Apparatus and method for extracting hydrocarbons by staged heating

Abstract

Embodiments of the present invention provide apparatus for extracting hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing material by pyrolysis, the apparatus comprising: a first reactor arranged to heat the material to a first temperature, the apparatus being operable to extract from the first reactor gaseous hydrocarbons evolved from the material therein; and a second reactor having an inlet coupled to an outlet of the first reactor wherein material in the first reactor may be transferred to the second reactor substantially without exposure to oxygen, the second reactor being arranged to receive material heated in the first reactor and to heat the material to a second temperature greater than the first temperature, the apparatus being operable to extract from the second reactor gaseous hydrocarbons evolved from the material therein.

1 . Apparatus for extracting hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing material by pyrolysis, the apparatus comprising:
 a first reactor arranged to heat the material to a first temperature substantially in the absence of oxygen, the apparatus being operable to extract from the first reactor gaseous hydrocarbons evolved from the material therein; and   a second reactor having an inlet coupled to an outlet of the first reactor wherein material in the first reactor may be transferred to the second reactor substantially without exposure to oxygen, the second reactor being arranged to receive material heated in the first reactor and to heat the material to a second temperature greater than the first temperature,   the apparatus being operable to extract from the second reactor gaseous hydrocarbons evolved from the material therein.   
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  operable to control a rate of flow of material through the reactor responsive to a rate of loss of weight of material in the reactor. 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  operable to control a temperature of material in the reactor responsive to a rate of loss of weight of material in the reactor. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  operable to control a rate of flow of material through the reactor responsive to a temperature of the material in the reactor. 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  comprising means for determining the weight of material in the reactor, wherein the means for determining the weight of material comprises one or more loads cells arranged to measure a weight of the reactor. 
     
     
         6 . (canceled) 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  operable to convey the material from the first reactor to the second reactor by means of a conduit connecting the first and second reactors. 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  operable to introduce material to be pyrolysed into the first reactor without exposure of the first reactor to atmosphere. 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  operable in a substantially continuous mode in which material introduced into the first reactor is heated to the first temperature and subsequently transferred into the second reactor. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein an upper internal surface of the reactor is sloped thereby to promote rising of evolved hydrocarbon gas to a gas outlet of the reactor. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the reactor comprises a substantially cylindrical vessel. 
     
     
         12 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 11  wherein an upper internal surface of the reactor is sloped thereby to promote rising of evolved hydrocarbon gas to a gas outlet of the reactor, and wherein a longitudinal axis of the vessel is tilted thereby to promote flow of evolved gases towards one end of the vessel. 
     
     
         13 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein the reactor is operable to heat the material by mechanically working the material. 
     
     
         14 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the reactors comprises a plurality of perforated, concentric drum members, the apparatus being operable to feed material into an inner one of the drum members and to rotate the drum members whereby material may pass from one drum member to the next in a radially outward direction, the material being subject to mechanical working as it passes through the reactor. 
     
     
         15 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  wherein respective adjacent drum members are arranged to rotate in opposite directions. 
     
     
         16 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 14  wherein the drum members are arranged to rotate at different respective speeds. 
     
     
         17 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least one of the reactors comprises a rotary grinding member, the reactor being operable to trap material to be pyrolysed in a channel region between the grinding member and a guide member wherein the material may be mechanically worked by the grinding member. 
     
     
         18 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the reactor is arranged to cause a flow of material through the channel region as the grinding member rotates. 
     
     
         19 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the grinding member comprises a substantially conical or frusto-conical body, the guide member having a shape corresponding to that of the grinding member wherein the channel may be defined therebetween. 
     
     
         20 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  wherein at least one of the guide member and grinding member are provided with raised formations thereby to enhance mechanical working of material passing through the reactor. 
     
     
         21 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the grinding member is provided radially inward of the guide member. 
     
     
         22 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  wherein the grinding member is provided radially outward of the guide member. 
     
     
         23 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  operable to apply pressure to one or both of the grinding member and guide member thereby to urge the members together. 
     
     
         24 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 17  operable to vary a size of the channel region by varying a distance between the guide member and grinding member. 
     
     
         25 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  comprising electrical heating means for heating at least a portion of the reactor. 
     
     
         26 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  wherein at least a portion of one or more of the reactors comprises a catalytic material, wherein the catalytic material is arranged to promote at least one selected from amongst decomposition of evolved hydrocarbons and reaction of evolved hydrocarbons. 
     
     
         27 - 29 . (canceled) 
     
     
         30 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  comprising cooling means for cooling material to be pyrolysed, the apparatus being operable to freeze material to be pyrolysed and subsequently to subject the material to a dividing process in which the material is divided into smaller pieces. 
     
     
         31 . (canceled) 
     
     
         32 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 30  operable to flood at least the first reactor with a gas product of the cooling means. 
     
     
         33 . Apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  operable to heat material in at least one of the reactors by means of microwave radiation. 
     
     
         34 . A marine vessel having apparatus as claimed in  claim 1  onboard, the vessel being arranged to receive raw material for extraction of hydrocarbons therefrom and to perform extraction of hydrocarbons by means of the apparatus, the vessel comprising means for extracting floating material from a body of water and means for conveying the floating waste to the apparatus for pyrolysis. 
     
     
         35 . (canceled) 
     
     
         36 . A method of extracting hydrocarbons from hydrocarbon-containing material by pyrolysis, the method comprising:
 heating the material in a first reactor to a first temperature and extracting gaseous hydrocarbons evolved from the material therein; subsequently   transferring the material to a second reactor substantially without exposure to oxygen; subsequently   heating the material in the second reactor to a second temperature higher than the first temperature and extracting gaseous hydrocarbons evolved from the material therein.   
     
     
         37 . (canceled) 
     
     
         38 . A method as claimed in  claim 36  comprising:
 cooling material to be pyrolysed by cooling means thereby to freeze the material and subsequently subjecting the material to a dividing process in which the material is divided into smaller pieces; and 
 flooding at least the first reactor with a gas product of the cooling means, 
 wherein the cooling means comprises means for cooling by at least one of liquid nitrogen and solid carbon dioxide. 
 
     
     
         39 - 49 . (canceled)