System and method for producing clean syngas from biosolid materials having fluorocarbon materials therein

Abstract

A system for processing dewatered biosolids and other municipal waste includes a biosolids dryer coupled to a plasma or ionic reactor (a gasifier). The biosolids dryer mixes dewatered biosolids with heated dried biosolids to produce dried granulated biosolids which are provided to the gasifier. The gasifier implements a high or an ultra-high temperature ionic gasification or reformation process to produce renewable syngas that can be used to provide heat, power, renewable fuels, renewable hydrogen, and/or renewable chemical production. The gasifier generates electrical arcs across the interior of a gasifier reaction chamber creating a localized, controlled temperature in excess of 3,000° C. along with ionic gas or particles (plasma). This ultra-high temperature gasification zone and active ionic environment combine to break down molecules very effectively and efficiently into their constituent atoms, in a process called complete molecular dissociation. This ultra-high temperature ionic zone also rapidly decomposes impurities in the feed stock such as microplastics, PFAS (Per- and Polyfluorinated Substances), and other fluorocarbon materials.

1 . A system for processing biosolids, comprising:
 a dryer including a dryer input adapted to receive dewatered biosolids, a first section that stores heated dried biosolids, a second section coupled between the first section and a dryer output, wherein the second section receives heated dried biosolids from the first section and mixes the dewatered biosolids received at the dryer input with the heated dried biosolids from the first section to produce dried granulated biosolids at the dryer output; and   a gasifier coupled to the dryer, the gasifier including,
 a gasifier input adapted to receive the dried granulated biosolids from the dryer output, and 
 a reactor fluidly coupled between the gasifier input and a gasifier output to receive the dried granulated biosolids at the gasifier input, wherein the reactor subjects the dried granulated biosolids to heat and plasma to gasify the dried granulated biosolids to create syngas and char at a gasifier output. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , further including an electrical generator that receives at least a portion of the syngas and operates using the syngas as a fuel to generate electrical energy. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the electrical generator is electrically coupled to the gasifier and provides at least some of the generated electrical energy to the gasifier for use in creating heat within the reactor. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the first section of the dryer includes a heat exchanger which heats the dried biosolids within the first section of the dryer and wherein the electrical generator is fluidly coupled to the heat exchanger and provides heated gas to the heat exchanger. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 4 , wherein the heat exchanger comprises a set of pillow plates or pillow coils through which the heated gas flows to heat the dried biosolids within the first section of the dryer. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the dewatered biosolids include one or more per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the char is substantially free of PFAS. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the dewatered biosolids include one or more per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the syngas is substantially free of PFAS. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second section of the dryer includes one or more conveyors, wherein a first of the one or more conveyors includes a first input for receiving the heated dried biosolids from the first section, and a second input to receive the dewatered biosolids, wherein the one or more conveyors are configured to mix the heated dried biosolids with the dewatered biosolids to produce the dried granulated biosolids. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the first one of the one or more conveyors includes an auger for mixing the dewatered biosolids with the heated dried biosolids. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 8 , further including a pump for injecting the dewatered biosolids into the first one of the one or more conveyors. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the pump is a progressive cavity pump. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 8 , wherein the one or more conveyors includes a first conveyor output for providing a first portion of the dried granulated biosolids to an input of the first section and a second conveyor output coupled to the dryer output for providing another portion of the dried granulated biosolids to the gasifier. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , further including a vacuum system coupled to the one or more conveyors to maintain a vacuum within the one or more conveyors. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , further including a condenser coupled to the vacuum system that condenses vapor flowing through the vacuum system. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the gasifier is an ultra-high temperature gasifier. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the reactor of the gasifier includes one or more sets of electrodes disposed around a reaction chamber, wherein the one or more sets of electrodes creates arcs and heated plasma within the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the reactor of the gasifier includes one or more plasma torches disposed adjacent to the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more sets of electrodes expose material within the reaction chamber to temperatures greater than 1,500 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more sets of electrodes expose material within the reaction chamber to temperatures greater than 2,000 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the one or more sets of electrodes expose material within the reaction chamber to temperatures greater than 3,000 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         21 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the wherein the dewatered biosolids include one or more per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the gasifier destroys at least 95 percent of the PFAS. 
     
     
         22 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the wherein the dewatered biosolids include one or more per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the gasifier destroys at least 99 percent of the PFAS. 
     
     
         23 . The system of  claim 16 , wherein the wherein the dewatered biosolids include one or more per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and the gasifier destroys at least 99.9 percent of the PFAS. 
     
     
         24 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the second section of the dryer mixes the heated dried biosolids to the dewatered biosolids at a ratio in the range of between 10:1 and 40:1. 
     
     
         25 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the dewatered biosolids are at least 5 percent dewatered solids. 
     
     
         26 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the dewatered biosolids are between 5 percent and 30 percent dewatered solids. 
     
     
         27 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the dewatered biosolids are approximately 20 percent dewatered solids. 
     
     
         28 . A method of processing dewatered biosolids, comprising:
 storing heated dried biosolids;   mixing the dewatered biosolids with a portion of the heated dried biosolids to produce dried granulated biosolids; and   subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to heated plasma and electrical arcs in a reaction chamber to gasify the dried granulated biosolids to produce syngas and char.   
     
     
         29 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to plasma and electrical arcs in a reaction chamber includes subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to temperatures greater than 1,500 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         30 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to plasma and electrical arcs in a reaction chamber includes subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to temperatures greater than 2,000 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         31 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to plasma and electrical arcs in a reaction chamber includes subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to temperatures greater than 3,000 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         32 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein the dewatered biosolids include one or more per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and wherein subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to heated plasma and electrical arcs in a reaction chamber to gasify the dried granulated biosolids to produce syngas and char destroys at least 95 percent of the PFAS. 
     
     
         33 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein the dewatered biosolids include one or more per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and wherein subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to heated plasma and electrical arcs in a reaction chamber to gasify the dried granulated biosolids to produce syngas and char destroys at least 99 percent of the PFAS. 
     
     
         34 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein the dewatered biosolids include one or more per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and wherein subjecting the dried granulated biosolids to heated plasma and electrical arcs in a reaction chamber to gasify the dried granulated biosolids to produce syngas and char destroys at least 99.9 percent of the PFAS. 
     
     
         35 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein mixing the dewatered biosolids with a portion of the heated dried biosolids to produce dried granulated biosolids includes mixing the heated dried biosolids to the dewatered biosolids at a ratio in the range of between 10:1 and 40:1. 
     
     
         36 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein the dewatered biosolids are at least 5 percent dewatered solids. 
     
     
         37 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein the dewatered biosolids are between 5 percent and 30 percent dewatered solids. 
     
     
         38 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein the dewatered biosolids are approximately 20 percent dewatered solids. 
     
     
         39 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , further including using the syngas to fuel an electrical generator to generate electrical energy. 
     
     
         40 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 39 , further including using at least some of the generated electrical energy to create the heated plasma and electrical arcs within the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         41 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 39 , further including using a heat exchanger to heat the stored dried biosolids, collecting waste heat from an electrical generator operating on the syngas in the form of a heated gas and providing the heated gas to the heat exchanger to heat the stored dried biosolids. 
     
     
         42 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein mixing the dewatered biosolids with a portion of the heated dried biosolids to produce dried granulated biosolids includes injecting a portion of the heated dried biosolids into a first input of a conveyor, injecting the dewatered biosolids into a second input of the conveyor and mixing the heated dried biosolids and the dewatered biosolids in the conveyor to produce the dried granulated biosolids. 
     
     
         43 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 42 , further including providing a portion of the dried granulated biosolids to a storage tank and heating the portion of the dried granulated biosolids within the storage tank to produce the heated dried biosolids. 
     
     
         44 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 43 , wherein heating the portion of the dried granulated biosolids within the storage tank includes exposing the dried granulated biosolids within the storage tank to a heat exchanger and providing heated gas to the heat exchanger to heat the dried granulated biosolids to produce the heated dried biosolids. 
     
     
         45 . The method of processing dewatered biosolids of  claim 28 , wherein mixing the dewatered biosolids with a portion of the heated dried biosolids to produce dried granulated biosolids includes mixing the dewatered biosolids with a portion of the heated dried biosolids under a vacuum. 
     
     
         46 . A system for removing per- or polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from a waste material including at least 5 percent dewatered solids, comprising:
 a dryer including;
 a heater for heating a dried waste material, and 
 a mixer including a first input to receive the heated dried waste material, a second input to receive the waste material and a mixing apparatus that mixes the heated dried waste material with the waste material to produce a dried granulated waste material at a dryer output; and 
   a gasifier coupled to the dryer, the gasifier including;
 a gasifier input adapted to receive the dried granulated waste material from the dryer output, and 
 a reactor fluidly coupled between the gasifier input and a gasifier output to receive the dried granulated waste material at the gasifier input, wherein the reactor subjects the dried granulated waste material to heat and plasma to gasify the dried granulated waste material to destroy the PFAS within the waste material, and to create syngas and char at a gasifier output. 
   
     
     
         47 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the syngas and char are substantially free of PFAS. 
     
     
         48 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the reactor destroys at least 95 percent of the PFAS in the waste material. 
     
     
         49 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the reactor destroys at least 99 percent of the PFAS in the waste material. 
     
     
         50 . The system of  claim 47 , wherein the reactor destroys at least 99.9 percent of the PFAS in the waste material. 
     
     
         51 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the gasifier is a high temperature ionic gasifier that subjects the dried granulated waste material to temperatures greater than 1,500 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         52 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the gasifier is a high temperature ionic gasifier that subjects the dried granulated waste material to temperatures greater than 2,000 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         53 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the gasifier is an ultra-high temperature ionic gasifier that subjects the dried granulated waste material to temperatures greater than 3,000 degrees Celsius. 
     
     
         54 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the waste material is between 5 percent and 30 percent dewatered solids. 
     
     
         55 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the waste material is approximately 20 percent dewatered solids. 
     
     
         56 . The system of  claim 46 , wherein the mixer mixes the heated dried waste material with the waste material at a ratio in the range of between 10:1 and 40:1.