Counter-Current Pyrolysis Chamber for Organic Material Processing
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions
Solution Overview
Problem
Existing pyrolysis technologies for organic materials are costly and inefficient, making them unsuitable for commercial-scale production, and lack scalability and energy efficiency.
Innovation Solution
A method and apparatus that involves moving solid organic materials through a reaction chamber with a counter-current temperature profile to dry and pyrolyze the materials, separating water and oil products, and utilizing heat transfer members to maintain efficient temperature zones for optimal product formation, including zones for water condensation, vaporization, oil condensation, and char formation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional pyrolysis technologies are used, then organic materials can be processed to produce oil, gas and char, but capital costs and operating costs are high and the process cannot be scaled up to commercial production
Solution Approach 1:
The reaction chamber is divided into multiple temperature zones (water condensation zone, water vaporization zone, oil condensation zone, oil vaporization zone, char cooling zone) along the length of the chamber. Each zone performs a specific function in the pyrolysis process, allowing progressive transformation of organic material from solid to various product phases while controlling costs through simplified zoned processing
Solution Approach 2:
The system generates its own process heat internally through combustion of a portion of the pyrolysis gas products. This self-heating mechanism eliminates the need for external heat sources, significantly reducing capital expenditure on heating systems and operating costs, while enabling continuous commercial-scale operation
2Use of energy by moving object
If conventional pyrolysis technologies are used, then organic materials can be processed, but energy efficiency is poor and the process is not viable in the short and long term
Solution Approach 1:
The combustion zone converts the potentially wasted thermal energy in pyrolysis gases into useful process heat by combusting a portion of the gas products. This transforms what would be a loss into a beneficial heat source that sustains the entire pyrolysis process, achieving near-self-sufficiency in energy requirements and eliminating external energy inputs
Solution Approach 2:
The system recovers and reuses thermal energy from pyrolysis gas products by directing them to the combustion zone. Instead of discarding this energy, it is captured and used to heat the reaction chamber, creating a closed-loop energy system that maximizes energy efficiency and minimizes external energy inputs
3Productivity
If high temperatures are used in pyrolysis, then oil and gas products are formed, but dioxins are generated which creates safety and environmental problems
Solution Approach 1:
The reaction chamber is segmented into distinct temperature zones, with the combustion zone maintaining high temperatures for product formation while other zones operate at lower temperatures. This spatial segmentation allows efficient product generation in controlled thermal environments without creating the uncontrolled high-temperature conditions that produce dioxins
Solution Approach 2:
The combustion zone acts as an intermediary that generates process heat through controlled combustion of pyrolysis gases. This intermediary heat generation mechanism provides the necessary thermal energy for product formation while operating at controlled temperatures that prevent dioxin formation, mediating between energy requirements and safety constraints
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach reduces capital and energy costs, enhances scalability, and achieves efficient energy use by generating process heat internally, allowing for the production of valuable products like oil, gas, and char with improved product recovery and safety by avoiding high temperatures that form dioxins.
Implementation Method 1
moving the water vapour phase and the volatile products gas phase produced by heating the solid organic material in step (b) through the reaction chamber in a direction counter to that of the solid organic material so that the water vapour phase and condensable components of the volatile products gas phase condense in cooler upstream sections of the chamber
Implementation Method 2
exposing the organic material to a temperature profile within the chamber that dries and pyrolyses the organic material and releases water vapour and a volatile products gas phase from the organic material
Implementation Method 3
The term 'pyrolysis' is understood herein to mean thermal decomposition of organic material in the absence of or with limited supply of an oxidising agent such that only partial gasification is possible
Implementation Method 4
thermal decomposition of organic material in the absence of or with limited supply of an oxidising agent
Data Source
Figure 1
Figure 2~3
Figure 4
AI summary
A method and an apparatus for pyrolysing a solid organic feed material are disclosed. Solid organic material is moved through a reaction chamber and exposed to a temperature profile within the chamber that dries and pyrolyses the organic material and releases water vapour and a volatile products gas phase. The water vapour phase and the volatile products gas phase are moved counter-current to the solid organic material so that the water vapour phase and condensable components of the volatile products gas phase condense in cooler upstream sections of the chamber and form a liquid water product and a separate liquid oil product. The liquid water product is discharged via an outlet along the length of the chamber and a dried and pyrolysed solid product is discharged from a downstream outlet in the chamber.