Method for producing organic substance and apparatus for producing organic substance

Abstract

To provide a method and apparatus for efficiently and stably producing an organic substance, such as ethanol, from synthetic gas derived from waste by using a catalyst such as a microbial catalyst.SOLUTION: The method for producing an organic substance comprises the steps of: gasifying waste G0 in a gasifier 14 to generate synthetic gas G1; supplying the synthetic gas G1 to an organic substance generation unit 17 via a supply path 25 and contacting it with a catalyst in the organic substance generation unit 17 to generate an organic substance; detecting the amount of synthetic gas G1 flowing through the supply path 25; and controlling the amount of synthetic gas G1 supplied to the organic substance generation unit 17 on the basis of the detected amount of gas.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a method for producing an organic substance using a synthesis gas as a raw material, and an organic substance production apparatus for producing an organic substance using a synthesis gas as a raw material. [Background technology]

[0002] A widely known technology is to generate gas from various types of waste such as industrial waste and general waste by pyrolysis in a gasification furnace, and then to obtain synthesis gas by reforming the generated gas in a reformer, as described in Patent Document 1. The obtained synthesis gas is often used for power generation and the like after heat recovery in a boiler or the like. The gasification processing system described in Patent Document 1 uses a fluidized bed gasification furnace as the gasification furnace, and is provided with a CO2 introduction amount control means, an O2 amount control means, and an H2O introduction amount control means for controlling the amounts of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water vapor introduced into the furnace, respectively. Patent Document 1 describes that with this configuration, the introduction amounts of carbon dioxide, oxygen, and water vapor are independently controlled, making it possible to optimize the amounts of water vapor and oxygen and to achieve optimal fluidization, thereby achieving highly efficient gasification.

[0003] In recent years, there have also been attempts to use synthesis gas as a raw material for chemical synthesis. For example, attempts have been made to supply synthesis gas to a reactor filled with a microbial catalyst and convert the synthesis gas into organic substances such as ethanol in the reactor (see, for example, Patent Document 2). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 4662338 [Patent Document 2] Patent No. 2019-167424 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] Meanwhile, waste is collected from various places at landfill sites and the like, and is temporarily stored in a storage area such as a waste pit before being fed into a gasification furnace, etc. At this time, the waste stored in the storage area varies greatly in composition and moisture content, so it is common for the waste to be mixed using a crane or the like before being fed into the gasification furnace.

[0006] However, even if waste is mixed using a crane or the like, there is still a lot of variation, and therefore even if equal amounts of waste are fed into a gasifier using a dust feeder or the like, there can be large variations in the amount of synthesis gas produced per unit time.For example, a wide variety of waste is received at a landfill site, and different types of waste are generally fed into a gasifier in sequence.In this case, if the type of waste changes, the amount of synthesis gas produced per unit time can vary greatly.

[0007] When using the synthetic gas for power generation, for example, even if the amount of electricity produced varies depending on the amount of electricity produced, the synthetic gas produced can generally be used, and efficient power generation can be achieved. On the other hand, when organic substances such as ethanol are produced using a microbial catalyst from the synthetic gas as a raw material, if the amount of synthetic gas supplied to the reactor is insufficient due to the variation in the amount of synthetic gas produced, the microbial catalyst may be killed, making it difficult to produce stable organic substances. On the other hand, if the amount of microbial catalyst in the reactor is restricted in consideration of the variation in the amount of synthetic gas produced, a sufficient amount of organic substances cannot be produced, and furthermore, the amount of synthetic gas wasted increases, making efficient production difficult.

[0008] In addition, although Patent Document 1 shows that synthesis gas can be efficiently produced, the variation in the amount of synthesis gas produced due to the variation in waste cannot be sufficiently suppressed. Therefore, even if the configuration of Patent Document 1 is directly applied to a production facility that produces organic substances using a catalyst such as a microbial catalyst, it is difficult to produce organic substances efficiently and stably.

[0009] Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing an organic substance, which can efficiently and stably produce an organic substance such as ethanol from a waste-derived synthesis gas using a catalyst such as a microbial catalyst, and an organic substance production apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The gist of the present invention is as follows [1] to

[13] . [1] A process for producing synthesis gas by gasifying waste in a gasifier; supplying the synthesis gas to an organic substance production section via a supply path and contacting the synthesis gas with a catalyst in the organic substance production section to produce an organic substance; Detecting the amount of the synthesis gas flowing through the supply line; controlling the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production unit in accordance with the detected amount of gas; A method for producing an organic substance comprising the steps of: [2] The organic substance production method described in [1] above, wherein the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production unit is controlled by changing the amount of the waste supplied to the gasification device according to the detected amount of gas. [3] A return path is connected to the supply path for returning the synthesis gas to the gasification apparatus; The organic substance production method described in [1] or [2] above, wherein if the detected gas amount is greater than a reference value, a portion of the synthesis gas flowing through the supply path is returned to the gasification device via the return path, thereby controlling the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production unit. [4] The method for producing an organic substance according to any one of the above [1] to [3], wherein the catalyst is a microbial catalyst. [5] The method for producing an organic substance according to any one of the above [1] to [4], wherein the organic substance contains ethanol. [6] The method for producing an organic substance according to any one of the above [1] to [5], wherein the waste material dried in a dryer is supplied to a gasification apparatus. [7] a gasifier for gasifying waste to produce synthesis gas; an organic substance generating section for generating an organic substance by contacting the synthesis gas with a catalyst; A supply path for supplying the synthesis gas generated in the gasification apparatus to an organic matter generation section; a gas amount detector for detecting the amount of the synthesis gas flowing through the supply path, an organic substance producing apparatus for controlling the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance producing section in accordance with the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector; [8] A waste material supply means for supplying waste material to the gasification apparatus, The organic substance production apparatus described in [7] above, wherein the waste supply means controls the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production unit by changing the amount of the waste supplied to the gasification device in accordance with the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector. [9] The organic substance production apparatus according to [7] or [8] above, further comprising a return path connected to the supply path and returning the synthesis gas flowing through the supply path to the gasification apparatus.

[10] The organic substance production apparatus described in [9] above, wherein if the detected amount of gas is greater than a reference value, a portion of the synthesis gas flowing through the supply path is returned to the gasification apparatus via the return path, thereby controlling the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production unit.

[11] The organic substance producing apparatus according to any one of the above [7] to

[10] , wherein the catalyst is a microbial catalyst.

[12] The organic substance producing apparatus according to any one of the above [7] to

[11] , wherein the organic substance contains ethanol.

[13] a dryer for drying the waste; a waste supply means for supplying the waste dried in the dryer to the gasification apparatus; The organic substance producing apparatus according to any one of the above items [7] to

[12] , Effect of the Invention

[0011] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a method for producing an organic substance, and an organic substance production apparatus, which can efficiently and stably produce an organic substance such as ethanol from a synthesis gas derived from waste using a catalyst such as a microbial catalyst. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0012] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an organic substance producing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. [Diagram 2] FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing the overall configuration of an organic substance producing apparatus according to a second embodiment of the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0013] <First embodiment> Next, the present invention will be described using embodiments with reference to the drawings. 1 shows an organic substance producing apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. Hereinafter, the organic substance producing apparatus and the organic substance producing method according to the first embodiment will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

[0014] 1, the organic substance manufacturing apparatus 10 includes a gasifier 14, an organic substance generator 17, a gas amount detector 20, and a supply path 25. The organic substance manufacturing apparatus 10 may also include a storage section 11, a dryer 13, a dust feeder 23 as a waste material supply means for supplying waste material to the gasifier 14, a downstream processing device 18, etc.

[0015] In the organic substance production apparatus 10, waste material G0 is gasified in the gasifier 14 to generate a synthesis gas G1. The generated synthesis gas G1 is supplied to the organic substance production section 17 via a supply path 25. In the organic substance production section 17, the synthesis gas G1 is brought into contact with a catalyst to generate an organic substance. In addition, the amount of the synthesis gas G1 flowing through the supply path 25 is detected by a gas amount detector 20, and the amount of the synthesis gas G1 that is flowed through the supply path 25 and then supplied to the organic substance production section 17 is adjusted according to the detected gas amount. In this embodiment, the amount of synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance production section 17 is stabilized by the above-mentioned configuration, so that organic substances such as ethanol can be produced efficiently and stably by the microbial catalyst.

[0016] Hereinafter, the organic substance producing apparatus and the organic substance producing method according to the present embodiment will be described by explaining each of the components constituting the organic substance producing apparatus 10 according to the present embodiment.

[0017] (Storage section) The storage unit 11 is a device that receives and stores the waste G0, and is, for example, a waste pit. The waste G0 may be industrial waste such as industrial solid waste, or general waste such as municipal solid waste (MSW), and may include combustible materials such as plastic waste, food waste, discarded tires, biomass waste, food waste, building materials, wood, wood chips, fiber, and paper. Among these, municipal solid waste (MSW) is preferred. The waste G0 generally contains a certain amount of moisture, and for example, general waste such as municipal solid waste (MSW) contains moisture of about 20 to 60% by mass, more typically about 30 to 50% by mass.

[0018] The storage unit 11 receives the waste G0, for example, from a platform 12 provided adjacent to the storage unit 11. For example, a garbage collection truck may be parked at the platform 12, and the waste G0 may be dumped from the garbage collection truck into the storage unit 11, but the method of dumping the waste G0 is not particularly limited.

[0019] A crane 22 serving as waste supply means is provided above the storage section 11. The crane 22 is capable of moving, for example, in the horizontal and vertical directions, and is also capable of gripping the waste G0 and releasing the gripped waste G0. This allows the crane 22 to supply the waste G0 stored in the storage section 11 to the dryer 13. The crane 22 can also move the waste G0 stored in the storage unit 11 within the storage unit 11, or repeatedly grip and release the gripped waste G0, thereby mixing the waste G0 inside the storage unit 11. Mixing the waste G0 in the storage unit 11 makes it easier to suppress variations in the components and moisture content of the waste G0. The waste materials G0 in the storage section 11 may be mixed by a mixing means other than the crane 22, such as an agitator.

[0020] However, although a crane 22 is shown as a waste supplying means for supplying the waste G0 stored in the storage section 11 to the dryer 13, a device other than the crane 22 may be used, for example, a belt conveyor, a dust feeder, a hopper, or other transport device powered by electricity, air, a gas such as nitrogen, or steam. Of course, the waste supplying means for supplying the waste G0 to the dryer 13 may be a combination of a crane and a transporting device other than a crane, or a combination of two or more transporting devices other than a crane.

[0021] (dryer) The dryer 13 dries the waste G0 supplied from the storage unit 11. The type of the dryer 13 is not particularly limited, but may be a batch dryer or a mobile dryer. The mobile dryer is a device that continuously dries the waste G0 while moving the waste G0 from an inlet to an outlet. In addition, in FIG. 1, a mobile dryer is shown as a representative example of the dryer 13, but is not particularly limited. Examples of the mobile dryer include a rotary dryer and a belt conveyor dryer. A rotary dryer rotates a cylindrical rotating shell to move and dry the waste G0 placed inside the shell. A belt conveyor dryer dries the waste G0 inside the dryer while transporting it on a belt conveyor. A batch dryer is a device that dries waste G0 in batches. The waste G0 is fed into the dryer, heated for a certain period of time, and then the waste G0 is removed from the dryer to dry it.

[0022] The drying method of the dryer 13 is not particularly limited, and may be either a direct drying method in which the waste G0 is dried by passing hot air through the inside of the dryer, or an indirect drying method in which the inside surface of the device that comes into contact with the waste G0 (for example, the inside surface of the rotating shell in a rotary dryer) is heated by heat transfer, or another method. In the indirect drying method, the inside surface of the device may be heated by a heat medium passing through a heat transfer tube provided inside the device. Examples of the heat medium include steam, but are not particularly limited. The temperature (drying temperature) inside the dryer 13 when drying the waste G0 may be set so that the moisture content of the waste G0 after drying falls within a predetermined range described below, for example, 50 to 400°C, and preferably 100 to 300°C. The waste G may be dried at the above drying temperature for, for example, 1 to 10 minutes, and preferably 2 to 8 minutes.

[0023] The waste G0, particularly general waste such as municipal solid waste (MSW), generally has a large variation in moisture content, so drying with the dryer 13 can suppress the variation in moisture content. Suppressing the variation in moisture content makes it easier to stabilize the amount of synthesis gas G1 generated per unit time in the gasification device 14 and the carbon monoxide and hydrogen contents in the synthesis gas G1. This makes it easier to generate organic substances more stably and efficiently in the organic substance generation unit 17 described below. In addition, the amount of gas amount control of the synthesis gas G0 supplied to the organic substance generation unit 17 can be reduced, making it more practical.

[0024] The waste G0 may be dried in the dryer 13 so that the moisture content is, for example, 30% by mass or less. By setting the moisture content to 30% by mass or less, it becomes easier to keep the variation in the moisture content of the dried waste G0 within a certain range, and it becomes easier to stabilize the amount of synthesis gas G1 generated per unit time in the gasification device 14 and the carbon monoxide and hydrogen contents in the synthesis gas G1. Moreover, in the dryer 13, the waste G0 is preferably dried so that the moisture content is, for example, 5% by mass or more. Since it is generally difficult for the dryer 13 to reduce the moisture content of the waste G0 below a certain amount, the waste G0 can be dried efficiently by setting the moisture content to 5% by mass or more. In addition, there is no need to increase the drying capacity of the dryer 13 more than necessary, and energy consumption for evaporating moisture can be reduced. From these viewpoints, the moisture content is preferably 25% by mass or less, more preferably 20% by mass or less, even more preferably 15% by mass or less, and more preferably 10% by mass or more. In order to keep the moisture content of the waste G0 within the above range, it is advisable to appropriately adjust the drying conditions of the dryer, taking into consideration the type of waste G0. The waste G0 dried in the dryer may be supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 by a dust feeder 23 (waste supply means) described later, with the moisture content adjusted as described above.

[0025] (dust feeder) The dust feeder 23 is a waste supplying means that supplies the waste G0 to the gasification apparatus 14. The dust feeder 23 supplies the waste G0 dried in the dryer 13 to the gasification apparatus 14. The dust feeder 23 includes, for example, a hopper 23A and a dust feed screw 23B, and moves the waste G0 input into the hopper 23A by rotating the dust feed screw 23B, and supplies the waste G0 to the gasification furnace 15. In this embodiment, the waste supply means (dust feeder 23) that supplies the waste G0 to the gasification apparatus 14 adjusts the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 according to the detection result by the gas amount detector 20, as described below. The dust feeder 23 can adjust the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 by, for example, appropriately adjusting the rotation speed of the dust feed screw 23B.

[0026] The waste supplying means for supplying the waste G0 dried by the dryer 13 to the gasification apparatus 14 is not limited to the dust feeder 23, and may be a conveying device other than a dust feeder, such as a belt conveyor, a crane, or a hopper, powered by electricity, air, gas such as nitrogen, or steam. Also, a combination of a dust feeder and a conveying device other than a dust feeder, or a combination of two or more conveying devices other than a dust feeder, may be used. Even if the waste supplying means is other than the dust feeder 23 or a combination of the dust feeder 23 and a dust feeder, it is preferable to adjust the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 according to the detection result by the gas amount detector 20 described later.

[0027] (Gasification equipment) The gasification apparatus 14 gasifies the waste material to generate synthesis gas. The gasification apparatus 14 includes a gasification furnace 15 and a reformer furnace 16. The gasifier 15 is not particularly limited, but examples thereof include a kiln gasifier, a fixed bed gasifier, a fluidized bed gasifier, a thermoselect type, a shaft type, and a plasma type. In addition to the waste, oxygen or air, and further steam as necessary, are fed into the gasifier 15. The gasifier 15 heats the waste G0 at, for example, 500 to 700°C, thereby pyrolyzing it, and then gasifying it by appropriately partially oxidizing it. The pyrolysis gas includes not only carbon monoxide and hydrogen, but also gaseous tar, powdered char, and the like. The pyrolysis gas is supplied to the reformer 16. It is preferable that solid matter generated as incombustible matter in the gasifier 15 is appropriately recovered.

[0028] In the reformer 16, the pyrolysis gas obtained in the gasification furnace 15 is reformed to obtain a synthesis gas. In the reformer 16, the content of at least one of hydrogen and carbon monoxide in the pyrolysis gas increases, and the pyrolysis gas is discharged as a synthesis gas G1. In the reformer 16, for example, tar, char, etc. contained in the pyrolysis gas are reformed into hydrogen, carbon monoxide, etc. The temperature of the synthesis gas in the reformer 16 is not particularly limited, but is, for example, 900° C. or higher, preferably 900° C. to 1300° C., and more preferably 1000° C. to 1200° C., and the synthesis gas may be discharged to the outside of the reformer 16 (i.e., the gasification device 14) at these temperatures. By setting the temperature in the reformer 16 within the above range, synthesis gas having high carbon monoxide and hydrogen contents is easily obtained.

[0029] The synthesis gas G1 discharged from the reformer 16 (i.e., the gasifier 14) contains carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The synthesis gas G1 contains, for example, 0.1% to 80% by volume of carbon monoxide and 0.1% to 80% by volume of hydrogen. The carbon monoxide concentration in the synthesis gas G1 is preferably 10% by volume or more and 70% by volume or less, more preferably 20% by volume or more and 55% by volume or less. The hydrogen concentration in the synthesis gas G1 is preferably 10% by volume or more and 70% by volume or less, more preferably 20% by volume or more and 55% by volume or less. The synthesis gas G1 may contain carbon dioxide, nitrogen, oxygen, etc., in addition to hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The carbon dioxide concentration in the synthesis gas G1 is not particularly limited, but is preferably 0.1 volume % or more and 40 volume % or less, more preferably 0.3 volume % or more and 30 volume % or less. It is particularly preferable to lower the carbon dioxide concentration when ethanol is produced using a microbial catalyst, and from this viewpoint, it is more preferably 0.5 volume % or more and 25 volume % or less. The nitrogen concentration in the synthesis gas G1 is usually 40% by volume or less, and preferably 1% by volume or more and 20% by volume or less. The oxygen concentration in the synthesis gas G1 is usually 5% by volume or less, and preferably 1% by volume or less. The lower the oxygen concentration, the better, and it is sufficient that the oxygen concentration is 0% by volume or more. However, oxygen is generally inevitably contained in many cases, and the oxygen concentration is practically 0.01% by volume or more.

[0030] The concentrations of carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, nitrogen, and oxygen in the synthesis gas G1 can be set to a predetermined range by appropriately changing combustion conditions such as the type of waste, the moisture content of the waste G0 after drying, the temperatures of the gasifier 15 and the reformer 16, and the oxygen concentration of the supply gas supplied to the gasifier 14. For example, if it is desired to change the carbon monoxide or hydrogen concentration, the waste can be changed to one with a high ratio of hydrocarbons (carbon and hydrogen), such as waste plastic, and if it is desired to decrease the nitrogen concentration, a gas with a high oxygen concentration can be supplied to the gasifier 15. Furthermore, the synthesis gas G1 may be appropriately adjusted in concentration for each of the components carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, hydrogen, and nitrogen by adding at least one of these components to the synthesis gas G1. The volume percentage of each substance in the synthesis gas G1 mentioned above refers to the volume percentage of each substance in the synthesis gas G1 discharged from the gasification apparatus 14.

[0031] In the above explanation, the gasification apparatus 14 has been described as having a gasification furnace 15 and a reformer 16, but the configuration of the gasification apparatus 14 is not limited to this, and may be an apparatus in which the gasification furnace and the reformer are integrated, or may be any type of gasification apparatus as long as it is capable of producing synthetic gas G1.

[0032] The synthesis gas G1 obtained in the gasification apparatus 14 is sent to the organic substance generation section 17 through a supply path 25. The supply path 25 is configured, for example, by piping, and connects the gasification apparatus 14 and the organic substance generation section 17. In addition, a post-stage treatment device 18 is usually provided in the supply path 25, and the synthesis gas G1 is preferably appropriately treated in the post-stage treatment device 18 and supplied to the organic substance generation section 17. In the post-stage treatment device 18, impurities contained in the synthesis gas G1 are appropriately removed, the synthesis gas G1 is cooled, and the synthesis gas G1 is preferably cooled to, for example, 40° C. or less and supplied to the organic substance generation section 17. The details of the post-stage treatment device 18 will be described later.

[0033] (Gas volume detector) A gas amount detector 20 is provided in the supply path 25. The gas amount detector 20 detects the amount of synthesis gas G1 flowing through the supply path 25, which is composed of piping or the like. Specifically, the amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the synthesis gas G1 are detected, and the total amount of carbon monoxide and hydrogen is regarded as the gas amount of the synthesis gas G1. A combination of known detectors, for example a combination of a flow meter and a gas component analyzer, may be used as the gas amount detector 25. Specifically, the flow meter measures the total amount of gas flowing through the supply path 25, and the gas component analyzer measures the ratio of carbon monoxide and hydrogen in the gas, and the amounts of carbon monoxide and hydrogen can be detected from the obtained measured values. Examples of the flow meter include a differential pressure flow meter, an ultrasonic flow meter, a Coriolis flow meter, a volumetric flow meter, an area flow meter, a thermal flow meter, and a turbine flow meter. Examples of the gas component analyzer include a mass spectrometer, an infrared analyzer, and a laser analyzer.

[0034] As described above, the amount of synthesis gas G1 detected by gas amount detector 20 may be the flow rate of synthesis gas G1 flowing through supply path 25, more specifically, the total flow rate of carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The detected flow rate may be the amount of synthesis gas G1 flowing through supply path 25 per unit time (for example, about 1 second to 1 hour), and is not particularly limited, but may be a single detection value or an average value of multiple detection values. In addition, the amount of synthesis gas G1 flowing through supply path 25 per unit time may be calculated based on the cumulative value of multiple detection values.

[0035] In this embodiment, the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 is changed according to the detection result by the gas amount detector 20. Specifically, if the gas amount detector 20 detects a gas amount greater than a reference value, the waste supply means such as the dust feeder 23 reduces the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14. If the gas amount detector 20 detects a gas amount less than the reference value, the waste supply means such as the dust feeder 23 increases the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14. If the gas amount detector 20 detects a gas amount equal to the reference value, the waste supply means such as the dust feeder 23 may maintain the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 as it is. The amount of waste G0 supplied means the amount of waste G0 supplied per unit time (for example, about 1 minute to 1 hour). The amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 may be set based on the difference between the detected amount of gas and a reference value. Therefore, the greater the detected amount of gas compared to the reference value, the smaller the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 should be. The smaller the detected amount of gas compared to the reference value, the larger the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 should be.

[0036] As described above, in the gasification apparatus 14, by changing the supply amount of the waste G0, the synthesis gas G1 corresponding to the supply amount is generated. This controls the production amount of the synthesis gas G1 in the gasification apparatus 14, that is, the amount of the synthesis gas G1 that is flowed through the supply path 25 and then supplied to the organic matter production unit 17. In the gasification apparatus 14, variations in the amount of synthesis gas G1 produced per unit time may occur due to variations in the components and moisture content of the waste G0. However, in this embodiment, such variations in the production amount are suppressed, and the synthesis gas G1 is continuously supplied to the organic substance generation section 17 at a gas amount within a certain range with little variation.

[0037] The above-mentioned reference value may be set in advance according to the processing capacity of the organic matter production unit 17 described later, for example, according to the amount of the microbial catalyst filled in the reactor of the organic matter production unit 17. More specifically, the reference value may be a value obtained by multiplying the maximum processing amount that the microbial catalyst can process by a safety factor of about 0.7 to 0.9. The reference value may be a value at a single point, or may be a value within a certain range. Therefore, the supply amount of waste G0 to the gasification device 14 may remain constant when the detected gas amount is within a certain range.

[0038] The amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector 20 may be output to a control unit (not shown) or the like. The control unit may adjust the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 by appropriately adjusting the rotation speed of the dust feed screw 23B of the dust feeder 23 and other settings of waste supply means based on the input data regarding the amount of gas. The control unit may use a known control device, and may be a personal computer or may be configured with a known control circuit or the like. The amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 may be manually adjusted based on the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector 20.

[0039] (Organic substance generation department) The organic substance production section 17 produces organic substances by bringing the synthesis gas into contact with a microbial catalyst. The microbial catalyst is preferably a gas-utilizing microorganism. The organic substance production section 17 includes a fermenter (reactor) filled with a culture solution containing water and a microbial catalyst. The synthesis gas G1 is supplied to the inside of the fermenter, and the synthesis gas G1 is converted into organic substances inside the fermenter. The gas-utilizing microorganism is preferably capable of producing at least one of ethanol and isopropanol, more preferably ethanol. Therefore, the organic substance produced in the organic substance production section 17 preferably contains either ethanol or isopropanol, more preferably ethanol.

[0040] The fermenter is preferably a continuous fermentation apparatus, and may be any of agitation type, airlift type, bubble column type, loop type, open bond type, and photobio type. The synthesis gas G1 and the culture liquid may be continuously supplied to the fermenter, but it is not necessary to supply the synthesis gas G1 and the culture liquid simultaneously, and the synthesis gas G1 may be supplied to the fermenter to which the culture liquid has been previously supplied. The synthesis gas G1 is generally blown into the fermenter through a sparger or the like. The medium used for culturing the microbial catalyst is not particularly limited as long as it has an appropriate composition depending on the bacteria, but is a liquid containing water as the main component and nutrients (e.g., vitamins, phosphoric acid, etc.) dissolved or dispersed in the water. In the organic substance production section 17, organic substances are produced by microbial fermentation using a microbial catalyst, and an organic substance-containing liquid is obtained.

[0041] The temperature of the fermenter is preferably controlled to 40° C. or less. By controlling the temperature to 40° C. or less, the microbial catalyst in the fermenter does not die, and organic substances such as ethanol are efficiently produced by contacting the synthesis gas with the microbial catalyst. The temperature of the fermenter is more preferably 38° C. or lower, and in order to enhance catalytic activity, is preferably 10° C. or higher, more preferably 20° C. or higher, and even more preferably 30° C. or higher.

[0042] In this embodiment, as described above, the amount of synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic matter production section 17 is adjusted, thereby reducing variation in the amount of synthesis gas G1 supplied per unit time to the organic matter production section 17. Therefore, even if the amount of microbial catalyst in the organic matter production section 17 is increased, a supply shortage of synthesis gas G1 is unlikely to occur, and the microbial catalyst is unlikely to die out in the organic matter production section 17. Therefore, the organic matter production section 17 can stably and efficiently produce organic substances such as ethanol.

[0043] The organic substance generating section 17 may have a purification device (not shown) for purifying the produced organic substance. For example, when a microbial catalyst is used, an organic substance-containing liquid is obtained as described above, but a separation device (not shown) for separating at least water from the organic substance-containing liquid may be provided. Examples of the separation device include a solid-liquid separation device, a distillation device, and a separation membrane, but it is preferable to use a solid-liquid separation device and a distillation device in combination. The separation process performed by combining a solid-liquid separation device and a distillation device will be specifically described below. However, in cases where there is no need to purify the organic substance produced in the organic substance production section 17 or where there is no need to separate water from the organic substance-containing liquid, the separation device may be omitted.

[0044] The organic substance-containing liquid obtained in the organic substance generation unit 17 may be separated into a solid component mainly composed of microorganisms and a liquid component containing organic substances in a solid-liquid separation device. The organic substance-containing liquid obtained in the organic substance generation unit 17 contains, in addition to the target organic substance, microorganisms contained in the culture tank and their dead bodies as solid components, so solid-liquid separation may be performed to remove these. Examples of solid-liquid separation devices include filters, centrifuges, and devices using a solution precipitation method. The solid-liquid separation device may also be a device (e.g., a heat drying device) that evaporates the liquid component containing the organic substance from the organic substance-containing liquid and separates it from the solid component. At this time, all of the liquid component containing the target organic substance may be evaporated, or the liquid component may be partially evaporated so that the target organic substance is preferentially evaporated.

[0045] The liquid component separated by solid-liquid separation may be further distilled in a distillation apparatus to separate the target organic substances. By separating by distillation, it is possible to purify a large amount of organic substances to a high purity with a simple operation. When distillation is performed, a known distillation apparatus such as a distillation column may be used. In addition, the distillation may be performed, for example, so that the distillate contains the target organic substance (e.g., ethanol) at a high purity, while the bottoms (i.e., distillation residue) contains water as a main component (e.g., 70% by mass or more, preferably 90% by mass or more). By performing such an operation, the target organic substance and water can be largely separated.

[0046] The temperature inside the distiller during distillation of an organic substance (e.g., ethanol or isopropanol) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 100° C. or less, and more preferably about 70 to 95° C. By setting the temperature inside the distillation apparatus within the above range, it is possible to reliably separate the necessary organic substance from other components such as water. The pressure inside the distillation apparatus during distillation of the organic substance may be normal pressure, but is preferably less than atmospheric pressure, more preferably about 60 to 150 kPa (gauge pressure). By setting the pressure inside the distillation apparatus within the above range, the separation efficiency of the organic substance can be improved, and the yield of the organic substance can be improved. The water separated in the separation device is preferably reused, for example, by supplying it to a gas cooling tower of the downstream treatment device 18 described later and using it for water spray in the gas cooling tower.

[0047] (Post-processing device) Examples of the downstream treatment device 18 include a heat exchanger, a gas cooling tower, a filter-type dust collector, a water scrubber, an oil scrubber, a moisture separation device consisting of a gas chiller, etc., a low-temperature separation type (cryogenic type) separation device, a particulate separation device consisting of various filters, a desulfurization device (sulfide separation device), a membrane separation type separation device, a deoxygenation device, a pressure swing adsorption type separation device (PSA), a temperature swing adsorption type separation device (TSA), a pressure temperature swing adsorption type separation device (PTSA), a separation device using activated carbon, a separation device using a deoxygenation catalyst, specifically, a separation device using a copper catalyst or a palladium catalyst, a shift reaction device, etc. These treatment devices may be used alone or in combination of two or more types.

[0048] Of the above, the post-treatment device 18 preferably includes at least a heat exchanger, a gas cooling tower, a filter-type dust collector, and a water scrubber, in this order from the upstream side. In this specification, the term "preceding stage" refers to the preceding stage along the supply flow of the waste material G0 and the synthesis gas G1 produced. The term "following stage" refers to the following stage along the supply flow of the waste material G0 and the synthesis gas G1. The supply flow of the waste material G0 and the synthesis gas G1 refers to a series of flows of the waste material G0 and the synthesis gas G1 from the storage section 11 to the dryer 13, to the generation of the synthesis gas G1 in the gasification device 14, to the introduction of the synthesis gas G1 into the organic matter production section 17.

[0049] 1, the gas amount detector 20 is provided in the upstream of the post-stage treatment device 18, but the gas amount detector 20 does not have to be provided in the upstream of the post-stage treatment device 18 and may be provided in the downstream of the post-stage treatment device 18. Therefore, as described above, when a heat exchanger, a gas cooling tower, a filtration type dust collector, and a water scrubber are provided as the post-stage treatment device 18 in this order from the upstream side, the gas amount detector 20 may be provided in the upstream of the heat exchanger or may be provided in the downstream of the water scrubber.

[0050] The gas amount detector 20 generally comes into contact with the synthetic gas G1 in order to detect the amount of gas. However, if the gas amount detector 20 is provided downstream of the downstream treatment device 18, the synthetic gas G1 that has been purified, cooled, and otherwise processed will come into contact with the gas amount detector 20, thereby preventing the gas amount detector 20 from being deteriorated by the synthetic gas G1. On the other hand, if the gas amount detector 20 is provided upstream of the downstream treatment device 18, it is possible to detect the amount of the synthesis gas G1 immediately after it is sent from the gasification device 14 to the supply path 25. Therefore, it is possible to immediately detect a change in the amount of the synthesis gas G0 generated due to a change in the components of the waste G0, and it is possible to control the amount of the synthesis gas G1 flowing through the supply path 25 with higher accuracy.

[0051] Furthermore, when a plurality of processing devices are provided as the downstream processing device 18, the gas amount detector 20 may be disposed between two of the processing devices in the supply path 25. With such an arrangement, the gas amount detector 20 is disposed somewhat upstream of the processing device in the upstream stage, so that deterioration of the gas amount detector 20 due to the synthesis gas G1 can be reduced, and the amount of the synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic matter generation unit 17 can be easily controlled with high accuracy. For example, as described above, when the heat exchanger, gas cooling tower, filter-type precipitator, and water scrubber are provided in this order from the upstream side, the gas amount detector 20 may be disposed, for example, between the filter-type precipitator and the water scrubber. Also, for example, when another treatment device is provided downstream of the heat exchanger, gas cooling tower, filter-type precipitator, and water scrubber as the downstream treatment device 18, the gas amount detector 20 may be disposed between the water scrubber and the other treatment device.

[0052] Next, the configurations of the heat exchanger, gas cooling tower, filter dust collector, and water scrubber will be described in more detail using an example in which a heat exchanger, a gas cooling tower, a filter dust collector, and a water scrubber are installed in this order from the upstream side as the downstream treatment device 18.

[0053] The heat exchanger is a device that cools the synthesis gas G1 using a heat medium, and cools the synthesis gas G1 by transferring the thermal energy of the synthesis gas G1 to the heat medium. A boiler is preferably used as the heat exchanger. A boiler is a device that circulates water as a heat medium inside, and heats the circulating water with the thermal energy of the synthesis gas G1 to produce steam. When a boiler is used as the heat exchanger, it becomes possible to easily heat other devices with the steam generated in the heat exchanger, and the thermal energy of the synthesis gas G1 can be easily reused. Of course, a device other than a boiler may be used as the heat exchanger.

[0054] The temperature of the synthesis gas G1 is high inside the gasification apparatus 14, and the synthesis gas discharged from the gasification apparatus 14 also reaches high temperatures, for example, 900°C or higher, as described above. However, the synthesis gas G1 is cooled by the heat exchanger and supplied to the downstream gas cooling tower at a relatively low temperature, thereby preventing excessive cooling in the gas cooling tower. The heat exchanger cools the synthesis gas G1 supplied at a high temperature of, for example, 900°C or higher, to a temperature of, for example, 200°C to 300°C, preferably 240°C to 280°C, and then supplies the cooled synthesis gas to the gas cooling tower.

[0055] The synthesis gas G1 discharged from the heat exchanger then passes through a gas cooling tower, whereby it is further cooled. The synthesis gas G1 is introduced, for example, from the upper side of the gas cooling tower and passed through the interior so as to form a downward air current. While passing through the interior of the gas cooling tower, the synthesis gas G1 is cooled by water sprayed from water spray nozzles provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cooling tower. The synthesis gas G1 cooled in the gas cooling tower may be discharged from the lower side of the gas cooling tower.

[0056] The synthesis gas G1 introduced into the gas cooling tower has a temperature sufficiently higher than 100°C, while the water sprayed from the water spray nozzle is lower than 100°C. Therefore, the synthesis gas G1 is cooled by the temperature difference and also by the heat of vaporization when the water sprayed from the water spray nozzle vaporizes. It is preferable that a part of the vaporized water is mixed into the synthesis gas G1 as water vapor. Note that the water sprayed from the water spray nozzle may be partly or entirely vaporized when sprayed.

[0057] In the gas cooling tower, the synthesis gas G1 is cooled to a temperature of preferably 100°C or higher and 200°C or lower, more preferably 120°C or higher and 180°C or lower, even more preferably 130°C or higher and 170°C or lower, and even more preferably 140°C or higher and 160°C or lower in the gas cooling tower, and is then cooled to these temperatures and discharged outside the gas cooling tower. By cooling the synthesis gas to 200°C or less, the synthesis gas can be refined in a filter-type dust collector, which will be described later, without damaging the filter-type dust collector or reducing the dust collection performance. In addition, by cooling the temperature to 100°C or more, most of the sprayed water is vaporized and mixed into the synthesis gas. Therefore, since a large amount of sprayed water is not discharged in the gas cooling tower, there is no need to install a large-scale drainage facility in the gas cooling tower.

[0058] The filter-type dust collector can be a so-called bag filter, and solid impurities such as tar and char are removed by passing the synthesis gas cooled in the gas cooling tower. By removing the solid impurities, it is possible to prevent the solid impurities from clogging the devices downstream of the filter-type dust collector. In this specification, "removal" means reducing the concentration of the target substance in the gas by removing at least a portion of the target substance from the synthesis gas, and is not limited to completely removing the target substance.

[0059] The synthesis gas that has passed through the filter-type dust collector may be passed through a water scrubber. The water scrubber removes impurities contained in the synthesis gas by contacting the synthesis gas passing through the inside of the scrubber with water. In the water scrubber, water-soluble impurities such as acidic gases such as hydrogen sulfide, hydrogen chloride, and hydrocyanic acid, basic gases such as ammonia, and oxides such as NOx and SOx are removed. In addition, oil-based impurities such as BTEX (benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene), naphthalene, 1-naphthol, and 2-naphthol may also be removed as appropriate.

[0060] The water scrubber is not particularly limited as long as it has a configuration for bringing the synthesis gas G1 into contact with water. For example, it is preferable that the water scrubber has a configuration in which water (hereinafter, for convenience, also referred to as "washing water") sprayed from a nozzle provided at the top comes into contact with the synthesis gas G1 passing through the inside of the water scrubber from the bottom to the top. The water scrubber may cool the synthesis gas G1 by contacting the synthesis gas G1 with wash water. As described above, the synthesis gas G1 is cooled in the gas cooling tower and introduced into the water scrubber in a state cooled to a predetermined temperature, while the temperature of the wash water that contacts the synthesis gas in the water scrubber is less than 100°C, preferably 0°C or higher and 40°C or lower, more preferably 5°C or higher and 30°C or lower. The synthesis gas G1 is cooled in the water scrubber, for example, to a temperature less than 100° C., preferably to a temperature of 40° C. or less, by contacting with water having the above temperature. Moreover, the synthesis gas G1 is cooled, for example, to a temperature of 10° C. or more, preferably to a temperature of 20° C. or more, and more preferably to a temperature of 30° C. or more, by contacting with wash water in the water scrubber. By reducing the temperature of the synthesis gas G1 to 30° C. or more and 40° C. or less, even if the synthesis gas G1 is supplied to the organic matter generation section 17 at that temperature, the production efficiency of the organic matter in the microbial catalyst is not reduced and the microbial catalyst is not killed. Furthermore, the synthesis gas G1 can be passed through a water scrubber, where the synthesis gas G1 is cleaned and cooled, while water mixed into the synthesis gas G1 can be removed in a gas cooling tower.

[0061] The synthesis gas discharged from the filter-type dust collector or the water scrubber may, as necessary, be passed through one or more of the above-mentioned treatment devices other than the heat exchanger, the gas cooling tower, the filter-type dust collector, and the water scrubber to appropriately purify, cool, etc. the synthesis gas. In the above description, a configuration has been described in which all of the heat exchanger, gas cooling tower, filter dust collector, and water scrubber are provided downstream of the gasification apparatus 14, but some or all of these may be omitted. For example, even if the water scrubber is omitted, another cooling device may be provided downstream to cool the synthesis gas G1 to 40° C. or less and supply it to the organic substance generation section 17. Also, at least one or more of the heat exchanger, gas cooling tower, and filter dust collector may be omitted, or the synthesis gas may be purified and cooled only by treatment devices other than the heat exchanger, gas cooling tower, filter dust collector, and water scrubber.

[0062] <Second embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. In the first embodiment, the amount of the synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance generator 17 is adjusted by changing the amount of the waste G0 supplied to the gasifier 14, but in this embodiment, the amount of the synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance generator 17 is adjusted by returning a part of the synthesis gas G1 flowing through the supply path 25 to the gasifier 14. Hereinafter, the organic substance manufacturing apparatus and the organic substance manufacturing method according to the second embodiment will be described in detail with reference to Fig. 2. In the following description, the description of the same configuration as the first embodiment will be omitted and only the differences will be described. Also, the same reference numerals will be used for the components having the same configuration.

[0063] The organic substance production apparatus 30 according to the second embodiment includes a return path 31 connected to the middle of the supply path 25. The return path 31 is further connected to the gasification apparatus 14. The return path 31 is composed of piping or the like. The return path 31 may be connected to the supply path 25 via a valve 32. A known valve such as an electromagnetic valve or a manual valve may be used as the valve 32. The valve 32 can be switched between opening and closing. In addition, when the valve 32 is opened, its opening degree can also be adjusted. With the above configuration, the return path 31 can return a part of the synthesis gas G0 flowing through the supply path 25 to the gasification apparatus 14, thereby reducing the amount of the synthesis gas G1 flowing through the supply path 25 and further the amount of the synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance generation unit 17.

[0064] In this embodiment, the valve 32 is adjusted according to the gas amount detected by the gas amount detector 20, thereby returning a portion of the synthesis gas G0 flowing through the supply path 25 to the gasification device 14 via the return path 31, thereby controlling the amount of synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic matter generation section 17. Specifically, when the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector 20 becomes greater than a reference value, the valve 32 is opened. As a result, when the amount of gas detected becomes greater than the reference value, a part of the synthesis gas G1 flowing through the supply path 25 is returned to the gasification device 14 via the return path 31. Furthermore, the opening degree of the valve 32 may be adjusted depending on the detected gas amount. Therefore, the larger the difference between the detected gas amount and the reference value, that is, the larger the detected gas amount, the larger the opening degree may be, and thus the amount of synthesis gas G1 returned to the gasification device 14 via the return path 31 also increases. With this configuration, even in this embodiment, the variation in the amount of gas supplied to the organic substance production unit 17 is suppressed, and organic substances such as ethanol can be stably and efficiently produced in the organic substance production unit 17.

[0065] The amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector 20 may be output to a control unit (not shown) or the like, and the control unit may adjust the opening / closing and the opening degree of the valve 32 based on the input data regarding the amount of gas. Also, the opening / closing and the opening degree of the valve 32 may be manually adjusted based on the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector 20.

[0066] The synthesis gas G1 returned to the gasification apparatus 14 via the return path 31 is supplied to, for example, the gasification furnace 15. The synthesis gas G1 returned to the gasification furnace 15 may be at least partially combusted in the gasification furnace 15, for example, and used to maintain the temperature of the gasification furnace 15. Alternatively, the synthesis gas G1 may be sent to the reformer 16 without being combusted in the gasification furnace 15. The synthesis gas G1 returned to the gasification apparatus 14 via the return path 31 does not need to be supplied to the gasification furnace 15, and may be supplied to the reformer 16, or may be supplied to both the gasification furnace 15 and the reformer 16. The synthesis gas G1 returned to the reformer 16 may be sent to the supply path 25 as the synthesis gas G1 largely without being combusted, or a portion of it may be combusted and used to maintain the temperature of the reformer 16. Furthermore, when an apparatus in which a gasification furnace and a reformer are integrated is used as the gasification apparatus 14, it is advisable to supply the synthesis gas G1 to the integrated apparatus.

[0067] 2, the return path 31 is preferably connected to the supply path 25 at a stage subsequent to the gas amount detector 20. With such a configuration, the gas amount detector 20 can detect the amount of gas before being returned to the gasifier 14 via the return path 31, i.e., the total amount of the synthesis gas G1 generated in the gasifier 14, and the flow rate of the subsequent stages in the supply path 25 can be adjusted based on the detected total amount. Therefore, the amount of the synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance generator 17 can be controlled more accurately and quickly. Furthermore, in this embodiment, the return line 31 is preferably connected to the supply line 25 at a stage upstream of the downstream treatment device 18, as shown in Fig. 2. Furthermore, for example, when at least a gas cooling tower, a filter-type dust collector, and a water scrubber are provided as the downstream treatment device 18 as described above, the return line 31 may be connected to the supply line 25 at a stage upstream of the gas cooling tower. With this configuration, the synthesis gas G1 is returned to the gasification device 14 without being treated in the downstream treatment device 18 (or the gas cooling tower, the filter-type dust collector, and the water scrubber), so that energy loss due to the treatment in the downstream treatment device 18 can be reduced.

[0068] However, as described above, the gas amount detector 20 does not have to be disposed in front of the downstream processing device 18, and may be disposed in the rear of the downstream processing device 18, or may be disposed between the two processing devices when two or more processing devices are provided as the downstream processing device 18. In that case, accordingly, the return path 31 may also be connected to the supply path 25 in the rear of the downstream processing device 18, or may be connected to the supply path 25 between the two processing devices when two or more processing devices are provided as the downstream processing device 18.

[0069] In the present embodiment, the return path 31 does not necessarily need to be connected to the supply path 25 at a stage subsequent to the gas amount detector 20, and may be connected to the supply path 25 at a stage prior to the gas amount detector 20. Therefore, for example, the return path 31 may be connected to the supply path 25 at a stage prior to the subsequent processing device 18, and the gas amount detector 20 may be disposed at a stage subsequent to at least one processing device of the subsequent processing device 18. Also, for example, in the supply path 25, the connection portion with the return path 31, at least one processing device, and the gas amount detector 20 may be arranged in this order from the previous stage side. More specifically, in the case where at least a gas cooling tower, a filter type dust collector, and a water scrubber are provided as the subsequent processing device 18 as described above, the return path 31 is connected to the supply path 25 at a stage prior to the gas cooling tower, while the gas amount detector 20 may be provided at a stage subsequent to the water scrubber, or may be disposed, for example, between the filter type dust collector and the water scrubber, or between the gas cooling tower and the filter type dust collector. According to each of the above configurations, the synthesis gas G1 is returned to the gasification apparatus 14 without being processed or after being processed as little as possible in the downstream treatment apparatus 18, so that energy loss due to the treatment of the synthesis gas G1 can be reduced. On the other hand, the gas amount detector 20 can detect the flow rate of the synthesis gas G1 that has been treated in various treatment apparatuses, so that deterioration of the gas amount detector 20 due to the synthesis gas G1 can be prevented.

[0070] Of course, in the present invention, the return path 31 may be connected to any position as long as it is connected to the supply path 25. Similarly, the gas amount detector 20 may be disposed at any position on the supply path 25.

[0071] <Other embodiments> The organic substance manufacturing apparatus and the organic substance manufacturing method described above in relation to each embodiment are examples of the present invention, and the present invention is not limited to the configurations of the above embodiments. Various improvements and modifications are possible without departing from the spirit of the present invention, and components may be added as appropriate.

[0072] For example, in each of the above embodiments, the amount of the synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance generation unit 17 is adjusted by changing the amount of waste G0 supplied to the gasification device 14 or returning a portion of the synthesis gas via the return path 31 based on the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector 20, but the amount of the synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance generation unit 17 may be adjusted by configurations other than these.

[0073] In addition, the amount of the synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance production unit 17 may be controlled by both changing the amount of the waste G0 supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 and returning a portion of the synthesis gas G1 to the gasification apparatus 14. With this configuration, it becomes even easier to control the amount of the synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance production unit 17. In this case, too, the same control as in the first and second embodiments may be performed, and for example, if the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector 20 is greater than a reference value, the amount of waste G0 supplied may be reduced, and further, a portion of the synthesis gas G1 may be returned to the gasification apparatus 14. Also, if the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector 20 is less than the reference value, the amount of waste G0 supplied may be increased.

[0074] In the above, an example in which a microbial catalyst is used as a catalyst has been described, but the catalyst is not limited to a microbial catalyst, and for example, a metal catalyst may be used. Even when a metal catalyst is used, the organic substance production unit 17 may be provided with a reactor, and the organic substance may be produced by contacting the synthesis gas G1 with the metal catalyst inside the reactor. The temperature inside the reactor may be maintained at, for example, 100 to 400°C, preferably 100 to 300°C. Therefore, in the post-processing device 18, the synthesis gas G1 does not need to be cooled to 40°C or less, and the combination of the post-processing device 18 may be appropriately changed to adjust the synthesis gas G1 to a state (temperature and impurity content) suitable for the reaction of the metal catalyst. Even when a metal catalyst is used, as described above, by controlling the amount of synthesis gas G1 supplied to the organic substance production unit 17, the variation in the gas amount can be suppressed, and the organic substance can be produced stably and efficiently.

[0075] The metal catalyst may be a hydrogenation active metal or a combination of a hydrogenation active metal and a co-active metal. The hydrogenation active metal may be any metal known to be capable of synthesizing ethanol from a mixed gas, such as alkali metals such as lithium and sodium, elements belonging to Group 7 of the periodic table such as manganese and rhenium, elements belonging to Group 8 of the periodic table such as ruthenium, elements belonging to Group 9 of the periodic table such as cobalt and rhodium, and elements belonging to Group 10 of the periodic table such as nickel and palladium. These hydrogenation active metals may be used alone or in combination of two or more. As the hydrogenation active metal, a combination of rhodium or ruthenium with an alkali metal and another hydrogenation active metal, such as a combination of rhodium, manganese and lithium, or a combination of ruthenium, rhenium and sodium, is preferred from the viewpoint of further improving the CO conversion rate and the ethanol selectivity. Examples of the promoter active metal include titanium, magnesium, vanadium, etc. By supporting a promoter active metal in addition to a hydrogenation active metal, it is possible to further increase the CO conversion rate, ethanol selectivity, and the like. The metal catalyst is preferably a rhodium catalyst. The rhodium catalyst may be used in combination with a metal catalyst other than the rhodium catalyst. Examples of the other metal catalyst include a catalyst in which copper alone or copper and a transition metal other than copper are supported on a carrier.

[0076] Furthermore, in each of the above embodiments, the dryer 13 is provided, and the waste G0 dried by the dryer 13 is supplied to the gasification apparatus 14, but the dryer 13 may be omitted. In this case, the waste G0 stored in the storage section 11 may be supplied to the gasification apparatus 14 by the various waste supply means described above without passing through the dryer 13. In addition, the storage unit 11 may be omitted, and the received waste G0 may be supplied to the dryer 13 or the gasification device 14 without passing through the storage unit 11. In addition, the waste G0 dried by the dryer 13 may be temporarily stored in a storage unit different from the storage unit 11 and then supplied to the gasification device . [Explanation of symbols]

[0077] 10, 30 Organic substance production equipment 11 Storage section 12. Platform 13 Dryer 14 Gasifier 15 Gasifier 16 Reformer 17 Organic substance generation part 18 Post-processing device 20 Gas volume detector 22 Crane 23 Dust feeder (waste supply means) 25 Supply Channel 31 Return Route 32 Valve G0 Waste G1 Syngas

Claims

1. gasifying the waste in a gasifier to produce synthesis gas; supplying the synthesis gas to an organic substance production section via a supply path and contacting the synthesis gas with a catalyst in the organic substance production section to produce an organic substance; Detecting the amount of the synthesis gas flowing through the supply line; controlling the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production unit in accordance with the detected amount of gas; A method for producing an organic substance comprising the steps of:

2. The organic substance production method according to claim 1 , further comprising the step of controlling the amount of synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production section by changing the amount of the waste material supplied to the gasification apparatus in accordance with the detected amount of gas.

3. a return path for returning the synthesis gas to the gasification apparatus is connected to the supply path; 3. The organic substance production method according to claim 1, further comprising the steps of: if the detected amount of gas is greater than a reference value, returning a portion of the synthesis gas flowing through the supply path to the gasification device via the return path, thereby controlling the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production unit.

4. The method for producing an organic substance according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the catalyst is a microbial catalyst.

5. The method for producing an organic substance according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the organic substance contains ethanol.

6. 6. The method for producing an organic substance according to claim 1, wherein the waste material is dried in a dryer and then supplied to a gasification apparatus.

7. a gasification device for gasifying waste to produce synthesis gas; an organic substance generating section for generating an organic substance by contacting the synthesis gas with a catalyst; A supply path for supplying the synthesis gas generated in the gasification apparatus to an organic matter generation section; a gas amount detector for detecting the amount of the synthesis gas flowing through the supply path, an organic substance producing apparatus for controlling the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance producing section in accordance with the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector;

8. a waste material supply means for supplying waste material to the gasification apparatus; 8. The organic substance production apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the waste supply means controls the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production section by changing the amount of the waste supplied to the gasification apparatus in accordance with the amount of gas detected by the gas amount detector.

9. 9. The organic substance production apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, further comprising a return path connected to the supply path and adapted to return the synthesis gas flowing through the supply path to the gasification apparatus.

10. 10. The organic substance production apparatus according to claim 9, further comprising: a gas supply path for supplying a portion of the synthesis gas to the gasification apparatus via the return path when the detected amount of gas is greater than a reference value; and a gas supply path for supplying a portion of the synthesis gas to the gasification apparatus via the return path, thereby controlling the amount of the synthesis gas supplied to the organic substance production unit.

11. The organic substance producing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 10, wherein the catalyst is a microbial catalyst.

12. The organic substance producing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 11, wherein the organic substance contains ethanol.

13. A dryer for drying the waste; a waste supply means for supplying the waste dried in the dryer to the gasification apparatus; The organic substance producing apparatus according to any one of claims 7 to 12, comprising:

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