Reactor for Gasifying and/or Cleaning, Especially for Depolymerizing, Plastic Material and Associated Method

Abstract

The invention relates to a reactor for gasifying and/or cleaning, especially for depolymerizing a plastic material ( 12 ), which reactor comprises: a reactor vessel ( 14 ) for receiving a starting material ( 12 ), especially the plastic material ( 12 ); a metal bath ( 26 ) which is arranged in the reactor vessel ( 14 ) and includes a liquid metallic material that has a metal bath melting temperature (T Schmelz ); a plurality of filling elements ( 25 ) in the metal bath ( 26 ); a heater ( 18 ) for heating the plastic material ( 12 ) in the reactor vessel ( 14 ); and a residual material removal device for at least partially removing residual material ( 38 ) which is produced during the gasification and/or cleaning of the starting material ( 12 ). According to the invention, the residual material removal device comprises an overflow which is centrally arranged in the reactor vessel ( 14 ) so that residual material ( 38 ) floating on the metal bath ( 26 ) can be removed via the overflow.

1 . A reactor for gasifying and/or cleaning, especially for depolymerizing plastic material, with
 (a) a reactor vessel for receiving a starting material, especially a plastic material,   (b) a metal bath, which is
 arranged in the reactor vessel 
 and includes a liquid metallic substance that has a metal bath melting temperature (TSchmelz), 
   (c) a plurality of filling elements in the metal bath,   (d) a heater for heating the plastic material in the reactor vessel and   (e) a residual material-removal device for at least partially removing residual material which is produced during the gasification and/or cleaning of the starting material, characterised by the fact that   (f) the residual material removal device comprises an overflow centrally arranged in the reactor so that residual material floating on the metal bath can be removed via the overflow.   
     
     
         2 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the overflow consists of a removal pipe that is in thermal contact with the metal bath. 
     
     
         3 . The reactor according to  claim 2 , characterized by the fact that a residual material support device is arranged inside the removal pipe, which is designed to use a mechanical impact to move residual material. 
     
     
         4 . The reactor according to  claim 2 , characterized by the fact that the removal pipe has an inner pipe diameter that is at least a tenth of an inner reactor vessel diameter of the reactor vessel. 
     
     
         5 . The reactor according to  claim 1 , characterized by the fact that the residual material removal device comprises a storage vessel and a gas-tight lock, such that the storage vessel can be detached from the reactor vessel, while remaining gas-proof in the process. 
     
     
         6 . A method for the operation of a reactor for gasifying and/or cleaning, especially for the depolymerizing plastic material, which has
 (a) a reactor vessel for receiving plastic material,   (b) a metal bath, which is
 arranged in the reactor vessel 
 and includes a liquid metallic substance that has a metal bath melting temperature (TSchmelz), 
   (c) a heater for heating the plastic material in the reactor vessel and   (d) a residual material removal device for at least partially removing residual material which is produced during the gasification and/or cleaning of the plastic material, which comprises an overflow centrally arranged in the reactor so that the residual material floating on the metal bath can be removed via the overflow, with the steps:
 (i) raising a gauge of a metal bath so that the residual material enter the overflow, and 
 (ii) removing the residual material through the overflow. 
   
     
     
         7 . The method according to  claim 6 , characterized by the steps:
 the introduction of plastic material into the reactor vessel,   wherein the introduction of plastic material into the reactor vessel and/or the setting of the gauge in the metal bath is conducted such that a residual material layer made of residual material forms on the metal bath,   wherein the residual material layer has a thickness of at least 10 centimetres.