US 8,465,562 B2Granted

Scalable biomass reactor and method

AssigneeIndiana University Research and Technology Corporation

InventorPeter J. Schubert

Life of this patent

Estimating the term…

Loading patent…

Abstract

A system and method capable of efficient production of synthesis gas from biomass materials in a manner which can be scaled to relatively large throughput capacities. the system is operable to compact a loose biomass material and simultaneously introduce the compacted biomass material into entrances of internal passages of multiple parallel reactors, heat the compacted biomass material within the reactors to a temperature at which organic molecules within the compacted biomass material break down to form ash and gases comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases, inhibit combustion of the compacted biomass material when heated within the internal passages of the reactors, conduct the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases through the reactors in a direction opposite the movement of the compacted biomass through the reactors, and remove the ash from the reactor.

Claims9

Dependent claims

A system for producing syngas from biomass materials, the system comprising:

multiple parallel reactors configured in an array, each of the reactors defining an internal passage, each of the internal passages defining an entrance to the reactor thereof, the array being arranged so that the entrances of the reactors lie on a common two-dimensional surface, the reactors and the internal passages thereof being adapted to contain a compacted biomass material moving in parallel directions from the entrances of the reactors and through the internal passages thereof and to contain a reaction of the compacted biomass material by which gases are formed therefrom within the reactors;
feeder devices extending through each of the entrances of the reactors and into each of the internal passages of the reactors, the feeder devices being operable to deliver a loose biomass material to each of the reactors, compact the loose biomass material within the internal passage of each of the reactors, and form from the loose biomass material the compacted biomass within the internal passages of the reactors;
a hopper configured to contain the loose biomass material and from which the loose biomass material is delivered by the feeder devices to each of the reactors;
means for heating the compacted biomass material within the reactors to a volatilization temperature at which organic molecules within the compacted biomass material break down to form ash and the gases formed therefrom, the gases comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases;
means for inhibiting dilution and combustion of the compacted biomass material when heated by the heating means within the internal passages of the reactors by inhibiting ingress of air into each of the internal passages of the reactors through the entrances thereof, the inhibiting means comprising the feeder devices and the compacted biomass material within the internal passages of the reactors;
gas passages having ports that gather the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases within the internal passages of the reactors, the gas passages for conducting the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases from each of the reactors;
and
means for removing the ash from the reactor.

5 more elements

A process of producing syngas from biomass materials, the process comprising:

simultaneously introducing a loose biomass material into internal passages of each of multiple parallel reactors configured in an array, each of the internal passages defining an entrance to the reactor thereof, the array being arranged so that the entrances of the reactors lie on a common two-dimensional surface, the loose biomass material being introduced into the internal passages with feeder devices that extend through the entrances and into the internal passages of each of the reactors;
compacting the loose biomass material within the internal passage of each of the reactors and forming therefrom a compacted biomass within the internal passages of the reactors so that the compacted biomass material moves in parallel directions from the entrances of the reactors and through the internal passages thereof;
heating the compacted biomass material within the reactors to a volatilization temperature at which a reaction of the compacted biomass material occurs by which organic molecules within the compacted biomass material break down to form ash and gases comprising carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases, the reactors and the internal passages thereof containing the compacted biomass material moving in the parallel directions through the internal passages and containing the reaction of the compacted biomass material;
inhibiting dilution and combustion of the compacted biomass material when heated by the heating means within the internal passages of the reactors by inhibiting ingress of air into each of the internal passages of the reactors through the entrances thereof, the inhibiting means comprising the feeder devices and the compacted biomass material within the internal passages of the reactors;
conducting the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases through gas passages having ports that gather the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases within the internal passages of the reactors, the gas passages conducting the carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases from each of the reactors;
and
removing the ash from the reactor.

4 more elements

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.

Facts

Application: 12/760,241Filed 14 Apr 2010 · us provisional application
Priority: 14 Apr 2009
Published: US 2011/0094158 A128 Apr 2011
Granted: 18 Jun 2013
Term ends: Not estimatedThe source records don’t support an estimate.

Classification23 codes

C10B 53/02
Destructive distillation, specially adapted for particular solid raw materials or solid raw materials in special form: of cellulose-containing…
C10B 47/44
In ovens with mechanical conveying means: with conveyor-screws
C10B 57/16
Other carbonising or coking processes; Features of destructive distillation processes in general: features of high-temperature carbonising processes
C10J 3/007
Production of combustible gases containing carbon monoxide from solid carbonaceous fuels: screw type gasifiers