Biocokes producing method and apparatus

Abstract

A method of producing biocokes in which pulverized biomass is fed and pressed in a reaction container is provided, wherein the pulverized biomass in a substantially-packed state is pressure-formed while being heated in a temperature range and a pressure range to obtain a semi-carbonized solid matter or pre-semi-carbonized solid matter and then cooled to produce biocoke. The method may includes a filling step; a reaction step; heating the pulverized biomass by means of a heating device to the temperature range and keeping such state for a prescribed period of time to form a shaped matter of the pulverized biomass in the reaction container, and then cooling the shaped matter by switching from the heating device to a cooling device; and an ejecting step.

1 . A method of producing biocokes in which pulverized biomass is fed and pressed in a cylindrical reaction container having a bottom part, the pulverized biomass in a substantially-packed state is pressure-formed while being heated in a temperature range and a pressure range to obtain a semi-carbonized solid matter or pre-semi-carbonized solid matter and then cooled to produce biocoke, the method comprising:
 a filling step comprising the substeps of:   feeding the pulverized biomass to the reaction container; and then pressing the pulverized biomass in the reaction container by lowering a pressurizing member from above the reaction container at a pressure lower than the pressure range;   a reaction step comprising the substeps of:   pressurizing the pulverized biomass in the pressure range by increasing a pressure of the pressurizing member to the pressure range;   heating the pulverized biomass by means of a heating device to the temperature range and keeping such state for a prescribed period of time to form a shaped matter of the pulverized biomass in the reaction container; and then   cooling the shaped matter by switching from the heating device to a cooling device; and   an ejecting step comprising the substeps of:   reducing the pressure of the pressurizing member; and then   releasing the bottom part of the reaction container to eject the shaped matter having been cooled,   wherein in the filling step, the amount of the filled pulverized biomass is estimated by detecting a position of an upper end of the pulverized biomass fed in the reaction container using a position sensor or by detecting a period during the pressurizing member lowering from an initial position to the upper end of the pulverized biomass.   
     
     
         2 . A method of producing biocokes in which pulverized biomass is fed and pressed in a cylindrical reaction container having a bottom part, the pulverized biomass in a substantially-packed state is pressure-formed while being heated in a temperature range and a pressure range to obtain a semi-carbonized solid matter or pre-semi-carbonized solid matter and then cooled to produce biocoke, the method comprising:
 a filling step comprising the substeps of:   feeding the pulverized biomass to the reaction container; and then pressing the pulverized biomass in the reaction container by lowering a pressurizing member from above the reaction container at a pressure lower than the pressure range;   a reaction step comprising the substeps of:   pressurizing the pulverized biomass in the pressure range by increasing a pressure of the pressurizing member to the pressure range;   heating the pulverized biomass by means of a heating device to the temperature range and keeping such state for a prescribed period of time to form a shaped matter of the pulverized biomass in the reaction container; and then   cooling the shaped matter by switching from the heating device to a cooling device; and   an ejecting step comprising the substeps of:   reducing the pressure of the pressurizing member; and then   releasing the bottom part of the reaction container to eject the shaped matter having been cooled,   wherein in the filling step, a number of times of lowering the pressurizing member is counted by a counter in the filling step, and after completing the filling step, when the detected number of times is lower than an expected number of times of lowering the pressurizing member expected in a normal operation state, it is determined that there is an abnormality in the substep of pressing.   
     
     
         3 . The method of producing the biocokes according to claim,  1   wherein in the filling step, the pressure of the pressurizing member and an amount of the pulverized biomass filled in the reaction container are detected in the substep of pressing the pulverized biomass, and the substep of feeding and the substep of pressing are performed repeatedly until both of the detected pressure of the pressurizing member and the detected amount of the filled pulverized biomass are within a set pressure range and a set amount range of the filling step that are set in advance.   
     
     
         4 . The method of producing the biocokes according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein in the filling step, a number of times of lowering the pressurizing member is counted by a counter in the filling step, and after completing the filling step, when the detected number of times is lower than an expected number of times of lowering the pressurizing member expected in a normal operation state, it is determined that there is an abnormality in the substep of pressing.   
     
     
         5 . The method of producing the biocokes according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein the heating device and the cooling device are a cooling/heating medium circulating unit which introduces one of a heating medium and a cooling medium to an outer periphery of the reaction container so as to perform one of heating and cooling of the pulverized biomass, and   wherein, in the reaction step, the heating medium is circulated for a set period of time and then the heating medium is replaced by the cooling medium.   
     
     
         6 . The method of producing the biocokes according to  claim 1 ,
 wherein, in the ejecting step, the shaped matter is pushed and ejected from an open bottom of the reaction container by lowering the pressurizing member at a low pressure.   
     
     
         7 . An apparatus of producing biocokes comprising:
 a reaction container in which pulverized biomass is fed and pressed and which has a cylindrical shape with a bottom part;   a pressurizing member which pressurizes the pulverized biomass in the reaction container;   a heating device which heats the pulverized biomass within a temperature range and keeping such state for a prescribed period of time to form a shaped matter of the pulverized biomass in the reaction container, the pulverized biomass in a substantially-packed state being pressure-formed by the pressurizing member while being heated by the heating device within a temperature range and a pressure range in which the pulverized biomass is processed into one of a semi-carbonized solid matter and a pre-semi-carbonized solid matter so as to produce the shaped matter of the pulverized biomass;   a cooling device which cools the shaped matter of the pulverized biomass;   a pressure detecting device which detects the pressure of the pressurizing member;   a control unit which controls a pressure of the pressurizing member and controls switching between the heating device and the cooling device; and   a filling-amount detecting device which detects an amount of the pulverized biomass pressed in the reaction container,   wherein the filling-amount detecting device is one of a position sensor which detects a position of an upper end the pulverized biomass fed in the reaction container and a device which detects a period during the pressurizing member lowering from an initial position to the upper end of the pulverized biomass so as to estimate the amount of the filled pulverized biomass based on one of the detected position and the detected period.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of producing the biocokes according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the control unit controls a pressure loaded on the pulverized biomass to a first pressure stage which is below the pressure range and a second pressure stage which is within the pressure range, the pulverized biomass being pressed during filling in the reacting container in the first pressure stage and being then pressurized within the pressure range in the second pressure stage, and   wherein the heating device is controlled to operate at the second pressure stage of the pressurizing member for a prescribed period of time and then switched to the cooling device after the prescribed period of time.   
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of producing the biocokes according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the control unit performs a control in the first pressure stage such that feeding of the pulverized biomass and the pressing of the pulverized biomass in the reaction container are performed repeatedly until the pressure detected by the pressure detecting device and the amount of the filled pulverized biomass detected by the filling-amount detecting device are within a set pressure range and a set amount range that are set in advance.   
     
     
         10 . The device of producing the biocokes according to  claim 7 ,
 wherein the control unit comprises a counter which counts a number of times of lowering the pressurizing member when switching the pressure stages of the pressurizing member, the control unit stopping the pressurizing member when it is determined that there is an abnormality during the pressing in such a case that the detected number of times is lower than an expected number of times of lowering the pressurizing member expected in a normal operation state.   
     
     
         11 . The device of producing the biocokes according to  claim 7 , wherein the heating device and the cooling device are a cooling/heating medium circulating unit which introduces one of a heating medium and a cooling medium to an outer periphery of the reaction container so as to perform one of heating and cooling of the pulverized biomass. 
     
     
         12 . The method of producing the biocokes according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein in the filling step, the pressure of the pressurizing member and an amount of the pulverized biomass filled in the reaction container are detected in the substep of pressing the pulverized biomass, and the substep of feeding and the substep of pressing are performed repeatedly until both of the detected pressure of the pressurizing member and the detected amount of the filled pulverized biomass are within a set pressure range and a set amount range of the filling step that are set in advance.   
     
     
         13 . The method of producing the biocokes according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein the heating device and the cooling device are a cooling/heating medium circulating unit which introduces one of a heating medium and a cooling medium to an outer periphery of the reaction container so as to perform one of heating and cooling of the pulverized biomass, and   wherein, in the reaction step, the heating medium is circulated for a set period of time and then the heating medium is replaced by the cooling medium.   
     
     
         14 . The method of producing the biocokes according to  claim 2 ,
 wherein, in the ejecting step, the shaped matter is pushed and ejected from an open bottom of the reaction container by lowering the pressurizing member at a low pressure.   
     
     
         15 . The device of producing the biocokes according to  claim 8 ,
 wherein the control unit comprises a counter which counts a number of times of   lowering the pressurizing member when switching the pressure stages of the pressurizing member, the control unit stopping the pressurizing member when it is determined that there is an abnormality during the pressing in such a case that the detected number of times is lower than an expected number of times of lowering the pressurizing member expected in a normal operation state.