Biocokes producing method and apparatus

Abstract

A method of producing biocokes in which pulverized biomass is fed and pressed in a reaction container is provided, wherein the pulverized biomass in a substantially-packed state is pressure-formed while being heated in a temperature range and a pressure range to obtain a semi-carbonized solid matter or pre-semi-carbonized solid matter and then cooled to produce biocoke. The method may includes a filling step; a reaction step; heating the pulverized biomass by means of a heating device to the temperature range and keeping such state for a prescribed period of time to form a shaped matter of the pulverized biomass in the reaction container, and then cooling the shaped matter by switching from the heating device to a cooling device; and an ejecting step.

Description

[0001]This is a continuation of International Application PCT / JP2010 / 054821 (published as WO 2010 / 0113679 A1) having an international filing date of Mar. 19, 2010, which claims priority to JP 2009-083887 filed on Mar. 31, 2009. The disclosures of the PCT application and the priority application, in their entity, including the drawings, claims, and the specifications thereof, are incorporated herein by reference.TECHNICAL FIELD[0002]The present invention relates to the field of producing biocokes using biomass as a raw material, and particularly to a biocoke producing method and a biocoke producing apparatus, which enable industrial mass production of bio-cokes which can be used as substitute fuel for coal cokes.BACKGROUND ART[0003]In view of global worming, reduction of CO2 emission is promoted. Especially, in a steel industry, coal cokes which are fossil fuels are used as fuel and reducing agents at combustion facilities like a Cupola furnace and a power furnace. At combustion faci...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0021]In the present invention, in the filling step, the pressurizing member is operated first in the first pressure stage to press the pulverized biomass. Next in the reaction step, the pressure of the pressurizing member is increased and in synchronization with this, the heating device is actuated to heat and pressurize the pulverized biomass in an substantially-sealed state within the temperature and pressure range of obtaining the semi-carbonized or pre-semi carbonized solid matter. After keeping the pressurized and heated state for a prescribed period of time, the heating device is switched to the cooling device to cool the pulverized biomass while still maintaining the pressurized state, thereby producing the shaped matter of biocokes. In this manner, the pressurizing member and the heating device and the cooling device are controlled in conjunction. Thus, it is possible to produce biocokes in a short amount of time and efficiently. Further, the biomass of a small grain size is used and thus, bulk density is low. On the other hand, by using unprocessed biomass, it requires a large reaction container. However, in the first aspect of the present invention, the pulverized biomass is pressed at low pressure by the pressurizing member in the filling step and thus, it is possible to input a larger amount of the pulverized biomass. As a result, the reaction container can be downsized.

[0022]In the filling step, the pressure of the pressurizing member and the amount of the pulverized biomass filled in the reaction container is detected in the substep of pressing the pulverized biomass, and the substep of feeding and the substep of pressing are performed repeatedly until both of the detected pressure of the pressurizing member and the detected amount of the filled pulverized biomass are within the set pressure range and the set amount range of the filling step that are set in advance. Thus, it is possible to produce biocokes of the same size without measuring an input amount of the pulverized biomass before inputting to the reaction container, thereby enhancing a product value of the produced biocokes. Further, in the filling step, the amount of the filled pulverized biomass is estimated by detecting a position of an upper end of the pulverized biomass fed in the reaction container using a position sensor or by detecting a period during the pressurizing member lowering from an initial position to the upper end of the pulverized biomass. Thus, it is possible to easily detect the filling amount of the pulverized biomass.

[0023]Further, the cooling / heating medium circulating unit is used as the heating device and the cooling device. Thus, the pulverized biomass can be heated or cooled rapidly and switching between heating and cooling of the pulverized biomass can be performed smoothly. In the ejecting step, the shaped matter is pushed and ejected from an open bottom of the reaction container by lowering the pressurizing member at a low pressure. Thus, it is possible to easily eject the biocokes which is shaped in a consolidated manner within the reaction container.

Problems solved by technology

Further, the biomass of a small grain size is used and thus, bulk density is low.

On the other hand, by using unprocessed biomass, it requires a large reaction container.

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