Process to generate synthesis gas and/or liquid raw materials and/or energy materials from waste and/or biomass
Process to generate synthesis gas and/or liquid raw materials and/or energy materials from waste and/or biomass by performing the following steps: a) solvolysis of the organic components of waste and/or biomass in an alkaline solution or hydrate smelter at a temperature range of 150° to 250° C. and pressure between 3 and 12 bar, whereby the organic components are converted into at least one liquid phase and the inorganic components are sedimented; b) elimination of the inorganic components from the liquid phase by physical separation methods; c) transfer of the vapors generated during the solvolysis into a rectification column, where the organic components are separated from water; and d) further separation of the organic components by rectification, extraction and sorption and/or conversion by thermal gasification into synthesis gas or burnable gas.
1. A process to generate synthesis gas and/or liquid raw materials and/or energy materials from waste and/or biomass comprising the following steps:
a) Solvolysis of organic components of waste and/or biomass in an aqueous alkaline solution at a temperature range of 150 to 250 ° C. and pressure between 3 and 12 bar, whereby the organic components are converted into at least one liquid phase and inorganic components are sedimented,
b) Elimination of the inorganic components from the liquid phase by physical separation methods,
c) Transfer of aqueous vapors generated during the solvolysis into a rectification column, where the organic components are separated from water and remain in a rectification column sump, and
d) Further separation of the organic components from the rectification column sump by further rectification, extraction and sorption and/or conversion by thermal gasification into synthesis gas or burnable gas.
2. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the solvolysis is conducted in a pressure vessel with mechanical agitator or in a continuous reactor.
3. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the alkaline solution is made available within the reactor or agitator vessel and the waste is fed/added quasi-continuously by piston press or pressurised worm conveyors in a semi-batch process.
4. The process according to claim 2 , wherein the waste is charged into the reactor or agitator vessel in a batch operation by opening the reactor and the alkaline solution is subsequently added.
5. The process according to claim 1 , wherein heat required for the process during solvolysis is transferred by at least one heat exchanger or by heat transfer media used within the process.
6. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the reaction time for the solvolysis is within 2 and 20 hours.
7. The process according to claim 1 , wherein for the alkaline solution a watery solution is utilised containing 40 to 70 weight% of Alkali Carbonate or Alkali Hydroxide.
8. The process according to claim 1 , wherein organic solvents are added to the alkaline solution.
9. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the alkaline solution has a density of 1.3 to 1.7 g/cm 3 .
10. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the inorganic components are eliminated continuously or in batch by at least one discharge facility and are subsequently rinsed with recycled alkaline solution and/or water.
11. The process according to claim 1 , wherein inorganic residues metals are recycled by electro refining and/or by galvanic or chemical processes.
12. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the rectification column consists of a packing material column.
13. The process according to claim 12 , wherein the pressure within the system and after the rectification column will be controlled at constant level by a pressure controller.
14. The process according to claim 1 , wherein the organic components within schlep steam is eliminated in a condenser and the cleaned schlep steam is recycled into the process.
15. The process according to claim 1 , wherein further separation of the organic components is applied by vacuum distillation.
16. The process according to claim 1 , wherein a partial hydrogenation of the organic components is applied after the solvolysis, to decrease the polarity of these organic components and to increase the vapor pressure.
17. The process according to claim 1 , wherein after the solvolysis, a hydrogenation and/or a hydro cracking of the organic components now available in liquid form is applied, in order to remove hetero atoms.
18. The process according to claim 5 wherein the heat transfer media is thermo oil or steam.
19. The process according to claim 7 , wherein the Alkali Carbonate is Potassium Carbonate.
20. The process according to claim 8 , wherein the organic solvents are selected from the group of hydrocarbons consisting of Aliphatic or aromatic hydrocarbons and mixtures thereof.
21. The process according to claim 16 , wherein the partial hydrogenation of the organic components is done by using Raney-Nickel as a catalyst.
22. The process according to claim 17 , wherein the hydrogenation and/or hydro cracking is done by using Raney-Nickel as a catalyst.