Process using flue gas heat for pyrolysis and drying of organic material

Abstract

A process for pyrolysis and drying of an organic material, comprising: pyrolyzing the organic material to generate a coke; combusting the coke in a regenerator to produce a flue gas; cooling the flue gas from the regenerator by mixing the flue gas with an air to produce a cooled flue gas; and channeling the cooled flue gas to a heat exchanger to assist in drying a wet organic material being conveyed on a conveyor belt, wherein the conveyor belt is operably connected to a pyrolysis unit used for the pyrolyzing and the conveyor belt is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for pyrolysis and drying of an organic material, comprising:
 a. pyrolyzing the organic material to generate a coke;   b. combusting the coke in a regenerator to produce a flue gas;   c. cooling the flue gas from the regenerator by mixing the flue gas with an air to produce a cooled flue gas; and   d. channeling the cooled flue gas to a heat exchanger to assist in drying a wet organic material being conveyed on a conveyor belt, wherein the conveyor belt is operably connected to a pyrolysis unit used for the pyrolyzing and the conveyor belt is in thermal communication with the heat exchanger.   
     
     
         2 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein a heat transfer media is used when pyrolyzing the organic material and the heat transfer media is transferred to the regenerator with the coke, the heat transfer media being a particulate source of heat. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the particulate source of heat comprises sand. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the regenerator returns the heat transfer media to a pyrolysis unit for reuse in pyrolyzing additional organic material. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 4 , further comprising the step of feeding the organic material that has been dried into the pyrolysis unit. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the flue gas from the regenerator initially has a temperature of at least about 1000° F. before cooling. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the flue gas is cooled to about 700° F. or less. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising fanning a moist air away from the wet organic material being conveyed on the conveyor belt. 
     
     
         9 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the wet organic material has a moisture content of greater than about 10% by weight when it enters the conveyor belt. 
     
     
         10 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein a dried organic material has a moisture content of less than about 10% by weight when it leaves the conveyor belt. 
     
     
         11 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the air is ambient air. 
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the mixing is done in stainless steel transfer lines. 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the channeling is done in carbon steel transfer lines. 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger reduces volatile organic compound (VOC) emissions. 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a series of heat exchangers. 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the organic material comprises municipal solid waste.