Multistage thermolysis method for safe and efficient conversion of carpet/rug, polymeric materials and other waste sources

• US 9,816,033 B2
• Filed: 05/31/2016
• Issued: 11/14/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 12/31/2015
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: CHZ Technologies, LLC
• Original Assignee: CHZ Technologies, LLC
• Inventors: Brandhorst, Jr., Henry W., Engel, Ullrich H., Ludwig, Charles T., Zavoral, Sr., Ernest J.
• Primary Examiner(s): Miller, Jonathan
• Application Number:
  US15/168,413
• Publication Number:
  US 20170190976A1
• Time in Patent Office: 532 Days
• CPC Class Codes: B01D 47/00 Separating dispersed particles from gases, air or vapours by liquid as separating agent B01D45/10 takes precedence; fractionating columns or parts thereof B01D3/16
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 3/00 Destroying solid waste or transforming solid waste into something useful or harmless
• CPC Class Codes: B09B 5/00 Operations not covered by a single other subclass or by a single other group in this subclass
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 17/04 Disintegrating plastics, e.g. by millingB29B9/02, B29B11/02, B29B13/10, B29B17/02 take precedence
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0484 Grinding tools, roller mills or disc mills
• CPC Class Codes: B29B 2017/0496 Pyrolysing the materials
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/732 Floor coverings piles carpets B29L2031/7652; for vehicles B29L2031/3017
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7322 Carpets
• CPC Class Codes: B29L 2031/7324 Mats
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 11/14 by treatment with steam or water
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2367/02 Polyesters derived from dicarboxylic acids and dihydroxy compounds; C08J2367/06 takes precedence
• CPC Class Codes: C08J 2377/00 Characterised by the use of polyamides obtained by reactions forming a carboxylic amide link in the main chain; Derivatives of such polymers
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 45/00 Other details
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 47/00 Destructive distillation of solid carbonaceous materials with indirect heating, e.g. by external combustion
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 47/44 with conveyor-screws
• 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: C10B 57/02 Multi-step carbonising or coking processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/10 from rubber or rubber waste
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1003 Waste materials
• CPC Class Codes: C10K 1/002 Removal of contaminants
• 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: C10L 2200/0469 : Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/02 : Combustion or pyrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/06 : Heat exchange, direct or indirect
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/10 : Recycling of a stream within the process or apparatus to reuse elsewhere therein
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/28 : Cutting, disintegrating, shredding or grinding
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/50 : Screws or pistons for moving along solids
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 3/00 : Gaseous fuels; Natural gas; Synthetic natural gas obtained by processes not covered by subclass C10G, C10K; Liquefied petroleum gas
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/406 : on plastic
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/447 : Carbonized vegetable substances, e.g. charcoal, or produced by hydrothermal carbonization of biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/46 : on sewage, house, or town refuse C10L5/403, C10L5/406 take precedence
• 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 20/143 : the feedstock being recycled material, e.g. plastics
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/62 : Plastics recycling; Rubber recycling
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/78 : Recycling of wood or furniture waste

Abstract

Clean, safe and efficient methods, systems, and processes for utilizing thermolysis methods to processes to convert various carpet, rug, polymeric materials and other waste sources, such as solid waste, tires, manure, auto shredder residue, glass and carbon fiber composite materials, municipal solid wastes, medical wastes, waste wood and the like into a Clean Fuel Gas and Char source are disclosed. The invention processes the carpet, rug, polymeric material to effectively shred and/or grind the waste source, such as post-consumer carpet remnants and waste, and then process using thermolysis methods to destroy and/or separate halogen and other dangerous components to provide a Clean Fuel Gas and Char source. Additional waste sources, such as solid waste, tires, manure, auto shredder residue, glass and carbon fiber composite materials, municipal solid wastes, medical wastes, waste wood and the like, are suitable for the processing of the invention disclosed.

Claims

1. A method for converting a carpet, rug and/or plastic waste source to a Clean Fuel Gas source and Char source comprising:

inputting a waste source into a thermolysis system;

wherein the thermolysis system comprises at least two reactors, at least two gas scrubbers, an oil/water separator, and an oil/tar cracker;

optionally injecting steam into the thermolysis system to increase moisture content of the waste source or drying the waste source to decrease the moisture content of the waste source in the thermolysis system;

wherein the waste source comprises carpet, rug, plastic, tire, manure, auto shredder residue, glass and carbon fiber composite material, municipal solid waste, medical waste, waste wood, or a combination thereof;

undergoing a depolymerization and a cracking reaction of hydrocarbons in the waste source in the thermolysis system;

destroying and/or removing toxic compounds present in the waste source; and

generating the Clean Fuel Gas and Char source,

wherein the reactors have a process temperature of about 300°

C.-800°

C. and generate tars and oils;

wherein all of the oils and tars are separated from the Clean Fuel Gas source in the at least two gas scrubbers, thereafter cracked in the oil/tar cracker, and sent back to the secondary reactor to generate more of the Clean Fuel Gas source;

wherein the Clean Fuel Gas source is used to power the system or another application;

wherein the Char source can be recycled and/or contains recoverable metals; and

wherein the Clean Fuel Gas source and Char source are substantially-free of halogenated organic compounds and do not contain oils and/or tars.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the waste source comprises carpet, rug selvage, post-consumer waste, or a combination thereof.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the waste source is selected from the group consisting of nylon, polypropylene (olefin), polytrimethylene terephthalate (PTT), polyester (PET), acrylic (or acetates), wool, carpet adding, carpet fillers, carpet backing materials, and combinations thereof.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the waste source comprises a non-carpet or non-rug plastic.

5. The method of claim 4, wherein the plastic is selected from the group consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PETE or PET), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), low-density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), Polycarbonate (PC), polylactide and combinations thereof.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the reactors have a process temperature of about 400°

C.-800°

C. for the waste source to undergo at least partial gasification.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermolysis system provides indirect heat in the system that is free of oxygen, and wherein the thermolysis system has a pressure range from about 10 to about 100 millibar.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the moisture content of the waste source is measured or the pressure in the reactor is measured to determine the amount of steam to be injected into the reactor to increase the moisture content or drying of the waste source to decrease the moisture content to between about 5-20 wt.-%.

9. The method of claim 1, further comprising an initial step of shredding or grinding the waste source, and wherein the waste source is substantially uniform in size having an average diameter of less than 1 inch.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the toxic compounds comprise aromatics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated dibenzodioxins, halogenated dibenzofurans, biphenyls, pyrenes, cadmium, lead, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, chlorofluorocarbons, mercury, nickel, or a combination thereof present in the waste source.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the compounds destroyed comprise a toxic halogenated organic compound, and wherein the method do not generate any toxic halogenated organic compounds in the process of converting the waste sources to the Char and Clean Fuel Gas source.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the Char source comprises carbon and fillers, and wherein the Char source is suitable for further recycling and/or an additional step of removing the fillers from the carbon for further reuse of the carbon and/or fillers.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the Char source and the Clean Fuel Gas source are free of halogenated organic compounds.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein at least a portion of the Clean Fuel Gas source generated is provided back to the thermolysis system as a fuel source, and wherein from about 3,000 to 20,000 BTUs per pound of the waste source is generated.

15. A method for converting a carpet, rug, and/or plastic waste source to a Clean Fuel Gas source and Char source comprising:

shredding or grinding a waste source to provide a substantially uniform waste source;

providing the uniform waste source into a thermolysis system,

wherein the thermolysis system comprises at least two reactors, at least two gas scrubbers, an oil/water separator, and an oil/tar cracker;

wherein the waste source comprises carpet, rug, plastic, tires, manure, auto shredder residue, glass and carbon fiber composite materials, municipal solid wastes, medical wastes, waste wood, or a combination thereof;

wherein the reactors have a process temperature of from about 300°

C.-800°

C. and a pressure range from about 10 to about 100 millibar, and generate tars and oils;

optionally injecting steam into the system to increase moisture content of the waste source to about 5-20 wt.-% or drying the waste source to decrease moisture content of the waste source to about 5-20 wt.-%;

undergoing a depolymerisation and a cracking of hydrocarbons in the waste source;

destroying and/or removing toxic compounds present in the waste source;

generating a Char source, wherein the Char source comprises carbon and fillers and is suitable for further recycling; and

generating a Clean Fuel Gas source, wherein the Clean Fuel Gas source is free of halogenated organic compounds and do not contain oils and/or tars,

wherein all of the oils and tars are separated from the Clean Fuel Gas source in the at least two gas scrubbers, thereafter cracked in the oil/tar cracker, and sent back to the secondary reactor to generate more of the Clean Fuel Gas source.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the waste source is selected from the group consisting of selvage and post-consumer carpet and rug materials, and wherein the substantially uniform waste source has an average diameter of less than 1 inch.

17. The method of claim 15, wherein the toxic compounds comprise aromatics and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, halogenated dibenzodioxins, halogenated dibenzofurans, biphenyls, pyrenes, cadmium, lead, antimony, arsenic, beryllium, chlorofluorocarbons, mercury, nickel, or a combination thereof present in the waste source, and wherein the method does not generate any toxic halogenated organic compounds in the process of converting the waste sources to the Char source and Clean Fuel Gas source.