Abstract: A method of enhanced oil recovery for a crude oil production well includes the steps of pyrolyzing rubber materials including the steps of heating the rubber materials to form pyro-vapors, condensing the pyro-vapors to form pyro-gas and pyro-oil where the pyro-oil includes an inhibitor solution including non-polar hydrocarbons and polar hydrocarbons. The inhibitor solution is injected as an injection stream into the crude oil production well to facilitate production of crude oil from the crude oil production well.

Abstract: Systems and methods for recycling waste plastic can convert the waste plastic into a form of purified crude oil that includes one or more organic molecular species and that is free, or substantially free, of impurities such as acids and metals. In some systems and methods, the plastic is heated under vacuum conditions to effect depolymerization of the plastic, which yields a vapor, and the vapor is then directly contacted with a pH adjusted solution in a vapor treatment system. In some systems and methods, a continuous batch process is employed.

Abstract: A pyrolysis apparatus for processing carbon rich precursor feedstock into carbon rich biochar and associated carbon rich by-products includes a combustion chamber for high temperature low oxidative combustion of the feedstock having an inlet for the feedstock at a first end and outlet for the biochar at a second end; a heater to heat the combustion chamber; at least one gaseous outlet positioned between the first and second ends and communicating with an interior of the chamber, each of the gaseous outlets provided with an air venturi to control extraction of pyrolysis gas generated within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: The invention relates to a process for keeping coke oven chambers hot during the stoppage of a waste heat boiler, wherein the coke oven chambers are kept hot during the stoppage after emptying using externally heated burners, as a result of which a flue gas low in pollutants is obtained from said burners, such that the waste heat boilers which, during normal operation, cool the flue gases from the coke oven benches and use said gases to produce steam can be shut off and overhauled, and a flue gas low in pollutants which can be dissipated directly into the atmosphere is obtained by the burner operation. The invention also relates to an apparatus for keeping coke oven chambers hot, said apparatus comprising in particular a coke oven chamber bench, a flue gas collection line, a flue gas chimney, a waste heat boiler, a waste gas collection line and a waste gas purification system, wherein the flue gas chimney and the waste heat boiler can be shut off on the flue gas side and on the waste gas side.

Abstract: One embodiment of a method of recycling a plastic material includes heating a plastic material in a treatment chamber in incremental steps through a series of graduated temperature set points wherein each graduated temperature set point corresponds to a vaporization temperature of an individual by-product of said plastic material, and pulling a vacuum of inert gas on the treatment chamber at each temperature set point to selectively remove an individual by-product corresponding to the temperature set point.

Abstract: There is described a system and method for recycling carbon-containing material, in particular tyres and plastics materials. The system includes a heating arrangement for anaerobically heating carbon containing material to produce carbon-containing gases. A condensing arrangement is also used to condense a proportion of the carbon-containing gases to provide condensed gases and non-condensed gases. In addition, a recirculating arrangement is provided for recirculating the non-condensed gases into the heating arrangement. Further systems and methods for pre- and post-processing of the carbon-containing material are also disclosed and products of the systems and methods are also described.

Abstract: The present invention provides an autothermal torrefaction device, which can be either stationary of mobile. Embodiments of the present invention include a torrefaction chamber having a chamber inlet for receiving biomass and at least one chamber outlet. The torrefaction chamber can be substantially surrounded by an exterior housing defining an outer jacket and having a jacket inlet and a jacket outlet. The outer jacket and torrefaction chamber define a space therebetween such that a burner unit including an inlet operatively connected to the chamber outlet and an outlet operatively connected to the jacket inlet allows vapors produced or released from within the torrefaction chamber to travel into the burner unit for combustion of at least a portion of the vapors and subsequently travel through the space between the jacket and the torrefaction chamber to provide heat necessary for autothermal torrefaction of biomass.

Abstract: The invention describes a process and a plant for pyrolyzing hydrocarbon-containing waste products, in particular used tires or biowaste, in which the material to be pyrolyzed is introduced into a pyrolysis furnace and is pyrolyzed at 500° C. The significant factor is that the material is introduced as far as possible without being broken down, into a receiving device outside the furnace (1), which receiving device is introduced into the pyrolysis furnace, which is open at the bottom, from below, the device simultaneously closing the furnace (1) in a sealed manner. The significant advantage is that a plurality of different receiving devices for different materials can be provided, so that the pyrolysis plant can be used with a relatively quick changeover for different pyrolysis raw materials, without changeover measures on the furnace being required.

Abstract: An improved process and apparatus for the destructive distillation or pyrolysis of rubber, such as used rubber tires, to produce liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons and a solid carbonaceous char. A heat transfer gas circulating in a circulation loop is used to cool the hot char produced in the distillation chamber of a distillation oven, the circulation loop having some means for removing the heat transferred to the heat transfer gas from the hot char. In one embodiment, two distillation ovens are operated in off-set, batchwise distillation cycles. The distillation cycles in the two ovens are coordinated so that a fresh charge of rubber feed is introduced into the distillation chamber of one of the ovens as the distillation of rubber in the other oven is concluded.

Abstract: A carbon black reactor having a combustion chamber, a mixing chamber and a reaction chamber positioned along a longitudinal axis of the reactor. The chambers communicate with each other so as to provide a flow path for the hot combustion gases as the combustion gases travel from the combustion chamber, through the mixing chamber and into the reaction chamber. The mixing chamber is designed in the form of an axial narrow area in a dividing wall separating the combustion chamber from the reaction chamber. In addition to the mixing chamber, the combustion chamber and the reaction chamber additionally communicate with each other through at least one bypass bore provided in the dividing wall and positioned radially externally to the mixing chamber and internally to the surface of the combustion chamber. The bypass bores can be either axially aligned so as to be parallel to a central, axial axis of the mixing chamber or inclined.

Abstract: Combustible off-gas(es) produced by the process of pyrolysis are superheated; and a pressurized gaseous mixture including oxygen, normally compressed air, is preheated; before, and by, a burning of the combustible off-gas(es) produced by process of pyrolysis in the presence of stoichiometric oxygen. The burning transpires in a large number of relatively small burner cups having bulbously-shaped and exhaust-constricted combustion chambers. The burner cups are both individually, and collectively, adjustable in their uptake of combustible gases by adjusting the flow of compressed air. The combustion in each burner cup is very complete and efficient nonetheless to having increased area contact with the chamber wall, and nonetheless to the rapidly and turbulent flow of gases, because everything contributing to or touching the combustion reaction is optimally hot, and because the shape of the burner cups holds the combustion optimally long.

Abstract: Method and apparatus for the distillation of liquids which is particularly suited for the removal of soluble impurities and insoluble and non-volatile particles of 10 microns to 0.2 micron or less in size. A substantially elongated distillation chamber having walls equipped with axially disposed concentric boiling rings spaced from the walls near the bottom, and a packing stop, packing redirector rings for condensed vapor, and a reflux condenser in the upper part of the distillation chamber provide, during distillation, a smooth convective upward flow of distilling liquid and vapor proximate the walls and boiling rings and a smooth convective downward flow of distilling liquid and vapor substantially centrally of the distillation chamber.

Abstract: A process and apparatus for production of synthetic hydrocarbon fuels from peat providing wide variation of the composite proportion of liquid-gas output while maintaining high overall carbon conversion to useful fuel. The process and apparatus utilizes three process stages in a single vessel providing functions of drying wet peat, provisions for addition of both wet and dry peat to a hydropyrolysis zone and gasification of the peat char.

Abstract: An apparatus for the production of combustible gas from waste materials and other combustible materials, in which the charge is dried, its combustible parts are subjected to low-temperature carbonization and the low-temperature carbonization gases are converted to combustible gas in a hot reaction bed. The charge is subjected to low-temperature carbonization at a temperature of from 300.degree. to 600.degree. C. with the exclusion of air, the resulting solid low-temperature carbonization residues are separated and the low-temperature carbonization gases are continuously drawn through a reaction bed at a temperature of from 1000.degree. to 1200.degree. C. formed from a solid carbon vehicle and a preheated fresh-air supply, and are converted to high-energy combustible gas in said reaction bed.