Stabilizing Syngas Flow in Waste Processing Ovens
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Solution Overview
Problem
Batch thermal de-coating processes for waste materials experience cyclic fluctuations in syngas production, leading to underutilization of thermal oxidizers and increased costs due to the need for virgin fuel to maintain steady conditions, as they are not well-suited for variable material processing volumes and types.
Innovation Solution
A system comprising multiple batch processing ovens and a thermal treatment chamber with control means to regulate syngas supply based on operating parameters, ensuring a constant flow of syngas to the thermal treatment chamber, thereby maintaining a steady energy output by alternating the operation of ovens to compensate for production ramps and cycles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If a single batch processing oven is used for thermal de-coating, then the batch processing capability is maintained, but cyclic fluctuations in syngas production occur leading to underutilization of thermal oxidizers and increased fuel consumption
Solution Approach 1:
The system divides a single batch processing operation into multiple segments by using multiple ovens (e.g., Oven 1 and Oven 2). Each oven processes batches sequentially, and their syngas outputs are combined through a mixing chamber. This segmentation ensures that while one oven is completing its batch cycle, another is already producing syngas, thereby maintaining continuous and consistent syngas supply to the thermal oxidizer without the cyclic fluctuations that would occur with a single oven.
2Adaptability or versatility
If batch processing is used for variable material volumes and types, then processing flexibility is maintained, but thermal oxidizers cannot operate at steady state conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The system maintains continuous useful action by coordinating multiple batch processing ovens to operate in a staggered sequence. The control system monitors syngas production from each oven and regulates their operation to ensure continuous syngas supply to the thermal oxidizer. This allows the thermal oxidizer to maintain steady state operating conditions while the batch processing ovens retain flexibility to handle variable material volumes and types by adjusting batch sizes and processing schedules as needed.
3Stability of the object's composition
If multiple batch processing ovens are used to stabilize syngas production, then energy output consistency is improved, but system complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
The system merges the outputs of multiple batch processing ovens through a common mixing chamber that combines syngas from each oven before delivering it to the thermal oxidizer. This merging approach stabilizes the total syngas flow and energy output by compensating for individual oven production variations. The control system integrates monitoring and regulation of multiple ovens, but the physical merging of gas streams simplifies the overall architecture compared to maintaining separate processing lines, thereby achieving energy stability without proportionally increasing system complexity.
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 stabilizes syngas production and energy generation, reducing downtime and fuel consumption by ensuring a consistent energy output, even during batch processing cycles, and optimizing the use of thermal oxidizers.
Implementation Method 1
Gasification is a process that converts carbonaceous materials, such as biomass, into carbon monoxide and hydrogen by reacting the raw material at high temperatures with a controlled amount of oxygen.
Implementation Method 2
a thermal treatment chamber for heating the syngas
Implementation Method 3
an energy converter for converting energy from the syngas to electrical energy
Data Source
AI summary
This invention provides a system (10) for generating energy from waste material. The system comprises a first batch processing oven (12) for generating syngas and a second batch processing oven (14) for generating syngas. At least one thermal treatment chamber (20) heats the syngas after it is produced, and an energy converter (22) converts energy from the syngas to electrical energy.