Modular plant for performing conversion processes of carbonaceous matrices

Abstract

A modular plant, including at least one basic module is suitable for converting carbonaceous matrices ( 6 ) into fuel or useful products with no adverse environmental impact. The modular plant includes a rotary reactor ( 9 ) with a rotating drive mechanism ( 22 ) and a fixed stationary body ( 1 ). The inclination of the reactor ( 9 ) with rotating central longitudinal axis can vary from 0° to 45° with respect to horizontal. The reactor has a substantially cylindrical central body closed at a first entry end with a stationary fixed head ( 8 ), and at the exit end with a head fixed to the rotary reactor ( 9 ). The inlet end ( 8 ) contains one inlet ( 7 ) for the introduction of the carbonaceous matrix ( 6 ) into the rotary reactor and the other inlet ( 5 ) for introducing thermally conductive carriers ( 4 ). The rotary reactor ( 9 ) lacks internal components which provide rotation motion relative to the cylindrical body. The fixed housing body ( 1 ) enclosing the rotary reactor ( 9 ) seals the reactor and maintains the integrity of the reactor atmosphere. The housing has openings for the passage of the inlets and an exit for the converted carbonaceous matrix ( 17, 19 ) and the thermally conductive carrier ( 4 ).

1 . Modular plant for performing conversion processes of at least one carbonaceous matrix, said plant comprising at least one basic module including at least:
 a reactor rotating about a central longitudinal axis having an inclination from 0° to 45° with respect to a horizontal plane, said rotating reactor having a substantially cylindrical center body closed at a first entrance end by a stationary head and at a second end by a head fixed to the rotating reactor, a first conduit for introducing said matrix into the rotating reactor and a second conduit for introducing a thermally conductive carrier into the rotating reactor and being fixed to said stationary head,   a stationary casing which integrally encloses said rotating reactor is sealed in respect to an external environment, said casing having openings for passage of said first conduit and said second conduit, as well as for exit of a converted carbonaceous matrix and the thermally conductive carrier, and   an assembly for rotatably driving said rotating reactor which is deprived of internal members having a relative rotation motion with respect to said cylindrical body.   
     
     
         2 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said thermally conductive carrier comprises a plurality of solid bodies comprising metal spheres, or a liquid selected from the group consisting of: molten metals, alloys and salts, liquefied cryogenic fluids; and oils, water solutions and organic fluids which are liquid at room temperature. 
     
     
         3 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , further comprising a device for cooling or heating said thermally conductive carrier which is continuously and in closed loop re-circulated within said rotating reactor. 
     
     
         4 . Modular plant according  claim 1 , wherein at least one internal member suitable for interacting with said carbonaceous matrix and said thermally conductive carrier is fixed to the internal surface of the rotating reactor, said internal member comprising a drawer, ploughshare, winglet, solid or perforated Archimedean screw with solid or perforated shaft, solid or perforated spiral or basket type. 
     
     
         5 . Modular plant according to  claim 4 , wherein said internal member is provided with injectors and is associated to a rotating distributor of at least one process fluid, which is leak-proof assembled on the stationary head and is suitable for allowing feeding of said process fluid into the rotating reactor. 
     
     
         6 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said driving assembly comprises at least one entity selected among motorized rollers which interact by friction with the external surface of the body of the rotating rector, a motorized pinion which engages a toothed crown fixed to the rotating rector, a motorized shaft fixed outwards the mobile head in correspondence of the longitudinal axis, and a flexible member, such as a belt or a chain, which connects a motor shaft to an external surface of the body of the rotating rector. 
     
     
         7 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said stationary casing comprises at least one thermally and/or acoustically insulating layer which is internal and/or external, wherein an auxiliary heating system is integrated. 
     
     
         8 . Modular plant according to  claim 2 , wherein the second head of the center body of the rotating reactor has a grid surface whose mesh has a size which allows the passage of the converted matrix towards a respective opening in the casing and retains the solid bodies making the thermally conductive carrier. 
     
     
         9 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said basic module includes one or more chambers with a concentrated irradiation device, such as ultrasounds, microwaves, RF, electromagnetic and/or power laser. 
     
     
         10 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , wherein in the stationary head at least one opening is made for allowing passage of a liquid making said thermally conductive carrier from inside of the rotating reactor towards a hollow space defined between the casing and the rotating rector. 
     
     
         11 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , wherein the head fixed to the rotating reactor has a friction member passing leak-proof through an end flange of the casing, a heat-exchanger or a cathode which extends within the rotating reactor being inserted within said friction member. 
     
     
         12 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , wherein a portion of the casing close to the head fixed to the body of the rotating reactor is provided with interfaces suitable for allowing the exit of the converted carbonaceous matrices. 
     
     
         13 . Modular plant according to  claim 12 , wherein said thermally conductive carrier is a molten metal, comprising Sn, Bi, Zn, Pb and Al and/or alloys thereof with catalytic metals chosen from the group consisting of Fe, Ni, Cr, Mn, Co, Ti, concentrated irradiation devices, comprising microwaves, RF and/or power laser suitable for reconverting oxides being formed in the metals, and further comprising an exit zone of the converted carbonaceous matrices. 
     
     
         14 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , wherein a thermo-stating fluid produced by combustion of a fraction of the carbonaceous matrix or products derived therefrom flows, is contiguous to at least a part of the external wall of said casing, and wherein the plant is energetically auto-sustained. 
     
     
         15 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , comprising a plurality of basic modules with the same or different application configuration, operating in different conditions and being interconnected in series or in parallel, including a further module, and arranged within at least one container, wherein pre-fabrication, logistics, installation and safe management in a desired site is rendered easier. 
     
     
         16 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , comprising, beyond one or more basic modules, a controlled feeding module provided with means for drying and mixing the solid carbonaceous matrices and means for expelling the solid carbonaceous matrices. 
     
     
         17 . Modular plant according to  claim 16 , wherein said expulsion means comprise an Archimedean screw with variable pitch, or a pusher device provided of a driving mechanism, comprising a rod/crank mechanism, a piston or a pinion/rack mechanism. 
     
     
         18 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , wherein said basic module is suitable for performing one or more processes of torrefaction or flexible pyrolysis in hyper-dynamic and catalytic conditions by internal members, with the addition of additives and/or catalysts CaO and/or CaCO 3  and/or KOH and/or MgCa(CO 3 ) 2  and/or ((Mg, Fe) 2 SiO 4 ) and/or ZnO and/or MnO and/or CuO and/or Fe 2 O 3  and/or MgO and/or MgCO 3 , oxides or hydroxides of alkaline and/or alkaline-earth metal and/or C 1 -C 6  alcoholates of alkaline and/or alkaline-earth metal, operating in a temperature range 250° C. to 750° C., and preferably 450° C. to 600° C. 
     
     
         19 . Modular plant according to  claim 5 , wherein a further basic module is arranged downstream of the first basic module, the further basic module is suitable for conducting a sub-stoichiometric oxidation process of the carbonaceous matrix converted in the first basic module by the internal member provided with means for blowing process fluids with a rotating distributor, operating in a temperature range between 500° C. to 900° C. 
     
     
         20 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , comprising two coupled basic modules, said modules being configured to perform torrefaction and pyrolysis processes which are energetically sustained by thermal input provided by sub-stoichiometric oxidation of the converted carbonaceous matrix. 
     
     
         21 . Modular plant according to  claim 20 , wherein vapors and gases produced by said basic modules are fed to a third basic module, wherein said vapors and gases are converted in hyper-dynamic and catalytic conditions with auto-cleaning of the catalytic fluid bed, and in the presence of metal spheres, wherein the catalysts for the syngas production are filling bodies with high surface and based on Ni, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Ti and/or alloys thereof, operating in the temperature range 850 to 900° C., by process fluid injection. 
     
     
         22 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , comprising at least a further basic module suitable for producing multi-wall carbon nanotubes by double-stage catalytic conversion of syngas at a temperature from 750 to 900° C. by use of catalysts for production of multi-wall carbon nanotubes which are metallo-organic compounds, comprising ferrocene Fe(C 5 H 5 ) 2 , inter-metallic compounds obtained from Lanthanum, Neodymium and Nickel carbonates, and contemporaneous production of a mixture having a high H 2  content. 
     
     
         23 . Modular plant according to one  claim 1 , comprising a further module suitable for converting vapors and syngas in order to cool, condense pyrolysis liquids, carbonaceous matrices to be reconverted, comprising TARs, detoxify the POPs and neutralize acid compounds and NH 3 . 
     
     
         24 . Modular plant according to  claim 1 , comprising a further module suitable for biochemically converting carbonaceous matrices produced in basic modules with contemporaneous production of primary algae biomass to be re-converted in modules constituting comprising a closed loop and bringing about a global emission balance which is low or nil by a tube photo-bioreactor for integrally reconverting gaseous emissions, comprising CO 2 , NO x , solid particulate, micronutrients, with electro-biostimulation and targeted inoculation of micronutrients with chelating agents in one or more units placed in a container. 
     
     
         25 . Method of operating a plant according to  claim 11  comprising converting a carbonaceous matrix, wherein said basic module acts as thermo-chemical conversion reactor for torrefaction or pyrolyzing from 250° C. to 600° C. and/or gasifying from 600° C. to 1200° C. and/or as fuel cell, wherein the anode is comprises the molten metal and wherein the cathode is a tube bundle of ceramics material, preferably YSZ, with surface layer of Ni alloy, within which hot air is blown, and operating in a temperature range of 500° C. to 1000° C. 
     
     
         26 . A method of operating a plant according to  claim 1  comprising converting a carbonaceous matrix, wherein the extraction of oils and/or essences and/or active principles and/or biogenic intermediates, such as cellulose and lignin form plants and/or hydrocarbons and organic pollutants from solid carbonaceous matrices, is effected with one or more internal members for hyper-dynamic conditions and devices for injecting process fluids by solvents and/or with the help of concentrated irradiation devices, comprising ultrasounds, microwaves, RF and/or electromagnetic fields. 
     
     
         27 . A method of operating a plant according to  claim 1  comprising converting a carbonaceous liquid matrix, wherein physical decontamination, depolarization, de-halogenation and detoxifying of halogenated compounds, comprising PCB and further POPs, and corrosive acid and sulphurated compounds, is effected in a temperature range 60° C. to 120° C., under vacuum and with help of reactive and/or adsorbing particle supports, comprises silicates or alumino-silicates with size 0.1 to 5 mm and in a ratio of 50 to 70% by weight, a mixture of inorganic bases with alkaline and alkaline-earth basic, comprising KOH, CaO, MgO, CaCO 3  in particle formulation 10.1 to 5 mm with high surface in the ratio 10 to 20% by weight, high molecular weight polyalklene-glycoles in the form of particles 0.1 to 5 mm in a ratio of 10 to 20% by weight, spheres and/or thermally conductive carriers with high catalytic surface in a size range 0.5 to 5 mm comprising Fe, Ni, Al, Cu e Zn and their alloys. 
     
     
         28 . A method of operating a plant according to  claim 1  comprising converting a carbonaceous matrix obtained from solid residues of extraction of oils from seeds of an oleaginous plant, detoxifying the matrix by sequence extraction with selective polar solvents, comprising hexane, methanol, ethanol, isopropanol and Jatropha Curcas, and the concentration of phorbol esters in the converted carbonaceous matrix is ≦0.1 mg g −1 . 
     
     
         29 . A method of operating a plant according to  claim 1  comprising converting a carbonaceous matrix, comprising a biomass which is subjected to torrefaction and/or pyrolysis for producing biochar usable for capturing CO 2  with negative global balance if used for conditioning agricultural soils, integrated with suitable microelements comprising Fe, Zn through chelating agents, or for conversion into activated carbons by activation with steam explosion at 900° C. 
     
     
         30 . A method of operating a plant according to  claim 1  comprising converting a carbonaceous matrix, comprising a biomass which is subjected to pyrogasification in order to produce syngas to be used as an energetic or bio-energetic vector in a cogeneration CHP group and/or is converted into bio-liquid FT in a module for converting GtL by Fischer-Tropsch process.