Method and Device for Treating Solid-Fluid Mixtures

Abstract

A laminar stream reactor for the production of hydrochar of a solid-fluid mixture of water and a carbon-containing component, wherein the solid-fluid mixture is treated at a temperature of 100-300 degree ° C. and a pressure of 5-70 bar, consists of tubular reactor units of largely vertical holding sections (1,3) and direction-changing diverters (2,4). The holding sections are thereby flown through slower by the solid-fluid mixture than the remaining tube distances, as they have larger diameters.

Claims

1. Method for the production of hydrochar of a solid-fluid mixture of water and a carbon-containing component, wherein the solid-fluid mixture is treated at a temperature of 100-300° C. and a pressure of 5-70 bar in a laminar stream reactor with at least two holding sections and at least one diverter arranged below it, and wherein a. the average flow velocity of the solid-fluid mixture in the lower diverter is 10-500 or 20-200 m/min than in the holding sections, b. the average flow direction of the solid-fluid mixture in the holding section is inclined to the horizontal from the vertical and c. a total residence time in the pressurized heat exchangers and reactor is more than 2 hours.

2. Method according to claim 1, wherein the average flow velocity in the lower diverter is 1-1,000 m/min and/or 1.5-1000, 5-300 or 20-100 times larger than in the holding section.

3. Method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the sold-fluid mixture flows through an upwardly-directed holding section and thereafter an upper diverter after the lower diverter, wherein in particular the average flow velocity in the lower diverter is 1.1-2, 2-5 or 4-40 times faster than in the upper diverter and/or the flow velocity in an ascender directly following the lower diverter is 1.1-40 or 2-5 times faster than in the descender directly preceding the lower diverter.

4. Method according to one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the average flow velocity in the descending holding section is 0.01-20, 0.05-10 or 0.1-3 m/min.

5. (canceled)

6. Method for the production of hydrochar of a solid-fluid mixture of water and a carbon-containing component, wherein the solid-fluid mixture is treated at a temperature of 100-300° C. and a pressure of 5-70 bar in a laminar stream reactor consisting of: at least two reactor units with at least one holding section and at least one diverter arranged below it, and wherein a. starting substances with a solid content of 1-50 weight % or 15-99 weight % are guided into the reaction mixture via two different reactor units, b. the average flow velocity of the solid-fluid mixture in the lower diverter is at least 50% larger than in the holding section and is at least 10% larger in a tube section of a following reactor unit than the one in a corresponding tube section of a preceding reactor unit, c. the average flow direction of the solid-fluid mixture in the holding section is inclined to the horizontal from the vertical.

7. (canceled)

8. Method for the production of hydrochar of a solid-fluid mixture of water and a carbon-containing component, wherein the solid-fluid mixture is treated at a temperature of 100-300° C. and a pressure of 5-70 bar in a laminar stream reactor consisting of: at least two reactor units with at least one holding section and at least one diverter arranged below it, and wherein a. the average flow velocity of the solid-fluid mixture in the lower diverter is at least 50% larger than in the holding section and is at least 10% larger in a tube section of a following reactor unit than in a corresponding tube section of a preceding reactor unit b. the average flow direction of the solid-fluid mixture in the holding section is inclined to the horizontal from the vertical.

9-17. (canceled)

18. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of: supplying of a further carbon-containing component with a dry substance content of at least 30%, containing particles with a largest cross section below 6 mm.

19. (canceled)

20. Method for treating a solid-fluid mixture of water and a carbon-containing component at a temperature of 100-300 degree ° C. and a pressure of 5-70 bar, comprising guiding the solid-fluid mixture downwards through a first tube section, diverting the flow direction of the solid-fluid mixture upwards, and subsequently guiding the solid-fluid mixture upwards through a further tube section and further comprising discharging a suspension containing solid particles with a longest diameter of up to 2 mm from the solid-fluid mixture prior to the termination of the treatment.

21. The method of claim 8, further comprising the step of: using a solid-fluid separation with holes or pores spaced from each other with a diameter of at least 0.5 mm for discharging a suspension containing solid particles with a longest diameter of 2 mm of a solid-fluid mixture of water and a carbon-containing component at a temperature of degree ° C. and a pressure of 5-70 bar.

22. (canceled)

Description

DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

[0071] FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of a tube reactor unit n with the tube sections m in an exemplary manner.

[0072] FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a plant for the continuous production of materials or fuels of a solid-fluid mixture in an exemplary manner.

[0073] FIG. 3 shows a schematic depiction of the heat exchanger units and the transition to the tube reactor units as well as strands I and II combining dry and wet biomass.

[0074] FIG. 1 shows a schematic depiction of a tube reactor unit n with the tube sections m (1-4) with the diameters d.sub.nm of a laminar stream, reactor in an exemplary manner. The solid-fluid mixture enters the tube section 1 with the diameter d.sub.n,2 via a reversed reducing piece. As the diameter of the tube section 1 increases compared to the previous tube section, the flow velocity ν.sub.n1 in the tube section 1 slows down (indicated by the single arrow). The solid-fluid mixture exits the tube section 1 with the diameter d.sub.n,1 via a reducing piece 5 into the tube section 2 with the diameter d.sub.n,2. The solid-fluid mixture from the tube section 2 with the diameter d.sub.n,2 enters the tube section 3 with the diameter d.sub.n,3 via a further, reversed reducing piece 6. The solid-fluid mixture exits the tube section 3 with the diameter d.sub.n,3 via a further reducing piece onto the tube section 4 with the diameter d.sub.n,4. The solid-fluid mixture flows from the tube section 4 into the following reactor unit n+1 (without depiction). This sequence is repeated periodically. The flow velocity and lengths of the tube pieces (measured along their respective center line) are indicated with ν.sub.nm or l.sub.nm. Additionally, two (tube section m=3) to four (tube section m=2) arrows are correspondingly shown for demonstration.

[0075] FIG. 2 shows a schematic depiction of a plant for the continuous production of materials or fuels of a solid-fluid mixture of water and a carbon-containing component in an exemplary manner, wherein the solid-fluid mixture is treated at a temperature of over 100° C. and a pressure of over 5 bar. The plant comprises a double-strand feeding device, which consists of the conveying strands I and II. The strand I serves for conveying “dry” biomass of feedstock that cannot be pumped or can only be pumped with difficulty, for example with a high solid content of 15 to 99 weight %. For this, the “dry” biomass is stored in a silo 11 and brought to a container 12 therefrom, preferably a sliding floor container. The feedstocks are brought into a comminution device 13 via a conveying device, which can for example be a screw conveyor or a conveyor belt. The comminution device is for example designed as a wet or dry mill or as another suitable mechanical comminution device. From there the treated feedstock is conveyed into a mixing vessel 16. In the mixing container 16, the dry biomass is mixed with water which can contain process water or concentrated process water from the reservoir 14 and a catalyst or a catalyst mixture from at least one container or dosing device 15 by means of an agitating device. The mixture is supplied to the incubation vessel 18 via the conveying device 17. The incubation vessel 18 enables a residence time of the catalyst on the material at a lower pressure. The containers 16 and 18 are designed with a double wall and have a heating water connection to enable a preheating of the material to about for example 20-99 or 50-70° C. The incubated material of the “dry” feedstock or starting materials is brought from the first conveyor strand I into a reactor unit n as for example 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33, 34 under pressure above the vapor pressure of the reaction mixture by means of the conveyor devices 19 and 20, which are for example designed as screw or bucket chain conveyors.

[0076] Via the conveying strand II, “wet” biomass consisting of feedstocks that can be pumped or biomass pulp, which can also consist of mixtures of biomass or feedstock, for example with a solid content of 1 to 50 weight % is conveyed from a storage vessel 22 to a mixing device 24 by means of a conveying device 23 and is mixed in the mixing unit 24 with water or process water from the reservoir 14 and catalyst of at least one container or dosing device 25, is incubated in an incubation container 26, and is supplied to the reactor 29-38 by means of a suitable conveying device 27, which can for example be designed as a piston, displacement or eccentric screw pump. The material is heated to at least 160-180, 200-220, or 220-250° C. by means of at least one heat exchanger unit 28. The “wet” feedstocks or starting materials from the conveying strand II pretreated in such a manner are combined with the “dry” starting materials from the conveying strand I by means of the described or other suitable conveying devices. The point of the introduction of “dry” starting materials can be varied and can take place in a reactor or tubular reactor unit n as for example in 29, 30, 31, 32 or 33, 34, but also in 35, 36 or 37, 38 etc. “Dry” starting materials or feedstocks, in particular those with a largest particle diameter of below 6 mm, below 4 mm, or below 2 mm, and a dry substance content of over 30%, over 40%, or over 50% are conveniently supplied in the center third of the piping or reactor distance. The supply can for example take place in the region of an upper diverter 4 or at the changeover 8 between it and the following descender 1. The “wet” starting substances were introduced or provided previously under pressure above the vapor pressure of the reaction mixture. The ratio of the mass flow rate from the conveying strand I to the conveying strand II or from the provided to the added starting substances is for example 1:20, 1:5, 1:1 or 10:1. Within the (largely) laminar flow of the laminar stream reactor, an even mixing of the reaction mixture takes place via the different reactor units. The heating and the discharge of exothermic generation takes place by means of tempering devices as for example a heat exchanger device and/or a double wall of the reactor or a reactor unit. Tempering devices can for example be formed as spiral, tubular, batch or spiral heat exchangers. The necessary flow-through or dwell period is achieved by the sequential connection of reactor units. In order to enable a longer dwell period, the reaction mixture in individual reactor units is kept moving by means of a circulation pump. Caking or blockages are thereby avoided. Conveying means for the acceleration of fluids including fluid jet mixers or nozzles can additionally be used.

[0077] By the withdrawal of process water, smaller reactor volumes or smaller reaction spaces are needed during the further course of the process. The pressure relaxation 40 after the completed flow-through is controlled by a rearwardly-directed relaxation pump, which is formed for example as an eccentric screw pump, spiral displacement pump or piston membrane pump. The reaction mixture is cooled and buffered further in a buffer or relaxation vessel 41 and reaches from there or also directly from the relaxation pump to the dewatering and/or drying 42. The reaction product is intermediately stored in a storage container or silo 43 as slurry or dried bulk material, before it is transported 44 or supplied to another process.

[0078] FIG. 3 shows a schematic depiction of the heat exchanger units and the transition to the tube reactor units as well as strands I and II combining dry and wet biomass. The “dry” feedstock is brought from the first conveyor strand I by means of the conveyor devices 19 and 20 into the heat exchanger 28 consisting of several heat exchanger units 50, 51, 52 and 53 and/or into reactor units as for example 29, 31 or 33, 34 under pressure above the vapor pressure of the reaction mixture. The “dry” feedstock is preheated before entering the introduction device 91-97 to 20-40, 40-70 or 70-99° C. Following the device the feedstock is further heated to 100-130, 130-170 or 170-200° C. by heat exchanger 101, 102, 103, 104, 105, 106 and/or 107. The introduction device 91-97 consists of a shuttle valve, rotary lock or swivel flap, a forced conveyor, which is for example an injector, a double screw extruder, an eccentric spiral pump, a piston pump, a spiral displacement pump, which are respectively equipped with or without compactor screws, or a double screw compactor. The introduction device can additionally be provided with a locking device or valve. The introduction device ensures that the incubated material from the strand I with a pressure level above the internal reactor pressure is introduced into the respective reactor unit and prevents backlashes into the supply device. The swivel flap feeder is for example filled in a controlled manner by a rotary feeder.

[0079] Via the conveying strand II, “wet” biomass consisting of feedstocks that can be pumped or biomass pulp, which can also consist of mixtures of biomass or feedstock, for example with a solid content of 1 to 50 weight %. The “wet” biomass is conveyed and brought to increasing levels of pressure in increments using conveying devices 27, 45, 46 and/or 47. The conveying devices can for example be designed as a piston, displacement or eccentric screw pump. In a first increment the pressure can be brought up to 2-20, 4-16 or 8-14 bar, in a following increment following another conveying device 45 the pressure is further increased to an additional 2-4 or up to 6, 8, 12 or 20 bar. Each subsequent conveying device increases the pressure in a similar fashion.

[0080] In between those conveying devices solid-fluid separation devices 60, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65 and/or 66 are positioned. The solid-fluid separation devices can for example be filters. More solid-fluid separation devices are positioned throughout the length of the heat exchanger and reactor units. Comminution devices 81, 82, 83 and 84 which are for example wet mills or baffles are positioned following a introduction device 61, 46 and/or 47 or before or behind comminution devices or before heat exchanger units or a reactor unit as for example 31. Following reactor unit 33 the solid-fluid mixture is guided through the following reactor units 34-38 as depicted in FIG. 2.