Rotary torrefaction reactor

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10414994-B2
Application number	US-201514861786-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Sep 22, 2015
Priority date	May 3, 2010
Publication date	Sep 17, 2019
Grant date	Sep 17, 2019

Abstract

A device includes a rotary drum and a fluid conduit. The rotary drum has a horizontal rotation axis and the drum has a sealed inlet end and a sealed outlet end. The drum is configured to receive biomass proximate the inlet end and has a discharge port proximate an outlet end. The fluid conduit is disposed along an inner surface of the drum. The fluid conduit is configured to carry heated fluid and has a coupling external to the drum.

First claim

The claimed invention is:

1. A method comprising:
introducing biomass into an interior of a rotary drum, the rotary drum having a center axis;
passing thermal fluid through a first passage of a rotary joint into a conduit disposed on an interior of the rotary drum, the conduit configured to heat the biomass to form torrefied biomass;
passing thermal fluid out of the conduit through a second passage of the rotary joint;
rotating the rotary drum about the center axis;
promoting movement of the biomass in the rotary drum;
supporting the conduit within the rotary drum with a plurality of lifting flights that extend circumferentially with respect to the center axis and are spaced from one another along a length of the interior of the rotary drum, wherein each of the plurality of lifting flights includes one or more apertures through which the conduit passes; and
discharging the torrefied biomass from an outlet port of the rotary drum.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein introducing includes supplying through an airlock.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein passing thermal fluid includes pumping oil.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein passing thermal fluid includes pumping fluid at a rate in the range of from approximately 100 to 2000 gallons per minute.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein passing thermal fluid includes pumping fluid having a temperature of approximately 350 to 700 degrees Fahrenheit.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein passing thermal fluid includes pumping having a temperature of approximately 600 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein discharging includes dropping through an aperture on a wall of the drum.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein passing thermal fluid includes pumping water.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein passing thermal fluid includes pumping glycol.

10. A method comprising:
introducing biomass into an interior of a rotary drum, the rotary drum having a center axis;
passing thermal fluid through a first passage of a rotary joint into a conduit disposed on an interior of the rotary drum, the conduit configured to heat the biomass to form torrefied biomass;
passing the thermal fluid through the conduit along a length of the rotary drum including through apertures in a plurality of lifting flights, the plurality of lifting flights extending circumferentially within the interior of the rotary drum with respect to the center axis;
passing thermal fluid out of the conduit through a second passage of the rotary joint;
rotating the rotary drum about the center axis;
promoting movement of the biomass in the rotary drum; and
discharging the torrefied biomass from an outlet port of the rotary drum.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein passing thermal fluid includes pumping water.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein passing thermal fluid includes pumping glycol.

13. The method of claim 10 , wherein passing thermal fluid includes pumping oil.

Assignees

• Icm Inc

Inventors

• Thorn Matt
• Bennett Albert
• Vander Griend Samuel

Classifications

• C10B47/30

  in rotary ovens or retorts · CPC title

• Y02E50/10

  Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel · CPC title

• C10L2290/06

  Heat exchange, direct or indirect · CPC title

• C10L5/442 Primary

  Wood or forestry waste · CPC title

• C10L5/44

  on vegetable substances · CPC title