US 2022/0017397 A1Published application

Two-Times-Two Tank Process and System

AssigneeCambi Technology AS

InventorsHans Rasmus Holte, Andreas Helland Lillebo

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Abstract

A method and plant for hydrolysis of a liquid substrate, having a dry solids content of between 2 and 30%, to be used in an anaerobic fermentation, digestion or another process aimed at producing or extracting methane or other valuable substances, which method and plant relies on the use of vacuum and several pulpers and one or several flashtanks in series for step-wise pre-heating and pressure reduction, respectively.

Claims19

Dependent claims

A method for thermal hydrolysis of a liquid substrate, having a dry solids content of between 2 and 30%, preferably between 14 and 20%, and a temperature below about 50 C, preferably of 10 to 30 C, which liquid substrate is subsequently to be used in an anaerobic fermentation, digestion or another process aimed at producing or extracting methane or other valuable substances in one or more reactors, said method being characterized in that:

the same number of flashtanks and pulpers are used;
at least a first and a second pulper in series and at least a first and a second flashtank in series are used for step-wise pre-heating and pressure reduction, respectively;
and in that:
a) said liquid substrate is transferred to and preheated and mixed in a first pulper, which is operated at a temperature of 40 C to 90 C and at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, by injection of flash steam below liquid level from a downstream flashtank, one of said second flashtanks, which is operated at a higher pressure than said first pulper;
b) said pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, under which said first pulper is being operated, is being maintained by a vacuum system working to maximize the condensation of any condensable vapors that are not condensed when passing through said liquid substrate in said first pulper;
c) said preheated liquid substrate is transferred from said first pulper to a second pulper, which is operated at a temperature of 90 C to 135 C and at a pressure of 0.7 to 3.3 barA, and wherein said liquid substrate is subjected to further mixing and pre-heating, by injection of flash steam below liquid level from a downstream flashtank, e.g. said first flashtank, which is operated at a higher pressure than said second pulper;
d) said further preheated liquid substrate is transferred from said second pulper to one or more reactors working in parallel or series wherein said liquid substrate is heated to temperatures in the range of 140 C to 220 C, preferably in the range of 140 C to 180 C and at a pressure of 3.6 to 10 barA;
e) said liquid substrate is transferred from said one or more reactors working in series or parallel to said first flashtank operated at a temperature of 100 C to 140 C and at a pressure of 1 to 3.6 barA whereby a pressure reduction occurs, and wherefrom flash steam resulting from said pressure reduction is transferred to said second pulper operated at a temperature of 90 C to 135 C and at a pressure of 0.7 to 3.3 barA;
and
f) said liquid material is transferred from said first flashtank to said second flashtank operated at a temperature of 70 C to 100 C and at a pressure of 0.35 to 1 barA, whereby a further pressure reduction occurs, and wherefrom flash steam resulting from said further pressure reduction in said second flashtank is transferred to said first pulper operated at a temperature of 40 C to 90 C and at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA by means of said vacuum system.

7 more elements

A method for thermal hydrolysis of a liquid substrate, having a dry solids content of between 2 and 30%, preferably between 14 and 20%, and a temperature below about 50 C, preferably of 10 to 30 C which liquid substrate is subsequently to be used in an anaerobic fermentation, digestion or another process aimed at producing or extracting methane or other valuable substances in one or more reactors, said method being characterized in that:

the number of flashtanks used is one less the number of pulpers used;
at least a first and a second pulper in series and at least one flashtank are used for step-wise pre-heating and pressure reduction, respectively;
and in that:
a) said liquid substrate is transferred to and preheated and mixed in a first pulper, which is operated at a temperature of 40 C to 90 C and at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, by injection of flash steam below liquid level from a downstream flashtank, which is operated at a higher pressure than said first pulper;
b) said pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, under which said first pulper is being operated, is being maintained by a vacuum system working to maximize the condensation of any condensable vapors that are not condensed when passing through said liquid substrate in said first pulper;
c) said preheated liquid substrate is transferred from said first pulper to a second pulper, which is operated at a temperature of 90 C to 135 C and at a pressure of 0.7 to 3.3 barA, and wherein said liquid substrate is subjected to further mixing and pre-heating, by injection of flash steam below liquid level from one or more downstream reactors, which are operated at a higher pressure than said second pulper;
d) said further preheated liquid substrate is transferred from said second pulper to said one or more reactors working in parallel or series wherein said liquid substrate is heated to temperatures in the range of 140 C to 220 C, preferably in the range of 140 C to 180 C, and at a pressure of 3.6 to 10 barA;
and
e) said one or more reactors working in parallel or series is depressurized by transferring steam from the reactor headspace to said second pulper until the pressures of said one or more reactors working in parallel or series and said second pulper are in equilibrium following which said liquid substrate is transferred from said one or more reactors working in parallel or series to said downstream flashtank.

6 more elements

A plant for thermal hydrolysis of a liquid substrate, having a dry solids content of between 2 and 30%, preferably between 14 and 20%, and a temperature of below about 50 C, preferably of 10 to 30 C, which liquid substrate is subsequently to be used in an anaerobic fermentation, digestion or another process aimed at producing or extracting methane or other valuable substances, said plant comprising the same number of flashtanks and pulpers, and:

at least a first and a second pulper being interconnected either directly or indirectly in series,
a vacuum system interconnected by piping to one of said at least two pulpers,
one or more reactors working in parallel or series and being interconnected by piping to one of said at least two pulpers, which is not interconnected to said vacuum system,
at least a first and a second flashtank:
being interconnected either directly or indirectly in series,
of which one is interconnected by piping to said one or more reactors working in parallel or series,
of which each is individually interconnected by piping to one of the at least two pulpers, and
of which each is individually capable of being operated at a higher pressure than the one of the at least two pulpers with which it is individually interconnected by piping
and wherein:
a) said first pulper can be operated at a temperature of 40 C to 90 C and at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, by injection of flash steam below liquid level from one of said at least two downstream flashtanks to which it is individually interconnected, e.g. said second flashtank,
b) said vacuum system can maintain said pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, under which said first pulper is to be operated and can be worked to maximize the condensation of any condensable vapors that are not condensed when passing through said liquid substrate in said first pulper,
c) said second pulper can be operated at a temperature of 90 C to 135 C and at a pressure of 0.7 to 3.3 barA, by injection of flash steam below liquid level from one of said at least two downstream flashtanks to which it is individually interconnected, e.g. said first flashtank,
d) said one or more reactors working in parallel or series can be operated at temperatures in the range of 140 C to 180 C and at a pressure of 3.6 to 10 barA,
e) said liquid substrate can be transferred from said one or more reactors working in series or parallel to said first flashtank operated at a temperature of 100 C to 140 C and at a pressure of 1 to 3.6 barA whereby a pressure reduction occurs, and wherefrom flash steam resulting from said pressure reduction can be transferred to said second pulper operated at a temperature of 90 C to 135 C and at a pressure of 0.7 to 3.3 barA, and
f) said liquid material can be transferred from said first flashtank to said second flashtank operated at a temperature of 70 C to 100 C and at a pressure of 0.35 to 1 barA, whereby a further pressure reduction occurs, and wherefrom flash steam resulting from said further pressure reduction in said second flashtank can be transferred to said first pulper operated at a temperature of 40 C to 90 C and at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA by means of said vacuum system.

12 more elements

A plant for thermal hydrolysis of a liquid substrate, having a dry solids content of between 2 and 30%, preferably between 14 and 20%, and a temperature of below about 50 C, preferably of 10 to 30 C, which liquid substrate is to be used in an anaerobic fermentation, digestion or another process aimed at producing or extracting methane or other valuable substances, said plant comprising one more pulper(s) than flashtank(s), and:

at least a first and a second pulper being interconnected either directly or indirectly in series,
a vacuum system interconnected by piping to one of said two at least pulpers,
one or more reactors working in parallel or series and being interconnected by piping to one of said two at least pulpers, which is not interconnected to said vacuum system,
at least one flashtanks:
being interconnected by piping to said one or more reactors working in parallel or series,
being interconnected by piping to one of the at least two pulpers, and
being capable of being operated at a higher pressure than the one of the at least two pulper with which it is individually interconnected by piping
and wherein:
a) said first pulper can be operated at a temperature of 40 C to 90 C and at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, by injection of flash steam below liquid level from said downstream flashtank to which it is interconnected;
b) said vacuum system can maintain said pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, under which said first pulper is to be operated and can be worked to maximize the condensation of any condensable vapors that are not condensed when passing through said liquid substrate in said first pulper;
c) said second pulper, can be operated at a temperature of 90 C to 135 C and at a pressure of 0.7 to 3.3 barA;
d) said one or more reactors working in parallel or series can be operated at temperatures in the range of 140 C to 220 C, preferably in the range of 140 C to 180 C, and at a pressure of 3.6 to 10 barA;
and
e) said liquid substrate can be transferred from said one or more reactors working in series or parallel to said flashtank, by depressurizing said one or more reactors working in parallel or series by transferring steam from the reactor headspace to said second pulper until the pressures of said one or more reactors working in parallel or series and said second pulper are in equilibrium following which said liquid substrate can be transferred from said one or more reactors working in parallel or series to said flashtank.

11 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

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Abstract

the same number of flashtanks and pulpers are used;
at least a first and a second pulper in series and at least a first and a second flashtank in series are used for step-wise pre-heating and pressure reduction, respectively;
and in that:
a) said liquid substrate is transferred to and preheated and mixed in a first pulper, which is operated at a temperature of 40 C to 90 C and at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, by injection of flash steam below liquid level from a downstream flashtank, one of said second flashtanks, which is operated at a higher pressure than said first pulper;
b) said pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA, under which said first pulper is being operated, is being maintained by a vacuum system working to maximize the condensation of any condensable vapors that are not condensed when passing through said liquid substrate in said first pulper;
c) said preheated liquid substrate is transferred from said first pulper to a second pulper, which is operated at a temperature of 90 C to 135 C and at a pressure of 0.7 to 3.3 barA, and wherein said liquid substrate is subjected to further mixing and pre-heating, by injection of flash steam below liquid level from a downstream flashtank, e.g. said first flashtank, which is operated at a higher pressure than said second pulper;
d) said further preheated liquid substrate is transferred from said second pulper to one or more reactors working in parallel or series wherein said liquid substrate is heated to temperatures in the range of 140 C to 220 C, preferably in the range of 140 C to 180 C and at a pressure of 3.6 to 10 barA;
e) said liquid substrate is transferred from said one or more reactors working in series or parallel to said first flashtank operated at a temperature of 100 C to 140 C and at a pressure of 1 to 3.6 barA whereby a pressure reduction occurs, and wherefrom flash steam resulting from said pressure reduction is transferred to said second pulper operated at a temperature of 90 C to 135 C and at a pressure of 0.7 to 3.3 barA;
and
f) said liquid material is transferred from said first flashtank to said second flashtank operated at a temperature of 70 C to 100 C and at a pressure of 0.35 to 1 barA, whereby a further pressure reduction occurs, and wherefrom flash steam resulting from said further pressure reduction in said second flashtank is transferred to said first pulper operated at a temperature of 40 C to 90 C and at a pressure of 0.2 to 0.9 barA by means of said vacuum system.

7 more elements