Depolymerisation Method

Abstract

The present invention relates to a process for oiling essentially organic starting products with a higher molecular weight, in which hydrocarbons, preferably in liquid or semi-solid form, and a residual material with a high carbon content are obtained by the impact of high temperatures.

Claims

1-14. (canceled)

15. A continuous process for producing hydrocarbons comprising the steps of: (a) providing an organic starting product, (b) transferring the organic starting product into a reactor, (c) heating the starting product to produce a pyrolysis gas, (d) feeding the pyrolysis gas to a two-part or multi-part column to obtain separated liquid and/or semi-solid fractions of hydrocarbons, (e) obtaining the separated hydrocarbons obtained in step (d), wherein steps (b) and (c) are executed in the absence of oxygen and under inert gas, and wherein in step (c), the starting product is heated to 400° C. to 600° C.

16. The process according to claim 15, wherein the hydrocarbons obtained in step (e) are aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons having 1 to 70 carbon atoms.

17. The process according to claim 15, wherein the starting product is a plastic or a mixture of plastics.

18. The process according to claim 15, wherein a catalyst is added to the starting product.

19. The process according to claim 15, wherein in step (b), the oxygen is removed from the starting product.

20. The process according to claim 18, wherein the catalyst comprises an aluminum-containing compound.

21. The process according to claim 15, wherein step (c) is carried out by heating the reactor.

22. The process according to claim 15, wherein mean residence time of the starting product in step (c) is 20 to 100 minutes.

23. The process according to claim 15, wherein the pyrolysis gas obtained in step (c) is removed at an upper end of the reactor and subjected to step (d).

24. The process according to claim 15, wherein a first part of the two-part or multi-part column is a quench column.

25. The process according to claim 15, wherein a second part of the two-part or multi-part column is a fractionating column.

26. The process according to claim 15, wherein, in a first part of the two-part or multi-part column, the flow rate of the pyrolysis gas is lower than in a subsequent second part of the two-part or multi-part column.

27. The process according to claim 15, wherein in step (d), water is separated from the hydrocarbons by phase separation.

28. A device for carrying out the process according to claim 15, wherein the device comprises: (1) a transfer device or a conveyor for the organic starting product (2) a reactor (3) a heating device (4) a connecting device between the reactor and a two-part or multi-part column (5) the two-part or multi-part column (6) a discharge or removal system for liquid hydrocarbons (7) a feed system (8) a main condenser.

Description

[0090] FIG. 1 shows the block diagram of a device according to the invention.

[0091] The transfer device or conveyor (1) transfers the starting product into the reactor. In a preferred embodiment, the transfer device can be a conveyor belt, which preferably comprises a metal separator.

[0092] In addition, the transfer device (1) comprises a system, with which it is ensured that the transfer of the organic starting product into the reactor can be carried out in the absence of oxygen. This system can be, for example, an evacuation system for generating a negative pressure with a possible subsequent dissipation of the negative pressure by introducing an inert gas, particularly nitrogen. In a preferred embodiment, the system is a double lock system, which has two lock chambers, each with a double flap system.

[0093] Furthermore, the transfer device can preferably have a cooling device in order to enable the introduction of the organic starting product into the reactor on a cooled transfer device, which can preferably prevent the starting product from melting.

[0094] FIG. 2 shows an embodiment of the transfer device according to the invention to the reactor.

[0095] In the reactor (2), the starting product is heated in order to generate pyrolysis gas. The reactor is preferably heated indirectly via a double wall. In addition, the reactor preferably comprises an agitator, with which the organic starting product can be shredded, mixed and/or distributed over the largest possible inner surface of the reactor. For intensive mixing for a faster heat input and for compressing the material used, the agitator is preferably configured such that the front part of the agitator has a different inclination, preferably a stronger inclination than the rear part.

[0096] The reactor can be heated using any heating device (3) known to a person skilled in the art. The heating device is preferably a hot gas generator, particularly one or more gas burners with the respective combustion chambers.

[0097] The pyrolysis gas produced in the reactor is fed to the two-part or multi-part column (5) via a connecting device (4). In other words, this means that the reactor is connected to the two-part or multi-part column via a connecting device, and that the pyrolysis gas is fed from the reactor through/via said connecting device to the two-part or multi-part column. In a preferred embodiment, said connecting device is a pipe duct, preferably an insulated pipe duct.

[0098] The two-part or multi-part column (5) is preferably a two-part column, wherein the two columns are preferably connected in a fluid-tight manner. The fluid-tight connection is preferably an insulated pipeline or flange connection, particularly a pipeline.

[0099] The first (lower) part of the preferably two-part column is preferably a quench column, which can be a common distillation column or a fractionating column, preferably a fractionating column. The quench column, which is preferably configured as a fractionating column, can contain a plurality of trays, preferably 10 to 30 trays. The quench column is preferably provided with one or more temperature measuring points.

[0100] The second (upper) part of the preferably two-part column is preferably a fractionating column. The fractionating column in the second (upper) part of the preferably two-part column preferably has a plurality of trays, preferably 10 to 40 trays, more preferably 20 to 35 trays, particularly about 30 trays.

[0101] In a preferred embodiment, the diameter of the first (lower) part of the preferably two-part column is greater than the diameter of the subsequent second (upper) part of the preferably two-part column. This configuration makes it possible for the flow rate of the pyrolysis gas to be lower in the first part of the preferably two-part column than in the subsequent second part of the preferably two-part column.

[0102] FIG. 3 shows an embodiment of the two-part or multi-part column according to the invention with cooling circuit.

[0103] The lower column of the preferably two-part column preferably contains a discharge or removal system (6), via which fractions of liquid hydrocarbons can be discharged/removed. The same applies to the upper column of the preferably two-part column. The discharge system (6) of both the lower and the upper part of the preferably two-part column can preferably be configured as a control valve.

[0104] The device according to the invention further comprises a feed system (7) which is arranged between the column head of the second (upper) part of the preferably two-part column and the main condenser. Non-liquefied/condensed components of the pyrolysis gas are fed to a main condenser via the feed system in the preferably two-part column.

[0105] The feed system (7) can be a pipe or a socket, preferably a socket.

[0106] The main condenser (8) is a condenser, in which further fractions of the pyrolysis gas can be liquefied while cooling. It is preferably equipped with a control valve for removing the liquefied fractions.

[0107] Optionally, further secondary condensers, including their feed systems, can be connected downstream of the main condenser (8), which are essentially based on an identical mode of operation. In a preferred embodiment, the device according to the invention comprises two secondary condensers, wherein the second secondary condenser, for condensation, cools at a lower temperature than the first secondary condenser which is arranged between the main condenser and the second secondary condenser.

[0108] The device according to the invention can furthermore preferably comprise a pipe system, with which uncondensed off-gas of the heating device can be fed from the main condenser, or from an optional secondary condenser, preferably to the above-mentioned gas burner for heating the reactor or to a gas engine for generating electric energy (electricity) and heat.

[0109] In a preferred embodiment of the device according to the invention, a cleaning device for gases can be arranged in said pipe system. Cleaning devices for gases are known to a person skilled in the art. One example is a gas scrubber. With the help of this cleaning device for gases, pollutants can be removed from the off-gas before they are fed to the above-mentioned gas burners or a gas engine.