System, method and apparatus for pyrolizing waste material
A system, method and apparatus for pyrolyzing are disclosed. The system, method and apparatus can include a plurality of chambers which may be loaded with material to be pyrolyzed. The material may then be pyrolyzed to produce a gaseous fuel and any remaining material in any of the plurality of chambers may be removed. The gaseous fuel may be sent to an afterburner where other elements may be added to generate heated gas having a predetermined temperature. The heated gas may be used in any of a variety of devices, such as a heat exchanger or a dryer, and may be used for any of a variety of reasons, such as the generation of heat.
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This invention claims priority to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 60/814,673, entitled EQUIPMENT, SYSTEM & METHOD OF PYROLIZING WASTE MATERIAL, and filed Jun. 16, 2006, the entire contents of which are hereby incorporated by reference.
FIELD OF THE INVENTIONThis invention relates generally to the field of gas pyrolysis and, in particular, to the field of gas pyrolysis that results in a usable end product.
BACKGROUNDPyrolysis is a thermal distillation or decomposition process that generally involves the conversion of waste material into carbon black residue through a chemical change by the action of heat on the waste material. The chemical change is often brought about in waste materials containing volatile and nonvolatile higher molecular weight materials that break down into lower molecular weight, volatile, combustible materials upon heating. The process is often used to reduce the physical amount of mass of solid waste material that needs to be housed or disposed of, for example, in a landfill. This process is becoming more common as the amount of space for landfills decreases and as the general public gains more awareness about their surroundings and frequently object to the presence of a landfill close to any residential or metropolitan area for fear of contamination. Other uses of pyrolysis include cleaning oil-contaminated soil, drying wet organic materials, such as animal manure or sewage plant sludge, and generally serving as a heat source for processes that make use of hot gases as an energy source.
Current methods of pyrolysis are used on solid waste materials such as tires. Current pyrolysis methods used for such materials encounter a variety of problems, however. Some methods do not efficiently pyrolize the desired materials while others generate unacceptable amounts of residue or residue that is otherwise undesirable. The efficiency of current pyrolysis machines and techniques is also poor as it takes a significant amount of time to load, pyrolize and unload a pyrolysis machine or device. Additional manpower must also be associated with these tasks in order to attempt to retain some efficiency in the process.
Still other pyrolysis machines and methods achieve poor results due to non-uniform heating and pyrolizing of waste material. Efficiency may be lost and the desired results may not be obtained when portions of waste material are, for example, improperly heated or combusted when other portions of waste material are properly heated and combusted.
Other pyrolysis machines and methods have a variety of other drawbacks, including poor sealing, poor volume capability, and inefficient use of byproducts.
SUMMARYAn exemplary embodiment of this invention relates to a system for combusting materials. The system may include a plurality of housings having a plurality of zones and accepting a material as fuel and converting the material into a gaseous fuel. The system may also have an afterburner that may accept the gaseous fuel from the plurality of housings and air and may convert the gaseous fuel and air into heat.
Another exemplary embodiment of the invention may include a method of generating heat energy. The method of generating heat energy can include the loading of pyrolysis chamber with a solid material as well as the converting of the solid material into a gaseous fuel through pyrolysis. The method may go on to move the gaseous fuel to an afterburner and may further combine the gaseous fuel with air in the afterburner. Also, the method can include a step of combusting the combined gaseous fuel and air in the afterburner to generate heat. Further, in some exemplary embodiments, the heat generated in the afterburner may be used an energy source.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, a system for producing energy may be described. The system can include means for pyrolizing waste material, means for loading waste material and means for unloading non-pyrolized material. The system may also have means for extracting a gaseous fuel from the means for pyrolizing waste material. Also, the system can incorporate means for moving the gaseous fuel to a means for producing heat energy.
Advantages of embodiments of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed description of the exemplary embodiments thereof, which description should be considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:
Aspects of the invention are disclosed in the following description and related drawings directed to specific embodiments of the invention. Alternate embodiments may be devised without departing from the spirit or the scope of the invention. Additionally, well-known elements of exemplary embodiments of the invention will not be described in detail or will be omitted so as not to obscure the relevant details of the invention. Further, to facilitate an understanding of the description discussion of several terms used herein follows.
The word “exemplary” is used herein to mean “serving as an example, instance, or illustration.” Any embodiment described herein as “exemplary” is not necessarily to be construed as preferred or advantageous over other embodiments. Likewise, the terms “embodiments,” “embodiments of the invention,” “exemplary embodiments” and similar terms do not require that all embodiments of the invention include the discussed feature, advantage or mode of operation.
Generally referring to
In a first exemplary embodiment, as shown in
As further shown in exemplary
The material disposed in any pyrolysis chamber may be any type of material that is desired to be pyrolized, for example any type waste material. In some exemplary embodiments, the waste material can include any type of trash or garbage, petroleum and petroleum-related materials, such as plastics, manure, or combinations of materials, such as tires that utilized steel belts. In further exemplary embodiments, any grouping of material found at a landfill may be used in this method, system and apparatus. At any time when a pyrolysis chamber, such as any of pyrolysis chambers 102, 104 or 106, is not being used to pyrolize, its door may be opened and waste material may be deposited into a pyrolysis chamber. The waste material may then be pyrolized and converted into energy.
In a further exemplary embodiment, one pyrolysis chamber may be loaded with waste material while another pyrolysis chamber is pyrolizing material and yet another chamber is being unloaded. For example, as shown in
Additionally, as shown in exemplary
The combustion in chamber 102, or any other chamber, may be controlled to provide sufficient heat for the production of a gaseous fuel from the combusted materials through pyrolysis. In one exemplary embodiment, a limited amount of heat may be employed to produce the gaseous fuel. Here, the heat in chamber 102 may be regulated, for example, through the metering of air that may be fed into chamber 102. Likewise, heat regulation may be achieved by any method known to one having ordinary skill in the art. Thus, the temperature in chamber 102 may be kept in a desired range. The desired range in some exemplary embodiments may be between about 125 and about 850 degrees Fahrenheit. In some further exemplary embodiments, a temperature of about 350 degrees Fahrenheit may be used.
The metering or regulating of air in chamber 102 may be accomplished in any of a variety of ways. For example, air may be introduced at different locations with heating zones 108, 110, 112, 114 and 116 in a controlled manner. As shown in
In a further exemplary embodiment, fan 143 may be used to supply air to the various zones of chamber 102. Fan 143 may be coupled with an external duct, for example, external duct 213 outside of chamber 102. Fan 143 may blow the air though external duct 213, for example at a pressure that may be slightly above ambient pressure. The air may be directed through duct 213 to a variety of plenum sections, for example plenum sections 212, 216, 218, 220 and 220, which may correspond to zones 108, 110, 112, 114, and 116, respectively. Each of plenum sections 214-222 may be in fluid communication with the atmosphere using the control of a plurality of intermittently operated valves, for example valves 222, 224, 226, 228 and 230, respectively. Valves 222-230 may further be located at different locations of duct 213. Thus, in one exemplary embodiment, fan 143 may produce airflow through duct 213. The airflow may then pass through valve 222, if valve 222 is opened, into plenum 212. Air may then be introduced into zone 108 of chamber 102 from plenum 212. In some exemplary embodiments, valves may be located at any portion of plenum 212, for example at opposite ends, through which air may enter zone 108. Similarly, air may be introduced to zones 110, 112, 114 and 116 using corresponding airflow paths leading into the respective chambers.
As described previously, the temperature within each of zones 108-116 may be continuously monitored through any of a variety of temperature sensors, for example by thermal couples 232, 234, 236, 238 and 240, respectively. Corresponding thermal couples may be located in chambers 104 and 106. Additionally, thermal couples may be located anywhere within zones 108-116, for example on a floor, ceiling or wall of an individual zone. More than one thermal couple may also be used in a zone, if desired. Further, thermal couples 232-240 may be operably coupled with valves 222-230, respectively. Valves 222-230 may be used to regulate airflow into corresponding zones 108-116 in response to the readings made by thermal couples 232-240, respectively. The temperature in each zone may therefore be maintained within a desired pyrolysis temperature range of the waste material undergoing combustion. Airflow may be directed into any zones 108-116, or any combination thereof, via any desired number of inlets, such as those described with respect to
In a further exemplary embodiment, a pyrolysis temperature range may be maintained with chamber 102 and any of zones 108-116 by varying, reducing or discontinuing the flow of air into individual zones. Additionally, as the introduction of air may help the production of a gaseous fuel in chamber 102 some zones may receive a certain amount of airflow while others receive an increased, decreased or eliminated amount of airflow.
In a further exemplary embodiment, through the pyrolysis, most of the carbon-containing substances found in the waste material may be converted into a gaseous fuel. The gaseous fuel may flow from chamber 102 through outlet 144. Outlet 144 may be located on the periphery of chamber 102. Similarly, chambers 104 and 106 may each have a similar outlet, such as outlets 146 and 148, respectively. Outlets 144, 146 and 148 may each have filters disposed therein. The filters in outlets 144, 146 and 148 may act to prevent any particulates, debris, residue or any other solid matter in any gaseous fuel that exits chambers 102, 104 or 106, respectively, from migrating to the afterburner 138. The filters used in outlets 144, 146 and 148, as well as filters that may be positioned or disposed in any other location on device 100, may be any type of filter known to one having ordinary skill in the art. Additionally, any particulates, for example carbon black, may be captured and supplied for any of a variety of uses.
Following the pyrolysis of waste material and the outputting of any gaseous fuel, metals or other incombustible materials may remain in chamber 102, along with carbon black residue. As described previously, any materials remaining in chamber 102 may be removed in order to be pyrolized again or otherwise disposed of.
In yet another exemplary embodiment, subsequent to converting the waste material into a gaseous fuel, chamber 102 may be cooled to a substantially ambient temperature. Any remaining material may be removed from chamber 102 after it is cooled. In one exemplary embodiment, water may be sprayed into chamber 102, including any of zones 108-116, to further cool any remaining materials and to reduce the amount of carbon black residue that may blow around as any larger, solid materials are being removed from chamber 102. For example, tubing 236 may be coupled to water reservoir 238. Tubing 236 may extend to various portions of zones 108-116. Additionally, a plurality of nozzles 242 may be connected to tubing 236 and may allow for the spraying or disbursement of water into the various zones. Thus, if it may be desired to spray water into zones 108-116, valve 240, which may couple tubing 236 with water reservoir 238, may be opened and water may be distributed to various nozzles 242 and sprayed on any remaining residue in chamber 102. Because the residue remaining in chamber 242 may still be hot, steam may be generated within chamber 102. Therefore, in order to let any steam escape, a cover over vent 234 may be opened, and steam may escape from chamber 102 through these holes. Vent 234 may be any type of vent, for example a screen, a plurality of holes, an opening or any other type of vent known to one having ordinary skill in the art. Also, as described below with respect to
In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in
In a further exemplary embodiment, portions of chamber 102 may be formed using steel plates that are welded together to form chamber 102. Additionally, an interior portion of chamber 102 may have an interior surface lined with a refractory substance that may provide insulation. The refractory or insulating material, which may be any refractory or insulating material known to one having ordinary skill in the art, such as concrete, may be cast so as to line any amount of the interior of chamber 102. Also, as described previously, an ignition device may be located on any portion of the interior of chamber 102, for example a rear wall opposite door 103. Also, chamber 102 may have any dimensions, depending on the desired amount of waste material to pyrolize or the amount of gaseous fuel to be produced. In one exemplary embodiment, chamber 102 may have a height of about seven feet to about twelve feet, a width of about six feet to about sixteen feet and a length of about ten feet to about twenty four feet.
Chamber 102 may be connected to any of a variety of external ducts which may be used for any of a variety of reasons. Some of these ducts may be connected to outside fans that may provide air to apparatus 100 at a pressure slightly above ambient. This air may be used to regulate the temperature in any or all of zones 108-116. For example, duct 407 may include duct segment 408 and duct segment 410. Duct segment 408 and duct segment 410 may be substantially U-shaped and may connect to other ducts mounted on chamber 102. Further, as shown in exemplary
In a further exemplary embodiment shown in
As discussed previously, and as further shown in exemplary
In a further exemplary embodiment, coaxial conduit 150 may have a larger diameter than coaxial conduit 152, which may allow for the presence of open space around the periphery of coaxial conduit 152. In this embodiment, coaxial conduit 152 may provide a sealed path through which fresh air generated by fan 156 may enter afterburner 138 as coaxial conduit may run through an interior portion of coaxial conduit 150. Similarly, coaxial conduit 150 may provide gaseous fuel directly to afterburner 138 through the space around the periphery of coaxial conduit 152. Thus any desired mixture of gaseous fuel and air may be provided at afterburner 138.
In yet a further exemplary embodiment shown in
In another exemplary embodiment, device 100 may produce steam. As described above, afterburner 138 may burn a combination of gaseous fuel and air. The burning of the gaseous fuel and air may produce heat for heat exchanger 140. For example, after the gaseous fuel is substantially completely combusted in afterburner 138, the heat produced thereby may be used to boil water in heat exchanger 140 to generate steam. Heat exchanger 140 may also include a low water cut-off valve 158 which may be actuated to stop operation of heat exchanger 140 if a water level in heat exchanger 140 gets too low.
In a further exemplary embodiment, gaseous fuel from a pyrolysis chamber, for example chamber 102, 104, or 106, may be fed to afterburner 138 through coaxial conduit 150 using fan 154, which may be a variable speed induction fan. The gaseous fuel may be mixed with fresh air that may be fed to afterburner 138 through coaxial conduit 152 by fan 156, which may be a variable speed fresh air fan. Fan 154 may be coupled with line 160, which may feed gaseous fuel into fan 154. Fan 154 may run continuously or non-continuously, and may run at any speed. In one exemplary embodiment, fan 154 may run continuously but its speed may be varied for any of a variety of factors. Some of these factors can include the increase or decrease of steam pressure in heat exchanger 140, as determined by pressure sensor and controller 162. Pressure sensor and controller may continuously monitor the steam pressure in heat exchanger 140 and may relay a signal to fan 154 to vary its speed depending on the pressure in heat exchanger 140. Pressure sensor and controller 162, as well as any other sensor, may be any type of sensor known to one having ordinary skill in the art.
Referring back to
Further downstream in device 100, valve 176 may be disposed on line 174 between afterburner 138 and heat exchanger 140. Valve 176 may be used to regulate the flow of hot gas from afterburner 138 to heat exchanger 140. During operation, valve 176 may typically be in the open position. However, if desired, valve 176 may be closed, which may prevent the flow of hot gas from afterburner 138 to heat exchanger 140. If valve 176 is closed, hot gas may optionally, in some exemplary embodiments, be routed through bypass piping (not shown). However, when valve 176 is open, valve 180 may typically be closed, thus allowing hot gas to enter heat exchanger 140.
In another exemplary embodiment, device 100 may be able to respond to a demand for heat from heat exchanger 140. The response to a request for additional heat may be to draw gaseous fuel as needed from one or more of pyrolysis chambers 102, 104 and 106. For example, if it is desired that heat exchanger 140 provide steam at one hundred pounds per square inch (PSI), an increase in steam consumption may be reflected by a corresponding decrease in steam pressure. Pressure sensor and controller 162 may signal a fan 156, and fan 156 may provide additional air to afterburner 138. The change in the amount of air being directed to afterburner 138 may raise the temperature of the hot gas exiting afterburner 138. Consequently, the steam pressure in heat exchanger 140 may be increased. Likewise, if the demand for steam pressure lessens, fan 156 may decrease the amount of air it is sending to afterburner 138, which may lower the temperature of the hot gas and ultimately may lower the steam pressure in heat exchanger 140.
Similarly, in a further exemplary embodiment, if more air is directed from fan 156 to afterburner 138, more gaseous fuel may be drawn from chambers 102, 104 and 106 to afterburner 138. In this embodiment, temperature controller 182 may monitor the temperature of the hot gas exiting afterburner 138. Temperature controller 182, in response to the temperature of the hot gas, may regulate the flow of the hot gas into afterburner 138 of both fresh air directed from fan 156 and gaseous fuel from pyrolysis chambers 102, 104 and 106. Temperature controller 182 may be able to signal both fan 154 and fan 156, which may have their speeds varied to control the amount of gaseous fuel and air entering afterburner 138, respectively.
In yet another exemplary embodiment shown in
Again referring to
Also, each of the valves described herein may operate automatically, for example through the use of sensors or controllers that open and close the valves at appropriate times or otherwise when desired to achieve a desired operation of device 100. Further, the operation of the valves may be used to operate device 100 in an efficient manner, such as actuating the appropriate valves so that chamber 102 may be loaded with waste material to be pyrolized while chamber 104 is pyrolizing waste material and, further, while chamber 106 is being unloaded of any incombustible or non-combusted material.
In another exemplary embodiment, as shown in
In still other exemplary embodiments, heat generated by afterburner 138 may be used as an energy source. Thus, in these exemplary embodiments, any heat generated may be used in any known device, apparatus or method known to one having ordinary skill in the art that may utilize or require heat or may otherwise function with heat or heated gas.
The foregoing description and accompanying drawings illustrate the principles, preferred embodiments and modes of operation of the invention. However, the invention should not be construed as being limited to the particular embodiments discussed above. Additional variations of the embodiments discussed above will be appreciated by those skilled in the art.
Therefore, the above-described embodiments should be regarded as illustrative rather than restrictive. Accordingly, it should be appreciated that variations to those embodiments can be made by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention as defined by the following claims.
Claims
1. A system for combusting materials, comprising:
- a plurality of housings having a plurality of zones and accepting a material as fuel and converting the material into a gaseous fuel; and
- an afterburner, the afterburner accepting the gaseous fuel from the first housing, the second housing and the at least third housing and air and converting the gaseous fuel and air into heat.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the plurality of housings comprises a first housing to convert the material into the gaseous fuel while a second housing is loaded with the material and a third housing has residue remaining from the conversion of the material into the gaseous fuel removed.
3. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a first fan that provides the air to the afterburner through a conduit.
4. The system of claim 3, wherein the first fan is disposed proximate the afterburner and is automatically controlled to provide varying amounts of air to the afterburner.
5. The system of claim 4, wherein the first fan has its speed decreased when the afterburner is providing heat to the heat exchanger at too high of a temperature and has its speed increased when the afterburner is providing heat to the heat exchanger at too low of a temperature.
6. The system of claim 2, further comprising:
- a temperature sensor disposed proximate the afterburner and communicatively coupled with a control unit, the control unit further communicatively coupled with the first fan, and the control unit varying the speed of the first fan based upon temperature readings from the temperature sensor.
7. The system of claim 2, further comprising:
- a first pressure sensor disposed proximate the afterburner and communicatively coupled with a control unit, the control unit further communicatively coupled with the first fan, and the control unit varying the speed of the first fan based upon temperature readings from the first pressure sensor.
8. The system of claim 1, wherein the conduit through which air travels from the first fan to the afterburner is disposed inside a second conduit through which the gaseous fuel travels from the first housing, the second housing and the at least third housing to the afterburner.
9. The system of claim 1, further comprising a second fan disposed after a collection area for the gaseous fuel provided by the plurality of housings, the second fan providing varying amounts of gaseous fuel to the afterburner.
10. The system of claim 9, wherein the speed of the second fan is varied to provide varying amounts of gaseous fuel to the afterburner.
11. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a second pressure sensor communicatively coupled with a control unit;
- a third fan disposed proximate the heat exchanger, the control unit varying the speed of the third fan based upon temperature readings from the second pressure sensor.
12. The system of claim 1, further comprising:
- a heat exchanger, the heat exchanger receiving heat from the afterburner and heating water to generate steam.
13. A method of generating heat energy, comprising:
- loading a pyrolysis chamber with a solid material;
- converting the solid material into a gaseous fuel through pyrolysis;
- moving the gaseous fuel to an afterburner;
- combining the gaseous fuel with air in the afterburner;
- combusting the combined gaseous fuel and air in the afterburner to generate heat;
- using the heat generated in the afterburner as an energy source.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
- moving the gaseous fuel from the pyrolysis chamber to the afterburner using a fan.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
- providing air to the afterburner using a fan.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the pyrolysis occurs at a temperature of about 125 degrees Fahrenheit to about 850 degrees Fahrenheit.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the afterburner provides heated gas at a temperature between about 1450 Fahrenheit to about 2800 degrees Fahrenheit.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the afterburner provides heated gas at a temperature of about 1800 degrees Fahrenheit.
19. The method of claim 13, further comprising:
- controlling the temperature of the heat generated by the afterburner using a fan.
20. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
- varying the speed of the fan to provide more air if the heat generated by the afterburner has too low of a temperature and less air if the heat generated by the afterburner has too high of a temperature.
21. The method of claim 19, further comprising:
- detecting a pressure of steam in the heat exchanger; and
- regulating the temperature of the heat in the afterburner based upon the pressure of the steam in the heat exchanger.
22. A system for producing energy, comprising:
- means for pyrolizing waste material;
- means for loading waste material;
- means for unloading non-pyrolized material,
- means for extracting a gaseous fuel from the means for pyrolizing waste material; and
- means for moving the gaseous fuel to a means for producing heat energy.
23. The system of claim 22, wherein waste material is loaded, the waste material is pyrolized and the non-pyrolized material is unloaded simultaneously.
Type: Application
Filed: Jun 13, 2007
Publication Date: Dec 20, 2007
Applicant:
Inventors: William Parrott (South Sioux City, NE), Elzie Schoepf (South Sioux City, NE), Jeff Reinders (Sioux City, IA)
Application Number: 11/808,790
International Classification: F23N 5/18 (20060101); F23B 10/00 (20060101); F23G 5/12 (20060101);