Apparatus and method for producing biomass derived liquid, bio-fuel and bio-material

Abstract

A method for producing biomass derived liquid, comprises: feeding biomass, a solvent and a catalyst into a batch reactor, and heating and mixing in the batch reactor a compound comprising the biomass, solvent, and catalyst. The solvent is glycerol and wherein feeding the solvent into the batch reactor is performed through electrostatic atomization.

Claims

1. A method for producing biomass derived liquid, comprising: feeding biomass, a solvent and a catalyst into a batch reactor; and heating and mixing in said batch reactor a compound mixture comprising said biomass, said solvent and said catalyst, thereby producing the biomass derived liquid in the batch reactor, wherein the solvent is glycerol and wherein feeding the solvent into the batch reactor is performed through electrostatic atomization, and wherein the solvent is fed into an internal reactor core of the batch reactor through an electrostatic nozzle located in the internal reactor core.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein a nozzle flow rate of the solvent in the electrostatic nozzle is controlled as a function of a reactor temperature.

3. The method of claim 2, wherein the nozzle flow rate is a function of a multiplication of the reactor temperature and a reactor pressure.

4. The method of claim 3, wherein the reactor pressure is autogenic pressure.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein a reactor temperature is controlled to vary over time during the mixing.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein a profile of the reactor temperature follows a damped sine wave function.

7. The method of claim 2, wherein the nozzle flow rate is between about 10% and about 100% of a maximum nozzle flow rate.

8. The method of claim 7, wherein the nozzle flow rate is between about 20% and about 98% of the maximum nozzle flow rate.

9. A method for producing a biomass derived liquid comprising: configuring a batch reactor comprising an internal reactor core to accommodate a compound mixture comprising biomass, a solvent, and a catalyst; placing an electrostatic nozzle into the internal reactor core; providing an outer shell and an inner shell which define a hollow space therebetween; placing heating means comprising heaters at least partially placed inside the hollow space; heating the internal reactor core with the heating means comprising heaters; feeding the solvent into the internal reactor core through an electrostatic nozzle by electrostatic atomization; controlling a control unit connected at least to the heating means comprising heaters and the electrostatic nozzle; mixing the compound mixture inside the internal reactor core; controlling a nozzle flow rate in the electrostatic nozzle between about 20% and about 98% of the maximum nozzle flow rate; and producing the biomass derived liquid in the batch reactor.

Description

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

(1) Such description will be set forth hereinbelow with reference to the set of drawings, provided merely as a non-limiting example, in which:

(2) FIG. 1 is a schematic view of the apparatus for producing biomass derived liquid according to the invention;

(3) FIG. 2 is a chart of an example of temperature profile over time of a process for producing biomass derived liquid according to the invention; and

(4) FIG. 3 is a chart of an example of nozzle flow rate profile over time of the process of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

(5) Referring to the attached schematic FIG. 1, the apparatus for producing biomass derived liquid is identified by reference numeral 1. The apparatus 1 comprises a batch reactor 2 provided with an outer shell 3 and an inner shell 4 placed inside the outer shell 3.

(6) The outer shell 3 and the inner shell 4 are shaped like cups and are spaced one from the other to delimit a hollow space 5 therebetween.

(7) The inner shell 4 delimits an internal reactor core 6 which is configured to accommodate a compound comprising a biomass to be transformed into biomass derived liquid, a solvent and a catalyst.

(8) An inlet conduit 7 passes through a top wall of the outer shell 3 and through a top wall of the inner shell 4 to define an inlet port of the batch reactor 2. An outlet conduit 8 opens at the bottom of the batch reactor 2 to allow extraction of the biomass derived liquid following the solvolysis reactor batch process.

(9) A first mixer 9 is mounted on the top wall of the outer shell 3 and comprises a vertical shaft 10 protruding inside the internal reactor core 6 along a main vertical axis “X” of said internal reactor core 6. The vertical shaft 10 extends down to the bottom wall of the inner shell 4 and comprises a plurality of radial protrusions 11. As shown in FIG. 1, one 11′ of this protrusions 11 is placed close to the bottom wall of the inner shell 4 and grazes a surface of said bottom wall. A first motor, not shown, is placed outside the batch reactor 2 and it is connected to the vertical shaft 10. The first mixer 9 is configured to promote a turbulent mixing of the compound revolving about the main vertical axis “X” of the internal reactor core 6. A second mixer 12 is mounted on the top wall of the outer shell 3 and protrudes overhang inside the internal reactor core 6 along a direction which is skew with respect to the main vertical axis “X” of the internal reactor core 6. The second mixer 12 is a high-shear batch mixer, preferably a Silverson® batch mixer. The second mixer 12 comprises an elongated frame 13 formed by a plurality of rods. A work head 14 provided with high speed rotation blades is placed at a terminal end of the elongated frame 13. The work head 14 comprises a perforated casing housing a rotor with the high speed rotation blades. A transmission shaft 15 connects the rotor to a second motor, not shown, which is placed outside the batch reactor 2 and it is connected to the transmission shaft 15. The second mixer 12 is configured to promote a turbulent mixing of the compound between an upper and a lower portion of the internal reactor core 6.

(10) An inner surface of the inner shell 4 is provided with a plurality of reliefs 100, like tips or spikes, which promote mixing.

(11) The apparatus further comprises heating means configured to heat the internal reactor core 6.

(12) The heating means comprises a tubing 16 wound around the inner shell 4. Such tubing 16 is placed inside the hollow space 5 between the outer shell 3 and the inner shell 4. Such tubing 16 is provided with an inlet 17 and an outlet 18 passing through a top wall of the outer shell 3 and a top wall of the inner shell 4. The tubing 16 is part of a heating/cooling circuit. A heated or cooled fluid, preferably water, flows through said tubing 16 to change the inner temperature of the internal reactor core 6. An external device (like a heat exchanger or a boiler), not shown, is connected to the tubing 16 to heat or cool the fluid in controlled manner.

(13) The heating means further comprises electric heaters 19 protruding inside the internal reactor core 6 and connected to an electric source, not shown.

(14) Temperature sensors 20, such as thermocouples, are placed inside the internal reactor core 6 to detect the temperature of the biomass during the process.

(15) Apparatus 1 further comprises an electrostatic nozzle 21 connected, through a conduit 22, to a reservoir, not shown, for a solvent. The electrostatic nozzle 21 contains a high voltage terminal (up to 30.0000 volts) and a ground electrode.

(16) As shown in FIG. 1, the electrostatic nozzle 21 is placed close to a top dead center (TDC) of the internal reactor core 6. The electrostatic nozzle 21 is placed no more than 15% of a height “H” of the internal reactor core 6 from said top. In the illustrated embodiment, the electrostatic nozzle 21 is spaced from the top of a distance “d” which is about 10% of “H”.

(17) An outlet opening 23 for vacuum is also present on the batch reactor 2 in order to extract possible air from the internal reactor core 6.

(18) A control unit, not shown, is operatively connected to the first and second motor of the mixers 9, 12, to the heating means 16, 19, to the temperature sensors 20 and to the electrostatic nozzle 21, in order to check and control the process of the invention.

(19) In use and according to the process of the invention, a batch of biomass feedstock (60%) together with sulfuric acid (catalyst, 1%) is fed into the internal reactor core 6 through the inlet conduit 7.

(20) The biomass feedstock may be woody or lignocellulosic biomass, herbaceous plants, starch and triglyceride producing plants, etc. The biomass feedstock may be agricultural waste, energy crops, forestry waste, aquatic biomass, etc.

(21) Once the internal reactor core 6 is filled, the mixers 9, 12 are started to mix up the compound and the heaters 16, 19 start heating and/or cooling the compound while glycerol (solvent, 39%) is fed by jet electrostatic atomization into the internal reactor core 6 through the electrostatic nozzle 21.

(22) The control unit checks the compound temperature/s by means of the temperature sensors 20 and controls the heating means 16, 19. The temperature of the compound is regulated automatically or by an operator to follow a predetermined profile which may be also stored in the control unit. The resulting pressure “Kpa” is autogenic.

(23) The following table (Table 1) shows an example of temperature and pressure profiles for a process of 55 minutes.

(24) T=time of reaction in minutes, beginning at minute 1, ending at minute 55

(25) P=pressure expressed in bars

(26) C=temperature expressed in Celsius

(27) K=temperature expressed in Kelvin

(28) Kpa=pressure expressed in kilopascals

(29) TABLE-US-00001 TABLE 1 T P Kpa C K 9 80 8000 185 458 18 160 16000 25 298 27 30 3000 350 623 36 80 8000 1 274 45 120 12000 246 519 54 2 200 150 423

(30) The profile of the reactor temperature “K” follows a marginally distorted damped sine wave function.

(31) The flow rate “Gx” of glycerol through the electrostatic nozzle 21 (nozzle flow rate) is controlled as a function of a reactor temperature “K”.

(32) Said nozzle flow rate “Gx” is expressed as a percent of a maximum nozzle flow rate and it is given by the following algorithm:
Gx=(ϕ*InRx)+A
wherein
ϕ is a dimensionless glycerol atomization constant;
A is another constant;
Rx is the square root of (K*Kpa).

(33) This algorithm describes the usage of electrically atomized glycerol and the relationship between nozzle flow rate “Gx” and temperature regulation during the solvolysis process.

(34) The following table (Table 2) shows the nozzle flow rate “Gx”.

(35) TABLE-US-00002 TABLE 2 T Kpa K Rx Gx - Nozzle port (% open) 9 8000 458 1914 98% 18 16000 298 2184 70% 27 3000 623 1367 92% 36 8000 274 1478 70% 45 12000 519 2496 21% 54 200 423 650 97%

(36) The control unit controls the electrostatic nozzle to follow the profile of “Gx” shown in Table 2.

(37) Temperature regulated nozzle flow rate has proven to be the most effective in maintaining an efficiency reaction process.

(38) The biomass derived liquid obtained from this process has excellent properties, as shown in the following tables (Tables 3 and 4).

(39) TABLE-US-00003 TABLE 3 Test Unit Result Total Solid TS kg/tTQ 771 Total volatile solid TVS kg/tTQ 719 TVS/TS % 93 Chemical Oxigen Demand COD kg/tTQ 766

(40) TABLE-US-00004 TABLE 4 Test Unit Method Result Total Acid Number mg KOH/g ASTM D 664 31.96 H2S mg/Kg IP 570 <0.10 Pourpoint ° C. ISO 3016 −21 Ash % (m/m) ISO 6245 0.499 Sulphur % (m/m) ISO 8754 0.16 Element analysis ASTM D 5291 Carbon % (m/m) 48.45 Hydrogen % (m/m) 8.29 Oxygen % (m/m) 41.93 Nitrogen % (m/m) 0.2

(41) The biomass derived liquid obtained from this process may be further processed to obtain biofuel, like liquid biofuel (synthetic oil) and/or biogas, and biopolymers.