Fixed kiln with rotor steam gasifier

A fixed kiln with rotor steam gasifier having a fixed elongated cylindrical, pressurizable kiln body member with an input end and an output end and with the center axis thereof supported at an angle relative to the horizontal so as to bring into effect gravitational forces acting on high moisture content biomass material fed into the input end and traveling to the output end, said fixed kiln with rotor gasifier including an axially extending rotor rotatably supported within the fixed kiln body member and means for rotating said rotor at a predetermined rotational speed, said rotor including radially spaced-apart scoop-like blade elements extending along the axial length of the kiln body member for tumbling the biomass material fed into the rotor kiln as it travels along the axial length of the fixed kiln body member from the input to the output end thereof, means for heating the interior of the fixed kiln body member to a high temperature with a continuously increasing temperature profile along its axial length from the input end to the output end, means for introducing biomass material into the input end of the kiln body member where it is acted upon by the rotor and a high temperature/high pressure steam atmosphere self-induced in the kiln boby member, said means for heating the interior of the fixed kiln body member including axially extending, parallel, hot gas feedback tubular conduit means radially arranged around the fixed kiln body member and the back side of the scoop-like blade elements of the rotor and manifold means for feeding back hot output gases produced by the steam gasifier through said hot gas feedback tubular conduits in a return counterflow direction to the movement of the biomass material, and chain-like elements extending along the axial length of the interior of at least some of the tubular hot gas feedback conduits for introducing turbulence in the flow of the hot feedback gases therethrough and thereby provide improved heat exchange characteristics thereto, to facilitate cleaning of the interior of the feedback conduits, and to hold in place catalyst pellets to be introduced into the hot output gases for conversion and cleaning purposes.

A fixed kiln with rotor steam gasifier having a fixed elongated cylindrical, pressurizable kiln body member with an input end and an output end and with the center axis thereof supported at an angle relative to the horizontal so as to bring into effect gravitational forces acting on high moisture content biomass material fed into the input end and traveling to the output end, said fixed kiln with rotor gasifier including an axially extending rotor rotatably supported within the fixed kiln body member and means for rotating said rotor at a predetermined rotational speed, said rotor including radially spaced-apart scoop-like blade elements extending along the axial length of the kiln body member for tumbling the biomass material fed into the rotor kiln as it travels along the axial length of the fixed kiln body member from the input to the output end thereof, means for heating the interior of the fixed kiln body member to a high temperature with a continuously increasing temperature profile along its axial length from the input end to the output end, means for introducing biomass material into the input end of the kiln body member where it is acted upon by the rotor and a high temperature-high pressure steam atmosphere self-induced in the kiln body member, and metering auger feed means mounted on the input end of said kiln body member with the metering auger having its axis of rotation disposed over the input end of said kiln body member for feeding input biomass material into the input end of said iln body member on a metered continuous basis whereby properly proportioned spacing of the biomass material in the hollows between the spaced-apart scoop-like blade elements of the rotor is assured and agglomeration of the biomass material at the input and throughout the kiln is prevented.

A fixed kiln with rotor steam gasifier having a fixed elongated cylindrical, pressurizable kiln body member with an input end and an output end and with the center axis thereof supported at an angle relative to the horizontal so as to bring into effect gravitational forces acting on high moisture content biomass material fed into the input end and traveling to the output end, said fixed kiln with rotor gasifier including an axially extending rotor rotatably supported within the fixed kiln body member and means for rotating said rotor at a predetermined rotational speed, said rotor including radially spaced-apart scoop-like blade elements extending along the axial length of the kiln body member for tumbling the biomass material fed into the rotor kiln as it travels along the axial length of the fixed kiln body member from the input to the output end thereof, means for heating the interior of the fixed kiln body member to a high temperature with a continuously increasing temperature profile along its axial length from the input end to the output end, means for introducing biomass material into the input end of the kiln body member where it is acted upon by the rotor and a high temperature-high pressure steam atmosphere self-induced in the kiln body member, and dam-like baffle means mounted within the kiln body member downstream from the input end thereof, said dam-like baffle means rotating with said rotor and having openings therein aligned with the kiln cavity forming hollows between the spaced-apart scoop-like blade elements of the rotor for passage of the biomass material through the kiln whereby the working volume of the biomass within the kiln is increased and results in either longer dwell time within the kiln or increased throughput.