Hydrothermal conversion process
First Claim
1. A hydrothermal conversion process wherein a particulate solid organic feedstock is reacted with water at a temperature of at least 160°
- at a superatmospheric pressure sufficient to maintain the water in subcooled liquid state to produce one or more hydrothermal conversion products selected from a) a carbonized solid and b) at least one liquefaction product, wherein1) an aqueous slurry of particles of the organic feedstock in liquid water and having a temperature of up to 100°
C. is mixed under elevated pressure with a steam stream, under conditions such that upon mixing all or a portion of the steam condenses and a reaction mixture having a temperature of at least 160°
C. is formed at a pressure such that water including the condensed steam remains as a subcooled liquid;
2) the reaction mixture is maintained at a temperature of at least 160°
C. and at a temperature sufficient to maintain water including the condensed steam as a subcooled liquid for a period of time sufficient to produce the one or more hydrothermal conversion products; and
then3) recovering the one or more hydrothermal conversion products, wherein steps
1) and
2) are performed in an apparatus comprisinga) a mixing zone in which the aqueous slurry of particles is mixed with the steam stream to produce the reaction mixture;
b) at least two reaction zones each separately in fluid communication with the mixing zone via a flow path andc) distribution means for distributing a reaction mixture produced in the mixing zone among the reaction zones;
wherein the distributor includes valving means for selectively opening and closing the flow path to each of the reaction zones for selectively opening the flow path to one or more of the reaction zones while simultaneously closing the flow path to at least one other reaction zone.
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Abstract
A hydrothermal conversion process includes a mixing step wherein an aqueous slurry of a solid feedstock material with a steam stream to produce a reaction mixture having a temperature of at least 160° C. and which is at a pressure sufficient to keep water as a subcooled liquid. The process is fast and effective, requires only simple equipment and is highly energy-efficient. The process is also readily scalable, can be operated continuously or semi-continuously and can be tailored to produce carbonized solids or liquefaction products, all of which typically have increased economic value compared with the starting materials.
18 Citations
20 Claims
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1. A hydrothermal conversion process wherein a particulate solid organic feedstock is reacted with water at a temperature of at least 160°
- at a superatmospheric pressure sufficient to maintain the water in subcooled liquid state to produce one or more hydrothermal conversion products selected from a) a carbonized solid and b) at least one liquefaction product, wherein
1) an aqueous slurry of particles of the organic feedstock in liquid water and having a temperature of up to 100°
C. is mixed under elevated pressure with a steam stream, under conditions such that upon mixing all or a portion of the steam condenses and a reaction mixture having a temperature of at least 160°
C. is formed at a pressure such that water including the condensed steam remains as a subcooled liquid;2) the reaction mixture is maintained at a temperature of at least 160°
C. and at a temperature sufficient to maintain water including the condensed steam as a subcooled liquid for a period of time sufficient to produce the one or more hydrothermal conversion products; and
then3) recovering the one or more hydrothermal conversion products, wherein steps
1) and
2) are performed in an apparatus comprisinga) a mixing zone in which the aqueous slurry of particles is mixed with the steam stream to produce the reaction mixture; b) at least two reaction zones each separately in fluid communication with the mixing zone via a flow path and c) distribution means for distributing a reaction mixture produced in the mixing zone among the reaction zones; wherein the distributor includes valving means for selectively opening and closing the flow path to each of the reaction zones for selectively opening the flow path to one or more of the reaction zones while simultaneously closing the flow path to at least one other reaction zone. - View Dependent Claims (2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8)
- at a superatmospheric pressure sufficient to maintain the water in subcooled liquid state to produce one or more hydrothermal conversion products selected from a) a carbonized solid and b) at least one liquefaction product, wherein
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9. A hydrothermal conversion process wherein a particulate solid organic feedstock is reacted with water at a temperature of at least 160°
- at a superatmospheric pressure sufficient to maintain the water in subcooled liquid state to produce one or more hydrothermal conversion products selected from a) a carbonized solid and b) at least one liquefaction product, wherein
1) an aqueous slurry of particles of the organic feedstock in liquid water and having a temperature of up to 100°
C. is mixed under elevated pressure with a steam stream, under conditions such that upon mixing all or a portion of the steam condenses and a reaction mixture having a temperature of at least 160°
C. is formed at a pressure such that water including the condensed steam remains as a subcooled liquid;2) the reaction mixture is maintained at a temperature of at least 160°
C. and at a temperature sufficient to maintain water including the condensed steam as a subcooled liquid for a period of time sufficient to produce the one or more hydrothermal conversion products; and
then3) recovering the one or more hydrothermal conversion products, wherein the hydrothermal conversion product includes a carbonized solid that has an oxygen;
carbon atomic ratio of less than 0.2, a nitrogen;
carbon atomic ratio of less than 0.2 and a hydrogen;
carbon atomic ratio of <
1.2. - View Dependent Claims (11, 12, 13, 14, 15)
- at a superatmospheric pressure sufficient to maintain the water in subcooled liquid state to produce one or more hydrothermal conversion products selected from a) a carbonized solid and b) at least one liquefaction product, wherein
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10. A hydrothermal conversion process wherein a particulate solid organic feedstock is reacted with water at a temperature of at least 160°
- at a superatmospheric pressure sufficient to maintain the water in subcooled liquid state to produce one or more hydrothermal conversion products selected from a) a carbonized solid and b) at least one liquefaction product, wherein
1) an aqueous slurry of particles of the organic feedstock in liquid water and having a temperature of up to 100°
C. is mixed under elevated pressure with a steam stream, under conditions such that upon mixing all or a portion of the steam condenses and a reaction mixture having a temperature of at least 160°
C. is formed at a pressure such that water including the condensed steam remains as a subcooled liquid;2) the reaction mixture is maintained at a temperature of at least 160°
C. and at a temperature sufficient to maintain water including the condensed steam as a subcooled liquid for a period of time sufficient to produce the one or more hydrothermal conversion products; and
then3) recovering the one or more hydrothermal conversion products wherein the hydrothermal conversion product includes a liquefaction product that has an oxygen;
carbon atomic ratio of less than 0.6, a nitrogen;
carbon atomic ratio of less than 0.5 and a hydrogen;
carbon atomic ratio of <
1.5. - View Dependent Claims (16, 17, 18, 19, 20)
- at a superatmospheric pressure sufficient to maintain the water in subcooled liquid state to produce one or more hydrothermal conversion products selected from a) a carbonized solid and b) at least one liquefaction product, wherein
Specification