Process and apparatus for covering the energy needs of communities using organic waste

Abstract

A process and relating apparatus is provided which aim at producing industrially usable resultants from hydrocarboneous materials such as used rubber, plastic and municipal waste. The waste is subjected to oxygen-free pyrolysis in the presence of zeolite type catalyst during which gaseous and liquid hydrocarbons are produced with the process being tilted towards producing significantly more from the latter. The gaseous and liquid resultants are preferably further used via burning to provide heat for the pyrolysis and via combustion to generate electricity for preferred purposes respectively.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for converting hydrocarboneous feed material into liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons suitable for further processing via pyrolysis, said pyrolysis conducted in the presence of zeolite type catalyst in an oxygen-free environment, comprising
 mixing the feed material previously shredded to less than 50 times 50 mm with zeolite type catalyst in an amount of 3-5% relative to its total weight in the absence of ambient air, subjecting the mixture to pyrolysis in three steps at a temperature from 450 to 650 degree C. for a residence time of between 10 minutes and 30 minutes while the pressure is maintained between −300 Pa and 300 Pa, continuously moving the feed material mixed with catalyst during the pyrolysis whereby different phases of the thermal destruction occur successively but separately in terms of space and time in three reaction chambers, removing the gaseous products evolved during the pyrolysis, condensing at least a portion of the evolved gases, purifying the condensed gases, storing the purified liquid fractions with different characteristics separately, using at least portion of the purified liquid as fuel for producing electricity, transferring the heat evolved during the electricity production, recycling the sludge subsided during the storage as feed material, cooling the non-condensed gases, burning the non-condensed gases to provide heat for the pyrolysis, removing the solid residue left over from the pyrolysis.   
     
     
         2 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein the hydrocarboneous feed material comprises plastic, rubber and municipal solid waste, or combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The process according to  claims 1 - 2 , wherein the characteristics of the process can be controlled in such a way to allow for expedient treatment of various feed materials. 
     
     
         4 . The process according to  claim 1 , wherein condensing at least a portion of the evolved gases comprises: separating various hydrocarbon fractions based on their different boiling temperature range. 
     
     
         5 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein purifying the condensed gases comprises using oil filters and centrifugal separators. 
     
     
         6 . The process according to  claim 1  further comprising subjecting at least a portion of the liquid fractions to further conversion to create products with desired characteristics. 
     
     
         7 . The process according to  claim 1  further comprising using water as a medium for transferring the heat evolved during the electricity production. 
     
     
         8 . The process according to  claim 1  further comprising using the portion of the non-condensed pyrolysis gases in excess of the amount needed for providing heat for the pyrolysis for electricity production. 
     
     
         9 . The process according to  claim 1  wherein the solid residue is subjected to cooling prior to its exposure to the atmosphere. 
     
     
         10 . An apparatus for thermal destruction of hydrocarboneous feed material comprising a feed material transport module connected to a pyrolysis reactor comprising a reaction chamber and said pyrolysis reactor is coupled to a pyrolysis gas treating module, said feed material transport module comprising a hopper connected to a feed material conveyor through an airtight inlet;
 said pyrolysis reactor comprising a reaction chamber provided with a gas removal outlet coupled to a pyrolysis gas line leaving the reactor, an inlet and an air tight outlet for receiving the feed material and removing the residue respectively, a conveyor disposed within the reaction chamber enabling continuous material flow, heating means providing heat to the interior of the pyrolysis reactor which is gaseously sealed from the reaction chamber;   said pyrolysis gas treating module comprising at least one condenser receiving pyrolysis gas from the reactor and being connected to a pyrolysis oil purification system,   Wherein   a feed material loading conveyor connecting the feed material conveyor with the pyrolysis reactor inlet is applied for militating against material doming; and   three reaction chambers are disposed within the pyrolysis reactor such that the feed material arrives through the reactor inlet in the first reaction chamber, the second reaction chamber receives products from the first reaction chamber, the third reaction chamber receives products from the second reaction chamber and the residue leaves the last reaction chamber through the airtight outlet of the reactor; and   said condensers are connected to a gas cooler,   said purification system is connected to oil storage tanks,   said oil storage tanks are connected to the feed material conveyor through a sludge pipe, and   an electricity generation module is adapted to receive fuel from the pyrolysis gas treating module, and   the apparatus has a controller means for controlling the characteristics of the process.   
     
     
         11 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  characterised in that the operation of the conveyors disposed within the reaction cambers is controllable, whereby the residence time of the feed material in the reaction chambers can be influenced. 
     
     
         12 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  characterised in that the conveyors disposed within the reaction chambers are provided in the form of a screw. 
     
     
         13 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  characterised in that the feed material conveyor and the feed material loading conveyor are provided in the form of a screw. 
     
     
         14 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  characterised in that the heating means are gas burners. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  characterised in that each condenser is adapted to condense portions of the pyrolysis gas and thereby separate hydrocarbon fractions with different boiling temperature range. 
     
     
         16 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  characterised in that the oil purifications system receiving products from the condensers consists of oil filters and centrifugal separators. 
     
     
         17 . An apparatus according to  claims 10  characterised in that gas burners are adapted to receive non-condensed gas from the gas cooler. 
     
     
         18 . An apparatus according to  claim 10  characterised in that the electricity generation module is a combination of a combustion engine and an electric generator. 
     
     
         19 . An apparatus according to  claims 18  further including a water circulation system for cooling an electricity generation module.