OIL, METHOD AND APPARATUS

Abstract

A thermolysis oil derived from textile is described. The oil comprises an N-heterocyclic aromatic compound and/or a substituted derivative thereof in an amount of at least 2 wt. %. Also described is a method of providing a thermolysis oil, a feeder (100) for an apparatus (1) for thermolysing a textile, an apparatus (1) for thermolysing a textile and a use of waste textile.

Claims

1. A thermolysis oil derived from textile, the oil comprising an N-heterocyclic aromatic compound and/or a substituted derivative thereof in an amount of at least 2 wt. %.

2. The oil of claim 1, comprising phenol and/or a substituted derivative thereof in an amount of at least 10 wt. %.

3. The oil according to claim 1, wherein the N-heterocyclic aromatic compound is pyrrole, pyridine, imidazole, pyrimidine, purine, piperidinone, pyrazine, indole, quinoline or a mixture thereof, preferably indole, quinoline, pyrrole, piperidinone, pirazine or a mixture thereof, more preferably indole and quinoline.

4. A method of providing a thermolysis oil comprising an N-heterocyclic aromatic compound, a phenol and/or a substituted derivative thereof, the method comprising: thermolysing a textile comprising keratin, to provide vapours from the textile; condensing the vapours to obtain the oil.

5. The method according to claim 4, wherein the textile comprises keratin, preferably -keratin, in an amount of at least 20 wt. %.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the textile comprises wool in an amount of at least 30 wt. %, at least 40 wt. % or at least 50 wt. %,_the wool comprising at least a part of the keratin.

7. The method according to claim 4, wherein the thermolysing comprises pyrolysing at a temperature of from about 350 C. to about 900 C., preferably from about 400 C. to about 750 C., more preferably from about 475 C. to about 600 C.; and/or wherein the thermolysing comprises gasification at temperature of from about 750 C. to about 1000 C., preferably from about 800 C. to about 900 C.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the thermolysing comprises thermolysing at a N.sub.2 pressure of from about 0.1 to about 1 MPa and/or at a CO.sub.2 partial pressure of from about 0.05 to about 0.2 MPa and/or wherein the thermolysing comprises pyrolysing at an O.sub.2 partial pressure of at least 0.025 MPa and/or wherein the thermolysing comprises gasification at an O.sub.2 equivalent ratio (ER) of from about 0.2 to about 0.35, more preferably about 0.25.

9. The method according to claim 4, the method comprising shredding the textile and thermolysing the shredded textile, optionally wherein at least 50% of the shredded textile by weight has a size of at most 1.5 cm.

10. The method according to claim 4, the method comprising separating the N-heterocyclic aromatic compound, the phenol and/or the substituted derivative thereof from the oil.

11. The method according to claim 4, wherein the textile comprises waste textile, optionally in an amount of at least 10 wt. %.

12. A feeder for feeding textile into a thermal reactor for thermolysing the textile; wherein the feeder comprises a hopper arranged to receive the textile, a feeder outlet coupleable to the thermal reactor and a screw conveyor arranged therebetween, wherein the screw conveyor is arranged to, in use, urge at least a part of the textile from the hopper towards the feeder outlet; and wherein the feeder further comprises a loosening means arranged between the hopper and the screw conveyor, wherein the loosening means is arranged to, in use, loosen at least the part of the textile and thereby urge at least the part of the textile from the hopper towards the screw conveyor.

13. The feeder according to claim 12, wherein the loosening means comprises a rotatable arm, arranged to rotate in use, preferably a plurality of rotatable arms, arranged to rotate in use and optionally, wherein the plurality of rotatable arms are mutually rotatationally offset.

14. The feeder according to claim 13, wherein a rotational axis of the rotatable arm is aligned with and/or parallel to a rotational axis of the screw conveyor.

15. The feeder according to claim 12, wherein the screw conveyor is arranged to extend through the feeder outlet.

16. The feeder according to claim 12, wherein a shaft diameter of the screw conveyor decreases along a length of the screw conveyor towards the feeder outlet.

17. The feeder according to claim 12, wherein a flight outside diameter of the screw conveyor is constant along a length of the screw conveyor towards the feeder outlet.

18. The feeder according to claim 12, wherein a pitch of the screw conveyor increases along a length of the screw conveyor towards feeder outlet.

19. An apparatus for thermolysing a textile, the apparatus comprising a feeder according to claim 12 and a thermal reactor.

20. The apparatus according to claim 19, wherein the thermal reactor is a screw reactor and wherein the screw conveyor of the feeder is coupled to a screw conveyor of the screw reactor, optionally wherein the screw conveyor of the feeder and the screw conveyor of the screw reactor are integrally formed.

21. (canceled)

22. (canceled)

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0122] For a better understanding of the invention, and to show how exemplary embodiments of the same may be brought into effect, reference will be made, by way of example only, to the accompanying diagrammatic Figures, in which:

[0123] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a feeder according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0124] FIGS. 2A and 2B schematically depict a feeder according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0125] FIG. 3 schematically depicts a conventional screw conveyor;

[0126] FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically depict a screw conveyor for a feeder according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0127] FIG. 5 schematically depicts an apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0128] FIG. 6 schematically depicts a thermal reactor of the apparatus of FIG. 5, in more detail;

[0129] FIG. 7 schematically depicts a method according to an exemplary embodiment;

[0130] FIG. 8 schematically depicts a graph showing thermolysis liquid product composition as a function of temperature in presence of CO.sub.2 as carrier gas; and

[0131] FIG. 9 schematically depicts a graph showing thermolysis liquid product composition at 800 C. using different reactor sizes in presence of N.sub.2 as carrier gas.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0132] Generally, like reference signs denote like features, description of which is not repeated for brevity.

[0133] FIG. 1 schematically depicts a feeder 100 according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0134] Particularly, the feeder 100 is for an apparatus (not shown) for thermolysing a textile, the apparatus comprising the feeder 100 and a thermal reactor (not shown). The feeder 100 comprises a hopper 110 arranged to receive the textile, a feeder outlet 120 coupleable to the thermal reactor and a screw conveyor 130 arranged therebetween, wherein the screw conveyor 130 is arranged to, in use, urge at least a part of the textile from the hopper 110 towards the feeder outlet 120. The feeder 100 further comprises a loosening means 140 arranged between the hopper 110 and the screw conveyor 130, wherein the loosening means 140 is arranged to, in use, loosen at least the part of the textile and thereby urge at least the part of the textile from the hopper 110 towards the screw conveyor 130.

[0135] The loosening means 140 is arranged between the hopper 110 and the screw conveyor 130. The loosening means 140 is arranged to, in use, loosen at least the part of the textile and thereby urge at least the part of the textile from the hopper 110 towards the screw conveyor 130. In other words, the loosening means 140 functions to loosen or disentangle the textile that tends to entangle, compact, mat, clump or wad in the hopper 110. The loosened or disentangled textile is then urged by the screw conveyor 130 towards the feeder outlet 120 and hence into the thermal reactor. In this way, blockages are reduced and/or the amount of the textile received by and/or urged by the screw conveyor 110 is increased.

[0136] FIGS. 2A and 2B schematically depict a feeder 200 according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0137] Particularly, FIG. 2A schematically depicts a front cross-sectional view of the feeder 200 and FIG. 2B schematically depicts a side cross-sectional view of the feeder 200.

[0138] Particularly, the feeder 200 is for an apparatus (not shown) for thermolysing a textile, the apparatus comprising the feeder 200 and a thermal reactor (not shown). The feeder 200 comprises a hopper 210 arranged to receive the textile, a feeder outlet 220 coupleable to the thermal reactor and a screw conveyor 230 arranged therebetween, wherein the screw conveyor 230 is arranged to, in use, urge at least a part of the textile from the hopper 210 towards the feeder outlet 220. The feeder 200 further comprises a loosening means 240 arranged between the hopper 210 and the screw conveyor 230, wherein the loosening means 240 is arranged to, in use, loosen at least the part of the textile and thereby urge at least the part of the textile from the hopper 210 towards the screw conveyor 230.

[0139] In more detail, the hopper 210 is a gravity hopper, having a V cross-section, as shown in FIG. 2B. The loosening means 240 comprises a rotatable arm 241, arranged to rotate in use.

[0140] Particularly, the loosening means 240 comprises three (i.e. a plurality) of rotatable arms 241A-241C, arranged to rotate in use. The plurality of rotatable arms 241A-241C are mutually rotatationally offset by at least 45. In this way, a force on the arms 241A-241C may be reduced. Additionally and/or alternatively, urging of the part of the textile from the hopper 210 towards the screw conveyor 230 by the loosening 240 means may be improved, for example, may be more uniform. The rotatable arms 241A-241C comprise a paddle or a blade, each having dimensions 8 cm2.5 cm.

[0141] A rotational axis of the rotatable arm 241A-241C is aligned with and/or parallel to a rotational axis of the screw conveyor 230. Rotation of the rotatable arm 241A-241C is independent of rotation of the screw conveyor 230. The rotatable arm 241A-241C is arranged to rotate at a speed of rotation in a range from 1 rpm to 10 rpm. This speed of rotation is controllable, via a controller (not shown).

[0142] The feeder 200 comprises a screw conveyor housing 250, wherein the screw conveyor 230 is arranged in the screw conveyor housing 250 and wherein the screw conveyor housing 250 comprises a screw conveyor housing inlet 251 and the feeder outlet 220. The screw conveyor housing 250 comprises a tubular housing. The hopper 210 comprises a hopper outlet 211. The hopper outlet 211 is coupled to the screw conveyor housing inlet 251. The loosening means 240 is arranged in the hopper 210 proximal the hopper outlet 211. In this way, the textile received in the hopper 210 passes, in use, into the screw conveyor housing 250 via the hopper outlet 211 and the screw conveyor housing inlet 251.

[0143] FIG. 3 schematically depicts a conventional screw conveyor 330. Particularly, FIG. 3 schematically depicts a side elevation view of the conventional screw conveyor 330, having a length L, a flight outside diameter A, a pitch B and a shaft diameter C, for reference. The screw conveyor 330 is suitable for use in the feeder 200, for example.

[0144] FIGS. 4A and 4B schematically depict a screw conveyor 430 for a feeder according to an exemplary embodiment. Particularly, FIG. 4A schematically depicts a side cross-sectional view of the screw conveyor 430 and FIG. 4B schematically depicts a side cross-sectional view of the shaft of the screw conveyor 430 in more detail. The screw conveyor 430 is suitable for use in the feeder 200, for example.

[0145] A shaft diameter C of the screw conveyor 430 decreases along a length of the screw conveyor 430 towards the feeder outlet 410. In other words, the shaft diameter C1 (14 mm) of the screw conveyor 430 at the proximal end is less than the shaft diameter C2 (40 mm) of the screw conveyor 430 at the distal end. Particularly, the shaft diameter C1 decreases along a part of the length L2 (75 mm) towards the distal end of the screw conveyor 430 towards the feeder outlet. The shaft diameter C2 of a remaining part L1 of the length L of the screw conveyor 430 is constant.

[0146] A flight outside diameter A of the screw conveyor 430 is constant, for example substantially constant, along the length L of the screw conveyor 430 towards the feeder outlet 410.

[0147] A pitch P of the screw conveyor 430 increases along the length L of the screw conveyor 430 towards feeder outlet 410. In other words, the pitch P1 (48 mm) of the screw conveyor 430 at the proximal end is greater than the pitch P2 (36 mm) of the screw conveyor 430 at the distal end. The pitch P of the screw conveyor 430 increases along the part of the length L2 (75 mm) of the screw conveyor 430 towards the feeder outlet, for example the part towards the distal end. The pitch P2 of the screw conveyor 430 of the remaining part L1 of the length L of the screw conveyor 430 is constant.

[0148] FIG. 5 schematically depicts an apparatus 1000 according to an exemplary embodiment.

[0149] The apparatus 1 is for thermolysing a textile. The apparatus 1000 comprises a feeder 500 and a thermal reactor 10. Optionally, the apparatus may comprise a collector 20.

[0150] FIG. 6 schematically depicts the thermal reactor 10 of the apparatus 1 of FIG. 5, in more detail. Particularly, the thermal reactor includes twelve (i.e. a plurality of) gas outlets 11. The plurality of gas outlets 11 aid removal of gases formed during the thermolysing. This arrangement of the plurality of gas outlets 11 may reduce problems with gas flow into the thermal reactor 10. Additionally and/or alternatively, this arrangement of the plurality of gas outlets 11 may reduce secondary reactions due to a long residence of the gases in the thermal reactor 10.

[0151] FIG. 7 schematically depicts a method according to an exemplary embodiment. The method is of providing a thermolysis oil comprising an N-heterocyclic aromatic compound, a phenol and/or a substituted derivative thereof.

[0152] At S701, a textile comprising keratin is thermolysed, to provide vapours from the textile.

[0153] At S702, the vapours are condensed to obtain the oil.

[0154] The method may comprise any of the steps described herein.

[0155] FIG. 8 schematically depicts a graph showing thermolysis liquid product composition as a function of temperature.

[0156] FIG. 9 schematically depicts a graph showing thermolysis liquid product composition at 800 C. using different reactor sizes in presence of N.sub.2 as carrier gas.

[0157] Bench scale pyrolysis and gasification of textile wool were performed using a customised semi-fixed bed reactor, under conditions as shown in Table 6.

TABLE-US-00006 TABLE 6 Pyrolysis and gasification conditions, where loose indicates woollen spinning waste cut or shredded at 1.5 cm. Run 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Temperature/ 700 800 900 800 800 800 350 500 C. Injected gas CO.sub.2 CO.sub.2 CO.sub.2 CO.sub.2 N.sub.2 N.sub.2 CO.sub.2 CO.sub.2 Textile size 1 cm 1 cm 1 cm Loose 1 cm Loose Loose Loose 4 cm 4 cm 4 cm 4 cm

[0158] Bio oil was collected from each run, using a first collector immersed in ice/water bath and a second collector immersed in liquid nitrogen (small reactor), while only an ice/water bath was used in the tests using the large reactor. GC-MS was used to identify chemical components of the bio oils, as described below. The bio oils mainly comprise phenols, nitriles and indoles (i.e. an N-heterocyclic aromatic compound and/or a substituted derivative thereof), as summarised in Table 7.

TABLE-US-00007 TABLE 7 GC-MS results for bio oils. Thermolysing Component Amount/wt. % temperature/ C. Comment 5,10-Diethoxy- ~6 350 Potential 2,3,7,8-tetrahydro- antimicotic. 1H,6H-Dipyrrolo[1,2- a:1,2-d]pyrazine para-Cresol (4- 8-32 350-900 methylphenol) Phenols 3-30 350-900 Indoles 3-10 350-900 Quinolines 3-15 >500 Piperidinones 3-18 >500 2,4- 7-15 >800 Imidazolidinedione, 5,5-dimethyl- 2-Pentanone, 4- 2-6 350-900 hydroxy-4-methyl-

[0159] The chemical compositions of the bio oil samples were analysed using Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry, Fisons GC 8000 series equipped with VG Trio 1000. The column (length: 30 m, inner diameter: 0.250 mm; film: 0.25 m) had temperature limits between 40 C. to 300 C. The oven was programmed to hold at 40 C. for 10 min, ramp at 5 C./min to 200 C. and hold for 15 min, ramp at 10 C./min to 240 C. and hold for 15 min, ramp at 10 C./min to 260 C. and hold for 10 min. He was used as carrier gas with constant flow rate of 1.7 ml/min and injector split ratio at 1:20 ratio. The end of the column was directly introduced into the ion source detector of VG Trio 1000 series. Typical mass spectrometer operating conditions were as follows: transfer line 270 C., ion source 250 C., electron energy of 70 eV. The chromatographic peaks were identified according to the NIST library to identify bio oil components.

[0160] Textile size did not significantly affect bio oil composition. In other words, based on runs 2 and 4 at 800 C. with the CO.sub.2 gas, the only difference between the oil obtained from whole wool and shredded textile wool was a type of phenol obtained. In more detail, Phenol, 2-methyl was a dominant product for run 2 while Phenol, 3-methyl- was a dominant product in run 4.

[0161] The effect of temperature was significant in obtaining several valuable chemical components. For example, the production of the phenols and indoles, which were obtained in every run, was observed to be dependent on temperature. As shown in FIG. 8, the production of both phenols and indoles increases significantly as the thermolysis temperature increase from 350 C. to 500 C.; almost doubling for both indoles and phenols. However, the increase for phenols is dramatically less when the temperature is increased by 300 C. to 800 C. Furthermore, the increase is insignificant when the temperature is increased by another 100 C. The high percentage of phenols is a promising since phenols may have a market value of 38/litre if high purities may be obtained. Similarly, indoles and quinolines may be marketed at values as high as 50/kg and 80/kg, respectively.

[0162] That is, these bio oils are thermolysis oils derived from textile, the oils comprising an N-heterocyclic aromatic compound and/or a substituted derivative thereof in an amount of at least 2 wt. %

[0163] Since two different feed cuts were used (1 cm4 cm and 1 cm1.5 cm), their importance in the final product distribution could be observed. As expected, due to the similarity in the chemical composition of the feed, the product distribution was not effected significantly by the change in the feed type. The main difference was that different isomers of Cresol (a phenolic compound) were obtained in different quantities when the wool type was switched.

[0164] The effect of the injected gas on the product was evaluated. Similar to effect of the wool type, one of the observations was the change in phenol isomer collected (P-cresol for N.sub.2, M-cresol for CO.sub.2).

[0165] Although a preferred embodiment has been shown and described, it will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that various changes and modifications might be made without departing from the scope of the invention, as defined in the appended claims and as described above.

[0166] In summary, the invention provides a thermolysis oil derived from textile, a method of providing a thermolysis oil, a feeder for an apparatus for thermolysing a textile, an apparatus for thermolysing a textile and a use of waste textile.

[0167] Attention is directed to all papers and documents which are filed concurrently with or previous to this specification in connection with this application and which are open to public inspection with this specification, and the contents of all such papers and documents are incorporated herein by reference.

[0168] All of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims and drawings), and/or all of the steps of any method or process so disclosed, may be combined in any combination, except combinations where at least some of such features and/or steps are mutually exclusive.

[0169] Each feature disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims, and drawings) may be replaced by alternative features serving the same, equivalent or similar purpose, unless expressly stated otherwise. Thus, unless expressly stated otherwise, each feature disclosed is one example only of a generic series of equivalent or similar features.

[0170] The invention is not restricted to the details of the foregoing embodiment(s). The invention extends to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the features disclosed in this specification (including any accompanying claims and drawings), or to any novel one, or any novel combination, of the steps of any method or process so disclosed.