WO2014027054A2

WO2014027054A2 - Biomass-based fuel, production thereof and suitable supply system

Info

Publication number: WO2014027054A2
Application number: PCT/EP2013/067048
Authority: WO
Inventors: Didier Bernard
Original assignee: Didier Bernard
Priority date: 2012-08-14
Filing date: 2013-08-14
Publication date: 2014-02-20
Also published as: WO2014027054A3

Abstract

A spherically shaped solid fuel consisting of residues of fruit or berries (peel, pulp, endocarp, stones) and organic adhesive, and comprising less than 15% of water, preferably less than 10% of water. The fuel is preferably based on olive residues and comprises more than 40% by weight of ground endocarps. The invention also comprises a forming process and a process for supplying a furnace suitable for the fuel.

Description

Biomass fuel, its manufacture and adapted feeding system.

The present invention aims, inter alia, to promote and facilitate the use of biomass fuels by the use of appropriate pellets and the automation of the continuous charging of the heating modules.

The invention proposes the use, as fuels, of cores, in particular endocarps, fruits or berries, for example olives.

Crushed and dried olive kernels are produced in very large quantities in a form called pomace which happens to be the by-product of the extraction process of olive oil consisting of skins, pulp residues, seeds and fragments of dried nuclei called "endocarps".

The use of olive kernels treated as fuel is known. It is usually in the form of pellets, pellets, briquettes or logs.

Thus, patent document FR 2 936 810 discloses a combustible material based on olive pomace and wood residues.

Furthermore, other patent documents also deal with the use of fruit endocarps, in particular olives, for the preparation of fuels. such as EP 1852495, DE 10200703277, WO200905363.

The object of the invention is, however, to obtain an even better product, in particular in terms of calorific value, and to produce fuel that can be transported automatically and continuously in supply ducts for modules. such as fireplaces, fireplaces or boilers.

The present application also describes the construction of a system for transporting biomass fuels through supply ducts, and the adaptation of these biomass fuels into balls making it possible to constitute a migratory element.

The invention has been thoroughly studied to make all elements compatible so as to favor the use of biomass for the purpose of comfort as obtained with most fuels but with an advantageous purchase cost.

The invention has highlighted by way of example the shaping of 6 types of balls differentiated by their diameters. Each ball has been dimensioned compared to standard PVC pipe conduits that will be used for the automatic feeding of a combustion point, and in relation to its energy power. The invention described in more detail below is the result of an economic study, and the details are naturally subject to modifications, as well as integration, functions, dimensions, and mechanical or technical characteristics depending on commercial achievement and market requirements. The description which follows is essentially illustrative and in no way limits the scope of the patent application which will be defined only by the claims interpreted in light of the description.

Certain aspects of the invention are further illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawings, in which; FIG. 1 illustrates a molding impression that can be used for the production of spherical balls according to the invention, FIG. 2 illustrates a mechanism for thrusting the balls in a tubular distribution network of the balls according to the invention.

According to the invention, the biomass balls consist essentially of three components:

- endocarps of fruit or berry that are lignified, sclerous or cartilaginous forming the wall of the nucleus containing the fruit or berry seed.

Examples of fruit: cherries, apricots, peaches, walnuts, almonds, pecans, olives, argan, dates, coconut, grapes. - olive pomace, which is a by-product of the extraction process of olive oil consisting of skins, pulp residues and

fragments of dried nuclei called "endocarps". Generally, the percentage of endocarp fragments is +/- 50% by weight of the rest of the pomace (epicarp, mesocarp and seeds). aggregating agent such as starch in the form of semi-crystalline granules originating from cereals and potatoes, in the form of agar, gelatin or, according to a preferred embodiment of the invention, bone glue (bone meal or fish meal, MBM). It has been observed that the amount of dilution water to obtain a bone meal glue is much lower than that

necessary to obtain glue based on starch (up to 4 times less). The process for the manufacture of a ball involves:

a phase of grinding and / or calibration of the three components,

a mixing phase,

a phase of shaping the ball,

- a drying phase.

By way of example, these phases are further described below: Phase 1:

The endocarps are milled to obtain fragments of the desired type of beads, ie from 3 to 9 mm, preferably from 4 to 6 mm. The grignon is dried and calibrated to a diameter of less than 4mm, preferably less than 2mm.

Starch and / or bone meal is mixed with a

percentage of water defined in the mixture below for get a bone or starch glue. The starch must be heated to 70 ° C to become viscous and translucent. Will be called the following ^x starch paste. Phase 2:

For carrying out an exemplary basic mixture, it is assembled at room temperature +/- 62% of endocarps, +/- 31% of pomace prepared in phase 1 and the starch paste which represents 6.2% of starch or bone paste and +/- 31% of water prepared in phase 1.

The three ingredients are kneaded to obtain a

base mixture comprising homogeneously the crushed endocarp pieces.

Phase 3:

The basic mixture is transformed into balls

essentially smooth and spherical, as described

further below. The diameter of the ball-sphere is advantageously from 12 to 100 mm.

Well round and solid biomass fuel balls can be composed as a standard of +/- 80%

of endocarps, high calorific fuels with slow combustion and 20% of epicarp and

mesocarps, and seeds, perfectly dry to high

calorific powers with rapid combustion.

I. Raw materials As mentioned, fragments of cores or endocarp, made of very hard wood with a high calorific value can make up more than 80% of the logs. At most As the beads are rich in endocarp, the higher the yield, the better.

As examples of fruit and berry endocarp is a by-product of the food industry include: Olive (01), Argan (Ar), Fisheries (Pê) (Prunus persica), Datte (Da) (Phoenix dactylifera ), Plums - Prune (Pr) (Prunus domestica), Apricot (Ab) (Prunus armeniaca) photo n ° 3, Grape (Ra), Cherry (Ce), etc. The endocarp is very weather resistant (more than 15 years) and is not easily degradable.

The use of the endocarp as a biomass fuel for heating or for heating must, according to the invention, have the following characteristics. First characteristic, the endocarp must be lignified, or cartilaginous. Second obligation, the endocarp must be pure that is to say, must not contain pebbles or other impurities, the endocarp must not have been treated with chemicals or contain spores or unsuitable oil residues to combustion and can release gases or substances bad in the air. According to the third characteristic, the endocarp must not have a moisture content greater than 10%. The fourth characteristic, the endocarp will have a size in relation to the choice of the balls for which the endocarp has been affected. The refined olive olives (GOR), which can compose more or less 20% of the balls according to the invention is the name that has been given to the solid residues of olives. The olive residues are the solid residues resulting from the extraction of oil, whereas the liquid residues are called margines. The term "grignon" is however the only one used in the regulations, the only difference between the classic pomace and pasty pomace (GOP) being the water content.

It will be noted that according to other embodiments of the invention, the crankcase can be totally or partially replaced by components based on straw or fodder.

II. Log making

For use according to one aspect of the invention, the finished balls must have the following characteristics to be compatible with the "ball pusher" which will allow the supply to a combustion device. The first obligation is to be the most perfectly spherical and smooth to move, possibly rolling, and move the other balls easily. The second obligation is to be very resistant to pressure and shocks. The third obligation is to be composed as much as possible of endocarp (up to 95%), which is a slow combustion fuel. The fourth obligation is to ignite quickly, thanks to the skin dust and pulp which are olive residues which constitutes a fast-burning fuel.

In the applicant's internal literature a nomenclature has been created defining the different elements that may be involved in the production process: Olive (01), Argan (Ar), Peach (Pê) (Prunus persica), Datte (Da) (Phoenix dactylifera) ), Plums - Prune (Pr) (Prunus domestica), Apricot (Ab) (Prunus armeniaca), Grape (Ra), Cherry (N) (No), Coconut (NC) Pacane (Pa). Crude Olive Oils (GOB), Refined Olive Oils (GOR), Pastry Olives (GOP). The starch paste (Acolle) The refined Refined Olive Oignons (GOR ² ). The refined olive pomace dough mixed with starch (acolgop ² ). The percentage of a component is expressed by weight.

III. Phase 1, the preparation of the ball paste or

"Basic Paste" includes the following steps:

First step, the starch paste is prepared by mixing it with water, thus obtaining unstable starch in water, one of the starch milk. This starch milk while continuing to mix it is heated in a water bath at a temperature of 70 ° C. By increasing the temperature the mixture will become progressively viscous and translucent. The starch paste (Acolle) can then be cooled. Surprisingly it has been found that the starch can be advantageously replaced by bone glue.

Second stage is prepared the refined olive cake (GOR) that has been previously dried, and reduced to a particle size of maximum 1 to 4 millimeters. (GOR1) "code 1" represents the largest diameter of the pomace fragment equal to or smaller than 1 millimeter. The purpose of this ingredient is indeed to infiltrate between the interstices that will leave the endocarp component during the formation of the ball in order to make the beads as incompressible as possible.

The third step is to treat the third ingredient, the endocarp and crush it to a dimension that will reduce the interstices between the endocarpal fragments so that it is most present and homogeneous in the beads. It should be noted that the endocarp is a very solid product much stronger than wood, and exaggerate the crushing at a significant cost in energy which it is absolutely necessary to avoid, because that would graft the final price of the balls. After a granulometric and granulomorphic analysis the code "4" defines the diameter of the endocarp fragment equal to or smaller than 4 millimeters. For example, the "014" represents fragments of endocarps of olives with a maximum diameter of 4 millimeters, this does not necessarily represent a sphere, but rather any fragment. For the code "015" represents fragments of endocarps of olives of maximum diameter 5 millimeters. For the code "P6" represents fragments of peach endocarps with a maximum diameter of 6 millimeters, and so on for all endocarps claimed for the practice of the present invention.

In the fourth step, the GOR "1 to 4" (the calibrated olive oil) and Acolle (eg the cooled starch paste) are mixed at ambient temperature to give a dark green, homogenous paste of olive oil. calibrated olives totally impregnated with glue paste (starch or bone meal) which will be named acolgop "1 to 4". A sticky agent with a biological base is thus obtained to assemble the endocarp pieces. The fifth step is to carefully mix acolgop "1 to 4" with the endocarp calibrated to obtain a paste that we call "base paste". The "base dough" can therefore be elaborated from a assortment of various endocarp components with the same or different granulometry and granulomorphy.

It will be noted, however, that in a less preferential manner the addition of the endocarp can also be carried out before mixing with the glue.

IV. Phase 2, the shaping of the balls The shaping of the balls according to the invention consists in molding the "base paste" in the form of beads adapted to the supply and pipe system of a combustion device chosen, such as a heating fire. The shaping is obtained by an apparatus to the principle known per se, for example for the manufacture of "coal balls". Half-ball impression molds are used, attached via a rail, with two drums and running smoothly in front of dough-carrying screws and rotating brushes. The translation screws rotate at a constant speed and push the dough into the molds. Special rotating brushes make it easy to fill and drain excess dough. A drum filled with molds filled with dough is positioned during the rotation against the other drum also filled molds filled with similar half-ball impression. The paste of each half-fingerprint associates by contact so as to form a ball.

The drums continue their races and the balls, under the influence of the gravity, and possibly of a light current of air, unhook from the mold and fall on a carrier which will lead them to the drying. According to the invention, an impression particularly suitable for molding the base paste is used.

Fig. 1 schematically illustrates in fact an example molding impression shown in section, which can be used for the manufacture of spherical balls according to the invention. It consists essentially of three pieces. 1. The shape of the central piece 1 has the semi-circumference of the ball minus the assembly area. A central perforation 2 is intended to provide stall ventilation of the ball thus avoiding a suction effect and / or allows stall blowing. As for the attachment to the base 5, a clip can be used placed in a groove 3 provided for this purpose.

2. The sleeve 4 of the impression, is a piece made of brass with or without Niflor coating. The main features of Niflor are the resistance to corrosion and wear and is uniformly deposited on the part. The purpose of the jacket 4 is to receive the paste throughout the impression during filling, which will determine the quantity of paste to be introduced into the impression. The shirts retract on both sides when merging the two half-spheres. The jacket 4 is subjected to a force produced by belleville springs 6 of +/- 25Nm. After assembly and ejection of the spheres the shirt takes its place. The dimensions are adapted to the size of the desired ball and to the other two elements that make up the imprint. 3. The base 5 of the impression, is a piece made of stainless steel with Niflor coating. The base has two functions. The first is to align the Ertacetal or Ertalon centerpiece or a central part assembly to the "coal ball making type" drum rail or "waffle type" forming platform. The second function is to ensure the alignment of the impression and the shirt for a perfect cooperation of the whole.

V. Phase 3, Ball Drying

The drying of the beads may be natural or caused in a dryer device. The drying time depends on many parameters: the moisture content of the base paste, the ambient temperature, the type of drying, which can be a predominant energy station and which will influence the price of the balls. However, the relative humidity of the balls according to the invention before packaging must be less than 15%, preferably less than 10%.

According to the invention there is also provided a fuel supply system for one or more combustion devices comprising supply ducts in the form of rigid or flexible cylindrical pipes (eg PVC) possibly arranged in a distribution circuit to the path complex. The diameter of conduits for the balls are adapted to the diameters of the balls which are for example 13 mm, 15 mm, 19 mm, 24 mm, 29 mm and 40 mm.

The balls are, according to this new device forming part of the invention, pushed by an electric pusher device, itself fed to the storage place of the balls. For example, the "ball pusher" may have a length of 220 mm to 300 mm and comprises a translational spiral fed by lateral holes themselves connected to the storage location via p.e. a hopper. For 13 mm balls, the diameter of the pusher device is 40 to 50 mm; for 24mm balls: the diameter is 75 mm; for 29 mm balls: the diameter is 90 mm; for 40 mm balls: the diameter is 110 mm. As shown in FIG. 2 in a particular embodiment, the following elements are provided.

The "pusher" consists of a cone 20 to guide the balls to the distribution ducts 21, conduits p.e rigid PVC. This cone 21 is fixed by clips

on a cylinder 25 which is the envelope allowing

to use the pusher in any position. Advantageously the cylinder will be transparent for

allow a visual check. This cylinder 25 is perforated with 3 or 4 holes 24, on either side, allowing access of the balls to the spiral 22 and advance them in the cylinder 25. The spiral 22 consists of a round 2mm diameter smooth forming 3 turns, and is fixed on either side to an axis 27 8 to 10 mm in diameter which is the axis of rotation coupled to the micromotor-gearbox 30.

The spiral 22 is finished on the cone side 20 by a flange 23 for thrusting the balls in the cone 20.

The cylinder 25 is equipped on its inner side with longitudinal guides 29, 29 'allowing the balls which are pushed by the spiral 22 to follow an advance parallel to the axis 27. The cylinder 25 is fixed to the gearmotor 30 by

mechanical fastening, at the same level as openings 28 for evacuating damaged balls or banknote residues (eg by gravity).

The geared motor 30 consists of a low-noise direct current motor, a gear reducer for converting the motor speed at an axis speed of 50 rpm. A spring 31 makes it possible to keep the gearmotor 30 in the operating position without excessive resistance of

operation. If a ball or any other element causes such resistance to the spiral 22, this resistance will affect the gearmotor 30 through the spring 31. It will show a displacement of the force module to act on a switch 33 cutting or restoring automatically power the motor.

The choice of linear helical spiral can be made for example according to four criteria. The first criterion is of course the diameter of the balls which must be determined by the diameter of the conduit or standard pipe.

The second criterion concerns the management of the balls by the "ball pusher". Advantageously, the "ball pusher" should take charge

successively a minimum of three balls to cause imbalances in the arch formation of the balls in a feed silo. The obligation for

"ball pusher" to support more than one ball at a time avoids as much as possible

the absence of balls in the spiral, which would lead to a risk of distribution interruption upstream.

The third criterion relates to the fact that one is obliged to tolerate in the translation cylinder so that the balls have a comfortable translation advance without being damaged, but also to avoid being hampered by fragments of endocarps to be eliminated. for possible recycling.

The fourth criterion is predominant, the spiral

Linear Helical 22 is the structural element designed to maintain and accumulate mechanical energy and work on the principle of flexible deformation of material in tension. The linear helical spiral is among the component of the most stressed machine and must be the interceptor of static forces and

dynamic, while ensuring the movement of the balls with the greatest precaution and the least friction. To do this the secondary function of the spiral is

to evaluate, according to the course and magnitude of its deformation, its load in translation, so as to ensure for example the engagement of a micro-switch to stop the reducing micromotor. The reducing micromotor 30 of the industrial type to the epicyclic gear train may have the following technical characteristics:

By way of example, the motor has a power of 3.5 watts, a voltage of 3V and an intensity of 1.17 ampere continuously, or 12 volts continuously and 0.266 amperes. He is able to keep a 100% continuous diet for 2 years ie 730 days of 24 hours. The gearbox output shaft will rotate at a speed of 50 rpm. The thrusting fin 23 is the piece which is placed directly at the end of the helical spiral 22 on the side of the truncated cone. This palm is made of standard steel and will have the shape intended for the manual propulsion of the balls in the pipe. The point of support of the palm to ensure its propulsive force is the end of the spiral after fixing the spiral to the central axis of rotation. This attachment is preferably welded.

~ k ~ k ~ k

The invention thus discloses generally a

solid fuel in the form of pellets, spherical or not, comprising or consisting essentially of fruit or berry residues (skin, pulp, endocarp, cores) and organic glue, and comprising less than 15% water, preferably less than 10% water. For fuel in the form of logs, granules, or briquettes, the forming can be carried out by techniques known per se.

The fruit can advantageously be the olive.

The pellets comprise more than 40% by weight of crushed endocarps with a particle size of between 3 and 9 mm. Organic glue is a glue based on bone meal or starch.

The endocarp content is greater than 40%,

preferably 75% more preferably 90%. The pellets advantageously have a size ranging from 8 to 50 mm.

Olive pomace and glue are mixed and used to form the pellets by filling in the interstices between the endocarp fragments. The grouse is calibrated to less than 2 mm, and the endocarp component is 4-9 mm.

The granulometry of the pomace is always smaller than that of the endocarp fragments.

If the pellets are spherical in shape, they can be advantageously used in an automatic heating feed system comprising a feed pipe pellets, the latter being pushed by a suitable push motor system having a helical drive.

Claims

1. Solid fuel in the form of pellets consisting essentially of fruit or berry residues (skin, pulp, endocarp, cores) and organic glue, and comprising less than 15% water, preferably less than 10% water characterized in that it is spherical in shape and comprises more than 40% by weight of crushed endocarps with a particle size of between 3 and 9 mm.

2. Fuel according to claim 1 wherein the glue is a glue based on bone meal.

3. Combustible according to claim 2 wherein the glue is based on starch.

A spherical solid fuel according to any one of the preceding claims consisting of more than 60% by weight fruit or berry endocarps.

5. Solid fuel of spherical shape according to

preceding claim composed of more than 90% by weight of endocarps of fruit or berry.

Spherical fuel according to any one of the preceding claims having a diameter of 8 to 50 mm.

Spherical fuel according to any one of the preceding claims of which said residues

include dried olive olives and calibrated to a diameter of less than 2 mm.

8. Fuel by any of the

preceding claims in which the fruit or bay is the olive.

9. Fuel by any of the

claims 1-8 wherein the fruit or berry is argan, peach, date, walnut, plum, prune, apricot, grape or cherry.

10. Fuel by any of the

preceding claims wherein the endocarp fragments present are larger than the particle size of said residues-pomace.

11. Fuel by any of the

preceding claims in which the endocarp fragments present are of substantially homogeneous composition and the residues are from fruits or berries having been compressed and crushed for the extraction of their oil.

12. Fuel by any of

previous claims from different fruits or berries.

13. Process for obtaining a fuel according to any one of the preceding claims, comprising the steps of

grinding said residues and / or endocarps

- mixing with starch or aqueous bone meal in the form of paste, - shaping,

- drying.

14. Method according to the preceding claim wherein the grinding of the residues is up to a calibration of 1 to 4 mm.

15. Method according to any one of claims 13 or 14 comprising, after mixing, a phase

addition of endocarp fragments varying in size from 3 to 9 mm, preferably from 4 to 6 mm, before mixing with the aqueous starch, to produce a paste of starch and fruit or berry residues.

16. The method according to any one of claims 13 to 15 wherein the shaping is obtained in a mold receiving a precise amount of dough which is compressed between 2 and 8 bar, preferably about 5 bar, for less than 2 seconds, preferably less than one second.

17. Method according to the preceding claim wherein the compression is accompanied by a slight rotation of a mold cavity.

18. The method of claim 14 or 15 wherein the mold is blown to produce a ball.

19. Method according to any one of claims 13 to 18 wherein the ball obtained is rolled before the drying operation.

20. Heating Module Supply System

comprising at least one fuel supply pipe or conduit (21), said system being adapted to the

fuel according to any one of the preceding claims, the pipes being of an inner diameter slightly greater than the diameter of the spherical fuel to be transported, one sphere following the other, and thus able to vary from 9 to 55 mmm, system further comprising a fuel bead introduction station in the form of a pusher motor (30) coupled to a cylinder (25) receiving via said lateral openings (28) said balls with drive

helically to a cone (20) connected to said pipe (21).

21. Feeding system according to claim

previous in which the cone (21) serves to guide the balls towards the pipe or pipes, and the cylinder is a perforated cylinder with 3 or 4 holes (24) allowing access of the balls to said system via the pushing spiral (22) actuated by the motor (30), preferably a

micromotor-reducer.

22. Feeding system according to any of the claims wherein the spiral (22) is

consisting of a round forming 3 turns and being fixed on either side to a pivot shaft (27) coupled to said motor (30).

23. Feeding system according to any one of claims 20 to 22 wherein the spiral (22) is cone-end confined by a flipper (23).

24. Feeding system according to any of the claims wherein it is provided downstream of the spiral-push vent openings (28) damaged balls or ball residues.

25. Fuel system according to any one of claims 20 to 24 wherein the geared motor (30) has an axis speed of 30 to 60 revolutions per minute.

26. Feeding system according to any one of claims 11 to 23 wherein the geared motor (30) has a switch (33) cutting or restoring

automatically power the motor if an abnormal resistance appears in the rotation of the spiral.

27. Feeding system according to any one of the claims in which there are several pipes, rigid or flexible, straight or curved, forming a network with bifurcation able to supply several heating modules.

28. Base paste for the manufacture of spherical fuel elements according to any of claims 1 to 12.