Distillation system and method using microwave-assisted pyrolysis
AssigneeRegents of the University of Minnesota
InventorsRongsheng Ruan, Erik Anderson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A distillation apparatus for use in microwave-assisted pyrolysis includes a microwave, a pyrolysis reactor, a microwave-absorbent bed, and a condenser. The pyrolysis reactor is located within the microwave and configured to receive a liquid input stream and to output a vapor. The microwave-absorbent bed is located within the pyrolysis reactor that converts microwave energy provided by the microwave to thermal energy to initiate pyrolysis within the pyrolysis reactor, wherein the pyrolysis reactor provides a vapor output. The condenser is configured to receive the vapor output of the pyrolysis reactor and to cool and condense the vapor into a recoverable product.
Claims20
A distillation apparatus comprising:
- a first microwave;
- a pyrolysis reactor located within the first microwave and configured to receive a liquid input stream and to output a vapor;
- a microwave-absorbent bed located within the pyrolysis reactor that converts microwave energy provided by the microwave to thermal energy to initiate pyrolysis within the pyrolysis reactor, wherein the pyrolysis reactor provides a vapor output;
- and
- a condenser configured to receive the vapor output of the pyrolysis reactor and to cool and condense the vapor into a recoverable product.
A method biodiesel distillation, the method comprising:
- supplying a liquid input stream to a pyrolysis reactor that includes a microwave susceptible bed susceptible to microwave irradiation;
- applying microwave energy to the pyrolysis reactor, wherein the microwave susceptible bed converts the microwave energy to thermal energy to initialize pyrolysis of the liquid input stream;
- and
- condensing a vapor exiting the pyrolysis reactor to collect a distilled biodiesel.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.