Multi-modal fusion feeding device and method for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction

Abstract

The invention relates to the technical field of biomass resource utilization, and discloses a multi-modal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction, which comprises a pretreatment and supply unit for mixing a biomass raw material with water to form slurry; a feeding hole of the active cyclone centrifugal separation unit is connected with the pretreatment and feeding unit, and the active cyclone centrifugal separation unit is used for receiving the slurry and separating the slurry into solid-containing underflow and purified overflow under a centrifugal force field. According to the multi-mode fusion feeding device and method for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction, an active rotational flow centrifugal separation unit is adopted to replace traditional gravity sedimentation, solid particles are efficiently separated through centrifugal force, the separation state is mastered in real time through ultrasonic monitoring, and the depth of an overflow pipe is dynamically adjusted through an intelligent controller. According to the mode, fine particles and light fibers which are difficult to treat in a traditional method are effectively removed, meanwhile, solids are continuously discharged along with underflow, accumulation and shutdown cleaning are avoided, and efficient and continuous slurry purification is achieved.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to the field of biomass resource utilization technology, specifically to a multimodal fusion feeding device and method for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction. Background Technology

[0002] In existing technologies, continuous feeding for biomass hydrothermal liquefaction typically relies on a combination of gravity settling and pumping.

[0003] The specific method involves mixing biomass and water in a mixing tank, then using an expanding section or cavity in the feed pipe that flows upwards from bottom to top to allow some solid particles to settle by gravity. The preliminarily purified slurry is then pressurized by a series or parallel combination pump and finally transported to the reaction system.

[0004] The device mainly consists of a mixing and feeding unit, a passive settling unit, and a pumping unit. Its core settling unit is a fixed-diameter expanded pipe or cavity, and the separation process relies entirely on the weight of the particles.

[0005] However, the shortcomings of this existing technology are that it relies on passive gravity settling, resulting in limited separation efficiency. It is difficult to effectively remove fine particles or lightweight fibers with densities close to those of a liquid phase, which remain the main risk of clogging the subsequent high-pressure pump. Furthermore, the settled solids gradually accumulate in the expansion section, making continuous discharge impossible. Regular shutdowns for cleaning are necessary, disrupting production continuity and increasing maintenance costs.

[0006] Therefore, we propose a multimodal fusion feeding device and method for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction to address the problems mentioned above. Summary of the Invention

[0007] This invention provides a multimodal fusion feeding device and method for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction, which can solve the problems in the prior art where slurry feeding relies on passive gravity sedimentation, making it difficult to effectively remove fine particles or lightweight fibers, and the settled solids gradually accumulate in the expansion section, making continuous discharge impossible.

[0008] To solve the above-mentioned technical problems, the present invention provides the following technical solution: A multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction, comprising: The pretreatment and feeding unit is used to mix biomass raw materials with water to form a slurry; An active cyclone centrifugal separation unit has its inlet connected to the pretreatment and feeding unit, which is used to receive the slurry and separate the slurry into a solid-containing bottom flow and a purified overflow under a centrifugal force field. The active cyclone centrifugal separation unit includes a hydrocyclone body, a liftable overflow pipe located on top of the hydrocyclone body, and an ultrasonic monitoring module for monitoring the distribution of solid particles inside the conical section of the hydrocyclone body. A multimodal pumping unit, whose inlet is connected to the overflow outlet of the active cyclone centrifugal separation unit, is used to pressurize the purified overflow and deliver it to the subsequent preheating and reaction system. The intelligent controller is signal-connected to the ultrasonic monitoring module and the drive mechanism of the liftable overflow pipe, and is used to dynamically adjust the insertion depth of the liftable overflow pipe based on the monitoring results of the solid particle distribution and in combination with other monitoring signals.

[0009] Preferably, the ultrasonic monitoring module includes multiple ultrasonic probes arranged circumferentially on the outer wall of the conical section of the hydrocyclone body.

[0010] Preferably, a filter screen is provided at the bottom inlet of the liftable overflow pipe; a filter screen self-cleaning assembly is provided inside the liftable overflow pipe, the filter screen self-cleaning assembly includes multiple high-pressure backwash nozzles facing the filter screen, the high-pressure backwash nozzles are connected to a high-pressure cleaning fluid source through a valve; the liquid inlet pipe of the high-pressure backwash nozzle passes through the pipe wall of the liftable overflow pipe and communicates with the high-pressure backwash nozzle, and differential pressure sensors are provided on both sides of the filter screen; The intelligent controller is connected to the differential pressure sensor and valve signal, and is used to initiate the backwashing procedure when the differential pressure exceeds a threshold.

[0011] Preferably, the multimodal pumping unit is a series combination of pumps, including a low-pressure delivery pump and a high-pressure booster pump. The inlet of the low-pressure delivery pump is connected to the purification overflow pipeline, and its outlet is connected to the inlet of the high-pressure booster pump.

[0012] Preferably, the low-pressure delivery pump is a screw pump or a centrifugal pump, and the high-pressure booster pump is a plunger pump or a diaphragm pump.

[0013] Preferably, the pretreatment and feeding unit includes a first mixing tank and a second mixing tank arranged in parallel, and a tangential feed port is provided on the top of the hydrocyclone body; A three-way pipe is provided between the first and second mixing tanks and the tangential feed inlet of the hydrocyclone body, and electromagnetic switch valves are respectively provided at the bottom of the first and second mixing tanks.

[0014] Preferably, the underflow outlet of the active cyclone centrifugal separation unit is connected to an intelligent crusher, which is used to crush the separated solid-containing materials.

[0015] Preferably, a drive assembly for lifting and lowering is installed on the upper end of the hydrocyclone body. The drive assembly includes a guide seat with a guide groove inside. The liftable overflow pipe is slidably sleeved inside the guide groove and extends into the hydrocyclone body. A gear is rotatably installed inside the guide seat. A servo motor for driving the gear is installed on the outside of the guide seat. An absolute encoder is installed on the shaft of the servo motor.

[0016] A multimodal fusion feeding method for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction includes the following steps: Biomass feedstock is mixed with water to form a feedstock slurry; The supplied slurry is injected tangentially into the hydrocyclone body, and centrifugal separation is used to form a solid-containing bottom flow and a purified overflow. Using ultrasonic monitoring technology, the distribution information of solid particles inside the cone section of the hydrocyclone body is obtained in real time; Based on the solid particle distribution information, the insertion depth of the overflow pipe inside the hydrocyclone body is dynamically adjusted by an intelligent controller to optimize the separation effect; After the purified overflow is pressurized, it is continuously transported to the hydrothermal liquefaction reaction system. The solid particle distribution information includes the concentration distribution of solid particles in the radial and axial directions of the hydrocyclone body.

[0017] The steps for dynamically adjusting the insertion depth of the overflow pipe include: When an increase in solid concentration is detected in the central region of the hydrocyclone body, the overflow pipe insertion depth is increased; when excessive solid accumulation is detected near the bottom outlet, the overflow pipe insertion depth is decreased. Furthermore, the particle size analysis results and the solid particle distribution information are used together to adjust the insertion depth of the overflow pipe.

[0018] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects achieved by the present invention are: I. This invention replaces traditional gravity sedimentation with an active cyclone centrifugal separation unit, utilizing centrifugal force to efficiently separate solid particles. The separation status is monitored in real-time via ultrasonic monitoring, and the overflow pipe depth is dynamically adjusted by an intelligent controller. This method effectively removes fine particles and lightweight fibers that are difficult to handle using traditional methods. Simultaneously, the solids are continuously discharged with the underflow, avoiding accumulation and downtime for cleaning, thus achieving efficient and continuous slurry purification.

[0019] Second, this invention ensures continuous feeding by alternating feeding from two mixing tanks; it utilizes an active cyclone centrifugal separation unit for separation and intelligent adjustment to ensure purification quality; the multi-modal pumping unit adopts a series connection of low-pressure and high-pressure pumps, with the low-pressure pump steadily delivering the purified slurry and the high-pressure pump focusing on completing the final pressurization, greatly reducing the risk of blockage and wear of the high-pressure pump.

[0020] Meanwhile, the self-cleaning filter at the bottom of the overflow pipe is automatically backwashed under differential pressure monitoring, forming the final safety guarantee. With the cooperation of the intelligent controller, all parts realize the automation and continuity of the entire process of feeding, separating and conveying, fundamentally solving a series of problems such as low efficiency, easy clogging and need for shutdown to clear blockages in traditional methods, and significantly improving the reliability and economy of the system. Attached Figure Description

[0021] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the overall frame structure of the device of the present invention; Figure 2 This is a schematic diagram of the external structure of the hydrocyclone body of the present invention; Figure 3 This is a schematic cross-sectional view of the hydrocyclone body of the present invention; Figure 4 For the present invention Figure 3 A schematic diagram of the cross-sectional structure; Figure 5 This is a schematic diagram of the method flow of the present invention.

[0022] The components are: 7. Hydrocyclone body; 8. Tangential feed inlet; 9. Liftable overflow pipe; 11. Guide seat; 12. Guide groove; 13. Gear; 14. Servo motor; 15. Ultrasonic probe; 16. Filter screen; 20. High-pressure backwash nozzle; 21. Liquid inlet pipe. Detailed Implementation

[0023] The specific embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below, but it should be understood that the scope of protection of the present invention is not limited to the specific embodiments.

[0024] Example 1: Please see Figure 1-5 The present invention provides a technical solution: A multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction, comprising: The pretreatment and feeding unit is used to mix biomass raw materials with water to form a slurry; An active cyclone centrifugal separation unit has its inlet connected to the pretreatment and feeding unit to receive slurry and separate the slurry into a solid-containing underflow and a purified overflow under centrifugal force field. The active cyclone centrifugal separation unit includes a hydrocyclone body 7, a liftable overflow pipe 9 located on the top of the hydrocyclone body 7, and an ultrasonic monitoring module for monitoring the distribution of solid particles inside the cone section of the hydrocyclone body 7. The multimodal pumping unit has its inlet connected to the overflow outlet of the active cyclone centrifugal separator, which is used to pressurize the purified overflow and deliver it to the subsequent preheating and reaction system. The intelligent controller is connected to the ultrasonic monitoring module and the drive mechanism of the liftable overflow pipe 9. It is used to dynamically adjust the insertion depth of the liftable overflow pipe 9 based on the monitoring results of solid particle distribution and in combination with other monitoring signals (such as differential pressure and liquid level).

[0025] The intelligent controller simultaneously receives solid particle distribution information from the ultrasonic monitoring module, differential pressure sensor signals from both sides of the filter screen, and liquid level signals from the parallel stirring tank. Based on the comprehensive judgment of this information, the controller dynamically adjusts the insertion depth of the liftable overflow pipe: mainly to optimize the separation effect based on the solid distribution, and automatically start the filter screen backwashing function according to the differential pressure signal to ensure working efficiency. At the same time, it coordinates the alternating feeding of the two tanks according to the liquid level signal to ensure continuity.

[0026] In the above scheme, after the device prepares the slurry through the pretreatment and feeding unit, it is pumped into the active cyclone centrifugal separation unit. The active cyclone centrifugal separation unit actively and efficiently separates solid particles using the centrifugal force field, forming a solid-containing bottom flow and a purified overflow. At the same time, the solid distribution state in the 7-cone section of the hydrocyclone body is detected in real time through the ultrasonic monitoring module. The intelligent controller dynamically adjusts the insertion depth of the liftable overflow pipe 9 based on the above monitoring results, thereby optimizing the separation interface and ensuring overflow quality; The purified slurry is stably pressurized by a multimodal pumping unit and then transported to the subsequent system. This solution fundamentally solves the problems of low separation efficiency, inability to effectively remove fine particles and fibers, and the need for shutdown and cleaning due to solid accumulation in traditional gravity sedimentation methods, thereby achieving continuous, adaptive, and highly stable feeding.

[0027] In a specific embodiment, the ultrasonic monitoring module includes multiple ultrasonic probes 15 arranged circumferentially on the outer wall of the conical section of the hydrocyclone body 7.

[0028] Through the above technical solution, the ultrasonic probe 15 is circumferentially arranged on the outer wall of the 7-conical section of the hydrocyclone body. By emitting and receiving ultrasonic waves, it can detect the distribution of solid particles inside in real time, and collect the flow field information for the intelligent controller, so that it can accurately judge the separation effect, thereby overcoming the defect of traditional passive sedimentation units that cannot sense the internal process.

[0029] In a specific embodiment, a filter screen 16 is provided at the bottom inlet of the liftable overflow pipe 9; a self-cleaning assembly for the filter screen 16 is provided inside the liftable overflow pipe 9, the self-cleaning assembly for the filter screen 16 includes a plurality of high-pressure backwash nozzles 20 facing the filter screen 16, the high-pressure backwash nozzles 20 are connected to a high-pressure cleaning fluid source through a valve; the liquid inlet pipe 21 of the high-pressure backwash nozzle 20 passes through the pipe wall of the liftable overflow pipe 9 and communicates with the high-pressure backwash nozzle 20, and differential pressure sensors are provided on both sides of the filter screen 16; The intelligent controller connects to differential pressure sensors and valve signals to initiate a backwashing procedure when the differential pressure exceeds a threshold.

[0030] The above technical solution involves installing a filter screen 16 at the bottom of the liftable overflow pipe 9, with differential pressure sensors on both sides. When the filter screen 16 becomes clogged, causing excessive differential pressure, the intelligent controller initiates a backwashing procedure, where high-pressure cleaning fluid flushes the filter screen 16 through nozzles. This design achieves online automatic cleaning of the filter screen 16, avoiding the need for shutdown for cleaning due to clogging.

[0031] In a specific embodiment, the multimodal pumping unit is a series combination of pumps, including a low-pressure delivery pump and a high-pressure booster pump. The inlet of the low-pressure delivery pump is connected to the purification overflow pipeline, and its outlet is connected to the inlet of the high-pressure booster pump.

[0032] The low-pressure pump is responsible for the stable delivery of slurry, while the high-pressure pump is dedicated to providing the final pressure. This staged pumping method reduces the burden on the high-pressure pump and improves the stability and reliability of the entire system.

[0033] In a specific embodiment, the low-pressure delivery pump is a screw pump or a centrifugal pump, and the high-pressure booster pump is a plunger pump or a diaphragm pump. The low-pressure delivery pump, selected as a screw pump or centrifugal pump, is suitable for conveying slurries containing solids; the high-pressure booster pump, selected as a plunger pump or diaphragm pump, excels at providing stable high pressure. This targeted combination of pump types enables the system to simultaneously meet the process requirements of high-flow-rate delivery and high-pressure output.

[0034] Example 2: Please see Figure 1-4 Furthermore, in conjunction with Embodiment 1, it is further found that the pretreatment and feeding unit includes a first mixing tank and a second mixing tank arranged in parallel. The intelligent controller controls the two tanks to alternately perform feeding and feeding operations according to the liquid level information of the two tanks, so as to achieve uninterrupted feeding. A tangential feed inlet 8 is provided at the top of the hydrocyclone body 7. A three-way pipe is installed between the first and second mixing tanks and the tangential feed inlet 8 of the hydrocyclone body 7. Electromagnetic valves are installed at the bottom of both the first and second mixing tanks. The first and second mixing tanks are connected in parallel and connected to the tangential feed inlet 8 of the hydrocyclone body 7 via the bottom electromagnetic valves and the three-way pipe. The intelligent controller controls the opening and closing of the electromagnetic valves based on the liquid level information of the two tanks, allowing the other tank to be fed or prepared for mixing while one tank is feeding. This achieves continuous and uninterrupted material supply, overcoming the process interruption problem caused by feeding when only one mixing tank is feeding.

[0035] In a specific embodiment, the underflow outlet of the active cyclone centrifugal separation unit is connected to an intelligent crusher. The intelligent crusher is used to crush the separated solid materials. The solid materials discharged from the underflow outlet of the cyclone body 7 are transported to the intelligent crusher. The crusher crushes any fiber clumps or larger particles that may be present, reducing their particle size and preventing solid materials from depositing and clogging subsequent pipelines, thus ensuring the smooth flow of the underflow material processing path.

[0036] In a specific embodiment, a driving assembly for lifting and lowering is installed on the upper end of the hydrocyclone body 7. The driving assembly includes a guide seat 11, and a guide groove 12 is opened inside the guide seat 11. The liftable overflow pipe 9 is slidably sleeved inside the guide groove 12 and extends into the hydrocyclone body 7. A gear 13 is rotatably arranged inside the guide seat 11. A servo motor 14 for driving the gear 13 to rotate is installed on the outside of the guide seat 11. An absolute encoder is installed on the shaft of the servo motor 14. The servo motor 14 drives the gear 13 to rotate, thereby driving the liftable overflow pipe 9 meshing with it to rise and fall within the guide groove 12. The absolute encoder provides real-time feedback on the position of the motor shaft, thereby accurately controlling the lifting and lowering position of the overflow pipe, which is used for dynamic adjustment of the overflow pipe depth.

[0037] A multimodal fusion feeding method for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction includes the following steps: Biomass feedstock is mixed with water to form a feedstock slurry; The slurry is tangentially injected into the hydrocyclone body 7, and centrifugal separation is used to form a solid-containing bottom flow and a purified overflow. Using ultrasonic monitoring technology, the distribution information of solid particles inside the 7-cone section of the hydrocyclone body is obtained in real time; Based on the solid particle distribution information, the intelligent controller dynamically adjusts the insertion depth of the overflow pipe inside the hydrocyclone body 7 to optimize the separation effect; After the purified overflow is pressurized, it is continuously transported to the hydrothermal liquefaction reaction system. The solid particle distribution information includes the concentration distribution of solid particles in the radial and axial directions of the hydrocyclone body.

[0038] Furthermore, the steps for dynamically adjusting the overflow pipe insertion depth include: When an increase in solid concentration is detected in the central region of the hydrocyclone body 7, the overflow pipe insertion depth is increased; when excessive solid accumulation is detected near the bottom outlet, the overflow pipe insertion depth is decreased. Furthermore, the particle size analysis results and solid particle distribution information are used together to adjust the insertion depth of the overflow pipe.

[0039] The above-disclosed embodiments are merely a few specific examples of the present invention. However, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto, and any variations that can be conceived by those skilled in the art should fall within the protection scope of the present invention.

Claims

1. A multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction, characterized in that, include: The pretreatment and feeding unit is used to mix biomass raw materials with water to form a slurry; An active cyclone centrifugal separation unit has its inlet connected to the pretreatment and feeding unit, which is used to receive the slurry and separate the slurry into a solid-containing bottom flow and a purified overflow under a centrifugal force field. The active cyclone centrifugal separation unit includes a hydrocyclone body (7), a liftable overflow pipe (9) set on the top of the hydrocyclone body (7), and an ultrasonic monitoring module for monitoring the distribution of solid particles inside the cone section of the hydrocyclone body (7). A multimodal pumping unit, whose inlet is connected to the overflow outlet of the active cyclone centrifugal separation unit, is used to pressurize the purified overflow and deliver it to the subsequent preheating and reaction system. The intelligent controller is connected to the drive mechanism of the ultrasonic monitoring module and the liftable overflow pipe (9) and is used to dynamically adjust the insertion depth of the liftable overflow pipe (9) according to the monitoring results of the solid particle distribution.

2. The multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction according to claim 1, characterized in that, The ultrasonic monitoring module includes multiple ultrasonic probes (15) arranged circumferentially on the outer wall of the cone section of the hydrocyclone body (7).

3. The multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction according to claim 1, characterized in that, A filter screen (16) is provided at the bottom inlet of the liftable overflow pipe (9); a filter screen (16) self-cleaning assembly is provided inside the liftable overflow pipe (9), the filter screen (16) self-cleaning assembly includes multiple high-pressure backwash nozzles (20) facing the filter screen (16), the high-pressure backwash nozzles (20) are connected to a high-pressure cleaning fluid source through a valve; the liquid inlet pipe (21) of the high-pressure backwash nozzle (20) passes through the pipe wall of the liftable overflow pipe (9) and communicates with the high-pressure backwash nozzle (20); differential pressure sensors are provided on both sides of the filter screen (16); The intelligent controller is connected to the differential pressure sensor and valve signal, and is used to initiate the backwashing procedure when the differential pressure exceeds a threshold.

4. The multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction according to claim 1, characterized in that, The multimodal pumping unit is a series combination of pumps, including a low-pressure delivery pump and a high-pressure booster pump. The inlet of the low-pressure delivery pump is connected to the purification overflow pipeline, and its outlet is connected to the inlet of the high-pressure booster pump.

5. The multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction according to claim 4, characterized in that, The low-pressure delivery pump is a screw pump or a centrifugal pump, and the high-pressure booster pump is a plunger pump or a diaphragm pump.

6. The multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction according to claim 1, characterized in that, The pretreatment and feeding unit includes a first mixing tank and a second mixing tank arranged in parallel, and a tangential feed port (8) is provided on the top of the hydrocyclone body (7). A three-way pipe is provided between the first and second mixing tanks and the tangential feed inlet (8) of the hydrocyclone body (7), and electromagnetic switch valves are respectively provided at the bottom of the first and second mixing tanks.

7. The multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction according to claim 1, characterized in that, The underflow outlet of the active cyclone centrifugal separation unit is connected to an intelligent crusher, which is used to crush the separated solid-containing materials.

8. The multimodal fusion feeding device for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction according to claim 1, characterized in that, The upper end of the hydrocyclone body (7) is equipped with a drive assembly for lifting and lowering. The drive assembly includes a guide seat (11). A guide groove (12) is provided inside the guide seat (11). The liftable overflow pipe (9) is slidably sleeved inside the guide groove (12) and extends into the hydrocyclone body (7). A gear (13) is rotatably arranged inside the guide seat (11). A servo motor (14) for driving the gear (13) to rotate is installed on the outside of the guide seat (11). An absolute encoder is installed on the shaft of the servo motor (14).

9. A multimodal fusion feeding method for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction, characterized in that, Using the apparatus as described in any one of claims 1-8, and comprising the following steps: Biomass feedstock is mixed with water to form a feedstock slurry; The supplied slurry is tangentially injected into the hydrocyclone body (7), and centrifugal separation is used to form a solid-containing bottom flow and a purified overflow; Using ultrasonic monitoring technology, the distribution information of solid particles inside the cone section of the hydrocyclone body (7) is obtained in real time; Based on the solid particle distribution information, the intelligent controller dynamically adjusts the insertion depth of the overflow pipe inside the hydrocyclone body (7) to optimize the separation effect; After the purified overflow is pressurized, it is continuously transported to the hydrothermal liquefaction reaction system. The solid particle distribution information includes the concentration distribution of solid particles in the radial and axial directions of the hydrocyclone body (7).

10. The multimodal fusion feeding method for continuous hydrothermal liquefaction according to claim 9, characterized in that, The steps for dynamically adjusting the insertion depth of the overflow pipe include: When the solid concentration in the central region of the hydrocyclone body (7) is detected to be increased, the overflow pipe insertion depth is increased; when the solid accumulation near the bottom outlet is detected to be too thick, the overflow pipe insertion depth is reduced. Furthermore, the particle size analysis results and solid particle distribution information are used together to adjust the insertion depth of the overflow pipe.

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