Method for processing waste or biomass material

• US 6,084,139 A
• Filed: 12/04/1998
• Issued: 07/04/2000
• Est. Priority Date: 12/05/1997
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Droan B.V.
• Original Assignee: Gibros PEC B.V.
• Inventors: Van Der Giessen, Abraham Barend, Jungk, Klaus, Van Der Veen, Ruurd Andries, Hazewinkel, Jacob Hendrik Obbo, Lotens, Jan Pieter
• Primary Examiner(s): Yildirim, Bekir L.
• Application Number:
  US09/205,228
• Time in Patent Office: 578 Days
• Field of Search: 585/240, 585/241, 201/2.5, 201/25
• US Class Current: 585/240
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/00 Destructive distillation, specially adapted for particular solid raw materials or solid raw materials in special form wet carbonising of peat C10F
• 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 2300/0946 Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1621 Compression of synthesis gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/005 Rotary drum or kiln gasifiers
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/62 with separate withdrawal of the distillation products
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/66 by introducing them into the gasification zone
• 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 1/007 of metal compounds
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/024 by filtration
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/08 by washing with liquids; Reviving the used wash liquors gas washers B01D
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/122 containing only carbonates, bicarbonates, hydroxides or oxides of alkali-metals (including Mg)
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/32 with selectively adsorptive solids, e.g. active carbon
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 3/001 by thermal treatment
• 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

Abstract

The invention relates to a method for processing waste or biomass material into valuable products such as, for example, combustible gases, which is characterized in that

(a) the waste or biomass material is subjected to a pyrolysis at a temperature of 350-650° C., advantageously 450-550° C.;

(b) the gas released in the course of the pyrolysis is subjected--without condensation--to a cracking treatment at a temperature of 1100-1600° C., advantageously 1200-1400° C., under the influence of oxygen-rich gas introduced from outside and possibly of steam;

(c) the residue liberated in the course of the pyrolysis is gasified under a pressure of 0.5-1.5 bar, advantageously 0.8-1.2 bar, at a temperature of 1200-1700° C., advantageously 1400-1600° C., and is volatilized or, as the case may be, fused under reducing conditions;

(d) the fused slag or metal concentrate obtained under stage (c) is discharged or, as the case may be, recovered;

(e) the product gases obtained in the course of stages (b) and (c) are combined or not combined and then subjected to gas cleaning.

Claims

1. Method for processing waste or biomass material, characterized in that

(a) the waste or biomass material is subjected to a pyrolysis at a temperature of 350-650°

C., advantageously 450-550°

C.;

(b) the gas released in the course of the pyrolysis is subjected--without condensation--to a cracking treatment at a temperature of 1100-1600°

C., advantageously 1200-1400°

C., under the influence of oxygen-rich gas introduced from outside and possibly of steam;

(c) the residue liberated in the course of the pyrolysis is gasified under a pressure of 0.5-1.5 bar, advantageously 0.8-1.2 bar, at a temperature of 1200-1700°

C., advantageously 1400-1600°

C., and is volatilized or, as the case may be, fused under reducing conditions;

(d) the fused slag or metal concentrate obtained under stage (c) is discharged or, as the case may be, recovered;

(e) the product gases obtained in the course of stages (b) and (c) are combined or not combined and then subjected to gas cleaning.

2. Method according to claim 1, characterized in that the waste or, as the case may be, biomass material to be used as a feed is beforehand subjected to a size reduction or, as the case may be, drying treatment.

3. Method according to claim 2, characterized in that the waste or biomass material is reduced in size to a particle size of <

30 cm, advantageously <

15 cm and advantageously <

5 cm.

4. Method according to claim 1, wherein the cracking treatment carried out in stage (b) additionally involves the introduction of liquid or, as the case may be, solid combustible waste.

5. Method according to claim 1, wherein the hot residue derived from the pyrolysis process is stripped using steam by means of water being injected.

6. Method according to claim 1, wherein the residue derived from the pyrolysis process is stripped of metal parts before the residue is subjected to stage (c).

7. Method according to claim 6, characterized in that the removal of iron is carried out with the aid of magnetic separation techniques and the removal of non-ferrous metals is carried out with the aid of eddy-current techniques.

8. Method according to claim 1, wherein stage (c) is carried out with the introduction of an oxygen-rich gas for the purpose of gasifying and combusting the coal present in the pyrolysis residue or the optionally introduced combustible liquid.

9. Method according to claim 1 in stage (c) external solid material is fed in in addition to the pyrolysis residue.

10. Method according to claim 1, wherein the external solid feed for stage (c) has a particle size of 0.5-5 cm.

11. Method according to claim 1, wherein stage (c) is carried out in the presence of solid carbon with the formation of a separate liquid, mainly ferriferous, metal phase.

12. Method according to claim 1, wherein stage (c) involves the addition of mineral additives in order to adjust the slag properties.

13. Method according to claim 12, characterized in that the mineral additives added are sand and/or lime.

14. Method according to claim 1, wherein the gas cleaning is carried out by successively

scrubbing out acidic gases such as HCl using an alkali, the water in the gas not condensing in the process;

recovering the metal oxides;

cooling the gas, the water condensing in the process;

removing hydrogen sulphide by means of absorption; and

removing mercury by means of absorption on activated carbon.

15. Method according to claim 14, characterized in that the cleaned gas is subjected to a CO shift and possibly a PSA or VPSA.