Biomass and waste plastics depolymerization machine and methods via supercritical water

• US 8,980,143 B2
• Filed: 11/15/2011
• Issued: 03/17/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 03/11/2008
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Xtrudx Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Xtrudx Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Loop, Thomas E., Flynn, James D., Allan, Graham, Gaw, Kevin O., Van Swearingen, Steven C.
• Primary Examiner(s): DRODGE, JOSEPH W
• Application Number:
  US13/297,217
• Publication Number:
  US 20120184788A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,218 Days
• Field of Search: 210/175, 210/177, 210180-182, 210/259, 210/511, 210/634, 210/639, 210/749, 210758-761, 210/773, 210/774, 210/806, 210/808, 443/07, 443/08, 446/05, 446/06, 422/138, 422/198, 422/199, 422/208, 422/602, 422/608, 422/618, 422/242, 422/236, 585/240, 585/241, 585/800, 585/802, 585833-838, 219/600, 219/618, 219/628, 219/630, 219/635, 554 8- 23, 264 11- 13, 264/37.1, 264/37.18, 264/454, 71 11- 13
• US Class Current: 264/37.18
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 19/087 employing electric or magnetic energy
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/0854 employing electromagnets
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/089 Liquid-solid
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 2219/182 horizontal
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 3/008 Processes carried out under supercritical conditions
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/0045 by means of a rotary device in the flow channel
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/1836 Heating and cooling the reactor B01J8/42 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/20 with liquid as a fluidising medium
• CPC Class Codes: B01J 8/42 with fluidised bed subjected to electric current or to radiations this sub-group includes the fluidised bed subjected to electric or magnetic fields
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/02 Separating plastics from other materials
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/54 using solvents, e.g. supercritical solvents or ionic liquids

Abstract

A method for transforming a selected polymeric material into a plurality of reaction products via supercritical water is disclosed. The method comprises: conveying the selected polymeric material through an extruder, wherein the extruder is configured to continuously convey the selected polymeric material to a supercritical fluid reaction zone; injecting hot compressed water into the supercritical fluid reaction zone, while the extruder is conveying the selected polymeric material into the supercritical fluid reaction zone so as to yield a mixture; retaining the mixture within the reaction zone for a period of time sufficient to yield the plurality of reaction products. The reaction zone may be characterized by a tubular reactor having an adjustably positionable inner tubular spear, wherein the tubular reactor and the inner tubular spear further define an annular space within the reaction zone, and wherein the mixture flows through the annular space and into a reaction products chamber.

Claims

1. A method for transforming a selected polymeric material into a plurality of reaction products, the method comprising the steps of:

conveying the selected polymeric material through an extruder so as to define a selected polymeric material flowstream, wherein the extruder is configured to continuously convey the selected polymeric material from an upstream inlet to a supercritical fluid reaction zone;

injecting hot compressed water into the supercritical fluid reaction zone while the extruder is conveying the selected polymeric material flowstream into the supercritical fluid reaction zone so as to yield a mixture;

retaining the mixture within the reaction zone for a period of time sufficient to yield the plurality of reaction products, wherein the reaction zone is defined by a tubular reactor having an inner tubular spear, wherein the tubular reactor and the inner tubular spear further define an annular space within the reaction zone, and wherein the mixture flows through the annular space; and

expelling the plurality of reaction products out of the supercritical fluid reaction zone and into a reaction products chamber.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the selected polymeric material is biomass, a waste plastic, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 2 wherein the extruder is a twin screw extruder.

4. The method of claim 2 wherein the hot compressed water is supercritical water.

5. The method of claim 4 wherein the hot compressed water is in amount that is less than the amount of the selected polymeric material on a weight percent basis.

6. The method of claim 2 wherein the period of time ranges from about 0.4 to about 10 seconds.

7. The method of claim 2 wherein the inner tubular spear is adjustably movable in back and forth directions within the tubular reactor so as to selectable increase or decrease the volume of the reaction zone.

8. The method of claim 7, further comprising the step of separating the plurality of reaction products into an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase.