Apparatus and corresponding method to produce biomass charcoal

Abstract

Apparatus to produce biomass charcoal ( 120 ) which can be inserted in a container whose section orthogonal to an axis (S) is subject to the specific application; the apparatus comprises an external casing ( 12, 12 ′), associated internally with at least a tubular body ( 14, 14 ′) located coaxial to create at least one interspace ( 16, 16 ′) for the passage of primary air (A 1 ) in which at least a support plane ( 34 ) is housed able to support the biomass ( 100 ) and able to allow a flow of primary air (A 1 ) to feed the biomass ( 100 ), the tubular body ( 14, 14 ′) has a pipe ( 55 ) for the passage of secondary air (A 2 ) provided with a hole ( 15 ) in correspondence with its lower end and has exit means ( 22, 22 ′) of the secondary air (A 2 ) disposed in correspondence with an upper end coordinated with a plate ( 24, 24 ′).

1 . Apparatus to produce biomass charcoal ( 120 ) which can be inserted in a container whose section orthogonal to an axis (S) is subject to the specific application, characterized in that it comprises an external casing ( 12 ,  12 ′), associated internally with at least a tubular body ( 14 ,  14 ′) located coaxial to create at least an interspace ( 16 ,  16 ′) for the passage of primary air (A 1 ) in which at least a support plane ( 34 ) is housed able to support the biomass ( 100 ) and able to allow a flow of primary air (A 1 ) to feed the biomass ( 100 ), said tubular body ( 14 ,  14 ′) having a pipe ( 55 ) for the passage of secondary air (A 2 ) provided with a hole ( 15 ) in correspondence with its lower end and having exit means ( 22 ,  22 ′) of the secondary air (A 2 ) disposed in correspondence with an upper end coordinated with a plate ( 24 ,  24 ′). 
     
     
         2 . Apparatus as in  claim 1 , characterized in that said tubular element ( 14 ) comprises peripheral holes ( 18 ) on its base and communicating with said interspace ( 16 ,  16 ′). 
     
     
         3 . Apparatus as in  claim 1  or  2 , characterized in that said tubular body ( 14 ) is configured to coaxially house inside it a sliding body ( 20 ), said sliding body ( 20 ) having at least two axial positions. 
     
     
         4 . Apparatus as in  claim 3 , characterized in that said sliding body ( 20 ) is selectively slidable along said axis (S) inside said tubular body ( 14 ) and in proximity to the internal wall of said tubular body ( 14 ). 
     
     
         5 . Apparatus as in  claim 3  or  4 , characterized in that said sliding body ( 20 ) is associated in correspondence with the upper end to said plate ( 24 ) and cooperates with said tubular body ( 14 ), the whole being governed by at least two positions of the sliding body ( 20 ), in a first position with the holes ( 18 ) and the exit means ( 22 ) open and a closed position in which it at least partly closes said holes ( 18 ) and said exit means ( 22 ) as well as the interspace ( 16 ,  16 ′) at the upper part, in correspondence with an aperture ( 19 ). 
     
     
         6 . Apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said exit means ( 22 ) comprise at least a plurality of first apertures ( 23   a ). 
     
     
         7 . Apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that said exit means ( 22 ) comprise second apertures ( 23   b ) with an elongated circumferential shape, cooperating with said plate ( 24 ). 
     
     
         8 . Apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that, said support plane ( 34 ) is a grid located coordinated with a base ( 26 ) of the external casing ( 12 ). 
     
     
         9 . Apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that, in cooperation with said sliding body ( 20 ), said plate ( 24 ) has a through hole ( 40 ), in cooperation with said tubular body ( 14 ) and is associated with stopper means ( 36 ) that have at least two positions, one to close said through hole ( 40 ) and one to open said through hole ( 40 ) when the sliding body ( 20 ) is in the closed position. 
     
     
         10 . Apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises a sensor element ( 48 ) selectively associated with temporal holding means ( 49 ) that hold the sliding body ( 20 ) in the open position. 
     
     
         11 . Apparatus as in any claim hereinbefore, characterized in that it comprises a drive device ( 50 ) associated with the sliding body ( 20 ) able to determine at least the closed position of said sliding body ( 20 ). 
     
     
         12 . Method to produce biomass charcoal ( 120 ) by combustion of a biomass ( 100 ), characterized in that it provides:
 in at least one interspace ( 16 ,  16 ′) present between an external casing ( 12 ) and at least a tubular body ( 14 ), the biomass ( 100 ) is located above a support plane ( 34 ) in a desired quantity;   said biomass ( 100 ) is ignited from above, being fed by primary air (A 1 ) coming from below said support plane ( 34 );   secondary air (A 2 ) is heated inside the tubular body ( 14 ) and exits from exit means ( 22 ,  22 ′) combining with combustible gas (B) generated by the biomass ( 100 ) and producing a flame ( 110 ).   
     
     
         13 . Method as in  claim 12 , characterized in that the flame ( 110 ) is conditioned by the presence of a plate ( 24 ) cooperating with said exit means ( 22 ). 
     
     
         14 . Method as in  claim 12  or  13 , characterized in that said flame ( 110 ) can be affected by another supply of tertiary air (A 3 ) coming from the outside and in counter-flow with respect to said combustible gas (B) and to said secondary air (A 2 ). 
     
     
         15 . Method as in any of the claims from  12  to  14 , characterized in that when the biomass ( 100 ) has been entirely converted into biomass charcoal ( 120 ) and reaches the desired temperature, a temperature sensor ( 48 ) is activated that conditions the constraint to which a sliding body ( 20 ) is subjected, which sliding body ( 20 ) has exit means ( 22 ) and is associated with the plate ( 24 ), removing said constraint so that said sliding body ( 20 ) in the closed position closes both the holes ( 18 ) and the exit from the external casing ( 12 ) through the plate ( 24 ) so as to condition the combustion of the biomass ( 100 ) present in the interspace ( 16 ,  16 ′). 
     
     
         16 . Method as in any of the claims from  12  to  15 , characterized in that when the sliding body ( 20 ) is in the closed position and the plate ( 24 ) closes the interspace ( 16 ,  16 ′), a through hole ( 40 ) present in the plate ( 24 ) in axial cooperation with the sliding body ( 20 ) opens to allow the passage of cooling air (A 0 ).