Rotor for a pyrolysis centrifuge reactor

Abstract

The present invention relates to a rotor for a pyrolysis centrifuge reactor, said rotor comprising a rotor body having a longitudinal center axis, and at least one pivotally mounted blade being adapted to pivot around a pivot axis under rotation of the rotor body around the longitudinal center axis. Moreover, the present invention relates to a pyrolysis centrifuge reactor applying such a rotor.

Claims

1. A pyrolysis centrifuge reactor comprising: a reactor housing having a centre axis, the reactor housing comprising tracks formed in or on an inner surface of the reactor housing in order to lead a solid feed from an inlet to an outlet, and a pyrolysis rotor comprising a cylindrically shaped rotor body having a longitudinal centre axis that essentially coincides with the centre axis, and at least one pivotally mounted blade being adapted to pivot around a pivot axis under rotation of the rotor body around the longitudinal centre axis, wherein the at least one pivotally mounted blade is positioned in a recess formed in a peripheral surface of the cylindrically shaped rotor body.

2. A pyrolysis centrifuge reactor according to claim 1, further comprising a reaction vessel formed between the peripheral surface of the rotor body and the inner surface of the reactor housing.

3. A pyrolysis centrifuge reactor according to claim 2, wherein the at least one pivotally mounted blade is adapted to pivot between an inner position given by a shape of the recesses in the rotor body and an outer surface given by the inner surface of the reactor housing.

4. A pyrolysis centrifuge reactor according to claim 1, wherein the pivot axis is essentially parallel to the longitudinal centre axis.

5. A pyrolysis centrifuge reactor according to claim 1, wherein the pyrolysis rotor comprises a plurality of pivotally mounted blades.

6. A pyrolysis centrifuge reactor according to claim 5, wherein each of the plurality of pivotally mounted blades is adapted to pivot around an associated pivot axis under rotation of the rotor body.

7. A pyrolysis centrifuge reactor according to claim 5, wherein the plurality of pivotally mounted blades are positioned in respective recesses formed in the peripheral surface of the cylindrically shaped rotor body.

8. A pyrolysis centrifuge reactor according to claim 5, wherein an overall length of the plurality of pivotally mounted blades essentially equals a length of the rotor body.

9. A pyrolysis centrifuge reactor according to claim 1, further comprising a rotor axle, said rotor axle coinciding with the longitudinal centre axis of the rotor body.

10. A method of using a pyrolysis centrifuge reactor according to claim 1, wherein the rotor rotates with a speed of rotation being less than 6000 rpm.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

(1) The present invention will now be described in details with reference to the accompanying figures where

(2) FIG. 1 shows a three-dimension view of a PCR with a rotor according to the present invention,

(3) FIG. 2 shows a front view of a PCR with a rotor according to the present invention,

(4) FIG. 3 shows a rotor according to the present invention without an end bearing, and

(5) FIG. 4 shows a rotor according to the present invention with an end bearing.

(6) While the invention is susceptible to various modifications and alternative forms, specific embodiments have been shown by way of examples in the drawings and will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that the invention is not intended to be limited to the particular forms disclosed. Rather, the invention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the appended claims.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(7) In its most general aspect the present invention relates to a PCR including a rotor which may be operated at relatively low rotational speeds while still maintaining a sufficient yield. By relatively low rotational speeds are meant rotational speeds typically being below 5000 rpm. Moreover, the design of the PCR rotor of the present invention allows that a solid feed with different particle sizes may be treated.

(8) Thus, the rotor of the present invention is used to press a solid feed, such as biomass, waste or fossil solid fuels, onto a hot tube surface having a temperature between 300 C. and 750 C. and as well transport the solid feed and solid product through a tube shaped reactor whereby it is possible to convert the solid feed into char, tar and gasses.

(9) Referring now to FIG. 1 a PCR 100 having a reactor part 101 encapsulating a rotor having a rotor body 103 arranged on a rotor axle 102 is depicted. Solid feed to be treated is let into the reactor part via inlet 106 and leaves the reactor part via an outlet (not shown). Means for heating the PCR (not shown) is arranged in connection with the outside of the reactor part.

(10) In the shown embodiment the clearance between the rotor body 103 and the inside reactor wall 108 is around 5 mm. This clearance allows that a solid feed with particles as big as 5 mm may be treated in the PCR.

(11) A number of pivotally mounted blades 104 (here a total of three) are mounted within associated recesses 107 formed in the surface of the rotor body 103. Each of the blades 104 are allowed to rotate freely around an axis defined by pivot axle 105. Upon rotation of the rotor body 103 the blades 104 rotate not only under the influence of centrifugal force but also under mechanical force. Solid feed particles present between the rotor body 103 and the reactor wall 108 are consequently pressed against the latter while being moved from the solid feed inlet 106 to the outlet (not shown).

(12) As previously mentioned, the positioning of the pivotally mounted rotor blades in their respective recesses facilitate that the diameter of the rotor body 103 can be optimized with respect to the reaction vessel being formed between the rotor body 103 and the reactor wall 108. The term optimized is here to be understood as a rotor body 103 having large diameter so that the volume of the reactor vessel can be reduced accordingly whereby the gas stays within the reactor vessel only a relatively short period of time (typically less than 2 seconds).

(13) In FIG. 1 a rotor bearing for keeping the pivotally mounted blades 104 in position is not shown. Moreover, two reactor bearings for aligning the rotor drum 103 relative to the reactor part 101 are not shown. These reactor bearings are to be secured, such as bolted, to the reactor flanges 109, 110.

(14) FIG. 2 shows a front view of the PCR 200 including the reactor part 201 and the rotor having the rotor body 203 arranged on the rotor axle 202. Again a rotor bearing for keeping the pivotally mounted blades 204 in position and a reactor bearing for aligning the rotor drum 203 relative to the reactor part 201 are not shown. The three pivotally mounted blades 204 are depicted in a position where they all abut the reaction wall of the reactor part 201. The pivot axle 205 defining the pivot axis is depicted as well.

(15) FIG. 3 shows a PCR rotor 300 according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3 the rotor comprises a rotor body 301 secured to a centrally positioned rotor axle 302. The rotor body 301 and the rotor axle 302 may form an integral component or they may be fabricated separately and subsequently assembled. The cross-sectional shape of the rotor axle 302 may vary along its longitudinal direction in order to match the dimensions of associated bearings for aligning the PCR rotor relative to a PCR housing.

(16) A total of three rotatable blades 303, 305, 307 are arranged within respective recesses formed in the rotor body 301. Under rotation of the PCR rotor the blades 303, 305, 307 are allowed to rotate freely about respective pivot axles 304, 306, 308. Thus, under rotation of the rotor body 301 the blades 303, 305, 307 are allowed to freely rotate between an inner position and an outer position. The inner position is given by the rotor body/recess itself whereas the outer position is the situation where the blades abut the inside of the reactor wall. Obviously the number of pivotally mounted blades may differ from three. Thus, the number of rotor blades may be 1, 2, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or even higher.

(17) As depicted in FIG. 3 the overall length of the rotor blades essentially equals the length of the rotor body 301. In principle the overall length of the rotor blades may differ from the length of the rotor body. The pivotally mounted blades 303, 305, 307 are kept in position by two bearing plates 309 (only one plate is shown in FIG. 3) which as bolted to the rotor body 301 at its respective ends.

(18) A fully assembled PCR rotor 400 is depicted in FIG. 4. As shown, the PCR rotor comprises a rotor body 401 secured to or integrated with a rotor axle 402. The rotor body 401 holds a number of pivotally mounted blades 403 which are kept in position by bearing plates 404 and 405.