System and process for the production of combustible substances by depolymerisation of rubber products

• US 7,628,892 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2005
• Issued: 12/08/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/09/2004
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: FINI (20%), FRANCO, MENCARELLI (15%), RENATO, Proget Energy S.r.l., PRTI, Inc., Romana Maceri Centro Italia S.r.l.
• Original Assignee: Franco Fini, Pernilla Finanziaria S.A, Renato Mencarelli, Romana Maceri Centro Italia S.r.l.
• Inventors: Fini, Franco (I-58022 Follonica
• Primary Examiner(s): BHAT, NINA NMN
• Application Number:
  US11/569,516
• Publication Number:
  US 20080035079A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,652 Days
• Field of Search: 201/7, 201/8, 201/25, 201/27, 201/30, 202/117, 110/210, 110/234, 481/22, 422/209, 422/233
• US Class Current: 201/7
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/07 of solid raw materials consisting of synthetic polymeric materials, e.g. tyres waste in general, e.g. household waste C10B53/00; recovery or working-up of waste materials of organic macromolecular compounds or compositions based thereon by dry-heat treatment for obtaining partially depolymerised materials C08J11/10; production of liquid hydrocarbon mixtures from rubber or rubber waste C10G1/10
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/10 from rubber or rubber waste
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 9/00 Thermal non-catalytic cracking, in the absence of hydrogen, of hydrocarbon oils
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 9/02 in retorts
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/16 with non-aqueous liquids
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/143 the feedstock being recycled material, e.g. plastics

Abstract

A system and process for the production of combustible substances by means of depolymerisation of rubber products, comprising a depressurized depolymerising device (1), inside which it takes place the depolymerisation of a predetermined quantity of products introduced at its inner, characterized in that it comprises a divider or phases separator (2) disposed downstream said depolymerising device (1), which consists of a substantially cylindrical body, with an upper base (20) and a lower base (21), and is connected with the depolymerising device (1) by means of a pipe (3): said phases separator (2) being apt to carry out the separation of at least a part of the liquid phase of the products exiting the depolymerising device (1), and having an outlet (23) for the thus separated liquid phase and an outlet (24) for the remaining part of the products in mostly gaseous phase.

Claims

1. A system for the production of combustible substances by means of depolymerization of rubber products, the system comprising:

a first connecting pipe;

a second connecting pipe;

a depressurized depolymerizing device, wherein depolymerization of a predetermined quantity of products takes place in said depressurized depolymerizing device such that a product mixture is produced, said product mixture including a liquid phase and a gas phase;

an aspiration unit;

a phases separator disposed downstream of said depolymerizing device, said phases separator comprising a substantially cylindrical body, with an upper base and a lower base, said phases separator being connected to said depolymerizing device via said first connecting pipe, said phases separator separating at least a part of the liquid phase of the product mixture exiting the depolymerizing device, said phases separator having a first outlet for the separated liquid phase and a second outlet for said product mixture in mostly said gaseous phase, said depolymerizing device being depressurized by said aspiration unit, said aspiration unit being disposed downstream of said phases separator, said aspiration unit being connected to said phases separator via said second connecting pipe, said phases separator comprising a septum or wall and a first chamber defined by an interior surface portion of said phases separator and said septum or wall, said septum or wall and another interior surface portion of said phases separator defining a second chamber having a closed top portion and an open bottom portion, said phases separator comprising a third connecting pipe, said third connecting pipe being disposed vertically in said second chamber, one end of said third connecting pipe being associated with said second outlet, another end of said third connecting pipe being located at a predetermined distance from said open bottom portion, said third connecting pipe being connected to said aspiration unit via said second connecting pipe, said phases separator comprising a container located at a position below said first outlet, said phases separator comprising a fourth connecting pipe, said container receiving said liquid phase of said product mixture via said fourth connecting pipe, said container having a lower opening;

a pump connected to said lower opening of said container;

injectors or atomizers disposed at a predetermined distance from said upper base of said phases separator, said pump moving said liquid phase of said product mixture to said injectors or atomizers such that said liquid phase of said product mixture is reintroduced into said first chamber;

a first tube;

a second tube, said pump being connected to said lower opening via said first tube, said pump being connected to said injectors or atomizers via said second tube, said second tube having a second tube portion, said second tube portion extending through said upper base of said phases separator, wherein a portion of said second tube portion is located within said first chamber, said container having an upper side opening for removing liquid not recycled by said pump.

2. A system according to claim 1, wherein said depolymerizing device is de-pressurized by means of an aspiration unit disposed downstream from said phase separator and connected with the latter by means of a correspondent pipe.

3. A system according to claim 1, wherein the upper base of said depolymerizing device is mounted on vertical guides and is brought under control of an electric motor by means of a transmission with pinion and toothed rack to allow the rising and the lowering of said upper base such that the products are introduce into the depolymerizing device and said upper base is closed after the products have been introduced into said depolymerizing device.

4. A system according to claim 1, wherein said depolymerizing device has an opening which constitutes a passage for a burner with carriage, said opening being located in an area of said lower base of said depolymerizing device.

5. A system according to claim 1, further comprising thermal sensors.

6. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a thermal sensor, wherein said lower base of said depolymerizing device has an interstice trough and a horizontal grid located at a spaced location from said base, wherein combustive air passes through said interstice trough, said thermal sensor being placed in said interstice, said thermal sensor sensing air temperature in a lower position with respect to said grid, wherein water is introduced in said interstice when a temperature sensed by said thermal sensor exceeds 50°

C.

7. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a pressure sensor, said lower base of said depolymerizing device having an interstice trough, wherein combustive air passes through said interstice trough, said pressure sensor being located in said interstice trough, said pressure sensor sensing an air pressure within said interstice trough, wherein less air is aspirated in said depolymerizing device when a local pressure in said interstice trough is higher than an atmospheric pressure such that combustion decreases until pressure in said interstice trough is less than the atmospheric pressure.

8. A system according to claim 1, further comprising:

a motor reducer, said depolymerizing device being a body supported by a fixed structure, said depolymerizing device being connected to said fixed structure via a hinge connection, said depolymerizing device being overturned via said motor reducer such that residue from said depolymerizing cycle is unloaded from said upper base of said depolymerizing device.

9. A process for the production of combustible substances by depolymerization of rubber products, including a phase of depolymerization with the production of a fluid mixture with two phases, the process comprising the steps of:

providing an aspiration unit;

providing a first connecting pipe;

providing a phases separator, said phases separator comprising a lower base, said aspiration unit being connected to said phases separator via said first connecting pipe, said phases separator having a first outlet and a second outlet, said phases separator comprising a septum or wall and a first chamber defined by an interior surface portion of said phases separator and said septum or wall, said septum or wall and another interior surface portion of said phases separator defining a second chamber having a closed top portion and an open bottom portion, said phases separator comprising a second connecting pipe, said second connecting pipe being disposed vertically in said second chamber, one end of said second connecting pipe being associated with said second outlet, another end of said second connecting pipe being located at a predetermined distance from said open bottom portion, said second connecting pipe being connected to said aspiration unit via said first connecting pipe, said phases separator comprising a container located at a position below said first outlet, said phases separator comprising a third connecting pipe, said container receiving a liquid phase of said fluid mixture via said third connecting pipe, said container having a lower opening;

providing a pump connected to said lower opening of said container;

providing injectors or atomizers disposed at a predetermined distance from said upper base of said phases separator;

moving said liquid phase of said product mixture with said pump to said injectors or atomizers such that said liquid phase of said fluid mixture is reintroduced into said first chamber;

providing a first tube;

providing a second tube, said pump being connected to said lower opening via said first tube, said pump being connected to said injectors or atomizers via said second tube, said second tube having a second tube portion, said second tube portion extending through said upper base of said phases separator, wherein a portion of said second tube portion is located within said first chamber, said container having an upper side opening for removing liciuid not recycled by said pump;

separating a liquid phase from a mostly gas phase of said fluid mixture;

collecting at least a part of the liquid phase with said phases separator, wherein depolymerization and said separation of phases are carried out in a medium under vacuum.

10. A process for the production of combustible substances by depolymerization of rubber products, including a phase of depolymerization with the production of a fluid mixture with two phases, the process comprising the steps of:

providing an aspiration unit;

providing a first connecting pipe;

providing a phases separator, said phases separator comprising a lower base, said aspiration unit being connected to said phases separator via said first connecting pipe, said phases separator having a first outlet and a second outlet, said phases separator comprising an interior phases separator surface and a wall, wherein a portion of said interior phases separator surface and said wall define a first chamber, another portion of said interior phases separator surface and said wall defining a second chamber having a closed top portion and an open bottom portion, said phases separator comprising a second connecting pipe, said second connecting pipe being disposed vertically in said second chamber, one end of said second connecting pipe being associated with said second outlet, another end of said second connecting pipe being located at a spaced location from second outlet, said second connecting pipe being connected to said aspiration unit via said first connecting pipe, said phases separator comprising a container located at a position below said first outlet and a third connecting pipe, said container receiving a liquid phase of said fluid mixture via said third connecting pipe, said container having a lower opening;

providing a pump connected to said lower opening of said container;

providing injectors or atomizers disposed at a predetermined distance from said upper base of said phases separator;

preparing a fluid mixture via a depolymerization process of rubber products, said fluid mixture comprising a liquid phase and a gas phase;

supplying said phases separator with said fluid mixture;

separating said liquid phase from said gas phase of said fluid mixture with said phases separator;

collecting at least a part of said liquid phase with said container, wherein depolymerization of said fluid mixture and said separation of phases are carried out in a medium under vacuum;

moving said liquid phase of said product mixture to said injectors or atomizers with said pump such that said liquid phase of said fluid mixture is reintroduced into said first chamber;

providing a first tube;

providing a second tube, said pump being connected to said lower opening via said first tube, said pump being connected to said injectors or atomizers via said second tube, said second tube having a second tube portion, said second tube portion extending through said upper base of said phases separator, wherein a portion of said second tube portion is located within said first chamber, said container having an upper side opening;

removing liquid not recycled by said pump via said upper side opening of said container.