Gassification system

Abstract

The invention provides an apparatus for processing material such as organically coated waste and organic materials including biomass, industrial waste, municipal solid waste and sludge, comprising a processing chamber ( 2 ) for processing said material at an elevated temperature to produce syngas and a combustion chamber ( 4 ) having at least one burner therein for combusting syngas released by processing of said material. A conduit means ( 18 ) is provided between said combustion chamber and said processing chamber for carrying hot exhaust gasses from the combustion chamber ( 4 ) to said processing chamber ( 2 ) and at last one mirror ( 24 ) is arranged to reflect and concentrate sunlight thereby to cause the temperature within said processing chamber ( 2 ) to be raised. The apparatus also includes a syngas reservoir ( 66 ). A storage conduit ( 62 ) is provided for carrying syngas into said syngas reservoir ( 66 ) and a syngas feed line ( 68 ) is provided for feeding syngas from said reservoir to said combustion chamber ( 4 ).

1 . An apparatus for processing material such as organically coated waste and organic materials including biomass, industrial waste, municipal solid waste and sludge, comprising:
 a processing chamber for processing said material at an elevated temperature to produce syngas;   a combustion chamber having at least one burner therein for combusting syngas released by processing of said material;   a conduit means between said combustion chamber and said processing chamber for carrying hot exhaust gasses from the combustion chamber to said processing chamber;   at last one mirror arranged to reflect and concentrate sunlight thereby to cause the temperature within said processing chamber to be raised;   a syngas reservoir;   a storage conduit for carrying syngas into said syngas reservoir; and   a syngas feed line for feeding syngas from said reservoir to said combustion chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein said storage conduit and said syngas feed line comprise sections of a conduit between said processing chamber and said combustion chamber such that the syngas reservoir is inline in said conduit between said processing chamber and said combustion chamber. 
     
     
         3 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a first control valve to control the flow of gas from said conduit between said processing chamber and said combustion chamber into the syngas reservoir; and 
 a second valve to control the flow of combustion chamber exhaust gas into said processing chamber. 
 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising syngas reservoir bypass conduit for the flow of syngas from the processing chamber to the combustion chamber without passing through the syngas reservoir. 
     
     
         5 . The apparatus according to  claim 4  further comprising:
 at least a second mirror for reflecting sunlight onto a second heat absorbent surface adjacent said reservoir bypass conduit do as to pre heat said syngas passing through said bypass conduit prior to combustion in said combustion chamber. 
 
     
     
         6 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a fossil fuel feed line to said burner capable of maintaining a burner pilot and/or, in the absence of sufficient syngas and/or solar heat, providing sufficient fossil fuel for combustion in said burner so as to in use, create sufficient heat for the oxidation of any syngas entering said combustion chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein syngas produced by said processing chamber is directed into said combustion chamber burner. 
     
     
         8 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  wherein:
 the processing chamber has at least one external heat absorbent surface associated therewith and said at last one mirror is arranged to reflect and concentrate sunlight onto said heat absorbing surface. 
 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein said heat absorbent surface comprises a heat absorbent external layer and a first gas heating conduit adjacent said heat absorbent layer for receiving combustion chamber exhaust gas, said first gas heating conduit in fluid communication with said processing chamber such that, in use, combustion chamber exhaust gas passing adjacent said heat absorbent surface is heated by said reflected sunlight and flows into said process chamber so as to raise the temperature therein. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus according to  claim 9  further comprising:
 an insulating layer adjacent said first gas heating conduit and separated from said absorbent layer thereby; and 
 a bypass valve operable to either direct exhaust gas from said combustion chamber through said first gas heating conduit or direct exhaust gas from said combustion chamber through a gas heating conduit bypass; 
 wherein said gas heating conduit bypass is separated from said heat absorbent surface by an insulating layer. 
 
     
     
         11 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein the processing chamber is moved during operation and said heat absorbent surface forms an external surface of said movable processing chamber. 
     
     
         12 . The apparatus according to  claim 8  wherein the external surface of the first and/or second heat absorbing surface has a surface texture thereon so as to increase its surface area. 
     
     
         13 . The apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising:
 a further at least one mirror for reflecting and concentrating sunlight directly into said combustion chamber so as to raise the temperature within said combustion chamber. 
 
     
     
         14 . The apparatus according to  claim 13  wherein said combustion chamber comprises at least one substantially transparent section to allow the concentrated sunlight to enter said combustion chamber. 
     
     
         15 . An apparatus according to  claim 1  further comprising a combustion chamber exhaust gas outlet for supplying hot exhaust gas to a means of converting heat to electrical energy. 
     
     
         16 . A method of processing organic waste comprising:
 placing said organic waste is a processing chamber;   reflecting sunlight from a plurality of mirrored surfaces onto a heat absorbent surface so as to raise the temperature, in an oxygen deficient environment, within said processing chamber so as to cause the organic waste material to gassify and produce synthetic gas;   withdrawing said synthetic gas from said processing chamber;   diverting at least a portion of said withdrawn syngas into a storage reservoir; and   passing the remainder of the syngas into a combustion chamber where at least some of it is combusted to raise its temperature so as to destroy any volatile organic compounds therein;   re-circulating at least a portion of the combustion chamber exhaust gas back into said processing chamber.   
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 16  wherein the temperature of the syngas in the combustion chamber is raised in the presence of oxygen to a sufficient temperature to oxidise said synthetic gas. 
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising feeding syngas from said storage reservoir to said combustion chamber. 
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising introducing fossil fuel into a burner within the combustion chamber to produce a flow of hot combustion chamber exhaust gas, for re-circulation back into said processing chamber, sufficient to compensate for any shortfall in reflected sunlight used for heating said processing chamber. 
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19  further comprising:
 controlling the flow of syngas diverted into the reservoir; 
 controlling the flow of syngas from the reservoir into the combustion chamber; and 
 controlling the flow of combustion chamber exhaust gas into the production chamber; 
 so as to maximise the solar energy used by the process and minimise the fossil fuel burnt in the burner. 
 
     
     
         21 . A method of processing organic waste comprising:
 during sunlight hours, following the steps of:
 a) placing said organic waste is a processing chamber; 
 b) reflecting sunlight from a plurality of mirrored surfaces onto a heat absorbent surface so as to raise the temperature, in an oxygen deficient environment, within said processing chamber so as to cause the organic waste material to gassify and produce synthetic gas; 
 c) withdrawing said synthetic gas from said processing chamber; 
 d) diverting at least a portion of said withdrawn syngas into a storage reservoir; 
 e) passing the remainder of the syngas into a combustion chamber where at least some of it is combusted to raise its temperature so as to destroy any volatile organic compounds therein; and 
 f) re-circulating at least a portion of the combustion chamber exhaust gas back into said processing chamber; and 
   during night time hours introducing syngas from said syngas reservoir into a burner within said combustion chamber so as to:
 a) create sufficient hot exhaust gas to heat said processing chamber to the required temperature for the gasification of the organic waste therein; and 
 b) raise the temperature within the combustion chamber to a sufficient temperature to oxidise therein syngas produced in and received from said processing chamber. 
   
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 21  wherein the method further comprises:
 during said night time hours, if said syngas reservoir becomes depleted below a predetermined threshold, introducing fossil fuel into said burner in said combustion chamber in sufficient quantities to:
 a) create sufficient hot exhaust gas to heat said processing chamber to the required temperature for the gasification of the organic waste therein; and 
 
 b) raise the temperature within the combustion chamber to a sufficient temperature to oxidise therein syngas produced in and received from said processing chamber. 
 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 21  further comprising:
 passing combustion chamber exhaust gas adjacent said heat absorbent surface to heat said exhaust gas with said reflected sunlight; and 
 passing said heated gas into said process chamber so as to raise the temperature within said processing chamber. 
 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising:
 raising the temperature of said syngas prior to passing it into said combustion chamber by passing said syngas adjacent a second heat absorbent surface; and 
 reflecting sunlight from a second at least one mirrored surface onto said second heat absorbent surface. 
 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 16  further comprising:
 reflecting and concentrating sunlight into said combustion chamber so as to directly heat gasses therein. 
 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 23  wherein reflecting and concentrating sunlight into said combustion chamber heats the gasses therein to a temperature at which in the presence of oxygen they oxidize.