The present invention includes a gasifier for gasifying fuels having a container with a top, sidewalls and a bottom for facilitating the gasifying process. One or more open vertical shafts extend downward inside the container for allowing a downdraft or updraft of air and fuel for the gasifying process. A rotating bed is preferably included inside the container and below the one or more shafts for receiving the fuel. The bed rotates essentially perpendicular to the shaft to facilitate even heating and gasifying of the fuel. The bed is further movable relative to the vertical shaft in order to increase or decrease the volume of fuel flow to the fuel.

The invention relates to a wood gas boiler having a boiler wall and a boiler bottom, at least one device for supplying air and at least one grating being arranged within the boiler wall and above the boiler bottom, and wood gas being produced in a firebed from wood chips on the grating, which wood gas can be extracted and/or conducted outwards, there being in the region of the firebed a star having a plurality of arms which extend in a star shape towards the boiler wall and can each be rotated about a rotational axis running radially with respect to the central vertical axis of the star.

Polygeneration plant, fueled with biomass from various sources and with rated power included between 30 kW and 200 kW, including a plurality of specialised modules, the modules being at least one first module for loading and drying the biomass; at least one second gasification module suitable for producing the syngas starting from the biomass; at least one third module for automating and controlling the polygeneration process associated to the plant. The polygeneration plant includes at least one fourth module including at least one fuel cell, the fuel cell being of the SOFC or MCFC, PEMFC, PAFC, AFC type.

Polygeneration plant, fueled with biomass from various sources and with rated power included between 30 kW and 200 kW, including a plurality of specialised modules, the modules being at least one first module for loading and drying the biomass; at least one second gasification module suitable for producing the syngas starting from the biomass; at least one third module for automating and controlling the polygeneration process associated to the plant. The polygeneration plant includes at least one fourth module including at least one fuel cell, the fuel cell being of the SOFC or MCFC, PEMFC, PAFC, AFC type.

An apparatus for thermal processing of waste having organic and inorganic components comprises at least a treatment station, a cooling station and a treated material-removal station, and at least three crucibles. The treatment station is adapted to thermally treat the organic components and/or inorganic components located in a given one of the crucibles located at the treatment station. The so-treated components in this given crucible are adapted to then be cooled at the cooling station, before the treated components located in the given crucible are removed therefrom at the treated material-removal station. The three crucibles are mounted on a turntable so that the three crucibles are each at one of the stations, before synchronously all moving to each crucible's next station.

Systems and processes of providing novel thermal energy sources for hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reactors are described herein. According to various implementations, the systems and processes use concentrated solar thermal energy from a focused high-energy beam to provide sufficient energy for driving the HTL biomass-to-biocrude process. In addition, other implementations convert biowaste, such as municipal biosolids and grease and food waste, to biocrude using anaerobic digesters, and a portion of the biogas generated by the digesters is used to produce the thermal and/or electrical energy used in the HTL reactor for the biomass-to-biocrude process. Furthermore, alternative implementations may include a hybrid system that uses biogas and solar radiation to provide sufficient thermal energy for the HTL reactor.

Systems and processes of providing novel thermal energy sources for hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reactors are described herein. According to various implementations, the systems and processes use concentrated solar thermal energy from a focused high-energy beam to provide sufficient energy for driving the HTL biomass-to-biocrude process. In addition, other implementations convert biowaste, such as municipal biosolids and grease and food waste, to biocrude using anaerobic digesters, and a portion of the biogas generated by the digesters is used to produce the thermal and/or electrical energy used in the HTL reactor for the biomass-to-biocrude process. Furthermore, alternative implementations may include a hybrid system that uses biogas and solar radiation to provide sufficient thermal energy for the HTL reactor.

Methods are provided for generating or recovering gaseous materials such as hydrogen and solids such as metals through the smoldering combustion of an organic material. The methods include admixing a porous matrix material with an organic material, and, in some embodiments a catalyst, to produce a porous mixture. The mixture is exposed to an oxidant, initiating a self-sustaining smoldering combustion of the mixture, and collecting the vapors and combustion products or processing the porous matrix following combustion to physically separate the porous matrix material from ash containing inorganic materials of value. Additional embodiments aggregate the organic material or catalyst or porous matrix material or mixture thereof in an impoundment such as a reaction vessel, lagoon or matrix pile. Further embodiments utilize at least one heater to initiate combustion and at least one air supply port to supply oxidant to initiate and maintain combustion.

Methods are provided for generating or recovering gaseous materials such as hydrogen and solids such as metals through the smoldering combustion of an organic material. The methods include admixing a porous matrix material with an organic material, and, in some embodiments a catalyst, to produce a porous mixture. The mixture is exposed to an oxidant, initiating a self-sustaining smoldering combustion of the mixture, and collecting the vapors and combustion products or processing the porous matrix following combustion to physically separate the porous matrix material from ash containing inorganic materials of value. Additional embodiments aggregate the organic material or catalyst or porous matrix material or mixture thereof in an impoundment such as a reaction vessel, lagoon or matrix pile. Further embodiments utilize at least one heater to initiate combustion and at least one air supply port to supply oxidant to initiate and maintain combustion.

The present invention relates to a gasification apparatus and a gasification method, the apparatus comprising: a reactor for gasifying fuel; a fuel supply part for supplying fuel to the reactor; and a dispersion plate for spraying fuel, so as to enhance reactivity in the reactor, and aerosolizing moisture within fuel, thereby uniformly supplying fuel to the reactor, wherein the dispersion plate, in a state of being charged by receiving power, is configured to electrostatically spray fuel and a gasification agent, thereby producing a micro droplet, and atomizing the same. Accordingly, it is possible to aerosolize fuel using a boiling phenomenon or an electrostatic spray phenomenon, and uniformly supply fuel to the reactor. Also, it is possible to obtain the effect of increasing gasification reaction efficiency by preheating and reforming fuel and moisture through mid-low temperature oxidation prior to supplying the same the reactor.