Method and apparatus for converting carbon-based raw materials into usable products using rotationally generated thermal energy.

Abstract

The present invention provides a method for thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products in a raw material conversion facility. The method comprises generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device, supplying a flow of the heated fluid medium thus generated to the raw material conversion facility, and operating the at least one rotating device and the raw material conversion facility to carry out thermal or thermochemical conversion of the carbon-based raw materials into usable products at essentially a temperature of about 400°C or higher. The method is useful in the processing of plastics and / or organic raw materials.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates, in general terms, to systems and methods for inputting thermal energy (heat) into a fluid. More specifically, the present invention aims to provide tools and methods for converting carbon-based raw materials into usable products by thermal or thermochemical reactions carried out at high and extremely high temperatures. [Background technology]

[0002] Several high-temperature methods are available to convert carbonaceous raw materials into usable products. These methods are generally carried out at temperatures of approximately 500°C or higher and include gasification, pyrolysis, combustion, calcination, roasting, and the like. Although they vary in terms of temperature and pressure regimes, presence or absence of oxygen, presence or absence of catalysts, and other method conditions, these methods have been used in the disposal and / or recycling of carbonaceous materials, including essentially solid waste materials.

[0003] Today, the vast amount of waste produced globally is represented by plastic materials. The typical plastic manufacturing chain today begins with fossil raw materials such as crude oil or natural gas, from which plastic raw materials are refined. Common raw materials include naphtha from crude oil refineries or ethane from natural gas plants. Traditionally, these raw materials are converted into primer-building blocks (monomers) such as ethylene or propylene in steam crackers, and then polymerized into corresponding polymers such as polyethylene and polypropylene in polymerization plants. These polymers are then typically compounded with additives that provide the desired additional properties to the polymer. The final pelletized polymer-additive mixture is called plastic and is used to manufacture various consumer products. After the use of these products, they are typically disposed of as waste. Today, the vast majority of plastic waste ends up in landfills, and especially if landfills are not managed, they tend to be washed into natural and marine ecosystems. In developed countries, the trend over the past decade has been to ban landfill disposal of plastics and to incinerate plastic waste. However, waste incineration, or so-called "energy recycling," is the biggest source of carbon dioxide emissions in the plastics value chain.

[0004] On the other hand, the increasing amount of generally biodegradable organic matter, such as biomass waste from agriculture and forestry, farming, various industries, and municipal solid waste (MSW), has attracted considerable attention worldwide from the perspective of the rational reuse of these materials.

[0005] Converting carbon-based materials into value-added products and energy is undoubtedly a more attractive option compared to landfill, both from an environmental and financial perspective.

[0006] High-temperature raw material conversion methods that utilize the principles of gas-solid heat and mass transfer in addition to the fluidization phenomenon include at least gasification and thermal decomposition. Gasification converts essentially solid carbonaceous raw materials into synthesis gas, which can be further used as a raw material for the synthesis of industrially relevant basic chemicals and as a raw material for methanol, ethanol, or Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbons. Thermal decomposition, on the other hand, yields liquids and solids in addition to gaseous products. When used with fluidized bed equipment, the most notable differences between these conversion methods are: 1) thermal decomposition takes place in an oxygen-free environment (i.e., in the absence of water vapor, air, or oxygen), while gasification occurs with a controlled amount of oxygen; and 2) thermal decomposition generally proceeds at lower temperatures than gasification. Furthermore, both methods are virtually endothermic and therefore require thermal energy to proceed.

[0007] Figures 5A and 5B schematically illustrate a conventional gasification system for the production of synthesis gas using fluidization technology. The heat necessary to maintain the gasification reaction, which is effectively endothermic, can be generated in the gasification reactor, and the method is called direct gasification; or the heat can be supplied to the gasification unit from an external source, and the method is called indirect gasification.

[0008] In direct gasification (Figure 5A), a gasifying agent (GA), such as a mixture of air or oxygen (or oxygen-enriched air) and water vapor, is brought into direct contact with a carbonaceous feed material (see arrow F for feed) in a gasification reactor (GR), causing a series of chemical reactions that convert the essentially solid feed material (F) into a product gas (P), herein referred to as synthesis gas, and solid residues (SR) such as char, ash, slag, and others. One advantage of using air as a gasifying agent is that it results in a product syngas containing relatively high levels of nitrogen, which reduces the calorific value of the product gas. Furthermore, nitrogen removal in downstream equipment (not shown) is complex and energy-consuming (and therefore expensive). The oxygen / water vapor aeration method does not produce nitrogen, however, it requires an air separation unit to produce oxygen, adding further costs to the production method.

[0009] Indirect gasification (Figure 5B) involves two separate, interconnected reactors, namely a gasification reactor (GR) and a combustion reactor (CR), also called a regenerator or heating furnace, which transfer heat from the CR to the GR. Heat transfer is achieved by the circulation of an inert bed material, and the system is then known as a two-phase fluidized bed gasifier (DFB). In a DFB system, a bed of inert particulate matter, such as sand, is heated in the CR by burning an external fuel in the presence of air (oxidizer, OA), while the hot gas from the combustion simultaneously fluidizes the bed material. The heated and fluidized bed material ("bed material + heat") is transferred to the gasification reactor, where it rapidly comes into contact with an essentially solid feed (arrow F) to obtain a gaseous product (arrow P). Thus, the heated bed material transferred from the CR to the GR acts as a heat transfer material, providing heat for the gasification reaction in the GR. In the indirect approach, steam (pre-heated) to the operating temperature range (typically 650-900°C) is used as a gasifying agent (GA) and also assists in uniform mixing with the flooring feed (fluidization). The cold flooring containing unreacted char ("flooring + char") is transferred from the gasification reactor and returned to the preheating combustion reactor. Unreacted char remaining in the circulating flooring is combusted in the CR. Depending on the desired conditions, this can be simply a fuel source or additional fuel (e.g., part of the raw material or recycled product gas) for the combustion unit and can be supplied to the combustion unit (see dashed line "fuel") to raise the process temperature. The solid residue (SR) is drawn out for disposal.

[0010] In this specification, the gasification system may be configured to carry out a thermal decomposition reaction.

[0011] Although related conversion technologies have been developed for decades, one of the major drawbacks associated with known high-temperature conversion methods such as gasification, incineration, and others is the extremely high levels of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), that still exist. High CO2 emissions result because at least some of the raw materials are consumed, often along with additional fossil fuels, for active purposes, in order to obtain the high temperatures necessary to convert the remaining bulk raw materials into the desired product.

[0012] In this regard, updates in the technical field concerning the design and manufacture of cost-effective and energy-efficient heating systems, particularly those suitable for high-temperature waste conversion and recycling, are still desirable from the perspective of addressing the challenges associated with raising the temperature of fluid materials in a rational and environmentally friendly manner. [Overview of the project]

[0013] An object of the present invention is to solve or at least mitigate some of the problems arising from the limitations and shortcomings of the related art. One or more of these objects are achieved by various embodiments of the method for generating a heated fluid medium, the rotating device defined herein, and related uses described herein.

[0014] In one embodiment, a method is provided for the thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products, the method comprising generating a fluid medium heated by at least one rotating device incorporated into the associated raw material conversion equipment.

[0015] According to an embodiment, the method comprises: a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft; a plurality of fixed blades or vanes arranged in an assembly adjacent to at least one row of the rotor blades; and a casing having a duct formed between at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein the duct is configured to enclose the rotating and fixed blades such that the non-blade portion of the duct essentially follows the bladed portion, and the rotating device is configured to impart thermal energy to the flow of the fluid medium flowing in the duct between the inlet and the outlet by a series of energy conversions that occur when a heated flow of the fluid medium is generated, the method further comprising: supplying the heated flow of the fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device to the raw material conversion equipment; and operating the at least one rotating device and the raw material conversion equipment to perform thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products at essentially a temperature of about 400°C or above.

[0016] In the embodiment, the method provides a thermal or thermochemical conversion of a carbon-based raw material that is essentially solid.

[0017] In the embodiment, the method is connected to at least one rotating device to at least one raw material conversion unit configured in the raw material conversion equipment to perform one or more thermal or thermochemical carbon-based raw material conversion methods at essentially a temperature of about 400°C or higher.

[0018] In one embodiment, the method includes supplying the flow of the heated fluid medium, generated by at least one rotating device, to the at least one raw material conversion unit within the raw material conversion equipment.

[0019] In an embodiment, the method includes contacting a flow of the heated fluid medium generated by at least one rotating device with a carbonaceous raw material in the at least one raw material conversion unit, and the heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device provides a product that can use heat for thermal or thermochemical conversion of the essentially solid carbonaceous raw material.

[0020] In an embodiment, the method includes contacting a flow of the heated fluid medium generated by at least one rotating device with a heat transfer substance in a heat transfer section of the raw material conversion unit and transferring the heated heat transfer substance from the heat transfer section to a conversion section of the raw material conversion unit, where in the conversion section, the heated heat transfer substance provides a product that can use heat for thermal or thermochemical conversion of a carbonaceous raw material.

[0021] In an embodiment, the method further includes transferring the heat transfer substance from the conversion section of the raw material conversion unit back to the heat transfer section for reheating, and transferring at least a portion of the heat transfer substance from the conversion section through a purification unit where the heat transfer substance is purified from unreacted carbon char and coke to the heat transfer section.

[0022] In an embodiment, the heat transfer substance is a metal oxide material, and the conversion of the carbonaceous raw material in the raw material conversion unit involves a redox reaction of the metal oxide material.

[0023] In an embodiment, in the method, the heat transfer and conversion methods are carried out in an essentially closed loop path in the raw material conversion unit.

[0024] In an embodiment, the raw material conversion unit includes at least one fluidized bed device. In an embodiment, the at least one fluidized bed device includes a catalyst.

[0025] In an embodiment, the method includes fluidizing a carbonaceous raw material using the heated fluid medium generated in the at least one rotating device.

[0026] In an embodiment, the method includes mixing the carbonaceous raw material with an essentially solid bed material in at least one fluidized bed apparatus. In an embodiment, the essentially solid bed material includes particulate matter or powder. [[ID=X]]

[0027] In an embodiment, in the method, the bed material provided in the at least one fluidized bed apparatus consists of a carbonaceous raw material provided as particulate matter or powder.

[0028] In an embodiment, in the method, the raw material conversion unit is configured as a two-phase fluidized bed reactor.

[0029] In an embodiment, thermal or thermochemical conversion of the carbonaceous raw material is performed by gasification or pyrolysis carried out under steam cracking conditions as required. In an embodiment, the raw material conversion unit comprises or consists of a gasification device or a pyrolysis device operated under steam cracking conditions as required.

[0030] In an embodiment, the method includes supplying the flow of the heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device to the raw material conversion facility to provide external heat to at least one raw material conversion unit within the facility.

[0031] Note: There seems to be a redundant tag `

[0027] ` which is marked as `X` in the translation for consistency with the rules. If this is an error in the original, please correct it accordingly.In the embodiment, the fluid medium entering the at least rotating device in the method is essentially a gaseous medium. In the embodiment, the heated fluid medium produced by the at least one rotating device contains water vapor (H2O). In the embodiment, the heated fluid medium produced by the at least one rotating device contains an oxidizing gas such as air or oxygen gas (O2), or a combination thereof. In the embodiment, the heated fluid medium produced by the at least one rotating device contains a non-oxidizing gas such as nitrogen gas (N2), hydrogen gas (H2), hydrocarbon-containing gas, or a combination thereof. In the embodiment, the heated fluid medium produced by the rotating device contains recycled gas recycled from exhaust gas generated during the raw material conversion process in the raw material conversion equipment.

[0032] In embodiments, the method includes generating the fluid medium by at least one rotating device heated to one of the following temperatures: (i) a temperature in the range of about 400°C to about 800°C, (i) a temperature in the range of about 800°C to about 1000°C, and preferably a temperature above 1000°C, provided in the range of about 1000°C to about 1700°C.

[0033] In one embodiment, the method includes adjusting the velocity and / or pressure of the flow of the fluid medium traveling through the rotating device.

[0034] In one embodiment, the heated fluid medium is generated by at least one continuously arranged rotating device having two or more rows of rotor blades along the rotor shaft. In another embodiment, the heated fluid medium is generated by at least one rotating device located downstream of at least one row of rotor blades in the bladeless portion of the duct.

[0035] In the embodiment, the method involves electrically operating the at least one rotating device, and as a result, the electrical energy from the at least one rotating device accounts for approximately 5% to approximately 100% of the total energy consumption. In the embodiment, the electrical energy consumed by the at least one rotating device can be obtained from renewable energy sources, different energy sources, or, if necessary, a combination of renewable energy sources.

[0036] In additional or alternative embodiments, the at least one rotating device is configured to receive input energy from a non-electric power source, such as a power turbine and / or a mechanical drive engine.

[0037] In one embodiment, the method includes generating the heated fluid medium by at least two rotating devices incorporated into the raw material conversion equipment, wherein the at least two rotating devices are connected in parallel or in series.

[0038] In the embodiment, the carbon-based raw material in the method includes plastics and / or organic materials, and optionally plastics and / or organic waste.

[0039] In the embodiment, the method includes pretreatment of the carbon-based raw material, the pretreatment including reduction of the size of the raw material particles by grinding, such as cryogenic grinding.

[0040] In a further embodiment, an assembly is provided, the assembly comprising at least two rotating devices connected in parallel or in series.

[0041] In a further embodiment, an arrangement is provided, the arrangement comprising at least one rotating device, the at least one rotating device being connected to at least one raw material conversion unit within the raw material conversion equipment.

[0042] In a further embodiment, a raw material conversion apparatus is provided, which is configured to perform a raw material conversion method in a manner according to some previously defined embodiments and models.

[0043] In this embodiment, the raw material conversion equipment is configured as a plastic material conversion and / or recycling equipment, and, if necessary, a plastic waste conversion and / or recycling equipment, and / or an organic material conversion equipment.

[0044] The usefulness of the present invention arises from various reasons that depend on each specific embodiment.

[0045] Overall, the method of the present disclosure makes it possible to improve existing raw material conversion methods that utilize fluidized bed technology with respect to at least a reduction in the number of equipment used in the method, a reduction or elimination of GHG emissions, and an improvement in the thermal efficiency of the method.

[0046] Therefore, the incorporation of the rotating device into the raw material conversion equipment described herein enables the generation of a heated fluid medium (used in the conversion method) and the fluidization of the solid flooring material using this medium. Thus, the rotating device incorporated into the conversion equipment enables the supply of process heat and fluidization in a single device.

[0047] The disclosed methods enable the input of thermal energy to heat-consuming facilities such as conversion reactors or heating furnaces used in raw material conversion equipment that operate at high temperatures, including temperatures exceeding 400°C and very high temperatures. The present invention proposes an apparatus and heating method for heating a fluid substance to temperatures in the range of about 400°C to about 1700°C and above, and up to about 2000°C, i.e., temperatures used for high-temperature conversion of carbonaceous materials by thermal decomposition (oxidative or non-oxidative), gasification, or combustion.

[0048] Additional or alternative advantages provided by the embodiments include: - Improved fluidization control (at least with respect to temperature and flow parameters); -By heating the fluidizing gas in the rotating device, additional heat can be directly introduced into the raw material conversion reaction occurring in the related (fluidized bed) device; -The method described herein avoids the incineration of fuel (fossil or biological), and therefore, the associated CO2 and NO x To significantly reduce emissions, as well as particulate matter and unburned fossil fuel material residues such as coke, soot, PAH, and inorganic substances, compared to conventional methods; - Recycling off-gases to improve energy efficiency and reduce or eliminate GHG emissions, thus eliminating the need for complex and costly heat recovery equipment for exhaust gases; - Improvement of the thermal efficiency of the method (achieved by gas recycling and / or the use of an electrified rotating device solution); - Reduction of the number of refining steps for recycled gas (for reuse in the aforementioned rotating device); -In indirect gasification, the coke or carbon residue formed on the surface of the heating medium material can be separated from it by mechanical methods, washing, or non-combustion means. These are some examples.

[0049] In the embodiment, the rotating device can be further used to replace a conventional fuel combustion heater or burner in the conversion method. For example, by incorporating the rotating device into a raw material conversion facility operating as a fluidized bed gasification facility, the need to guide auxiliary fuel to the gasification and / or combustion method can be completely or partially eliminated, and thus exhaust gas emissions can be reduced. Replacing the fuel combustion burner with a rotating device reduces greenhouse gas emissions (CO, CO2, NO). x ) and particle emissions can be reduced. In addition, it is possible to assemble a closed or semi-closed heating loop for a conversion method by recycling exhaust gas using the rotating device. The above scenario can be carried out using a rotating device configured to operate with electric energy as input energy and / or to receive input energy from a non-electric power source such as a power turbine and / or a mechanical drive engine. The recycling loop reduces exhaust gas-related heat losses and improves the energy efficiency of the conversion method. In contrast, conventional methods can only partially recycle exhaust gas.

[0050] The present invention further provides flexible use of electrical energy, such as electrical energy available from renewable energy sources. The production of renewable energy varies daily and even hourly. The present invention enables the production of renewable electricity by incorporating the rotating device disclosed herein, balancing it with a conventional fuel-operated (fuel-combusted) burner for providing heat to the raw material conversion method.

[0051] In this specification, the expression "a number of" refers to any positive integer beginning with 1(1), e.g., 1, 2, or 3. In this specification, the expression "a plurality of" refers to any positive integer beginning with 2(2), e.g., 2, 3, or 4. In this specification, the terms "first" and "second" are used simply to distinguish one element from another, without any particular order or importance, unless expressly specified otherwise.

[0052] Different embodiments of the present invention will become apparent from the detailed description and accompanying drawings. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0053] [Figure 1A] Figures 1A and 1B schematically illustrate direct and indirect gasification systems and methods, respectively, according to the embodiment. [Figure 1B] Figures 1A and 1B schematically illustrate direct and indirect gasification systems and methods, respectively, according to the embodiment. [Figure 2A] Figures 2A and 2B schematically illustrate the direct and indirect pyrolysis systems and methods, respectively, according to the embodiment. [Figure 2B] Figures 2A and 2B schematically illustrate the direct and indirect pyrolysis systems and methods, respectively, according to the embodiment. [Figure 3] Figure 3 is a schematic diagram of a fluid catalyst cracking (FCC) facility and method according to an embodiment. [Figure 4]Figure 4 is a schematic diagram of a chemical loop gasification apparatus and method according to an embodiment. [Figure 5A] Figures 5A and 5B schematically illustrate direct and indirect gasification systems and methods, respectively, that are known from the prior art. [Figure 5B] Figures 5A and 5B schematically illustrate direct and indirect gasification systems and methods, respectively, that are known from the prior art. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0054] This specification discloses methods for thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based (carbonaceous) raw materials into usable products in a raw material conversion facility. In addition, it discloses equipment and systems configured to perform thermal or thermochemical conversion within the relevant facility.

[0055] Carbon-based raw materials include or consist of fossil-derived raw materials such as plastic raw materials, and / or organic raw materials such as biomass-derived raw materials. In embodiments, carbon-based raw materials include or consist of plastic waste, organic waste, or both (e.g., biodegradable plastics). The term “waste” in this disclosure refers to any waste material and / or unusable by-products generated as a result of a method or manufacture that is no longer considered to have value and is therefore normally discarded. In embodiments, waste raw materials consist mainly or entirely of solid waste.

[0056] Plastic raw materials may include any type of plastic, such as consumer plastic waste (e.g., from household, leisure, and sports) and / or industrial plastic waste from various industries, including packaging, building and construction, automotive, and agriculture, but not limited to these. Exemplary plastic raw materials include polyethylene (PE), including high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE), and polyolefins such as polypropylene (PP), aromatic compounds such as polystyrene (PS) and expanded polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride (PVC), ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyethylene terephthalate (PET), or any combination thereof.

[0057] In this disclosure, the term “organic raw materials” is used to refer to substantially bio-based raw materials produced, for example, in agriculture, farming, the paper industry, the food and beverage industry, and in households. In embodiments, organic raw materials include biomass, optionally waste biomass and / or, but are not limited to, farmland (plant) biomass and by-products (bagasse, blanc, straw), kitchen and catering (bio) waste, household waste and / or municipal solid waste, by-products of the food industry, forestry, agriculture (farming, animal and poultry farming), and biomass-derived raw materials including sewage slurry and wastewater sludge.

[0058] Overall, the present invention encompasses the utilization of any carbon-based waste raw material that can be converted into usable products. The present invention is also applicable to the safe decomposition of hazardous waste materials such as contaminated land.

[0059] The method of the present disclosure converts a carbon-based raw material into one or more usable products. In embodiments, the usable products include solids (e.g., recycled plastics), olefins, hydrocarbon-containing gases such as fuels and chemicals, synthesis gas (singus), (bio)char, (bio)oil, and heat and electricity. In embodiments, the method includes recycling the carbon-based raw material into valuable products such as raw materials for the manufacture of (recycled) plastic products.

[0060] The disclosed method includes heating a flow of a fluid medium with at least one rotating device (further described below), supplying the heated flow of the fluid medium to a raw material conversion facility, and operating the at least one rotating device and the raw material conversion facility to perform thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials to usable products at a temperature of 400°C or above.

[0061] In the embodiment, one or more thermal or thermochemical conversion methods include: gasification, combustion, pyrolysis, or a combination thereof. In the embodiment, pyrolysis includes steam cracking.

[0062] Combustion is a thermochemical process in which carbon-based substances, sometimes called fuels, react with oxygen (O2) to produce water vapor (H2O) and exhaust gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and sulfur oxides (SOx). Oxidation reactions are exothermic reactions that generate excess heat.

[0063] Gasification is a thermochemical method for converting carbon-based materials such as coal, biomass, plastic waste, or fossil hydrocarbons into syngas (a mixture of H2 and CO), which can then be used as a raw material for the synthesis of industrially relevant basic chemicals and as a raw material for methanol, ethanol, or Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbons. Depending on the raw materials and reaction conditions, the product gas may further contain gaseous nitrogen (N2), a small amount of ammonia (NH3), and trace amounts of hydrogen sulfide (H2S) and hydrochloric acid (HCl). The ratio of hydrogen to carbon monoxide in the syngas depends on the gasification technology and raw materials and can be adjusted using a water-gas shift reaction or hydrogenation. Unlike combustion, gasification is an endothermic reaction and requires external heat.

[0064] The gasification reaction occurs at high temperatures (800-1200°C) with a controlled amount of oxygen. This method is also called partial oxidation of carbon-based raw materials, where the raw material carbon reacts with a limited amount of oxygen, i.e., less oxygen is used in gasification than in combustion (complete oxidation). A limited oxygen supply is necessary to produce carbon monoxide, especially when oxygen-enriched organic materials such as biomass are used as feedstock. Common gasifying agents include air, oxygen, and / or water vapor.

[0065] Simple gasification chemistry of various raw materials is explained using equations 1-7. Equation 1 represents the direct gasification of coal: (1) C + (1 / 2)O2 → CO

[0066] Equation 2 represents the indirect gasification of coal: (2) C + H2O → CO + H2

[0067] Equation 3 represents the removal of volatile components from the biomass, where the biomass feed is decomposed under heating conditions, and the volatile components are removed from the biomass feed: (3) Biomass (C6H 12 O6) → C+CO+H2+H2O+CO2+CH4+C n H m

[0068] Equations 4a and 4b, following Equation 3, represent the direct gasification of biomass: (4a) C + (1 / 2)O2 → CO (4b) CH4 + (1 / 2)O2 → CO + 2H2

[0069] Equations 5a and 5c, following Equation 3, represent the indirect gasification of biomass: (5a) C + H2O → CO + H2 (5b) C n H m +nH2O → (n+m / 2)H2+nCO (5c) CH4 + H2O → CO + 3H2

[0070] Equation 6 represents the direct gasification of plastic raw materials: (6) -CH2- + (1 / 2)O2 → CO+H2

[0071] Equation 7 represents the indirect gasification of plastic raw materials: (7) -CH2- +H2O → CO+2H2

[0072] As can be seen from the above equation, indirect gasification always produces hydrogen-enriched syngas. This is useful for syngas conversion reactions such as the synthesis of methanol (Equation 8) and the synthesis of Fischer-Tropsch hydrocarbons (Equation 9). This is because increasing the hydrogen content in syngas requires either costly hydrogen addition or the conversion of carbon monoxide to hydrogen by a water-gas shift (WGS) reaction (Equation 10). The latter produces carbon dioxide, which is undesirable as it is harmful to the environment and must be removed from the product gas.

[0073] Equation 8 represents the method for methanol synthesis: (8) CO + 2H2 → CH3OH

[0074] Equation 9 represents the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis method for hydrocarbons: (9) CO + 2H2 → -CH2- + H2O

[0075] Equation 10 represents the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction of carbon monoxide: (10) CO + H2O → CO2 + H2

[0076] Pyrolysis is a method of thermal / thermochemical (endothermic) conversion of carbon-based raw materials into gaseous, liquid, and solid products. In this disclosure, the term “pyrolysis” is used to describe a conversion method that occurs in an oxygen-free environment, i.e., in the absence of air, oxygen, and / or water vapor, and at temperatures in the range of about 400-500°C to about 800°C. In some cases, pyrolysis proceeds in the presence of water vapor, and the method is then referred to as “water vapor cracking.” Under water vapor cracking conditions, the temperature of the pyrolysis method rises to a temperature exceeding that of normal pyrolysis conditions (i.e., >800°C, usually in the range of about 800°C to about 1000°C), thereby causing the carbon-based raw material to evaporate, which may precede melting as needed, and crack to produce light olefins such as ethylene and propylene. In some cases, such as when the carbon-based raw material is a plastic, the evaporation step may be omitted, and the plastic raw material undergoes a cracking reaction at the above temperature to obtain light olefins.

[0077] Figures 1–4 schematically illustrate exemplary layouts of raw material conversion equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 configured to carry out the methods according to the embodiments. The figures and related embodiments serve an illustrative purpose and are not intended to limit the applicability of the concepts of the present invention to the layouts explicitly presented herein. Block diagram sections indicated by dotted lines are optional.

[0078] In the embodiment, equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 are configured to perform thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products at temperatures in the range of approximately 400°C to approximately 1700°C. In the embodiment, equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 are configured as pyrolysis equipment to perform thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products under non-oxidizing conditions at temperatures in the range of approximately 400 to 500°C to approximately 800°C. In the embodiment, equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 are configured as steam cracking equipment to perform thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products in the presence of steam at temperatures in the range of approximately 800°C to approximately 1000°C. In the embodiments, equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 are configured as gasification equipment that performs thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products at temperatures in the range of approximately 800°C to approximately 1700°C, and in some cases, in the range of approximately 800°C to approximately 1200°C. In some configurations, gasification may be performed at temperatures in the range of approximately 1000°C to approximately 1200°C. In the embodiments, equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 are configured to utilize a fluidized bed apparatus.

[0079] The raw material conversion equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 comprises at least one raw material conversion unit configured to perform one or more thermal or thermochemical conversion carbon-based (carbonaceous) raw material conversion methods at a temperature of 400°C or above. In embodiments, the raw material conversion unit comprises or consists of a group of equipment that operates as a conversion device or a gasification reactor or a pyrolysis reactor. In additional or alternative embodiments, the raw material conversion unit comprises a pyrolysis reactor configured to operate under steam cracking conditions. In embodiments, the raw material conversion unit further comprises a regeneration device (combustion device). Thus, in embodiments, the raw material conversion unit comprises or consists of a gasification device, a pyrolysis device, a combustion device, or a combination thereof. In the equipment, the raw material conversion unit is connected to at least one rotating device 100 in a manner that enables the flow of the heated fluid medium generated by the rotating device to be supplied to one or more of the raw material conversion units. Suitable connection means include suitable connectors, valves, controllers, e.g., pressure controllers, and piping including the like.

[0080] In the embodiment, the raw material conversion unit comprises or consists of one or more devices having a floor of particulate solid material. The particulate material is a mechanical mixture of numerous solid particles. Any suitable type of floor matrix (natural or synthetic) may be used. Suitable natural particulate materials include those derived from many long-term natural processes such as heating, cooling, atmospheric changes, water erosion, and others. The solid particulate material may be synthesized / produced by technical methods such as grinding, milling, evaporation, crystallization, spraying, drying, and others. Some exemplary floor materials include mineral particulate materials (e.g., olivine, quartz), sand, ash, and others.

[0081] In the embodiment, the raw material conversion unit comprises or consists of one or more devices utilizing fluidized bed technology. The devices are then configured as fluidized bed reactor (FBR) devices. Overall, the FBR devices of the raw material conversion unit may follow any conventional gas-solid device design made to perform inter-bed mass and / or heat transfer processes of gaseous fluids and substantially solid materials. In different configurations, the FBR reactor may be provided as one of the following: a fixed (immobilized) fluidized bed reactor, a bubble fluidized bed reactor, a circulating fluidized bed reactor, a pneumatic fluidized bed reactor, or a counterflow fluidized bed reactor. The latter may be provided as a downward solid flow toward the pneumatic flow.

[0082] In embodiments, the method of the present disclosure includes bringing a flow of a heated fluid medium generated by at least one rotating device into contact with carbon-based raw materials in the conversion reactor, thereby providing the heat of reaction necessary to convert the raw materials into usable products. This approach is recognized as direct conversion of raw materials and is described in relation to Figures 1A and 2A.

[0083] In some other embodiments, the method of the present disclosure includes bringing the flow of the heated fluid medium, generated by at least one rotating device, into contact with a matrix of heat transfer material in the heat transfer (regeneration) section of the raw material conversion unit, and transferring the heated heat transfer material from the heat transfer section to the conversion section of the raw material conversion unit, where the heated heat transfer material provides heat for the thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials to a usable product. This approach is recognized as indirect conversion of raw materials and is described in relation to Figures 1B and 2B.

[0084] In both direct and indirect approaches, the conversion of raw materials may be achieved within the conversion reactor by gasification or pyrolysis. In some cases, the pyrolysis setup may be operated under steam cracking conditions.

[0085] In this specification, the following raw material conversion units / devices may be configured to perform either a thermal or / or catalytic conversion method.

[0086] Figure 1A shows the basic configuration 1000A of equipment 1000, which includes a raw material conversion unit implemented as a gasification device 102 and a rotating device 100. In the layout of Figure 1A, the conversion unit is a gasification reactor 102 that is used for the conversion of carbon-based raw material 1 by (direct) gasification.

[0087] In embodiments, the method of the present disclosure for converting a carbon-based feedstock into a usable product includes bringing a flow 10 of a heated fluid medium generated by at least one rotating device 100 into contact with the carbon-based feedstock 1 in the gasification reactor 102 to the usable product 2. In embodiments, the gasification reactor 102 is made for the production of syngas 2 from the carbon-based feedstock.

[0088] In this embodiment, the gasifier 102 is a fluidized bed reactor (FBR) operating on any suitable fluid-solid basic technology outlined herein.

[0089] In this embodiment, the fluid medium 10 heated in the rotating device 100 is steam (H2O). The steam provides the heat necessary for the (direct) gasification of the raw materials in the fluidized bed gasification reactor 102 and simultaneously acts as a fluidizer. Compared to air, steam as a gasifier / fluidizer produces nitrogen-free product gases, thus avoiding the complex and expensive separation of nitrogen from the syngas products.

[0090] Therefore, especially in direct gasification, air can be replaced with hot steam (H2O, 1000-1700°C) generated in the rotating device 100. The hot steam fluidizes the bed and provides heat for the reaction for the endothermic gasification method. The resulting syngas is hydrogen-enriched and nitrogen-free compared to that produced by partial oxidation (using air / oxygen), which is advantageous for subsequent syngas conversion reactions such as the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis of hydrocarbons, the synthesis of methanol, and similar (see Equations 8 and 9). The production of hydrogen-enriched syngas makes it possible to avoid energy-consuming and cost-consuming steps such as the addition of hydrogen to syngas in post-treatment and / or the production of hydrogen by the WGS reaction pathway (see Equation 10). When steam is used as the gasifier / fluidizer, there are no CO2 emissions during the gasification method, unlike the air / oxygen aeration method. Water can then be concentrated from the final syngas product in cooling equipment, such as a heat exchanger located downstream of the gasifier 102 (not shown). Using water vapor instead of oxygen also increases the hydrogen content of the syngas product, which is beneficial for many of its downstream conversion methods, such as methanol production.

[0091] In the exemplary configuration of Figure 1A, preheated (not shown) steam 10, if necessary, enters a rotating device 100. In the rotating device, the steam is heated to an operating temperature where gasification is essentially about 800°C or higher, and possibly about 1000°C or higher (i.e., the temperature at the outlet of the rotating device is about 1000-1700°C), and supplied to a gasification reactor 102 containing a solid material bed. The steam 10 brings the heat necessary to convert the feed into product syngas 2 and simultaneously fluidizes the bed material. The syngas can be sent for post-treatment and / or use. The exhaust gas 3 is purged and driven out of the reactor, and the solid residue (SR) 4 is drawn out for disposal.

[0092] Figure 1B shows the integration of the rotating device 100 into equipment 1000, 1000B for the indirect gasification of essentially solid carbonaceous raw materials. Equipment 1000B comprises a raw material conversion unit having a raw material conversion section and a heat transfer (regeneration) section. In this embodiment, the raw material conversion section is represented by a conversion reactor 102, which is embodied as a gasification reactor, and the heat transfer (regeneration) section is represented by a regeneration device 104. The regeneration device 104 is embodied as a combustion reactor (combustion device). At least one rotating device 100 may be configured to supply a heated fluid medium to the gasification reactor 102 or the combustion reactor 104, or both. In the layout of Figure 1B, the rotating device 100 connected to the gasification reactor 102 is indicated by reference nominal number 100A, and the rotating device 100 connected to the combustion reactor 104 is indicated by reference nominal number 100B.

[0093] In embodiments, the method of the present disclosure for converting carbon-based feedstocks into usable products includes bringing a flow of the heated fluid medium, generated by at least one rotating device, into contact with a floor material matrix in a combustion reactor 104 and transferring the heated matrix of the floor material (flow 7) from the combustion reactor 104 to a gasification reactor 102, wherein the floor material, by gasification, provides heat for the thermal or thermochemical conversion of the carbon-based feedstocks into usable products. Thus, the floor material functions as a heat transfer material. The cold floor material is returned to the combustion reactor 104 (flow 8). The floor matrix is ​​circulated essentially continuously between reactors 102 and 104. Thus, a closed-loop path is formed despite the supply of makeup floor material to the reactors and / or the withdrawal of contaminated floor material (not shown), performing the heat transfer method (in the combustion reactor 104) and feedstock conversion (in the gasification reactor 102) simultaneously.

[0094] In this embodiment, the raw material conversion unit, comprising reactor equipment 102 and 104, is configured as a two-phase fluidized bed (DFB) gasifier. The interconnected reactor equipment 102 and 104 provided within the DFB unit may be operated according to conventional designs, as generally described with reference to Figure 5B.

[0095] In the exemplary DFB system shown in Figure 1B, flows 10A and 10B of heated fluid medium 10, generated by rotating devices 100A and 100B, respectively, are directed to the gasification reactor 102 and the combustion reactor 104. In the DFB system, device 100A, which supplies the heated fluid medium to the gasification reactor 102, generates heated steam (flow 10A) in the same manner as discussed in relation to Figure 1A. 10. The steam generated by device 100A and blown into most of the flooring material in the gasification reactor 102 acts as a fluidizer for fluidizing the carbonaceous feed in the reactor 102. On the other hand, the fluid medium 10B generated by rotating device 100B may be a chemically inert gas, such as nitrogen (N2). Fresh inert gas supplied from gas source 110 to rotating device 100B may be blended with the recycled exhaust gas (flow 6). The above arrangement may further include (if necessary) an exhaust gas purification unit 106 for purifying the exhaust gas 6 before it enters the apparatus 100. The unit 106 may be configured, for example, as a hot filtration unit.

[0096] The rotating devices 100A and 100B are configured to heat the fluid / gas 10A and 10B they receive to a temperature of at least 800°C (outlet temperature), preferably within the range of 800 to 1700°C. Two or more rotating devices 100 can be connected to the same reactors 102 and 104 (not shown).

[0097] Additional fuel supplied to the gasification reactor 102 as needed is indicated by reference number 9.

[0098] In the layout of Figure 1B, hot inert gas 10B may be used to replace fuel and air in the combustion reactor 104. Thus, no carbon dioxide emissions are generated, and the combustion device exhaust gas can be recycled in flow 6 for optimal heat recovery. However, when the rotating device 100B supplies heated inert gas to the combustion device for heating, unreacted char and coke that are "recycled" to the combustion device, which usually has a cold floor of material 8, are not incinerated and remain in the floor material. Therefore, mechanical separation of carbon char and coke from the floor material 8 is required between the gasification reactor 102 and the combustion reactor 104. Thus, in some configurations, at least a portion of the floor material 8 is led to a purification unit 108 where unreacted char and coke are removed from the floor matrix.

[0099] In some other configurations, all the flooring material is transported to the combustion reactor 104 for reheating. Therefore, the supply of the flooring material refining unit 108 may be optional if some air and / or oxygen is added to the heated fluid medium flow 10B in the rotary unit 100B to burn unreacted char and coke in the combustion unit 104. This configuration is particularly suitable for the gasification of organic feedstocks such as biomass, and the emissions from the combustion of char / coke are of biological origin. A further alternative for coke and emission control is to use steam as the feed medium (flow 10B) for the rotary unit 100B. The steam reacts with the char / coke at high temperatures in the combustion unit 104 to produce a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen according to the following equation: (11) C + H2O → CO + H2

[0100] The carbon monoxide and hydrogen produced in the reaction may undergo further evaporation, improving the overall material efficiency of the gasification method. In the latter case, one rotating device may be configured to supply the flow for both reactors 102 and 104.

[0101] In some configurations, exhaust gas may be purged and expelled from the combustion device 104 in flow 5.

[0102] Figures 2A and 2B illustrate basic embodiments of thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products by thermal decomposition in a raw material conversion apparatus 2000 configured to perform direct thermal decomposition (2000A, Figure 2A) and indirect thermal decomposition (2000B, Figure 2B).

[0103] Equipment 2000A (Figure 2A) comprises a raw material conversion unit implemented as a pyrolysis unit 202, and at least one rotary device 100. In the layout of Figure 2A, the unit conversion unit is a pyrolysis reactor made for the direct gasification of raw material 1. In embodiments, the reactor 202 is made for the pyrolysis of organic raw materials. In some embodiments, the reactor 202 is made for the pyrolysis of biomass producing liquid, solid, and gaseous fractions, mainly gas, bio-oil, and char.

[0104] In the embodiment, equipment 2000A may be modified for the (direct) thermal decomposition of plastic raw materials. In the embodiment, equipment 2000A is used for the thermal decomposition of plastic waste. Thermal decomposition of plastic waste typically yields a mixture of gas, liquid, wax, and solid products. The ratio of these product fractions can be adjusted by changing method conditions such as the thermal decomposition temperature, pressure, and residence time in reactor 202.

[0105] In the layout of Figure 2A, a flow of heated fluid medium 10 generated by at least one rotating device 100 comes into contact with the feed in the conversion reactor 202. In this specification, the conversion reactor 202 is configured as a pyrolysis reactor 202. The reactor 202 can be configured as any suitable type of fluidized bed reactor as described herein. Since the heat of the reactor is delivered to the reactor 202 by the fluidizing gas 10, it is possible to implement a fluidized bed consisting of solid raw material particles. The particle size of the solid raw material may be preferably small enough to allow the necessary heat transfer from the hot fluid flow 10 to the raw material in the reactor 202, and thus allow for sufficient conversion of the raw material to the product.

[0106] Therefore, the method may include pretreatment of the feed 1 in the pretreatment unit 204, which involves drying the feed (204A) and reducing its size by, for example, grinding (204B).

[0107] Overall, the conversion methods and equipment layouts presented herein enable the use of raw material particles significantly smaller in size than those used in conventional setups. In conventional pyrolysis methods, the feed is introduced into the pyrolysis reactor in the form of pellets or by extruder. Coarser raw material particles require a longer time to be pyrolyzed, leading to secondary reactions that typically yield an oily pyrolysis product instead of a gaseous product. By using smaller raw material particles, the amount of side reactions can be reduced.

[0108] The pretreatment equipment 204 may further include a cryogenic chamber (not shown). This is advantageous in the treatment of plastic waste, which is typically a very soft material, especially when it includes some so-called 2D plastics, such as plastic films made from high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and similar polymers. Grinding such materials at room temperature is not possible due to the elasticity of the material. This can be overcome by cryogenic treatment of the plastic waste feed, which cools the feed to a cryogenic temperature (e.g., down to -100°C) that reduces the elasticity of the material, making it pulverizable. Cryogenic temperatures allow the feed material to be ground into a very fine powder, which improves heat transfer between the particles and the hot fluidizing gas 10.

[0109] In an additional or alternative configuration, the pretreatment equipment 204 may include an extruder in which an essentially solid raw material, such as plastic, is melted before it enters the thermal or thermochemical conversion in the pyrolysis reactor 202.

[0110] The pre-treated feed material 1A is brought into contact with a hot fluid medium 10 supplied from a rotating device 100, and as a result, is subjected to thermal or thermochemical conversion in the pyrolysis reactor. Depending on the reaction conditions and raw materials, the temperature of the fluid medium 10 supplied to the pyrolysis reactor 202 is in the range of approximately 400°C to approximately 800°C. The rotating device 100 provides heat to the (pyrolysis) reactor by blowing hot fluidizing gas 10 into the reactor 202.

[0111] The pyrolysis method is usually carried out under non-oxidizing conditions, and therefore, the presented configuration preferably utilizes an inert, non-oxidizing gas such as nitrogen or a hydrocarbon-containing gas as the fluidizing gas 10.

[0112] The reactor 202 leads the (untreated) product flow 11 to a separation unit 206 to separate the process fluid (steam and gas) from incorporated solids such as char and ash. Separation 206 may be carried out by a series of cyclones, a hot filtration unit, and / or other suitable apparatus. After separation, the volatile components 12, including pyrolysis steam, are led to concentration and recovery 208 to recover the liquid products, while the carbon-containing solid fraction 13 (char, ash, etc.) is collected for recycling or disposal. Concentration is usually carried out in multiple stages (not shown) using various concentration means and temperatures. In concentration, product gas 2A and liquid 2B are recovered and sent for further purification or use. Thus, the pyrolysis of biomass produces so-called "biogas" and "bio-oils" that can be further used as alternative recycled fuels.

[0113] A portion of the generated gas flow and / or exhaust gas is recycled in flow 14 and, if necessary, returned to the rotating device 100 by an air blower / system fan arrangement 212. In configurations where the fan 212 is omitted, the rotating device 100 provides the recycled gas fan. In addition, or separately, fresh gas is supplied to the device 100 from one or more suitable sources 210.

[0114] In some configurations, an additional rotating device 100 (100C) may be installed in the equipment to provide heat for drying the raw materials in the pre-treatment equipment 204. The hot gas 10C generated in the device 100C may be supplied to a dryer (204A) or a grinding (204B) unit, or both.

[0115] Typically, in the pyrolysis method for plastic waste, the feed is introduced into the pyrolysis reactor in the form of pellets or by extrusion. These result in longer reaction times for pyrolysis, increased secondary reactions, and the formation of pyrolysis oils and loss of olefins. When the size of the plastic particles is fine powder, the pyrolysis of the particles is significantly smaller, and the amount of side reactions is reduced.

[0116] In some embodiments, the pyrolysis reactor 202 may be set up to operate under steam cracking conditions. In layout 2000A (Figure 2A), this can be achieved by using steam as the fluidizer 10. Steam pyrolysis can be advantageously applied to the thermal / thermochemical conversion of plastic (waste) raw materials into usable products such as gaseous olefins. Under steam cracking conditions, the temperature of the fluidizing gas 10 is raised to a temperature exceeding that of normal pyrolysis conditions, i.e., above 800°C. Steam cracking is typically carried out at temperatures in the range of about 800°C to about 1000°C. At these temperatures, the plastic feedstock begins to thermally decompose into olefins. Compared to non-oxidative pyrolysis, which yields liquid along with gas, under the oxidative pyrolysis conditions described (carried out by steam cracking), no liquid products are produced, and the main products are generated as gaseous products. Thus, steam cracking of plastic feedstock produces olefin-containing gas. Under optimized conditions, this will result in high ethylene and propylene yields in the decomposed gas. This would necessitate a quench operation after pyrolysis reactor 202 to stop the cracking reaction and to rapidly cool the decomposed (product) gas to avoid the formation of heavier hydrocarbons from reactive olefins and diolefins in the decomposed gas. Therefore, a quench cooler may be placed between pyrolysis reactor 202 and cyclone 206 (not shown).

[0117] Overall, incorporating the rotating device 100 into the plastic feed conversion equipment by pyrolysis (by steam cracking) under non-oxidative or oxidative conditions is associated with several process-specific advantages. For example, the generation of the heated fluid medium 10 in the device 100 allows for the loading of a material bed consisting of finely ground solid raw material particles into the pyrolysis reactor (thus eliminating the need for a heat transfer bed). The size of the raw material particles is significantly reduced compared to those used in conventional pyrolysis reactors. Under steam cracking conditions, this allows for a reduction in the secondary reaction rate and an improvement in the olefin yield target, respectively. The pyrolysis reactor can be designed for optimal residence time and temperature, eliminating the need for a heat transfer bed. Due to the smaller particle size, for example, heavy impurities common in plastic waste easily fall to the bottom of the pyrolysis reactor 202, which facilitates their removal.

[0118] Figure 2B illustrates the raw material conversion equipment 2000, 2000B for the indirect pyrolysis of essentially solid carbonaceous raw materials. Equipment 2000B operates similarly to equipment 1000B shown in Figure 1B. It should be further noted that equipment 1000B (Figure 1B) can be configured to perform the pyrolysis method instead of the gasification method.

[0119] Referring to Figure 2B, the apparatus 2000B comprises a raw material conversion unit having a raw material conversion section and a heat transfer (regeneration) section. Similar to the gasification process in Figure 2B, the conversion section is represented by a conversion reactor 202, and the heat transfer section is represented by a regeneration device 204. In apparatus 2000B, the conversion reactor 202 is a pyrolysis reactor, and the regeneration device 204 is a combustion reactor (combustion device). A heated fluid medium 10 is generated by at least one rotating device 100 and supplied to either the pyrolysis reactor 202, the combustion reactor 204, or both. In the layout of Figure 2B, the rotating device 100A is configured to supply the heated fluid medium in flow 10A to the pyrolysis reactor 202, and the rotating device 100B is configured to supply the heated fluid medium in flow 10B to the combustion reactor 202.

[0120] The raw material conversion unit, comprising reactor equipment 202 and 204, may follow the two-phase fluidized bed (DFB) design described with respect to Figure 1B. The reaction heat necessary to convert the raw material in the pyrolysis reactor 202 is delivered along with the bed matrix and transferred from the combustion reactor 204 to the pyrolysis reactor 202 (flow 16). As an example, an inert bed matrix, such as sand, is circulated between reactors 202 and 204 (see flows 15 and 16). It should be noted that, compared to the direct pyrolysis application (Figure 2A), the raw material solid is not used as a bed matrix, i.e., a separate bed matrix is ​​utilized. For example, feed 1 supplied to the reactor by an extruder and / or conveyor undergoes pyrolysis in reactor 202 by contact with the hot bed matrix delivered from the combustion device 204 to the pyrolysis reactor 202 in flow 16. Thus, the combustion heat heats the fluidized bed of the material to the temperature necessary for the conversion reaction to occur in reactor 202. Therefore, the flooring material functions as a heat transfer material.

[0121] Equipment 2000B may be used to convert any suitable carbon-based raw material of any kind, such as organic raw materials like biomass, or plastic raw materials, into gases, liquids, and / or solids.

[0122] After reactor 202, the product flow 11 undergoes separation in separation unit 206 (including cyclones, filters, and the like) to separate volatile components (vapors and gases) from the solid fraction (a mixture of bed material, carbon char, ash, and other materials). The solid fraction is then led in flow 15 to combustion reactor 204 for reheating. Unreacted char and ash can be withdrawn from the combustion reactor (flow 18) for recycling or disposal, while the reheated bed matrix is ​​transferred to pyrolysis reactor 202, the method following an essentially closed leap path.

[0123] The produced volatile matter 12 is sent from the separation unit 206 to the concentration and recovery unit 208. Liquid recovery may be carried out by quench cooling 208A (in a suitable heat exchanger or similar), followed by precipitation 208B (electrostatic precipitation unit or other suitable precipitation unit). It should be noted that similar units 208A and 208B may be incorporated into the layout of Figure 2A. The gaseous product 2A recovered in unit 208 is collected and sent for purification, export, or combustion, while the liquid product 2B, such as bio-oil or pyrolysis oil, is collected and sent for further purification or export / use. The exhaust gas may be recycled in flow 14 to a rotating unit 100A with a fan arrangement (not shown) as needed. In addition, the exhaust gas 17 produced by combustion can also be recycled through flow 14 (not shown). Thus, the supply of a complex and costly heat recovery unit for the exhaust gas can be avoided.

[0124] In the DFB system, the pyrolysis reactor 202 utilizes a solid heat transfer material matrix to heat the raw material particles 1. In addition to the heat transfer material, the fluidized bed reactor requires a fluidizing gas introduced into the reactor. The fluid medium heated by the rotating device 100 and supplied to the DFB system may be used as one of the fluidizing media (e.g., steam 10A when supplied to the pyrolysis reactor) or as an oxidizing gas (e.g., air 10B) when used in combustion 204.

[0125] Depending on the temperature conditions and the fluidized gas used in the conversion reactors 102 (Figure 1B) and 202 (Figure 2B), the DFB system may be configured for gasification or pyrolysis. The latter may be further operated under steam cracking conditions.

[0126] Overall, the DFB systems 102, 104 (Figure 1B) and 202, 204 (Figure 2B) perform a high-temperature conversion method that uses fuel incineration for energy supply. The fuel is incinerated in the combustion units 104, 204 together with carbon char produced by a pyrolysis reaction. In the methods presented herein, external fuel combustion may be replaced with a high-temperature fluid medium produced in the rotating unit 100 (100B, Figures 1B and 2B) and supplied to the combustion units 104, 204. Integrating the rotating unit into the DFB system and method would enable at least partial electrification of the conversion method. In the DFB system, the hot gas from the rotating unit 100 (100A, 100B) can circulate the floor material, eliminate the need for an external fuel supply, and provide both fluidization and heating to improve the thermal efficiency of the system.

[0127] The amount of char and / or coke transferred from the conversion reactors 102, 202 containing the flooring material to the combustion units 104, 204 depends on the type and quality of the raw materials (for example, with respect to plastic waste, quality is defined by the percentage of polyolefins and the amount of impurities in the raw materials) and the conversion method conditions. In conventional fuel combustion DFBs, this char burns in the combustion units, providing the energy necessary for the conversion reaction. If an inert gas (generated in the rotating units 100, 100B) is used for heating, this char will not burn and will begin to accumulate in the system. This char may be removed from the system in the manner shown in Figure 1B (see 108). The refining unit 108 may be used for the mechanical separation and removal of heavy impurities such as metals derived from the plastic waste raw materials or carbon materials that have formed a coke layer on the surface from the flooring matrix.

[0128] Removal of unreacted char from the floor material circulating between the conversion reactors 102, 202 and the combustion / regeneration units 104, 204 by mechanical separation would further allow for the capture of carbon for further storage as a permanent carbon reservoir, instead of releasing it into the atmosphere in the form of carbon dioxide. Mechanical separation 108 may be carried out by density separation (e.g., cyclone), size separation (e.g., sieving), or electrostatic separation (electrostatic precipitation). In addition or alternatively, coke can be removed from the floor material surface by milling. Other separation methods, such as washing, can be used to separate char or coke from the floor material.

[0129] Regular purification and replacement of the flooring matrix ensures the perfect operation of the DFB unit equipped with the rotating device 100.

[0130] In the embodiment, the apparatus 2000B, equipped with DFB conversion units 202, 204, is configured to process raw materials under so-called rapid pyrolysis conditions, where a hot fluidized bed of material (e.g., sand) rapidly comes into contact with the raw material 1 (e.g., plastic waste, oil shale, or biomass) under non-oxidizing conditions. The absence of oxygen or oxygen-containing molecules such as water or CO2 ensures that the raw material is neither gasified nor oxidized to oxygen-containing hydrocarbons such as organic acids, aldehydes, or alcohols. By rapid pyrolysis, plastic raw materials such as plastic waste may be converted into short-chain hydrocarbons (olefins), such as naphtha substitutes, which can be further refined into new raw materials for plastic production.

[0131] In this embodiment, the apparatus 2000B, which includes DFB conversion units 202 and 204, is configured to operate under steam cracking conditions. Compared to DFB gasification described in relation to Figure 1B, the pyrolysis reactions carried out in a two-phase fluidized bed system generally proceed at lower temperatures (about 400–800°C for non-oxidative pyrolysis and about 800–1000°C for oxidative pyrolysis / steam cracking).

[0132] Steam cracking in a DFB conversion unit may be used in the conversion of plastic raw materials such as plastic waste. Under steam cracking conditions, polymer molecules decompose into short-chain olefin materials. One-step conversion of plastic waste to olefins performed in a DFB system minimizes material loss and the energy consumption of the method.

[0133] In this specification, the fluidized bed solution may be implemented as a thermal method (without catalyst) or a thermal catalytic method. Therefore, in embodiments, one of the reaction devices 102, 104, 202, and 204 implemented as fluidized bed equipment in this specification includes a catalyst. Exemplary catalysts include, but are not limited to, catalytic pyrolysis for fluidized catalytic cracking of plastic raw materials, organic raw materials, or combinations thereof. Overall, any suitable catalyst may be used.

[0134] Figure 3 schematically illustrates a raw material conversion facility 3000 configured for catalytic cracking of carbon-based (carbonaceous) raw materials. In this embodiment, facility 3000 is a fluid catalyst cracking (FCC) facility.

[0135] The equipment 3000 comprises a raw material conversion unit having a conversion reactor 302 and a regeneration unit 304, as well as at least one rotating device 100. In the layout of Figure 3, the conversion reactor is an FCC reactor made for catalytic cracking of carbonaceous raw materials. The regeneration unit 304 is then configured as a catalyst regeneration device. The FCC equipment is particularly advantageous for converting plastic raw materials, such as plastic waste, into aromatic hydrocarbons. The light olefins and BTX aromatic compounds (benzene, toluene, xylenes) thus obtained are further used to produce new plastics.

[0136] In the FCC method, a hot (regenerated) catalyst flow 31 is mixed with preheated feedstock 1 (usually liquid) at the bottom of the reactor riser (see arrows 1 and 31). As the mixture rises in a fluid state up the riser and is transferred to the reactor vessel, the feedstock decomposes, and the decomposed product gas is separated from the spent catalyst. The FCC reactor, configured for cracking plastic feedstock, may be operated at a temperature in the range of approximately 400–600°C. The decomposed product gas 2 is sent (not shown) for fractional distillation and recovery of usable products. The spent catalyst is separated from the product mixture by steam stripping (steam 38 is supplied to the stripper section of reactor 302) and transferred in flow 32 to the regenerator 304. In the regenerator, coke accumulated on the catalyst material during the cracking method is burned by injecting air and heat, and the regenerated catalyst is returned to reactor 302 in flow 31 to continue the process loop. The conversion (cracking) and catalyst regeneration process proceeds in an essentially continuous manner. When the relevant amount of contaminated catalyst 37 is withdrawn, makeup catalyst 36 is supplied to the regeneration unit 304.

[0137] The rotating device 100 incorporated into the FCC layout 3000 may be configured to generate a flow of hot (650-750°C) fluid medium 10, preferably air, necessary for the combustion of coke in the regeneration device 304. The supply of fresh medium may be achieved from a suitable supply source 310.

[0138] Conventional FCC is an endothermic process. The heat required for cracking is typically produced by burning a small amount of raw material in the regeneration unit 304. This results in major fossil CO2 emissions, increases the technology's environmental footprint, and negates the sustainability benefits gained from recycling plastic waste. Therefore, removing coke / char from the fluid catalyst layer before it enters the regeneration unit 304 (flow 32) would be beneficial. Thus, at least a portion of the catalyst material may be led in flow 33 to a separation unit 308 for coke / char removal. The separation unit 308 may be configured to perform mechanical separation as previously described herein (see Figure 1B). The thermal efficiency of the system can be further improved in flow 35 by recycling the hot exhaust gas from the regeneration unit 304 to the rotating unit 100 by a purification unit 306 (e.g., a hot filtration unit) as needed. In some configurations, the exhaust gas may be purged in flow 34 to expel it from the regeneration unit 304. Instead of balancing operations by burning coke / char products, supplying at least a portion of the cracking energy by the rotating device can improve the operational flexibility of the cracker unit.

[0139] Figure 4 schematically illustrates the equipment at 4000 for the conversion of solid carbon-based feedstocks into usable products by a chemical loop gasification method. Equipment 4000 generally follows the operating principles outlined with respect to Figure 1B, however, one of the features that characterizes the chemical loop is that the conversion of carbon-based feedstocks in the feedstock conversion unit is carried out using a redox reaction of a fluidized bed, the latter of which is provided as an oxygen carrier. The oxygen carrier is usually provided as a metal oxide and is used to transfer oxygen from the combustion air to the solid feedstock (referred to as "fuel") while avoiding direct contact between the air and the feedstock.

[0140] The raw material conversion unit configured for chemical looping has a raw material conversion section and a heat transfer (regeneration) section. The raw material conversion section is represented by a conversion reactor 402 embodied as a gasification reactor, and the heat transfer section is represented by a regenerator 404. The regenerator 404 is realized as a combustion reactor. A bed material (metal oxide) made from a solid oxygen carrier is circulated between the reactors 402 and 404, and the circulation method is achieved by heat transfer and the redox reaction of the metal oxide. In this method, the oxygen carrier is subjected to continuous oxidation and reduction while circulating through the entire conversion unit.

[0141] In the regenerator 404, the metal oxide Me y O x-1 (stream 43) arriving from the conversion reactor 402 is oxidized to a higher oxidation state (Me y O x ) using combustion air. An exemplary oxidation of iron (II, III) oxide proceeds according to the following scheme (Equation 12): (12) Fe3O4(s) + O2(g) → Fe2O3(s)

[0142] Here, the fluidized bed material in the oxidized state flows into the conversion reactor 402 in stream 42. Stream 42 also carries the heat imparted to the bed material in the regenerator (combustion device) 404. The conversion of the solid raw material occurs in the conversion reactor 402 when the solid raw material 1 introduced into the reactor is mixed with the fluidized oxygen carrier particles. In an embodiment, the solid raw material 1 is an organic raw material such as biomass. The gaseous product exits the reactor 402 in stream 41 and proceeds to fractionation. In the conversion method, the oxygen carrier material is reduced to the state Me y O x-1 and sent in stream 43 back to the regenerator. In chemical looping, the metal oxide also functions as a heat transfer substance similar to that described with respect to Figure 1B. In some configurations, a portion of the (reduced) bed material 43 may be directed in stream 44 for char removal 408, which may be performed, for example, by steam stripping.

[0143] The gaseous products 41 generated in gasification, such as hydrogen (H2), carbon dioxide (CO, CO2), methane (CH4), and water vapor, proceed to fractional distillation / purification 412 to produce usable products 2 such as synthesis gas. The fractional distillation / purification facility 412 may be equipped with a water-gas shift (WGS) reactor, a carbon dioxide separation unit, a pressure fluctuation adsorption (PSA) unit, and / or other suitable equipment. Off-gas 47 may be extracted or recycled (not shown).

[0144] The rotating devices are incorporated into the chemical looping equipment 4000 as follows. The rotating devices 100A and 100B may be configured to supply heated fluid media 10A and 10B to the conversion reactor 402 and the regeneration unit 404, respectively. For example, the supply from the rotating device 100B replaces the fossil fuel combustion burner that is normally used to heat the combustion air. Therefore, the flow of (hot) combustion air 10B injected into the regeneration unit 404 may be generated by the rotating device 100B. The exhaust gas leaving the regeneration unit 404 may be recycled by a purification unit 406 as needed, in a purge (flow 45) or preferably in a flow 46, and returned to the rotating device 100 (100B), the latter of which (purification unit 406) may be configured as a hot filtration unit. The recycling flue in the above method improves the thermal efficiency of the system.

[0145] On the other hand, the rotating device 100A may be configured to generate a heated fluid medium 10A suitable for use as a gasifying agent. The fluid heated in the device 100A may contain carbon dioxide and / or water (which generates water vapor).

[0146] The fluid is supplied from the related supply source 410 to the rotating devices 100A and 100B.

[0147] It should be noted that in all layouts 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000 described herein, including the use of the above-mentioned fluidized bed reactor technology, the rotating device 100 (100A, 100B) can be designed to increase the pressure of the fluid flow. Thus, the rotating device can be provided with an additional blower function to accelerate the heated fluid medium supplied to the raw material conversion unit. In this way, the heated fluid medium also functions as a fluidizer, efficiently fluidizing the floor material in the associated reactor equipment. The device 100, configured to act as a blower, provides the pressure increase necessary for the fluid to circulate through the solid floor material supplied within the raw material conversion unit. Thus, the device 100 may replace another air blower / system fan, except where required in conventional fuel combustion gasification units (see Figure 2A and optional fan arrangement 212).

[0148] In the embodiment, the method includes generating a fluid medium heated by a rotary heater unit comprising or including at least one rotary device 100. The rotary heater unit 100 is preferably incorporated into the raw material conversion equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000. In the embodiment, the heated fluid medium is produced by at least one rotary device; however, multiple rotary devices may be used in series (sequentially) or in parallel.

[0149] The rotating device 100 can be provided as a standalone device or as several devices arranged in series or parallel. One or more devices may be connected to a common raw material conversion unit comprising at least one raw material conversion device (conversion reactor) 102, 202, 302, 402. If the conversion unit is configured as a combined reactor system (using a conversion reactor and a regenerator / combustion device 104, 204, 304, 404), at least one device 100 may be connected within the combined reactor system to either a conversion reactor and / or a regenerator / combustion device.

[0150] In some configurations, several rotating devices can be connected to several process facilities 102, 104, 202, 204, 302, 304, 402, 404, such as reactors or heating furnaces (not shown). Different configurations can be considered, such as n+x rotating devices connected to facilities (e.g., reactors), where n is 0 or greater and x is 1 or greater. Thus, in some configurations, the equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 and, in particular, the rotary heater unit 100, may comprise, for example, one, two, three, or four parallel rotating device units connected to a common raw material conversion unit, and the number of rotating devices exceeding four is not excluded. When several rotating devices are connected in parallel to a common conversion unit, one or more of the equipment 100 may have different types of drive engines, for example, an electric motor-driven reactor can be combined with one driven by a steam turbine, a gas turbine, and / or a gas engine.

[0151] The rotating device 100 is configured to receive a supply flow supplied from suitable supply sources 110, 210, 310, and 410. The supply flow supplied to the device 100 may contain or consist of any fluid, such as a liquid or a gas or a combination thereof, provided as a pure component or a mixture of components.

[0152] In one embodiment, the fluid medium entering and / or heated in the rotating device 100 contains water vapor (H2O). In another embodiment, the fluid medium entering and / or heated in the rotating device contains an oxidizing gas such as water vapor, air, or oxygen gas (O2). In yet another embodiment, the fluid medium entering and / or heated in the device 100 contains an oxidizing gas such as air, oxygen gas (O2), or a combination thereof. In yet another embodiment, the fluid medium entering and / or heated in the device 100 contains a non-oxidizing gas such as nitrogen gas (N2), hydrogen gas (H2), a hydrocarbon-containing gas such as methane (CH4), or a combination thereof. In yet another embodiment, the fluid medium entering and / or heated in the device 100 contains recycled gas recycled from exhaust gas generated during the raw material conversion process in the raw material conversion equipment.

[0153] It is preferable to supply the device 100 together with the gas supply. Therefore, units 110, 210, 310, and 410 may be equipped with gas preheating means and / or means for converting liquid to gas (not shown).

[0154] The exhaust gas generated in the conversion equipment may, if necessary, be recycled to the apparatus 100 by the purification units 106, 306, and 406 described herein. For example, the purification units 106, 306, and 406 can be configured to purify exhaust gas, e.g., carbon dioxide, discharged from the raw material conversion unit (mainly from the combustion reactors 104, 204, 304, and 404) for further carbon capture (not shown). Suitable methods for purifying the exhaust gas include, for example, filtration such as thermal filtration, distillation, absorption, e.g., pressure fluctuation adsorption (PSA), and any combination thereof.

[0155] According to embodiments, the method of the present disclosure comprises purifying a fluid medium heated by at least one rotating device incorporated into a related raw material conversion facility, the at least one rotating device comprising: (a) a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft; (b) a plurality of fixed blades or vanes arranged in an assembly adjacent to at least one row of the rotor blades; and (c) a casing having a duct formed between at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein the duct is configured to enclose the rotating and fixed blades such that the non-blade portion of the duct essentially follows the bladed portion, and the rotating device is configured such that a flow of the fluid medium passes continuously through the bladed and non-blade portions of the duct, thereby imparting a quantity of thermal energy to the flow of the fluid medium flowing in the duct between the inlet and the outlet through a series of energy conversions that occur when a flow of heated fluid medium is generated.

[0156] In addition to providing the thermal energy necessary for carrying out a thermal or thermochemical conversion reaction and / or functioning as a fluidizer (as described above), at least one rotating device 100 incorporated into the raw material conversion equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 may further replace the fuel combustion burner in the raw material conversion unit and / or conversion equipment, either completely or partially.

[0157] In equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, and 4000, the rotating device 100 can be modified to match existing equipment such as reactors and reactor systems as described in this specification.

[0158] The implementation of the rotating device 100 follows the disclosures of rotating reactor devices described in U.S. Patent No. 7,232,937 (Bushuev), U.S. Patent No. 9,494,038 (Bushuev), and U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 (Seppala et al.), and radial reactor devices described in U.S. Patent No. 10,744,480 (Xu & Rosic), which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Other implementations can be utilized that can be configured to employ the methods described in the embodiments.

[0159] In the patent documents referenced above, rotary turbomachine-type apparatuses were designed as reactors for the processing of hydrocarbons, particularly steam cracking. General requirements for these applications are rapid heating of the gas, high temperature, short single-particle time, and plugged flow (a flow model that does not imply axial mixing). These requirements have led to designs in which turbomachine-type reactors have several heating stages housed in relatively small deposits.

[0160] This disclosure shows that the rotating device (including, but not limited to, those referenced above) can be used as a heater to generate a heated fluid medium that can be further supplied to thermal or thermochemical conversion methods related to the recycling of carbonaceous (waste) materials such as plastics or organic materials, such as biomass, and the production of valuable products. In some configurations, the device 100 can be electrified. Thus, by incorporating the rotating device heater unit into the raw material conversion method, a significant reduction in greenhouse gas and particulate emissions can be achieved.

[0161] Accordingly, the rotating device 100 incorporated into a raw material conversion facility configured to produce a heated fluid medium for the embodiments described and the methods described herein comprises a rotor shaft arranged along the horizontal (vertical) axis of at least one rotor unit mounted on the rotor shaft. The rotor unit comprises a plurality of rotor blades (also called rotating or working blades) arranged around a rotor hub or rotor disc and together forming a rotor blade cascade. Thus, the rotating device 100 comprises a plurality of rotor blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub or rotor disc mounted on the rotor shaft and forming an essentially annular rotor blade assembly or rotor blade cascade.

[0162] In embodiments, the apparatus 100 further comprises a plurality of fixed blades or vanes arranged in an assembly adjacent to at least one row of rotor blades. By the term “fixed,” the inventors refer to non-rotating blades / vanes (in contrast to rotor blades). It should be noted that the mounting of the fixed vanes to the casing (inner wall or its backing) may be fixed (not movable) or essentially movable. In the latter case, the mounting of the fixed vanes may incorporate some movement to allow for some degree of adjustment of the blade angle with respect to the rotor blades and / or the inside of the casing. The fixed blades / vanes may be mounted directly to the casing (inner wall and / or its backing), or they may be mounted by auxiliary connector means such as rails, annular support frames, and so on. Movable connections may be achieved by hinged joints or other suitable connecting means.

[0163] In the embodiment, the rotating and stationary blades are contained within the apparatus casing, forming a duct, and thus forming the bladed portion of the duct. In the embodiment, the rotating and stationary blades are positioned in the duct such that the bladeless portion is formed to be essentially sequential to the stationary blade and / or rotating blades in the duct. In the embodiment, the bladeless portion of the duct is essentially sequential to the bladed portion.

[0164] Therefore, the rotating device is configured such that the flow of the fluid medium passes continuously through the bladed and non-blade portions of the duct, thereby imparting a quantity of thermal energy to the flow of the fluid medium flowing in the duct between the inlet and the outlet through a series of energy conversions that occur when a heated flow of the fluid medium is generated.

[0165] In some embodiments, multiple fixed blades can be arranged in at least one fixed blade cascade, provided as an essentially annular assembly upstream and / or downstream of at least one row of rotor blades.

[0166] Multiple fixed vanes arranged in an assembly positioned upstream of at least one row of rotor blades may be provided as fixed guide vanes (GVs), such as inlet guide vanes (IGVs), and their profile, dimensions and arrangement around the central shaft may be configured to guide fluid flow to the rotor in a predetermined direction, for example, to control and, in some cases, maximize rotor-specific work input capability.

[0167] In some embodiments, the rotating device 100 further comprises a diffuser region located downstream of at least one row of rotor blades (rotor blade cascade). The diffuser region can be configured with or without fixed (diffuser) blades. Thus, the diffuser region may be provided as an essentially bladeless portion of the duct or as a bladed portion of the duct. In the latter case, the diffuser region comprises a plurality of fixed blades or a bladed diffuser implemented as a blade, arranged in a diffuser blade cascade provided as an essentially annular assembly downstream of the rotor. In some configurations, the diffuser region may encompass a bladeless diffuser.

[0168] The rotating device may be configured to have two or more essentially annular rows of rotor blades (blade cascade) arranged continuously on / along the rotor shaft. In such a case, the fixed guide vanes may be installed upstream of the first row of rotor blades, upstream of each row of rotor blades in the aforementioned order, or upstream of any selected row of rotor blades in the latter continuous arrangement, and the fixed diffuser vanes may be installed downstream of the first row of rotor blades, downstream of each row of rotor blades in the aforementioned order, or downstream of any selected row of rotor blades in the latter continuous arrangement.

[0169] The rotor and fixed blades (IGV and / or diffuser blades) are enclosed within an internal passage (the duct) formed in the casing.

[0170] The diffuser region, provided as an essentially bladeless portion of the duct, is described in more detail in U.S. Patent No. 10,744,480 by Xu and Rosic. In such a configuration, the supply of diffuser equipment (whether bladed or bladeless) may be omitted, and the diffuser region may be represented by an essentially bladeless portion of the duct (a so-called bladeless space) located downstream of the rotor and configured, with respect to its geometric and / or dimensional parameters, to diffuse the high-speed fluid flow arriving from the rotor.

[0171] Overall, the supply of the bladeless / bladeless portion of the duct is common to all configurations of the rotating device 100. Depending on the configuration, the bladeless portion is positioned following (downstream) the rotor blades (see U.S. Patent No. 10,744,480 by Xu and Rosic) or following (downstream) the fixed diffuser blades (see U.S. Patent No. 9,494,038 by Bushuev and U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 by Seppala et al.). For example, in some configurations described by Seppala et al., the arrangement of the rotating and fixed blade rows in the internal passage within the casing satisfies the condition that the bladeless portion is made between the exit from the fixed diffuser blades located downstream of the rotor blades and the inlet to the fixed guide blades located upstream of the rotor blades in a continuous rotor blade cascade unit.

[0172] The terms “upstream” and “downstream” in this specification refer to the spatial and / or functional arrangement of a structural part or component relative to a given part or component, and in this specification refer to the direction of fluid flow throughout the entire apparatus.

[0173] In some configurations, at least one row of the rotor (working) blades may be positioned between rows of fixed (stator) blades arranged in an essentially annular assembly (also called a cascade) on one or both sides of the working blade row. Configurations including two or more rows of rotor blades / rotor blade cascades arranged in series (sequentially) on / along the rotor shaft may be considered with or without intermediate fixed blades. If there are no fixed blades between the rotor blade rows, the velocity of the fluid medium traveling through the duct accelerates in each subsequent row. In such cases, multiple fixed blades may be positioned in the assembly upstream of the first rotor blade cascade (fixed diffuser blades) and downstream of the last rotor blade cascade in the arrangement (as fixed guide blades).

[0174] The portion of the duct downstream of the rotor blades, enclosed within a casing which optionally comprises rows of rotor blades (rotor blade cascade) and an assembly of fixed diffuser vanes (diffuser region), can be considered as a minimal process stage (hereinafter referred to as a stage) configured to mediate a complete energy conversion cycle. Thus, the amount of kinetic energy applied to the flow of the fluid medium in at least one row of rotating blades is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value if the flow of the fluid medium leaves the rotor blades and proceeds in the duct toward subsequent rows of rotor blades, or enters the same row of rotor blades following an essentially helical trajectory formed within an essentially annular casing. Thus, as the fluid flow passes continuously through the bladed and non-blade portions of the duct, thermal energy is applied to the flow of the fluid medium flowing through the duct between at least one inlet and at least one outlet by converting the mechanical energy of the rotor's rotating blades into internal energy of the fluid (thus applying thermal energy to the fluid flow). Preferably, when a fluid flow proceeds through the duct (which surrounds the rotor), the flow decelerates, wasting kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid medium, and thermal energy is applied to the flow of the fluid medium.

[0175] A row of fixed guide blades positioned upstream of at least one row of rotor blades prepares the necessary flow conditions at the inlet of the rotating blade row (cascade) during the energy conversion cycle.

[0176] In some configurations, the process step is established with an assembly of fixed guide vanes (upstream of the rotor blades), a row of rotor blades positioned downstream of the rotor blades, and a diffuser region, the diffuser region provided as an essentially vaneless portion of a duct equipped with diffuser vanes as needed. During an energy conversion cycle made possible by the continuous flow of the fluid medium through the fixed guide vanes, at least one row of the rotor blades on the rotor shaft, and the diffuser region, respectively, the mechanical energy of the rotor shaft is converted into kinetic energy, and further into the internal energy of the fluid, and then the fluid temperature is raised. The amount of kinetic energy applied to the flow of the fluid medium by the rotating blades of the rotor is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when the flow of the fluid medium leaves the rotor blades and passes through the diffuser region inside the dust, thereby slowing down the flow and wasting kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid medium, and the amount of thermal energy applied to the flow of the fluid medium is sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value. In the rotor blade rows, the flow accelerates, transferring the mechanical energy of the shaft and rotating blades into the fluid flow. In at least a portion of each rotor blade row, the flow can reach a supersonic flow state. In the diffuser region, the high-speed fluid flow arriving from the rotor is diffused with a significant increase in entropy, thereby causing the flow to waste kinetic energy into the internal energy of the fluid material and thus providing thermal energy to the fluid. If the flow upstream of the diffuser is supersonic, the kinetic energy of the fluid flow is converted into the internal energy of the fluid by a multi-impact system and viscous mixing and dissipation. The increase in the internal energy of the fluid results in an increase in the fluid temperature. The energy conversion function may be performed by the bladeless portion of the duct located downstream of the rotor blades (see U.S. Patent No. 10,744,480 by Xu & Rosic) and / or, for example, by an assembly of diffusion blades (see U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 by Seppala et al.).

[0177] The rotating device 100 can be configured as a multi-stage or single-stage solution. A multi-stage configuration can be considered, comprising several rotor units alternating with bladeless areas (for example, 1 to 5 rows of rotor blades arranged continuously on / along the rotor shaft). In some configurations, the bladeless areas may be called (bladeless) diffuser areas. In some configurations, the bladeless areas (the bladeless portions of the duct) may be arranged following fixed blades, such as fixed diffuser blades.

[0178] In an exemplary configuration outlined in U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 by Seppala et al., the rotating device 100 can be implemented in a substantially annular shape where the meridional cross-section of the duct forms an annular profile. The device comprises a rotor unit positioned between fixed guide vanes (nozzle vanes) and fixed diffuser vanes. The stage is formed together with the rows of fixed nozzle vanes, rotor blades and diffuser vanes, through which the fluid flow proceeds in a continuous manner, following a flow path established in an essentially helical trajectory. In this configuration, the fluid flow circulates several times through the rotating rotor blade cascade as it proceeds inside the device between the inlet and outlet. A similar annular configuration is described in U.S. Patent No. 9,494,038 by Bushuev.

[0179] In another exemplary configuration outlined in U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 by Seppala et al., the rotary device 100 can be configured as an essentially tubular axial-flow turbomachine. In such a configuration, the device comprises an extended rotor hub along which several rotor blades are arranged in several continuous rows. The rotor is enclosed within a casing, the inner surface of which comprises stator blades / vanes, a rotor cascade, and a diffuser cascade, arranged alternately along the rotor hub longitudinally (along the length of the rotor shaft with respect to the inlet to the outlet) with fixed (stator) vanes and diffuser vanes. At specific positions along the rotor longitudinally, the blades of the rotor cascade each form a stage comprising adjacent pairs of fixed guide (nozzle) vanes and diffuser vanes.

[0180] In the configuration described, the subsequent stages have a blade / wing-free space between them.

[0181] In yet another exemplary configuration outlined in U.S. Patent No. 10,744,480 by Xu and Rosic, the rotating device 100 may be configured as a radial turbomachine generally following a design for a centrifugal compressor or centrifugal pump. The term “centrifugal” means that the fluid flow within the device is radial, and therefore the device is referred to in this disclosure as a “radial flow device.” The device comprises several rotor units to which extended shafts are attached, with fixed guide vanes positioned in front of each rotor unit. A vaneless portion of the duct, shaped in a manner that allows for energy conversion (e.g., bent into a U-shape or an S-shape), is positioned behind the rotor units. In addition, the configuration may include separate diffuser devices (with or without vanes) positioned downstream of the rotors.

[0182] In all of the above configurations, the rotating device 100 is similarly implemented in the manner described herein. During operation, input energy transmitted to at least one rotating device incorporated into the raw material conversion equipment is converted into mechanical energy of the rotor. The state in the rotating device is defined as the amount of kinetic energy applied to the flow of the fluid medium by rotating the rotor blades being sufficient to raise the temperature of the fluid medium to a predetermined value when the flow of the fluid medium exits at least one row of rotor blades, passes through the duct and / or diffuser region, and enters a subsequent row of rotor blades or the same row of rotor blades as described above. Fixed guide vanes may be positioned in front of the row of rotor blades. Thus, the adjustable state includes adjusting at least the flow of the fluid medium traveling inside the casing of the rotating device between the inlet and outlet. The adjustment of the flow may include adjusting parameters related to the operation of the device, such as temperature, mass velocity, pressure, and others. In addition, or separately, the flow state can be adjusted by changing the shape of the duct formed inside the casing.

[0183] In some exemplary configurations, the rotating device can be configured to perform fluid flow between its inlet and outlet along a flow path established according to one of the following: an essentially helical orbit formed within an essentially annular casing, as discussed in either U.S. Patent No. 9,494,038 of Bushuev or U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 of Seppala et al.; an essentially helical orbit formed within an essentially tubular casing, as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 9,234,140 of Seppala et al.; an essentially radial orbit, as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 10,744,480 of Xu & Rosic; and along a flow path established by the flow of a fluid medium in the form of two vortices wound up to right and left vortex rings, as discussed in U.S. Patent No. 7,232,937 of Bushuev. The aerodynamic design of the rotating device can vary.

[0184] The rotating device 100 utilizes a drive engine. In some configurations, the device utilizes electrical energy as input energy and is therefore electric motor driven. For the purposes of this disclosure, any suitable type of electric motor (i.e., a device capable of transferring energy from an electrical source to a mechanical load) can be used. Suitable couplings positioned between the motor drive shaft and the rotor shaft, as well as various electrical appliances such as power converters, controllers and the like, are not described herein. In addition, the device can be driven directly by, for example, a gas turbine or steam turbine, or other suitable drive equipment. In a layout in which several rotating devices 100 are connected in parallel to a common material conversion unit 102, 102+104, 202, 202+204, 302+304, 402+404 such as a heating furnace, one or more of the devices may utilize different types of drive engines, for example, an electric motor drive can be combined with one driven by a steam turbine, gas turbine, and / or gas engine.

[0185] Therefore, the input energy quantity E1 may be transmitted as a (rotating) heater unit to at least one rotating device 100 incorporated into the conversion equipment 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000. The input energy quantity E1 may include electrical energy supplied from an external or internal source (related to the rotating device itself and / or the conversion equipment). The amount of electrical input energy E1 supplied to the device can be defined in terms of power, the latter defined as the rate of energy transfer per unit time (measured in watts). Power can be supplied to the rotating device by supplying current to an electric motor used to propel the rotating shaft of the device.

[0186] Electricity may be supplied from a power generation system that utilizes at least one source of renewable energy or a combination of power generation systems that utilize different sources of renewable energy. External sources of renewable energy may be provided as solar, wind, and / or hydroelectric power. Thus, electricity may be received in a manner from at least one of the following units: photovoltaic power generation systems, wind power generation systems, and hydroelectric power generation systems. In some exemplary cases, nuclear power plants may be provided as external sources of electricity. Nuclear power plants are generally considered to have no emissions. The term “nuclear power plant” should be interpreted as using traditional nuclear power and, in addition, or fusion power.

[0187] Electricity can be supplied from a power plant that utilizes a turbine as a kinetic energy source to drive a generator. In some cases, the power to drive at least one device 100 can be supplied from at least one gas turbine (GT) or, for example, a combined heat and power (CHP) and / or combined cycle power generation equipment provided as a separate installation. Thus, power can be supplied from at least one of the following units: a combined cycle power generation equipment such as a combined cycle gas turbine power plant (CCGT), and / or a combined heat and power (CHP) equipment configured for electricity production combined with heat recovery and utilization by, for example, CHP. In some cases, the CHP plant may be a biomass combustion plant for increasing the distribution of renewable energy in the manner described. In addition, or / or, the power supply can be realized, as needed, from spark-ignition engines such as gas turbines and / or compression engines such as diesel engines, provided as part of an engine power plant. Furthermore, electrical energy can be generated as input energy for the rotating device 100 using any conventional power plant configured to produce electrical energy from fossil fuels such as coal, oil, natural gas, gasoline, and the like, which are typically mediated by the use of steam turbines. In addition, hydrogen can be used as a renewable energy source and converted back into electricity, for example, using a fuel cell.

[0188] Any combination of the above-mentioned power sources, both external and internal, may be considered. Incorporating low-emission power from alternative (external) sources improves the energy efficiency of the raw material conversion equipment.

[0189] The transmission of input energy, including electricity, to the drive engine of the rotating device can be further accompanied by the transmission of mechanical shaft power from a power turbine that utilizes thermal energy generated in or outside of the equipment, as needed. Shaft power is defined as the mechanical power transmitted from one rotating body to another and is calculated as the sum of the shaft torque and rotational speed. Mechanical power is then defined as work or energy per unit time (measured in watts).

[0190] In practice, for example, shaft power from an electric motor and a power turbine can be divided so that one of them can provide all or part of the shaft power.

[0191] In embodiments, the method of the present disclosure includes generating the heated fluid medium by at least two rotating devices incorporated into the raw material conversion equipment, wherein the at least two rotating devices are connected in parallel or in series (not shown).

[0192] A rotating device assembly can be established by connecting at least two rotating devices in parallel or in series. The connections between rotating devices in the assembly may be mechanical and / or functional. Functional connections (e.g., with respect to achievable thermal input) can be established by the coordination between at least two separate, physically integrated or unintegrated separate device units. In the latter case, the coordination between the at least two rotating devices can be established by several auxiliary installations (not shown). In some configurations, the assembly comprises the at least two devices connected so as to be mirror images of each other, thereby at least functionally connecting the at least two devices by their central (rotor) shafts. Such a mirror-like configuration can be further defined as having at least two rotating devices 100 mechanically connected in series, although the functional connection may be considered as a parallel (arrangement) connection. In some cases, the aforementioned "mirror-like" arrangement can be further modified to include at least two inlets and a common exhaust (discharge) module located essentially at the center of the arrangement.

[0193] Several rotating devices can be assembled on the same (rotor) shaft (not shown). Each (rotating device) may be equipped with a separate drive (motor) as needed, allowing for independent optimization of the device. When two or more separate rotating devices are used, construction costs (materials, etc.) can be optimized in terms of operating temperature and pressure.

[0194] When two rotating devices are connected in sequence, the first device in the arrangement may function as a primary heater and a second heater—a so-called booster heater (to further increase the temperature of the fluid heated in the primary device by injecting reactive chemicals into it as needed).

[0195] In one embodiment, the present invention provides a raw material conversion facility 1000, 2000, 3000, 4000 comprising at least one rotating device 100 configured to generate a heated fluid medium and at least one raw material conversion unit 102, 102+104, 202, 202+204, 302+304, 402+404 configured to perform one or more methods relating to the thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products, wherein the at least one rotating device comprises: (a) a rotor having a plurality of rotor blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub mounted on a rotor shaft; (b) a plurality of fixed blades or vanes arranged in an assembly adjacent to at least one row of the rotor blades; and (c) a casing having a duct formed between at least one inlet and at least one outlet. The duct comprises a casing configured to enclose rotating and stationary blades such that the bladeless portion of the duct is essentially positioned following the bladed portion, wherein the at least one rotating device is configured to operate such that the flow of the fluid medium passes continuously through the bladed and bladeless portions of the duct, thereby imparting an amount of thermal energy to the flow of the fluid medium flowing in the duct between the inlet and the outlet through a series of energy conversions that occur when a heated flow of the fluid medium is generated, and the at least one rotating device is configured to receive an input amount of energy and to generate a heated fluid medium for inputting the thermal energy to at least one material conversion unit configured to perform a material conversion method at essentially about 400°C or above.

[0196] In some embodiments, the raw material conversion equipment is configured to perform thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products by methods according to some previously defined aspects and embodiments.

[0197] In the embodiment, the raw material conversion equipment is configured as a plastic waste conversion equipment and / or an organic waste conversion equipment. In the embodiment, the equipment is configured to convert plastics and / or organic waste into value-added substances such as solid fuels, liquid fuels (e.g., (bio) oils) and gases (e.g., (bio) gases, synthesis gases), (solids, liquids, or gases), chemical compounds, and energy (heat and electricity).

[0198] As technology advances, it will be apparent to those skilled in the art that the basic ideas of the present invention can be implemented and combined in various ways. Therefore, the present invention and its embodiments are not limited to the embodiments described herein, but rather may be modified generally within the scope of the appended claims.

Claims

1. A method for thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products, the method comprising generating a fluid medium heated by at least one rotating device incorporated into related raw material conversion equipment, the at least one rotating device is A rotor having multiple rotor blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub attached to a rotor shaft, Multiple fixed blades or vanes arranged in an assembly adjacent to at least one row of rotor blades, A casing having a duct formed between at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein the duct is configured to enclose rotating and stationary blades such that the bladeless portion of the duct is essentially positioned following the bladed portion; Equipped with, The rotating device is configured such that the flow of the fluid medium passes continuously through the bladed and non-blade portions of the duct, thereby imparting thermal energy to the flow of the fluid medium flowing in the duct between the inlet and the outlet through a series of energy conversions that occur when a heated flow of the fluid medium is generated. The aforementioned method, - Supplying the heated fluid medium flow generated by the at least one rotating device to the raw material conversion equipment, and - Essentially, operating the at least one rotating device and the raw material conversion equipment for thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products at a temperature of approximately 400°C or higher, Furthermore, method.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the raw material conversion equipment is connected to at least one rotating device to at least one raw material conversion unit configured to perform one or more thermal or thermochemical carbon-based raw material conversion methods at a temperature of approximately 400°C or higher.

3. The method according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the method comprises supplying the flow of the heated fluid medium generated by at least one rotating device to the at least one raw material conversion unit in the raw material conversion equipment.

4. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising bringing a flow of the heated fluid medium generated by at least one rotating device into contact with a carbon-based raw material in the at least one raw material conversion unit, wherein the heated fluid medium generated by at least one rotating device provides heat for thermal or thermochemical conversion of the essentially solid carbon-based raw material to a usable product.

5. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 3, comprising bringing a flow of the heated fluid medium generated by at least one rotating device into contact with a heat transfer material in the heat transfer section of the raw material conversion unit, and transferring the heated heat transfer material from the heat transfer section to the conversion section of the raw material conversion unit, wherein in the conversion section, the heated heat transfer material provides heat for the thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials to a usable product.

6. The method according to claim 5, further comprising transferring the heat transfer material from the conversion section of the raw material conversion unit back to the heat transfer section for reheating, wherein at least a portion of the heat transfer material is transferred from the conversion section to the heat transfer section through a purification unit in which the heat transfer material is purified from unreacted carbon char and coke.

7. The method according to claim 5 or 6, wherein the heat transfer method and the conversion method are carried out in an essentially closed loop path in the raw material conversion unit.

8. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the raw material conversion unit comprises at least one fluidized bed device.

9. The method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one fluidized bed apparatus includes a catalyst.

10. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 9, comprising fluidizing a carbon-based raw material using the heated fluid medium generated in the at least one rotating device.

11. The method according to any one of claims 8 to 10, wherein the carbon-based raw material is mixed with an essentially solid bed material in the at least one fluidized bed apparatus.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the essentially solid flooring material comprises particles or powder.

13. The method according to claim 8, wherein in the at least one fluidized bed apparatus, the bed material consists of a carbon-based raw material provided as particles or powder.

14. The method according to any one of claims 5 to 12, wherein the raw material conversion unit is configured as a two-phase fluidized bed reactor.

15. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 14, wherein the thermal or thermochemical conversion of a carbon-based raw material is carried out by gasification or thermal decomposition performed under steam cracking conditions as necessary.

16. The method according to claim 15, wherein the raw material conversion unit comprises or includes a gasifier or pyrolysis apparatus that is operated under steam cracking conditions as needed.

17. The method according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the heat transfer material is a metal oxide material, and the conversion of the carbon-based raw material in the raw material conversion unit is accompanied by a redox reaction of the metal oxide material.

18. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 17, further comprising supplying the flow of the heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device to the raw material conversion equipment to provide external heat to at least one raw material conversion unit within the equipment.

19. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 18, wherein the fluid medium entering the rotating device is essentially a gaseous medium.

20. The heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device is water vapor (H ２ The method according to any one of claims 1 to 19, including (O).

21. The heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device is air or oxygen gas (O ２ The method according to any one of claims 1 to 20, comprising an oxidizing gas such as ), or a combination thereof.

22. The heated fluid medium generated by the at least one rotating device is nitrogen gas (N ２ ), hydrogen gas (H ２ The method according to any one of claims 1 to 21, comprising a non-oxidizing gas such as a hydrocarbon-containing gas or a combination thereof.

23. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 22, wherein the heated fluid medium generated by the rotating device includes recycled gas recycled from exhaust gas generated during the raw material conversion method in the raw material conversion equipment.

24. The method according to claim 1, comprising generating by at least one rotating device of the fluid medium heated to one of the following temperatures: (i) in the range of about 400°C to about 800°C, (ii) in the range of about 800°C to about 1000°C, and (iii) a temperature greater than 1000°C, preferably in the range of about 1000°C to about 1700°C.

25. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 24, comprising adjusting the velocity and / or pressure of the flow of the fluid medium traveling through the rotating device.

26. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 25, comprising generating a heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device having two or more rows of rotor blades arranged continuously along the rotor shaft.

27. The method according to claim 1, wherein the portion of the duct without blades generates the heated fluid medium by at least one rotating device located downstream of at least one row of rotor blades.

28. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 27, wherein the at least one rotating device is electrically operated, and the electrical energy by the at least one rotating device constitutes 5 to 100% of the total energy consumption.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein the electrical energy consumed by the at least one rotating device is obtained from a renewable energy source or different energy sources, or a combination of renewable energy sources as needed.

30. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 29, wherein the at least one rotating device is additionally or alternatively configured to receive input energy from a non-electric power source such as a power turbine and / or a mechanical drive engine.

31. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 30, comprising generating the heated fluid medium by at least two rotating devices incorporated in the raw material conversion equipment, wherein the at least two rotating devices are connected in parallel or in series.

32. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 31, wherein the carbon-based raw material includes plastic material and / or organic material, and optionally plastic waste and / or organic waste.

33. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 32, wherein the method includes pretreatment of the carbon-based raw material, and the pretreatment includes reducing the size of the raw material particles by grinding such as cryogenic grinding.

34. A raw material conversion apparatus comprising at least one rotating device configured to generate a heated fluid medium, and at least one raw material conversion unit configured to perform one or more methods related to the thermal or thermochemical conversion of carbon-based raw materials into usable products, wherein the at least one rotating device is A rotor having multiple rotor blades arranged in at least one row around a rotor hub attached to a rotor shaft, Multiple fixed blades or vanes arranged in an assembly adjacent to at least one row of rotor blades, A casing having a duct formed between at least one inlet and at least one outlet, wherein the duct is configured to enclose rotating and stationary blades such that the bladeless portion of the duct is essentially positioned following the bladed portion; Equipped with, The at least one rotating device is configured to operate so that the flow of the fluid medium passes continuously through the bladed and non-blade portions of the duct, thereby imparting thermal energy to the flow of the fluid medium flowing in the duct between the inlet and the outlet through a series of energy conversions that occur when a heated flow of the fluid medium is generated, and The at least one rotating device is configured to generate a heated fluid medium for inputting thermal energy to at least one raw material conversion unit configured to perform a raw material conversion method at a temperature of approximately 400°C or higher. Raw material conversion equipment.

35. The raw material conversion equipment according to claim 34, wherein the raw material conversion equipment is configured to perform the method described in any one of claims 1 to 33.

36. The raw material conversion equipment according to claim 34 or 35, wherein the raw material conversion equipment is configured as a plastic material conversion and / or recycling equipment, and, if necessary, a plastic waste conversion and / or recycling equipment, and / or an organic material conversion equipment.

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