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US 7,226,566 B2Granted
Method of producing charcoal, conditioned fuel gas and potassium from biomass
OwnerFred P. Beierleinventor
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The invention provides a process for the production of charcoal, fuel gas, and potassium from a biomass gassifier.
Claims11
An apparatus to produce fuel gas from biomass, comprising:
- a single reaction chamber comprising a charcoal production bed, wherein said charcoal production bed comprises three vertically identifiable layers including an uppermost layer of raw, unprocessed biomass;
- an intermediate layer of biomass that has been reduced to char and fuel gas by pyrolysis;
- and a lowermost layer of biomass that has been further reduced to charcoal;
- a delivery means for supplying the raw, unprocessed biomass to the uppermost layer in the reaction chamber, said delivery means being connected to a source of raw unprocessed biomass;
- a charcoal removal system for removing charcoal from the lowermost layer in the reaction chamber, wherein said charcoal removal system comprises a mechanical conveyance means, an independent motor and a temperature activated control means;
- an outlet means for removing fuel gas from the intermediate layer in the reaction chamber, said outlet means being located on the reaction chamber adjacent to the intermediate layer of the charcoal production bed;
- a filter connected to said outlet means for producing a filtered fuel gas;
- a heat exchanger connected to said filter for cooling said filtered fuel gas, said heat exchanger comprising a tank containing a coolant fluid selected from the group consisting of water, a mixture of water and any antifreeze, and a mixture of water and alcohol, said heat exchanger further comprising a cooled fuel gas exhaust;
- a demister comprising a tank having a demister input connected to the cooled fuel gas exhaust, a demister output for discharging demisted fuel gas and a condensate drain, said demister input comprising at least one tube;
- a fuel conditioner connected to the demister output, said fuel conditioner comprising a tank containing a fuel fluid, a bubble forming element near the bottom of said tank for supplying demisted fuel gas to the fuel fluid and a discharge pipe for discharging conditioned fuel gas;
- storage means connected to the fuel conditioner discharge pipe for collecting the conditioned fuel gas;
- and
- pump means for generating a pressure differential within the apparatus, such that air is drawn vertically downward from the top of the reaction chamber, through the charcoal production bed, into the outlet means, through the filter, through the heat exchanger, through the demister, through the fuel conditioner and into the storage means.
10 more elements
An apparatus for the production of fuel gas and charcoal comprising:
- a generally cylindrical reaction chamber (30) having an open top and containing a production bed (10), said production bed (10) comprising an upper layer (13) containing biomass input material, an intermediate layer (14) containing biomass that has been reduced to char and fuel gas (44) by pyrolysis, and a lower layer (15) containing biomass that has been further reduced to charcoal;
- a delivery means (16) for supplying biomass to the upper layer (13) of the production bed (10);
- a removal means (45) for removing charcoal from the lower layer (15) of the production bed (10);
- a light detection means (22) mounted at the top (31) of the reaction chamber (30) for detecting the presence of biomass in the reaction chamber (30) and for signaling the supply of additional biomass to the upper layer (13) of the production bed (10) via said delivery means (16);
- a temperature sensing means comprising at least one thermocouple positioned within the reaction chamber (30) for sensing the temperature of the production bed (10), said temperature sensing means further signaling the supply of additional biomass to the upper layer (13) of the production bed (10) via said delivery means (16) and the removal of charcoal from the lower layer (15) of the production bed (10) via said removal means (45);
- an outlet means (43) for removing fuel gas (44) from the reaction chamber (30), said outlet means (43) being located on the reaction chamber (30) adjacent to the intermediate layer (14) of the production bed (10), said outlet means (43) being connected to a pump (42) for drawing atmospheric air through the open top of the reaction chamber (30), through the production bed (10), and into the outlet means (43);
- a heat exchanger means (60) connected to said outlet means (43), said heat. exchanger means (60) comprising a heat exchanger tank containing a water or coolant reservoir (65) for cooling the fuel gas (44), and said tank further comprising a heat exchanger exhaust (71) for discharging the cooled fuel gas (44);
- a demister means (80) connected tote heat exchanger exhaust (71), said demister means (80) comprising a demister tank for collecting a condensate (83), at least one tube (81) for directing the cooled fuel gas (44) from the heat exchanger exhaust (71) into the demister tack, and a demister exhaust (82) for discharging the demisted and cooled fuel gas (44) from the demister tank;
- a fuel conditioner means (100) connected to the demister exhaust (82), said fuel conditioner means (100) comprising a fuel conditioner tank containing a fuel means (120), a bubble forming means (115) for bubbling the demisted and cooled fuel gas (44) from the demister exhaust (82) into the fuel means (120), and a fuel conditioner exhaust for discharging the conditioned, demisted and cooled fuel gas (44) to a pump means (140);
- and a storage or engine means (160) connected to the fuel conditioner exhaust via said pump means (140) for collecting or combusting the conditioned, demisted and cooled fuel gas (44).
7 more elements
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.