Pre-treatment of raw material to produce a raw material for thermochemical decomposition

Description

1 / 12 “RAW MATERIAL PRE-TREATMENT TO PRODUCE A RAW MATERIAL FOR THERMOCHEMICAL DECOMPOSITION” Field of Invention

[001] The present invention relates to an apparatus and method for preparing material for thermochemical decomposition such as pyrolysis, wherein a base material is prepared in a pretreatment and process apparatus prior to decomposition. Background of the Invention

[002] Raw materials typically used in the fast or slow pyrolysis process include the extraction of base material from solid waste, for example, biomass, tire waste, plastic waste and rubber waste, and the thermal decomposition of the base material at elevated temperatures to alter the composition.

[003] Fast pyrolysis is the process of heating biomass in the absence of oxygen, in which the waste material is treated in a temperature range of 200 to 1,000 °C.

[004] Pyrolysis is considered one of the most suitable techniques among known technologies, for example, polymerization technologies, to convert biomass into value-added goods due to its wide applicability.

[005] Fast pyrolysis is known to produce increased yields of bio-oil and slow pyrolysis is known to produce increased yields of biochar. These and other decomposition processes and comparative yields are illustrated in Table 1 below. ,__________________________________ Process Temperature (°C) Residence time Charcoal yield (% by weight) Carbon content of the charcoal (% by weight) Slow pyrolysis 400 - 600 min to 20 days 20 - 40 95 Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 6 / 26 2 / 12 Fast pyrolysis 500 - 1000 ~ 1 s 12 - 26 74 Gasification 800 - 1000 5 - 20 s ~ 10 - Hydrothermal carbonization - 180 - 250 1 - 12 h 30 - 60 70% Roasting - 290 10 - 60 min 61 - 84% 51 - 55% Table 1 - Comparison of decomposition processes

[006] It is important to note that by adjusting the operating conditions, the properties of the pyrolysis products may be altered. Installing larger fast pyrolysis plants may offset the higher cost of pyrolysis. Summary of the Invention

[007] The present invention provides an operable raw material processing apparatus for preparing raw material for use in a thermochemical decomposition system, which decomposes the raw material produced by the raw material processing apparatus to produce at least one solid, one liquid and one gas, wherein the raw material processing apparatus comprises: a fluid paste processing device, a mixer, a vacuum processor; and a pump; wherein the fluid paste processing device is operable for mixing substantially dry processed material with a fluid and for reducing moisture levels in the mixture of substantially dry processed material and fluid by heating the mixture of substantially dry processed material and fluid; wherein the mixer is operable to receive the mixture with a reduced moisture level of substantially dry and fluid processed material and to further process the mixture with a reduced moisture level of substantially dry and fluid processed material to disintegrate the mixture with a reduced moisture level. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, p. 7 / 26 3 / 12 reduced to produce a fine suspension to pass through the vacuum processor, wherein the vacuum processor is operable to deaerate and remove more moisture from the substantially dry and fluid processed material fine suspension to produce the raw material, which may subsequently undergo a decomposition process to produce at least one solid, one liquid and one gas, and wherein the pump is operable to transport the raw material to the decomposition apparatus.

[008] The mixer may be a high shear in-line mixer, wherein the further processing of the mixture with reduced moisture level of substantially dry and fluid processed material is the grinding of the mixture with reduced moisture level of substantially dry and fluid processed material to disintegrate it into a fine suspension.

[009] The raw material processing apparatus may further comprise a spraying device and a centrifuge; wherein the spraying device is operable to spray a base material, pretreat the sprayed base material and remove unwanted materials and / or contaminants from the base material and the centrifuge is operable to separate the solids and liquids from the sprayed base material to produce substantially dry processed material for processing in the fluid paste processing device.

[010] The centrifuge can be a decanter centrifuge.

[011] The base material can be ferrous or non-ferrous metals, tire waste, rubber, plastics, etc.

[012] The fluid paste processing device may include an operable heater for heating the substantially dry and fluid processed material mixture to a temperature between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius. Alternatively, or additionally, the heating of the mixture may be done using recovered heat. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 8 / 26 4 / 12 of a component of the downstream decomposition system.

[013] The fluid paste processing device may include a moisture monitor, operable to determine moisture levels below 1%.

[014] The fluid used in the fluid paste processing device can be a hydrocarbon fluid.

[015] The high shear inline mixer can be adjustable, so that the size of the particulate material produced by the high shear inline mixer can be adjusted to suit the downstream decomposition process.

[016] The vacuum processor may include a series of vacuum tanks through which the substantially dry processed material will pass sequentially on its way to the downstream decomposition apparatus. Alternatively, or additionally, the vacuum processor may comprise a continuous vacuum tower, through which the substantially dry processed material may pass to be deaerated before being transferred to the decomposition apparatus.

[017] The vacuum processor may further comprise an in-line vacuum pump, which is operable to improve deaeration and moisture removal from the disintegrated mixture of substantially dry and fluid processed material.

[018] The pump, which is operable to transfer the deaerated and reduced moisture raw material to the decomposition apparatus, can be a reciprocating pump.

[019] The high shear in-line mixer may include a heater and, optionally, a temperature control such that the temperature of the substantially dry and fluid processed material mixture is maintained at a predetermined temperature. The predetermined temperature may be in the region of 80 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 9 / 26 5 / 12 Description of the Drawings

[020] One embodiment of the present invention will now be described with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

[021] Fig. 1 illustrates a schematic representation of a decomposition system, which includes a pretreatment and raw material production apparatus according to the present invention, wherein the raw material production apparatus alters a raw material base into an enhanced raw material for decomposition; and

[022] Fig. 2 illustrates a pretreatment and raw material production apparatus according to an example of the present invention. Description

[023] Fig. 1 is a schematic representation of a complete decomposition system / apparatus 100, which includes an upstream system and process 110, according to an example of the present invention, and a downstream fast pyrolysis system and process 120 that uses the raw material 130 produced from the upstream apparatus and process 110 to produce end products, for example, a solid (biological charcoal) 140, a bio-oil 150, and oil 160 for storage. The structural and functional details of the decomposition apparatus and process are not discussed in further detail, except for the reuse of an end product by the upstream apparatus and processes 110. Fast pyrolysis is the preferred example of a decomposition system and process for use with the raw material pretreatment and processing apparatus 110.

[024] Pyrolysis (fast or slow - see table 1 above) is a thermochemical decomposition process for organic base materials at elevated temperatures in the absence of air / oxygen.

[025] Currently, the fast pyrolysis process is a relatively small-scale process because the raw material used is a solid material. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 10 / 26 6 / 12 typically large. By adopting the apparatus and process as described in the present invention, that is, to process disintegrated small particle solid material, a larger-scale industrial-scale fast pyrolysis apparatus and process can be obtained. By adopting a pretreatment process according to the present invention and as discussed further below, a fast pyrolysis apparatus and process are obtained that produce / generate larger volumes and quantities of end products, i.e., solid constituents, oil and gas from an adapted feedstock, which is produced from a feedstock base.

[026] The base material undergoes an upstream process according to an example of the present invention as illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2, in which the base material is transformed from a solid 30 into a fluid paste / liquid in the absence of air and moisture. The upstream apparatus 110 and the process for producing the raw material 130, i.e., a fluid paste / liquid in the absence of air and moisture, from the base material 30 is discussed further below.

[027] The analogy of the upstream apparatus 110 and process as illustrated in Fig. 1 and Fig. 2 is similar to the human digestive system where solids and liquids are pulverized and mixed and transformed into a fluid paste through a chemical and mechanical process.

[028] Previous attempts to obtain an efficient and economical fast pyrolysis apparatus and process were found to be economically inefficient.

[029] With reference to Fig. 1, the upstream apparatus 110 can be divided into two parts, namely, a raw material base processor 110A and a raw material processor 110B.

[030] The raw material apparatus 110B and the process are essential to ensure that the configuration and composition of the raw material 130 were optimized before passing the raw material 130 to the upstream decomposition apparatus 120, for example, a fast pyrolysis reactor. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, p. 11 / 26 7 / 12

[031] The base material apparatus 110A and process may be required as a pre-treatment step to ensure that the material 45 (see Fig. 2) entering the raw material production apparatus 110B is properly configured, e.g. particle size, dryness etc. before the material is processed by the raw material apparatus 110B and process to further adapt the raw material for the final decomposition stage.

[032] Referring first to the base material apparatus 110A and process (see Fig. 2), the base material apparatus 110A includes a pulverizing device 10, for example, a crusher or auger, and a decanter centrifuge 20.

[033] The spraying device 10 pulverizes, for example, grinds or crushes the base material 30, which may be undifferentiated waste, solid rubber, metal, plastic, etc. This material processing stage removes unwanted materials and contaminants from the pulverized base material in this first stage of raw material processing.

[034] Once pulverized, separated and decontaminated, the clean pulverized material 25 passes through a centrifuge 20, that is, a device that employs a high rotational speed to separate components of different densities. In the present example, the centrifuge 20 is a decanter centrifuge, but it is important to note that a standard centrifuge can be used.

[035] The decanter centrifuge 20 separates finely distributed solid particles from a suspension by strong centrifugal forces.

[036] The pulverized material 25 is pumped into the decanter centrifuge 20 through an inlet of a horizontal container, which rotates. The horizontal container comprises a cylindrical part 22, i.e., feed, conveyor and motor, and a conical part 24, i.e., the decanter bowl 24. The decanter bowl 24 rotates at a predetermined speed such that the pulverized material 25 rotates within the bowl. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 12 / 26 8 / 12 Under the influence of centrifugal force, the solids in the product settle on an inner wall of the decanter 24 due to their higher density, that is, the separation of solids and liquids occurs in the conical part 24. The separated solids are transported to the reduced diameter end of the conical decanter 24.

[037] The separated liquid is removed, for example, by means of an internal pump. The liquid, for example, wastewater, is extracted and decanted into a waste tank 40 and the substantially dry solids, with reduced moisture 45, are passed on to the next processing stage where the raw material 130 for decomposition is produced.

[038] As noted above, the substantially dry, reduced moisture solids are passed to the raw material processing apparatus 110B, which is operable to prepare raw material 130 from the pulverized substantially dry, reduced moisture solids for use in a decomposition system 120, for example, a fast pyrolysis process (see Fig. 1).

[039] As illustrated in Fig. 2, the raw material processing apparatus 110B includes at least one fluid paste processing device 50, a high shear in-line mixer 60, a vacuum processor 70; and a pump 80.

[040] Substantially dry pulverized solids 45 are added to the fluid paste processing device 50 along with a mixing fluid 52 which, in the illustrated example, is stored in a mixing fluid tank 54. Inside the fluid paste processing device 50, the solids 45 and the mixing fluid 52 are dynamically and purposefully stirred and mixed while the mixture is heated between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius. This process removes moisture from the mixture such that the moisture level is further reduced, for example, to less than 1% moisture. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 13 / 26 9 / 12

[041] In the illustrated example, the mixture is heated between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius by heat recovered from a component of the downstream decomposition system. In this example, the component of the downstream decomposition system is the pyrolysis reactor 170 (see Fig. 1).

[042] The mixture with reduced moisture level of substantially dry processed material and mixing fluid 55 is then conveyed to the high shear in-line mixer 60.

[043] High shear mixers, also known as rotor-stator mixers and high shear homogenizers, are used to emulsify, homogenize, disperse, grind and / or dissolve immiscible mixtures with components of the same phase or of different phases.

[044] In this example, the purpose of the high shear mixer 60 is to reduce the particle size to 1 cm or less, where the fluid paste 55 is ground into finer particles in fine suspension, that is, at this stage of the process, the material includes a mixture of dry particles 45, mixing fluid 52 and remains less than 1% moisture content.

[045] In the illustrated example, the fluid paste material 55 that is ground in the high shear mixer is also heated to maintain the temperature and dryness of the material 55. In this example, the temperature inside the high shear mixer 60 is maintained between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius so that the dryness of the material 55 is maintained and to ensure that the raw material 130 that is produced retains residual heat for the subsequent stages of the pretreatment process and for the upstream decomposition process 120.

[046] After leaving the high shear mixer 60, the disintegrated particulate material 65 passes through a vacuum processor, for example, a vacuum tower 70.

[047] In the example shown, a vacuum tower is displayed, but it will Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 14 / 26 10 / 12 Note that the vacuum processor 70 can be a single vacuum device, a series of vacuum tanks, or a vacuum tower as illustrated.

[048] The purpose of the vacuum processor 70 is to desand and remove more moisture from the disintegrated material 65 to produce the dry raw material 130, which subsequently goes through a decomposition process 120 to produce predetermined end products such as a solid, a liquid and a gas.

[049] To improve the vacuum process, the illustrated example includes a vacuum pump 90 for removing air and gaseous molecules from the sealed area within the vacuum processor 70, thus ensuring that vacuum processing takes place in an area free of moisture, air and / or gas. The vacuum pump 90 ensures that this stage of raw material preparation 130 is clean and sealed.

[050] Upstream of the vacuum processor 90 and downstream of the decomposition apparatus 120, the raw material processing apparatus 110B includes the pump, 80, for example, a reciprocating pump, which transports the dry and clean fine fluid paste produced 65 as raw material 130 from the vacuum processor 70 to the decomposition apparatus, for example, a pyrolysis reactor 170 (see Fig. 1).

[051] In the illustrated example, raw material 130 passes into a pyrolysis reactor 170 and a fast pyrolysis process decomposes the raw material 130 to produce at least three separate components, for example, solid (charcoal, biochar), liquid and non-condensable gases (H2, CH4, CnHm, CO, CO2 and N). In the illustrated example, the pyrolysis process produces a solid component 140, a bio-oil component 150 and an oil product 160.

[052] In the illustrated example, the bio-oil component 150 is redirected and reused by the fluid paste processing device 50, where the solids 45 and the bio-oil component 150 and / or mixing fluid 52 are dynamically and purposefully agitated and mixed while the mixture is heated between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius to remove moisture from the mixture. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 15 / 26 11 / 12

[053] The complete process described above and as illustrated in Fig. 1 is to transform a raw material base, in the most effective and efficient way to produce the desired end products from a decomposition process.

[054] As described above, the system redirects and reuses the bio-oil component 150 produced in the fluid paste processing device 50. Additionally, heat recovered from a component of the downstream decomposition system, for example, the pyrolysis reactor 170, is redirected and used in the upstream process to heat the mixture in the fluid paste processing device.

[055] In summary, using a solid base material 30, as described above, the apparatus and raw material production process comprise: • reduce the solid base material 30 into a granular or powder form 45 • create a fluid paste 55 by combining the granular or powder material 45 with a mixing fluid 52, for example, a solution based on medium to light hydrocarbons / waste oils (vegetable or hydrocarbon-based), which may be an end product of the downstream decomposition process; • homogenize 60, dehydrate and deaerate 70 the fluid paste 55 to produce the substantially dry raw material 130, that is, containing less than 1% moisture; and • pump the substantially dry fine particulate raw material 130, at a predetermined pressure and rate, to a decomposition apparatus 170, for example, a pyrolysis reactor. [ 056] Replacing raw solids with improved, purer fine particulate feedstock for the decomposition process has many benefits. Some examples are as follows: • a continuous process on an industrial scale, thereby increasing the volume of final materials produced from the decomposition process; • a reduction (possible elimination) of NOx and SOx gases from the process of Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 16 / 26 12 / 12 decomposition; • a reduction (possible elimination) of oxygen in the final oil and gas product; • Reusing end products, for example, bio-oil and heat from the decomposition process in the pre-treatment process, reduces waste products; • Improved downstream decomposition system due to materials produced by the upstream process, thereby improving heat transfer from the downstream process, resulting in a more energy-efficient process and system; • Improved and highly accurate control of the feed rate and pressure of the downstream decomposition system.

[057] In addition to the recycling of end products from the downstream decomposition process, structural and functional details of the apparatus and decomposition process, for example, fast pyrolysis, are not part of the invention described above and defined in the appended claims.

[058] Although the specific embodiments of the present invention have been described above, it will be appreciated that deviations from the described embodiments may still fall within the scope of the present invention. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, page 17 / 26

Claims

1 / 4 CLAIMS 1. A raw material processing apparatus operable for preparing raw material for use in a thermochemical decomposition system, which decomposes the raw material produced by the raw material processing apparatus to produce at least one solid, one liquid and one gas, CHARACTERIZED in that the raw material processing apparatus comprises: a fluid paste processing device, a mixer, a vacuum processor; and a pump; wherein the fluid paste processing device is operable for mixing the substantially dry processed material with a fluid and for reducing moisture levels in the mixture of substantially dry processed material and fluid by heating the mixture of substantially dry processed material and fluid;wherein the mixer is operable to receive the reduced-moisture mixture of substantially dry and fluid processed material and to further process the reduced-moisture mixture of substantially dry and fluid processed material to disintegrate the reduced-moisture mixture to produce a fine suspension to pass through the vacuum processor, wherein the vacuum processor is operable to deaerate and remove more moisture from the fine suspension of substantially dry and fluid processed material to produce the raw material, which may subsequently undergo a decomposition process to produce at least one solid, one liquid, and one gas, and wherein the pump is operable to transport the raw material to the thermochemical decomposition apparatus.

2. Raw material processing apparatus, according to claim 1, CHARACTERIZED in that the mixer is a high shear in-line mixer, operable for grinding the mixture with reduced moisture level of substantially dry and fluid processed material to disintegrate it into a fine suspension.

3. Raw material processing apparatus, according to claim 1 or 2, CHARACTERIZED in that it further comprises an operable pretreatment apparatus for preparing a base material to a predetermined particulate state for delivery to the raw material processing apparatus.

4. Raw material processing apparatus, according to claim 3, CHARACTERIZED in that the pretreatment apparatus comprises: a spraying device and a centrifuge; wherein the spraying device is operable to spray a base material, pretreat the sprayed base material and remove unwanted materials and / or contaminants from the base material; and the centrifuge is operable to separate the solids and liquids from the sprayed base material to produce substantially dry processed material for processing in the fluid paste processing device.

5. Raw material processing apparatus, according to claim 4, CHARACTERIZED in that the centrifuge is a decanter centrifuge.

6. Raw material processing apparatus, according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the fluid paste processing device includes an operable heater for heating the substantially dry and fluid processed material mixture to a temperature between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius.

7. Raw material processing apparatus, according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the heat recovered from the decomposition system is operable to heat the substantially dry and fluid processed material mixture to a temperature between 80 and 100 degrees Celsius.

8. Raw material processing apparatus, according to any previous claim, CHARACTERIZED in that the fluid paste processing apparatus includes a moisture monitor, operable to determine moisture levels below 1%.

9. Raw material processing apparatus, according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the fluid used in the fluid paste processing apparatus is a hydrocarbon fluid.

10. Raw material processing apparatus, according to any one of claims 2 to 9, CHARACTERIZED in that the high shear inline mixer is adjustable, wherein the size of the particulate material produced by the high shear inline mixer can be adjusted to suit the downstream decomposition process.

11. Raw material processing apparatus, according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the vacuum processor includes a series of vacuum tanks through which, in use, the substantially dry processed material passes sequentially on its way to the downstream decomposition apparatus.

12. Raw material processing apparatus, according to claims 1 to 10, CHARACTERIZED in that the vacuum processor comprises a continuous vacuum tower, through which the substantially dry processed material can pass to be deaerated before being transferred to the decomposition apparatus.

13. Raw material processing apparatus, according to any of the preceding claims, CHARACTERIZED in that the vacuum processor further comprises an in-line vacuum pump, which is operable to improve the deaeration and moisture removal of the substantially dry and fluid disintegrated mixture of processed material.

14. Raw material processing apparatus, according to any previous claim, CHARACTERIZED by the fact that the pump is a reciprocating pump.

15. Raw material processing apparatus, according to any one of claims 2 to 14, CHARACTERIZED in that the high-shear in-line mixer includes a heater and, optionally, temperature control such that the temperature of the substantially dry and fluid processed material mixture is maintained at a predetermined temperature.

16. Raw material processing apparatus, according to claim 15, CHARACTERIZED in that the predetermined temperature is in the region of 80 degrees Celsius to 100 degrees Celsius. Petition 870250084476, dated 09 / 19 / 2025, pp. 21 / 26

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