US 10,329,493 B2Granted

Reciprocating biomass conversion scheme

AssigneeThe Trustees of the Stevens Institute of Technology

InventorNicholaus Joseph Parziale

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Abstract

A method for converting a biomass to a bio-oil includes providing a four-stroke internal combustion engine having at least one cylinder, at least one piston, and a crankshaft coupled to each of the at least one piston. The method also includes coupling a power source to the crankshaft in a manner such that the power source drives rotation of the crankshaft. The method also includes injecting a first mixture including a biomass and a non-oxidizing compression gas into one of the cylinders. The method also includes compressing and heating the first mixture during a compression stroke of the pistons. The compression and heating of the first mixture pyrolizes the biomass to produce a second mixture including a bio-oil and the compression gas. The method also includes decompressing and cooling the second mixture during an expansion stroke of the pistons. The decompression and cooling of the second mixture quenches secondary pyrolysis.

Claims15

Dependent claims

A method for converting, via pyrolysis, a pulverized biomass into a bio-oil using a four-stroke diesel-type engine having a cylinder, a piston moveably mounted within said cylinder, and means for reciprocating said piston within said cylinder so as to perform an intake stroke, a compression stroke, an expansion stroke, and an exhaust stroke, said means including a crankshaft coupled to said piston and an external power source adapted to drive said crankshaft and hence said piston, said method comprising the steps of:

(1) providing said pulverized biomass;
(2) mixing said pulverized biomass with a non-oxidizing compression gas to form a first mixture;
(3) actuating said external power source so as to drive said crankshaft and thereby repeatedly reciprocate said piston within said cylinder for a number of cycles, whereby said piston sequentially performs its said intake stroke, its said compression stroke, its said expansion stroke, and its said exhaust stroke;
(4) injecting said first mixture into said cylinder during said intake stroke of said piston;
(5) compressing said first mixture within said cylinder during said compression stroke of said piston to thereby heat said first mixture to a temperature that pyrolyzes said pulverized biomass, thereby converting said pulverized biomass into said bio-oil, which mixes with said compression gas of said first mixture to form a second mixture;
(6) decompressing said second mixture within said cylinder during said expansion stroke of said piston to thereby cool said second mixture and quench secondary pyrolysis of said bio-oil;
(7) expelling said second mixture from said cylinder during said exhaust stroke of said piston;
(8) collecting said second mixture after its expulsion from said cylinder;
(9) separating said compression gas from said second mixture after the expulsion of said second mixture from said cylinder;
and
(10) repeating said steps (4)-(7) using said compression gas from said step (9) as said non-oxidizing compression gas of said first mixture.

8 more elements

(1) providing said pulverized biomass;
(2) mixing said pulverized biomass with a non-oxidizing compression gas to form a first mixture;
(3) actuating said external power source so as to drive said crankshaft and thereby repeatedly reciprocate said piston within said cylinder for a number of cycles, whereby said piston sequentially performs its said intake stroke, its said compression stroke, its said expansion stroke, and its said exhaust stroke;
(4) injecting said first mixture into said cylinder during said intake stroke of said piston;
(5) compressing said first mixture within said cylinder during said compression stroke of said piston to thereby heat said first mixture to a temperature that pyrolyzes said pulverized biomass, thereby converting said pulverized biomass into said bio-oil, which mixes with said compression gas of said first mixture to form a second mixture;
(6) decompressing said second mixture within said cylinder during said expansion stroke of said piston to thereby cool said second mixture and quench secondary pyrolysis of said bio-oil;
(7) expelling said second mixture from said cylinder during said exhaust stroke of said piston;
(8) collecting said second mixture after its expulsion from said cylinder;
and
(9) separating said bio-oil from said second mixture after the expulsion of said second mixture from said cylinder, whereby said bio-oil may be used as-is or may be upgraded for use as a fuel.

7 more elements

(1) providing said pulverized biomass;
(2) mixing said pulverized biomass with a non-oxidizing compression gas to form a first mixture;
(3) actuating said external power source so as to drive said crankshaft and thereby repeatedly reciprocate said piston within said cylinder for a number of cycles, whereby said piston sequentially performs its said intake stroke, its said compression stroke, its said expansion stroke, and its said exhaust stroke;
(4) injecting said first mixture into said cylinder during said intake stroke of said piston;
(5) compressing said first mixture within said cylinder during said compression stroke of said piston to thereby heat said first mixture to a temperature that pyrolyzes said pulverized biomass, thereby converting said pulverized biomass into said bio-oil, which mixes with said compression gas of said first mixture to form a second mixture, said second mixture further including a bio-char and a bio-gas;
(6) decompressing said second mixture within said cylinder during said expansion stroke of said piston to thereby cool said second mixture and quench secondary pyrolysis of said bio-oil;
(7) expelling said second mixture from said cylinder during said exhaust stroke of said piston;
(8) collecting said second mixture after its expulsion from said cylinder;
(9) separating said bio-char and/or said bio-gas from said second mixture after the expulsion of said second mixture from said cylinder;
and
(10) repeating said steps (4)-(7) using said bio-char and/or said bio-gas from said step (9) as said pulverized biomass.

8 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 14/742,436Filed 17 Jun 2015 · us provisional application
Priority: 18 Jun 2014
Published: US 2015/0368585 A124 Dec 2015
Granted: 25 Jun 2019
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification7 codes

C10G 3/00
Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oxygen-containing organic materials
C10G 1/00
Production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from oil-shale, oil-sand, or non-melting solid carbonaceous
C11C 3/00
Fats, oils, or fatty acids by chemical modification of fats, oils, or
Y02P 30/20
Technologies relating to oil refining and petrochemical industry: using bio-feedstock