Gasifier apparatus for obtaining combustible gas
Patent Information
- Application Number
- EP2023757574
- Authority / Receiving Office
- EP · EP
- Patent Type
- Applications
- Current Assignee / Owner
- Priority Date
- 2022-08-31
- Filing Date
- 2023-08-11
- Publication Date
- 2025-07-09
AI Technical Summary
Existing carburettor devices require separate and laborious manual cleaning to remove non-combustible foreign bodies, which disrupts the gasification process and results in significant downtime and reduced gas production.
A carburettor device with a rotatable grate element that continuously transports foreign bodies outwards towards a discharge shaft, allowing for continuous operation and uninterrupted gas production by separating combustible and non-combustible materials during the gasification process.
This solution enables continuous removal of foreign bodies during operation, extending gas production periods, reducing labor-intensive cleaning, and ensuring consistent high-quality gas production without interrupting the process.
Smart Images
Figure 1.1
Abstract
Description
[0001] Gasification device for producing combustible gas
[0002] The present invention relates to a gasification device for producing combustible gas from combustible material, in particular from biomass, comprising
[0003] - a reactor vessel enclosing a reactor cavity, and
[0004] - at least one filling lock for filling the material into the reactor cavity, and
[0005] - at least one grate in the reactor cavity, and
[0006] - at least one gas outlet for removing the combustible gas generated from the combustible material from the reactor cavity, and
[0007] - at least one discharge shaft for discharging non-combustible foreign bodies from the reactor cavity, wherein the gas outlet and the discharge shaft are arranged on the side of the grate opposite the filling lock.
[0008] Carburetors of this type can also be called direct-current fixed-bed gasifiers. They are used to produce combustible gas from combustible materials, which can then be used, for example, in internal combustion engines as fuel or for other purposes.
[0009] Combustible material is preferably biomass, in particular wood, but can also be a material mixture of biomass and plastic, preferably with a relatively high biomass content.
[0010] During the gasification process in such a gasification device, a grate with small holes is required to collect the combustible material to be gasified, i.e., the so-called fixed bed, and to separate it from material no longer usable for the gasification process, such as ash or slag. The small holes in the grate are usually less than 10 mm in size.
[0011] The material supplied for gasification often contains not only combustible material, but may also be contaminated with non-combustible material or with non-combustible foreign bodies, such as pieces of metal and / or stones.
[0012] Non-combustible material or non-combustible foreign bodies can be simply referred to as foreign bodies. One could also speak of incombustible foreign bodies.
[0013] The foreign bodies are usually heavier than the combustible material and sink down within the reactor vessel and within the fixed bed due to gravity until they reach the grate.
[0014] All foreign bodies larger than the hole size, e.g.
[0015] 10 mm, cannot pass through the small holes in the grate and accumulate on the grate.
[0016] The accumulation of foreign matter disrupts the gasification process, and if there are too many foreign matter, the gasification device will no longer function or will at least be severely impaired. As soon as the gasification process is interrupted due to the accumulated
[0017] If foreign bodies can no longer be removed as desired, the carburetor device must be cleaned of foreign bodies.
[0018] A frequently used and, for example, absolutely necessary method of cleaning in AT 513811 B1 is to allow the gasification device to cool down and then manually remove the foreign matter. However, this cleaning process can result in significant downtime, as the cooling process can take hours or even days, and the subsequent manual cleaning is often very laborious and difficult due to the confined space in the reactor cavity.
[0019] The object of the present invention is therefore to provide a gasification device which is improved compared to the prior art and which does not require a cleaning process separate from the gasification process.
[0020] This problem is solved by the features of patent claim 1.
[0021] It is thus provided in carburetor devices according to the invention that the grate has at least one fixed grate element and at least one grate element arranged on the side of the fixed grate element facing the filling lock and rotatable about a rotation axis by means of a rotation device.
[0022] The rotation of at least one rotatable grate element transports the foreign matter outward toward the wall of the reactor vessel and thus toward the discharge shaft. The major advantage of this gasification device is that the cleaning process, or the removal of foreign matter from the material to be gasified, takes place continuously during operation of the gasification device.
[0023] Therefore, no interruptions of the gasification process for cleaning are necessary, which significantly extends the periods of gas production and thus significantly increases the amount of gas produced.
[0024] Another advantage is that no laborious cleaning procedure has to be carried out and thus labor resources can be saved .
[0025] Furthermore, the continuous removal of foreign matter from the grate ensures the continued functionality of the carburetor. This has the beneficial effect of ensuring consistently high-quality gas production.
[0026] The reactor vessel is preferably essentially a cylindrical container, which, viewed from above in the operating position of the gasification device, can have any cross-sectional shape. The base area of the reactor vessel can thus be, for example, circular, rectangular, elliptical, cloud-shaped, etc.
[0027] It is preferably provided that the filling lock for filling the combustible material is arranged in the region of the reactor cavity located at the upper end, so that the combustible material, which typically also contains foreign matter during filling, moves essentially from top to bottom during operation of the gasification device. Furthermore, it is preferably provided that the gas outlet for discharging the generated combustible gas is arranged at the end of the reactor vessel opposite the filling lock, in particular in the region of the bottom of the reactor vessel.
[0028] The at least one grate is arranged between the filling lock and the gas outlet and is preferably located in the lower region of the reactor vessel in the operating position of the gasification device.
[0029] The grate and its sub-elements, i.e. the at least one fixed grate element and the at least one rotatable grate element, can have small holes which are usually smaller than 10 mm, preferably smaller than 5 mm.
[0030] This means that any material, both combustible and non-combustible, that is smaller than 10 mm, preferably smaller than 5 mm, can pass through the grate.
[0031] Since the non-combustible material or the foreign bodies are usually heavier than the combustible material, the foreign bodies move comparatively quickly from top to bottom due to gravity, i.e. from the filling lock towards the grate, and collect on the grate.
[0032] All foreign bodies that are larger than the holes in the grate and / or the gap between the stationary and rotating grate elements (see below) collect in a collection area of the grate and are removed from the reactor cavity through the discharge shaft. The grate, and thus the at least one stationary grate element and the at least one rotating grate element, is / are advantageously circular or annular in plan view in an operating position of the gasifier device. This means that they advantageously have mutually concentric circular outer contours.
[0033] The at least one fixed grate element and the at least one rotatable grate element can be designed in plan view as round or annular discs, at least in their basic form.
[0034] It is also possible for a carburetor device to have a plurality of grates, each grate having at least one fixed and at least one rotatable grate element.
[0035] Further advantageous embodiments of the invention are defined in the dependent claims.
[0036] It is particularly preferably provided that the one rotatable grate element, or in the case of at least two rotatable grate elements, the rotatable grate element arranged closest to the discharge shaft, has at least one driver for carrying the non-combustible foreign bodies to the at least one discharge shaft.
[0037] The at least one driver can be designed as a type of projection or a type of tongue which protrudes or projects beyond the at least one rotatable grate element in the radial direction in such a way that the foreign bodies are pushed along by means of the at least one driver when the rotatable grate element rotates. It is particularly preferably provided that the at least one fixed grate element and the at least one rotatable grate element are arranged on one another, in particular alternately, in such a way that there is a gap between them at least in some regions, which gap has a gap width of at most 10 mm, preferably at most 5 mm.
[0038] Preferably, the gap width of the gap is at least partially between 1 mm and 5 mm.
[0039] In the case of circular and / or annular outer contours of the at least one fixed grate element and of the at least one rotatable grate element in plan view, the gap is preferably substantially annular.
[0040] The at least one gap is advantageously the area through which the generated combustible gas and smaller foreign bodies and also ash and / or coal particles can pass through the grate.
[0041] It is particularly preferred that the rotatable grate element closest to the filling lock is impermeable to the non-combustible foreign bodies which are larger than 10 mm, preferably larger than 5 mm.
[0042] It may also be the case that the rotating grate element closest to the filling lock is completely impermeable, so that neither solids, such as foreign bodies, nor gases or liquids can pass through.
[0043] It is also conceivable that all or some of the fixed and rotating grate elements have small holes which are smaller than 10 mm, preferably smaller than 5 mm.
[0044] It is particularly preferably provided that the at least one fixed grate element furthest away from the filling lock comprises at least one collecting area for receiving and / or transporting the foreign bodies, wherein the collecting area has at least one opening to the at least one discharge shaft.
[0045] The collection area is advantageously located essentially on the lowest fixed grate element in the operating position of the carburetor device, so that the foreign bodies can collect there independently, following the force of gravity.
[0046] In particular in the case of a cylindrical reactor vessel, it is preferably provided that the collecting region is substantially annular in plan view and / or is arranged at the edge of the grate substantially adjacent to the reactor vessel.
[0047] In a reactor vessel comprising several grates , the collection area is advantageously designed in such a way that the accumulation and discharge of foreign bodies between the grates is possible .
[0048] The collection area may also have several openings to several discharge shafts.
[0049] The transport of foreign bodies in the collection area is advantageously carried out by the at least one carrier of the rotatable grate element located closest to the at least one discharge shaft or the lowest. It is particularly preferred that the grate has at least two fixed grate elements and at least two rotatable grate elements, the fixed grate elements and the rotatable grate elements being arranged alternately. This means that a fixed grate element is always followed by a rotatable grate element, and vice versa.
[0050] It is preferably provided that the outer diameters of the respective grate elements decrease in the direction of the filling lock, so that between the grate elements at least in some areas a gap is created, preferably with a preferably relatively small overlap of the fixed and rotatable grate elements.
[0051] With regard to the operating position of the carburetor device, this means that advantageously the uppermost grate element is a rotatable grate element and has the smallest outer diameter of all grate elements, and advantageously the lowermost grate element is a fixed grate element and has the largest outer diameter of all grate elements.
[0052] It is preferably provided that the carburettor device has at least one grate holder for holding the at least one fixed grate element, wherein the grate holder is preferably arranged outside a movement path of the at least one driver that may be present.
[0053] It is advantageous if at least one grate holder is located outside the collection area, since the grate holder could seriously hinder the transport of foreign bodies, which could lead to undesired jamming.
[0054] It is particularly preferred that the at least one grate holder is attached to a side wall of the reactor vessel.
[0055] The at least one grate holder is preferably provided when more than one fixed grate element is present.
[0056] It is preferably provided that the at least one grate holder holds all fixed grate elements except the grate element closest to the discharge shaft.
[0057] Preferably, the fixed grate elements of each grate are held by at least three grate brackets.
[0058] It is preferably provided that the at least one rotatable grate element is connected to a support rod in a rotationally fixed manner, wherein the at least one rotatable grate element and the support rod are rotatable together about the rotation axis by means of the rotation device.
[0059] It is preferably provided that the support rod has a, preferably internal, feed device for feeding gasification agent into the reactor cavity.
[0060] The support rod may be provided with arms with outlet openings that rotate with the support rod, through which the feed device passes, and through which gasification agent can be fed into the reactor cavity. The support rod, if present, is advantageously rotatable about the rotation axis by the rotation device, which is preferably arranged outside the reactor vessel.
[0061] The rotation device, preferably comprising at least one motor, is preferably arranged below the reactor vessel in the operating position of the gasification device.
[0062] Particularly preferably, the gasification device has at least one rotatable agitator in the region between the filling valve and the grate for stirring the combustible material in the reactor cavity.
[0063] Furthermore, it can be provided that the gasification device has thermal insulation on the outside of the reactor vessel.
[0064] Advantageously, the thermal insulation is designed in such a way that it contains or can accommodate at least one component arranged on the reactor vessel, such as, for example, at least one grate holder.
[0065] Further advantages and details of preferred variants of the invention emerge from the figures and the associated description. Showing:
[0066] Fig. 1 is a horizontal section of a first embodiment of a carburetor device according to the invention,
[0067] Fig. 2 is a vertical section of the first embodiment of a carburetor device according to the invention, Fig. 3 is a horizontal section of a second embodiment of a carburetor device according to the invention,
[0068] Fig. 4 is a vertical section of the second embodiment of a carburetor device according to the invention,
[0069] Fig. 5 Exploded view of the grate of the second embodiment of a carburetor device according to the invention, and
[0070] Fig. 6 is a horizontal section of a third embodiment of a carburetor device according to the invention.
[0071] Figures 1 and 2 show schematically a first embodiment of a carburetor device 1 according to the invention, wherein Figure 1 shows a horizontal section and Figure 2 shows a vertical section.
[0072] Fig. 1 is essentially a plan view of the grate 7, which in this embodiment has a fixed grate element 11 and a rotatable grate element 14 arranged on the side of the fixed grate element 11 facing the filling lock 6.
[0073] In this embodiment, the rotatable grate element 14 has eight carriers 15 which particularly effectively carry the non-combustible foreign bodies 10 collected in the collection area 17 during rotation of the support rod 20 and transport them to at least one discharge shaft 9.
[0074] In the case of a plurality of rotating grate elements 14, it is advantageously provided that, in particular, the rotatable grate element 24 closest to the at least one discharge shaft 9 has at least one driver 15. The other rotatable grate elements 14 then advantageously have no drivers 15.
[0075] In this embodiment, the gasifier device 1 has exactly one discharge shaft 9 and therefore exactly one opening 18 in the collection area 17. However, there may also be several openings 18 and discharge shafts 9 for discharging the foreign bodies 10 from the reactor cavity 5.
[0076] A gap 16 having a maximum width of 10 mm, preferably 5 mm, is advantageously provided at least in some areas between the stationary grate element 11 and the rotatable grate element 14. In Fig. 1, this gap 16 is shown as a continuous line without an explicitly shown gap width or overlap of the stationary grate element 11 and the rotatable grate element 14.
[0077] In this embodiment, the rotatable grate element 14 is a completely impermeable disc. However, the rotatable grate element 14 can also have small holes, which are preferably smaller than 10 mm, preferably smaller than 5 mm, so that it is at least partially permeable to smaller solids, foreign bodies, and gases, and impermeable to the larger, non-combustible foreign bodies 10.
[0078] In this exemplary embodiment, the gasification device 1 has thermal insulation 22 in the region of the side wall of the reactor vessel 4, the thermal insulation 22 serving in particular to keep the temperature inside the reactor vessel 4 as constant as possible. In this exemplary embodiment, in particular due to the cylindrical shape of the reactor vessel 4, the collecting region 17 is essentially annular in plan view and the edge of the grate 7 essentially borders on the reactor vessel 4 and / or on the insulation 4.
[0079] Especially depending on the shape of the reactor vessel
[0080] 5 and / or the number and relative position of the grates 7 to one another within the reactor vessel 4, the collection area 17 can also have a different shape.
[0081] Furthermore, Fig. 2 shows a filling lock 6 for supplying the combustible material 3, which also contains the foreign bodies 10, into the reactor cavity 5.
[0082] In the vertical section of the first embodiment shown in Fig. 2, the gap 16 between the stationary grate element 11 and the rotatable grate element 14 is clearly visible. It can be seen that the combustible gas 2 can pass through the gap 16.
[0083] The combustible gas 2 can then enter the reactor cavity 5 through the gas outlet 8, which is located in particular at the filling lock
[0084] 6 opposite side of the reactor vessel 4 .
[0085] Furthermore, an agitator 23 is provided for mixing the combustible material 3, which is rotatable about its own axis by means of a rotary drive. It is also possible for the agitator 23 to be vertically displaceable in the operating position of the gasification device 1 shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, thermal insulation 22 is shown on the side walls of the reactor vessel 4, which is advantageously arranged at least substantially in the region of the agitator 23 and the grate 7.
[0086] In Fig. 2 the support rod 20 is also shown, to which the at least one rotatable grate element 14 is connected in a rotationally fixed manner in this embodiment, wherein the support rod 20 and the rotatable grate element 14 are jointly rotatable about the rotation axis 13 by means of the rotation device 12.
[0087] In this embodiment, the support rod 20 has a feed device 21 for supplying gasification agent, such as air and / or oxygen, into the reactor cavity 5.
[0088] In this embodiment, arms with an internally extended feed device 21 and feed openings for supplying gasification agent into the reactor cavity 5 are arranged on the support rod 20 orthogonally to the rotation axis 13.
[0089] In order to avoid repetition, the following description of the embodiments shown in Figs. 3 to 6 primarily focuses on the differences from the first embodiment. Otherwise, the above description of the first embodiment also applies, where applicable, to the embodiments described below.
[0090] Figures 3 and 4 schematically show a second exemplary embodiment of a carburetor device 1 according to the invention, wherein Figure 3 shows a horizontal section and Figure 4 a vertical section. Figure 3 is essentially a plan view of the grate 7, which in this exemplary embodiment comprises three fixed grate elements 11 and three rotatable grate elements 14.
[0091] In this embodiment, the carburetor device 1 has four grate holders 19 for holding the fixed grate elements 11, wherein the grate holders 19 are arranged outside the path of movement of the drivers 15.
[0092] It should be noted that in the first embodiment shown in Figs . 1 and 2 , there is advantageously no grate holder 19 , since here only a lowest fixed grate element 11 is present which is fastened directly to the side wall of the reactor vessel 4 .
[0093] As can be clearly seen in Fig. 4, the fixed grate elements 11 and the rotatable grate elements 14 are preferably arranged alternately.
[0094] It is advantageous that, with the exception of the lowest fixed grate element 11, i.e. the one closest to at least one discharge shaft 9, all other fixed grate elements 11 do not directly adjoin the reactor vessel 4, so that at least in some areas there is a distance between the fixed grate elements 11 and the reactor vessel 4 for the passage of material.
[0095] This means that advantageously , with the exception of the lowest fixed grate element 11 , i.e. the one closest to at least one discharge shaft 9 , all other fixed grate elements 11 are essentially ring - shaped and have grate projections 24 for fastening to the
[0096] Grate brackets 19 .
[0097] In Fig. 4, the grate holders 19 are clearly shown, wherein they are advantageously arranged on the side walls of the reactor vessel 4, preferably in the region of the thermal insulation 22.
[0098] In Fig. 4, the gaps 16 between the fixed grate elements 11 and the rotating grate elements 14 are also clearly visible. A total of five gaps 16 are present here, through which the combustible gas 2 can flow.
[0099] Fig. 5 shows an exploded view of the grate 7 of the second embodiment, wherein the individual grate elements 11 and 14 are shown in a top view according to their vertical sequence or according to their alternating arrangement. Thus, three fixed grate elements 11 and three rotatable grate elements 14 are shown here, with the rotatable grate elements 14 being identified by a curved arrow.
[0100] Here one can see that in this embodiment the lowest fixed grate element 11 is at the same time the collection area 17 in which the foreign bodies 10 accumulate due to gravity.
[0101] Furthermore, it can be seen that the lowermost rotatable grate element 14 has four carriers 15 which, upon rotation of the support rod 20, sweep over the collection area 17 and transport the foreign bodies 10 to at least one opening 18 above the at least one discharge shaft 9. Furthermore, in this exemplary embodiment, all fixed grate elements 11 each have four grate projections 24 which are advantageously designed such that they can be fastened to the associated grate holders 19.
[0102] It can also be seen in Fig. 5 that the fixed grate elements 11 are advantageously annular and, with the exception of the lowest one, are designed in such a way that there are distances between their outer edges and the reactor vessel 4.
[0103] Fig. 6 shows a horizontal section of a third embodiment of a gasifier device 1 according to the invention in which four grates 7 are arranged within a reactor vessel 4.
[0104] The lowest fixed grate element 11 advantageously has, when viewed from above, essentially an outer contour which is identical to the outer contour of the reactor vessel 4, since the lowest fixed grate element 11 is fastened directly to the side wall of the reactor vessel 4.
[0105] The lowest fixed grate element 11 is the common lowest fixed grate element 11 for all existing grates 7.
[0106] The common lowest fixed grate element 11 is advantageously also the collection area 17 for the accumulation of the foreign bodies 10.
[0107] To remove the accumulated foreign bodies 10, the
[0108] Carburettor device 1 in this embodiment a
[0109] Discharge shaft 9 in the middle between the grates 7. In this embodiment, each of the grates 7 advantageously has, in addition to the lowest jointly used fixed grate element 11, a further substantially annular fixed grate element 11.
[0110] All ring-shaped fixed grate elements 11 are advantageously held by means of grate holders 19, whereby it may be that at least two ring-shaped fixed grate elements 11 are fastened to some grate holders 19.
[0111] Furthermore, in this embodiment, each grate 7 advantageously has two rotatable grate elements 14, wherein the lowest rotatable grate element 14 has four drivers 15.
[0112] The rotatable grate elements 14 of the respective grates 7 are connected in a rotationally fixed manner to the respective support rods 20 and are rotatable with the support rods 20 and the feed devices 21 arranged internally therein.
[0113] In this embodiment, six arms with feed openings for feeding gasification agent transported by the feed device 21 into the reactor cavity 5 are arranged in a star shape on the individual support rods 20.
[0114] Key to the reference numbers:
[0115] carburetor device
[0116] Flammable gas
[0117] Combustible material
[0118] reactor vessel
[0119] reactor cavity
[0120] filling lock
[0121] rust
[0122] Gas outlet
[0123] Aust rags shaft
[0124] Foreign body
[0125] Fixed
[0126] Grate element
[0127] Rotation device
[0128] axis of rotation
[0129] Rotatable grate element
[0130] Driver
[0131] gap
[0132] Collection area
[0133] opening
[0134] Grate holder
[0135] Support rod
[0136] Feeding device
[0137] Thermal insulation
[0138] agitator
[0139] Grate projections
Claims
Patent claims Gasification device (1) for obtaining combustible gas (2) from combustible material (3), in particular from biomass, comprising - a reactor vessel (4) enclosing a reactor cavity (5), and - at least one filling lock (6) for filling the material (3) into the reactor cavity (5), and - at least one grate (7) in the reactor cavity (5), and - at least one gas outlet (8) for removing the combustible gas (2) generated from the combustible material (3) from the reactor cavity (5), and - at least one discharge shaft (9) for discharging non-combustible foreign bodies (10) from the reactor cavity (5), wherein the gas outlet (8) and the discharge shaft (9) are arranged on the side of the grate (7) opposite the filling lock (6), characterized in that the grate (7) has at least one fixed grate element (11) and at least one grate element (14) arranged on the side of the fixed grate element (11) facing the filling lock (6) and rotatable about a rotation axis (13) by means of a rotation device (12). Carburettor device (1) according to claim 1, characterized in that the one rotatable grate element (14), or in the case of at least two rotatable grate elements (14), the rotatable grate element (14) arranged closest to the discharge chute (9), has at least one driver (15) for carrying the foreign bodies (10) to the at least one discharge chute (9). Carburettor device (1) according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that the at least one fixed grate element (11) and the at least one rotatable grate element (14) are arranged relative to one another such that between them, at least in some regions, there is a gap (16) having a gap width of at most 10 mm, preferably at most 5 mm. Carburettor device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 3, characterized in that the rotatable grate element (14) closest to the filling lock (6) is impermeable to the foreign bodies (10) which are larger than 10 mm, preferably larger than 5 mm. Carburettor device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 4, characterized in that the at least one fixed grate element (11) furthest from the filling lock (6) comprises at least one collecting area (17) for receiving the foreign bodies (10), wherein the collecting area (17) has at least one opening (18) towards the at least one discharge shaft (9). Carburettor device (1) according to claim 5, characterized in that the collecting area (17) in the Plan view is substantially annular and / or is arranged at the edge of the grate (7) substantially adjacent to the reactor vessel (4). Gasifier device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 6, characterized in that the grate (7) has at least two fixed grate elements (11) and at least two rotatable grate elements (14), wherein the fixed grate elements (11) and the rotatable grate elements (14) are arranged alternately. Carburettor device (1) according to one of claims 2 to 7, characterized in that the carburetor device (1) has at least one grate holder (19) for holding the at least one fixed grate element (11), wherein the grate holder (19) is arranged outside a movement path of the at least one driver (15). Carburetor device (1) according to one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that the at least one rotatable grate element (14) is connected to a support rod (20) in a rotationally fixed manner, wherein the at least one rotatable grate element (14) and the support rod (20) are jointly rotatable about the rotation axis (13) by means of the rotation device (12). Gasification device (1) according to claim 9, characterized in that the support rod (20) has a, preferably internal, feed device (21) for feeding gasification agent into the reactor cavity (5).