Pyrolysis systems

Abstract

Systems and methods are disclosed for pyrolysis of waste feed material. Some systems include a main retort and a secondary retort. Syngas is produced by pyrolysis in the main retort, and is then mixed with combustion air and ignited, in some cases to produce energy. Carbon char travels to the secondary retort and is exhausted from the system through an airlock.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 delivering a feedstock to a main retort that is disposed within a combustion chamber containing one or more burners;   utilizing the burners to generate hot flue gases and thereby at least partially pyrolyze the feedstock, generating syngas; and   drawing the flue gases and syngas into a mixing chamber by applying a negative pressure to the main retort and combustion chamber.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising:
 exhausting the flue gases from the combustion chamber through a flue gas relief duct having a first end in sealing fluid communication with the combustion chamber and a second end in fluid communication with the mixing chamber; and 
 exhausting the syngas from the main retort through a syngas relief duct disposed within the flue gas relief duct, the syngas relief duct having a first end in fluid communication with the main retort and a second end in fluid communication with the mixing chamber. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a long axis of the syngas relief duct is disposed generally perpendicular to a horizontal plane taken through a long axis of the main retort. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein a long axis of the flue gas relief duct is also disposed generally perpendicular to the horizontal plane.