Sugar Thermolysis Cooling Layout for Compact Oxygenate Production
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Solution Overview
Problem
There is a need for improved methods and systems for thermolytic fragmentation of sugars into C1-C3 oxygenates suitable for industrial-scale production, particularly focusing on reducing design complexity and improving efficiency and product yield.
Innovation Solution
A process involving an aqueous feedstock solution of sugar introduced into a fluidised bed reactor with heat-carrying particles, where the fragmentation product is cooled downstream of the reactor to a temperature of 230°C to 390°C before separating solids, allowing for a more compact and efficient reactor design without the need for integrated cooling units.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Temperature
If cooling is integrated within the reactor, then cooling efficiency is improved, but device complexity and installation complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The system is divided into separate functional units: the reactor for thermolytic fragmentation and a separate downstream cooling section. This segmentation allows each component to be optimized independently, reducing overall system complexity while maintaining effective temperature control.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling function is extracted from the reactor and placed in a separate downstream section. This extraction simplifies the reactor design by removing the need for integrated cooling mechanisms, while the cooling function is still performed effectively in the dedicated cooling section.
2Temperature
If cooling is integrated within the reactor, then temperature control is improved, but installation complexity increases
Solution Approach 1:
By segmenting the system into a reactor unit and a separate cooling section, each unit can be manufactured and tested independently, simplifying the installation process. The cooling section is then connected to the reactor outlet, maintaining effective temperature control without integrated complexity.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling mechanism is taken out from the reactor structure and implemented as a separate downstream component. This extraction reduces installation complexity as the reactor can be installed and commissioned independently, with the cooling section added separately.
3Volume of moving object
If reactor accommodates cooling unit, then space utilization is improved, but reactor mass and design complexity increase
Solution Approach 1:
The reactor and cooling section are segmented as separate physical units, each with optimized dimensions for its specific function. The reactor is compact for high-temperature fragmentation, while the cooling section is designed separately for efficient heat removal, avoiding the need for a complex integrated design.
Solution Approach 2:
The cooling section is positioned downstream in a separate spatial location rather than being integrated within the reactor volume. This dimensional separation allows both components to be optimized for their respective functions without compromising each other, while the overall system remains space-efficient through proper layout arrangement.
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 reactor design simplicity, reduces installation complexity, improves space-efficiency, and achieves a good yield of C1-C3 oxygenates, benefiting industrial production by minimizing capital and operational expenditures.
Implementation Method 1
thermolytically fragmenting the sugar to provide a fragmentation product comprising the C1-C3 oxygenates
Implementation Method 2
For conversion of biomass into bio-oil by pyrolysis, several reactor configurations have been investigated
Implementation Method 3
cooling the fragmentation product downstream of the reactor to a cooling temperature of from 230°C to 390°C
Data Source
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AI summary
The present invention relates to a method for thermolytic fragmentation of a sugar into C1-C3 oxygenates, comprising cooling the fragmentation product downstream of the reactor to a cooling temperature of from 230°C to 390°C and then separating solids from the fragmentation product cooled to the cooling temperature. The present invention also relates to a system for performing the thermolytic fragmentation of a sugar into C1-C3 oxygenates. The method and the system are suitable for industrial scale production.