Plasma pyrolysis, gasification and vitrification of organic material
Blocks of organic material ( 58 ) are fed from a plurality of directions into a reactor ( 10 ) having three zones ( 16, 18, 19 ). The material forms a bed ( 70 ) atop a bed of consumable carbon catalyst ( 60 ). These beds are heated by a series of plasma arc torches ( 42 ) mounted in inlets ( 37 ) about the reactor. Gas is supplied via inlets ( 39, 41 ) from wind drums ( 38, 40 ). The superheated gas from the reaction is vented through an outlet ( 30 ) and is used to produce electrical energy.
1. An apparatus for plasma pyrolysis, gasification and vitrification of material comprising:
a generally funnel-shaped reactor having an upper section and a lower section, said lower section comprising a first, wider portion connected by a frustoconical transition to a second, narrower portion, and being suitable to receive a carbon catalyst bed, and said upper section having at least one gas exhaust port and being constructed to receive said material from a plurality of directions with respect to said lower section;
a gas inlet system disposed around said lower section to provide gas into said lower section through one or more intake ports in said lower section; and
a plurality of plasma arc torches mounted in said lower section to heat said carbon catalyst bed and said material.
2. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said upper section has a plurality of intake ports.
3. An apparatus according to claim 2 , further comprising:
a material delivery system to provide said material to said reactor through said plurality of intake ports, said delivery system comprising:
a receptacle to receive said material, a shredding and compacting unit disposed to accept said material from said receptacle and to shred and compact said material, and a transfer unit to deliver said shredded and compacted material to said reactor.
4. An apparatus according to claim 3 wherein said material comprises carbonaceous material.
5. An apparatus according to claim 4 wherein said carbonaceous material comprises waste.
6. An apparatus according to claim 5 wherein said carbon catalyst bed is about 1 meter in height.
7. An apparatus according to claim 3 further comprising a plurality of sensors disposed throughout said reactor to sense one or more of: a height of said carbon catalyst bed, a height of a bed of said material, a temperature of said reactor, a flow rate of gas in said reactor, and a temperature of a gas exhausted from said reactor through said exhaust port.
8. An apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said lower section has one or more tap holes at a bottom thereof.
9. An apparatus for the production of electrical energy comprising the apparatus according to claim 1 and further comprising:
an evaporator connected to said exhaust port for removing water from a gas exhausted from said exhaust port;
a scrubber connected to an output of said evaporator for cleaning said gas;
a compressor connected to an output of said scrubber for compressing said gas; and
a gas turbine connected to an output of said compressor for producing electricity from said compressed gas.
10. A method for the conversion of material comprising waste, biomass or other carbonaceous material by plasma pyrolysis, gasification and vitrification, said method comprising:
providing a carbon catalyst bed in a lower section of a reactor;
providing one or more successive quantities of said material from a plurality of directions into an upper section of a reactor, said upper section having at least one gas exhaust port connected to a fan, said material forming a bed atop said carbon catalyst bed;
heating said carbon catalyst bed and said material bed using a plurality of plasma arc torches mounted in said lower section; and
introducing into said lower section a predetermined amount of oxygen or oxygen-enriched air.
11. A method of producing electrical energy from waste comprising the method of claim 10 and further comprising:
evaporating the gas exhausted from said gas exhaust port;
scrubbing said gas;
compressing said scrubbed gas; and
supplying said compressed gas to fuel a gas turbine to generate electrical energy.
12. A method of producing electrical energy from waste comprising the method of claim 10 and further comprising
evaporating the gas exhausted from said gas exhaust port;
scrubbing said gas;
compressing said scrubbed gas;
powering a fuel cell using said hydrogen component; and
supplying a remainder of said compressed gas, after said hydrogen component is separated, to fuel a gas turbine to generate electrical energy.