The invention relates to a distributor device, to a method for guiding materials, and to a method for cleaning a distributor device. The distributor device for guiding materials, in particular particulate pharmaceutical solids, comprises: a process chamber (2) having at least one inlet opening (3) and having at least two outlet openings (4), a distributor element (5) for distributing the materials, wherein the distributor element (5) extends through the process chamber (2) in order to connect the inlet opening (3) to one of the outlet openings (4), wherein the distributor element (5) is arranged rotatably about an axis of rotation (6), and a cleaning apparatus (7) which is configured to clean the process chamber (2) and the distributor element (5).

The machinery and methods disclosed herein are based on the use of a specialized extruder configured to continuously convey and plasticize/moltenize selected lignocellulosic biomass and/or waste plastic materials into a novel variable volume tubular reactor, wherein the plasticized/moltenized material undergoes reaction with circumferentially injected supercritical waterthereby yielding valuable simple sugar solutions and/or liquid hydrocarbon mixtures (e.g., neodiesel), both of which are key chemical commodity products. The reaction time may be adjusted by changing the reactor volume. The machinery includes four zones: (1) a feedstock conveyance and plasticization/moltenization zone; (2) a steam generation and manifold distribution zone; (3) a central supercritical water reaction zone; and (4) a pressure let-down and reaction product separation zone. The machinery and methods minimize water usagethereby enabling the economic utilization of abundant biomass and waste plastics as viable renewable feedstocks for subsequent conversion into alternative liquid transportation fuels and valuable green-chemical products.

The machinery and methods disclosed herein are based on the use of a specialized extruder configured to continuously convey and plasticize/moltenize selected lignocellulosic biomass and/or waste plastic materials into a novel variable volume tubular reactor, wherein the plasticized/moltenized material undergoes reaction with circumferentially injected supercritical waterthereby yielding valuable simple sugar solutions and/or liquid hydrocarbon mixtures (e.g., neodiesel), both of which are key chemical commodity products. The reaction time may be adjusted by changing the reactor volume. The machinery includes four zones: (1) a feedstock conveyance and plasticization/moltenization zone; (2) a steam generation and manifold distribution zone; (3) a central supercritical water reaction zone; and (4) a pressure let-down and reaction product separation zone. The machinery and methods minimize water usagethereby enabling the economic utilization of abundant biomass and waste plastics as viable renewable feedstocks for subsequent conversion into alternative liquid transportation fuels and valuable green-chemical products.

A feeding arrangement for feeding lignocellulosic biomass material such as annual plant material towards a hydrolysis process includes at least one transportation device for transporting the biomass material towards the treatment process; and at least one tearing roll arranged at a predetermined distance from the at least one transportation device and being provided with tearing protrusion. The at least one tearing roll is arranged with a predetermined distance to the at least one transportation device to tear off parts of the transported material to provide a substantially continuous flow of material.

A feeding arrangement for feeding lignocellulosic biomass material such as annual plant material towards a hydrolysis process includes at least one transportation device for transporting the biomass material towards the treatment process; and at least one tearing roll arranged at a predetermined distance from the at least one transportation device and being provided with tearing protrusion. The at least one tearing roll is arranged with a predetermined distance to the at least one transportation device to tear off parts of the transported material to provide a substantially continuous flow of material.

A liquid fuel product system is configured to produce liquid fuels from carbonaceous materials. The liquid fuel product system includes a plurality of feedstock delivery systems, a plurality of first stage product gas generation systems, a plurality of second stage product gas generation systems, a plurality of third stage product gas generation systems, a primary gas clean-up system, a compression system, a secondary gas clean-up system, and a synthesis system that includes one or more from the group consisting of ethanol, mixed alcohols, methanol, dimethyl ether, and Fischer-Tropsch products.

A naphtha reforming reactor system comprising a first reactor comprising a first inlet and a first outlet, wherein the first reactor is configured to operate as an adiabatic reactor, and wherein the first reactor comprises a first naphtha reforming catalyst; and a second reactor comprising a second inlet and a second outlet, wherein the second inlet is in fluid communication with the first outlet of the first reactor, wherein the second reactor is configured to operate as an isothermal reactor, and wherein the second reactor comprises a plurality of tubes disposed within a reactor furnace, a heat source configured to heat the interior of the reactor furnace; and a second naphtha reforming catalyst disposed within the plurality of tubes, wherein the first naphtha reforming catalyst and the second naphtha reforming catalyst are the same or different.

The invention relates to a filling system (1) for a container intended to store solid particles, the system (1) being arranged to cooperate with a supply device for feeding solid particles and comprising a device (5) for distributing the solid particles, which has at least one separator element (9) intended to receive and selectively distribute the solid particles toward a dispensing device (7), the separator element (9) comprising a receiving body (11) for receiving solid particles, one end of which has an axial opening (13) for continuously feeding the dispensing device (7), the dispensing device (7) comprising at least one scattering element (21) for homogeneously filling the container with solid particles, which is driven by a drive shaft passing through the axial opening (13). According to the invention, the receiving body (11) comprises a frustoconical part (11a) which has the axial opening (13) and flares away from the axial opening (13), the frustoconical part (11a) being extended by a tubular part (11b) comprising at least one radial opening (15) which is located upstream of the axial opening (13) and is arranged to direct the solid particles without encountering those exiting the axial opening (13) before arriving in the dispensing device (7) from a predetermined amount of solid particles stored in the frustoconical part (11a) of the receiving body (11) in order to guarantee a minimum flow of solid particles even in the event of variations in the flow rate of the supply device.

Disclosed is a valve for use in particulate material processing. The valve has a rotatable closure member having a convex sealing surface and a resilient sealing ring moveable between a first configuration in which the sealing ring forms a seal around a circumference of the convex sealing surface; and a second position in which a circumferential gap is defined between the convex sealing surface and the sealing ring. The valve body defines a fluid-directing surface extending around the fluid passage between the inlet and the sealing ring to define an annular clearance which tapers towards the sealing ring and becomes narrower than the annular gap. When there is a pressure drop across the valve and before the closure member is moved to fully open the valve, material flowing through the valve experiences a dynamic pressure rise towards the circumferential gap, decreasing flow velocity and wear.

A liquid fuel product system is configured to produce liquid fuels from carbonaceous materials. The liquid fuel product system includes a plurality of feedstock delivery systems, a plurality of first stage product gas generation systems, a plurality of second stage product gas generation systems, a plurality of third stage product gas generation systems, a primary gas clean-up system, a compression system, a secondary gas clean-up system, and a synthesis system that includes one or more from the group consisting of ethanol, mixed alcohols, methanol, dimethyl ether, and Fischer-Tropsch products.