Oscillatory Flow Biofuel Production Under Supercritical Conditions
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing methods for producing biofuel from biomass face challenges such as long reaction times, clogging, and limited scalability due to high viscosity and pressure drops, especially in continuous flow production lines using supercritical fluid conditions.
Innovation Solution
A method involving a production line with pumping, heating, and cooling means that operates under supercritical fluid conditions and incorporates oscillatory flow to reduce viscosity, allowing for higher heat transfer and longer reaction times, using oscillatory flow inducing means like piston or membrane-based pumps to superimpose a local oscillatory flow on the average flow rate.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Duration of action of moving object
If long reaction time is needed, then conversion degree is improved, but tube length must be very long or flow rate must be very low, resulting in large costs, pressure drops, and low heat transfer efficiency
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies oscillatory flow (a form of mechanical vibration) to the slurry in the reactor tube. This oscillation prevents sedimentation and clogging while enhancing heat transfer between the reactor wall and the slurry, allowing for longer reaction times without sacrificing heat transfer efficiency or requiring excessively long tubes.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements periodic oscillatory flow patterns in the reactor tube. This periodic action creates cyclic movement of the slurry that maintains mixing and heat transfer effectiveness over extended periods, enabling long reaction times without the need for very long tubes or low flow rates that would otherwise be required.
2Duration of action of moving object
If low flow rate is used to increase reaction time, then conversion degree is improved, but viscosity increases several orders of magnitude, resulting in very high pressure drop and pumping resistance
Solution Approach 1:
The oscillatory flow mechanism actively agitates the slurry, preventing it from settling and maintaining a more uniform flow distribution. This mechanical vibration effect keeps the slurry in a more fluid state even at low average flow rates, preventing the viscosity from increasing several orders of magnitude and thereby reducing pressure drops and pumping resistance.
3Duration of action of moving object
If very long tube is used to increase reaction time, then conversion degree is improved, but costs and pressure drops increase significantly
Solution Approach 1:
The oscillatory flow enhances mixing and heat transfer efficiency within the reactor tube, allowing for effective biomass conversion in a shorter tube length. The mechanical vibration prevents dead zones and improves contact between the slurry and reactor wall, achieving the same conversion degree that would otherwise require a much longer tube.
Solution Approach 2:
The periodic oscillatory flow patterns create enhanced mass and heat transfer throughout the reactor volume, allowing the reaction to proceed efficiently in a compact tube. This periodic action ensures that all portions of the slurry receive adequate heating and mixing, achieving high conversion in a shorter residence distance.
4Productivity
If high temperature and high pressure are used for supercritical fluid conditions, then fast reaction kinetics and high conversion degrees are achieved, but complexity and cost associated with operation conditions increase
Solution Approach 1:
The oscillatory flow mechanism enhances heat transfer efficiency, allowing for more uniform and effective utilization of the supercritical conditions throughout the reactor. This improves reaction kinetics without requiring excessive temperature and pressure levels, thereby reducing the complexity and cost of the high-pressure equipment and safety systems required.
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 enhances the efficiency and scalability of biofuel production by reducing viscosity, improving heat transfer, and increasing reaction time, while maintaining high conversion rates, suitable for high-viscosity biomass like lignin and cellulose materials.
Implementation Method 1
operating the pumping means so that, at least part of, the production line is in an oscillatory flow (OF) mode, wherein a local oscillatory flow rate of the biomass under conversion is superimposed on the average flow rate through the production line
Implementation Method 2
heating means (HM) in thermal contact with a first part of the production line for controlling the temperature in the production line
Implementation Method 3
cooling means (CM) in thermal contact with a second part of the production line for cooling the biomass under conversion
Implementation Method 4
operating the pumping means, the heating means and the cooling means so that, at least part of, the production line is under supercritical fluid conditions (SCF), optionally at near-supercritical fluid conditions, so as to induce biomass conversion in a conversion zone (CZ) within the production line
Data Source
AI summary
The invention discloses a method for producing bio-fuel (BF) from a high-viscosity biomass using thermo-chemical conversion of the biomass in a production line (10) with pumping means (PM), heating means (HM) and cooling means (CM). The method has the steps of 1) operating the pumping means, the heating means and the cooling means so that the production line is under supercritical fluid conditions (SCF) to induce biomass conversion in a conversion zone (CZ) within the production line, and 2) operating the pumping means so that at least part of the production line is in an oscillatory flow (OF) mode. The invention is advantageous for providing an improved method for producing biofuel from a high-viscosity biomass. This is performed by an advantageous combination of two operating modes: supercritical fluid (SCF) conditions and oscillatory flow (OF).