Laser Pyrolysis of Tires and Bitumen With Precise Heat Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current pyrolysis processes for materials like tires and bitumen face inefficiencies in energy transfer, equipment complexity, and difficulties in separating reaction products, particularly in maintaining precise control over thermal energy transfer and reaction temperature.
Innovation Solution
The method employs laser radiation to heat the raw materials to the activation temperature, focusing the energy on a localized area and moving it across the material's surface, allowing for precise control and eliminating the need for heat carriers, thereby simplifying the process and equipment design. The reaction products are separated by condensation of ablation gas, maintaining temperature stability during separation.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Use of energy by moving object
If heat carriers are used to transfer thermal energy to the material, then heating efficiency is improved, but equipment complexity increases due to transport circuits, inlets, outlets, and cleaning systems
Solution Approach 1:
The patent removes the heat carrier system entirely from the pyrolysis process. Instead of using spherical heat carriers that require transport circuits, inlets, outlets, and cleaning systems, the invention applies laser radiation directly to heat the material in the reactor chamber, eliminating the complex carrier infrastructure while maintaining effective heating.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent replaces the mechanical heat carrier transport system with a laser-based thermal energy delivery system. The laser radiation directly transfers thermal energy to the material without requiring physical carriers, their transport mechanisms, or associated infrastructure, thereby substituting a complex mechanical system with a more streamlined energy delivery method.
2Use of energy by moving object
If material is chopped to pre-established granulometry for effective heat transfer, then thermal energy transfer efficiency is improved, but process complexity and preparation time increase
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the thermal energy delivery parameter from indirect contact heating via heat carriers to direct laser irradiation. This parameter change allows the material to be heated effectively without requiring specific granulometry or chopping, as the laser radiation can penetrate and heat the material in its original form, thereby eliminating the need for size reduction and associated process complexity.
3Device complexity
If conventional heating methods are used, then equipment design is simpler, but precise control of thermal energy transfer and reaction temperature is difficult
Solution Approach 1:
The patent implements feedback control by using sensors to monitor the temperature and reaction conditions within the reactor chamber in real-time. The laser radiation parameters (power, duration, focal point) are adjusted based on this feedback to maintain precise temperature control and optimize the pyrolysis reaction, enabling accurate thermal energy transfer control that conventional heating methods cannot achieve.
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 emissions, enhances energy management, and allows for more controlled and efficient pyrolysis with lower equipment complexity, enabling the production of Syngas, TAR, and CHAR products while maintaining temperature stability during separation.
Implementation Method 1
the heating of the pyrolysis process to the activation temperature is obtained by irradiation of the raw material with laser radiation, said laser radiation being concentrated or focused on a localized area
Implementation Method 2
irradiation of the raw material with laser radiation, said laser radiation being concentrated or focused on a localized area of a pre-established surface area on the surface of the mass of raw material
Implementation Method 3
the separation of the reaction products having the different gaseous, liquid and solid phases, takes place by condensation of the mixture of ablation gas by means of a cooling step of said gas mixture
Data Source
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AI summary
A method for the pyrolysis of raw materials, in particular raw materials deriving from tires or bitumen, the method providing the steps of: - feeding to a reactor the material to be subjected to the pyrolysis process; heating said material in said reactor at the temperatures needed for establishing the pyrolysis process; - collecting the final products of the pyrolysis reaction; - separating one from another the gaseous, liquid and solid phases of the reaction products and storing, for further treatment, said reaction products separated one from another, According to the invention, the heating of the pyrolysis process to the activation temperature is obtained by irradiation of the raw material with laser radiation, - said laser radiation being concentrated or focused on a localized area of a pre-established surface area on the surface of the mass of raw material of the focusing area, being progressively moved along the entire surface of the mass of raw material by activating the pyrolytic reaction on all of said mass of raw material.