Pyrolysis reactor system and method

A process for the pyrolysis of a pyrolysis feedstock comprising:

• introducing a pyrolysis feedstock into a pyrolysis reactor, the pyrolysis reactor comprising:
• a pyrolysis conduit segment having a solids inlet at an inlet end and a solids discharge outlet at an opposite discharge end, the pyrolysis conduit segment also having at least one gas outlet for exhausting gases from the pyrolysis conduit segment, the pyrolysis conduit segment being sloped upward from the inlet end to the discharge end;
• a solids return conduit segment having a discharged solids inlet at one end that is positioned below and in communication with the solids discharge outlet of the pyrolysis conduit segment for receiving solids discharged from the solids discharge outlet of the pyrolysis conduit segment and a solids return outlet at an opposite end, the solids return conduit segment being sloped downward from the discharged solids inlet end to the solids return outlet end, the solids return outlet being positioned above and in communication with the solids inlet of the pyrolysis conduit segment for delivering solids to the solids inlet of the pyrolysis conduit segment;
• and
• a solids conveyor disposed within the pyrolysis conduit segment to facilitate conveying solid materials from the solids inlet upward through the pyrolysis conduit segment toward the solids discharge outlet;
• allowing at least a portion of the feedstock to be converted to pyrolysis gases in a pyrolysis reaction within the pyrolysis conduit segment;
• exhausting the pyrolysis gases through the at least one gas outlet;
• conducting the pyrolysis gases from the at least one gas outlet to an eductor condenser unit, the eductor condenser unit comprising:
• an eductor assembly having an eductor body that defines a first flow path with a venturi restriction disposed therein for receiving a pressurized coolant fluid and a second flow path for receiving pyrolysis gases from the at least one gas outlet of the pyrolysis reactor, the second flow path intersecting the first flow path, the eductor body having a discharge to allow the discharge of fluids from the first and second flow paths to be discharged together from the eductor body;
• and
• a mixing chamber in fluid communication with the discharge of the eductor assembly;
• introducing the pyrolysis gases into the second flow path of the eductor assembly while cooling fluid is introduced into the first flow path of the eductor assembly so that the pyrolysis gases are combined with the cooling fluid to form a combined fluid stream that is discharged from the discharge of the eductor assembly;
• and
• introducing the combined fluid stream into the mixing chamber to facilitate mixing of the combined fluid stream to form a liquid pyrolysis product.