Combined reactor and method for the production of synthetic fuels

Abstract

A method for producing synthetic fuels is provided in which a feedstock containing polymers from a wide variety of sources is re-formed into a more satisfactory fuel source for producing heat, electricity, powering vehicles and the like. The feedstock can comprise scrap rubber, plastic and/or plant matter or other materials that are not particularly well suited for use as fuels in their existing state. The system can involve breaking long polymer molecules and/or carbohydrate molecules into shorter chain hydrocarbon radicals and then forming a fuel of hydrocarbons of selected length via what can be anaerobic and anhydrous reactions. The process can be environmentally friendly, producing no net greenhouse gases.

1 . A method of producing liquid fuel, comprising:
 providing a cellulose containing feedstock selected from wood chips, sawdust, brush, hay, straw, switch grass, plant stalks and/or kudzu;   reducing the size of the feedstock pieces;   adjusting the water content of the feedstock by drying, adding water or blending mixed sources to a selected value between about 5% to 25% by weight;   mixing the reduced size feedstock with a hydrocarbon liquid and grinding the mixture to reduce at least 80% by weight of the feedstock to less than about 500 microns in diameter;   adding metal powder to the feedstock and hydrocarbon liquid and adding the combination to a reactor;   liquefying at least 80% of the feedstock pieces;   reacting the metal powder with the water, to liberate hydrogen and break up cellulose molecules and form short chain hydrocarbon radicals; and   polymerizing the short chain hydrocarbons into hydrocarbons of selected length.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the water content of the feedstock is measured and water is added to bring it up to the selected value. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the selected value of water is about 15% to 20%. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feedstock is liquefied at a temperature from about 250° F. to 450° F. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor is heated with electrical resistance heating elements. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the viscosity of the liquid exiting the reactor is measured and based on its viscosity, the temperature of the reactor is selectively adjusted. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5 , wherein the viscosity of the liquid exiting the reactor is measured and based on the viscosity, the speed of the material passing through the reactor is adjusted. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of using shockwaves to break up long chain hydrocarbons exiting the reactor. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1 , including the step of refining the composition of the combustible fuel. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the feed into the reactor is pre-heated by mixing it with recycled hydrocarbon fuel produced by the method. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cellulose undergoes, at least partially, a dehydration reaction to assist in breaking up the cellulose molecules. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein at least some of the metal power becomes oxidized. 
     
     
         13 . A method of producing a combustible liquid fuel, comprising:
 grinding up tires having metal belts comprising at least iron, into particles of a size wherein over about 80% of the particles have a diameter less than about 500 microns;   adding water to adjust the water content of the tire/water combination to about 5% to 25% by weight to provide a feed stream;   reacting the ground up metal from the belts with the water to form hydrogen and metal oxide and reacting the hydrogen with the polymers in the tire particles of the feed stream to form short chain hydrocarbons; and polymerizing those hydrocarbons into liquid fuels.   
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the water content is 15% to 20%. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the metal oxide acts as a surface catalyst to polymerize short chain hydrocarbons into liquid fuels. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 13 , comprising adjusting the composition of the liquid fuel produced to a selected composition suitable for use as gasoline, diesel fuel or aircraft fuel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 13  comprising burning the liquid fuel to produce electricity. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 13  comprising burning the liquid fuel to act as a source of heat. 
     
     
         19 . A chemical reactor, comprising:
 a non-vertical tube;   an auger within the tube, the auger controlled to spin at a selected speed and move material within the reactor, in plug flow, to provide a selected residence time within the reactor;   electric heating elements to adjust the temperature within the reactor; the reactor constructed to achieve a reaction of over 400° F. and a pressure of over 100 psig and to move material within the reactor with a selected residence time of between 5 and 20 minutes.   
     
     
         20 . The reactor of  claim 19 , comprising liquid hydrocarbon polymers and unoxidized or oxidized metal powders within the tube. 
     
     
         21 . The reactor of  claim 19 , containing gasoline, diesel fuel or aircraft fuel within the tube. 
     
     
         22 . The reactor of  claim 19 , comprising cellulose particles in an organic liquid within the tube. 
     
     
         23 . The reactor of  claim 19 , comprising ground up tires within the tube. 
     
     
         24 . The reactor of  claim 19 , including a viscosity measuring device and a feedback system, so that the viscosity measurement affects the heat from the heating elements and/or the speed of the auger. 
     
     
         25 . The reactor of  claim 19 , wherein the tube is substantially horizontal. 
     
     
         26 . A method of producing a combustible fuel, comprising:
 providing a feedstock stream comprising about 5% to 25% water by weight with feedstock particles that comprise hydrocarbon and/or carbohydrate polymers;   combining the feedstock stream with metal powder;   reacting the metal powder with the water to liberate hydrogen which acts to break up the hydrocarbon or carbohydrate polymers to form short chain hydrocarbons and metal oxides; and   polymerizing the short chain hydrocarbon to form combustible fuels.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein at least a portion of the feedstock particle polymers are depolymerized by heating to a temperature from about 250° F. to 450° F. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 26 , comprising using the oxidized metal powder as a surface catalyst for the short chain hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the short chain hydrocarbons comprise 3, 6, and 9 carbon hydrocarbon radicals. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the short chain hydrocarbon are polymerized at a temperature of about 700° F. to 800° F. and the process produces substantially 12 to 21 carbon hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the short chain hydrocarbon are polymerized at a temperature of about 800° F. to 850° F. and the process produces substantially a mixture of 6 to 12 carbon hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         32 . The method of  claim 26 , wherein the short chain hydrocarbon are polymerized at a temperature of about 750° F. to 850° F. and the process produces substantially 15 to 19 carbon hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         33 . The method of  claim 26 , including the step of grinding up tires to produce at least some of the feedstock particles. 
     
     
         34 . The method of  claim 26 , including the step of grinding up organic matter to produce at least some of the feedstock particles. 
     
     
         35 . The method of  claim 26 , including the step of grinding up metal tire belts to produce at least some of the metal powder. 
     
     
         36 . The method of  claim 26 , including the step of breaking up larger hydrocarbons with shockwaves. 
     
     
         37 . The method of  claim 26 , including recycling some of the hydrocarbon fuel produced and combining it with the feedstock stream. 
     
     
         38 . The method of  claim 26 , including the step of blending the combustible fuel with gasoline, diesel fuel or aircraft fuel.