Method and plant for the thermal treatment of organic matter in order to produce charchoal or char

Abstract

The organic matter carbonization process is based on thermal treatment at high temperatures, under a controlled atmosphere, if possible in the absence of oxygen. The organic matter carbonization theory was expounded in this text, with emphasis on the thermodynamic aspects. It is shown in this exposition the important misfit between the endothermic and the exothermic carbonization stages, which hinders the use of the energy emitted during the exothermic stage by the brick kilns. Following there is a summary of the carbonization technique actual stage. The present invention relates to a method and plant for the thermal treatment of organic matter comprising independent reactors for the drying and pyrolysis of organic matter, and an independent reactor for the charcoal cooling. In this method the volatile products—non condensable gases and condensable pyrolytic vapors—are burned in an independent combustion chamber in order to supply the energy demanded by the process. In this way wood is not burned, and polluting substances are not emitted to the atmosphere. The method proposed by the present invention allows a precise control of the process in order to obtain the specified charcoal fixed carbon content; and a higher gravimetric yield, which gives an increase of the forest wood, either native or cultivated. In the independent pyrolysis and drying reactors proposed by the present invention, exiting flue gases from an external combustion chamber are driven to the drying reactor where the wood onto roll on buckets are heated and dried. Fuel gases emitted by the carbonizing wood are burned in the combustion chamber as an energy source. Inside the combustion chamber is placed a heat exchanger with the aim to reheat the pyrolytic gases. After reheated, these gases return to the carbonizing reactor in order to supply energy for the endothermic carbonizing step. The aim of this technique is to avoid the mixing of the fuel gases with the flue gases generated inside the combustion chamber, and to precisely control the carbonizing temperature. The present invention allows the production of intermediate products between wet wood and charcoal by halting the carbonization process at the desired stage in order to obtain anhydrous wood, char or, or high volatile content charcoal. The basic concepts of the process are: 1—Utilization of the emitted gases by the carbonizing wood as an energy source. 2—The stages of wood drying, wood pyrolysis and charcoal cooling are performed in independent reactors, inside which only one of these stages occurs. 3—Energy supply during the carbonizing endothermic stage of the pyrolysis by the gases emitted during this stage after reheated in a heat exchanger. Basically the present invention comprises the following equipments: 1—Reaction chambers inside which the process stages are performed. 2—An external combustion chamber. 3—A heat exchanger inside said combustion chamber. 4—A set of pipes. 5—A set of fans. 6—A loading system comprising roll on buckets.

1 - A plant for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal, said plant comprising: reactors chambers, inside which roll on buckets are placed, a combustion chamber, said combustion chamber located away from the reactors; inside the combustion chamber a heat exchanger is placed; pipes, and a conjunct of fans for moving the process gaseous substances. 
     
     
         2 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal, according to  claim 1 , comprising a step for loading the organic matter or wood onto a roll bucket; a step for the insertion of said roll on bucket containing the organic matter or wood inside a drying reactor chamber; a step for heating and drying the organic matter or wood inside said drying reactor chamber; a step for carbonizing said organic matter or wood inside said carbonizing reactor chamber; a step for cooling the charcoal or any intermediate product inside said cooling reactor chamber; and a step for removing away the roll on bucket containing charcoal or any intermediate product from said cooling reactor chamber. 
     
     
         3 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal, according to  claims 1  and  2 , comprising a conjunct of interconnected reactor chambers, between which the process gaseous fluids flow through pipes. 
     
     
         4 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal according to  claims 1 ,  2  and  3 ; wherein the process stages of drying carbonizing and cooling occur simultaneous and independently inside said reactor chambers in such a way that only one of said steps is being performed in a certain reactor chamber. 
     
     
         5 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal, according to  claims 1  and  2 , characterized by the utilization of a combustion chamber placed away from said reactor chambers. 
     
     
         6 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter particularly wood on order to obtain charcoal, according to  claims 1  and  5  wherein a heat exchanger is placed inside ditto combustion chamber. 
     
     
         7 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3 ,  4  and  5  wherein a conjunct of fans aspire and blow the process gaseous substances through pipes and into the reactor chambers of the system; ditto gaseous substances at the temperature and the chemical composition according to the step being performed inside the respective reactor chamber. 
     
     
         8 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  5  and  7  wherein the emitted gaseous substances by the carbonizing wood are burned in said combustion chamber, avoiding in this way any kind of pollution by ditto gaseous substances. 
     
     
         9 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  7  e  8  wherein fumes exiting form said combustion chamber are transported to the drying reactor, and insuflated into said drying reactors. 
     
     
         10 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  3 ,  4 ,  5 ,  7  and  9  wherein fumes which incorporated water vapor emitted by the drying wood, are partially recycled and mixed with ditto fumes exiting said combustion chamber in order to adjust the temperature of the gaseous substances blown into said drying reactors chambers. 
     
     
         11 - A method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter particularly wood in order to obtain charcoal, according  claims 1  and  6  wherein during the pyrolysis step inside the carbonizing reactor chamber, part of the gaseous substances emitted by the carbonizing wood are driven to ditto heat exchanger where they are reheated returning thereafter to ditto carbonizing reactor chamber; as a thermal fluid in order to control the carbonizing temperature according to the desired charcoal fixed carbon. 
     
     
         12 - Method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according to  claims 1 , and  5  wherein the energy content of the gaseous substances emitted by the carbonizing wood, can be utilized either to drying high moisture content wood, or to supplying energy of any purpose, such as for example, thermo electric generation. 
     
     
         13 - Plant for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  4  and  7  wherein means for transporting hot fumes plus diluting gases to the drying reactors comprises an aspirator, said aspirator being connected to the combustion chamber through an extraction duct. 
     
     
         14 - Plant for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  4 ,  5  and  6  wherein means for extracting the gaseous substances emitted by the carbonizing wood inside the carbonizing reactors chambers comprises an aspirator, said aspirator being connected to ditto carbonizing chambers through an extraction duct. 
     
     
         15 - Plant for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according do  claims 1  and  5  wherein the excess hot fumes generated inside said combustion chamber not necessary for the drying stage, is driven to a discharge duct being connected to a stack which discharge said flue gases to the atmosphere, in such a way that no polluting gaseous substances are emitted to the atmosphere. 
     
     
         16 - Plant for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  4 ,  9  and  10  wherein the excess diluting recycled gases not necessary for the drying stage, is driven to a discharge duct being connected to a stack which discharge said diluting gases to the atmosphere in such a way that no polluting gaseous substances are not emitted to the atmosphere. 
     
     
         17 - Plant for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  2 ,  3  and  4  wherein the charcoal or any other solid substance produced, is cooled through heat radiation to the atmosphere, said cooling continuing by a water spray inside said cooling reactor, and completed by heat radiation to the atmosphere. 
     
     
         18 - Method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  2 , and  4  wherein the carbonization process can be halted at any stage in order to produce anhydrous wood, char or charcoal with hi volatile matter content. 
     
     
         19 - Method for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according  claims 1 ,  2  and  4  wherein the process is controlled through temperature measurements of the entering and exiting gaseous substances into and from each reactor chamber. 
     
     
         20 - Plant for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according to  claims 1  and  2  wherein the organic matter particularly wood to be thermally treated, is loaded onto roll on buckets, inside which after insertion into said reactor chambers the drying, pyrolysis and cooling stages will be simultaneous and independently performed. 
     
     
         21 - Plant for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  2  and  4  wherein the condensation and by products recovery is performed more efficiently due to the independency of the drying and pyrolysis steps. 
     
     
         22 - Plant for the thermal pyrolytic treatment of organic matter, particularly wood in order to make charcoal, according to  claims 1 ,  2 ,  4  and  20  wherein any degree of mechanization or automation can be used.