Biomass fuel production apparatus and biomass fuel production method

Abstract

The objective is to provide a biomass fuel production apparatus and a biomass fuel production method that can efficiently produce biomass fuel from biomass materials. [Solution] The semi-carbonized fuel production system 1 is a device for producing biomass fuel C from raw material O, and includes a cylindrical inner cylinder 41 for transporting raw material O from one end to the other of a transport space S that is long in a predetermined direction inside, a heating gas generation unit body 51 for generating superheated steam V heated to a predetermined temperature, and tubular first insertion pipes 52 and second insertion pipes 53 that circulate the superheated steam V and are inserted into the transport space S along a predetermined direction. The first insertion pipes 52 and second insertion pipes 53 are provided with first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531 for releasing superheated steam V into the raw material O, and a control unit 54 is provided to change the first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531 that release superheated steam V along a predetermined direction.

Description

Technical Field

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[0001] This invention relates to a biomass fuel production apparatus and a biomass fuel production method for producing biomass fuel from biomass materials.

Background Art

[0002] In recent years, as environmental issues have been prominently addressed, research on gasification methods capable of efficiently obtaining gas as an energy source from natural biomass fuel materials instead of fossil fuels such as petroleum and coal used as raw materials for power generation has been underway.

[0003] For example, as a gasification apparatus for gasifying biomass fuel materials produced from biomass materials, a so-called updraft gasification apparatus that feeds biomass fuel materials from above the reaction tower and sends out the gas generated from the biomass fuel materials inside the reaction tower from above is disclosed in Patent Document 1. Since biomass fuel materials are used to obtain gas as an energy source in this way, it is desired to efficiently produce biomass fuel from biomass materials.

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] An object of this invention is to provide a biomass fuel production apparatus and a biomass fuel production method capable of efficiently producing biomass fuel from biomass materials.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] This invention relates to a biomass fuel production apparatus for producing biomass fuel from biomass material composed of at least one of woody material and herbaceous material, comprising: a cylindrical conveying body for conveying the biomass material from one end to the other of a conveying space having a predetermined direction inside; a heated gas generation unit for generating heated gas heated to a predetermined temperature; and a tubular insertion pipe for circulating the heated gas and inserted into the conveying space along the predetermined direction, wherein the insertion pipe is provided with an outlet for releasing the heated gas onto the biomass material being conveyed in the conveying space, and a changing means is provided for changing the outlet from which the heated gas is released along the predetermined direction, and in the conveying space heated to a predetermined temperature, the heated gas is released onto the biomass material from the outlet changed by the changing means according to the biomass material.

[0007] This invention relates to a biomass fuel production method for producing biomass fuel from biomass material composed of at least one of woody material and herbaceous material, and is characterized by comprising: an input step of introducing the biomass material into a cylindrical transporter having a transport space inside which is long in a predetermined direction and which transports the biomass material from one end to the other; a heated gas generation step of generating a high-temperature heated gas; a modification step of changing the discharge port provided in a tubular insertion pipe inserted into the transport space along the predetermined direction according to the biomass material; and a discharge step of releasing the heated gas flowing inside the insertion pipe from the discharge port onto the biomass material being transported in the transport space which has been heated to a predetermined temperature.

[0008] The aforementioned wood-based materials are bio-derived organic resources consisting of wood, and include, for example, coniferous trees, broad-leaved trees, deciduous trees, fruit tree pruning materials, fast-growing trees, and driftwood. The aforementioned herbaceous materials are organic resources derived from non-tree plants, and include, for example, sorghum, bamboo, coffee grounds, rice husks, weeds, reeds, and grasses.

[0009] The conveying body may be configured as a cylindrical shape having a conveying space inside that is long in the predetermined direction, and through which the insertion pipe can be inserted into the conveying space along the predetermined direction. Specifically, the conveying body may include a rotary kiln that conveys the biomass material fed into it from one end to the other by rotating, or a tubular body equipped with a conveying device such as a belt conveyor inside.

[0010] The heating gas is a gas that flows through the inside of the insertion tube and is released from the outlet toward the biomass material to dry or heat the biomass material, and includes, for example, superheated steam, high-temperature nitrogen, and dry air.

[0011] The means for changing the position of the discharge port in the transport space is moved along the predetermined direction, or a plurality of discharge ports provided along the predetermined direction are switched. Switching the discharge ports includes opening and closing the discharge ports so that heated gas can be released from one or both of the discharge ports at one end and the discharge port at the other end, or stopping the heated gas generating unit connected to the discharge port.

[0012] The carbonization process involves drying and heating the biomass fuel material to produce a high-purity biomass fuel material. For example, it is a process of carbonizing the biomass material in an atmosphere of 350°C or higher. Furthermore, the aforementioned semi-carbonization treatment is a process in which the biomass material is carbonized by heating it in an atmosphere at a predetermined temperature (approximately 250-350°C) while oxygen is blocked. This makes it possible to produce semi-carbonized biomass fuel with a high carbon content from the biomass material.

[0013] This invention makes it possible to efficiently produce biomass fuel from biomass materials. More specifically, depending on the biomass material, which is composed of at least one of woody and herbaceous materials, being conveyed from one end to the other of a conveying space formed inside a conveying body heated to a predetermined temperature, heated gas can be blown from an outlet modified by a modification means along a predetermined direction. This allows the biomass material to be dried or heated directly and intensively with the heated gas, while preventing excessive drying or heating. Therefore, biomass fuel can be efficiently produced from the biomass material.

[0014] In one embodiment of this invention, the heated gas generation unit may generate superheated steam as the heated gas. This invention allows superheated steam to be directly released onto biomass material. This enables the release of oxygen contained within the biomass material as superheated steam during carbonization or semi-carbonization treatment. As a result, it is possible to produce a highly thermally efficient biomass fuel with a high carbon content and reduced oxygen content without emitting carbon dioxide.

[0015] In another aspect of this invention, the discharge ports are provided at least on one end side and the other end side of the insertion pipe, respectively, from the center in the predetermined direction, and the changing means may be a switching means that switches between the discharge port on the one end side and the discharge port on the other end side to change the position from which the heated gas is discharged.

[0016] This invention allows for the selection of outlets, provided at one end and the other end, from which heated gas is released into the biomass, depending on the properties of the biomass material. This enables the efficient production of biomass fuel according to the properties of the biomass material with a simple structure that only requires switching the outlets using a switching mechanism.

[0017] For example, if the moisture content of the biomass material is high, the discharge port can be switched using a switching mechanism so that heated gas is discharged from the discharge port on one end, allowing heated gas to be released onto the biomass material from that end. This enables early carbonization or semi-carbonization of the biomass material, and allows for efficient production of biomass fuel from the biomass material. The properties of biomass materials mentioned above refer to the inherent properties of the biomass material itself, such as its moisture content and the composition ratio of carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen based on the material, such as woody or herbaceous materials.

[0018] In another aspect of this invention, the insertion pipe is provided with a first insertion pipe inserted into one end of the conveying body and a second insertion pipe inserted into the other end of the conveying body, the outlet provided in the first insertion pipe is designated as the first outlet, the outlet provided in the second insertion pipe is designated as the second outlet, the first outlet is located on the side of the one end that is centered in the predetermined direction, and the second outlet is located on the side of the other end that is centered in the predetermined direction, and the switching means may switch between the first outlet and the second outlet from which the heated gas is released.

[0019] According to this invention, the insertion pipe comprises a first insertion pipe having a first discharge port provided on one end of the conveying body, and a second insertion pipe having a second discharge port provided on the other end of the conveying body. In other words, since it is not necessary to extend the insertion pipe inserted into the conveying space from one end to the other in a predetermined direction, the load on the insertion pipe can be reduced.

[0020] Furthermore, since the lengths of the first and second insertion pipes can be shortened, the temperature of the heated gas released from the first and second outlets can be precisely controlled. This allows heated gas at the desired temperature to be released onto the biomass material, enabling more efficient carbonization or semi-carbonization treatment.

[0021] In another aspect of this invention, a heating unit for heating the conveying body may be provided. The heating unit can at least directly or indirectly suppress the temperature drop in the conveyance space, and includes, for example, an electric heater attached to the inside or outside of the conveyance body, or a device that generates a gas flowing along the outer peripheral surface of the conveyance body in order to heat the conveyance body.

[0022] According to this invention, since at least the temperature drop in the conveyance space can be suppressed, heat propagation from the heated gas discharged from the discharge port to the conveyance space can be suppressed. Therefore, drying or heating by the heated gas can be performed more efficiently. In addition, without using the heat of the heated gas to keep the conveyance space warm, the heat of the heated gas can be used for carbonization treatment or semi-carbonization treatment of biomass. For this reason, the cost of generating the heated gas in the heated gas generation unit can be reduced.

[0023] As an aspect of this invention, a cylindrical outer cylindrical body surrounding the outer periphery of the conveyance body is provided at a predetermined interval outside the diameter of the conveyance body, and as the heating unit, a high-temperature gas generation unit that generates a high-temperature gas that is introduced between the conveyance body and the outer cylindrical body to suppress at least the temperature drop in the conveyance space is provided, and an inlet for introducing the high-temperature gas between the conveyance body and the outer cylindrical body may be provided in the outer cylindrical body.

[0024] According to this invention, by introducing the high-temperature gas from the inlet, the high-temperature gas can be made to flow between the conveyance body and the outer cylindrical body. Thereby, the temperature drop in the conveyance space can be suppressed. Therefore, drying or heating by the heated gas can be performed more efficiently, and the cost of generating the heated gas in the heated gas generation unit can be reduced.

[0025] As an aspect of this invention, a guide unit that guides the combustible gas generated from the biomass material conveyed in the conveyance space to the high-temperature gas generation unit is provided, and the high-temperature gas generation unit may generate the high-temperature gas by burning the combustible gas.

[0026] According to this invention, combustible gas generated from the transported biomass material is guided to a high-temperature gas generation section by a guide section, and the combustible gas is burned in the high-temperature gas generation section to generate high-temperature gas that flows between the transport body and the outer cylindrical body. In other words, high-temperature gas can be generated to flow between the transport body and the outer cylindrical body using combustible gas generated from the transported biomass material. Therefore, the temperature drop in the transport space can be suppressed more efficiently.

[0027] In another aspect of this invention, the high-temperature gas generating unit may be provided on the other end of the conveying body, and the inlet may be provided on the other end of the conveying body. This invention enables the efficient generation of high-temperature gas from flammable gas, and allows the heat from the high-temperature gas to efficiently flow between the transporter and the outer cylindrical body.

[0028] In another aspect of this invention, the discharge ports are provided at least on one end side and the other end side of the insertion tube, respectively, from the center in the predetermined direction, and in the modification step, the discharge ports that release the heated gas to the biomass material may be switched depending on the properties of the biomass material.

[0029] According to this invention, the discharge ports provided on one end and the other end can be selected according to the properties of the biomass material, such as the moisture content of the biomass material being fed into the conveyor. This allows for efficient carbonization or partial carbonization of the biomass material by blowing heated gas onto it. For example, if the moisture content of the biomass material is high, the biomass material can be carbonized or partially carbonized early by releasing heated gas onto the biomass material from the discharge port on one end. This allows for the efficient production of high-quality biomass fuel from the biomass material.

[0030] Furthermore, in an embodiment of this invention, a measurement step may be included before the input step in which the moisture content of the biomass material is measured. According to this invention, the moisture content of the biomass material can be measured before it is fed into the transporter. Therefore, the discharge port can be changed according to the moisture content of the biomass material, and heated gas can be efficiently released onto the biomass material. Consequently, biomass fuel can be efficiently produced from the biomass material. [Effects of the Invention]

[0031] This invention provides a biomass fuel production apparatus and a biomass fuel production method that can efficiently produce biomass fuel from biomass materials. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0032] [Figure 1] A schematic diagram of a semi-carbonized fuel production system. [Figure 2] A schematic diagram of a raw material conveying device. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of a semi-carbonization treatment system. [Figure 4] A schematic diagram of the semi-carbonization treatment process. [Figure 5] Cross-sectional view of the semi-carbonized section. [Figure 6] A schematic diagram of the superheated gas production section. [Figure 7] A flowchart of the biomass fuel production method. [Figure 8] A schematic diagram illustrating a biomass fuel production method using a semi-carbonized fuel production system. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0033] Hereinafter, one embodiment of this invention will be described with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows a schematic diagram of the semi-carbonized fuel production system 1, Figure 2 shows a schematic diagram of the raw material conveying device 10, and Figure 3 shows a schematic diagram of the semi-carbonized processing device 20. Figure 4 shows a schematic diagram of the semi-carbonized processing unit 40, and Figure 5 shows a cross-sectional view taken along arrow AA in Figure 4. Figure 6 shows a schematic diagram of the heated gas generation unit 50. Figure 7 shows a flowchart of the biomass fuel production method T, and Figure 8 shows a schematic diagram of the biomass fuel production method T using the semi-carbonized fuel production system 1.

[0034] The semi-carbonized fuel production system 1 is a device that produces biomass fuel C by semi-carbonizing raw material O. As shown in Figure 1, it consists of a raw material transport device 10 for transporting raw material O, a semi-carbonization treatment device 20 for semi-carbonizing raw material O, and a fuel transport device 30.

[0035] As shown in Figures 1 and 2, the raw material conveying device 10 is a device that conveys raw material O to the semi-carbonization treatment device 20. The raw material conveying device 10 consists of a raw material storage tank 11 for storing raw material O, a first conveying unit 12 for conveying raw material O downstream, and an input unit 13 for feeding raw material O into the semi-carbonization treatment device 20. The raw material conveying device 10 is also equipped with a measuring unit 14 for measuring the moisture content of the raw material O.

[0036] The raw material storage tank 11 is a container for storing raw material O, and has openings at its upper and lower ends. The opening at the lower end of the raw material storage tank 11 is equipped with a crusher that crushes the raw material O while conveying it downwards, and is also in communication with the first conveying section 12. This allows the raw material O to be crushed to a desired size and fed into the first conveying section 12.

[0037] The first conveying unit 12 is a so-called screw feeder, in which an upstream screw shaft 122 with spiral blades attached is inserted through the inside of an upstream cylindrical body 121 that is hollow and oriented horizontally. The rotation of the upstream screw shaft 122 is controlled by a first motor 123 located outside the upstream cylindrical body 121.

[0038] As shown in Figure 2, the upstream side of the upstream cylindrical body 121 is provided with an opening that communicates with the raw material storage tank 11. Furthermore, the downstream side of the upstream cylindrical body 121 is provided with an opening that communicates with the input section 13, which is connected to the tip of the semi-carbonization processing device 20.

[0039] The first conveying unit 12, configured in this way, can convey the raw material O that has been fed from the raw material storage tank 11 to the upstream side of the upstream cylindrical body 121 to the downstream side by rotating the upstream screw shaft 122, and can feed the raw material O into the semi-carbonization processing device 20 via the input unit 13.

[0040] Here, the raw material O fed into the raw material conveying device 10 may be bamboo or herbaceous materials such as sorghum, coffee grounds, rice husks, weeds, reeds, and grasses, which are organic resources derived from plants that do not grow into trees. Alternatively, the raw material O may be a bio-derived organic resource made of wood, such as woody materials such as coniferous trees, broad-leaved trees, deciduous trees, fruit tree pruning materials, fast-growing trees, and driftwood.

[0041] The measuring unit 14 is a device for measuring the moisture content of the raw material O stored in the raw material storage tank 11. It randomly samples a portion of the raw material O being fed from the first conveying unit 12 to the input unit 13 and measures the moisture content of the raw material O. Alternatively, the measuring unit 14 may measure the moisture content of the raw material O being conveyed by the first conveying unit 12.

[0042] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the semi-carbonization processing apparatus 20 consists of a semi-carbonization processing unit 40 that semi-carbonizes the raw material O, a heated gas generation unit 50 that generates superheated steam V and circulates it inside the semi-carbonization processing unit 40, and a high-temperature generation unit 60 that suppresses a decrease in the internal temperature of the semi-carbonization processing unit 40.

[0043] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the semi-carbonization processing unit 40 is a device that transports the raw material O transported by the raw material transport device 10 downstream while performing a semi-carbonization process on it. More specifically, the semi-carbonization processing unit 40 comprises a cylindrical inner cylinder portion 41 having a predetermined length in the horizontal direction, an outer cylinder portion 42 surrounding the outer circumferential surface of the inner cylinder portion 41, and a raw material input portion 43 for feeding the raw material O transported by the raw material transport device 10 into the inner cylinder portion 41.

[0044] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the inner cylinder 41 is a so-called rotary kiln with a substantially circular cross-section and a conveying space S for conveying raw material O inside, and is configured to rotate with its central axis as the axis of rotation. More specifically, the inner cylinder 41 has a structure in which hollow cylinders of different diameters are connected horizontally, and is integrally composed of a first inner cylinder 411, which is cylindrical with a predetermined inner diameter at the upstream side (one end), and a second inner cylinder 412, which is cylindrical with a larger diameter than the first inner cylinder 411, at the downstream side (other end) of the first inner cylinder 411. The inner cylinder 41 is also equipped with a rotation holding part 413 that rotates the first inner cylinder 411 and the second inner cylinder 412.

[0045] The first inner cylinder portion 411 is a hollow cylinder and has a circular opening at its upstream end through which the raw material input portion 43 can be inserted. The second inner cylinder portion 412 is a hollow, substantially cylindrical shape with an outer diameter slightly larger than that of the first inner cylinder portion 411, and has an annular bottom surface at its upstream end with an opening that communicates with the first inner cylinder portion 411. Furthermore, the downstream end of the second inner cylinder portion 412 has an opening the same size as its outer diameter. The central axis of the second inner cylinder portion 412 is the same as that of the first inner cylinder portion 411.

[0046] The rotating holding part 413 is a holding member that externally holds the first inner cylinder part 411 slightly downstream from its horizontal center. More specifically, the rotating holding part 413 has a double structure consisting of an external holding part that externally holds the first inner cylinder part 411 and an outer holding part that rotatably holds the external holding part. Furthermore, the rotating holding part 413 is connected to an inner cylinder rotation motor 414 that controls the rotation of the external holding part so that it can rotate around the central axis of the first inner cylinder part 411 as the axis of rotation. In other words, the rotating holding part 413 can rotate the first inner cylinder part 411 and the second inner cylinder part 412 around the central axes of the first inner cylinder part 411 and the second inner cylinder part 412 as the axes of rotation.

[0047] The outer cylinder portion 42 is a hollow cylindrical body having an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the second inner cylinder portion 412, and is inserted horizontally from the downstream side of the rotational holding portion 413 that holds the first inner cylinder portion 411 in the inner cylinder portion 41 to near the downstream end of the second inner cylinder portion 412. In other words, the outer cylinder portion 42 surrounds the second inner cylinder portion 412 such that it is spaced radially apart from the outer circumferential surface of the second inner cylinder portion 412. The outer cylinder portion 42 rotatably inserts both the first inner cylinder portion 411 and the second inner cylinder portion 412.

[0048] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the outer cylinder portion 42 configured in this way has an inlet 421 on the downstream side that communicates with the high-temperature generating portion 60 and introduces the high-temperature gas H generated in the high-temperature generating portion 60, and an exhaust port 422 on the upstream side for exhausting the gas circulating inside the outer cylinder portion 42. In addition, multiple heaters 423 are provided on the outer circumferential surface of the outer cylinder portion 42 to raise the internal temperature of the outer cylinder portion 42 and indirectly adjust the internal temperature of the second inner cylinder portion 412.

[0049] As shown in Figure 3, the raw material input section 43 is a so-called screw feeder, in which an inner cylinder screw shaft 432 with spiral blades attached is inserted inside an input cylinder section 431 that is hollow and oriented horizontally. The rotation of the inner cylinder screw shaft 432 is controlled by a second motor 433 located outside the input cylinder section 431.

[0050] The input cylinder portion 431 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the first inner cylinder portion 411 and is cylindrical in shape with a predetermined length along the horizontal direction, and the upstream end of the first inner cylinder portion 411 is inserted horizontally through it. That is, the upstream side of the input cylinder portion 431 is located outside the first inner cylinder portion 411, and the downstream side of the input cylinder portion 431 is located inside the first inner cylinder portion 411. The input cylinder portion 431 extends to the upstream side of the rotation holding portion 413.

[0051] The upstream side of the input cylinder section 431 is provided with a raw material input port 434 that connects to the input section 13 for inputting raw material O, and the downstream side of the input cylinder section 431 is provided with an opening that communicates with the first inner cylinder section 411 located downstream of the inner cylinder section 41. The inner screw shaft 432 is a cylindrical shaft body with an insertion space having a predetermined inner diameter provided in the center of its cross-section, and has helical blades attached to its outer surface.

[0052] The raw material input unit 43 configured in this way can transport the raw material O that has been fed into the input cylinder section 431 from the raw material input port 434 to the downstream side and feed it into the first inner cylinder section 411 by controlling the rotation of the inner cylinder screw shaft 432 with the second motor 433.

[0053] Furthermore, the inner cylinder portion 41 and the outer cylinder portion 42 are slightly tilted downwards as they move from the upstream side to the downstream side. As a result, the rotation of the first inner cylinder portion 411 and the second inner cylinder portion 412 by the rotation control of the rotation holding portion 413 causes the raw material O introduced into the first inner cylinder portion 411 to be conveyed downstream while being agitated.

[0054] As shown in Figures 3 to 5, the heated gas generation unit 50 includes a heated gas generation unit body 51 that generates superheated steam V, a first insertion pipe 52 and a second insertion pipe 53 for circulating the superheated steam V generated by the heated gas generation unit body 51, and a control unit 54 that controls the superheated steam V flowing through the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53.

[0055] The heating gas generation unit body 51 is a device that generates superheated steam V by a so-called induction heating method, in which a conductive metal water supply pipe is inserted into a spirally wound electromagnetic coil. The heating gas generation unit body 51 configured in this way is connected to a power source, and by passing an electric current through the electromagnetic coil that forms the circuit, the water supply pipe is superheated by electromagnetic induction, and superheated steam V can be generated from the water flowing through the water supply pipe. In this embodiment, the heating gas generation unit 50 is a device that generates superheated steam V by an induction heating method, but it is not limited to this method.

[0056] The first insertion pipe 52 is a heat-resistant pipe connected to the main body 51 of the heated gas generation unit, and can circulate the superheated steam V generated in the main body 51 of the heated gas generation unit. As shown in Figure 3, the tip of the first insertion pipe 52 is inserted into an insertion space provided in the inner cylinder screw shaft 432 and extends to the second inner cylinder section 412. The first insertion pipe 52 is equipped with an on / off valve (not shown) for adjusting the flow rate of the superheated steam V passing through the first insertion pipe 52, and an on / off valve that can be opened and closed is provided at the tip.

[0057] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, a first nozzle 521 extends from the first insertion pipe 52 in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the inner cylinder screw shaft 432, allowing the superheated steam V passing through the inside of the first insertion pipe 52 to be released. A shut-off valve, which can be opened and closed by the control unit 54, is provided at the tip of the first nozzle 521.

[0058] As shown in Figures 3 and 4, the second insertion pipe 53 is a heat-resistant pipe connected to the heated gas generation unit body 51, similar to the first insertion pipe 52, and can circulate the superheated steam V generated in the heated gas generation unit body 51. As shown in Figure 3, the tip of the second insertion pipe 53 is inserted into the interior of the second inner cylinder 412 from the downstream end of the second inner cylinder 412. The length of the tip of the second insertion pipe 53 inserted from the downstream end of the second inner cylinder 412 is approximately equal to the length of the tip of the first insertion pipe 52 inserted from the upstream end of the first inner cylinder 411. In other words, the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 are piped only at both ends of the semi-carbonization processing unit 40, and not in the central part of the semi-carbonization processing unit 40. Furthermore, the second insertion pipe 53, like the first insertion pipe 52, is equipped with an on / off valve (not shown) for adjusting the flow rate of superheated steam V passing through the second insertion pipe 53, and also has an openable / closable on / off valve at its tip.

[0059] Furthermore, as shown in Figure 5, the second insertion pipe 53 has a second nozzle 531 extending in a direction perpendicular to the extension direction of the second inner cylinder portion 412, similar to the first insertion pipe 52, allowing the superheated steam V passing through the inside of the second insertion pipe 53 to be released. A shut-off valve, which can be opened and closed by the control unit 54, is provided at the tip of the second nozzle 531.

[0060] The control unit 54 can control the flow rate of superheated steam V circulating through the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 by opening and closing the on-off valves provided in the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53. The control unit 54 can also control the opening and closing of on-off valves provided at the tip portions of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, as well as on-off valves provided in the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531. This connects the flow space of superheated steam V in the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 with the transport space S, allowing the superheated steam V to be released into the transport space S, and also adjusting the internal temperature of the inner cylinder 41.

[0061] Here, controlling the flow rate of superheated steam V circulating through the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 includes cases where superheated steam V is not flowed through the first insertion pipe 52 or the second insertion pipe 53, or cases where superheated steam V is not flowed through both the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53. Furthermore, controlling the opening and closing of the on-off valves provided at the tip portions of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, and the on-off valves provided at the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531, also includes cases where the on-off valves are partially opened in order to adjust the amount of superheated steam V released into the transport space S.

[0062] As shown in Figures 3 and 6, the high-temperature generation unit 60 includes a recovery unit 61 for recovering biomass fuel C produced by the semi-carbonization treatment in the semi-carbonization treatment unit 40, and a heating gas generation unit 62 for generating high-temperature gas H by burning the combustible gas G produced by the semi-carbonization treatment in the semi-carbonization treatment unit 40.

[0063] The recovery unit 61 is a hollow cylindrical body that passes through the downstream end of the inner cylinder 41, and is provided with a fuel outlet 611 at its lower end for discharging the biomass fuel C, which has been partially carbonized in the inner cylinder 41, to the fuel transport device 30. Above the recovery unit 61 is a gas outlet 612 for discharging the combustible gas G generated when the raw material O is partially carbonized.

[0064] As shown in Figure 6, the heating gas generation unit 62 includes a heating gas generation tube 621, a gas guide unit 622 that guides the combustible gas G from the gas outlet 612 to the heating gas generation tube 621, and a connecting unit 623 that connects the heating gas generation tube 621 to the inlet 421.

[0065] The heating gas generating tube 621 is a tube that extends horizontally and is connected to the recovery unit 61 via a gas guide section 622 provided at the base end of the heating gas generating tube 621, and is also connected to the inlet 421 via a connecting section 623 provided at the tip end of the heating gas generating tube 621. In addition, a burner 624 is provided at the base end of the heating gas generating tube 621 to burn the combustible gas G that flows in from the gas guide section 622 to generate high-temperature gas H (see Figure 6).

[0066] The gas guide section 622 connects the recovery section 61 and the gas outlet 612, and is an inlet passage for introducing the flammable gas G into the heating gas generation tube 621. The gas guide section 622 is also equipped with a suction fan (not shown) for drawing the flammable gas G into the heating gas generation tube 621.

[0067] The connecting section 623 is a flow passage for the high-temperature gas H generated in the heating gas generation tube 621 to flow into the inlet 421, and, like the gas guide section 622, is equipped with an air supply fan (not shown) for sending the high-temperature gas H into the inlet 421.

[0068] The fuel transport device 30, like the raw material transport device 10, is a so-called screw feeder that transports biomass fuel C, which has been partially carbonized in the partial carbonization treatment device 20, to the downstream side. Specifically, the fuel transport device 30 has a downstream screw shaft 32 with spiral blades inserted inside a hollow, horizontally oriented downstream cylinder body 31. The rotation of the downstream screw shaft 32 is controlled by a fourth motor 33 located outside the downstream cylinder body 31.

[0069] The downstream cylinder body 31 has an opening on the upstream side that communicates with the semi-carbonization treatment device 20. The downstream cylinder body 31 also has a fuel input section 34 on the downstream side for inputting the biomass fuel C produced by the semi-carbonization treatment device 20 into the storage section B where the biomass fuel is stored.

[0070] The fuel transport device 30 configured in this way rotates the downstream screw shaft 32 to transport the biomass fuel C, which has been introduced from the semi-carbonization treatment device 20 to the upstream side of the downstream cylinder body 31, to the downstream side while cooling it, and can then introduce the biomass fuel C into the storage unit B via the fuel input unit 34 (see Figure 1).

[0071] Next, we will explain a manufacturing method for producing biomass fuel C from raw material O using a semi-carbonized fuel production system 1. The biomass fuel production method T for producing biomass fuel C from raw material O includes, as shown in Figure 7, a superheated steam generation step T1 for generating superheated steam V to be released into a transport space S, a measurement step T2 for measuring the moisture content of the raw material O, an input step T3 for introducing the raw material O into an inlet 421 that has been heated to a predetermined temperature, a switching step T4 for switching between a first nozzle 521 and a second nozzle 531 according to the moisture content of the raw material O, and a release step T5 for releasing superheated steam V into the raw material O from at least one of the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531.

[0072] The biomass fuel production method T will be described in detail below. As a preliminary step before introducing the raw material O into the inner cylinder 41, herbaceous or woody material is subdivided and dried, and the raw material O is stored in the raw material storage tank 11. In addition, the internal temperature of the inner cylinder 41 is raised to a predetermined temperature so that the raw material O can be partially carbonized.

[0073] For example, the main body 51 of the heated gas generation unit generates superheated steam V at 300 degrees (superheated steam generation step T1), and the generated superheated steam V is released into the inner cylinder section 41 from the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, thereby raising the internal temperature of the inner cylinder section 41. In addition, the heater 423 raises the internal temperature of the outer cylinder section 42 surrounding the second inner cylinder section 412, thereby suppressing a decrease in the internal temperature of the inner cylinder section 41. In this embodiment, the internal temperature of the inner cylinder section 41 is set to 250 to 300 degrees.

[0074] With the internal temperature of the inner cylinder 41 thus increased, the raw material O stored in the raw material storage tank 11 is crushed and transported upstream via the first transport unit 12. As a result, a predetermined amount of raw material O, crushed to the desired size, is transported downstream over a certain period of time. A portion of the raw material O transported by the first transport unit 12 has its moisture content measured by the measurement unit 14 (measurement step T2).

[0075] As shown in Figure 8, the raw material O transported to the upstream side of the first transport section 12 is fed into the input cylinder section 431 through the raw material input port 434 connected to the input section 13 (input process T3). The raw material O fed into the input cylinder section 431 is then transported downstream by the inner cylinder screw shaft 432, whose rotation is controlled by the second motor 433, and fed into the first inner cylinder section 411.

[0076] As shown in Figure 8, the raw material O introduced into the first inner cylinder 411 is transported by the rotating holding unit 413, which rotates the first inner cylinder 411 and the second inner cylinder 412, while being agitated from upstream to downstream inside the second inner cylinder 412, which is maintained at a high temperature. As a result, the raw material O is partially carbonized in the transport space S, which is set to 250-300 degrees Celsius.

[0077] Furthermore, by releasing superheated steam V from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 extending from the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, respectively, the raw material O being transported inside the second inner cylinder section 412 can be intensively subjected to semi-carbonization treatment with superheated steam V.

[0078] Specifically, if the water content of the raw material O is high, the control unit 54 closes the on-off valve of the second nozzle 531 located downstream and opens the on-off valve of the first nozzle 521 located upstream (switching step T4), and superheated steam V is released from the first nozzle 521 located upstream of the second inner cylinder section 412 to the raw material O (release step T5). This allows for early semi-carbonization of the raw material O, and enables efficient production of biomass fuel C from the raw material O.

[0079] Similarly, if the water content of the raw material O is low, the control unit 54 closes the on-off valve of the first nozzle 521 and opens the on-off valve of the second nozzle 531 located downstream by the control unit 54 (switching step T4), and superheated steam V is released to the raw material O from the second nozzle 531 located downstream of the second inner cylinder 412 (release step T5). In this way, the semi-carbonization treatment of the raw material O can be performed according to the water content of the raw material O.

[0080] In this way, by switching the opening and closing of the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 in the control unit 54, the position from which superheated steam V is ejected to the raw material O is changed (switching step T4), and the raw material O can be directly and intensively treated for semi-carbonization with superheated steam V (discharge step T5). Therefore, excessive drying or heating of the raw material O in the second inner cylinder section 412 can be suppressed, and biomass fuel C can be efficiently produced from the raw material O. Furthermore, by controlling the rotation of the rotating holding section 413, the time that the raw material O is exposed to the superheated steam V discharged from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 can be appropriately adjusted. In addition, the flow rate of superheated steam V circulating in the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 can also be appropriately adjusted by the control unit 54.

[0081] The biomass fuel C produced by the semi-carbonization process in the second inner cylinder section 412 is transported from the second inner cylinder section 412 to the recovery section 61 and then fed into the downstream cylinder body 31 via the fuel discharge port 611. In the downstream cylinder body 31, the biomass fuel C is cooled while being transported downstream and stored in the fuel input section 34.

[0082] Furthermore, by partially carbonizing the raw material O in the second inner cylinder section 412, a flammable gas G is generated from the raw material O. The flammable gas G thus generated is guided from the gas outlet 612, located above the recovery section 61 which the second inner cylinder section 412 communicates with, through the gas guide section 622 to the heated gas generation tube 621, where it is burned at the connecting section 623 located at the base end of the heated gas generation tube 621. As a result, high-temperature gas H is generated in the heated gas generation tube 621.

[0083] The high-temperature gas H generated by burning the flammable gas G is supplied to the inlet 421 surrounding the second inner cylinder 412 via a burner 624 located at the tip of the heating gas generation tube 621. In this way, the high-temperature gas H generated by burning the flammable gas G produced in the semi-carbonization treatment of the raw material O flows between the second inner cylinder 412 and the inlet 421 by being supplied to the inlet 421, thereby raising the temperature outside the second inner cylinder 412 to a predetermined level. This prevents a decrease in the internal temperature of the second inner cylinder 412.

[0084] By using high-temperature gas H, which is a recycled combustible gas G produced by the semi-carbonization treatment of raw material O, the internal temperature of the second inner cylinder 412 can be adjusted more efficiently and costs can be reduced compared to adjusting the internal temperature of the second inner cylinder 412 with superheated steam V or heater 423.

[0085] The semi-carbonized fuel production system 1 configured in this way is a device for producing biomass fuel C from raw materials O composed of at least one of woody materials and herbaceous materials. The semi-carbonized fuel production system 1 includes a cylindrical inner cylinder 41 for transporting raw materials O from one end to the other of a transport space S that is long in a predetermined direction inside, a heating gas generation unit body 51 for generating superheated steam V heated to a predetermined temperature, and tubular first insertion pipes 52 and second insertion pipes 53 that circulate the superheated steam V and are inserted into the transport space S along a predetermined direction. The first insertion pipes 52 and second insertion pipes 53 are provided with first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531 for releasing superheated steam V into the raw materials O being transported in the transport space S, and a control unit 54 is provided to change the first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531 that release superheated steam V along a predetermined direction. Then, in a transport space S heated to a predetermined temperature, the semi-carbonized fuel production system 1 releases superheated steam V to the raw material O from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531, which are modified by the control unit 54 according to the raw material O.

[0086] Furthermore, the biomass fuel production method T is a method for producing biomass fuel C from raw materials O composed of at least one of woody materials and herbaceous materials. The biomass fuel production method T includes an input step T3 in which raw materials O are introduced into a cylindrical inner cylinder 41 having a transport space S that is long in a predetermined direction and transports the raw materials O from one end to the other, and a superheated steam generation step T1 in which high-temperature superheated steam V is generated. It also includes a switching step T4 in which first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531 provided on tubular first insertion pipes 52 and second insertion pipes 53 inserted in the transport space S along a predetermined direction are changed according to the raw materials O, and a release step T5 in which superheated steam V flowing inside the first insertion pipes 52 and second insertion pipes 53 is released from the first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531 to the raw materials O being transported in the transport space S which has been heated to a predetermined temperature.

[0087] The semi-carbonized fuel production system 1 configured in this way can efficiently produce biomass fuel C from raw material O. More specifically, depending on the raw material O, which is composed of at least one of woody material and herbaceous material, being transported from one end to the other in a transport space S formed inside the inner cylinder 41 heated to a predetermined temperature, superheated steam V can be blown onto the raw material O from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531, which are modified in a predetermined direction by the control unit 54. This allows the raw material O to be dried or heated directly and intensively with the superheated steam V, while suppressing excessive drying or heating, thus enabling the efficient production of biomass fuel C from the raw material O.

[0088] Furthermore, since the heating gas generation unit 51 generates superheated steam V, it can directly release the superheated steam V to the raw material O. Therefore, when carbonizing or semi-carbonizing the raw material O, the oxygen contained inside the raw material O can be discharged as superheated steam. As a result, it is possible to produce a biomass fuel C with a high carbon content and reduced oxygen content, and high thermal efficiency, without emitting carbon dioxide.

[0089] Furthermore, the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 are located at least one end and the other end of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, respectively, from the center in a predetermined direction. The control unit 54 then switches between the first nozzle 521 at one end and the second nozzle 531 at the other end to change the position from which the superheated steam V is released.

[0090] This allows for the selection of the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531, which are provided at one end and the other end respectively, to release superheated steam V to the biomass, depending on the properties of the raw material O. Therefore, with a simple structure that only requires switching between the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 by the control unit 54, biomass fuel C can be efficiently produced according to the properties of the raw material O.

[0091] For example, if the moisture content of the raw material O is high, the control unit 54 can switch the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 on one end to release superheated steam V from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 on one end, thereby releasing superheated steam V to the raw material O from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 on one end. This allows for early carbonization or semi-carbonization of the raw material O, enabling efficient production of biomass fuel C from the raw material O.

[0092] Furthermore, the first insertion pipe 52 is inserted through one end of the inner cylinder portion 41, and the second insertion pipe 53 is inserted through the other end of the inner cylinder portion 41. The first nozzle 521 provided on the first insertion pipe 52 is located one end away from the center in a predetermined direction, and the second nozzle 531 provided on the second insertion pipe 53 is located the other end away from the center in a predetermined direction. The control unit 54 is a switching means that switches between the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 from which superheated steam V is released.

[0093] As a result, the semi-carbonized fuel production system 1 includes a first insertion pipe 52 equipped with a first nozzle 521 provided at one end of the inner cylinder 41, and a second insertion pipe 53 equipped with a second nozzle 531 provided at the other end of the inner cylinder 41. In other words, since it is not necessary to extend the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, which are inserted into the transport space S, from one end to the other in a predetermined direction, the load on the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 can be reduced.

[0094] Furthermore, since the lengths of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 can be shortened, the temperature of the superheated steam V discharged from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 can be precisely controlled. As a result, superheated steam V at the intended temperature can be discharged to the raw material O, enabling more efficient carbonization or semi-carbonization treatment.

[0095] Furthermore, the inclusion of a high-temperature generating unit 60 and a heater 423 for heating the inner cylinder 41 suppresses at least the temperature drop in the conveying space S, thereby suppressing the transfer of heat from the superheated steam V released from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 to the conveying space S. Therefore, drying or heating with superheated steam V can be performed more efficiently. In addition, the heat from the superheated steam V can be used for the carbonization or semi-carbonization of biomass without having to maintain the conveying space S with the heat from the superheated steam V. As a result, the cost of generating superheated steam V in the heating gas generation unit body 51 can be reduced.

[0096] Furthermore, a cylindrical outer cylinder portion 42 is provided on the outer diameter of the inner cylinder portion 41 at a predetermined distance, surrounding the outer circumference of the inner cylinder portion 41. A heating gas generating pipe 621 is provided between the inner cylinder portion 41 and the outer cylinder portion 42 to generate a high-temperature gas H that suppresses at least the temperature drop in the transport space S. An inlet 421 may be provided in the outer cylinder portion 42 for introducing the high-temperature gas H between the inner cylinder portion 41 and the outer cylinder portion 42.

[0097] As a result, by introducing high-temperature gas H from the inlet 421, high-temperature gas H can flow between the inner cylinder 41 and the outer cylinder 42, thereby suppressing the temperature drop in the conveying space S. Therefore, drying or heating with superheated steam V can be performed more efficiently, and the cost of generating superheated steam V in the heating gas generation unit body 51 can be reduced.

[0098] Furthermore, a gas guide section 622 is provided to guide the flammable gas G generated from the raw material O being transported in the transport space S to the heated gas generation tube 621, and the heated gas generation tube 621 generates high-temperature gas H by burning the flammable gas G.

[0099] This allows the flammable gas G generated from the transported raw material O to be guided by the gas guide section 622 to the heated gas generation tube 621, where the flammable gas G is burned to generate a high-temperature gas H that flows between the inner cylinder 41 and the outer cylinder 42. In other words, the flammable gas G generated from the transported raw material O can be used to generate a high-temperature gas H that flows between the inner cylinder 41 and the outer cylinder 42. Therefore, the temperature drop in the transport space S can be suppressed more efficiently.

[0100] Furthermore, the heating gas generation tube 621 is provided at the other end (downstream side) of the inner cylinder 41, and the inlet 421 is also provided at the other end (downstream side) of the inner cylinder 41. This allows for the efficient generation of high-temperature gas H from the flammable gas G, and also allows the heat of the high-temperature gas H to flow efficiently between the inner cylinder 41 and the outer cylinder 42.

[0101] Furthermore, the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 are provided at least on one end and the other end of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, respectively, from the center in a predetermined direction, and in the switching process T4, the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 that release superheated steam V to the raw material O are switched according to the properties of the raw material O.

[0102] This allows for efficient carbonization or partial carbonization of the raw material O by selecting the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531, which are provided at one end and the other end of the raw material O, according to the properties of the raw material O, such as the moisture content of the raw material O introduced into the inner cylinder 41. For example, if the moisture content of the raw material O is high, the raw material O can be carbonized or partially carbonized early by releasing the superheated steam V from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 at one end. This enables the efficient production of high-quality biomass fuel C from the raw material O.

[0103] Furthermore, by including a measurement step T2 for measuring the moisture content of the raw material O before the input step T3, the moisture content of the raw material O can be measured before it is introduced into the inner cylinder 41. Therefore, the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 can be changed according to the moisture content of the raw material O, and superheated steam V can be efficiently released into the raw material O. Thus, biomass fuel C can be efficiently produced from the raw material O.

[0104] In the correspondence between the structure of this invention and the embodiments described above, The biomass material of this invention corresponds to the raw material O of the embodiment, and similarly, Biomass fuel corresponds to biomass fuel C, The biomass fuel production equipment corresponds to the semi-carbonized fuel production system 1. The transport space corresponds to the transport space S, The conveying body corresponds to the inner cylinder section 41, The heated gas generation unit corresponds to the heated gas generation unit main body 51, The insertion pipes correspond to the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53. The discharge ports correspond to the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531. The modification means corresponds to the control unit 54, Superheated steam corresponds to superheated steam V, The first insertion tube corresponds to the first insertion tube 52, The second insertion tube corresponds to the second insertion tube 53. The first discharge port corresponds to the first nozzle 521. The second discharge port corresponds to the second nozzle 531. The heating section corresponds to the high-temperature generating section 60 and the heater 423. The outer cylindrical body corresponds to the outer cylindrical portion 42, The switching means corresponds to the control unit 54, High-temperature gas corresponds to high-temperature gas H, The high-temperature gas generation unit corresponds to the heated gas generation tube 621. The inlet corresponds to inlet 421. Flammable gas corresponds to flammable gas G, The guide unit corresponds to the gas guide unit 622. The biomass fuel production method corresponds to biomass fuel production method T. The input process corresponds to input process T3. The heated gas generation process corresponds to the superheated steam generation process T1. The change process corresponds to the switching process T4. The discharge process corresponds to discharge process T5. The measurement process corresponds to measurement process T2, This invention is not limited to the configuration of the embodiments described above, and many other embodiments can be obtained.

[0105] For example, in this embodiment, the raw material O is partially carbonized with superheated steam V generated in the heated gas generation unit body 51. However, the high-temperature gas generated in the heated gas generation unit body 51 does not necessarily have to be superheated steam V; other gases such as high-temperature nitrogen gas may be used. Alternatively, the temperature of the gas released into the raw material O may be set to 400 degrees Celsius or higher, and the raw material O may be carbonized in the second inner cylinder section 412.

[0106] In this embodiment, the measuring unit 14 for measuring the moisture content of the raw material O is provided in the raw material conveying device 10, but instead of providing it in the raw material conveying device 10, the properties of the raw material O may be measured in advance. Alternatively, instead of measuring the moisture content of the raw material O with the measuring unit 14, the inherent properties of the raw material O, such as the composition ratio of carbon, oxygen, hydrogen, etc., based on the raw material O being a woody or herbaceous material, may be measured. This allows high-temperature gases such as superheated steam V to be released from a desired position in the inner cylinder 41 based on the elements of the raw material O.

[0107] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the semi-carbonized fuel production system 1 releases superheated steam V to the raw material O from one side of the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531, but it may also release from both sides. Moreover, the amount of superheated steam V released from each of the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 may be adjusted by the control unit 54 controlling the on / off valves provided in the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, according to the properties of the raw material O. Alternatively, the control unit 54 may adjust the temperature of the superheated steam V flowing through the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, and superheated steam V at different temperatures may be released from each of the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531.

[0108] For example, superheated steam V set to 350 degrees Celsius may be circulated through the first insertion pipe 52 and released from the first nozzle 521 onto the raw material O to partially carbonize the raw material O. Alternatively, superheated steam V set to 250 degrees Celsius may be circulated through the second insertion pipe 53 and released from the second nozzle 531 onto the raw material O that has been partially carbonized by the superheated steam V released from the first nozzle 521.

[0109] Furthermore, although the heated gas generation unit main body 51 is connected to the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, it is also possible to connect it to a high-temperature gas generation unit 55 that generates other high-temperature gases separately from the heated gas generation unit main body 51, and change the gas flowing through the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 using the control unit 54. In other words, the gas to be circulated through the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 may be appropriately selected.

[0110] Specifically, depending on the state and properties of the raw material O, superheated steam V may be released from the first nozzle 521 to partially carbonize or carbonize the raw material O, and high-temperature nitrogen gas may be released from the second nozzle 531. This allows biomass fuel C to be produced in the second inner cylinder section 412 according to the state of the raw material O.

[0111] Furthermore, the inner cylinder portion 41 is a rotary kiln equipped with a spiral screw feeder on its inner circumference, which rotates to transport the raw material O fed in from one end to the other, but it is not limited to this. For example, it may be a tubular body equipped with a conveying device such as a belt conveyor inside. In addition, spiral blades may be provided on the inner circumference of the inner cylinder portion 41.

[0112] Furthermore, the control unit 54 has a switching function that switches between the multiple first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531 arranged horizontally, but it may also be configured to move the positions of the first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531 in the transport space S along a predetermined direction.

[0113] Furthermore, in this embodiment, the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 are provided with a first nozzle 521 and a second nozzle 531 extending downward. However, the superheated steam V flowing through the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 does not necessarily have to be discharged from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 extending downward.

[0114] For example, a first nozzle 521 and a second nozzle 531 may be provided radially at the tip portions of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, when viewed from the direction of extension of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53. Alternatively, instead of the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531, through holes may be provided radially at the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, passing through to connect the flow space of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 with the outside, when viewed from the direction of extension of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53.

[0115] In this way, the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531, which are radially arranged relative to the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, allow the superheated steam V to be directly discharged onto the raw material O while filling the transport space S corresponding to the tip portions of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 with the superheated steam V. This enables the raw material O to undergo semi-carbonization treatment under the atmosphere of superheated steam V.

[0116] Furthermore, by creating through-holes that connect the flow spaces of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 to the outside, the superheated steam V can be released not by directly injecting it into the raw material O, but by creating an atmosphere of superheated steam V in the transport space S corresponding to the tip portions of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53. This allows the raw material O to be partially carbonized under the atmosphere of superheated steam V.

[0117] The inner cylinder 41 is a so-called rotary kiln, configured to rotate around a central axis aligned horizontally, allowing the raw material O to be conveyed while being agitated downstream. Therefore, by releasing superheated steam V so that the tip portions of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 are filled with superheated steam V, the raw material O can be uniformly exposed to the superheated steam V.

[0118] The first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531, which are provided radially with respect to the first insertion pipe 52 and second insertion pipe 53 as described above, or the through holes that penetrate to connect the flow space of the first insertion pipe 52 and second insertion pipe 53 to the outside, may be provided spirally with respect to the first insertion pipe 52 and second insertion pipe 53. In other words, the configuration may be such that superheated steam V can be released within a predetermined range in the direction in which the first insertion pipe 52 and second insertion pipe 53 extend (along the horizontal direction).

[0119] Similar to this embodiment, each is provided with an on / off valve that can be opened and closed by the control unit 54. The on / off valves that can be controlled by the control unit 54 may be controlled to open and close all at once, including the radially arranged first nozzles 521 and second nozzles 531, and the through holes that penetrate the flow space of the first insertion pipe 52 and second insertion pipe 53 to communicate with the outside, or they may be controlled to open and close individually.

[0120] Furthermore, the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, which are inserted through the central portion of the cross-section of the inner cylinder portion 41 in this embodiment, may rotate in synchronization with the inner cylinder portion 41 or independently of the inner cylinder portion 41. This allows the superheated steam V flowing through the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 to be released from the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531, thereby filling the surrounding transport space S where the first nozzle 521 and the second nozzle 531 are located with superheated steam V.

[0121] The configurations disclosed above can be combined or modified as appropriate, as long as they do not contradict each other. For example, the first nozzles 521 and 531, which are provided radially to the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53, or the through-holes that penetrate the flow space of the first insertion pipe 52 and the second insertion pipe 53 to communicate with the outside, are not limited to releasing superheated steam V, but may release high-temperature gases other than high-temperature nitrogen gas. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0122] 1…Semi-carbonized fuel production system 41... Inner cylinder 42... Outer cylinder 51...Heated gas generation unit main body 52...First insertion pipe 53...Second insertion pipe 54... Control Unit 60…High temperature generating part 421... Inlet 423... Heater 521...First nozzle 531...Second nozzle 621...Heating gas generating tube 622... Gas Information Department C... Biomass fuel G... Flammable gas H... High-temperature gas O...Raw material S... Transport space V...Superheated steam T...Biomass fuel production method T1...Superheated steam generation process T2...Measurement process T3…Project T4…Switching Project T5… Release Project

Claims

1. A biomass fuel production apparatus for producing biomass fuel from biomass material composed of at least one of woody material and herbaceous material, A cylindrical conveying body that conveys the biomass material from one end to the other of a transport space that is long in a predetermined direction inside, A heated gas generation unit that generates heated gas that has been heated to a predetermined temperature, The system is provided with a tubular insertion tube through which the heated gas is circulated and which is inserted into the transport space along the predetermined direction, The insertion tube is provided with an outlet for releasing the heated gas into the biomass material being transported in the transport space. A means for changing the discharge port that releases the heated gas along the predetermined direction is provided. In the conveying space heated to a predetermined temperature, the heated gas is released onto the biomass material from the outlet modified by the modification means, depending on the biomass material. Biomass fuel production equipment.

2. The heated gas generation unit generates superheated steam as the heated gas. The biomass fuel production apparatus according to claim 1.

3. The discharge port is provided at least on one end side and the other end side of the insertion pipe, respectively, from the center in the predetermined direction. The aforementioned changing means is a switching means that switches between the discharge port on one end and the discharge port on the other end to change the position from which the heated gas is discharged. A biomass fuel production apparatus according to claim 1 or claim 2.

4. The insertion pipe comprises a first insertion pipe inserted into one end of the conveying body and a second insertion pipe inserted into the other end of the conveying body. The outlet provided in the first insertion pipe shall be referred to as the first outlet, and the outlet provided in the second insertion pipe shall be referred to as the second outlet. The first discharge port is provided on one end side of the center in the predetermined direction, The second discharge port is provided on the other end side of the center in the predetermined direction, The switching means switches between the first outlet and the second outlet from which the heated gas is released. The biomass fuel production apparatus according to claim 3.

5. The conveying body is equipped with a heating unit for heating it. The biomass fuel production apparatus according to claim 1.

6. A cylindrical outer body is provided on the outer diameter of the conveying body at a predetermined distance, surrounding the outer circumference of the conveying body. The heating unit includes a high-temperature gas generating unit that flows between the conveying body and the outer cylindrical body to generate a high-temperature gas that suppresses at least the temperature drop in the conveying space. The outer cylindrical body is provided with an inlet for introducing the high-temperature gas between the conveyor and the outer cylindrical body. The biomass fuel production apparatus according to claim 5.

7. The transport space is provided with a guide section that guides the combustible gas generated from the biomass material being transported to the high-temperature gas generation section. The high-temperature gas generating unit generates the high-temperature gas by burning the combustible gas. The biomass fuel production apparatus according to claim 6.

8. The high-temperature gas generating unit is provided on the other end side of the conveying body. The aforementioned inlet is provided on the other end side of the conveying body. The biomass fuel production apparatus according to claim 6.

9. A method for producing biomass fuel from biomass material composed of at least one of woody material and herbaceous material, A feeding step involves feeding the biomass material into a cylindrical conveying body that has a long conveying space inside in a predetermined direction and conveys the biomass material inside from one end to the other, A heating gas generation process that generates a high-temperature heated gas, A modification step involves changing the discharge port provided in a tubular insertion tube inserted into the transport space along the predetermined direction, according to the biomass material. The system includes a discharge step in which the heated gas flowing through the insertion tube is released from the discharge port onto the biomass material being transported in the transport space, which has been heated to a predetermined temperature. Methods for producing biomass fuel.

10. The discharge port is provided at least on one end side and the other end side of the insertion pipe, respectively, from the center in the predetermined direction. In the modification step, the outlet for releasing the heated gas to the biomass material is switched according to the properties of the biomass material. The method for producing biomass fuel according to claim 9.

11. Prior to the input step, there is a measurement step for measuring the moisture content of the biomass material. The method for producing biomass fuel according to claim 9 or claim 10.

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