Abstract: An integrated combustion chamber and fluidized bed pyrolysis reactor. In one embodiment, the combustion chamber is cylindrical and the pyrolysis reactor is provided annularly about the combustion chamber with an annular wall that provides a common surface for heat transfer. A lift tube in fluid communication with the pyrolysis reactor is provided within the combustion chamber for circulating biomass and an inert fluidizable media upwardly through the lift tube; this advantageously increases heat transfer and leads to more rapid pyrolysis. The media and biomass exit the lift tube into either a freeboard area of the pyrolysis reactor or into a low density region of the fluidized bed. A condensable gaseous product is produced during pyrolysis that has economic value. The apparatus and process are especially well suited to the pyrolysis of low density agricultural biomass. The apparatus is compact and particularly well suited to mobile operation.

Abstract: Wood ash residues are a complex ternary mixture of small stones, biochar particles and ash. The present application shows how a combination of physical separation processes can be applied to the efficient extraction of a biochar-rich fraction. Two different techniques were tested: segregation and elutriation. The effects of the fluidization velocity on both of the processes were investigated respectively. Either technique happened to be ineffective, on its own, to obtain high purity biochar. However, a combination of segregation and elutriation proved to recover 78% of the biochar with a purity of 90%.

Abstract: An integrated combustion chamber and fluidized bed pyrolysis reactor. In one embodiment, the combustion chamber is cylindrical and the pyrolysis reactor is provided annularly about the combustion chamber with an annular wall that provides a common surface for heat transfer. A lift tube in fluid communication with the pyrolysis reactor is provided within the combustion chamber for circulating biomass and an inert fluidizable media upwardly through the lift tube; this advantageously increases heat transfer and leads to more rapid pyrolysis. The media and biomass exit the lift tube into either a freeboard area of the pyrolysis reactor or into a low density region of the fluidized bed. A condensable gaseous product is produced during pyrolysis that has economic value. The apparatus and process are especially well suited to the pyrolysis of low density agricultural biomass. The apparatus is compact and particularly well suited to mobile operation.

Abstract: A fenestrated centrifugal terminator is described for use in an internally circulating fluid bed reactor or conventional riser reactor. It includes a tubular member having a straight vertical tubular portion the lower end of which is adapted for attachment to the upper end of a riser tube. The upper end of the vertical tubular portion merges into a substantially semi-circular inverted U-shaped tubular loop and terminating in a downwardly directing opening. A ramp portion of shallow angle is provided in the vertical tubular portion adjacent the inner face of the loop and terminating at the inlet to the loop to thereby create a venturi. Commencing at the end of the ramp portion is a semi-circular divider wall dividing the tubular loop into a larger upper flow channel and a smaller lower flow channel. This divider wall has a plurality of longitudinally spaced lateral slots through which the gas being separated from the solids is discharged.

Abstract: A process is described for ultrapyrolytic upgrading of a heavy hydrocarbon oil feedstock by contacting the feedstock in a confined riser vertical column with finely divided inert solid particles under ultrapyrolysis conditions, the riser forms part of an internally circulating aerated bed reactor with the bottom end of the riser being directly connected to an inlet nozzle feeding the heavy hydrocarbon oil feedstock and the upper end of the riser extending above an annular aerated bed of the finely divided solid particles surrounding the riser. The riser also includes a plurality of orifices in a lower region thereof flow connected to a lower region of the aerated bed for controlled delivery of the particles from the aerated bed into the riser.