METHOD AND DEVICE FOR THE CATALYTIC PRESSURELESS DEPOLYMERIZATION OF HYDROCARBON-CONTAINING SUBSTANCES

Abstract

A method or catalytic compressed air conversion of hydrocarbonaceous substances to oil has the steps of: providing a hydrocarbonaceous substance and a catalyst oil in a mixing turbine, mixing the catalyst oil with the hydrocarbonaceous substance to give a mixture, where the step of mixing comprises producing heat for a catalytic oxidation in the mixing turbine, providing the distillation device downstream of the mixing turbine, removing liquid constituents of the mixture into the distillation device, distilling the liquid constituents, and collecting oil and water, and is characterized in that the step of mixing comprises introducing oxygen into the mixing turbine. An apparatus with which this method can be employed has a mixing turbine comprising a first feed for a catalyst oil and a hydrocarbonaceous substance and an outlet for liquid constituents after a catalytic oxidation. In addition, such an apparatus comprises a distillation device for distilling the liquid constituents led out of the mixing turbine and a collecting device for collecting oil and water separated out from the distillation device, wherein the mixing turbine has a second feed for oxygen.

Claims

1. A method of catalytic ambient-pressure conversion of hydrocarbonaceous substances to oil, comprising the steps of: providing a hydrocarbonaceous substance and a catalyst oil in a mixing turbine; mixing the catalyst oil with the hydrocarbonaceous substance to give a mixture; where the step of mixing comprises producing heat for a catalytic oxidation in the mixing turbine; providing a distillation device downstream of the mixing turbine; removing liquid constituents of the mixture into the distillation device; distilling the liquid constituents; and collecting oil and water, characterized in that the step of mixing comprises introducing oxygen into the mixing turbine.

2. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that an amount of oxygen to be introduced is controlled as a function of a reaction temperature in the mixing turbine.

3. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the amount of oxygen is increased in the event of a declining reaction temperature in the mixing turbine in the downstream direction.

4. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the amount of oxygen is reduced in the event of a rising reaction temperature in the mixing turbine in the downstream direction.

5. The method as claimed in claim 1, characterized in that the oxygen to be introduced is oxygen with a purity level of more than 90%.

6. The method as claimed in claim 2, characterized in that the the reaction temperature in the mixing turbine is lowered by the introduction of oxygen.

7. An apparatus for catalytic ambient-pressure conversion of hydrocarbonaceous substances to oil, having: a mixing turbine (1) comprising a first feed (5) for a catalyst oil and at least one hydrocarbonaceous substance and an outlet (9) for liquid constituents after a catalytic oxidation; having a distillation device (11) for distilling the liquid constituents led out of the mixing turbine (1); and having a collecting device (15) for collecting oil and water separated out from the distillation device (11); characterized in that the mixing turbine (1) has a second feed (7) for oxygen.

8. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the second feed (7) is coupled to an oxygen generation device.

9. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that a control device (17) controls an amount of oxygen flowing through the second feed into the mixing turbine.

10. The apparatus as claimed in claim 7, characterized in that the second feed (7) is disposed in a middle region of the mixing turbine (1).

Description

[0018] One embodiment of the present invention is described in detail hereinafter with reference to the sole FIGURE.

[0019] The FIGURE shows a schematic view of an apparatus for catalytic ambient-pressure conversion of hydrocarbonaceous substances to oil according to the present invention.

[0020] The FIGURE shows, in schematic form, a mixing turbine 1 in which a rotor or drum rotor 3 is mounted so as to rotate about an axis of rotation. The drum rotor 3 in the present embodiment has a diameter of 500 mm and rotates at 3000 rpm. The drum rotor is driven by an electric motor with a power of 300 kW. The mixing turbine 1 has a first feed 5, via which a hydrocarbonaceous substance or a mixture of hydrocarbonaceous substances can be supplied to the mixing turbine 1. It is additionally also possible to supply a catalyst oil via the first feed 5. In other embodiments, the catalyst oil can also be introduced into the mixing turbine 1 via a dedicated feed. The catalyst oil is there to make the hydrocarbonaceous substances free-flowing in the mixing turbine 1. The rotation of the drum rotor 3 mixes the hydrocarbonaceous substances with The catalyst oil. Friction energy generates heat.

[0021] The mixing turbine 1 additionally has a second feed 7 via which oxygen can be introduced into the mixing turbine 1. In the preferred embodiment, the oxygen has a purity level of more than 90%. But the present invention already has an advantage when an oxygen mixture, for example air, is introduced into the mixing turbine 1 via the second feed 7. Oxygen is introduced during operation of the mixing turbine 1, i.e. generally during rotation of the drum rotor 3. Owing to the supply of oxygen via the second feed 7, only a power of 100 kW is called for by the electric motor in sustained operation. The reason for this is that an amount of oxygen of 400 m.sup.3/h supplied via the second feed 7 to the mixing turbine 1 releases heating energy to the mixture of catalyst oil and hydrocarbonaceous substance(s) that corresponds to a power of 1000 kW. With this energy from the air input via the second feed 7 and the rotation of the drum rotor 3, the catalytic oxidation generates liquid constituents and the outlet 9 transfers them into a distillation device 11. At the end of the distillation device 11, in the present embodiment, oil and water are collected by means of a condenser device 13. Overall, an amount of oil (amount of diesel) of 2.5 m.sup.3 is evaporated out of the mixture in the mixing turbine 1 as a result of the catalytic oxidation. Only 0.075 m.sup.3 of the amount of oil is converted to CO.sub.2 and H.sub.2O, and a further 0.025 m.sup.3 of the amount of oil is used for the operation of the electric motor and the provision of a power of 100 kW in a combined heat and power plant.

[0022] In the present embodiment, the second feed 7 has been provided with an opening 7.1 having a diameter of 1 inch. The second feed 7 is connected to a pressure device 14 that generates oxygen or pressure or compressed air. The first feed 5 and the outlet 9 from the mixing turbine 1 are disposed on the mixing turbine 1 such that suction and discharge of the material in the mixing turbine 1 initiate a vortex. In the present embodiment, the arrangement of the first feed 5 and the outlet 9 tangentially on the mixing turbine 1 is envisaged.

[0023] The distillation device 11 is at least one so-called distillation column connected via conduits 11.1 to the condenser device 13. This condenser device 13 has fins 13.1 on a vapor side in order to improve heat transfer in spite of the gas component. The condenser device 13 is connected to a large collecting vessel 15 such that a condensation mixture is guided into the collecting vessel 15 without further mixing. The two products, water and oil (diesel), can calmly settle out in the collecting vessel 15. The connection between the condenser device 13 and the large collecting vessel 15 is made by lateral shafts having holes to the collecting vessel 15.

[0024] In the collecting vessel 15 there are conductivity sensors (not shown) that indicate the level between oil (diesel) and water. In the lower portion of the collecting vessel 15 there are first conduits 15.1 for the water in order to remove it for water treatment. Above that are second conduits 15.2 that recycle the oil component (diesel component) into the distillation device 13. This recycling of the diesel component is effected after the level of the diesel oil has been lowered by removal of water to a height below a diesel exit opening. Collecting vessel sizes for the apparatus of the invention have a volume of 20 m.sup.3, and so a production rate of 2.5 m.sup.3/h is possible.

[0025] The further distillation in the distillation device 13, for a production rate of 2.5 m.sup.3/h, is effected in an electrically heated tank, for which electrical heating with a power of 500 kW is provided. Around the electrically heated tank are disposed evaporator tubes. A total of 50 electrically heated evaporator tubes each with an individual power of 10 kW are disposed around the tank, each of which has a volume of 10 m.sup.3. A downstream air-cooled condenser likewise has a cooling power of 500 kW.

LIST OF REFERENCE NUMERALS

[0026] 1 mixing turbine
3 rotor/drum rotor
5 first feed
7 second feed
7.1 opening
10 outlet
11 distillation device
11.1 conduits
13 condenser device
13.1 fins
14 pressure device
15 collecting vessel
15.1 first conduit
15.2 second conduit
17 control device