Volatile Component Recovery from Solid Biomass
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Solution Overview
Problem
Conventional drying methods result in the loss of valuable volatile components and ammonia emissions during the drying of biomass and organic residual materials, leading to inefficiencies and environmental concerns.
Innovation Solution
A method that separates volatile components directly from the gas phase using rectification, scrubbing, or crystallization, eliminating the need for complete condensation and subsequent evaporation, and incorporating mechanical pre-dewatering to reduce energy consumption and ammonia emissions.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If conventional drying methods with warm or hot air are used, then drying efficiency is achieved, but valuable volatile components are lost through exhaust air
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts volatile components from the exhaust air stream by passing it through an absorption device where the volatiles are absorbed into a liquid absorbent, separating them from the air before discharge
Solution Approach 2:
The patent introduces an absorbent liquid as an intermediary substance that mediates between the exhaust air and the volatile components, enabling transfer and concentration of the volatiles for subsequent recovery
2Ease of operation
If ammonia is allowed to evaporate during storage of organic residual materials, then natural process occurs, but ammonia is lost and causes environmental pollution
Solution Approach 1:
The patent converts the harmful ammonia emission into a beneficial resource by absorbing it and converting it to ammonium sulfate fertilizer, transforming an environmental pollutant into a valuable agricultural product
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the chemical state of ammonia from gaseous form (harmful emission) to dissolved ammonium form (useful fertilizer) through absorption and chemical reaction with sulfuric acid
3Ease of manufacture
If digestates are stored and discharged without treatment, then handling is simple, but ammonia outgassing occurs during storage and discharge
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies preliminary drying treatment to digestates before storage or discharge, removing moisture that would facilitate ammonia outgassing and stabilizing the material for easier handling
4Manufacturing precision
If conventional multi-stage condensation and extraction methods are used to separate volatile components, then separation is achieved, but energy-intensive evaporation steps are required
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces energy-intensive thermal evaporation processes with a cold absorption process using liquid absorbents, achieving separation without requiring repeated heating and evaporation cycles
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the separation mechanism from thermal-based (evaporation/condensation) to chemical-based (absorption/desorption), utilizing temperature and pressure differences in the absorption process rather than repeated phase changes
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 method effectively recovers volatile components and ammonia, reducing energy costs, emissions, and storage/transport burdens, while producing a nitrogen-rich fertilizer and improving soil quality.
Implementation Method 1
the separation of the volatile components is realized by rectification. With this thermal method it is possible in a simple way, i.e., by suitable selection of the parameters pressure and/or temperature, to separate several volatile components simultaneously
Implementation Method 2
the excess steam is passed into a single-stage condenser and is liquefied therein
Implementation Method 3
the separation of the volatile components from the gas phase is realized by scrubbing
Implementation Method 4
the gas phase is condensed and the separation of volatile components is realized by crystallization by adding suitable ions. Suitable ions are primarily those that with the volatile components form in a chemical reaction a sparingly soluble salt
Data Source
AI summary
In a method for recovering volatile components from a solid material, a liquid phase is mechanically removed from the solid material. Subsequently, the solid material is dried by exposing the solid material to superheated steam circulating in a closed circuit. From the closed circuit excess steam that contains volatile components given off by the solid material is removed. The volatile components are separated from the excess steam by condensing the excess steam to a condensed phase and the volatile components are from the condensed phase by adding suitable ions to the condensed phase to crystallize the volatile components.