# US 2012/0073185 A1 · Method of carrying out pyrolysis and pyrolysis apparatus

> Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt

- Number: US 2012/0073185 A1
- Document ID: US20120073185A1
- Status: Published application
- Kind: A1
- Application number: 13/375,351
- Filed: 2010-06-01
- Published: 2012-03-29
- Earliest claimed: 2009-06-02
- Assignees: Valmet Technologies Oy
- Inventors: Pekka Jokela; Lehto Jani
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20120073185A1

## CPC

- C10B 49/22: according to the "fluidised bed" technique
- C10B 49/10: according to the "fluidised bed" technique
- C10B 49/16: with moving solid heat-carriers in divided form
- C10B 53/00: Destructive distillation, specially adapted for particular solid raw materials or solid raw materials in special form (wet carbonising of peat C10F)
- C10B 53/02: of cellulose-containing material (production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00)
- C10B 55/10: according to the "fluidised bed" technique
- C10B 57/10: Drying
- C10G 1/02: by distillation
- C10G 9/32: according to the "fluidised-bed" technique
- F23C 10/002: {for pulverulent solid fuel (F23C10/005 - F23C10/32 take precedence)}
- F23G 2201/303: Burning pyrogases
- F23G 2203/501: with external recirculation of entrained bed material
- F23G 2203/504: with essentially horizontal flow of bed material
- F23G 2206/10: reintroducing the heat in the same process, e.g. for predrying
- Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
- 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
- F23C: METHODS OR APPARATUS FOR COMBUSTION USING FLUID FUEL OR SOLID FUEL SUSPENDED IN {A CARRIER GAS OR} AIR (burners F23D)
- F23G: CREMATION FURNACES; CONSUMING WASTE PRODUCTS BY COMBUSTION
- Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION

## Abstract

The invention relates to a method of carrying out pyrolysis process in a pyrolysis reactor (4) for solid fuel to produce pyrolysis oil. The method comprises supplying solid fuel into a drying zone in the pyrolysis reactor (4) for removing moisture containing gases, drying the solid fuel in the drying zone and extracting the moisture containing gases re-moved from the solid fuel out of the pyrolysis reactor (4), passing the dried solid fuel from the drying zone to the pyrolysis zone of the pyrolysis reactor (4), pyrolyzing the dried solid fuel for separating pyrolysis gases from the dried solid fuel and conducting the pyrolysis gases from the pyrolysis reactor (4) to a condenser (8) for producing pyrolysis oil.

## Claims

### Claim at position 1

-36. (canceled)

### Claim 37

A method of carrying out pyrolysis process in a pyrolysis apparatus for solid fuel to produce pyrolysis oil, whereby the pyrolysis process is carried out in connection with a fluidized bed boiler, and supplying heat required for the pyrolysis process at least partly by bed material of the fluidized bed boiler, the method comprising steps of:
supplying solid fuel into a drying zone in the pyrolysis reactor;
drying the solid fuel in the drying zone and removing moisture containing gases from the solid fuel from the drying zone;
passing the dried solid fuel and the bed material essentially horizontally from the drying zone to the pyrolysis zone arranged sequentially in horizontal direction in the pyrolysis reactor;
pyrolysing the dried solid fuel for separating pyrolysis gases from the dried solid fuel and removing the pyrolysis gases from the pyrolysis zone;
whereby the moisture containing gases separated from the solid fuel in the drying zone and the pyrolysis gases separated in the pyrolysis zone are removed separately; and
conducting the pyrolysis gases from the pyrolysis reactor to a condenser for producing pyrolysis oil.

### Claim 38 (depends on 37)

A method according to claim 37, wherein the method further comprises conducting the moisture containing gases out of the pyrolysis reactor in the drying zone.

### Claim 39 (depends on 37)

A method according to claim 37, wherein the method further comprises controlling moisture content of the pyrolysis oil by adjusting the drying of the solid fuel in the drying zone.

### Claim 40 (depends on 39)

A method according to claim 39, wherein the method further comprises analysing the moisture content of the produced pyrolysis oil for controlling the drying of the solid fuel in the drying zone.

### Claim 41 (depends on 38)

A method according to claim 38, wherein the method further comprises controlling moisture content of the pyrolysis oil by adjusting the drying of the solid fuel in the drying zone.

### Claim 42 (depends on 37)

A method according to claim 37, wherein the method further comprises adjusting residence time of the solid fuel in the drying zone.

### Claim 43 (depends on 42)

A method according to claim 42, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the residence time of the solid fuel in the drying zone by adjusting the movement speed of the solid fuel through drying zone.

### Claim 44 (depends on 39)

A method according to claim 39, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the temperature in the drying zone.

### Claim 45 (depends on 39)

A method according to claim 39, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the supply rate of solid fuel into the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 46 (depends on 39)

A method according to claim 39, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the removal rate of moisture containing gases from the drying zone.

### Claim 47 (depends on 37)

A method according to claim 37, wherein the method further comprises drying the solid fuel in the drying zone to moisture content 4 to 10 weight-%.

### Claim 48 (depends on 37)

A method according to claim 37, wherein the method further comprises carrying out the pyrolysis process using the bed material of the fluidized bed boiler which bed material of the fluidized bed boiler is circulated through the pyrolysis reactor and fluidized in the pyrolysis reactor by fluidizing gas, the pyrolysis gases separated from the solid fuel in the pyrolysis reactor are condensed in to liquid form as so called pyrolysis oil, in which method the bed material of the fluidized bed boiler and the solid fuel are passed through the pyrolysis reactor in transverse direction in relation to the flow direction of the fluidizing gas.

### Claim 49 (depends on 48)

A method according to claim 48, wherein the method further comprises passing the bed material and the solid fuel essentially in horizontal direction through the pyrolysis reactor, and that the fluidizing gas is fed to the pyrolysis process underneath the bed material.

### Claim 50 (depends on 47)

A method according to claim 47, wherein the method further comprises controlling temperature in the drying zone by adjusting temperature of the bed material supplied to the drying zone of the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 51 (depends on 48)

A method according to claim 48, wherein the method further comprises controlling temperature in the drying zone by adjusting temperature of the bed material supplied to the drying zone of the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 52 (depends on 47)

A method according to claim 47, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the drying of the solid fuel in the drying zone by adjusting the speed of the fluidizing gas fed in to the drying zone.

### Claim 53 (depends on 47)

A method according to claim 47, wherein the method further comprises adjusting the drying of the solid fuel in the drying zone by adjusting the speed of the fluidizing gas fed in to the drying zone.

### Claim 54 (depends on 47)

A method according to according to claim 47, wherein the method further comprises feeding bed material to the pyrolysis process from a fluidized bed boiler being selected from one of the following: bubbling fluidized bed boiler and circulating fluidized bed boiler.

### Claim 55 (depends on 48)

A method according to according to claim 48, wherein the method further comprises feeding bed material to the pyrolysis process from a fluidized bed boiler being selected from one of the following: bubbling fluidized bed boiler and circulating fluidized bed boiler.

### Claim 56 (depends on 47)

A method according to according to claim 47, wherein the method further comprises using wood, wood chips, saw dust, peat or any other solid biomass as solid fuel to be pyrolyzed.

### Claim 57 (depends on 48)

A method according to according to claim 48, wherein the method further comprises using wood, wood chips, saw dust, peat or any other solid biomass as solid fuel to be pyrolyzed.

### Claim 58

A pyrolysis apparatus comprising a pyrolysis reactor for pyrolysing solid fuel and a condenser for condensing pyrolysis gases separated from the solid fuel into pyrolysis oil, whereby the pyrolysis reactor is arranged in connection with a fluidized bed boiler for supplying heat required for the pyrolysis of the solid fuel at least partly by bed material of the fluidized bed boiler, wherein the pyrolysis reactor comprises a drying section for drying solid fuel supplied to the pyrolysis reactor, one or more moisture outlets provided in the drying section for removing from the drying section the moisture containing gases separated from the solid fuel in the drying section, a pyrolysis section for pyrolysing the solid fuel dried in the drying section, and one or more pyrolysis gas outlets arranged in the pyrolysis section for removing the pyrolysis gases from the pyrolysis section and for conducting pyrolysis gases separated from the solid fuel to the condenser, and that the drying section and the pyrolysis section are arranged sequentially in horizontal direction such that bed material and the dried solid fuel are passed essentially in horizontal direction from the drying section to the pyrolysis section, whereby the moisture containing gases separated from the solid fuel in the drying section and the pyrolysis gases separated in the pyrolysis section are removed separately.

### Claim 59 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the apparatus comprises control means for controlling the drying of the solid fuel in the drying section as a response to the moisture content of the produced pyrolysis oil.

### Claim 60 (depends on 59)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 59, wherein the control means comprise water content analyser for measuring the water content of the produced pyrolysis oil.

### Claim 61 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the control means are arranged to adjust the movement speed of the solid fuel or the solid particle bed material in the drying section, and/or to adjust the temperature in the drying section by means of the heat exchanger and/or to adjust supply rate of solid fuel into the pyrolysis reactor and/or to adjust the removal rate of the moisture containing gases from the drying section.

### Claim 62 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the pyrolysis reactor further comprises:
one or more solid fuel inlets for supplying solid fuel to be pyrolyzed in to the pyrolysis reactor;
one or more bed material inlets for feeding hot solid particle bed material into the pyrolysis reactor;
one or more bed material outlets for discharging the hot solid particle material from the pyrolysis reactor;
fluidizing nozzles for supplying fluidizing gas into the pyrolysis reactor, the fluidizing nozzles being arranged between the bed material inlets and the bed material outlets to provide a cross-flow of the fluidizing gas in relation to the movement direction of the solid fuel and the bed material;
one or more pyrolysis gas outlets for extracting pyrolysis gases separated from the solid fuel out of the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 63 (depends on 62)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 62, wherein the control means are arranged to adjust temperature of the bed material fed into the pyrolysis reactor and/or to adjust the speed of the fluidizing gas supplied to the drying section of the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 64 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the pyrolysis reactor comprises a heat exchanger for adjusting the temperature of the drying section and/or pyrolysis section.

### Claim 65 (depends on 64)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 64, wherein the heat exchanger is adapted for adjusting the temperature of the solid particle bed material in the drying section or prior to the drying section.

### Claim 66 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the fluidizing gas is fed to the pyrolysis process underneath the fluidized bed.

### Claim 67 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the drying section comprises one or more moisture outlets for exhausting the moisture containing gas from the drying section.

### Claim 68 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the drying section and the pyrolysis section are separated from each other by means of a partition wall.

### Claim 69 (depends on 68)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 68, wherein the pyrolysis reactor comprises a top wall and a bottom and that the partition wall extends from the top wall to a distance from the bottom of the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 70 (depends on 68)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 68, wherein the partition wall extends from the bottom of the pyrolysis reactor to a distance from the top wall of the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 71 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the pyrolysis reactor is further divided in the movement direction of the solid fuel into entry section upstream of the drying section, the entry section comprising the one or more bed material inlets, and into a discharge section downstream of the pyrolysis section, the discharge section for discharging bed material from the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 72 (depends on 71)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 71, wherein the entry section and the drying section as well as the pyrolysis section and the discharge section are separated from each other by means of partition walls extending from the top wall of the pyrolysis reactor to a distance from the bottom of the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 73 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the pyrolysis reactor is arranged in immediate connection with a bubbling fluidized bed boiler for circulating bed material of the bubbling fluidized bed boiler through the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 74 (depends on 58)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 58, wherein the pyrolysis reactor is arranged in connection with a circulating fluidized bed boiler for circulating bed material of the circulating fluidized bed boiler through the pyrolysis reactor.

### Claim 75 (depends on 74)

A pyrolysis apparatus according to claim 74, wherein the circulating fluidized bed boiler comprises a separator for separating bed material from the flue gases, and that the pyrolysis reactor is arranged between the separator and the combustion chamber of the circulating fluidized bed boiler for circulating the solid particle bed material from the separator through the pyrolysis reactor into the combustion chamber.

### Claim 76

Use of a pyrolysis apparatus for drying solid fuel in a pyrolysis reactor which comprises a drying section for drying solid fuel supplied to the pyrolysis reactor, one or more moisture outlets provided in the drying section for removing from the drying section the moisture containing gases separated from the solid fuel in the drying section, a pyrolysis section for pyrolysing the solid fuel dried in the drying section, and one or more pyrolysis gas outlets arranged in the pyrolysis section for removing pyrolysis gases from the pyrolysis section, whereby the moisture containing gases separated from the solid fuel in the drying section and the pyrolysis gases separated in the pyrolysis section are removed separately, the drying section being arranged upstream of the pyrolysis section.