Coaxial twin-screw rotor reactor for the thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous material feed.

Abstract

Coaxial twin-screw rotor reactor for the thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous feedstock. The invention essentially consists of a reactor, particularly for the thermochemical conversion of carbonaceous materials, with a rotating part forming a rotor within a cylindrical vessel forming a stator element. The rotor is in the form of a hollow cylinder, each of whose inner and outer walls is threaded to form a screw, the inner screw being oriented in the opposite direction to the outer one. The cylinder is mounted coaxially to the stator vessel and around a central cylindrical wall that forms another stator element. Figure for the abstract: Fig. 4

Description

Title of the invention: Coaxial twin-screw rotor reactor for the thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous material feedstock. Technical field

[0001] The present invention relates to the field of chemical processes and continuous or “batch” reactors with opening and closing of inlet airlocks to control residence times.

[0002] It relates more particularly to the thermochemical conversion of organic resources, that is to say of carbonaceous material charges.

[0003] By "carbonaceous material charge" is meant here and within the scope of the invention any material containing a quantity of carbon, in particular any carbonaceous material from residues.

[0004] It can therefore be biomass, that is to say any inhomogeneous material of plant origin containing carbon, such as lignocellulosic biomass, forest or agricultural residues (straw), which can be almost dry or soaked in water like household waste or waste resulting from water treatment like sewage treatment plant sludge. The biomass can be chosen from grape marc, olive pomace, oilseed cakes, slurry, crop residues such as pods, shells, hulls, stems, pulp, etc., food waste, wet waste from the agri-food industry or a mixture thereof.

[0005] It can also be a fossil fuel, such as coal.

[0006] It can also be combustible waste of industrial origin, also called com solid recovered fuels (SRF), particularly from the food industry, containing carbon, such as plastics or used tires, used oils, organic solvents

[0007] It can also be a combination of biomass and fossil fuel.

[0008] A reactor according to the invention is advantageously implemented in a thermochemical conversion plant for carbon resources by hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis or torrefaction.

[0009] More generally, a reactor according to the invention can be implemented in numerous applications, and particularly in the industrial fields of agri-food, chemistry, energy, including the oil sector and the transport sector.

[0010] Although described with reference to a thermochemical conversion application of carbonaceous material charges, the invention can be implemented in all process engineering applications where so-called stirred reactors, in which the composition is the same at all points and at all times, are a possible technological solution and for which the aim is to improve the management of the residence time of the carbonaceous material charge within them.

[0011] In particular, the invention can be applied in the field of agri-food. Prior art

[0012] Many existing processes allow the thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous material charge into liquid (biofuels, biochar), solid (granules), and gaseous (biogas, methane, syngas, hydrogen) fuels.

[0013] To implement these processes, it is known to implement a wide variety of chemical reactor technologies, among which we can cite tubular reactors with piston flow, turbulent flow, laminar flow, perfectly stirred reactors, perfectly stirred cascade reactors, etc.

[0014] The choice of reactors is usually made according to the desired operating parameters, in particular the residence times.

[0015] In existing reactors, the residence times of the material are not always controlled, which leads to an inhomogeneous output product, with some fractions not being converted enough and others too much. This leads to a reduction in the performance of the reactors due to the loss of efficiency.

[0016] We can thus cite patent EP3152166B1 which discloses a reactor for thermal treatment, in particular by hydrothermal carbonization, of sludge loaded with organic matter, which has a general cylindrical external shape inside which is arranged a hollow cylinder and a central agitator so that the injected material can circulate between the walls of the inner and outer cylinders in order to be recycled and, again, to be thermally treated. In such a reactor, the residence time of the material is not controlled and the product extracted at the bottom of the reactor is not systematically homogeneous. In addition, for certain materials which are difficult to move depending on their viscosity and / or particle sizes, such a reactor may present risks of clogging of the material between the walls of the cylinders.

[0017] Reactors operating with Archimedes screws, also called endless screws, are already known, which allow greater control of the residence time. However, they have the disadvantage of requiring significant lengths, generating large dimensions and significant thermal losses (heat exchange surface with the exterior).

[0018] In addition, these reactors often do not allow significant mixing of the materials to be thermally treated. The energy yields of these reactors are therefore not optimal.

[0019] Among these reactors, we can cite patent EP2484434B1 which discloses a continuous hydrothermal carbonization reactor, in which a plurality of endless screws connected to each other and synchronized by chains and arranged to convey and thermally treat the carbonaceous material. The arrangement of the endless screws and their mechanical connections make the reactor bulky and mechanically fragile.

[0020] Patent EP1970431B1 describes a hydrothermal carbonization installation for biomass, with a pressure reactor in which an agitator is arranged to carry out the transfer of material in a direction which may be vertical. The reactor with an agitator has the disadvantage of requiring a significant length to reach the temperatures necessary for the heat treatment and to obtain a homogeneous mixture. The resulting heat losses are therefore significant.

[0021] There is therefore a need to improve reactors for the thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous material feedstock in order to control the residence time of this feedstock, by overcoming the aforementioned drawbacks.

[0022] The aim of the invention is to meet at least part of this need. Statement of the invention

[0023] To do this, the invention relates, in one of its aspects, to a reactor comprising:

[0024] - a stator delimited externally by a cylindrical tank with a central axis (Y) comprising at least one feed opening for the load, one material discharge opening and one central opening, the cylindrical tank housing at least one fixed cylindrical wall, which extends along or parallel to the central axis (Y) and whose height is less than that of the cylindrical tank;

[0025] - a rotor comprising at least one hollow cylinder open at least partially to one of its two longitudinal ends, the height of which is less than that of the cylindrical tank of the rotor and comprising, at the other of its longitudinal ends, an openwork plate in the center of which is fixed a shaft forming a hub, the hollow cylinder being provided on its inner periphery with a first thread forming a first worm screw, and on its outer periphery with a second thread forming a second worm screw whose winding direction is opposite to that of the first screw;

[0026] reactor in which the rotor hub is housed in a sealed and coaxial manner in the central opening of the cylindrical stator tank so that in operation, the rotation of the rotor moves, by one of the first or second endless screws, the charge of material fed by the feed opening, in a first direction parallel to the central axis, to the longitudinal end of the stator tank opposite the feed opening, to be returned there and moved, by the other of the first or second endless screws in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to the opening evacuation.

[0027] Advantageously, the longitudinal end wall of the stator tank against which the charge of material is returned is flat, or has a non-flat shape suitable for a flow of material, preferably a torus portion shape facing, preferably centered, the rotor cylinder, to direct the flow of the charge from one longitudinal end of one of the first or second screws toward a longitudinal end of the other of the first or second screws.

[0028] According to one embodiment:

[0029] - the stator tank houses a single fixed cylindrical wall which extends along the central axis

[0030] - the rotor consists of a single hollow cylinder;

[0031] - the hub of the rotor is arranged opposite the single fixed cylindrical wall;

[0032] - one of the supply and discharge openings is arranged in a wall longitudinal end of the tank, opposite the space between the single fixed wall of the stator and the interior of the hollow rotor cylinder, while the other of the supply and discharge openings is arranged between the fixed cylindrical wall housed in the tank and the side wall of the tank.

[0033] According to an alternative embodiment:

[0034] - the stator tank houses several fixed, concentric cylindrical walls, one of which which extends along the central axis;

[0035] - the rotor consists of a plurality of concentric hollow cylinders connected together them by one of their longitudinal ends by a closing plate;

[0036] - the hub of the rotor is arranged opposite the fixed cylindrical wall which extends according to the central axis and each of the other concentric cylindrical walls being housed inside a space delimited by two adjacent concentric hollow cylinders and their closing plate;

[0037] - one of the supply and discharge openings is arranged in a wall longitudinal end of the tank opposite the space between the central fixed cylindrical wall and the interior of the central hollow rotor cylinder; while the other of the supply and discharge openings is arranged between the fixed cylindrical wall housed furthest from the central axis in the tank and the side wall of the tank.

[0038] In other words, this other alternative mode provides a rotor with several stages of screws in series within the same stator tank.

[0039] According to an advantageous embodiment, the reactor comprises a variable pressure drop device in the material discharge opening, so as to recirculate at least part of the material charge within the reactor before its final discharge. Thus, only part of the converted material charge can be taken and another part can be recirculated within the reactor before discharging it.

[0040] According to an advantageous embodiment, the reactor comprises at least one raking arm fixed inside the stator tank, comprising raking teeth fixed perpendicular to the arm and adapted to rake the moving material. Thus, the raking teeth facilitate the transfer of material within the stator tank.

[0041] Preferably, according to this variant, at least one raking arm is arranged between a longitudinal end of the rotor and a longitudinal end wall of the tank.

[0042] More preferably, the raking teeth are arranged to move the material in a radial direction above and / or below the rotor, in a centrifugal or centripetal direction.

[0043] In the case of implementation by hydrothermal carbonization, the reactor may have one and / or other of the advantageous operating characteristics, as follows:

[0044] - the operating temperature within the tank is between 100 and 300°C, preferably between 150 and 250°C,

[0045] - the operating pressure within the tank is between 1 and 100 bars, preferably between 5 and 40 bars,

[0046] - the flow rate of material within the tank is between 10 and 500 kg / hour.

[0047] - the residence time of the material is between 20 min and 10 hours.

[0048] The reactor advantageously comprises heating means arranged outside the stator tank and / or within the stator tank and / or inside the fixed cylindrical wall of the stator. Depending on the configuration and / or the type of material and thermochemical reaction to be implemented, the heating means required for the reaction can be arranged and adapted as desired.

[0049] Advantageously, the heating means comprise heating collars and / or a heat transfer fluid exchange circuit and / or one or more electrical resistors for heating by Joule effect and / or means for injecting recovered fumes and / or means for injecting steam.

[0050] The invention also relates to the use of a reactor as described above, for the thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous material feedstock, in particular hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis or torrefaction of biomass, preferably having an initial dry matter content of between 1% and 50%.

[0051] More generally, the invention can be envisaged in process engineering applications where perfectly stirred reactors are a possible technological solution and for which the aim is to improve the management of the residence time of the material to be treated within them.

[0052] Thus, the invention essentially consists of a reactor, in particular for the thermochemical conversion of carbonaceous material, with a rotating part forming a rotor within a cylindrical tank forming a stator element. The rotor is in the form of a cylinder hollow, each of the inner and outer walls of which is threaded to form a worm screw, the inner worm screw being in a direction opposite to the outer one, the cylinder being mounted coaxially with the stator tank and around a central cylindrical wall which forms another stator element.

[0053] The structure of the reactor thus proposed forces the material, during operation with the rotating rotor, to follow a defined path between the rotor and the stator, such that the carbonaceous material which is converted is guided and can only move in the direction defined by the rotation of the rotor. This makes it possible to solve the problem of the homogeneity of the residence time of the material according to the state of the art.

[0054] In addition, since the rotation speed of the rotor is controlled and constant, the speed of movement of the material within the reactor is stable.

[0055] In other words, the invention makes it possible to solve the problem of the length of worm or Archimedes screw reactors according to the state of the art and of related thermal losses, due to the creation of an outgoing material flow and a return material flow in the same tank.

[0056] The invention makes it possible to combine the principle of endless screws or Archimedes and reactor vessels with arbitrary length / diameter aspect ratios.

[0057] The invention, due to its simplicity and low rotation speed, makes it possible a priori to implement a thermochemical conversion process reliably and at lower maintenance costs.

[0058] With a variable pressure drop device within the material discharge opening, the invention also allows reprocessing of part of the material within the reactor, which makes it possible to decorrelate the residence time from the circulation speed of the material within the reactor.

[0059] The distance separating the walls of the stator and the rotor can be very small, possibly almost zero if the stator walls are provided with one or more scraping arms with or without teeth. Scraping can for example be carried out by means of one or more strips of polymer resistant to high temperatures. It is thus possible to add a scraping function and therefore to limit / suppress fouling of the reactor. This is particularly useful in the case of material to be converted, which has strong adhesion.

[0060] According to an advantageous variant, the heating means can be arranged in particular by a heat transfer fluid circuit within the fixed cylindrical wall(s). Thus, the heat can be injected directly inside the reactor vessel, which makes it possible to limit heat losses through the external walls in contact with the external environment.

[0061] In the variant where the material is injected into the space located between the external wall of the reactor vessel and the external part of the rotor, the cold zone of the reactor is is located on the outermost area, which helps to limit heat losses as much as possible. Consequently, maximum heat transfer takes place to heat the material, while the heating of the external walls of the tank is limited.

[0062] Other advantages and characteristics of the invention will become more apparent upon reading the detailed description of examples of implementation of the invention given by way of illustration and not limitation with reference to the following figures. Brief description of the drawings

[0063] [Fig.l] [Fig.l] is a schematic view in transparency of a part of a reactor for the thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous material charge, according to the invention.

[0064] [Fig.2], [Fig.2A] Figures 2, 2A are schematic views respectively in perspective and transparency of the reactor stator according to [Fig.l].

[0065] [Fig.3] [Fig.3] is a schematic perspective view of the rotor of the reactor according to the [Fig.l].

[0066] [Fig.4] [Fig.4] is a schematic representation in longitudinal section view of a reactor according to a variant of the invention, which shows in operation, the transfer of carbonaceous material within the reactor during the rotation of its rotor.

[0067] [Fig.5] [Fig.5] is a schematic representation in longitudinal section view of a reactor according to another variant of the invention, which shows in operation, the transfer of carbonaceous material within the reactor during the rotation of its rotor.

[0068] [Fig.6] [Fig.6] is a schematic representation in longitudinal section view of a reactor according to several other variants of the invention, which shows in operation, the transfer of carbonaceous material within the reactor during the rotation of its rotor as well as internal heating functions of the load.

[0069] [Fig.7] [Fig.7] illustrates in the form of curves, the consequences of the implementation implementation of the invention on the presence times of a load. For this, we consider the result of numerical simulations modeling the transport of a passive scalar (transport of a temperature pulse initiated at the reactor inlet according to the invention, and for comparison, at the inlet of a so-called perfectly stirred reactor, according to the state of the art). Detailed description

[0070] Throughout the application, the terms “upstream”, “downstream”, “inlet”, “outlet” are to be considered in relation to the direction of circulation of a flow of material in a reactor according to the invention.

[0071] Throughout the application, the terms “lower”, “upper”, “above”, “below”, “inner”, “outer”, “internal”, “external” are to be considered in an operating configuration of a reactor according to the invention, arranged with its central axis Y of the stator vertically.

[0072] Figures 1 to 3 show a reactor 1 according to the invention and its various components, intended to carry out a thermochemical conversion of carbonaceous material. This may advantageously involve hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis or torrefaction of a biomass.

[0073] The reactor 1 comprises a stator 2 in which a rotor 3 is arranged coaxially, mounted in rotation and with sealing.

[0074] The stator 2 is delimited externally by a cylindrical tank 20 with a central axis (Y) which is pierced with a feed opening 21 for the charge of material to be converted, a material discharge opening 22 and a central opening 23.

[0075] The cylindrical tank 20 houses a fixed cylindrical wall, which extends along the central axis (Y) and whose height h is less than the height H of the cylindrical tank.

[0076] The rotor 3 comprises a hollow cylinder 30 open at its two longitudinal ends, the height H1 of which is less than the height H of the cylindrical tank of the rotor. Thus, in the mounted configuration of the rotor 3 in the stator 2, a space E is cleared between at least one of the longitudinal ends of the rotor 3 and an end wall 200 of the tank 20 which is opposite. This space E constitutes a space for transferring and turning over the material circulating in the tank 20. A space E may be provided at the top and / or at the bottom of the tank 20.

[0077] The hollow cylinder 30 comprises at one of the longitudinal ends, an openwork plate 31 in the center of which is fixed a shaft 32 with hub 33. This drive hub 33 is mounted with sealing through the central opening 23 of the tank 20 of the stator 2.

[0078] The hollow cylinder 30 is provided on its inner periphery with a first thread 34 forming a first endless screw, and on its outer periphery with a second thread forming a second endless screw 35 whose winding direction is opposite to that of the first screw.

[0079] Heating means, not shown, are arranged outside the stator tank 20 and / or within the stator tank and / or inside the fixed cylindrical wall 24 of the stator.

[0080] These may be heating collars around the tank 20 and / or a heat transfer fluid exchange circuit inside the fixed cylindrical wall 24 and / or one or more electrical resistors for heating by Joule effect and / or means for injecting recovered fumes and / or means for injecting steam into the tank 20. Integrating the heating means into the fixed cylindrical wall 24 has the major advantage of directly injecting the heat necessary for the thermochemical conversion reaction, inside the tank 20, which makes it possible to limit heat losses through the external walls in contact with the external environment.

[0081] The operation of a reactor 1 according to the invention will now be described in relation to Figures 3 and 4.

[0082] The heating means bring the interior of the tank 20 to the temperature required for the intended thermochemical conversion. Typically, the operating temperature within the tank 20 is between 100 and 300°C, preferably between 150 and 250°C.

[0083] The operating pressure within the tank is preferably between 1 and 100 bars, preferably between 5 and 40 bars.

[0084] The rotor 3 is rotated inside the tank 20. The rotation speed of the rotor 3 is adjustable, for example from 2 to 120 rpm depending on various parameters, including in particular the characteristics of the material to be converted and the target residence times within the tank 20.

[0085] The injection / feeding of the material to be converted M and, where appropriate, water is carried out through the opening 21 made in a longitudinal end wall 201 of the tank 20. The flow rate of material to be converted within the tank is preferably between 10 and 500 kg / hour.

[0086] In operation, the rotation of the rotor 3 moves, by the outer worm screw 35, the load of material in a first direction parallel to the central axis (Y) (upward arrows in figures 3 and 4), between the tank 20 and the hollow cylinder 30 of the rotor and this up to the longitudinal end of the tank 20 of the stator opposite the feed opening, which is delimited by a plate 200.

[0087] The material is returned at the level of this plate 200 in the space E (curved arrows in figures 3 and 4) then is moved, by the inner endless screw 34 in a second direction, opposite to the first direction (downward arrows in figures 3 and 4), to the discharge opening 22.

[0088] Thus, the rotation of the rotor 3 causes the material M to transit in thermochemical conversion in an upward direction through the worm screw 35 while the other worm screw 34 causes the material M to transit in a downward direction. Thanks to this transfer in opposite directions, the hydrodynamic regime is decorrelated from the travel time of the material M within the reactor, without having to increase the volume of the latter.

[0089] The residence time of the material is preferably between 20 min and 10 hours.

[0090] The withdrawal or evacuation of the thermochemically converted material Mc and, where appropriate, water is carried out through the opening 22 made in the plate 201.

[0091] The longitudinal end plate 200 of the tank which allows the material M to be transferred by turning over may be flat in shape ([Fig.4]), or preferably in the form of a toroidal portion ([Fig.5]) with the concavity of the torus oriented towards the inside of the tank 20. This toroidal portion 200 makes it possible to optimally direct the flow of material from one worm screw 35 to the other worm screw 34.

[0092] In Figures 1 to 5, the rotor 3 comprises a single cylinder 30 which is rotated around the central cylindrical wall 24.

[0093] It is possible to arrange a rotor 3 with several stages of worm screw cylinders, in series within the same stator tank 20.

[0094] Thus, as illustrated in [Fig.6], the rotor 3 comprises an additional hollow cylinder 36 with an inner worm screw 37 and an outer worm screw 38, which is concentric with the cylinder 30 and connected to the latter by a connecting wall 39.

[0095] An additional fixed wall 25 is arranged in the tank 20 and concentrically to the central wall 24.

[0096] The rotor 3 is therefore mounted in the tank 20 so that the central hollow cylinder 30 is coaxial with the fixed central wall 24, the additional cylindrical wall 25 being arranged between the two concentric cylinders 30, 36 of the rotor 3.

[0097] Thus, the material M, injected into the opening 21 on the end wall of the top 200 of the tank 20 is moved by the inner endless screw 34 of the cylinder 30 at the bottom until it passes through its perforated plate 31. Then it is returned by the end wall of the bottom 201 of the tank 20 to be moved in the upward direction by the outer endless screw 35 of the cylinder 30 into the space between the top of the additional fixed wall 25 and the connecting wall 39 in which it is returned.

[0098] The inner worm screw 37 of the additional cylinder 36 then transfers the material in a downward direction to the bottom end wall 201 of the tank 20 where it can be discharged through the discharge opening 25.

[0099] A variable pressure drop device 4 in the discharge opening 22 may be provided. This device 4 makes it possible to manage the proportions of the flow of material which can recirculate inside or be discharged from the tank 20. In other words, this device 4 makes it possible to recirculate at least part of the material load M within the reactor before its final discharge. As illustrated in [Fig.6], the recirculation may be ensured by the external endless screw 38 of the additional rotor cylinder 3 between the latter and the side wall of the tank 2.

[0100] A raking arm 5 with raking teeth 50 may be integrated inside the tank 20. Preferably, the raking teeth 50 are arranged at the bottom and top of the inside of the tank 20, with an inclination adapted so as to allow a transfer of the material in the radial direction of the tank 20 and preferably in directions depending on the configuration of the reactor 1. As shown in [Fig.6], the direction may be centrifugal with a raking device in the bottom of the tank 20 and centripetal in the top of the tank 20.

[0101] [Fig.7] illustrates the result of a numerical simulation carried out on a reactor 1 as illustrated in figures 1 and 3, and for comparison on a perfectly stirred reactor with a central bladed shaft according to the state of the art. To do this, the Solidworks software has was used for the realization of the geometry of the model, the thermo hydraulic simulations were carried out by Flowsimulation, backed by Solidworks.

[0102] In this simulation, each reactor is fed by a constant flow of material, fairly viscous (the model fluid considered is sludge, the behavior of which is described through the Herschel-Bulkley model), and at a fixed temperature.

[0103] The simulation consisted of generating a temperature pulse at the inlet over a short time compared to the average presence time r in the reactor vessel, i.e. evaluated as the ratio of the volume of the vessel to the volume flow rate of the load.

[0104] In the simulation, the duration of an input pulse is approximately equal to 0.2 r.

[0105] The temperature was recorded at the outlet.

[0106] The output response of the reactor according to the state of the art corresponds to the data in the literature, and in particular a significant time spread of the signal. The modeled response of a reactor according to the invention shows a more restricted probability of spread of the presence time (output el or e2) than that of the state of the art. This probability of time el or e2 is dependent on various parameters, in particular potential leaks between the rotor 3 and the stator 2.

[0107] The invention is not limited to the examples which have just been described; it is possible in particular to combine characteristics of the examples illustrated within non-illustrated variants.

[0108] Other variants and improvements may be envisaged without departing from the scope of the invention.

Claims

Claims

1. Reactor (1) comprising: - a stator (2) delimited externally by a cylindrical tank (20) with a central axis (Y) comprising an opening for feeding a load of material, an opening for discharging the material and a central opening, the cylindrical tank housing at least one fixed cylindrical wall, which extends along or parallel to the central axis (Y) and whose height is less than that of the cylindrical tank; - a rotor comprising at least one hollow cylinder open at least partially at one of its two longitudinal ends, the height of which is less than that of the cylindrical tank of the rotor and comprising, at the other of its longitudinal ends, an openwork plate in the center of which is fixed a shaft forming a hub, the hollow cylinder being provided on its inner periphery with a first thread forming a first worm screw, and on its outer periphery with a second thread forming a second worm screw whose winding direction is opposite to that of the first screw; reactor in which the rotor hub is housed in a sealed and coaxial manner in the central opening of the cylindrical stator tank so that in operation, the rotation of the rotor moves, by one of the first or second endless screws, the charge of material, fed by the feed opening, in a first direction parallel to the central axis (Y), to the longitudinal end of the stator tank opposite the feed opening, to be returned there and moved, by the other of the first or second endless screws in a second direction, opposite to the first direction, to the discharge opening.

2. A reactor according to claim 1, the longitudinal end wall of the stator vessel against which the material charge is returned being flat or having a non-flat shape adapted to redirect a material flow, preferably a torus portion shape facing, preferably centered, the rotor cylinder, to direct the flow of the charge from a longitudinal end of one of the first or second screws to a longitudinal end of the other of the first or second screws. second screw.

3. Reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, wherein: - the stator vessel houses a single fixed cylindrical wall which extends along the central axis; - the rotor consists of a single hollow cylinder; - the hub of the rotor is arranged opposite the single fixed cylindrical wall; - one of the supply and discharge openings is arranged in a longitudinal end wall of the vessel, opposite the space between the single fixed wall of the stator and the interior of the hollow rotor cylinder, while the other of the supply and discharge openings is arranged between the fixed cylindrical wall housed in the vessel and the side wall of the vessel.

4. Reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 or 2, in which: - the stator tank houses several fixed, concentric cylindrical walls, one of which extends along the central axis; - the rotor consists of a plurality of concentric hollow cylinders connected to each other by one of their longitudinal ends by a closing plate; - the hub of the rotor is arranged opposite the fixed cylindrical wall which extends along the central axis and each of the other concentric cylindrical walls being housed inside a space delimited by two adjacent concentric hollow cylinders and their closing plate; - one of the supply and discharge openings is arranged in a longitudinal end wall of the tank opposite the space between the central fixed cylindrical wall and the interior of the central hollow rotor cylinder;while the other of the supply and discharge openings is arranged between the fixed cylindrical wall housed furthest from the central axis in the tank and the side wall of the tank.;

5. Reactor (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising a variable pressure drop device in the material discharge opening, so as to recirculate at least part of the material load within the reactor before its final discharge.

6. Reactor (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising at least one raking arm fixed inside the stator tank, comprising raking teeth fixed perpendicular to the arm and adapted to rake the moving material.

7. Reactor according to claim 6, comprising at least one arm of rabbling arranged between a longitudinal end of the rotor and a longitudinal end wall of the tank.

8. A reactor according to claim 7, the raking teeth being arranged to move the material in a radial direction above and / or below the rotor, in a centrifugal or centripetal direction.

9. Reactor (1) according to one of the preceding claims, comprising heating means arranged outside the stator tank and / or within the stator tank and / or inside the fixed cylindrical wall of the stator.

10. Reactor (1) according to claim 9, the heating means comprise heating collars and / or an exchange circuit by heat transfer fluid and / or one or more electrical resistors for heating by Joule effect and / or means for injecting recovered fumes and / or means for injecting steam.

11. Method of operating a reactor (1) according to one of the preceding claims, the operating temperature within the tank being between 100 and 300°C, preferably between 150 and 250°C.

12. Method of operating a reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, the operating pressure within the tank being between 1 and 100 bars, preferably between 5 and 40 bars.

13. Method of operating a reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, the flow rate of material within the tank being between 10 and 500 kg / hour.

14. Method of operating a reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, the residence time of the material being between 20 min and 10 hours.

15. Use of a reactor (1) according to one of claims 1 to 10, for the thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous material feedstock, in particular hydrothermal carbonization, pyrolysis or torrefaction of biomass, preferably having an initial dry matter content of between 1% and 50%.

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