Method and apparatus for refinement of organic material

• US 5,194,069 A
• Filed: 10/03/1990
• Issued: 03/16/1993
• Est. Priority Date: 04/14/1988
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: Edward Someus
• Original Assignee: Control Products Incorporated (Emerson Electric Company)
• Inventors: Someus, George E.
• Primary Examiner(s): Chaudhuri, Olik
• Assistant Examiner(s): NUZZOLILLO, MARIA
• Application Number:
  US07/576,486
• Time in Patent Office: 895 Days
• Field of Search: 44/500, 201/8, 201/35, 201/33, 201/39, 202/228, 202/131, 202/136, 202/83
• US Class Current: 44/500
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/336 characterised by gaseous activating agents
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 47/30 in rotary ovens or retorts
• 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: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 the feedstock being materials of biological origin

Abstract

A method and an apparatus for the refinement of organic material is disclosed. Converting and processing organic material is achieved with or without organic and inorganic additions. The base material uses waste material, i.e. forest industry waste and slaughter-house waste. The method and apparatus produce a packeted end product, specifically carbon powder/granulate as full and charcoal for grilling/smoking, as well as active coal and additives for steel production.

Claims

1. Method of refinement of organic material including the steps of:

a) continuously feeding finely divided base material of organic origin into a reactor of a closed dynamic system under low pressure of 0.05 atm;

b) rotating the reactor and heating it to a temperature of 800°

-900°

C.;

c) decomposing the base material into carbon powder and reaction fluids by carbonization in said reactor and separating the gaseous phase in one step;

d) cooling the carbon powder in a cooling unit comprised in the closed dynamic system with indirect contact only with a cooling medium.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the cooling step further includes injecting an activating agent such as CO₂ or H₂ O into the carbon powder in order to produce active coal.

3. Method according to claim 1, wherein the end product treatment step further includes mixing the carbon powder with sawdust, spices, water and optionally fat, said method producing a particle size appropriate for charcoal for the grilling or smoking of foodstuffs.

9. Charcoal produced according to anyone of claims 1, 2 or 3 for the grilling or smoking of foodstuffs, wherein in addition to pure carbon, said charcoal also contains sawdust, spices, water and optionally fat.

4. Apparatus for refinement of organic material, including:

a feeding means for feeding finely divided organic base material into a closed dynamic processing means;

the processing means having a rotating reactor under low pressure of 0.05 atm, said reactor being acid resistant and including at least a carbonization zone for producing carbon powder;

the reactor being provided with fins arranged round an inlet of the reactor and fins arranged radially on the interior surface of the reactor, said fins serving to distribute the material as the reactor is rotating;

a coil arrangement arranged at an outlet of the reactor for assisting the transportation of material out of the reactor;

two valves positioned one at each end of the reactor and capable of being opened alternatively for evacuating a gaseous phase including any cumbustible gases;

a motor having variable speed for rotating the reactor;

an external heating means for heating the material in the reactor to a temperature of 800°

-900°

C.,

said heating means being connected for burning said combustible gases; and

a cooling means for cooling the carbon powder.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4, characterized by a mixing means for mixing the carbon powder after or during the cooling with sawdust, spices, water and optionally fat in order to produce charcoal for the grilling or smoking of foodstuffs as end product treatment.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 or 5, characterized in that an injecting means for injecting activating agents such as CO₂ or H₂ O steam into the carbon powder is provided in connection with the cooling means in order to produce active coal as end step for the carbon production.

7. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein it is arranged on a mobile vehicle.

8. Apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the cooling means comprises:

a double-walled tube;

a hollow shaft having a plurality of flanges provided with vanes at the respective edges thereof;

an inlet at one end of the tube and an outlet at the other end thereof;

a motor for rotating the shaft, so that the carbon powder is moved through the tube from the inlet to the outlet by the vanes;

a cooling circuit provided through the shaft and the flanges for circulating cooling fluid in one direction of the unit, and back through the interior of the double-walled tube in the opposite direction.