing and may be agglomerated into the plasticized coal, resulting in desirable char.
- the third combustion chamber 224 D provides combustion fluid to the third zone Z 3 at a third temperature.
- This third temperature is selected to maintain the coal-bearing material 214 at the plasticization temperature of approximately 650° F. and above. Through this third zone, a large portion of the coal in the coal-bearing material 214 is plasticized and converted into char 240 .
- either the temperature or amount of combustion fluid 243 may be regulated.
- the combustion chambers 224 may be supplemented as desired to mix the combustion fluid with an outside gas or fuel sources. This mixing may be regulated to produce a desired heat flux in each of the zones, thereby controlling the temperature of the combustion fluid in the heating jacket 270 .
- the amount of combustion fluid 243 provided into the heating jacket 270 in each zone may be varied.
- the amount of heat introduced into the heating jacket 270 through the combustion gas 243 may be varied to control fluidized volatiles in the coal-bearing and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material to form char 240 .
- the temperature of each zone may be controlled and fluidization of the volatiles in the coal-bearing and plasticization of coal in the coal-bearing material is controlled.
- the embodiment illustrated in FIG. 20 has three separate and distinct heating zones Z, each controlled by one or more separate combustion chambers 224 .
- This embodiment may also refine the shape of the diverter 264 and the inner passageway 268 within the shaft of the drive screws 234 to control the heat flux to the coal-bearing material in each zone.
- a separate combustion chamber may be provided for each drive screw 234 to provide desired temperatures and heat flux.
- additional zones Z may be provided to establish different regions with different levels of heat flux with different temperatures in the heating jacket 270 . It is contemplated that the temperature and heat flux of each individual combustion chamber 224 can be independently and variably controlled.
- the char 240 discharged from the pyrolyzer 230 may be combined with a binder coal in order to produce briquetted metallurgical coke.
- a metallurgical coke is a dense, crush-resistant fuel for use in iron and steel making.
- metallurgical coke is material having a CRI (Coke Reactivity Index) less than 25% and a CSR (Coke Strength after Reaction) greater than 60%, as defined by ASTM standard D5341-99 (Standard Test Method for Measuring Coke Reactivity Index (CRI) and Coke Strength after Reaction (CSR)).
- CRI Coke Reactivity Index
- CSR Coke Strength after Reaction
- metallurgical coke is material having CRI and CSR relationship that falls between the dashed lines in FIG. 21 .
- a coal-bearing material having less than 30% volatile materials is produced to char in the pyrolyzer 230 .
- the char 240 from the pyrolyzer 230 is mixed with a binder coal having a mid or high fluidity as determined by ASTM standard D2639-08 (Standard Test Method for Plastic Properties of Coal by the Constant-Torque Gieseler Plastometer).
- the binder coal is ground and mixed with the char 240 to form a blend.
- the blend is then mixed with a binding agent; such as bitumen, asphalt, coal tar pitch, or other petroleum, plant, or animal based viscoelastic polymer; and briquetted.
- the briquettes are then cured by heating and quenching, thereby producing coke briquettes suitable for metallurgical coke.
- the binder coal has a fluidity of at least 2,000 ddpm and less than 15% volatile materials.
- the briquettes are comprised of 25-75% char, 15-70% binder coal, and less than 20% and generally 5-15% binding agent.
- the binder coal may have a fluidity of at least 5,000 ddpm and the briquettes comprise at least 60% char, 5% binding agent, and 30% binder coal.
- coal-bearing material 214 may be ground to, for example, 12 to 20 mesh and processed into char 240 in a twin-screw longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace 230 by the above-described pyrolyzing process.
- the char 240 is delivered to a hopper for charging to a mill as described below to be mixed with the binder coal.
- a binder coal is selected having a mid- to high-fluidity of at least 2,000 ddpm, and may have a fluidity of 5,000-11,000 ddpm or more.
- a high degree of coal fluidity is desired to provide briquettes with a high (SR value, although lower fluidity coals may also provide a high CSR value. Higher fluidity coals with a lower CSR value may be selected as these coals are seen as less desirable and therefore produce less expensive coke.
- the binder coal may be ground substantially smaller than the mesh size of the char to, for example, 50 to 70 mesh.
- the ground binder coal may be mixed, for example in a tumbler or pug mill mixer, with the char and a binding agent is applied to form a blended material.
- the blend may comprise 5 to 15% binding agent, 20 to 70% binder coal, and 25 to 70% char or may comprise 6 to 12% binding agent, 20 to 70% binder coal and 35 to 60% char.
- the mix of char and binder coal will depend on the binder coal selected, with a higher proportion of binder coal likely for coals having a lower fluidity.
- the blend is next briquetted in a compression briquetting machine, at, for example, a pressure of 560 to 600 bar, in a briquetting roll. These briquettes may then charged and heated in a furnace and thereafter quenched, thereby producing briquettes suitable for use as metallurgical coke.
- char was produced in a twin-screw pyrolyzer and briquetted with a binding coal and binding agent and briquetted.
- the briquettes were carbonized and the strength (CSR) and reactivity (CRI) of the formed coke briquettes were measured according to a modified ASTM D5341-99 standard using uncrushed briquettes.
- the char may be formed in the twin-screw pyrolyzer as described above from two different sources of coal-bearing material: Teco Myra coal (described in Appendix A) and Solar Sources coal (described in Appendix B). Each of these coals may be mixed with one of two different binder coals: Virginia Crews (described in Appendix C) and Blue Creek 7 (described in Appendix D). A binding agent, asphalt Shell HV06, was then added to the mixture and the resultant blend was briquetted at 560 to 600 bar in briquetting rolls. Each of the blends comprised 60% char, 30% binder coal, and 10% binding agent.
- the briquettes were carbonized in a Jenkner retort.
- the retort was preheated to about 600° C. at which point the briquettes were introduced to the oven.
- the oven was maintained at a constant temperature of about 600° C. for 80 minutes and increased to 1020° C. at a rate of 3° C./h.
- the briquettes were maintained at 1020° C. for 60 minutes, and then cooled.
- the CSR and CRI of the briquettes was measured.
- CS0% is a measurement representing the cold strength of the briquettes as the fraction of pieces greater than 10 mm in size after 600 rotations in an I-drum. The results are reproduced in the following Table 1:
- a base test to determine the CSR/CRI of the coal briquettes was performed by combining Myra char with Poca 3 binder coal. The CSR and CRI of these briquettes were then determined. Various other binding coals were then selected and combined with char produced from either Tyco Myra or Solar Sources coal to form briquettes. The CSR and CRI of these briquettes was recorded and reproduced in the above Table 1. The CSR and CRI tests were carried out on uncrushed briquettes rather than crushed briquettes required by the ASTM standard, and so the comparison between various blends is made with respect to the briquettes formed using Tyco Myra char and Poca 3 binding coal.
- briquettes were formed by crushing the char and bitumen to ⁇ 1 mm and the binder coal to ⁇ 0.212 mm separately in laboratory ball mills. 4-5 kg of each blend were prepared for briquetting. The blends were fed directly between the rolls of a briquetting machine operated from 560-600 bar to produce well shaped briquettes around 40 g each. The briquettes were next carbonized in a Jenkner retort by introducing the briquettes at 600° C. and keeping them at temperature for 80 minutes. The temperature was then increased to 1020° C. at 3° C./hour and held there for 60 minutes before cooling down.
- the CSR and CRI of each type of briquette was determined and is reproduced in the above table. From this data, it was found that the binder coal has an important effect on the briquette's reactivity, which may also be dependent on the lump size. Further, higher rank coal, such as Tyco Myra, produces better CSR results than lower rank coals, such as Solar Sources. The volatile matter of the char has a limited effect on the CSR and CRI compared to the effect of the binder coal.
- the blend with low fluidity Poca 3 was short of producing quality metallurgical coke.
- coal-bearing material 214 is provided to a pyrolyzer furnace 230 that produces, through the above-described pyrolyzing process, char 240 .
- the char 240 is delivered from the pyrolyzer to a char hopper 302 .
- a binder coal hopper 304 holds and stores binder coal 306 that is ground to a fine mesh, e.g. less than or equal to 60 mesh.
- the binder coal 306 and char 240 are delivered from their respective hoppers 302 , 304 , onto a conveyor 308 and delivered to a crusher 310 , such as a roll crusher, that provide the char 240 and binder coal 306 of an appropriate size, which may be for example less than or equal to 60 mesh.
- the mixture is next delivered to a mixer 312 , such as a pug mill mixer, that an even mix of char and binder coal.
- the mixture of binder coal 306 and char 240 is conveyed past a tank 302 containing a binding agent 316 (asphalt), where the mixture is sprayed with the binding agent 316 providing a blend 318 of binding agent 316 , binder coal 306 and char 240 .
- the blend 318 may comprise, for example, 10% binding agent, 30% binder coal and 60% char.
- the mixture may be within the range of 5 to 10% binding agent, 20 to 70% binder coal and 25 to 75 percent char.
- the blend 318 is next conveyed to a briquetter 320 to produce briquettes.
- the briquetter 320 may be a roll press briquetter that conveys the blend 318 into a briquette mold and applies a pressure to the blend 318 in the mold to form briquettes 322 .
- the roll presses may provide, for example, 560 to 600 bar pressure in forming the briquettes.
- the formed briquettes 322 are transferred to a briquette hopper 324 for storage.
- the briquettes 322 in the hopper 324 may be conveyed through a charging furnace 326 and subsequently quenching the briquettes 322 .
- a charging furnace 326 In an elongated charging furnace 326 , the temperature of the briquettes 322 is slowly increased to form hot briquettes, before submerging the briquettes into a water bath to quench them.
- briquettes 322 are heated to a temperature sufficient to plasticize the binder coal within the briquettes in the furnace 326 , fluidized coal is caused to penetrate and strengthen the char to sufficient levels to form metallurgical coke. Further, as the briquettes 322 are heated in furnace 326 , volatile materials in the binding agent and binder coal are fluidized and released from the briquettes.
- volatile materials may be captured and utilized in the pyrolyzer for heating the coal-bearing material as described above.
- the volatile materials may be processed to safely be exhausted through a stack, or captured and combusted to provide heating to the charging furnace 326 .
- the above-described ranges for the char 240 , binder coal 306 and binding agent 316 for the blend may be varied depending on the particular compositions of the char 240 , binder coal 306 and binding agent 316 .
- the binding agent 316 may contain a large proportion of volatile materials that will be exhausted from the briquettes during the charging to furnace 326 , a lower proportion of binding agent may be provided in the blend 318 .
- binder coals 306 having a higher level of fluidity the amount of binding agent 316 required to bind the briquettes may be reduced to approximately 6 to 12%, depending on the coal composition. Very high levels of binder coal 306 fluidity may therefore be desired, to approximately 11,000 ddpm, reducing the preferred level of binding agent 316 in the blend 318 .
- the proportion of char 240 to binder coal 306 should therefore be controlled to provide the strength (CSR) and reactivity (CRI) of the briquettes at a desired level.
- the blend may comprise 35 to 65% char 240 , with the remainder being binder coal 306 and binding agent.
- the proportion of char to binder coal may be, as with the binding agent, variable depending on the fluidity of the binder coal. A binder coal having a very high fluidity may be used with a high proportion of char. However, binder coals having a lower fluidity may tend to have a higher CSR, and therefore a lower proportion of char is usually appropriate to provide the threshold CSR values for metallurgical coke.
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Abstract
A char making apparatus comprises a longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing wherein coal-bearing material may be heated to a temperature to fluidize volatile materials therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. At least two rotatable drive screws are laterally positioned and interleaved within the longitudinal furnace housing and capable of conveying coal-bearing materials through the pyrolyzer furnace housing, each drive screw having a hollow drive shaft and a diverter positioned within the drive shaft to provide heating to the coal-bearing material. A heating jacket about the longitudinal furnace housing provides additional heating to the coal-bearing material. Multiple combustion chambers adjacent the heating jacket and hollow drive shaft burn fluidized volatile materials and exhaust combustion fluids through the jacket and shaft.
Description
- This application is a divisional of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/608,703, filed Sep. 10, 2012, which is a Continuation-in-Part of U.S. application Ser. No. 11/959,581, filed Dec. 19, 2007, which claims the benefit of U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/871,863, filed Dec. 26, 2006, each of which is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.
- The present invention relates to processing methods and apparatus for converting coal or other coal-bearing materials into char. Char can be produced by heating coal or other coal-bearing materials to selected temperatures in a reduced-oxygen environment. Char having suitable properties may be used in, among other things, iron and steel processing furnaces.
- Heating coal or other coal-bearing materials in a reduced-oxygen environment produces coal gas, volatile liquids and a residue of char. During the process of making char, volatile materials, such as hydrocarbon fuels, in the coal-bearing materials fluidize when heated to a temperature of approximately 650° F. (approximately 350° C.) and higher.
- A pyrolyzer furnace is one apparatus that may be used for processing coal and other hydrocarbon materials into char. A pyrolyzer can operate in a batch or in a continuous process. In one continuous pyrolyzer, one or more drive screws rotate within the pyrolyzer furnace, wherein the coal is heated in a reduced-oxygen environment to a temperature to fluidize the volatile material as the coal-bearing materials are moved through the furnace. An example of a continuous pyrolyzer furnace is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,151,159 to Wolfe, et al. Previous pyrolyzer furnaces disclosed by the prior art had heating elements positioned within the furnace housing, which generated hot spots within the furnace, caused uneven heating of the coal or other coal-bearing material, and caused fatigue and shortened the life of the furnace components.
- Another limitation has been the energy efficiency of previous pyrolyzer furnaces. The previous pyrolyzer furnaces were typically heated by electric heaters, or by burning natural gas, fuel oil or propane, to process the fluidized volatile material into hydrocarbon fuel and coal tar products. Pyrolyzer furnaces in the prior art also had drive screws with solid shafts, oil cooled shafts, and other shaft configurations that were thermally inefficient, resulting in the pyrolyzer furnace consuming more fuel.
- What has been needed is a pyrolyzer furnace system, and method for making char in that system, that substantially reduces the external energy, e.g. propane, fuel oil, or natural gas, needed for the char making process. The level of additional energy may be reduced to a point that the char making process is sustained by burning only the fluidized volatile materials generated from char making after start up.
- Disclosed is a char making apparatus comprising:
-
- a longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing wherein coal-bearing maternal containing volatile materials may be heated to a temperature to fluidize volatile materials therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material;
- at least two rotatable drive screws laterally positioned and interleaved within the longitudinal furnace housing and capable of conveying coal-bearing materials containing volatile material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing, each drive screw having a hollow drive shaft and a diverter longitudinally positioned within the drive shaft, the diverter forming with an inner surface of each drive shaft an inner passageway to provide heat flux from the combustion fluid moving through the shaft to adjacent coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to enable fluidizing the volatile material therein and plasticizing coal in the coal bearing material;
- a heating jacket about the longitudinal furnace housing along at least a portion thereof in fluid communication with combustion fluid from multiple combustion chambers to provide heat flux from the combustion fluid moving through the heating jacket to heat adjacent coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to fluidize the volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal bearing material;
- multiple combustion chambers adjacent the inner housing and adjacent the heating jacket capable of burning fluidized combustion material and exhausting combustion fluids through the inner passageway and through the heating jacket to fluidized volatile material in the coal-bearing material and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material; and
- conduit capable of collecting and transferring fluidized volatile material exhausted from the pyrolyzer furnace to the combustion chambers to be burned.
- The flow of combustion fluids through the inner passageways within the hollow drive screws may be in the same direction as the drive screws move the coal-bearing materials through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- Also, the combustion chambers are spaced along the pyrolyzer furnace housing to distribute the combustion fluid moving from such combustion chambers through the heating jacket to exhaust ports from pyrolyzer furnace housing to provide a desired pattern of heat flux from the combustion fluid to the adjacent coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- Flow controllers may be positioned in the heating jacket and are capable of diverting the flow of combustion fluid through said heating jacket to provide a desired heat flux pattern to fluidize volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal bearing material.
- Devices may also be positioned in the inner passageways and are capable of causing the flow of heated fluid through the passageway to have a Reynolds Number greater than 4000.
- The portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing downstream through which the coal bearing material moves may have a decreasing cross sectional area in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing. Or, the pyrolyzer furnace housing may have a tapered outer wall downstream forming a decreasing cross-sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- The hollow drive shaft through each screw may be tapered; decreasing the cross sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- Alternatively, the pyrolyzer furnace housing may have tapered inner walls and the hollow drive shafts of the drive screws may have tapered outer walls coordinated to decrease the cross sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- The heating jacket may surround at least a portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing, and may surround the pyrolyzer furnace housing substantially along its length.
- The char making apparatus may also be capable of fluidizing volatile materials and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material to a temperature in a range of 650° F. to 1300° F.
- Alternatively the pyrolyzer furnace housing may be inclined at a variable upward angle in the direction of movement of the coal-bearing material through the housing.
- At least three drive screws may be laterally positioned within the pyrolyzer furnace housing, the drive screws being positioned such that each drive screw interleaves at least one other drive screw. Further, at least one clearing screw having a smaller diameter may be positioned longitudinally through the furnace housing adjacent the drive screws and may be capable of conveying coal-bearing materials from the drive screws through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- At least one clearing screw having a smaller diameter may be positioned longitudinally through the furnace housing adjacent the drive screws and capable of conveying coal-bearing materials from the drive screws through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
- Alternatively, the pyrolyzer furnace housing may comprise at least two zones along its length, where the heat flux in the first zone is capable of fluidizing volatile materials, and the second zone is capable of mixing supplemental materials into the coal-bearing materials, and the heat flux in the second and/or subsequent zones is capable of plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
- Also, the pyrolyzer furnace housing may comprise at least two zones along its length, where heat flux in the first zone is capable of fluidizing volatile materials, and heat flux in at least one of the subsequent zones are capable of plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
- Another char making apparatus is disclosed, comprising:
-
- a longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing wherein coal-bearing material containing volatile materials may be heated to a temperature to fluidize volatile materials therein and plasticize coal in the coal bearing material;
- at least two rotatable drive screws laterally positioned and interleaved within the longitudinal furnace housing, and capable of conveying coal-bearing materials containing volatile materials through the pyrolyzer furnace housing, each drive screw having a hollow drive shaft and a diverter longitudinally positioned within the drive shaft, the diverter forming with an inner surface of each drive shaft an inner passageway adjacent the coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to provide heat flux from the combustion fluid to the coal-bearing material to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticize coal in the coal bearing material;
- double outer walls in the furnace housing at least partially around the rotatable drive screws and forming an outer passageway between the outer walls, the outer passageway capable of moving a combustion fluid adjacent the coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing providing heat flux from the combustion fluid moving through the outer passageways to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to fluidize the volatile material in the coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material; multiple combustion chambers adjacent the inner passageway and adjacent the outer passageway capable of burning fluidized combustion material and moving combustion fluids through the inner passageway and the outer passageway to fluidized volatile material in the coal-bearing material and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material; and
- conduit capable of collecting and transferring fluidized volatile material exhausted from the pyrolyzer furnace to the combustion chambers to be burned.
- Also disclosed is a method for making briquettes comprising the steps of assembling a longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing having at least two rotatable drive screws laterally positioned and interleaved within a longitudinal furnace housing and a heating jacket about the longitudinal furnace housing to provide heat flux from combustion fluid moving through the heating jacket to adjacent coal-bearing materials; moving coal-bearing materials through the pyrolyzer furnace by rotation of the drive screws and heating to fluidize volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal bearing material to form processed char; mixing the processed char with a binding agent and a binder coal of a fluidity at least 2,000 ddpm to form a blend of less than 15% binding agent, 25 to 70% processed char and 20 to 70% binder coal; and briquetting the blend to form a briquetted blend that can be carbonized to form metallurgical coke.
- Also disclosed is a system for making briquettes comprising a longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing having at least two rotatable drive screws laterally positioned and interleaved within the longitudinal furnace housing, and capable of conveying coal-bearing materials containing volatile material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing and a heating jacket about the longitudinal furnace housing along at least a portion thereof in fluid communication with combustion fluid from multiple combustion chambers to provide heat flux from combustion fluid moving through the heating jacket to adjacent coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to fluidize the volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal bearing material to produce processed char; a mixer for combining a binder coal having a fluidity of at least 2,000 ddpm, a binder and said processed char in a preferred ratio to form a blend having: less than 15% binding agent, 25 to 70% processed char, and 20 to 70% binder coal; and a briquetter for forming the blend to form a briquette which when carbonized forms a metallurgical coke.
-
FIG. 1 is a system for making char; -
FIG. 2 is a second embodiment of a system for making char; -
FIG. 3 is a cross sectional view through a pyrolyzer of the present disclosure through the section marked 3-3 inFIG. 1 orFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 4 is a cross sectional view through the pyrolyzer ofFIG. 3 through the section marked 4-4 inFIG. 3 ; -
FIG. 5 is a cross sectional view through an alternate embodiment including a double wall pyrolyzer of the present disclosure through the section marked 3-3 inFIG. 1 orFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view through the pyrolyzer ofFIG. 5 through the section marked 6-6 inFIG. 5 ; -
FIG. 7 is a cross sectional view through a third embodiment of a double wall pyrolyzer of the present disclosure through the section marked 3-3 inFIG. 1 orFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view through the pyrolyzer ofFIG. 7 through the section marked 8-8 inFIG. 7 ; -
FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view through a fourth embodiment of a pyrolyzer furnace of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 10 is a cross sectional view through a fifth embodiment of a pyrolyzing furnace with three screws through the section marked 3-3 inFIG. 1 orFIG. 2 ; -
FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a sixth embodiment of a compacting pyrolyzer of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 12 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a seventh embodiment of a compacting pyrolyzer of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 13 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through an eighth embodiment of a compacting pyrolyzer of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 14 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a ninth embodiment of a rotatable pyrolyzer of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 15 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a tenth embodiment of a rotatable pyrolyzer of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 16 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through an eleventh embodiment of a pyrolyzer of the present disclosure with mixing capability; -
FIGS. 17A and 17B are partial cross sections illustrating two alternate screw flight designs for the pyrolyzer of the present disclosure; -
FIG. 18 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a twelfth embodiment of a pyrolyzer of the present disclosure with mixing capability and combustion chambers; -
FIGS. 19A-C are partial cross-sectional views illustrating alternate arrangements of a heating jacket; and -
FIG. 20 is a longitudinal cross sectional view through a thirteenth embodiment of a pyrolyzer of the present disclosure with mixing capability, combustion chambers, and heating zones. -
FIG. 21 is a graph illustrating CSR vs. CRI for various tested samples. -
FIG. 22 is a perspective view of a briquetting system according to one aspect of the invention. - As used herein, the term “coal” refers to mined carbonaceous material containing organic compounds and volatile materials that may be converted to a plastic phase at elevated temperatures where carbonaceous material is separated from the volatile materials. One example of this type of coal is bituminous coal.
- As further used herein, the term “fluidize” means release of volatile material from coal with heating during a process where gases and entrained particulate matter, which may or may not be combined with other gases, are released.
- Referring now to
FIG. 1 , afurnace apparatus 10 is provided for making char. Thefurnace apparatus 10 receives, as raw materials, coal-bearing material having a predetermined size and processes the coal-bearing material into an atmosphere containing little, if any, oxygen. In the furnace, the coal-bearing material is dried and then heated to a temperature to fluidize the volatile materials in the coal and coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. - The
furnace apparatus 10 comprises a receivinghopper 12 for containing coal-bearingmaterials 14 containing coal particles of a predetermined size. The size of thecoal particles 14 may be, for example, in a range of about ¼ inch to about −6 Tyler mesh (about 6.4 mm to about 3.3 mm). The coal-bearingmaterial 14 pass from the receivinghopper 12 through anairlock 16 and into a pre-dryer 18. The coal-bearingmaterial 14 may less than 20 mesh or so prevalent as effluent from coal washing facilities and in reclaiming coal from settlement ponds created from past coal washing facility operations. These small coal particles are readily available in this coal-bearing material, but generally are not used because they are difficult to transport and use. - The pre-dryer 18 comprises a drying
chamber 20 within a dryingfurnace 22 having a plurality ofburners 24 mounted therein. The dryingchamber 20 has adrive screw 26 rotatably mounted therein for conveying thecoal particles 14 or other coal-bearing material, through the dryingchamber 20. The temperature in the dryingchamber 20 may be maintained at about 400° F. (approximately 200° C.) to release at least a portion of the water vapor incorporated within the coal-bearingmaterial 14. A portion of thevolatile materials 28 in some coal and coal-bearing material may begin to volatilize in the pre-dryer at about 400° F. (approximately 200° C.). The pre-dryer 18 may be maintained at a temperature of about 300° F. (approximately 150° C.) or lower to remove water vapor while fluidizing little or novolatile materials 28. - The
pyrolyzer furnace 30, or retort furnace, may be hermetically connected to the pre-dryer 18 and receive the processed coal-bearingmaterial 14 from the pre-dryer by way of an airlock and screwfeeder 32. Two drive screws 34 are laterally positioned adjacent each other in an overlapping array within alongitudinal furnace housing 31 ofpyrolyzer furnace 30. Eachdrive screw 34 is rotatably mounted interleaved within thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31 to move the coal-bearing material therethrough. An electric orpneumatic motor 36 may be provided to drive the drive screws 34 through a drive train (not shown). - In one embodiment, the coal-bearing materials passing through the
pyrolyzer furnace 30 are heated by hot combustion fluids. In the embodiment ofFIG. 1 , acombustion chamber 42 comprises ablower 44 and a plurality ofburners 46 designed to combust fluidized volatile materials or other fuel at temperatures at which volatile material in coal-bearing material will fluidize and coal in the coal bearing material will plasticize. Aconduit 48 transfers combusted fluids from thecombustion chamber 42 to thepyrolyzer furnace 30. Thecombustion chamber 42 is capable of burning fluidizedvolatile materials 28 and/or other hydrocarbon fuels (e.g. propane, natural gas, or fuel oil), and transferring the combustion fluids to thepyrolyzer furnace 30 by theblower 44 through theconduit 48. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , the hot combustion fluids flow through thepyrolyzer furnace 30 and then into adryer conduit 50. The hot combustion fluids from the combustion chamber may enter thepyrolyzer furnace 30 throughconduit 48 at a temperature of about 1600 to 1700° F. (about 870 to 930° C.), and may leave thepyrolyzer furnace 30 throughdryer conduit 50 at a temperature of about 400 to 500° F. (about 200 to 260° C.). The combustion fluids move through thedryer conduit 50 to the pre-dryer 18. The combustion fluids may pass through the pre-dryer 18 to dry and preheat the coal-bearing material, and may be exhausted at a temperature of about 100° F. (about 38° C.). If desired, ascrubber 56 may receive the exhausted fluids from the pre-dryer 18 to further separate sulfur and other impurities before being emitted to the ambient environment. - The
pyrolyzer furnace 30 is heated to a temperature to fluidize and release thevolatile materials 28 and water vapor contained within the coal of the coal-bearingmaterial 14, including hydrocarbon fuels. The fluidizedvolatile materials 28 may comprise hydrogen and methane. Suitable piping or other conduit are provided to transfer the fluidizedvolatile materials 28 from thepyrolyzer furnace 30 to thecombustion chamber 42, and the pre-dryer 18, if desired, to fuelburners 46 in thecombustion chamber 42 and theburners 24 inpre-dryer 18. - As shown in
FIG. 1 , a condenser 54 may be optionally provided in communication with thepyrolyzer furnace 30 to separate liquids from the fluidizedvolatile materials 28. If desired, the condenser 54 may be used to separatecoal tar liquids 55 and water from gaseous coal fluids using known methods and apparatus. Coal tar liquids may be collected for sale as a commodity, or may be transferred to thecombustion chambers 24 in the pre-dryer 18 and theburners 46 in thecombustion chamber 42 to be burned as fuel. However, in view of environmental and efficiency concerns, thechar making apparatus 10 is best operated with internal recovery where the fluidized volatile material is transferred to thecombustion chamber 42, or the pre-dryer 18, to be combusted to provide combustion fluids for transfer to thepyrolyzer 30. - The
longitudinal furnace housing 31 of thepyrolyzer furnace 30 houses a portion where coal in coal-bearingmaterial 14 containing volatile materials may be heated to a temperature to fluidize volatile materials therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. The drive screws 34 are rotatably positioned within and along the length of thelongitudinal furnace housing 31. The drive screws 34 are rotated to move coal-bearing material through thefurnace housing 31 and discharge devolatilized and plasticized coal residue,char 40, from thepyrolyzer furnace 30.Char 40 from thepyrolyzer furnace 30 may be transferred to a char cooler 58, which may be hermetically connected to thepyrolyzer furnace 30 by way of an airlock and screw feeder 59. In one embodiment, the char cooler 58 cools thechar 40 to a temperature below that which the char would ignite if exposed to ambient air. - In the embodiment of
FIG. 1 , the exhausting combustion fluids flow through the inner passageways 68 (FIG. 3 ) ofdrive shafts 34 in the direction of the coal or coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31. In the embodiment ofFIG. 2 , the exhausting combustion fluids flow through theinner passageways 68 of thedrive shafts 34 opposite, counter-current the direction of the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. - More details of the
pyrolyzer furnace 30 of the first and second embodiments ofFIGS. 1 and 2 is shown inFIGS. 3 and 4 and taken along line 3-3 inFIGS. 1 and 2 . The pyrolyzer furnace ofFIG. 3 comprises thelongitudinal furnace housing 31 at least partially covered by an insulatinglayer 60. At least twodrive screws 34 are laterally positioned, adjacent and overlapping, capable of moving coal-bearingmaterial 14 containingvolatile materials 28 through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. The twodrive screws 34 are rotatably mounted in thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31 and are driven by a conventional drive (not shown). - The
pyrolyzer furnace housing 31 may be shaped to provide a volume above the drive screws 34, as illustrated inFIG. 3 . The volume above thescrews 34 provides a space for coal particles in the coal-bearingmaterial 14 to expand above the drive screws 34 as the coal increases in temperature as it is moved through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. It is contemplated that some embodiments may provide more or less volume above thescrews 34 depending on the thermal expansion or swelling properties of the particular coal in the coal-bearingmaterial 14 that is processed through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. Typically the coal in the coal-bearing material is a bituminous coal. - As shown in
FIGS. 1 and 2 , eachdrive screw 34 comprises a hollow drive shaft 62 (FIG. 3 ) in communication with thecombustion chamber 42. Theconduit 48 may connect thecombustion chamber 42 with thedrive shafts 62. Thecombustion chamber 42 is capable of burning fluidizedvolatile materials 28 and, if desired, other hydrocarbon fuels, and conveying heated combustion fluids from thecombustion chamber 42 through theconduit 48 into the hollow drive shafts and directed and restricted byinner passageways 68 within thehollow drive shafts 62. - As shown in
FIGS. 3 and 4 , adiverter 64 is longitudinally positioned within thehollow drive shafts 62. Eachdiverter 64 comprises anouter surface 66 forming with an inner surface of thedrive shaft 62 aninner passageway 68 capable of directing heat flux from heated combustion fluid to adjacent the coal-bearing materials moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 30, to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material. In one embodiment,blower 44 moves the exhausted combustion fluids from thecombustion chamber 42 through theconduit 48 and into theinner passageways 68 ofdrive shafts 62 for heating the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. - As illustrated in
FIG. 3 ,diverter 64 may be centered within eachhollow drive shaft 62 by a plurality ofribs 69 extending radially from theouter surface 66. Theribs 69 may extend along the lengths of thediverter 64. Alternately, a plurality ofsmall ribs 69 may hold the diverter in place. In one embodiment, theribs 69 have an airfoil shape. In another embodiment, theribs 69 are shaped and positioned to disrupt the flow of fluid through theinner passageway 68 for creating turbulent flow. The ends of thediverter 64 may be tapered as illustrated inFIG. 4 . Alternately, the ends of thediverter 64 may be flat, spherical, or any other shape suitable for directing flow of combustion fluid into and through theinner passageways 68. - In one embodiment, the
outer surface 66 of thediverter 64 comprises an approximately cylindrical shape. It is contemplated that theouter surface 66 may comprise a corrugated shape or other shape for forminginner passageways 68 having various shapes and desired fluid flow throughinner passageways 68. In one embodiment, theouter surface 66 comprises a surface corrugated to direct flow in a spiral around thediverter 64. Theouter surface 66 of thediverter 64 may comprise fluid agitators or other devices for causing a turbulent flow in theinner passageway 68. It is contemplated that the agitators or other devices may be protrusions, tabs, ribs, or other shapes suitable for causing turbulent flow in theinner passageway 68. It is contemplated that the location, size, and shape of theinner passageways 68 may be varied to generate a turbulent flow having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000. In any case, the heat flux is efficiently transferred from the combustion fluid to the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer 30. - In one embodiment, the
pyrolyzer furnace 30 heats the coal-bearingmaterial 14 to a temperature within a range of approximately 650° F. to 1300° F. (approximately 340° C. to 700° C.) to fluidizevolatile materials 28 within the coal-bearingmaterial 14 and plasticize coal in the coal-bearingmaterial 14. In an alternate embodiment, thepyrolyzer furnace 30 heats the coal-bearingmaterial 14 containingvolatile materials 28 to a temperature to about 1700° F. (about 930° C.) or higher. As different volatile materials fluidize and different coals plasticize at different temperatures, it is contemplated that thepyrolyzer furnace 30 may heat the coal-bearing material to a selected temperature for fluidizing the volatile materials within the coal-bearing material and another selected temperature to plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. - The insulating
layer 60 may be a ceramic or other high temperature insulative material. It is contemplated that the insulatinglayer 60 may be a fabricated structure, a wrapped insulation blanket, a sprayed-on insulative material, or any other insulative or composite material around thepyrolyzer furnace 30. - In the embodiment of
FIGS. 1 and 2 , thedrive screw 26 ofpre-dryer 18 comprises a hollow drive shaft 27 in communication with thedryer conduit 50. In one embodiment, the pre-dryer drive shaft 27 further comprises a diverter to form an inner passageway between the diverter and an inner surface of the drive shaft 27, capable of diverting heated fluid adjacent the coal-bearing material moving through the pre-dryer 18. Alternately, the drive shaft 27 may be capable of receiving oil, and thedryer conduit 50 is in communication with an oil heater for heating the oil flowing through the drive shaft 27. In one embodiment, the drive shaft 27 is a Holo-Flite® screw capable of receiving oil heated by the hot combustion fluids from thedryer conduit 50. - In an alternate pyrolyzer embodiment shown in
FIGS. 5 and 6 , thepyrolyzer furnace 30 comprises doubleouter walls 31A forming anouter passageway 70 or heating jacket in thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31 at least partially around the drive screws 34. Theouter passageway 70 formed between theouter walls pyrolyzer furnace 30 in this embodiment is at least partially covered by the insulatinglayer 60. In the embodiment ofFIGS. 5 and 6 , thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31 comprises the partial doubleouter wall 31A, such that theouter passageway 70 surrounds a portion of the pyrolyzer furnace. Alternately, as in the embodiment ofFIGS. 7 and 8 , the doubleouter wall 31A forming the heating jacket of thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31, such that theouter passageway 70 surrounds thepyrolyzer furnace 30. - In this embodiment, a conduit, such as the
conduit 48, connects theouter passageway 70 to thecombustion chamber 42 for conveying exhausted combustion fluids from thecombustion chamber 42 into theouter passageway 70 heating jacket of thepyrolyzer furnace 30. Thecombustion chamber 42 is capable of combusting fluidizedvolatile materials 28 and/or other hydrocarbon fuels, and exhausting combustion fluids through theouter passageway 70 for heating the coal-bearing material and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material within the pyrolyzer furnace. - In the embodiments of
FIGS. 5 to 8 , theblower 44 may move the exhausted combustion fluids from thecombustion chamber 42 through theconduit 48, and into theinner passageways 68 of thedrive shafts 62 and theouter passageway 70, thereby heating the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. It is contemplated that the location, size, and shape of theinner passageways 68 and theouter passageway 70, and the ribs within, may be varied to cause the flow of heated fluid through said passageways to have a turbulent flow having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000. - The
outer passageway 70 may have fluid agitators or other devices positioned between the double walls of the heating jacket to cause a turbulent flow of heated combustion fluid therein. It is contemplated that the agitators or other devices may be protrusions, tabs, ribs, or other shapes suitable for causing turbulent flow in theouter passageway 70. It is further contemplated that the location, size, and shape of theouter passageway 70 may be varied to cause the flow of heated fluid through said passageway to have a turbulent flow having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000 to improve the heat flux efficiency from combustion fluids to the coal-bearing material to fluidize volatile materials from the coal-bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal-bearing material. - As shown in
FIGS. 7 and 8 , optionally, one or moremanifold conduits 76 may be provided for conveying heated combustion fluid to a selected portion of theouter passageway 70 along thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31. Themanifold conduits 76 may be in communication with thecombustion chamber 42, and capable of transferring heated combustion fluid to selected portions of theouter passageway 70 longitudinally along thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31. Themanifold conduits 76 may be provided to maintain a selected temperature distribution along thepyrolyzer furnace 30 to fluidize volatile material in the coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. In this embodiment, thecombustion chamber 42 may transfer throughconduit 48 combustion fluids to theinner passageways 68 and theouter passageway 70 which may then exit through themanifold conduits 76. At least oneexit conduit 78 may be provided for transferring combustion fluid out of theouter passageway 70. The heated combustion fluids may enter theouter passageway 70 through an entry end of thepyrolyzing furnace housing 31, one or moremanifold conduits 76, and other any suitable location. - As shown in
FIG. 9 , the flow of heated combustion fluid in theinner passageways 68 andouter passageway 70 may be opposite the direction of movement of coal-bearing material through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. In this embodiment, heated combustion fluid enters theouter passageway 70 by way of one or moremanifold conduits 76, and transfers out of theouter passageway 70 by way of one ormore exit conduits 78. - In one embodiment shown in
FIG. 10 , thepyrolyzer furnace 30 comprises at least three screws laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, the drive screws 34 being positioned such that each screw overlaps at least one other drive screw. In the embodiment ofFIG. 10 , two larger drive screws 34 are provided, and onesmall screw 80 is provided having a smaller diameter than adjacent drive screws 34 and positioned longitudinally through the furnace housing adjacent the drive screws. Thesmall screw 80 may be capable of conveying additional fine coal to the mix with the coal-bearing material or clearing coal-bearing material from the drive screws 34 through the pyrolyzer furnace housing. It is contemplated that alternate embodiments may comprise at least threedrive screws 34 and twoclearing screws 80 for either purpose. Alternately, four large drive screws 34 and three small clearing screws 80 may be provided. It is contemplated that any number of screws may be provided to accommodate a desired capacity of coal-bearing material to be processed. The small clearing screws 80 may flow counter-current to the large screws 34. - In one embodiment, clearing
screw 80 may comprise a hollow drive shaft and a diverter, forming an inner passageway being in communication with heated combustion fluids from thecombustion chamber 42, as disclosed above with reference to the larger drive screws 34. - As shown in
FIG. 11 , the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves may have a decreasing cross sectional area in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.FIG. 11 illustratespyrolyzer furnace 130 having a taperedpyrolyzer furnace housing 131 with a tapered outer wall forming a decreasing cross-sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material. In this embodiment, the taperedpyrolyzer furnace housing 131 comprises at least two rotatably mounted tapered drive screws 134, laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, and being capable of conveying coal-bearing material containingvolatile materials 28 through thepyrolyzer furnace 130. - As shown in
FIG. 11 , the tapered drive screws 134 comprise ascrew flight 84 having a decreasing diameter corresponding to the reducing cross section of thepyrolyzer furnace 130, andhollow drive shafts 62 in communication with thecombustion chamber 42. Thus, in this embodiment, theportion 86 located between thedrive shaft 62 and thepyrolyzer furnace housing 131, through which the coal-bearing material moves, decreases in cross sectional area along the length of the pyrolyzer furnace. - As coal-bearing material containing volatile materials is conveyed through the pyrolyzer of the embodiment of
FIG. 11 , the coal-bearing material is plasticized and forced into the reducingarea 86 by thescrew flight 84, thereby compacting the coal-bearing material as it is conveyed through the pyrolyzer furnace and becomes char. This compaction of the plasticized coal is accentuated if the coal in the coal-bearing material swells as some forms of coal do during plasticization. - In this embodiment, the
diverters 64 are positioned within thehollow drive shafts 62. Thediverter 64 comprises theouter surface 66 forming with the inner surface of thedrive shaft 62 aninner passageway 68 capable of diverting heated combustion fluid adjacent the coal-bearing material and provides high heat flux to coal-bearing materials moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 130 to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. In one embodiment, theblower 44 moves the exhausted combustion fluids from thecombustion chamber 42 through theconduit 48 and into theinner passageway 68 for directing heat flux to the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 130. - In an alternate compacting embodiment shown in
FIG. 12 , thepyrolyzer furnace 30 comprises at least two rotatable tapered drive screws 134, laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, capable of conveying coal-bearing material containing volatile materials and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. - In this embodiment, each
tapered drive screw 134 comprises a hollowtapered drive shaft 162 in communication with and heated by thecombustion chamber 42, and ascrew flight 184 having a given outside diameter adjacent to an inner wall of thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31. In this embodiment, thehollow drive shafts 162 through each drive screw has a tapered outer wall with an increasing diameter along the length of the screw in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material. The tapered outer wall of thedrive shaft 162 is capable of reducing the cross-sectional area of theportion 186 of thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31 through which the coal-bearing material moves, located between thehollow drive shaft 162 and thepyrolyzer furnace housing 31, in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing. Optionally, thepyrolyzer furnace 30 may comprise one ormore slots 88 to provide an area for the coal-bearing material to expand. - As the coal-bearing material containing volatile materials convey through the pyrolyzer of the embodiment of
FIG. 12 , the coal-bearing material is forced inportion 186 through a reduced cross-section by thescrew flight 184, thereby compacting and plasticizing the coal or coal-bearing material as it is conveyed through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. - In this embodiment, a
tapered diverter 164 is positioned within thehollow drive shafts 162. The tapereddiverter 164 comprises a reverse taper cooperating with the taper of thedrive shaft 162 to form one or moreinner passageways 168 through thedrive shaft 162, capable of diverting heated combustion fluid adjacent the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 30 to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. Theblower 44 moves the exhausted combustion fluids from thecombustion chamber 42 through theconduit 48 and into theinner passageway 168 for directing heat flux to the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 30. - In the embodiment of
FIG. 12 , optionally, thepyrolyzer furnace housing 131 may have tapered inner walls (not shown). The tapered inner walls may be coordinated with the tapered outer walls of thehollow drive shafts 162 to decrease the cross sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace. - In another alternate compacting embodiment shown in
FIG. 13 , thetapered pyrolyzer furnace 130 comprises at least two of the drive screws 34, laterally positioned adjacent and interleaved, and being capable of conveying coal-bearing material containing volatile materials through thepyrolyzer furnace 130 and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material. In the embodiment ofFIG. 13 , the drive screws 34 comprisehollow drive shafts 62 in communication with and heated by combustion fluid exhausted from thecombustion chamber 42. Two drive screws 34 are driven in a direction to move the coal-bearing material through thepyrolyzer furnace 130. - In this embodiment, the
pyrolyzer furnace 130 comprises a tapering volume above the drive screws 34. The volume above the drive screws 34 provides a space for coal-bearingmaterial 14, including coal particles to expand above the drive screws 34 as the temperature of the coal-bearing material increases and the volatile materials are fluidized and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material. In the embodiment ofFIG. 13 , the volume above the drive screws has a longitudinal taper with a reducing cross sectional area along the length of thepyrolyzer furnace housing 131 in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material. - Thus, in this embodiment, the portion of the
pyrolyzer furnace 130 through which the coal-bearing material moves has a decreasing volume along the length of the pyrolyzer. As coal-bearing material 1 containing volatile materials convey through the pyrolyzer of this embodiment, the coal-bearing material is forced into the reducing volume of thepyrolyzer furnace 130 by the drive screws 34, thereby compacting and plasticizing the coal in coal-bearing material as conveyed through the pyrolyzer. - In this embodiment, the
diverter 64 is positioned within thehollow drive shafts 62. Thediverter 64 comprises theouter surface 66 forming with the inner surface of thedrive shaft 62 aninner passageway 68 through thedrive shaft 62, capable of diverting and directing heat flux from the heated combustion fluid to adjacent the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 230, to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material. In one embodiment, theblower 44 moves the exhausted heated combustion fluids from thecombustion chamber 42 through theconduit 48 and into theinner passageways 68 of thedrive shafts 62 for heating the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 130. - In the embodiment of
FIG. 14 , apyrolyzer furnace 230 has a rotatable outer wall at least partially covered by an insulatinglayer 60. At least two drive screws 34 is laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, and capable of conveying coal-bearing material containingvolatile materials 28 through thepyrolyzer furnace 230, are rotatably mounted within the pyrolyzer furnace for conveying the coal or coal-bearingmaterial 14, including coal particles, through the pyrolyzer. - In the embodiment of
FIG. 14 , thepyrolyzer furnace 230 comprises a generally cylindricalpyrolyzer furnace housing 231, where at least a portion of thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231 is rotatably driven about its longitudinal axis. The end walls of the cylindrical furnace may be fixed relative to the rotating cylindrical portion. In this embodiment, the drive screws may be supported by non-rotating end walls or other non-rotating portion of thepyrolyzer furnace 230. - In this embodiment, each
drive screw 34 may rotate about its longitudinal axis, and the pyrolyzer furnace outer wall may rotate about its longitudinal axis. The longitudinal axes of the screws and the pyrolyzer furnace may be oriented in a fixed relationship. At least a portion of thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231 may be rotatable around the drive screws 34. - In the embodiment of
FIG. 14 , it is contemplated that thepyrolyzer furnace 230 may comprise a double outer wall forming a heating jacket (not shown) in thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231 at least partially around the drive screws 34. Such a double outer wall forms an outer passageway between the outer walls capable of conveying a flow of heated fluid adjacent to the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to direct heat flux to coal-bearing material fluidize the volatile materials therein and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material. In one embodiment, heated combustion fluid may be directed into the double wall cavity through a conduit, plenum or other channel through the non-rotating portion of thepyrolyzer furnace 230. - As shown in
FIG. 14 , eachdrive screw 34 may comprise ahollow drive shaft 62 in communication with thecombustion chamber 42. Thediverter 64 is positioned within thehollow drive shafts 62. Thediverter 64 comprises theouter surface 66 forming with an inner surface of thedrive shaft 62 aninner passageway 68 capable of diverting heated fluid adjacent the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 230, to fluidize thevolatile material 28 therein to improve the heat flux efficiency between the combustion fluid and the coal-bearing material to fluidize volatile material in the coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. Theblower 44 may move the exhausted combustion fluids from thecombustion chamber 42 through theconduit 48 and into theinner passageways 68 for direct heat flux to the coal or coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace 230. The location, size, and shape of theinner passageways 68 may be varied to cause the flow of heated fluid through said passageways to have a turbulent flow having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000 to improve heat flux. - The
conduit 48 connects thecombustion chamber 42 with thedrive shafts 62. Thecombustion chamber 42 is capable of combusting fluidizedvolatile materials 28 and/or other hydrocarbon fuels, and exhausting combustion fluids through theinner passageways 68. In one embodiment, theblower 44 moves exhausted combustion fluids through theconduit 48 and through theinner passageways 68. - The
diverter 64 may be centered within thehollow drive shaft 62 by a plurality ofribs 69 extending along theouter surface 66. The ribs may extend continuously the length of the diverter. Alternately, a plurality of small ribs holds the diverter in place. In one embodiment, theribs 69 have an airfoil shape. If desired, theribs 69 may be shaped and positioned to disrupt flow of gas through theinner passageway 68 for creating turbulent flow to improve heat flux. The ends of thediverter 64 may be tapered. Alternately, the ends of the diverter may be flat spherical, or any other shape suitable for directing flow into theinner passageways 68 and improving heat flux efficiency. - As shown in
FIGS. 14 and 15 , the insulatinglayer 60 may be a ceramic or other high temperature insulative material. The insulatinglayer 60 may be a fabricated structure, a wrapped insulation blanket, a sprayed-on insulative material, or any other insulative or composite material around thepyrolyzer furnace 230. - In one rotatable furnace embodiment shown in
FIG. 15 , thepyrolyzer furnace 230 may comprise at least three screws laterally positioned adjacent and overlapping, the screws being positioned such that each screw overlaps at least two other screws. Two larger drive screws 34 are provided, and onesmall screw 80 is provided having a smaller diameter than anadjacent drive screw 34. The small screw may be a clearing screw or a drive screw. It is contemplated that alternate embodiments (not shown) may comprise more than two larger drive screws 34 and at least twosmaller screws 80 arranged to convey fine coal particles to coal-bearing material within therotatable pyrolyzer furnace 230. Alternatively, the smaller screws may be used to clear coal-bearing material from the drive screws as the coal in the coal-bearing swells. - In one embodiment,
small screw 80 comprises a hollow drive shaft and a diverter, the hollow drive shaft being in communication with and heated by the combustion fluids fromcombustion chamber 42, as disclosed above with reference to the larger drive screws 34. - The char produced in the
pyrolyzer furnace 30 may be used in various commercial applications. In some commercial processes, the char may be mixed with supplemental materials, such as silicon or iron ore for use in other processes. The plasticized char may used directly in steel making or further processed into coke for use in a blast furnace. We have found that when the char is in a heated, plastic state within the pyrolyzer, other materials can be added and mixed with the plasticized char. The supplemental materials added to the plasticized char become well-mixed in the char when the char solidifies and cools. - In the embodiment of
FIG. 16 , thepyrolyzer furnace 30 comprises afirst zone 90 capable of fluidizing volatile materials and asecond zone 92 capable of mixing supplemental materials such as coal fines into the char. In the embodiment ofFIG. 16 , asecond zone inlet 94 may be provided for introducing supplemental materials into thefurnace housing 31. Thesecond zone inlet 94 may be positioned adjacent the beginning of thesecond zone 92. In this embodiment, thesecond zone 92 begins at a location where the coal-bearing material in the pyrolyzer furnace becomes molten and plasticized, or at about ⅓ of the length of the pyrolyzer furnace, and the supplemental material may be introduced into the second zone and mixed into the char. - The pyrolyzer furnace of any of the foregoing embodiments may heat the coal-bearing material to a temperature within a range of approximately 650° F. to 1300° F. (approximately 340° C. to 700° C.) to fluidize the
volatile materials 28 contained in the coal or coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. In an alternate embodiment, thepyrolyzer furnace 30 heats the coal-bearing material containingvolatile materials 28 to a temperature of approximately 1700° F. (approximately 930° C.) or higher. As different volatile materials fluidize at different temperatures and different coals plasticize at different temperatures, it is contemplated that thepyrolyzer furnace 30 may heat the coal-bearing material to a selected temperature for fluidizing the volatile materials within the coal-bearing material and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material being processed. - It is contemplated that the screw flights of the drive screws in any of the foregoing embodiments may be varied to process different coal-bearing material and at different rates. For example, for a given screw diameter, a screw flight may have tall, closely spaced flights as illustrated by
FIG. 17A , or short, spaced apart flights as illustrated byFIG. 17B . It is contemplated that the screw design may be varied depending on the heat flux properties of different coal or coal-bearing material being processed and desired production capacity. - In any of the foregoing embodiments, it is contemplated that the pyrolyzer may be inclined upwardly in the direction of movement of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing. An inclined pyrolyzer furnace may increase heat transfer by providing more surface contact between the coal-bearing material and the pyrolyzer. It is further contemplated that the incline angle may be variable to accommodate processing of different types of bituminous coal. An inclined pyrolyzer may also reduce the amount of floor space used by the pyrolyzer.
- The flow of exhausted combustion fluids through the
inner passageways 68, formed between the diverter and the inner surface of the hollow drive shaft, may be in the same direction as the drive screws move the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing. Alternately, the exhausting combustion fluids flow through the inner passageways opposite the direction of the coal-bearing material moving through the pyrolyzer furnace. - When some coal-bearing material c are heated in a pyrolyzer to a temperature sufficient to fluidize volatile materials, the coal or coal-bearing material transitions to a plastic stage. Some coals in a plastic stage have high viscosity, tar-like adhesive properties that cause the material to drag or stick to the screw flights. In one char making apparatus, one drive screw has a different screw pitch than an adjacent screw, and positioned such that one screw wipes material from other screw. Also, the drive screws 34 may be able to be reversed in rotation, or driven at different rotational speeds, to assist in keeping the drive screws 34 free of processed coal and coal-bearing material.
- It is contemplated that the pitch of a screw may change along the length of the screw to accommodate the coal-bearing material in a solid state at the entry end of the furnace to a plastic state within the furnace to forming char.
- Water may be introduced into any of the foregoing pyrolyzer furnace embodiments for partial gasification of the coal in coal-bearing material in the furnace. In one embodiment, water is introduced into the pyrolyzer furnace where the coal in coal-bearing material containing volatile materials reaches a temperature to fluidize the volatile materials and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material. The water may react with the fluidized volatile materials for producing carbon monoxide and hydrogen compounds such as hydrogen gas and methane in addition to char.
- It is contemplated that the fluidized
volatile materials 28 removed from the coal-bearing material may be sufficient to fuel theburners 46 in thecombustion chamber 42 without supplemental fuel. However, it is further contemplated that some coal-bearing material may not devolatilize a sufficient amount of volatile material to fuel thecombustion chamber 42, at least when starting a pyrolyzer furnace campaign. The hydrogen produced from the introduction of water may be used to additionally fuel thecombustion chamber 42. - By the pyrolyzer furnace, various carbon and hydrocarbon-bearing products, such as municipal waste, organic material, tires, hydrocarbon sludge, tar sand, oil shale, coal fines and other carbon-bearing materials may be effectively processed to heat the coal-bearing material and transfer the coal-bearing material into char.
- With reference to
FIG. 18 , an additional embodiment of apyrolyzer furnace 230 is shown. In this embodiment, coal-bearingmaterial 214 is delivered to thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231 throughscrew feeder 232 where thematerial 214 engages the interleaved pair of drive screws 234 and is processed intochar 240 which is delivered through anoutput 259 to a char cooler or the like. During the charring process, fluidizedvolatile materials 228 are released from the coal-bearingmaterial 214 to be processed in the combustion chamber into combustion fluids. The fluidizedvolatile materials 228 are removed from thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231 through anexhaust duct 235 and transferred to aplenum 237 that collects, stores, and provides a relatively steady flow of fluidizedvolatile materials 228 to abooster pump 238 that pressurizes thecoal gas 229. - Pressurized fluidized
volatile material 229 from thebooster pump 238 is transferred to a manifold 241 that feeds a number ofcombustion chambers 224A-D (referred to generally as 224) each having a combustion burner (not shown). Thecombustion chambers 224 receive the pressurized fluidizedvolatile material 229 from the manifold 241 and combust it to producecombustion fluids 243 that flow throughconduits 276 to thehollow drive shaft 262 typically in both of the interleaved drive screws 234 and to aheating jacket 270 having insulatinglayer 260 round thepyrolyzer housing 231. Thecombustion fluids 243 flow through theheating jacket 270 and are exhausted throughexit conduits 278 in fluid communication with awaste gas header 279. Thewaste gas header 279 communicates with awaste gas stack 281 for exhausting thecombustion fluids 243 to the atmosphere or additional treatment facility. - According to the embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 18 , thepyrolyzer furnace 230 includes fourcombustion chambers 224, labeled 224A-D. In this embodiment, afirst burner 224A is positioned adjacent one or both of thehollow drive shafts 262 extending through typically both of the interleaved drive screws 234. Thecombustion chamber 224A receives fluidizedvolatile material 229 frommanifold 241 and combusts it to produceheated combustion fluid 243. Thisheated combustion fluid 243 is moved through thehollow drive shafts 262 where it is diverted to theinner passageways 268 by thediverters 264, thereby improving heat flux to the coal-bearingmaterial 214 moving through the interleaved pair of drive screws 234 to heat the coal-bearingmaterial 214 moving through thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231. - Similarly,
combustion chambers 224B-224D receive fluidizedvolatile material 229 throughmanifold 241 and combusts the fluidizedvolatile material 229 to produceheated combustion fluid 243. Thisheated combustion fluid 243 is moved throughheating jacket 270, thereby also heating coal-bearingmaterial 214 moving through the interleaved pair of drive screws 234. As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19A-D,heating jacket 270 is formed with the insulatinglayer 260 and surrounds thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231. Thisheating jacket 270 is in fluid communication withcombustion chambers 224B-D throughmanifold conduits 276. Thecombustion chambers 224B-D combust fluidizedvolatile material 229 received throughmanifold 241 and moveheated combustion fluid 243 through themanifold conduit 276 into theheating jacket 270.Flow controllers 245 are positioned within the heating jacket (FIG. 19B ) to direct thecombustion gases 243 through theheating jacket 270 in a preferred flow pattern to exhaust throughexit conduits 278 positioned connected toheating jacket 270opposite combustion chambers 224 B-D. Thecombustion gases 243 exhausted through theexit conduits 278 are in fluid communication withwaste gas header 279. - In the embodiment illustrated in
FIGS. 18 and 19A ,combustion fluid 243 enters theheating jacket 270 at the underside of thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231, passes through themanifold conduits 276 and exits the upper side of thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231 through theexit conduits 278. As illustrated inFIG. 19B , thecombustion fluid 243 may enter one or the other side of thefurnace housing 231 and exit from the opposite side of thefurnace housing 231. Alternatively, as shown inFIG. 19C , themanifold conduit 276 andexit conduit 278 may be positioned to provide any desired path flow pattern usingflow controllers 245 directing heat flux from thecombustion fluid 243 to the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231, as desired. Other arrangements and variations are contemplated and will be apparent from the desired heat distribution through thejacket 270 to the coal-bearing material moving through thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231. - According to one embodiment of the system illustrated in
FIGS. 18 and 19A , theflow controllers 245 are positioned so that combustion gas flows more evenly around theheating jacket 270 and the heat flows through thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231 to the coal-bearing material is symmetrical within theheating jack 270. According to alternative embodiments, flowcontrollers 245 may direct more orless combustion fluid 243 in one direction or another, providing desired heat flux distribution about coal-bearing material moving through the furnace housing within thejacket 270. - In all of these embodiments, heat flux provided to the coal or coal-bearing
material 214 from thecombustion fluid 243 moving through theinner passageways 268 and theheating jacket 270 cause the coal-bearingmaterial 214 moving through thepyrolyzer furnace housing 231 to fluidize volatiles in the coal-bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material to formchar 240. Thecombustion fluid 243, with heat reduced, is then exhausted fromhollow shafts 262 andheating jacket 270. - With reference to
FIG. 20 , another embodiment of the improved pyrolyzer is shown. In this embodiment, theheating jacket 270 is separated by dividers 271 into separate heating zones, Z1, Z2, and Z3. The first zone Z1 extends from thescrew feeder 232 to a first divider 271A; the second zone Z2 from the first divider 271A to a second divider 271B; and the third zone Z3 from the second divider to theoutput 259. Each of these three heating zones may be independently controlled by the amount of heating ofcombustion fluids 243 by burning fluidized volatiles material withcombustion chambers material 214 as it moves through the length of the interleaved pair of drive screws 234. The coal-bearingmaterial 214 may travel at different desired rates as the coal-bearing material moves through the different zones along the interleaved pair of drive screws 234, and thereby be exposed to controlled heat flux levels in each of the heating zones for predetermined amounts of time. The dividers 271 may be positioned and insulated to inhibit heat transfer between adjacent zones and ensure proper heat flux levels within each of the zones. - According to the illustrated embodiment, the
first combustion chamber 224B provides combustion fluid to the first zone Z1 at a first temperature and heat flux rate to efficiently fluidize the volatiles in the coal-bearing material. This first temperature is selected to heat the coal-bearingmaterial 214 to temperature, e.g. 600-700° F., to efficiently result in a large amount of volatile materials in the coal-bearing material being released as gas or particulate, becoming fluidized in the atmosphere above the coal or coal-bearing material in thefurnace housing 231. These fluidized volatile materials are captured and conveyed byduct 235 to theplenum 237. - Further according to embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 20 , thesecond combustion chamber 224C provides heated combustion fluid to the second zone Z2 at a second temperature and heat flux rate to efficiently plasticize coal in the coal-bearingmaterial 214. This second temperature is selected to maintain the temperature of the coal-bearingmaterial 214 at a temperature of 650° F. and above, causing the coal or coal-bearing material to be efficiently plasticized and further release volatile materials into the surrounding atmosphere. The heat flux of this second zone Z2 is selected and maintained to raise the temperature of the coal-bearingmaterial 214 and provide for fluidizing the volatile materials and plasticizing coal in thecoal bearing material 214. The fluidized volatile materials are captured by theconduit duct 235 and conveyed to theplenum 237. The amount of fluidized volatile materials released in the second zone Z2 may be greater than that is released in the first zone Z1 of thefurnace housing 231. - As the coal in coal-bearing
material 214 plasticizes at temperature at approximately 640° F. and above, the coal becomes a high viscosity and adhesive liquid which may contain non-plasticized components of the coal-bearing material. During this plasticization phase, carbon from the coal forms into long chains while hydrogen, oxygen, and contaminants are released as gases or particulate matter. These gases and particulate matter are fluidized into the surrounding atmosphere where they are captured by theconduits 278 and conveyed to theplenum 237. - The plasticized carbon remaining, with most of the volatile materials released, comprises carbon which may agglomerate to devolatized chunks of char as they cool. According to one embodiment, non-coal-bearing material and certain coal that does not plasticize when heated to the plasticization temperature may also be included with the
char 240. To explain, as the plasticized coal agglomerates, particles of the non-coal material and non-plasticizing coal may be agglomerated into the plasticized coal. In addition, 20 mesh coal fines may be added to the coal-bearing material along the pyrolyzer housing and may be agglomerated into the plasticized coal, resulting in desirable char. - Finally, the
third combustion chamber 224D provides combustion fluid to the third zone Z3 at a third temperature. This third temperature is selected to maintain the coal-bearingmaterial 214 at the plasticization temperature of approximately 650° F. and above. Through this third zone, a large portion of the coal in the coal-bearingmaterial 214 is plasticized and converted intochar 240. - In each of the
combustion chambers 224, either the temperature or amount ofcombustion fluid 243 may be regulated. In order to control the temperature of thecombustion fluid 243, thecombustion chambers 224 may be supplemented as desired to mix the combustion fluid with an outside gas or fuel sources. This mixing may be regulated to produce a desired heat flux in each of the zones, thereby controlling the temperature of the combustion fluid in theheating jacket 270. Alternatively, the amount ofcombustion fluid 243 provided into theheating jacket 270 in each zone may be varied. By adjusting the rate of consumption of fluidizedvolatile materials 229 by theburner 224, the amount of heat introduced into theheating jacket 270 through thecombustion gas 243 may be varied to control fluidized volatiles in the coal-bearing and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material to formchar 240. As the coal-bearingmaterial 214 draws heat from the combustion fluid, the temperature of each zone may be controlled and fluidization of the volatiles in the coal-bearing and plasticization of coal in the coal-bearing material is controlled. - The embodiment illustrated in
FIG. 20 has three separate and distinct heating zones Z, each controlled by one or moreseparate combustion chambers 224. This embodiment may also refine the shape of thediverter 264 and theinner passageway 268 within the shaft of the drive screws 234 to control the heat flux to the coal-bearing material in each zone. Further, a separate combustion chamber may be provided for eachdrive screw 234 to provide desired temperatures and heat flux. - It is also contemplated that additional zones Z may be provided to establish different regions with different levels of heat flux with different temperatures in the
heating jacket 270. It is contemplated that the temperature and heat flux of eachindividual combustion chamber 224 can be independently and variably controlled. - In yet another embodiment of the present invention, the
char 240 discharged from thepyrolyzer 230 may be combined with a binder coal in order to produce briquetted metallurgical coke. A metallurgical coke is a dense, crush-resistant fuel for use in iron and steel making. According to a one description, metallurgical coke is material having a CRI (Coke Reactivity Index) less than 25% and a CSR (Coke Strength after Reaction) greater than 60%, as defined by ASTM standard D5341-99 (Standard Test Method for Measuring Coke Reactivity Index (CRI) and Coke Strength after Reaction (CSR)). In an alternative description, metallurgical coke is material having CRI and CSR relationship that falls between the dashed lines inFIG. 21 . - In the present briquetting process, a coal-bearing material having less than 30% volatile materials is produced to char in the
pyrolyzer 230. Thechar 240 from thepyrolyzer 230 is mixed with a binder coal having a mid or high fluidity as determined by ASTM standard D2639-08 (Standard Test Method for Plastic Properties of Coal by the Constant-Torque Gieseler Plastometer). The binder coal is ground and mixed with thechar 240 to form a blend. The blend is then mixed with a binding agent; such as bitumen, asphalt, coal tar pitch, or other petroleum, plant, or animal based viscoelastic polymer; and briquetted. The briquettes are then cured by heating and quenching, thereby producing coke briquettes suitable for metallurgical coke. - The binder coal has a fluidity of at least 2,000 ddpm and less than 15% volatile materials. The briquettes are comprised of 25-75% char, 15-70% binder coal, and less than 20% and generally 5-15% binding agent. The binder coal may have a fluidity of at least 5,000 ddpm and the briquettes comprise at least 60% char, 5% binding agent, and 30% binder coal.
- In making the briquettes, coal-bearing
material 214 may be ground to, for example, 12 to 20 mesh and processed intochar 240 in a twin-screwlongitudinal pyrolyzer furnace 230 by the above-described pyrolyzing process. Thechar 240 is delivered to a hopper for charging to a mill as described below to be mixed with the binder coal. - A binder coal is selected having a mid- to high-fluidity of at least 2,000 ddpm, and may have a fluidity of 5,000-11,000 ddpm or more. A high degree of coal fluidity is desired to provide briquettes with a high (SR value, although lower fluidity coals may also provide a high CSR value. Higher fluidity coals with a lower CSR value may be selected as these coals are seen as less desirable and therefore produce less expensive coke. The binder coal may be ground substantially smaller than the mesh size of the char to, for example, 50 to 70 mesh.
- The ground binder coal may be mixed, for example in a tumbler or pug mill mixer, with the char and a binding agent is applied to form a blended material. The blend may comprise 5 to 15% binding agent, 20 to 70% binder coal, and 25 to 70% char or may comprise 6 to 12% binding agent, 20 to 70% binder coal and 35 to 60% char. The mix of char and binder coal will depend on the binder coal selected, with a higher proportion of binder coal likely for coals having a lower fluidity.
- The blend is next briquetted in a compression briquetting machine, at, for example, a pressure of 560 to 600 bar, in a briquetting roll. These briquettes may then charged and heated in a furnace and thereafter quenched, thereby producing briquettes suitable for use as metallurgical coke.
- In various tests of the pyrolyzer and briquetting processes, char was produced in a twin-screw pyrolyzer and briquetted with a binding coal and binding agent and briquetted. The briquettes were carbonized and the strength (CSR) and reactivity (CRI) of the formed coke briquettes were measured according to a modified ASTM D5341-99 standard using uncrushed briquettes.
- The char may be formed in the twin-screw pyrolyzer as described above from two different sources of coal-bearing material: Teco Myra coal (described in Appendix A) and Solar Sources coal (described in Appendix B). Each of these coals may be mixed with one of two different binder coals: Virginia Crews (described in Appendix C) and Blue Creek 7 (described in Appendix D). A binding agent, asphalt Shell HV06, was then added to the mixture and the resultant blend was briquetted at 560 to 600 bar in briquetting rolls. Each of the blends comprised 60% char, 30% binder coal, and 10% binding agent.
- In order to test the CSR and CRI of the briquettes, the briquettes were carbonized in a Jenkner retort. The retort was preheated to about 600° C. at which point the briquettes were introduced to the oven. The oven was maintained at a constant temperature of about 600° C. for 80 minutes and increased to 1020° C. at a rate of 3° C./h. Finally the briquettes were maintained at 1020° C. for 60 minutes, and then cooled. The CSR and CRI of the briquettes was measured. CS0% is a measurement representing the cold strength of the briquettes as the fraction of pieces greater than 10 mm in size after 600 rotations in an I-drum. The results are reproduced in the following Table 1:
-
Briquette Blend CRI % CSR % CS0 % 60% Myra Char 32.6 55.8 79.3 30% Poca 3 60% Myra Char 25.9 67.3 88.7 30 % Virginia Crews 60% Myra Char 22.9 68.2 80.2 30% Blue Creek 7 60% Myra Char 27.9 66.0 88.6 15% Virginia Crews 15% Blue Creek 7 60% High Vol. Myra 26.0 70.3 90.3 30 % Virginia Crews 60% Solar Sources 29.6 60.1 84.5 30 % Virginia Crews 60% Solar Sources 33.0 53.2 80.7 30% Blue Creek 7 - A base test to determine the CSR/CRI of the coal briquettes was performed by combining Myra char with Poca 3 binder coal. The CSR and CRI of these briquettes were then determined. Various other binding coals were then selected and combined with char produced from either Tyco Myra or Solar Sources coal to form briquettes. The CSR and CRI of these briquettes was recorded and reproduced in the above Table 1. The CSR and CRI tests were carried out on uncrushed briquettes rather than crushed briquettes required by the ASTM standard, and so the comparison between various blends is made with respect to the briquettes formed using Tyco Myra char and Poca 3 binding coal.
- These briquettes were formed by crushing the char and bitumen to <1 mm and the binder coal to <0.212 mm separately in laboratory ball mills. 4-5 kg of each blend were prepared for briquetting. The blends were fed directly between the rolls of a briquetting machine operated from 560-600 bar to produce well shaped briquettes around 40 g each. The briquettes were next carbonized in a Jenkner retort by introducing the briquettes at 600° C. and keeping them at temperature for 80 minutes. The temperature was then increased to 1020° C. at 3° C./hour and held there for 60 minutes before cooling down.
- Once the briquettes had been formed and carbonized, the CSR and CRI of each type of briquette was determined and is reproduced in the above table. From this data, it was found that the binder coal has an important effect on the briquette's reactivity, which may also be dependent on the lump size. Further, higher rank coal, such as Tyco Myra, produces better CSR results than lower rank coals, such as Solar Sources. The volatile matter of the char has a limited effect on the CSR and CRI compared to the effect of the binder coal.
- As evidenced by Table 1, the mid-fluidity binder coal, Virginia Crews (2688 ddpm), produced a higher CSR than the low-fluidity Poca 3 (65 ddpm) briquettes. The reactivity of the briquettes was good using a mixture of high-fluidity and low fluidity coal, further evidencing the impact of high fluidity coals as suitable binder coal for producing metallurgical coke briquettes. As seen by Table 1, the blend with low fluidity Poca 3 was short of producing quality metallurgical coke.
- Also described in the present system and
apparatus 300 to produce metallurgical coke briquettes as illustrated inFIG. 22 . In this system, coal-bearingmaterial 214 is provided to apyrolyzer furnace 230 that produces, through the above-described pyrolyzing process,char 240. Thechar 240 is delivered from the pyrolyzer to achar hopper 302. Abinder coal hopper 304 holds and storesbinder coal 306 that is ground to a fine mesh, e.g. less than or equal to 60 mesh. - The
binder coal 306 andchar 240 are delivered from theirrespective hoppers conveyor 308 and delivered to acrusher 310, such as a roll crusher, that provide thechar 240 andbinder coal 306 of an appropriate size, which may be for example less than or equal to 60 mesh. The mixture is next delivered to amixer 312, such as a pug mill mixer, that an even mix of char and binder coal. - The mixture of
binder coal 306 andchar 240 is conveyed past atank 302 containing a binding agent 316 (asphalt), where the mixture is sprayed with thebinding agent 316 providing ablend 318 ofbinding agent 316,binder coal 306 andchar 240. Theblend 318 may comprise, for example, 10% binding agent, 30% binder coal and 60% char. The mixture may be within the range of 5 to 10% binding agent, 20 to 70% binder coal and 25 to 75 percent char. - The
blend 318 is next conveyed to a briquetter 320 to produce briquettes. The briquetter 320 may be a roll press briquetter that conveys theblend 318 into a briquette mold and applies a pressure to theblend 318 in the mold to formbriquettes 322. The roll presses may provide, for example, 560 to 600 bar pressure in forming the briquettes. The formedbriquettes 322 are transferred to abriquette hopper 324 for storage. - The
briquettes 322 in thehopper 324 may be conveyed through a chargingfurnace 326 and subsequently quenching thebriquettes 322. In anelongated charging furnace 326, the temperature of thebriquettes 322 is slowly increased to form hot briquettes, before submerging the briquettes into a water bath to quench them. Asbriquettes 322 are heated to a temperature sufficient to plasticize the binder coal within the briquettes in thefurnace 326, fluidized coal is caused to penetrate and strengthen the char to sufficient levels to form metallurgical coke. Further, as thebriquettes 322 are heated infurnace 326, volatile materials in the binding agent and binder coal are fluidized and released from the briquettes. These volatile materials may be captured and utilized in the pyrolyzer for heating the coal-bearing material as described above. Alternatively, the volatile materials may be processed to safely be exhausted through a stack, or captured and combusted to provide heating to the chargingfurnace 326. - The above-described ranges for the
char 240,binder coal 306 andbinding agent 316 for the blend may be varied depending on the particular compositions of thechar 240,binder coal 306 andbinding agent 316. For example, because thebinding agent 316 may contain a large proportion of volatile materials that will be exhausted from the briquettes during the charging tofurnace 326, a lower proportion of binding agent may be provided in theblend 318. By usingbinder coals 306 having a higher level of fluidity, the amount of bindingagent 316 required to bind the briquettes may be reduced to approximately 6 to 12%, depending on the coal composition. Very high levels ofbinder coal 306 fluidity may therefore be desired, to approximately 11,000 ddpm, reducing the preferred level ofbinding agent 316 in theblend 318. - During the coal charging process the
binder coal 306 plasticizes as it reaches the plasticization temperature and penetrates pores in thechar 240 to enhance the strength of thebriquettes 322. The proportion ofchar 240 tobinder coal 306 should therefore be controlled to provide the strength (CSR) and reactivity (CRI) of the briquettes at a desired level. The blend may comprise 35 to 65% char 240, with the remainder beingbinder coal 306 and binding agent. The proportion of char to binder coal may be, as with the binding agent, variable depending on the fluidity of the binder coal. A binder coal having a very high fluidity may be used with a high proportion of char. However, binder coals having a lower fluidity may tend to have a higher CSR, and therefore a lower proportion of char is usually appropriate to provide the threshold CSR values for metallurgical coke. - While the invention has been described with detailed reference to one or more embodiments, the disclosure is to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive. Modifications and alterations will occur to those skilled in the art upon a reading and understanding of this specification. It is intended to include all such modifications and alterations in so far as they come within the scope of the claims, or the equivalence thereof.
-
APPENDIX A Name Tyco Myra Proximate Analysis Moisture (%) — Ash (%/s) 8.7 Volatile Materials (%/s) 35.2 Volatile Materials (%/p) 38.55421 Fixed Carbon 56.1 Ultimate Analysis Carbon (%/s) 78.3 Hydrogen (%/s) 5.07 Oxygene (%/s) 7 Nitrogen (%/s) 1.54 Sulfur (%/s) 0.88 Chlorine (%/s) 0.18 Coking Properties Dilatometer Test T1 (° C.) 374 T2 (° C.) 415 T3 (° C.) 439 Concentration (%) −25 Dilation (%) 21 General Factor (—) — Plasticity T1 (° C.) 392 T2 (° C.) 428 T3 (° C.) 461 Max Fluidity 584 Maceral Analysis (measures) Vitrinite (%) 73.3 Exinite (%) 9.9 Inertinite 8.6 Semi-Fusinite 2.6 Fusinite 0.6 Other 0 Mineral Calc. (%) 5.097 Ash Analysis Provider (—) Socor SiO2 (%) 54.5 Al2O3 (%) 30.6 CaO (%) 1.8 MgO (%) 0.8 TiO2 (%) 1.6 Na2O (%) 0.7 K2O (%) 3.2 Fe2O3 (%) 6.1 Mn3O4 (%) 0.1 P2O5 (%) 0.2 SO3 (%) 0.5 Physical Properties Granularity <21 mm (%) — <19 mm (%) — <16 mm (%) — <10 mm (%) 100 <5 mm (%) 96.4 <3.15 mm (%) 89.5 <2 mm (%) 75.4 <1 mm (%) 51.6 <0.5 mm (%) 32.6 <0.2 mm (%) 15.8 <0.16 mm (%) 13.1 <0.1 mm (%) — -
APPENDIX B Name Solar Sources Proximate Analysis Moisture (%) — Ash (%/s) 8.6 Volatile Materials (%/s) 35.6 Volatile Materials (%/p) 38.94967 Fixed Carbon 55.8 Ultimate Analysis Carbon (%/s) 76.7 Hydrogen (%/s) 4.61 Oxygene (%/s) 7.9 Nitrogen (%/s) 1.45 Sulfur (%/s) 0.85 Chlorine (%/s) 0.03 Coking Properties Dilatometer Test T1 (° C.) 342 T2 (° C.) 409 T3 (° C.) 434 Concentration (%) −26 Dilation (%) 23 General Factor (—) — Plasticity T1 (° C.) 378 T2 (° C.) 422 T3 (° C.) 455 Max Fluidity 767 Maceral Analysis (measures) Vitrinite (%) 76.7 Exinite (%) 4.3 Inertinite 6.2 Semi-Fusinite 3.3 Fusinite 4.5 Other 0 Mineral Calc. (%) 5.036 Ash Analysis Provider (—) Socor SiO2 (%) 46.2 Al2O3 (%) 20.8 CaO (%) 12.5 MgO (%) 0.6 TiO2 (%) 1.1 Na2O (%) 0.6 K2O (%) 2.1 Fe2O3 (%) 6.6 Mn3O4 (%) 0.1 P2O5 (%) 0.2 SO3 (%) 9.3 Physical Properties Granularity <21 mm (%) — <19 mm (%) — <16 mm (%) — <10 mm (%) 100 <5 mm (%) 97.3 <3.15 mm (%) 89.2 <2 mm (%) 75.5 <1 mm (%) 50.9 <0.5 mm (%) 32.1 <0.2 mm (%) 15.3 <0.16 mm (%) 12.7 <0.1 mm (%) — -
APPENDIX C Name Poca 3 Proximate Analysis Moisture (%) — Ash (%/s) 7.8 Volatile Materials (%/s) 16.4 Volatile Materials (%/p) 7.78741 Fixed Carbon — Ultimate Analysis Carbon (%/s) — Hydrogen (%/s) — Oxygene (%/s) — Nitrogen (%/s) — Sulfur (%/s) — Chlorine (%/s) — Coking Properties Dilatometer Test T1 (° C.) 431 T2 (° C.) 456 T3 (° C.) 490 Concentration (%) −22 Dilation (%) 63 General Factor (—) — Plasticity T1 (° C.) 459 T2 (° C.) 477 T3 (° C.) 504 Max Fluidity 65 Maceral Analysis (measures) Vitrinite (%) 74.5 Exinite (%) 0 Inertinite 11.3 Semi-Fusinite 5.6 Fusinite 4 Other 0 Mineral Calc. (%) 4.548 Ash Analysis Provider (—) — SiO2 (%) — Al2O3 (%) — CaO (%) — MgO (%) — TiO2 (%) — Na2O (%) — K2O (%) — Fe2O3 (%) — Mn3O4 (%) — P2O5 (%) — SO3 (%) — Physical Properties Granularity <21 mm (%) — <19 mm (%) — <16 mm (%) — <10 mm (%) — <5 mm (%) — <3.15 mm (%) — <2 mm (%) — <1 mm (%) — <0.5 mm (%) — <0.2 mm (%) — <0.16 mm (%) — <0.1 mm (%) — -
APPENDIX D Name Virginia Crews Proximate Analysis Moisture (%) — Ash (%/s) 8.5 Volatile Materials (%/s) 26.1 Volatile Materials (%/p) 28.52459 Fixed Carbon — Ultimate Analysis Carbon (%/s) — Hydrogen (%/s) — Oxygene (%/s) — Nitrogen (%/s) — Sulfur (%/s) — Chlorine (%/s) — Coking Properties Dilatometer Test T1 (° C.) 371 T2 (° C.) 415 T3 (° C.) 469 Concentration (%) −23 Dilation (%) 180 General Factor (—) — Plasticity T1 (° C.) 395 T2 (° C.) 447 T3 (° C.) 492 Max Fluidity 2688 Maceral Analysis (measures) Vitrinite (%) 49.2 Exinite (%) 3.6 Inertinite 8.7 Semi-Fusinite 2.9 Fusinite 0.2 Other 0 Mineral Calc. (%) 5.036 Ash Analysis Provider (—) — SiO2 (%) — Al2O3 (%) — CaO (%) — MgO (%) — TiO2 (%) — Na2O (%) — K2O (%) — Fe2O3 (%) — Mn3O4 (%) — P2O5 (%) — SO3 (%) — Physical Properties Granularity <21 mm (%) — <19 mm (%) — <16 mm (%) — <10 mm (%) — <5 mm (%) — <3.15 mm (%) — <2 mm (%) — <1 mm (%) — <0.5 mm (%) — <0.2 mm (%) — <0.16 mm (%) — <0.1 mm (%) — -
APPENDIX E Name Blue Creek 7 Proximate Analysis Moisture (%) — Ash (%/s) 9.2 Volatile Materials (%/s) 19.8 Volatile Materials (%/p) 21.80616 Fixed Carbon — Ultimate Analysis Carbon (%/s) — Hydrogen (%/s) — Oxygene (%/s) — Nitrogen (%/s) — Sulfur (%/s) — Chlorine (%/s) — Coking Properties Dilatometer Test T1 (° C.) 414 T2 (° C.) 441 T3 (° C.) 486 Concentration (%) −18 Dilation (%) 120 General Factor (—) — Plasticity T1 (° C.) 415 T2 (° C.) 469 T3 (° C.) 500 Max Fluidity 719 Maceral Analysis (measures) Vitrinite (%) 80.6 Exinite (%) 0.2 Inertinite 7.8 Semi-Fusinite 5 Fusinite 1 Other 0 Mineral Calc. (%) 5.402 Ash Analysis Provider (—) — SiO2 (%) — Al2O3 (%) — CaO (%) — MgO (%) — TiO2 (%) — Na2O (%) — K2O (%) — Fe2O3 (%) — Mn3O4 (%) — P2O5 (%) — SO3 (%) — Physical Properties Granularity <21 mm (%) — <19 mm (%) — <16 mm (%) — <10 mm (%) — <5 mm (%) — <3.15 mm (%) — <2 mm (%) — <1 mm (%) — <0.5 mm (%) — <0.2 mm (%) — <0.16 mm (%) — <0.1 mm (%) —
Claims (20)
1. A method for making char comprising the steps of:
a. assembling a longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing having at least two rotatable drive screws laterally positioned and interleaved within the longitudinal furnace housing, and capable of conveying coal-bearing materials containing volatile material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing, each drive screw having a hollow drive shaft and a diverter longitudinally positioned within the drive shaft, the diverter forming with an inner surface of each drive shaft an inner passageway capable of directing heat flux to adjacent coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to fluidize the volatile material therein and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material;
b. assembling a heating jacket about the longitudinal furnace housing along at least a portion thereof in fluid communication with combustion fluid from multiple combustion chambers to provide heat flux from combustion fluid moving through the heating jacket to adjacent coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to fluidize the volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal bearing material;
c. assembling multiple combustion chambers adjacent the longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing capable of burning fluidized volatile material and, if desired, other hydrocarbon fuels, and exhausting combustion fluids through the inner passageway within the hollow drive shaft of the drive screws and the heating jacket of the pyrolyzer furnace housing to fluidize the volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal bearing material; and
d. rotating the drive screws to cause coal-bearing material containing volatile materials to move through the longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing to be heated by the heat flux from the combustion fluid to fluidize volatile material in the coal-bearing material and plasticize the coal in the coal-bearing material.
2. The method of making char as claimed in claim 1 , where the flow of combustion fluid through the inner passageways and heating jacket are in the same direction as the movement of the coal-bearing materials through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
3. The method of making char as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: providing a turbulent flow of combustion fluids through the inner passageways and the heating jacket having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000.
4. The method of making char as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: tapering outer walls of the hollow shafts of the drive screws downstream to cause the coal-bearing material to be compressed as it moves through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
5. The method of making char as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: reducing the cross sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of movement of the coal-bearing material through the housing to compress the coal-bearing materials as it moves through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
6. The method of making char as claimed in claim 1 , the step involve heating the volatile materials in the coal-bearing material and coal in the coal bearing material to a temperature within a range of approximately 650° F. to 1300° F.
7. The method of making char as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising the step of: raising an end of the pyrolyzer furnace housing to provide an elevation in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
8. The method of making char as claimed in claim 1 , where step a. involves: assembling at least three drive screws laterally positioned within the pyrolyzer furnace housing, with each screw being positioned such that each drive screw interleaves at least one other screw.
9. The method of making char as claimed in claim 1 , where the step of assembling pyrolyzer furnace housing includes forming at least two zones along its length, where the first zone is capable of fluidizing volatile materials, and the second zone is capable of mixing supplemental materials into the coal-bearing materials, and plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material in the second or subsequent zone.
10. The method of making char as claimed in claim 1 , where the step of assembling the pyrolyzer furnace housing includes forming at least two zones along its length, where the first zone is capable of fluidizing volatile materials, and at least one of the subsequent zones are capable of plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material.
11. A method of making char comprising the steps of:
a. assembling a longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing having at least two rotatable drive screws laterally positioned and interleaved within the longitudinal furnace housing, and capable of conveying coal-bearing materials containing volatile material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing, each drive screw having a hollow drive shaft and a diverter longitudinally positioned within the drive shaft, the diverter forming with an inner surface of each drive shaft an inner passageway to direct heat flux from combustion fluid moving through the inner passageway to adjacent the coal-bearing materials moving through the pyrolyzer furnace to fluidize the volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material, and having double outer walls in the furnace housing at least partially around the rotatable drive screws and forming an outer passageway between the outer walls, the outer passageway capable of conveying a flow of combustion fluid adjacent the coal-bearing materials through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to fluidize the volatile material therein;
b. assembling combustion chambers adjacent the longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing capable of burning fluidized volatile material and, if desired, other hydrocarbon fuels, and conveying combustion fluids through the inner passageway within the hollow drive shaft of the rotatable drive screws and the outer passageway in the pyrolyzer furnace housing to provide heat flux to fluidize the volatile material in the coal bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material; and
c. rotating the drive screws to cause coal-bearing material containing volatile materials to move through the longitudinal pyrolyzer furnace housing and be heated to a temperature to fluidize volatile materials in the coal bearing material and plasticize coal in the coal-bearing material.
12. The method of making char as claimed in claim 11 , where the flow of combustion fluid through the inner passageways and outer passageways in the furnace housing are in the same direction as the movement of the coal-bearing materials through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
13. The method of making char as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising the step of: providing a turbulent flow of combustion fluids through the inner passageway and the outer passageway having a Reynolds Number greater than 4000.
14. The method of making char as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising the step of: tapering outer walls of the hollow shafts of the drive screws downstream to cause the coal-bearing material to be compressed as it moves through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
15. The method of making char as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising the step of: reducing the cross sectional area of the portion of the pyrolyzer furnace housing through which the coal-bearing material moves in the direction of movement of the coal-bearing material through the housing to compress the coal-bearing materials as it moves through the pyrolyzer furnace housing to compact the char before exiting the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
16. The method of making char as claimed in claim 11 , the steps involve heating the volatile materials in the coal-bearing material and coal in the coal bearing material to a temperature within a range of approximately 650° F. to 1300° F.
17. The method of making char as claimed in claim 11 , further comprising the step of: raising an end of the pyrolyzer furnace housing to provide an elevation in the direction of travel of the coal-bearing material through the pyrolyzer furnace housing.
18. The method of making char as claimed in claim 11 , where step a. involves: assembling at least three drive screws laterally positioned within the pyrolyzer furnace housing, with each screw being positioned to overlap with at least one other screw.
19. The method of making char as claimed in claim 11 , where the step of assembling pyrolyzer furnace housing include forming at least two zones along its length, where the heat flux is capable of fluidizing volatile materials in the first zone, and the second zone is capable of mixing supplemental materials into the coal-bearing materials, and the heat flux is capable of plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material in the second and/or subsequent zones.
20. The method of making char as claimed in claim 11 , where the step of assembling the pyrolyzer furnace housing includes forming at least two zones along its length, where the heat flux is capable of fluidizing volatile materials in the first zone, and the heat flux are capable of plasticizing coal in the coal-bearing material in at least one of the subsequent zones.
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US14/636,666 US20150175889A1 (en) | 2006-12-26 | 2015-03-03 | Pyrolyzer furnace apparatus and method for operation thereof |
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US87186306P | 2006-12-26 | 2006-12-26 | |
US11/959,581 US8444828B2 (en) | 2006-12-26 | 2007-12-19 | Pyrolyzer furnace apparatus and method for operation thereof |
US13/608,703 US9045693B2 (en) | 2006-12-26 | 2012-09-10 | Pyrolyzer furnace apparatus and method for operation thereof |
US14/636,666 US20150175889A1 (en) | 2006-12-26 | 2015-03-03 | Pyrolyzer furnace apparatus and method for operation thereof |
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CN110286053A (en) * | 2019-06-17 | 2019-09-27 | 包头钢铁(集团)有限责任公司 | A method of detection lead oxide STRENGTH ON COKE Effect of Thermal Performance |
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US9045693B2 (en) | 2015-06-02 |
US20130240343A1 (en) | 2013-09-19 |
US20150175888A1 (en) | 2015-06-25 |
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