Patent · US Expired

Method for converting organic material into fuel

US4421524A · kind A · utility

77Cited by
9References
5Claims
0Family size

Assignee

Inventor

Key dates

Filing dateFeb 4, 1982
Grant dateDec 20, 1983
Priority date
Expiry dateFeb 4, 2002

Classification

  • Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
  • CPC primaryY02E50/10
  • WIPO fieldBasic materials chemistry
  • WIPO sectorChemistry

Abstract

In the method, organic, i.e. carbon-containing, material, such as straw, wood chips, sawdust, or dead bacterial waste from a sewage treatment plant, is heated in a pyrolytic reactor, thereby driving off volatiles from the organic material, including hydrogen and carbon monoxide gases, water vapor, and tars, while leaving charcoal (char) behind. The volatiles are then passed over a base material, such as hot char, which is at a temperature substantially above the pyrolizing temperature, e.g. 950.degree. C. and above, which causes a chemical reaction of the tars and volatiles, resulting in an output of a gaseous mixture consisting largely of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, characterized by an absence of tars. The apparatus includes a pyrolytic reactor in which an initial charge of charcoal is located. An inlet is provided for introduction of the organic material and an exit is provided for the resulting gases and ash products. The reactor is arranged to permit a continous flow of organic material volatiles, and char through the reactor, resulting in continual replenishment of organic material in the pyrolizing portion of the reactor, and replenishment of the charcoal bed portion by the…

Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.