Supercritical Water Depolymerization of Biomass and Waste Plastics
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current biomass and waste plastic conversion technologies face inefficiencies in breaking down complex polymers into usable fuels, with existing methods being either inefficient or not commercially viable for large-scale production.
Innovation Solution
A method involving the use of a supercritical fluid reaction zone within an extruder-based system, where biomass or waste plastics are conveyed and treated with hot compressed water to break down into smaller molecules, utilizing a tubular reactor with an adjustable inner spear to control reaction conditions and facilitate phase separation of reaction products.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Ease of manufacture
If conventional acid hydrolysis and enzymatic saccharification methods are used to convert cellulose to glucose, then the process can be performed with standard equipment, but the conversion efficiency is low and the method is not commercially viable
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the physical and chemical parameters of water by heating it to supercritical conditions (temperature above 374°C and pressure above 218 atm), transforming it from a conventional solvent to a supercritical fluid that dramatically increases cellulose hydrolysis efficiency while maintaining commercial viability through continuous processing capability
Solution Approach 2:
The patent utilizes the phase transition of water from liquid to supercritical fluid state, then back to liquid or gas phase after reaction, enabling rapid and efficient cellulose conversion to glucose while allowing for continuous operation and easy product separation
2Productivity
If micro-reactors are used to hydrolyze cellulose in supercritical water, then high yield glucose production is achieved, but the system is not suitable for commercial-scale production
Solution Approach 1:
The patent segments the commercial-scale system into modular components: a supercritical water generation unit, a continuous flow reaction zone, and a product separation section, allowing scalable deployment while maintaining the high efficiency of supercritical water hydrolysis
Solution Approach 2:
The patent implements continuous flow processing where cellulose slurry is continuously fed into the supercritical water reaction zone, maintaining steady-state conditions and enabling large-scale production without the batch processing limitations of micro-reactors
3Adaptability or versatility
If microorganisms and enzymes are used to break down cellulose, then biological conversion can occur, but prior treatment is required and the process is inefficient
Solution Approach 1:
The patent performs preliminary treatment by first converting cellulose to supercritical water-soluble forms through high-temperature high-pressure water treatment, creating conditions that enable subsequent efficient enzymatic or microbial conversion to sugars without requiring extensive pre-treatment
4Productivity
If hot compressed water is used to break down polymers, then rapid hydrolysis occurs, but the system requires precise control of reaction conditions
Solution Approach 1:
The patent incorporates feedback control systems that continuously monitor temperature, pressure, and residence time parameters, automatically adjusting operating conditions to maintain optimal supercritical water conditions while simplifying operator requirements through automated process control
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 enables efficient conversion of biomass and waste plastics into fermentable sugars, hydrocarbons, and aromatic compounds, which can be further processed into liquid transportation fuels, offering a commercially viable and energy-efficient solution.
Implementation Method 1
cellulose may be rapidly hydrolyzed in supercritical water to yield glucose
Implementation Method 2
breaking down the long chains into their constituent sugar links
Implementation Method 3
reaction with a hot compressed and/or supercritical water
Implementation Method 4
increasing the pressure from about atmospheric to greater than about 3,200 psi
Implementation Method 5
heating and pressurizing the polymeric materials and water mixture to conditions at or above supercritical by means of a circumferentially positioned, high efficiency alternating current induction coil
Implementation Method 6
separating the plurality of reaction products into an aqueous phase and a non-aqueous phase
Data Source
AI summary
A method for transforming a selected polymeric material into a plurality of reaction products via supercritical water is disclosed. The method comprises: conveying the selected polymeric material through an extruder, wherein the extruder is configured to continuously convey the selected polymeric material to a supercritical fluid reaction zone; injecting hot compressed water into the supercritical fluid reaction zone, while the extruder is conveying the selected polymeric material into the supercritical fluid reaction zone so as to yield a mixture; retaining the mixture within the reaction zone for a period of time sufficient to yield the plurality of reaction products. The reaction zone may be characterized by a tubular reactor having an adjustably positionable inner tubular spear, wherein the tubular reactor and the inner tubular spear further define an annular space within the reaction zone, and wherein the mixture flows through the annular space and into a reaction products chamber.