PROCESS AND PLANT FOR PRODUCTION OF BIOFUELS

• US 20100216898A1
• Filed: 06/27/2008
• Published: 08/26/2010
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2007
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Tønseth, Erik
• Original Assignee: Tønseth, Erik
• Inventors: Tønseth, Erik
• Application Number:
  US12/452,282
• Publication Number:
  US 20100216898A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 518/703
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 49/04 while moving the solid material to be treated
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/30 from carbon monoxide with hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2200/156 Sluices, e.g. mechanical sluices for preventing escape of gas through the feed inlet
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0946 Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0956 Air or oxygen enriched air
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1238 by plasma
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1634 Ash vitrification
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1659 to liquid hydrocarbons Fischer-Tropsch process C10G2/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1671 with the production of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1675 making use of a steam turbine
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1846 Partial oxidation, i.e. injection of air or oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/08 with ash-removal in liquid state
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/20 Apparatus; Plants
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/66 by introducing them into the gasification zone
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/002 Removal of contaminants
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/003 of acid contaminants, e.g. acid gas removal
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/004 Sulfur containing contaminants, e.g. hydrogen sulfide
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/02 Dust removal
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/024 : by filtration
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/028 : by electrostatic precipitation separating dispersed particles from gases or vapour by electrostatic effect in general B03C3/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/101 : with water only
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/143 : containing amino groups
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/32 : with selectively adsorptive solids, e.g. active carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/04 : reducing the carbon monoxide content , e.g. water-gas shift [WGS]
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2201/40 : Gasification
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2204/201 : Plasma
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2207/30 : Oxidant supply
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2209/26 : Biowaste
• CPC Class Codes: F23G 2900/50208 : Biologic treatment before burning, e.g. biogas generation
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/129 : Energy recovery, e.g. by cogeneration, H2recovery or pressure recovery turbines
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin

Abstract

The invention concerns a method and a plant for producing hydrocarbon based fuels from waste and biomass including wood and/or other cellulose containing biomass, where biomass and/or waste is gasified in anaerobic conditions, heating the formed syngas in for decomposition and subsequent condensation in anaerobic conditions, subjecting the heat treated biosyngas to cleaning measures for removing elements/compounds which are poisonous towards the catalysts of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and passing the cleaned heat treated biosyngas through a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for production of biofuels.

Claims

1. Method for producing biofuels from waste and/or biomass, comprising:

gasification of the waste/biomass in anaerobic conditions to produce a raw biosyngas,

admixing the raw biosyngas with air to obtain an oxidation degree in the range of 0.2<

CO₂/(CO+CO₂)<

0.4,

contacting the raw biosyngas and air mixture with an air stream heated to a temperature in the range from 3000 to 5000°

C., elevating the temperature of the biosyngas to at least 1250°

C.,

chilling the heat treated gas mixture to a temperature in the range of 100-200°

C. to form a heat treated biosyngas,

subjecting the heat treated biosyngas to cleaning measures for removing elements/compounds which are poisonous towards the catalysts of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to at least a tolerable level for the catalysts of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and

passing the cleaned heat treated biosyngas through a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis for production of biofuels.

2. Method according to claim 1,

characterised in that the poisonous compounds are one or more of the following:

compounds containing alkaline earth metals, sulphur, halogens, and nitrogen.

3. Method according to claim 1,

characterised in that the heat treatment is made by admixing the raw biosyngas exiting the gasifier with the gas stream exiting a plasma torch.

4. Method according to claim 3,

characterised in that the raw biosyngas is injected into an arc discharge zone of an air stream from the plasma generator with velocity 6-800 m/s and temperature of 3-5.000°

C., and then enters a decomposition reactor where the temperature is in the range of 1200-1300°

C. for about 2 seconds.

5. Method according to claim any of the preceding claims,

characterised in that the heat treated biosyngas is conditioned by adjusting the H₂:

CO ratio by a water shift reaction converting CO in the syngas to CO₂ and H₂ by reacting CO with water, before entry into the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.

6. Method according to claim 5,

characterised in that the conditioning of the heat treated biosyngas also comprises removal of at least a portion of the CO₂ in the biosyngas.

7. Method according to claim 6,

characterised in that the conditioning of the heat treated biosyngas also comprises removal of at least a portion of the N₂ in the biosyngas.

8. Method according to claim 1,

characterised in that the gasifier is fed with biomass.

9. Method according to claim 8,

characterised in that the biomass comprises biomass containing cellulose.

10. Method according to claim 9,

characterised in that waste comprises one or more of the following materials;

municipal waste, industrial waste fractions, waste from food industry, and waste from agriculture and/or fish processing industry.

11. Device for producing biofuels from biomass, comprising:

a gasifier forming a raw biosyngas from the waste/biomass,

means for admixing a controlled amount of air into the raw biosyngas exiting the gasifier to obtain an oxidation degree in the range of 0.2<

CO₂/(CO+CO₂)<

0.4,

means for transporting the mixture of raw biosyngas and air to a heat treatment chamber,

a plasma reactor supplying a stream of inert gas heated to a temperature from 3000 to 5000°

C. to the heating chamber where the heated inert gas is admixed with the mixture of raw biosyngas and air,

means for cooling the gas exiting the heat treatment chamber to a temperature in the range of 100-200°

C.,

means for transporting the gas mixture from the cooling means to cleaning measures for removing compounds which are poisonous towards the catalysts of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to at least a tolerable level for the catalysts of the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, and

means for transporting the cleaned heat treated biosyngas to a Fischer-Tropsch synthesis reactor for production of biofuels.

12. Device according to claim 11,

characterised in that the cleaning measures are aimed at removing one or more of the following:

compounds containing alkaline earth metals, sulphur, halogens, and nitrogen.

13. Device according to claim 11 or 12,

characterised in that the gasifier 1 is a counter counter-current-flow shaft gasifier comprising:

a waste/biomass inlet 10 with a two-port sluice system for introduction of waste/biomass 2 in the upper region 4 of the gasifier 1,

a carbonization zone 5,

a partial oxidation and vitrification zone 6,

inlet 3 for injection of preheated air at the partial oxidation and vitrification zone 6,

a slag and metal alloy accumulating section 7,

means 8 for tapping and collecting liquid slag and metal alloy, and

means for regulating the injection of fresh air to maintain a temperature of 1.450-1.550°

C. in the slag and metal alloy accumulating section 7.

14. Device according to claim 13,

characterised in that the decomposition reactor 15 comprises a plasma torch 13 placed in a T-junction on the outlet tube 9 providing an arc discharge zone 21 in which air is injected, and that the heated air exits the plasma torch 13 through zone 14 where it is admixed with raw biosyngas, and that the mixed gas then flows into a decomposition chamber 15.

15. Device according to claim 13,

characterised in that

the plasma torch 13 is formed as a cylindrical tube closed in one end and open in the other end and which is equipped with a set of apertures 23 for injection of air,

that an electric arc 21 is formed between two annularly shaped electrodes 20 and which is rotated and controlled by annularly shaped magnets 22, and

the opening of the cylindrical tube is directed into tube 9 and thus forming a zone 14 where air heated by passing through apertures 23 and into arc 21 may pass into tube 9.

16. Device according to claim 15,

characterised in that the plasma torch provides an air jet of flow velocity 6-800 m/s and a temperature of 3-5.000°

C. in zone 14, and that the decomposition reactor is given a volume that ensures a residence time of about 2 seconds at a temperature of 1200-1300°

C. before the gas exits as heat treated syngas through pipe 16.

17. Device according to claim 16,

characterised in that the pipe 9 is equipped with means for regulating the injection of air 11 such that the oxidation degree in the zone 14 and decomposition reactor 15 is kept within 0.2<

CO₂/(CO+CO₂)<

0.4.