Falling bed reactor

Abstract

Methods and apparatuses are provided for pyrolysis using a falling bed reactor. The falling bed reactor may result in effective mixing between a heat carrier and biomass, and may reduce or eliminate inert gas requirements.

1 . A falling bed reactor  100 , comprising:
 a reactor conduit  102  defining a flow axis  104 ;   an inlet  106  operatively coupled to receive a heat carrier particulate into the reactor conduit  102 ;   an outlet  108  operatively coupled to direct the heat carrier particulate out of the reactor conduit  102 ;   one or more baffles  114  mounted in the reactor conduit  102 .   
     
     
         2 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , comprising:
 the reactor conduit  102  defining the flow axis  104 ; 
 the inlet  106  operatively coupled to receive the heat carrier particulate into the reactor conduit  102 ; 
 the outlet  108  operatively coupled to direct the heat carrier particulate out of the reactor conduit  102 ; 
 a pyrolysis substrate inlet  110  operatively coupled to receive a pyrolysis substrate into the reactor conduit  102 ; 
 a pyrolysis product outlet  112  operatively coupled to direct a pyrolysis product out of the reactor conduit  102 ; and 
 the one or more baffles  114  mounted in the reactor conduit  102 , each baffle in the one or more baffles  114  comprising a baffle surface  116 , at least a portion of each baffle surface  116  being at an oblique angle  118  with respect to the flow axis  104 . 
 
     
     
         3 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , configured to be mounted such that at least a portion of the flow axis  104  is parallel or oblique to a vertically downwards direction. 
     
     
         4 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 2 , configured to be mounted such that at least a portion of the flow axis  104  is parallel or oblique to a vertically downwards direction, and at least a portion of each baffle surface  116  is at the oblique angle  118  with respect to the vertically downwards direction. 
     
     
         5 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , mounted to orient the flow axis  104  in a substantially vertically downwards direction. 
     
     
         6 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , a cross section of the reactor conduit  102  comprising a shape that is one of: polygonal, rounded polygonal, elliptical, circular, or a combination or composite thereof. 
     
     
         7 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , a cross section of the reactor conduit  102  comprising a shape that is one of: rectangular, rounded rectangular, elliptical, circular, or a combination or composite thereof. 
     
     
         8 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , a cross section of the reactor conduit  102  being square. 
     
     
         9 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , one or both of the inlet  106  and the outlet  108  being substantially parallel with one or both of the reactor conduit  102  and the flow axis  104 . 
     
     
         10 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , the inlet  106  being operatively coupled to the reactor conduit  102  upstream of the outlet  108  with respect to the flow axis  104 . 
     
     
         11 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , the inlet  106  being operatively coupled to receive a pyrolysis substrate into the reactor conduit  102 . 
     
     
         12 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , the outlet  108  being operatively coupled to direct a pyrolysis product out of the reactor conduit  102 . 
     
     
         13 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a pyrolysis substrate inlet  110  operatively coupled to receive a pyrolysis substrate into the reactor conduit  102 ; and 
 a pyrolysis product outlet  112  operatively coupled to direct a pyrolysis product out of the reactor conduit  102 . 
 
     
     
         14 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 13 , further comprising a fine particulate separator  202 , an input  204  of the fine particulate separator  202  operatively coupled to the pyrolysis product outlet  112  of the falling bed reactor  100  and the fine particulate separator  202  comprising a particulate outlet  206  and a gas or vapor outlet  208 . 
     
     
         15 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 14 , the fine particulate separator  202  comprising one or more of: a settling chamber, a baffle chamber, a cyclonic particle separator, an electrostatic precipitator, a filter, or a scrubber. 
     
     
         16 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 13 , the pyrolysis substrate inlet  110  being operatively coupled to the reactor conduit  102  upstream of the pyrolysis product outlet  112  with respect to the flow axis  104 . 
     
     
         17 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 13 , the pyrolysis substrate inlet  110  being operatively coupled to the reactor conduit  102  upstream of the pyrolysis product outlet  112  with respect to the flow axis  104 . 
     
     
         18 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 13 , the pyrolysis substrate inlet  110  being operatively coupled to the reactor conduit  102  at a same level or downstream of the pyrolysis product outlet  112  with respect to the flow axis  104 . 
     
     
         19 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 13 , the pyrolysis substrate inlet  110  being coincident with the inlet  106 . 
     
     
         20 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 13 , the pyrolysis product outlet  112  being coincident with the inlet  106  or the outlet  108 . 
     
     
         21 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , the one or more baffles  114  extending from an inside wall  130  of the reactor conduit  102  into the reactor conduit  102 . 
     
     
         22 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , the one or more baffles  114  extending from the inside wall  130  to define a cantilevered geometry in the reactor conduit  102 . 
     
     
         23 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , the one or more baffles  114  extending across at least a portion of the reactor conduit  102  between a first portion of the inside wall  130  and a second portion of the inside wall  130 . 
     
     
         24 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , each of the one or more baffles  114  comprising a form of one or more of a rod, a plate, a funnel, a cone, a screen, or a protrusion. 
     
     
         25 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , each of the one or more baffles  114  comprising a form of a rod, the rod having a cross-sectional geometry that is at least in part polygonal, rounded polygonal, circular, elliptical, or a combination or composite thereof. 
     
     
         26 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , each of the one or more baffles  114  comprising a baffle surface  116  positioned to intersect at least a portion of the reactor conduit  102  with respect to the flow axis  104 , at least a portion of the baffle surface  116  comprising a geometry that is one or more of flat or convex. 
     
     
         27 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , each of the one or more baffles  114  comprising a baffle surface  116 , at least a portion of the baffle surface  116  being horizontal with respect to the flow axis  104 . 
     
     
         28 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , each of the one or more baffles  114  comprising a baffle surface  116 , at least a portion of the baffle surface  116  being at an oblique angle  118  with respect to the flow axis  104 . 
     
     
         29 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 28 , the one or more baffles  114  being mounted to place at least the portion of each baffle surface  116  at the oblique angle  118  with respect to the flow axis  104  such that the one or more baffles  114  form a staggered or alternating pattern in the reactor conduit  102 . 
     
     
         30 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 29 , the staggered or alternating pattern of the one or more baffles  114  intersecting the flow axis  104  to provide a tortuous flow path through the one or more baffles  114 . 
     
     
         31 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , each baffle in the one or more baffles  114  being mounted to an inside wall  130  of the reactor conduit  102  to define a free edge  120  of each baffle surface  116  and a mounted edge  122  of each baffle surface  116 . 
     
     
         32 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , each baffle surface  116  in the one or more baffles  114  is substantially at the oblique angle  118  with respect to the flow axis  104 . 
     
     
         33 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , the oblique angle  118  being between about 30° and about 60° with respect to the flow axis  104  such that for each baffle surface  116 , a free edge  120  of the baffle surface  116  is further downstream along the flow axis  104  compared to a mounted edge  122  of the baffle surface  116 . 
     
     
         34 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 21 , further comprising an agitator mechanism  126  configured to agitate at least a portion of the one or more baffles  114  effective to dislodge a particulate on at least a portion of the one or more baffles  114 . 
     
     
         35 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , further comprising a heater  128  configured to cause pyrolysis of a substrate in the falling bed reactor  100  by heating one or both of the falling bed reactor  100  and a heat carrier to be fed into the falling bed reactor  100 . 
     
     
         36 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , being configured to employ the heat carrier comprising one or more of: a metal, a glass, a ceramic, a mineral, or a polymeric composite. 
     
     
         37 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , being configured to employ sand as the heat carrier. 
     
     
         38 . The falling bed reactor  100  of  claim 1 , being configured to employ a particulate catalyst as the heat carrier. 
     
     
         39 . A pyrolysis system  200 , comprising:
 a falling bed reactor  100 , comprising:
 a reactor conduit  102  defining a flow axis  104 ; 
 an inlet  106  operatively coupled to receive a heat carrier particulate into the reactor conduit  102 ; 
 an outlet  108  operatively coupled to direct the heat carrier particulate out of the reactor conduit  102 ; 
   one or more baffles  114  mounted in the reactor conduit  102 ; and   a cross-flow classifier  3100 , comprising:
 a separator conduit  3102 ; 
 a flow input  3104  and a flow output  3106  in fluidic communication with the separator conduit  3102 , the separator conduit  3102  extending between the flow input  3104  and the flow output  3106  to define a flow axis  3108  along at least a portion of the separator conduit  3102 , the flow input  3104  being located upstream of the flow output  3106  with respect to the flow axis  3108 ; and 
 a cross-flow input  3114  and a cross-flow output  3116  in fluidic communication with the separator conduit  3102  between the flow input  3104  and the flow output  3106 , the cross-flow input  3114  being located upstream of the cross-flow output  3116  with respect to the flow axis  3108 , the cross-flow input  3114  defining a cross-flow axis  3118  intersecting the flow axis  3108  at a cross-flow angle  3120  between about 70° and about 180° with respect to the flow axis  3108 , 
   
       wherein:
 the outlet  108  of the falling bed reactor  100  is operatively coupled to the flow input  3104  of the cross-flow classifier  3100 ; and 
 the flow output  3106  of the cross-flow classifier  3100  is operatively coupled to the inlet  108  of the falling bed reactor  100 . 
 
     
     
         40 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , comprising:
 the falling bed reactor  100 , comprising:
 the reactor conduit  102  defining a flow axis  104 ; 
 the inlet  106  operatively coupled to receive a heat carrier particulate into the reactor conduit  102 ; 
 the outlet  108  operatively coupled to direct the heat carrier particulate out of the reactor conduit  102 ; 
 a pyrolysis substrate inlet  110  operatively coupled to receive a pyrolysis substrate into the reactor conduit  102 ; 
 a pyrolysis product outlet  112  operatively coupled to direct a pyrolysis product out of the reactor conduit  102 ; 
 
 the one or more baffles  114  mounted in the reactor conduit  102 , each baffle in the one or more baffles  114  comprising a baffle surface  116 , at least a portion of each baffle surface  116  being at an oblique angle  118  with respect to the flow axis  104 ; and 
 the cross-flow classifier  3100 , comprising:
 the separator conduit  3102 ; 
 the flow input  3104  and the flow output  3106  in fluidic communication with the separator conduit  3102 , the separator conduit  3102  extending between the flow input  3104  and the flow output  3106  to define the flow axis  3108  along at least a portion of the separator conduit  3102 , the flow input  3104  being located upstream of the flow output  3106  with respect to the flow axis  3108 ; and 
 the cross-flow input  3114  and the cross-flow output  3116  in fluidic communication with the separator conduit  3102  between the flow input  3104  and the flow output  3106 , the cross-flow input  3114  being located upstream of the cross-flow output  3116  with respect to the flow axis  3108 , the cross-flow input  3114  defining the cross-flow axis  3118  intersecting the flow axis  3108  at a cross-flow angle  3120  between about 70° and about 180° with respect to the flow axis  3108 , 
 
 
       wherein:
 the outlet  108  of the falling bed reactor  100  is operatively coupled to the flow input  3104  of the cross-flow classifier  3100 ; and 
 the flow output  3106  of the cross-flow classifier  3100  is operatively coupled to the inlet  108  of the falling bed reactor  100 . 
 
     
     
         41 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , the outlet  108  of the falling bed reactor  100  being operatively coupled to the flow input  3104  of the cross-flow classifier  3100  via an auger or conveyor  230 . 
     
     
         42 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , the flow output  3106  of the cross-flow classifier  3100  being operatively coupled to the inlet  108  of the falling bed reactor  100  via an auger or conveyor  232 . 
     
     
         43 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , further comprising a fine particulate separator  202 , an input  204  of the fine particulate separator  202  operatively coupled to the pyrolysis product outlet  112  of the falling bed reactor  100  and the fine particulate separator  202  comprising a particulate outlet  206  and a gas or vapor outlet  208 . 
     
     
         44 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 43 , the fine particulate separator  202  comprising one or more of: a settling chamber, a baffle chamber, a cyclonic particle separator, an electrostatic precipitator, a filter, or a scrubber. 
     
     
         45 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , further comprising a coarse particulate separator  212 , an input  214  of the coarse particulate separator  212  operatively coupled to the cross-flow output  3116  of the cross-flow classifier  3100  and the coarse particulate separator  212  comprising a particulate outlet  216  and a gas outlet  218 . 
     
     
         46 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 45 , the coarse particulate separator  212  comprising one or more of: a settling chamber, a baffle chamber, a cyclonic particle separator, an electrostatic precipitator, a filter, or a scrubber. 
     
     
         47 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , further comprising a gas recycle conduit  220 , the gas recycle conduit operatively coupled to receive recycled gas from the gas outlet  218  and the gas recycle conduit  220  operatively coupled to direct the recycled gas to the cross-flow input  3114  of the cross-flow classifier  3100 . 
     
     
         48 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 47 , the gas recycle conduit comprising a fan  222 , the fan  222  configured to draw the recycled gas from the gas outlet  218  via the gas recycle conduit  220  and the fan  222  configured to flow the recycled gas to the cross-flow input  3114  of the cross-flow classifier  3100  via the gas recycle conduit  220 . 
     
     
         49 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , the falling bed reactor  100  comprising the falling bed reactor of any of  claims 1 - 38 . 
     
     
         50 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , one or both of the flow input  3114  and the flow output  3116  being substantially aligned with the flow axis  3108  of the separator conduit  3102 . 
     
     
         51 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , the cross-flow input  3114  being operatively coupled to the separator conduit  3102  substantially opposite to the cross-flow output  3116  with respect to the flow axis  3108 . 
     
     
         52 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , being mounted such that the flow axis  3108  points downward at a flow angle  3110 . 
     
     
         53 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 52 , the flow angle  3110  being less than 60° from vertically down. 
     
     
         54 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , the separator conduit  3102  comprising a first flow diameter  3122  between the flow input  3104  and the cross-flow input  3114 , and the separator conduit  3102  comprising a second flow diameter  3124  downstream of the cross-flow input  3114 , the first flow diameter  3122  being greater than the second flow diameter  3124 . 
     
     
         55 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 54 , the separator conduit  3102  comprising a transition  3126  between the first flow diameter  3122  and the second flow diameter  3124 , the transition  3126  being substantially aligned with the cross-flow angle  3120 . 
     
     
         56 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 54 , the separator conduit  3102  comprising a transition  3126  between the first flow diameter  3122  and the second flow diameter  3124 , the transition  3126  being substantially perpendicular with respect to the flow axis  3108 . 
     
     
         57 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , the flow input  3104  being configured to accept a plurality of particulates, at least a first particulate in the plurality of particulates being characterized by a first average density and at least a second particulate in the plurality of particulates being characterized by a second average density greater than the first average density. 
     
     
         58 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 57 , the flow output  3106  being configured to convey at least a portion of the first particulate characterized by the first density out of the separator conduit  3102 . 
     
     
         59 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 58 , the cross-flow output  3116  being configured to convey at least a portion of the second particulate characterized by the second density greater than the first density out of the separator conduit  3102 . 
     
     
         60 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , the cross-flow input  3114  defining a first convergent nozzle  3132  comprising a first nozzle throat  3134 . 
     
     
         61 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 60 , a cross section of the first nozzle throat  3134  comprising at least two dissimilar axes. 
     
     
         62 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 61 , the first nozzle throat  3134  comprising an elliptical cross section, a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, or a rounded corner rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         63 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 60 , the first nozzle throat  3134  being operatively coupled to a nozzle exit zone, at least a portion of the nozzle exit zone comprising a transition  3126  between a first flow diameter  3122  of the flow conduit  3108  and the first nozzle throat  3134 . 
     
     
         64 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 63 , at least a portion of the nozzle exit zone comprising a second flow diameter  3124  of the separator conduit  3108 , the transition  3126  being located at an upstream side of the first nozzle throat  3134  and the second flow diameter  3124  being located at a downstream side of the first nozzle throat  3134 . 
     
     
         65 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 64 , the first nozzle throat  3134  being located at the second flow diameter  3124  of the separator conduit  3108 . 
     
     
         66 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 60 , the convergent nozzle  3132  of the cross-flow input  3114  comprising a second nozzle throat  3138 , the first nozzle throat  3134  being located at the cross-flow input  3114  between the second nozzle throat  3138  and the separator conduit  3108 . 
     
     
         67 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 39 , the cross-flow output  3116  defining a second convergent nozzle  3142  comprising a third nozzle throat  3144 . 
     
     
         68 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 67 , a cross section of the third nozzle throat  3144  comprising at least two dissimilar axes. 
     
     
         69 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 68 , the third nozzle throat  3144  comprising an elliptical cross section, a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, or a rounded corner rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         70 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 68 , the third nozzle throat  3144  being operatively coupled to a nozzle entrance zone  3146 , at least a portion of the nozzle entrance zone  3146  comprising a transition  3148  between a second flow diameter  3124  of the flow conduit  3108  and the third nozzle throat  3144 . 
     
     
         71 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 68 , at least a portion of the nozzle entrance zone  3146  comprising an entrance vane  3150 , the entrance vane  3150  extending into the separator conduit  3102  with respect to the second flow diameter  3124 . 
     
     
         72 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 71 , at least a portion of the entrance vane  3150  extending into the separator conduit  3102  at least partly in an upstream direction with respect to the flow axis  3108 . 
     
     
         73 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 68 , the third nozzle throat  3144  being operatively coupled through a nozzle collector zone to an exit conduit  3154 , one or both of the nozzle collector zone and the conduit  3154  comprising an elliptical cross section. 
     
     
         74 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 68 , the third nozzle throat  3144  being operatively coupled through a nozzle collector zone to an exit conduit  3154 , one or both of the nozzle collector zone and the exit conduit  3154  comprising a circular cross section. 
     
     
         75 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 68 , the third nozzle throat  3144  being operatively coupled to an exit conduit  3154 , the exit conduit  3154  defining an exit conduit axis  3156 , the exit conduit axis  3156  intersecting the flow axis  3108  at an exit angle  3158 , the exit angle  3158  being greater than 0° and less than 180°. 
     
     
         76 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 75 , the exit angle  3158  being between about 90° and less than 180°. 
     
     
         77 . The pyrolysis system  200  of  claim 76 , the exit conduit axis  3156  being within about 30° of vertical. 
     
     
         78 . A method  400  for pyrolyzing a substrate, comprising:
   402  feeding a heat carrier to a gravity-fed baffled conduit; 
   404  feeding a pyrolysis substrate to the gravity-fed baffled conduit such that the heat carrier and the pyrolysis substrate mix to form a pyrolysis mixture; and 
   406  heating the heat carrier and/or the gravity-fed baffled conduit to pyrolyze the pyrolysis substrate in the pyrolysis mixture to form a pyrolysis product mixture. 
 
     
     
         79 . The method of  claim 78 , the pyrolysis product mixture comprising a gas or vapor pyrolysis product and a fine char pyrolysis product, further comprising directing the gas or vapor pyrolysis product and the fine char pyrolysis product out of the gravity-fed baffled conduit. 
     
     
         80 . The method of  claim 79 , the pyrolysis product mixture comprising the heat carrier and a coarse char pyrolysis product, further comprising directing the heat carrier and the coarse char pyrolysis product out of the gravity-fed baffled conduit. 
     
     
         81 . The method of  claim 80 , further comprising directing the gas or vapor pyrolysis product and the fine char pyrolysis product out of the gravity-fed baffled conduit at the same level as the heat carrier and the coarse char pyrolysis product. 
     
     
         82 . The method of  claim 81 , further comprising directing the gas or vapor pyrolysis product and the fine char pyrolysis product out of the gravity-fed baffled conduit upstream compared to the heat carrier and the coarse char pyrolysis product. 
     
     
         83 . The method of  claim 81 , further comprising directing the gas or vapor pyrolysis product and the fine char pyrolysis product out of the gravity-fed baffled conduit downstream compared to the heat carrier and the coarse char pyrolysis product. 
     
     
         84 . The method of  claim 78 , the pyrolysis product mixture comprising the heat carrier and a coarse char pyrolysis product, further comprising directing the heat carrier and the coarse char pyrolysis product out of the gravity-fed baffled conduit. 
     
     
         85 . The method of  claim 78 , feeding the heat carrier to the gravity-fed baffled conduit comprises feeding the heat carrier and the pyrolysis substrate to the same level in the gravity-fed baffled conduit. 
     
     
         86 . The method of  claim 78 , feeding the heat carrier to the gravity-fed baffled conduit comprises feeding the heat carrier to the gravity-fed baffled conduit upstream of the pyrolysis substrate. 
     
     
         87 . The method of  claim 78 , feeding the heat carrier to the gravity-fed baffled conduit comprises feeding the heat carrier to the gravity-fed baffled conduit downstream of the pyrolysis substrate. 
     
     
         88 . The method of  claim 78 , the pyrolysis product mixture comprising a gas or vapor pyrolysis product and a fine char pyrolysis product, the method further comprising:
 directing the gas or vapor pyrolysis product and the fine char pyrolysis product out of the gravity-fed baffled conduit; and   separating the gas or vapor pyrolysis product from the fine char pyrolysis product   
     
     
         89 . The method of  claim 78 , the pyrolysis product mixture comprising the heat carrier and a coarse char pyrolysis product, the method further comprising:
 directing the heat carrier and the coarse char pyrolysis product out of the gravity-fed baffled conduit; and   separating the heat carrier from the coarse char pyrolysis product.   
     
     
         90 . The method of  claim 78 , further comprising:
 recycling the heat carrier to form a recycled heat carrier; and   feeding the recycled heat carrier to the gravity-fed baffled conduit.   
     
     
         91 . The method of  claim 78 , wherein separating the heat carrier from the coarse char pyrolysis product comprises:
 directing a flow comprising a plurality of particulates along a flow axis; and   separating at least a portion of a first particulate from the plurality of particulates to form a separated portion of the first particulate by directing a gas jet along a cross-flow axis, the cross-flow axis intersecting the flow axis at a cross-flow angle, the cross-flow angle being between about 70° and about 180°,   
       wherein:
 the plurality of particulates comprises the heat carrier and the coarse char pyrolysis product; and 
 the first particulate comprises the coarse char pyrolysis product 
 
     
     
         92 . The method of  claim 91 , the cross-flow angle being between about 80° and about 100°. 
     
     
         93 . The method of  claim 91 , the cross-flow axis and the flow axis being substantially perpendicular. 
     
     
         94 . The method of  claim 91 , the gas jet comprising a gas temperature of between about 300° C. and about 700° C. 
     
     
         95 . The method of  claim 91 , the gas jet comprising a gas density in kilograms per cubic meter of between about 0.4 and about 1.4. 
     
     
         96 . The method of  claim 91 , the gas jet comprising a gas viscosity in kilograms per meter-second of between about 1×10 −6  and about 1×10 −4 . 
     
     
         97 . The method of  claim 91 , the gas jet comprising a gas flow rate of less than 25 cubic feet per minute. 
     
     
         98 . The method of  claim 91 , the gas jet comprising a gas pressure drop of less than 5 inches of water. 
     
     
         99 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates to form the separated portion of the first particulate further comprises:
 directing the separated portion of the first particulate away from the cross-flow axis to a surface of a separator conduit; and   directing the separated portion of the first particulate along the surface for a distance.   
     
     
         100 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein directing the separated portion of the first particulate along the surface comprises directing the separated portion of the first particulate substantially parallel to the flow axis. 
     
     
         101 . The method of  claim 99 , wherein directing the separated portion of the first particulate along the surface comprises using the Coand{hacek over (a)} effect. 
     
     
         102 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising diverting the separated portion of the first particulate along the surface away from the surface to a cross-flow output. 
     
     
         103 . The method of  claim 102 , wherein diverting the separated portion of the first particulate along the surface away from the surface and through the cross-flow output comprises using the Coand{hacek over (a)} effect. 
     
     
         104 . The method of  claim 102 , wherein diverting the separated portion of the first particulate along the surface away from the surface and through the cross-flow output comprises contacting the separated portion of the first particulate along the surface with an entrance vane, the entrance vane being in fluidic communication with the cross-flow output. 
     
     
         105 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates comprises substantially separating the first particulate from the plurality of particulates. 
     
     
         106 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates comprises separating at least about 99% by weight of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates. 
     
     
         107 . The method of  claim 91 , the first particulate comprising a pyrolysis product. 
     
     
         108 . The method of  claim 91 , the first particulate comprising one or more of a biomass or a biomass pyrolysis product. 
     
     
         109 . The method of  claim 91 , the first particulate comprising char. 
     
     
         110 . The method of  claim 91 , the first particulate being characterized by a first average density in kilograms per cubic meter of between about 100 and about 2,000. 
     
     
         111 . The method of  claim 91 , the first particulate being characterized by a first average diameter in millimeters of between about 0.1 and about 10. 
     
     
         112 . The method of  claim 91 , the first particulate comprising an average flow rate in kilograms per second of between about 0.0012 and about 0.0023. 
     
     
         113 . The method of  claim 91 , the first particulate being characterized by a first average density and the plurality of particulates comprising at least a second particulate characterized by a second average density greater than the first average density. 
     
     
         114 . The method of  claim 113 , the second particulate comprising one or more of a metal, a glass, a ceramic, a mineral, or a polymeric composite. 
     
     
         115 . The method of  claim 113 , the second particulate comprising one or more of: steel, stainless steel, cobalt (Co), molybdenum (Mo), nickel (Ni), titanium (Ti), tungsten (W), zinc (Zn), antimony (Sb), bismuth (Bi), cerium (Ce), vanadium (V), niobium (Nb), tantalum (Ta), chromium (Cr), manganese (Mn), rhenium (Re), iron (Fe), platinum (Pt), iridium (Ir), palladium (Pd), osmium (Os), rhodium (Rh), ruthenium (Ru), nickel, copper impregnated zinc oxide (Cu/ZnO), copper impregnated chromium oxide (Cu/Cr), nickel aluminum oxide (Ni/Al 2 O 3 ), palladium aluminum oxide (PdAl2O3), cobalt molybdenum (CoMo), nickel molybdenum (NiMo), nickel molybdenum tungsten (NiMoW), sulfided cobalt molybdenum (CoMo), sulfided nickel molybdenum (NiMo), or a metal carbide. 
     
     
         116 . The method of  claim 113 , the second average density of the second particulate in kilograms per cubic meter being between about 3,000 and about 23,000. 
     
     
         117 . The method of  claim 113 , the second average density of the second particulate divided by the first average density of the first particulate being a ratio between about 1.5:1 and about 230:1. 
     
     
         118 . The method of  claim 113 , the second particulate being characterized by a first average diameter in millimeters of between about 1 and about 10. 
     
     
         119 . The method of  claim 113 , the second particulate comprising a spherical, rounded or ellipsoid morphology 
     
     
         120 . The method of  claim 113 , the second particulate comprising a flow rate in kilograms per second of about 0.4 to about 1.4 per each ton per day of biomass processed. 
     
     
         121 . The method of  claim 113 , the first particulate having a first terminal velocity and the second particulate having a second terminal velocity, the first and second particulates being characterized by a ratio of second terminal velocity to first terminal velocity of at least about 5:1. 
     
     
         122 . The method of  claim 113 , the first particulate having a first terminal velocity and the second particulate having a second terminal velocity, the first and second particulates being characterized by a ratio of second terminal velocity to first terminal velocity of at least about 10:1. 
     
     
         123 . The method of  claim 113 , the first particulate having a first terminal velocity and the second particulate having a second terminal velocity, the first and second particulates being characterized by a ratio of second terminal velocity to first terminal velocity of at least about 20:1. 
     
     
         124 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising separating at least a portion of a second particulate in the plurality of particulates from the first particulate. 
     
     
         125 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising separating substantially all of a second particulate in the plurality of particulates from the first particulate. 
     
     
         126 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising separating at least a portion of a second particulate in the plurality of particulates from the first particulate in a direction substantially aligned with the flow axis. 
     
     
         127 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising directing the flow axis downward at a flow angle. 
     
     
         128 . The method of  claim 127 , the flow angle being less than 90° from vertically downward. 
     
     
         129 . The method of  claim 127 , the flow angle being less than 60° from vertically downward. 
     
     
         130 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising forming the gas jet by flowing a gas through a first convergent nozzle comprising a first nozzle throat. 
     
     
         131 . The method of  claim 91 , a cross section of the first nozzle throat comprising at least two dissimilar axes. 
     
     
         132 . The method of  claim 91 , the first nozzle throat comprising an elliptical cross section, a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, or a rounded corner rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         133 . The method of  claim 91 , further comprising:
 adapting the flow upstream of the gas jet to a first flow diameter; and   adapting the flow downstream of the gas jet to a second flow diameter,   the first flow diameter being greater than the second flow diameter.   
     
     
         134 . The method of  claim 133 , further comprising adapting the flow between the first flow diameter and the second flow diameter using a transition between the first flow diameter and the second flow diameter, the transition being substantially aligned with the cross-flow angle. 
     
     
         135 . The method of  claim 134 , further comprising adapting the flow using a transition between the first flow diameter and the second flow diameter, the transition being substantially perpendicular with respect to the flow axis. 
     
     
         136 . The method of  claim 134 , further comprising adapting the flow using a transition between the first flow diameter and the second flow diameter, the transition extending between at least a portion of the first flow diameter and at least a portion of the first nozzle throat. 
     
     
         137 . The method of  claim 134 , at least a portion of the second flow diameter coinciding with at least a portion of the first nozzle throat. 
     
     
         138 . The method of  claim 137 , the first nozzle throat being located at the second flow diameter of the separator conduit. 
     
     
         139 . The method of  claim 134 , forming the gas jet further comprises flowing the gas through a second nozzle throat upstream of the first nozzle throat. 
     
     
         140 . The method of  claim 134 , separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates further comprises extending an entrance vane into a portion of the flow defined by the second flow diameter. 
     
     
         141 . The method of  claim 140 , further comprising extending at least a portion of the entrance vane into the flow at least partly in an upstream direction with respect to the flow axis. 
     
     
         142 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates comprises directing the separated portion of the first particulate away from the flow axis substantially opposite to the gas jet along the cross-flow axis with respect to the flow axis. 
     
     
         143 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates comprises directing the separated portion of the first particulate away from the flow axis substantially opposite to the gas jet along the cross-flow axis with respect to the flow axis. 
     
     
         144 . The method of  claim 91 , wherein separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates further comprises directing a separated portion of the first particulate away from the flow axis through a third nozzle throat. 
     
     
         145 . The method of  claim 144 , a cross section of the third nozzle throat comprising at least two dissimilar axes. 
     
     
         146 . The method of  claim 144 , the third nozzle throat comprising an elliptical cross section, a circular cross section, a rectangular cross section, or a rounded corner rectangular cross section. 
     
     
         147 . The method of  claim 144 , wherein separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates further comprises directing the separated portion of the first particulate away from the third nozzle throat through an elliptical cross section. 
     
     
         148 . The method of  claim 144 , wherein separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates further comprises directing the separated portion of the first particulate away from the third nozzle throat through a circular cross section. 
     
     
         149 . The method of  claim 144 , wherein separating at least the portion of the first particulate from the plurality of particulates further comprises directing the separated portion of the first particulate away from the third nozzle throat via an exit conduit axis, the exit conduit axis intersecting the flow axis at an exit angle, the exit angle being greater than 0° and less than 180°.