Pyrolysis device

Abstract

A pyrolysis device ( 1; 200 ) comprising an elongated tubular structure ( 2; 201 ) which extends along a longitudinal axis (X) and includes a first tubular body ( 3; 202 ) which defines an initial washing or drainage chamber, in which a shaped carriage ( 5; 204 ) containing a polymeric material to be subjected to pyrolysis thermal treatment is received, and provided with a movable front shutter ( 8; 207 ), arranged at an axial inlet mouth ( 9 ) through which the shaped carriage ( 5; 204 ) is introduced into the initial chamber ( 4; 203 ), and cooperating with first actuating means ( 10; 209 ) which alternately move them at least between a first position, in which the front shutter ( 8; 207 ) closes the initial chamber ( 4; 203 ) from the outer side ( 4 a ), and a second position, in which the front shutter ( 8; 207 ) opens the initial chamber ( 4; 203 ) from such an outer side ( 4 a ) putting it into communication with the external environment. The pyrolysis device ( 1; 200 ) further comprises a second tubular body ( 11; 210 ), located downstream of the first tubular body ( 3; 202 ) and provided at a first end ( 11 a ) with closing means ( 12; 211 ), defining a pyrolysis chamber ( 13; 212 ) which receives the shaped carriage ( 5; 204 ) to be subjected to the pyrolysis treatment, interface chimneys ( 6, 7; 225 ) for replacing the air present in the initial chamber ( 4; 203 ) and/or in the pyrolysis chamber ( 13; 212 ) with an inert gas, one or more microwave heating sources ( 14; 213 ) coupled to the second tubular body ( 11; 210 ) and facing the pyrolysis chamber ( 13; 212 ) in which they activate the pyrolysis treatment on the polymeric material present in the shaped carriage ( 5; 204 ), and a movable center shutter ( 15; 214 ) interposed between the first tubular body ( 3; 203 ) and the second tubular body ( 11; 210 ) and cooperating with second actuating means ( 16 ) which alternately move it between a closing position, in which the center shutter ( 15; 214 ) keeps the initial chamber ( 4; 203 ) and the pyrolysis chamber ( 13; 212 ) mutually isolated, and an opening position in which the center shutter ( 15; 214 ) puts the initial chamber ( 4 ) into communication with the pyrolysis chamber ( 13 ), thus allowing the passage of the shaped carriage ( 5; 204 ).

1 . A pyrolysis device for the disposal of polymeric materials characterized in that it comprises an elongated tubular structure which extends along a longitudinal axis (X) and includes at least:
 a first tubular body defining an initial washing or drainage chamber, in which a shaped carriage containing a polymeric material to be subjected to pyrolysis treatment is received, and provided with a movable front shutter, arranged at an axial inlet mouth through which said shaped carriage is introduced into said initial chamber and cooperating with first actuating means which alternately move it at least between a first position, in which said front shutter closes said initial chamber from an outer side, and a second position, in which said front shutter opens said initial chamber from said outer side thus putting it into communication with the external environment;   a second tubular body, located downstream of said first tubular body and provided at a first end with closing means, defining a pyrolysis chamber which receives said shaped carriage containing polymeric material to be subjected to the pyrolysis treatment;   one or more interface chimneys for the replacement the air present in said initial chamber and/or in said pyrolysis chamber with an inert gas;   one or more microwave heating sources coupled to said second tubular body and facing said pyrolysis chamber in which they activate said pyrolysis treatment on said polymeric material present in said shaped carriage;   a movable center shutter, interposed between said first tubular body and said second tubular body and cooperating with second actuating means, which alternately move it at least between a closing position, in which said center shutter keeps said initial chamber and said pyrolysis chamber mutually isolated, and an opening position, in which said center shutter puts said initial chamber into communication with said pyrolysis chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it comprises at least a third tubular body, normally closed at a first head and functionally arranged downstream of said second body tubular from which it is physically separated and with which it temporarily communicates, having a final cooling chamber which receives said shaped carriage coming from said pyrolysis chamber and containing the residues of said polymeric material just subjected to said pyrolysis treatment. 
     
     
         3 . The device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said third tubular body is coaxial and aligned with said first tubular body and with said second tubular body. 
     
     
         4 . The device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said third tubular body coincides with said first tubular body and is closed, at a first head, by said movable center shutter when the latter takes said closing position and, at a second head opposed to said first head, by said movable front shutter when the latter takes said first position, so that when said front shutter takes said second position, said third tubular body is open and puts said final cooling chamber, coinciding with said initial washing or drainage chamber, into communication with the external environment for releasing said shaped carriage, at the end of the pyrolysis process, according to an exit direction (F) opposite to the entry direction (G) of said shaped carriage into said initial chamber and into said pyrolysis chamber. 
     
     
         5 . The device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said closing means comprise a fixed laminar plate provided with an annular flange fixed to the outer annular edge of said second tubular body at said first end. 
     
     
         6 . The device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that said third tubular body is a distinct mechanical piece separated from said first tubular body and said second tubular body, with respect to which it is:
 arranged downstream, resulting axially opposite to said first tubular body arranged functionally upstream of said second tubular body;   physically separated by means of said closing means interposed between an outlet mouth of said second tubular body and an inlet mouth of said third tubular body.   
     
     
         7 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said closing means comprise an auxiliary movable center shutter interposed between said second tubular body and said third tubular body, opposed and facing said movable center shutter and cooperating with third actuating means which alternately move it between a closing position, in which said auxiliary movable shutter keeps said pyrolysis chamber and said final chamber isolated from each other, and an opening position, in which said auxiliary movable shutter puts said pyrolysis chamber into communication with said final chamber. 
     
     
         8 . The device according to  claim 7 , characterized in that said auxiliary movable center shutter is arranged at the inlet mouth of said third tubular body and at the outlet mouth of said second body tubular from which said shaped carriage exits at the end of said pyrolysis treatment in said pyrolysis chamber. 
     
     
         9 . The device according  claim 6 , characterized in that said third tubular body is provided with at a first head of a movable rear shutter operatively connected to third actuating means which alternately move it between a first position, in which said rear shutter closes said final cooling chamber from an outer side, and a second position, in which said rear shutter opens from said outer side said final cooling chamber putting it in communication with the external environment. 
     
     
         10 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that it comprises a plurality of tubular extension bodies arranged mutually axially and consecutively downstream of said second tubular body, each of which is physically separated and made independent from the immediately adjacent one, with which it temporarily communicates, by means of said closing means. 
     
     
         11 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said interface chimneys communicate with said initial chamber of said first tubular body and/or with said pyrolysis chamber of said second tubular body on both of which they are arranged laterally with respect to said longitudinal axis (X). 
     
     
         12 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said first tubular body comprises on the upper part of the side surface one or more safety chimneys communicating with said initial chamber, at least one of which comprising at least one burst disc adapted to be activated to prevent damage to said first tubular body due to an abrupt and sudden increase in pressure difference between said initial chamber of said first tubular body and the external environment of said first tubular body. 
     
     
         13 . The device according to  claim 2 , characterized in that it comprises first moving means installed in said initial washing or drainage chamber and at a bottom of said first tubular body and operatively connected to first driving means to determine the advancement of said shaped carriage along said longitudinal axis (X) from said initial chamber to said pyrolysis chamber during the pyrolysis process. 
     
     
         14 . The device according to  claim 13 , characterized in that said first moving means comprise at least one transmission assembly, which substantially extends over the entire length of said first tubular body along said longitudinal axis (X) and is rotated by a transverse shaft integral with said transmission assembly and keyed onto said first driving means adapted to rotate said transverse shaft about a linear axis (Y) orthogonal to said longitudinal axis (X). 
     
     
         15 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said first actuating means comprise a linear actuating member selected from the group consisting of pneumatic actuators, hydraulic actuators and the like, constrained at a first end of an articulation lever provided with a second end connected to the side edge of said movable front shutter, so that:
 when said linear actuating member takes a first operating condition, said articulation lever is arranged in a main direction (W) which defines an acute inner angle ( ) with a linear action direction (K) of said linear actuating member and said movable front shutter takes said first position in which it fully closes said outer side of said initial chamber;   when said linear actuating member takes a second operating condition, said articulation lever is arranged in a main direction (W′) which defines an obtuse inner angle (φ) with said linear action direction (K) of said linear actuating member and said movable front shutter, following a rotation of said articulation lever about a fulcrum defined at said first end of said articulation lever, takes said second position in which it fully opens said outer side of said initial chamber.   
     
     
         16 . The device according to  claim 13 , characterized in that it comprises second moving means which:
 are installed in said pyrolysis chamber and at a bottom of said second tubular body;   are operatively connected to second driving means and cooperate with said first moving means to determine the advancement of said shaped carriage along said longitudinal axis (X) from said initial chamber to said pyrolysis chamber when said center shutter takes said opening position.   
     
     
         17 . The device according to  claim 16 , characterized in that said second moving means cooperate with third moving means which are installed in said final cooling chamber and at a bottom of said third tubular body and are operatively connected to third driving means to determine the advancement of said shaped carriage along said longitudinal axis (X) from said pyrolysis chamber to said final chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said first tubular body is made integral with said movable center shutter by means of a first peripheral flange, which is:
 arranged at a first head of said first tubular body;   protruding from the outer surface of said first tubular body;   fixed to a first side face of said movable center shutter,   while said second tubular body is made integral with said movable center shutter through of a second peripheral flange which is:   arranged at a second end, opposed to said first end, of said second tubular body;   protruding from the outer wall of said second tubular body;   fixed to a second side face, opposed to said first side face, of said movable center shutter.   
     
     
         19 . The device according  claim 1 , characterized in that said microwave heating sources include one or more cartridge feeders communicating with said pyrolysis chamber and uniformly distributed on the outer wall of said second tubular body with which they are coupled by means of fastening means, each of said cartridge feeders internally containing one or more microwave generation devices electrically connected to a central processing and control unit. 
     
     
         20 . The device according to  claim 19 , characterized in that said second tubular body includes shielding means transparent to microwaves (E), interposed between said microwave heating sources and said pyrolysis chamber which they face, adapted to protect said heating sources against the high temperatures and against the corrosive and/or aggressive gases which develop inside said pyrolysis chamber during said pyrolysis treatment. 
     
     
         21 . The device according to  claim 20 , characterized in that said shielding means comprise:
 at least one main laminar plate made of refractory material with high mechanical resistance and transparent to microwaves (E), facing said pyrolysis chamber and coupled to the inner wall of said second body tubular by means of supporting means;   at least one secondary laminar plate for each of said microwave generation devices of said cartridge feeders, made of a material which is transparent to said microwaves (E), facing from one side said main laminar and on the opposite side said microwave generation devices of each of said cartridge feeders and firmly contained in a through hole made in said second tubular body.   
     
     
         22 . The device according to  claim 21 , characterized in that said main laminar plate extends over the entire axial length of said second tubular body and is removably and slidingly coupled to said inner wall of said second tubular body by means of said supporting means, which act as guides during insertion in position and/or extraction of said main laminar plate. 
     
     
         23 . The device according to  claim 21 , characterized in that said supporting means are arranged in the upper part of said inner wall of said second tubular body and define two mutually opposite longitudinal seats in which two mutually opposite longitudinal peripheral portions of said main laminar plate slide and remain housed. 
     
     
         24 . The device according to  claim 21 , characterized in that said secondary laminar plate is stably sealed to the inner surface which delimits said through hole of said second tubular body and interposes between said microwave generation devices and said main laminar plate. 
     
     
         25 . The device according to  claim 21 , characterized in that said second tubular body comprises one or more terminal ducts projecting from the upper part of said outer wall of said tubular body and communicating with said pyrolysis chamber to cool the electrical and electronic part of said microwave heating sources. 
     
     
         26 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said second tubular body comprises on the upper part of an outer wall one or more auxiliary safety chimneys communicating with said pyrolysis chamber, at least one of which comprising at least one burst disc adapted to be activated to prevent damage to said second tubular body due to an abrupt and sudden increase in pressure in said pyrolysis chamber of said second tubular body. 
     
     
         27 . The device according to  claim 26 , characterized in that each of said auxiliary safety chimneys is provided with at least one terminal connector to which a conveying duct is connected adapted to convey fumes and/or gases which may damage said burst disc to the outside. 
     
     
         28 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, in cross section, said pyrolysis chamber has an at least partially polygonal profile adapted to promote a more effective and efficient diffusion of the microwaves (E) generated by said heating sources in said pyrolysis chamber and on said polymeric material to be treated contained in said shaped carriage. 
     
     
         29 . The device according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said microwave heating sources are arranged at at least one upper side of said at least partially polygonal profile of said pyrolysis chamber, so that the magnetic field generated by said heating sources is concentrated towards the central zone of said pyrolysis chamber, in which said shaped carriage loaded with said polymeric material to be treated by means said pyrolysis treatment is positioned. 
     
     
         30 . The device according to  claim 28 , characterized in that said second tubular body comprises a finned outer structure, formed by a series of laminar fins projecting from an outer wall of said second tubular body, and adapted to compensate for the structural stresses generated by said at least partially polygonal profile of said pyrolysis chamber. 
     
     
         31 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that it includes auxiliary heating means arranged on a bottom of said second tubular body and inside said pyrolysis chamber, adapted to preheat, starting from ambient temperature, said polymeric material to be treated present in said shaped carriage. 
     
     
         32 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that, in cross section, said shaped carriage has an at least partially polygonal profile, formed at least by a central flat portion and two peripheral longitudinal flat portions, inclined with respect to said central portion from which they start in a symmetrically opposite manner, so as to define an open squared inner seat, facing upwards and adapted to stably receive said polymeric material to be subjected to said pyrolysis treatment. 
     
     
         33 . The device according to  claim 1 , characterized in that said movable center shutter has a box-like structure comprising an fixed outer bearing casing coupled to said first tubular body and to said second tubular body, and a movable inner assembly contained in said fixed outer bearing casing with which is coupled by means of main guiding means and operatively connected to said second actuating means which slide it vertically and alternately at least between:
 a lowered position, coinciding with said closing position, in which said movable inner assembly physically separates each other said initial chamber and said pyrolysis chamber, thus closing an axial outlet mouth of said first tubular body and an axial inlet mouth of said second tubular body;   a raised position, coinciding with said opening position, in which said movable inner assembly puts said initial chamber and said pyrolysis chamber into communication with each other, thus opening said axial outlet mouth of said first tubular body and said axial inlet mouth of said second tubular body.   
     
     
         34 . The device according to  claim 33 , characterized in that said main guiding means are arranged in the inner longitudinal surface of two side walls opposed to each other of said fixed outer bearing casing and cooperate with a transverse rod belonging to said movable inner assembly of said movable center shutter and operatively connected to said second actuating means. 
     
     
         33 - 55 . (canceled) 
     
     
         56 . The device according to  claim 33 , characterized in that said movable center shutter comprises one or more interface ducts, coupled to the outer wall of said outer fixed bearing casing of said movable shutter and adapted to replace the air present in said outer fixed bearing casing with an inert gas under pressure. 
     
     
         57 . The device according to  claim 33 , characterized in that said outer fixed bearing casing of said movable center shutter has in an upper lamina a through slot adapted to ease the removal of said movable inner assembly of said movable shutter and/or inspection, maintenance, repair and/or replacement of the inner volume of said outer fixed bearing casing or of the components of said movable inner assembly. 
     
     
         58 . The device according to  claim 33 , characterized in that said outer fixed bearing casing of said movable center shutter has in the side surface one or more revolving service doors to allow installation, inspection, maintenance, repair and/or replacement of the components of said movable inner assembly or cleaning of the inside of said outer fixed bearing casing. 
     
     
         59 . The device according to  claim 33 , characterized in that said movable center shutter comprises inside said box-like structure at least one sealing gasket ( 131 ) interposed between said movable inner assembly and said outer fixed bearing casing. 
     
     
         60 . The device according to claim  35 , characterized in that it comprises a metal sealing gasket arranged outside said box-like structure of said movable center shutter and interposed between said outer fixed bearing casing of said movable center shutter and said second tubular body. 
     
     
         61 . The device according to  claim 6 , characterized in that said at least a third tubular body has a constructional structure substantially equal to that of said first tubular body, wherein said final cooling chamber is subjected to the action of cooling devices adapted to cool the residues deriving from said pyrolysis treatment performed on said polymeric material.