Method and Apparatus for Producing Engineered Fuel from High Cellulose Feedstock

• US 20130183715A1
• Filed: 01/11/2013
• Published: 07/18/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 01/12/2012
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Paul T. Baskis
• Original Assignee: Paul T. Baskis
• Inventors: Baskis, Paul T.
• Application Number:
  US13/739,296
• Publication Number:
  US 20130183715A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 435/72
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 17/50 Treatments combining two or more different biological or biochemical treatments, e.g. anaerobic and aerobic treatment or vermicomposting and aerobic treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/721 Multistage gasification, e.g. plural parallel or serial gasification stages
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 21/04 for producing gas, e.g. biogas digesters for manure with production of biogas A01C3/028, biological treatment of water, waste water or sewage C02F3/00, C02F11/02, preparation of natural gas or syngas C10L3/06, C10L3/10
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 23/58 Reaction vessels connected in series or in parallel combinations of bioreactors with other apparatus, C12M43/00
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 33/22 Settling tanks; Sedimentation by gravity settling tanks per se B01D21/02
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 43/08 Bioreactors or fermenters combined with devices or plants for production of electricity
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 45/04 Phase separators; Separation of non fermentable material; Fractionation
• CPC Class Codes: C12M 47/18 Gas cleaning, e.g. scrubbers; Separation of different gases separating dispersed particles from gases or vapours B01D45/00; separation of gases or vapours B01D53/00; gas washing apparatus for laboratory uses B01L5/04
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 19/00 Preparation of compounds containing saccharide radicals ketoaldonic acids C12P7/58
• CPC Class Codes: C12P 5/023 Methane
• 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 20/145 the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/40 Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse

Abstract

An apparatus and method for producing methane gas, synthetic hydrocarbon gas, and fertilizer is provided. The apparatus includes a mix tank for mixing cellulosic material with a solvent into a slurry and a generator having an exhaust. The apparatus further includes a stir tank reactor for converting the slurry to a solution containing lignin-like carbon and liquid, and a separator for separating the lignin-like carbon and liquid. An anaerobic digester decomposes the received liquid received from the stir tank into methane and liquid components. A carbon dioxide scrubber scrubs the methane component of carbon dioxide.

The method includes mixing cellulosic material with a solvent into a slurry, and converting the slurry to a solution containing lignin-like carbon and liquid. It also includes separating the lignin-like carbon and liquid and decomposing the liquid into methane and liquid components, and scrubbing the methane component of carbon dioxide.

Claims

1. An apparatus for producing methane gas comprising:

a mix tank for mixing cellulosic material with a solvent into a slurry;

a generator, the generator having an exhaust;

a stir tank reactor for converting the slurry to a solution containing lignin-like carbon and liquid;

a separator for separating the lignin-like carbon and liquid;

an anaerobic digester for decomposing liquid received from the stir tank into methane and liquid components; and

a carbon dioxide scrubber for scrubbing the methane component of carbon dioxide.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising at least one screen for screening solids from the liquid component received from the anaerobic digester, and an aerobic digester for treating the liquid component received from the at least one screen to create additional methane components.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a gasifier for converting the lignin-like carbon to a coke product.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 wherein the solvent includes carbonic acid.

5. The apparatus of claim 2 wherein the solids from the at least one screen are directed to a second gasifier for converting the solids to a fertilizer product.

6. The apparatus of claim 2 further comprising at least one settling tank for receiving liquid from the aerobic digester to remove any additional solids.

7. The apparatus of claim 6 further comprising a recycle tank to receive liquid from the at least one settling tank.

8. The apparatus of claim 3, wherein the gasifier creates a hydrocarbon gas.

9. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising:

a condenser for condensing gases received from the gasifier into liquid; and

an oil, water and gas separator for separating gases and the condensed liquid, the condensed liquid separated into oil and water components.

10. The apparatus of claim 1 further comprising a first heat exchanger heated by the generator exhaust to heat the solvent.

11. A method of producing methane gas from cellulosic material comprising the steps of:

mixing cellulosic material with a solvent into a slurry;

converting the slurry to a solution containing lignin-like carbon and liquid;

separating the lignin-like carbon and liquid;

decomposing the liquid into methane and liquid components; and

scrubbing the methane component of carbon dioxide.

12. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of heating the slurry in the stir tank reactor.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of screening solids from the liquid component received from the anaerobic digester, and treating the liquid component received from the at least one screen to create additional methane components.

14. The method of claim 11 wherein the solvent includes carbonic acid.

15. The method of claim 11 wherein the screened solids are directed to a gasifier.

16. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of digesting the liquid component from the screening in aerobic digester to create additional methane components.

17. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of converting the lignin-like carbon to a coke product.

18. The method of claim 11 further comprising the step of converting the screened solids to a fertilizer product.

19. The method of claim 15, wherein the gasifier creates a hydrocarbon gas.

20. The method of claim 11 further comprising the steps of condensing gases received from the gasifier into liquid, and separating gases and the condensed liquid, and separating the condensed liquid into oil and liquid components.