# US 11,028,325 B2 · Heat removal and recovery in biomass pyrolysis

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- Number: US 11,028,325 B2
- Document ID: US11028325B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/233,560
- Filed: 2016-08-10
- Published: 2016-12-01
- Granted: 2021-06-08
- Earliest claimed: 2011-02-22
- Assignees: Ensyn Renewables, Inc.
- Applicants: Ensyn Renewables, Inc.; Vincenza Myers
- Inventors: Sathit Kulprathipanja; Paolo Palmas; Daniel N. Myers
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US11028325B2

## CPC

- C10B 39/06: in the oven
- C10G 1/02: by distillation
- C10G 3/40: {Thermal non-catalytic treatment}
- C10G 3/42: {Catalytic treatment}
- C10G 3/50: {in the presence of hydrogen, hydrogen donors or hydrogen generating compounds}
- C10G 3/60: {Controlling or regulating the processes}
- F23G 5/0276: {using direct heating}
- F23G 5/30: having a fluidised bed
- F23G 7/10: of field or garden waste {or biomasses}
- F27B 15/02: Details, accessories or equipment specially adapted for furnaces of these types
- F27D 17/10: Arrangements for using waste heat
- C10B 49/10: according to the "fluidised bed" technique
- C10B 53/02: of cellulose-containing material (production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00)
- C10G 2300/1011: Biomass
- C10G 2300/1014: of vegetal origin
- C10G 2300/202: Heteroatoms content, i.e. S, N, O, P
- C10G 2300/4006: Temperature
- C10G 2400/20: C2-C4 olefins
- F23G 2201/304: Burning pyrosolids
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- Y02P 30/20: using bio-feedstock
- C10B: DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS (cracking oils C10G; underground gasification of minerals E21B43/295)
- C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES
- F23G: CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- F27B: FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS IN GENERAL; OPEN SINTERING OR LIKE APPARATUS
- F27D: DETAILS OR ACCESSORIES OF FURNACES, KILNS, OVENS OR RETORTS, IN SO FAR AS THEY ARE OF KINDS OCCURRING IN MORE THAN ONE KIND OF FURNACE
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
- Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS

## Abstract

Pyrolysis methods and apparatuses that allow effective heat removal, for example when necessary to achieve a desired throughput or process a desired type of biomass, are disclosed. According to representative methods, the use of a quench medium (e.g., water), either as a primary or a secondary type of heat removal, allows greater control of process temperatures, particularly in the reheater where char, as a solid byproduct of pyrolysis, is combusted. Quench medium may be distributed to one or more locations within the reheater vessel, such as above and/or within a dense phase bed of fluidized particles of a solid heat carrier (e.g., sand) to better control heat removal.

## Claims

### Claim 1

An apparatus for pyrolysis of a biomass feedstock, comprising:
i) a pyrolysis reactor;
ii) a solid-gas cyclone separator in fluid communication with the pyrolysis reactor;
iii) a reheater having a lower section and an upper section, the lower section configured to contain a dense phase bed of heat carrier particles, the upper section configured to contain a dilute phase of heat carrier particles, said reheater in fluid communication with the cyclone separator;
iv) a quench liquid distribution system, comprising:
a) a first quench liquid distributor in the lower section, the first quench liquid distributor positioned to be disposed within the dense phase bed; and
b) a second quench liquid distributor in the upper section; and
v) a reheater temperature control system that provides
i) coarse control of heat removal from the reheater by adjusting a flow rate of a first quench stream through the first quench liquid distributor; and
ii) fine control of heat removal from the reheater by adjusting a flow rate of a second quench stream through the second quench liquid distributor.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reheater temperature control system is further configured to limit entrainment and loss of solids present in the dense phase bed.

### Claim 3 (depends on 2)

The apparatus of claim 2, wherein the reheater temperature control system is configured to adjust the flow rate of the first quench stream and/or the flow rate of the second quench stream in response to a temperature measurement made in the lower section.

### Claim 4 (depends on 3)

The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the reheater temperature control system is further configured to adjust the flow rate of the first quench stream and/or the flow rate of the second quench stream in response to a temperature measurement made in the upper section.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The apparatus of claim 4, wherein the reheater temperature control system comprises a plurality of temperature sensors, at least a first temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors positioned in the lower section and at least a second temperature sensor of the plurality of temperature sensors positioned in the upper section.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reheater temperature control system is configured to adjust the flow rate of the first quench stream and/or the flow rate of the second quench stream in response to a temperature measurement made in the upper section.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising at least a third quench liquid distributor.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising a reheater inlet port that is in fluid communication with the cyclone separator.

### Claim 9 (depends on 8)

The apparatus of claim 8, wherein the reheater inlet port is positioned in the lower section.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the pyrolysis reactor is an entrained upflow reactor.

### Claim 11 (depends on 10)

The apparatus of claim 10, further comprising an inlet to the cyclone separator that is in fluid communication with an upper portion of the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 12 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, further comprising: a pyrolysis product condensation section, comprising a cooler and a gas liquid separator, in fluid communication with the cyclone separator.

### Claim 13 (depends on 12)

The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the pyrolysis product condensation section is in fluid communication with a solids-depleted fraction outlet of the cyclone separator.

### Claim 14 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the dense phase bed is fluidized.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The apparatus of claim 1, wherein the reheater temperature control system comprises at least one temperature sensor, at least one temperature transmitter, at least one temperature controller and at least one control valve.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The apparatus of claim 15, wherein the reheater temperature control system comprises at least two temperature sensors.