FULLY MODULARIZED PYROLYSIS REACTOR WITH SIMULTANEOUS MULTI-FEED CAPABILITIES

Abstract

A fully modularized mid-feed pyrolysis reactor includes modularized upper, middle, and lower vessels. The middle vessel is equipped with at least two feeding units. Discharge pipes of the feeding units are placed into the core feeding and reaction zone of the reactor. The discharge outlets of the discharge pipes are equipped with heat-insulating valves that can automatically close under gravity. The lower vessel integrates an integrated grate, which can be rotatably arranged inside the lower vessel. The top of the integrated grate is equipped with a rotatable distributor including a support tray and a material distribution tower with a pointed top structure positioned at the center of the support tray. The bracket formed by water-cooling pipes on the distributor can act as an agitator. Under the premise of achieving precise control, this invention solves the technical problems of single feedstock and small reactor capacity in existing bottom-feed vertical pyrolysis reactors.

Claims

1. A pyrolysis reactor, comprising: a modular upper vessel (1), the upper vessel (1) being provided with a gas collection pipeline (11); a modular middle vessel (2), the middle vessel (2) being detachably connected to the upper vessel (1), the middle vessel (2) being provided with at least two feeding units (21), a discharge pipe (211) of the feeding unit (21) being positioned into the inside of the middle vessel (2), and a discharge port of the discharge pipe (211) being provided with a heat insulation valve (212) capable of being automatically closed under gravity; and a modular lower vessel (3), the lower vessel (3) being detachably connected to the middle vessel (2), the lower vessel (3) being integrated with an integrated grate (31), the integrated grate (31) being rotatably provided inside the lower vessel (3), the top of the integrated grate (31) being provided with a rotatable distributor (32), the distributor (32) comprising a support tray (321) and a material distribution tower (322) having a pointed top structure and provided at the center of the support tray (321), materials falling from the discharge port first falling to the pointed top structure of the material distribution tower (322) for primary distribution, and the materials after primary distribution evenly falling to the outer circumference of the support tray (321) for secondary distribution, and then more evenly falling to the surface of the integrated grate (31).

2. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port of the discharge pipe (211) of the feeding unit (21) is provided above the distributor (32) and closely adjacent to the distributor (32), to insert the discharge pipe (211) into a core feed zone and a reaction zone inside the pyrolysis reactor.

3. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 1, wherein the discharge pipe (211) is provided with an external insulation structure to isolate a temperature inside the pyrolysis reactor, so as to avoid an excessively high temperature inside the discharge pipe (211), and the external insulation structure is an insulation layer, a water-cooled insulation device, or an air-cooled insulation device.

4. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 1, wherein the bottom of an end water-cooling pipeline (34) of the discharge pipe (211) of the feeding unit (21) protrudes so that the heat insulation valve (212) is closed at the discharge port in an inclined state, the heat insulation valve (212) is rotatably provided at the discharge port, and a moving device of the heat insulation valve (212) is provided at the top of the end water-cooling pipeline (34) of the discharge pipe (211).

5. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 1, wherein the material distribution tower (322) is rotatably provided on the support tray (321).

6. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 5, wherein the material distribution tower (322) is further provided with a blade (323) configured to push materials outward.

7. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 1, wherein a seat (33) fixedly connected to the lower vessel (3) is provided between the distributor (32) and the integrated grate (31), and the periphery of the seat (33) envelops the support tray (321) upward to form a dustproof cap (331).

8. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 7, wherein the seat (33) is connected to a plurality of fastened water-cooling pipelines (34), one end of each water-cooled cooling (34) is connected to the lower vessel (3), the other end thereof is connected to the seat (33), and the water-cooling pipeline (34) is arranged above the surface of the integrated grate (31) to agitate and stir materials on the surface of the integrated grate (31).

9. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 8, wherein the water-cooling pipeline (34) is of a hollow structure, and circulating cooling water circulates within the hollow structure.

10. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 1, wherein the integrated grate (31) is integrated with an air inlet pipe (35), and an air inlet of the air inlet pipe (35) is introduced at the bottom of the integrated grate (31).

11. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 1, further comprising a modular ash/char discharge unit (4) capable of being integrated with the lower vessel (3), the ash/char discharge unit (4) being detachably provided at the bottom of the lower vessel (3), a circular strip-shaped ash/char discharge port (36) being formed between the bottom of the surface of the integrated grate (31) and the inner wall of the lower vessel (3), and after reaction is completed, waste ash/char entering the ash/char discharge unit (4) is discharged through the ash/char discharge port (36).

12. The pyrolysis reactor according to claim 1, wherein respective corresponding joins of the upper vessel (1), the middle vessel (2), the lower vessel (3), and the ash/char discharge unit (4) each are a ring fit, to horizontally implement modular assembly adjustable in any direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0025] FIG. 1 shows a schematic diagram of the fully modularized mid-feed pyrolysis reactor of the present invention.

[0026] FIG. 2 shows the internal structure schematic diagram of the middle vessel and lower vessel of the fully modularized mid-feed pyrolysis reactor of the present invention.

EXPLANATION of SYMBOLS

[0027] 1Upper vessel, 11Gas collection pipeline, 2Middle vessel, 21Feeding unit, 211Discharge pipe, 212Heat insulation valve, 3Lower vessel, 31Integrated grate, 32Distributor, 321Support tray, 322Material distribution tower, 323Blade, 33Seat, 331Dustproof cap, 34Water cooling pipeline, 35Air inlet pipe, 36Ash/char discharge port, 37Manhole, 4Ash/char discharge seat.

DETAILED EMBODIMENT

[0028] The following description of exemplary embodiments, combined with the accompanying drawings, provides a clear and comprehensive explanation of the technical solutions in the embodiments of the present invention. It is evident that the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present invention, rather than all embodiments. The description of at least one exemplary embodiment is merely illustrative and should not be construed as limiting the present invention and its applications or uses. Based on the embodiments of the present invention, all other embodiments obtained by those skilled in the art without inventive work are within the scope of protection of the present invention.

[0029] The present invention provides a fully modularized mid-feed pyrolysis reactor, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The reactor comprises a modular upper vessel (1), a modular middle vessel (2), and a modular lower vessel (3).

[0030] The upper vessel (1) is equipped with a gas collection pipeline (11) for collecting the product gases after the reaction. The middle vessel (2) is detachably connected to the upper vessel (1) and is equipped with at least two feeding units (21) for simultaneous feeding of main and/or auxiliary materials. The discharge pipe (211) of the feeding unit (21) is inserted into the interior of the middle vessel (2), and a heat insulation valve (212) is provided at the discharge port of the discharge pipe (211) to automatically close under the action of gravity, preventing hot gas inside the reactor from backflowing the feeding unit.

[0031] The lower vessel (3) is detachably connected to the middle vessel (2) and integrates a integrated grate (31). The integrated grate (31) is rotatably arranged within the lower vessel (3), and a rotatable distributor (32) is provided at the top of the integrated grate (31). The distributor (32) includes a support tray (321) and a material distribution tower (322) with a pointed top structure.

[0032] Material falling from the discharge port first falls onto the pointed top structure of the material distribution tower (322) for primary distribution, then uniformly onto the outer circumference of the support tray (321) for secondary distribution, and finally onto the surface of the integrated grate (31).

[0033] In one embodiment of the present invention, the feeding unit (21) is capable of simultaneously feeding at least two different feedstock materials. This is necessary in certain pyrolysis environments, such as when pyrolyzing sludge with low calorific value. If the sludge calorific value is too low and the pyrolysis reaction may be interrupted, immediately inputting wood chips with a relatively high calorific value can ensure the continuity and stability of the reaction and pyrolysis gas. Moreover, if it is the same feeding port, the material needs to be changed outside the reactor and before the discharge port, which incurs low automation and high labor costs. It is difficult to ensure the quality of pyrolysis. For example, certain special solid wastes (such as RDF or plastic film, etc.) have their own special input methods and require their own unique discharge pipes (211) feeding systems.

[0034] The fully modularized mid-feed pyrolysis reactor of the present invention allows for a relatively large feeding capacity and reactor volume, approximately 4-10 times that of a bottom-feed reactor. It has relatively low requirements for material particle size and finesse, and has a higher processing capacity. The discharge pipe (211) is equipped with a thermal insulation valve (212) that automatically closes under the action of gravity. One drawback of top feeding is that hot product gas may enter the feeding unit (21) through the discharge pipe (211), affecting materials that do not require reactions and the volume of gas collection. The automatic closing heat insulation valve (212) ensures the material in the feeding device (21) and prevents the loss of hot product gas. Compared to traditional top feeding reactors, the feeding position of the pyrolysis reactor of the present invention is actually in the middle of the reactor, close to the core reaction zone, without disturbing the composition and yield of pyrolysis gas products. The gas collection pipe (11) is configured at the top of the reactor, making it easier for the hot product gas to rise into the gas collection pipe (11). Meanwhile, the discharge port (211) is located in the middle, reducing the drop height of the material and effectively controlling the trajectory of its fall. Furthermore, a rotatable distributor (32) is installed at the top of the bottom vessel (3). The distributor (32) includes a support tray (321) and a material distributor tower (322) with a pointed top structure located at the center of the support tray (321). The material falling from the discharge port first falls onto the pointed top structure of the material distributor tower (322) for primary distribution. After primary distribution, the material falls evenly onto the outer circumference of the support tray (321) for secondary distribution before falling more evenly onto the surface of the integrated grate (31), ensuring more precise control over the reaction of the material.

[0035] Additionally, the present invention's fully modularized mid-feed pyrolysis reactor allows for modular manufacturing, where all components can be pre-installed in the workshop of the reactor manufacturer by professional technicians, including electrical and monitoring systems. This modularized assembly unit can then be transported to the site, reducing installation time by 90% while ensuring installation quality. Moreover, modular installation allows for adjustments to be made to the angles of feeding, air intake, charcoal discharge, and gas discharge, meeting the specific site requirements without altering the overall design of the pyrolysis reactor. In conclusion, the modular design not only maximizes commercialization but also enables precise control of the pyrolysis reaction.

[0036] In further embodiments of the present invention: [0037] The discharge port of the feeding device (21) is located above and adjacent to the distributor (32) to ensure uniform distribution of materials.

[0038] The pyrolysis reactor of the present invention differs from conventional reactors, such as vertical kilns. In reality, it feeds from the midsection, with the discharge pipe (211) of the feeding device (21) extending directly into the core area of the pyrolysis reactor. The height from the top of the integrated grate (31) to the distributor (32) is less than 1 meter, while there is still a height of 4-8 meters above the discharge pipe (211) inside the pyrolysis reactor. In conventional reactors, the material is sprinkled from the highest point, the 8-meter-high furnace roof, making it difficult to ensure even distribution on the surface of grate (31). All feeding units (21) effectively deliver the material directly to the upper part of the reaction core, without affecting the gas reaction above. This ensures that the material is steadily and accurately delivered directly above the integrated grate (31), ensuring that the material falls onto the distributor (32) on the integrated grate (31) and is evenly spread. Evenly spreading the material on the integrated grate (31) is necessary to achieve precise control of the pyrolysis reaction. Unevenly distributed material on the integrated grate (31) imply the possibility of local high temperatures and burn-through, making it difficult to ensure precise control, stabilize the pyrolysis gas products, and ensure the composition of the pyrolysis gas used to produce other high-quality biomass synthesis gas.

[0039] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an external insulation structure is provided on the discharge pipe (211) to insulate the temperature inside the pyrolysis reactor, preventing the temperature inside the discharge pipe (211) from becoming too high. The external insulation structure may include an insulation layer, a water-cooled insulation device, or an air-cooled insulation device.

[0040] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, the bottom of the end water-cooled pipe 34 of the discharge pipe 211 of the feeding device 21 protrudes to allow the heat insulation valve 212 to close the discharge port in an inclined state. At the same time, the heat insulation valve 212 is configured to be rotatable at the discharge port, and the moving device of the heat insulation valve 212 is located at the top of the end water-cooled pipe 34 of the discharge pipe 211. This design reduces the resistance of the material pushing the heat insulation valve 212 and ensures that the heat insulation valve 212 can automatically close under the action of gravity.

[0041] Furthermore, the center of gravity of the heat insulation valve 212 is lowered to ensure the stability of its automatic closing function. The center of gravity can be lowered by adding a counterweight at the bottom position of the heat insulation valve 212 or by increasing the thickness of the bottom position of the heat insulation valve 212.

[0042] In further embodiments of the present invention: [0043] The discharge pipe (211) inserted into the furnace body is provided with insulation to insulate and insulate the inner part of the pyrolysis reactor.

[0044] Furthermore, the material distribution tower (322) is rotatably arranged on the support tray (321) to ensure better and more uniform distribution of materials, and the blades (323) are further provided on the material distribution tower (322) for extruding materials.

[0045] Additionally, a seat (33) fixedly connected to the lower vessel (3) is provided between the distributor (32) and the integrated grate (31), and the outer periphery of the seat (33) wraps upwardly around the support tray (321) to form a dustproof cap (331) to reduce dust entering the shaft and motor of the integrated grate (31).

[0046] Moreover, multiple fixed water-cooled pipelines (34) are connected to the seat (33). One end of the water-cooling pipelines (34) is connected to the lower vessel (3), and the other end is connected to the seat (33). The water-cooling pipelines (34) are arranged above the surface of the integrated grate (31) to move the materials on the surface of the integrated grate (31) and prevent arching and bridging of the materials on the surface of the integrated grate (31).

[0047] The water-cooling pipelines (34) have a hollow structure through which circulating cooling water flows to cool and assist in precise temperature regulation inside the reactor.

[0048] In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, an air inlet pipe 35 is integrated on the integrated grate 31, and the air inlet of the air inlet pipe 35 is formed at the bottom of the integrated grate 31. This is a manifestation of the integrated modular design of the lower vessel 3 and the integrated grate 31 on the lower vessel 3 of the present invention.

[0049] Additionally, a modular ash/char discharge unit (4) integrated with the lower vessel (3) is detachably disposed at the bottom of the lower vessel (3). The bottom of the surface of the integrated grate (31) and the inner wall of the lower vessel (3) form a circular ash/char discharge port (36), and the waste residue after the reaction enters the ash/char discharge unit (4) through the ash/char discharge port (36). This is also a manifestation of the complete modular design of the pyrolysis reactor of the present invention. Each part can be pre-selected and fully installed by professionals in the workshop. Electrical and monitoring components can also be installed in the workshop. Now, only simple assembly by non-professionals is required, which can save 90% of the installation time and ensure installation quality.

[0050] In a specific embodiment of the present invention, the connection between the upper vessel (1), middle vessel (2), lower vessel (3), and Ash discharge unit (4) are all designed as circular rings. This allows for modular assembly with adjustable orientation in the horizontal direction, similar to building blocks. The lower vessel 3 is equipped with a manhole 37, and the main modular components can be combined in any direction to meet various customer needs. For example, the orientation of the feeding unit 21, manhole 37, gas collection pipe 11, and ash/char discharge seat 4 can be changed as needed without altering the overall design of the pyrolysis reactor itself. This design significantly reduces the customization time for customer-specific products.

[0051] A manhole (37) is provided in the lower vessel (3) for providing access to the interior thereof.

[0052] It should be understood that the specific embodiments described above are only for the purpose of explaining the present invention and not for limiting the present invention. Obvious changes or modifications derived from the spirit of the present invention are still within the scope of the present invention.