ITMI20090313A1 - CHEMICAL REACTOR WITH PERFECT FEEDING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBONS DERIVING FROM PLASTIC WASTE MATERIALS. - Google Patents

Description

"CHEMICAL REACTOR WITH IMPROVED FEEDING DEVICE, PARTICULARLY FOR THE PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBONS DERIVING FROM WASTE PLASTIC MATERIALS"

DESCRIPTION

The present invention relates to a chemical reactor with an improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials.

Currently, chemical reactors for the production of liquid hydrocarbons are fed with waste material directly to the reactor in solid and cold form.

This feeding process leads to a substantial consumption of energy necessary to heat the reacting substances inserted inside the reactor to bring them to a temperature and humidity rate suitable for the chemical reaction.

The aim of the present invention is to provide a chemical reactor with an improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, which allows to optimize and facilitate the chemical reaction inside the reactor itself.

Within this aim, an object of the present invention is to provide a chemical reactor with an improved feeding device which is structurally simple, which makes use of components typical of the sector and which is economically competitive.

This task, as well as these and other purposes which will appear better below, are achieved by a chemical reactor with an improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, comprising at least one container body suitable for receiving and containing reactive substances for the production of reaction products, characterized in that it comprises extruding feeding means for at least part of said reactant substances located upstream of said at least one container body and operatively connected to said at least one container body for the introduction of said reagent substances extruded into said at least one container body at a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature value and at a humidity rate lower than a predetermined humidity value.

Further characteristics and advantages of the present invention will result from the description of two preferred but not exclusive embodiments of a chemical reactor with an improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, according to the invention, illustrated , by way of indication and not of limitation, in the attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a side elevation view of a first embodiment of a chemical reactor with an improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, according to the invention;

Figure 2 is a plan view of the chemical reactor shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a side elevation view of a first variant according to the invention of the chemical reactor shown in Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a plan view of the chemical reactor shown in Figure 3;

figure 5 is a side elevation view of a second variant according to the invention of the chemical reactor shown in figure 1;

Figure 6 is a plan view of the chemical reactor shown in Figure 5;

figure 7 is a side elevation view of a second embodiment of a chemical reactor with an improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, according to the invention;

Figure 8 is a plan view of the chemical reactor shown in Figure 7;

figure 9 is a side elevation view of a first variant according to the invention of the chemical reactor shown in figure 7;

Figure 10 is a plan view of the chemical reactor shown in Figure 9;

Figure 11 is a side elevation view of a second variant according to the invention of the chemical reactor shown in Figure 7;

Figure 12 is a plan view of the chemical reactor shown in Figure 11.

With reference to the aforementioned figures, in the two embodiments shown the chemical reactor with improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, globally indicated with the reference numbers la and lb, comprises at least one body container 2 suitable for receiving and containing reagent substances 3 for the production of reaction products fed, in direct or indirect form, by extruder feeder means 4 and 5 located upstream of the container body 2 and operatively connected thereto for the introduction of substances extruded reagents 3 into the container body 2.

The extruded reagent substances 3 come out continuously but in the figures they have been schematized in blocks: to obtain this it would be necessary to provide a cutting system on the head.

As will be further described below, in both embodiments represented, a plurality of container bodies 2 fed in parallel by the extruder feeder means 4 and 5 can be provided.

According to the invention, the input material 6 in the extruder feeding means can have a size of less than 200 mm, a humidity rate of up to 30%, a concentration of plastic materials up to 100% on dry matter and a concentration of non-plastic materials. such as, for example, wood, paper, cardboard, inert materials, metals, textile materials, etc ... normally present in waste up to 40% on dry matter.

More precisely, the inlet material 6 can be introduced into the extruder feeding means 4 and 5 in suitable inlet inlets 10 and 11 in the form of fil, densified material, granules, pellets or flakes.

In any case, at least part of the reagent substances 3, if not all of the reagent substances 3, to be introduced into the container body (s) 2 are supplied at a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature value which, for example, can be substantially equal to 90 ° C and at a humidity rate lower than a predetermined humidity value which, for example, can be substantially equal to 30%.

More precisely, depending on the type of extruder feeder means 4 and 5 used, the heating and dehumidification of the inlet material 6 can be made possible by adopting heating means operatively associated with the same extruder feeder means 4 and 5 for the supply from the external heat.

For example, if a traditional type 4 twin or single screw extruder is used and is normally known for the recycling of polyolefins with a variable length even starting from five diameters, the extruder 4 can be heated with heat supply from the outside through heating means comprising at least one of electric resistances, open flames, gas radiant plates, induction systems and / or heating of the core of the screw with hot air and / or diathermic oil.

Alternatively, the extruder feeder means 5 can comprise a counter-rotating twin-screw extruder of a known type with a length from one to five diameters which can operate even without external heating and / or where the necessary heat derives mainly from the pressure and friction inside the chamber. of extrusion.

This type of extruder is particularly suitable for waste plastics containing high percentages of substances other than plastics.

Regardless of the type of extruder feeder means 4 and 5 used, the latter can be connected to the container body 2 by means of sealing connection means 7 to prevent oxygen supply to the container 2.

For example, said sealing connection means 7 can consist of a flanged connection made at the extruder matrix by means of a stub or by means of the matrix itself directly to the container 2 1 in the most suitable points, be it a horizontal cylinder reactor or vertical, a pipe or other.

If several container bodies 2 are used, these can be fed in parallel thanks to the use of conveyor means 8 consisting, for example, of a series of conveyor belts suitable for transporting the extruded reagent substances 3 into the container bodies 2.

The operation of the chemical reactor 1 with an improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, can be described by the succession of the following phases.

In a first feeding phase, the input material 6, which consists mainly of waste plastic materials in the form of a solid not necessarily compact, is transported to the screw or to the screw pair of extruders 4 and 5.

Subsequently the same input material 6 is rubbed, heated, dehumidified and compacted in the extruder 4 and 5.

The reagent substances .3 are then introduced into the chemical reactor 1, i.e. into the container body (s) 2, through a matrix with further friction and / or overheating and / or adduction of heat from the outside until temperatures up to 350/400 ° are reached. C within the container 2. In passing through the connection 7 the reagent substances are compacted, inhibiting the passage of oxygen.

In practice it has been found that the chemical reactor with an improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, according to the present invention, fully achieves the intended aim and objects, since by heating and dehumidifying the the reacting substances in the feeding device allows to optimize the chemical reaction inside the reactor itself, also reducing the cycle times of the reactor.

Another advantage of the chemical reactor according to the present invention consists in the fact that it has a simplified management of the reactant substances since the latter are more compact than their initial form.

A further advantage of the chemical reactor according to the present invention consists in the fact that it is structurally simple and economically competitive by making use of components typical of the sector.

A further advantage of the reactor according to the invention is given by the fact that it can feed a catalyst to favor the chemical reaction also in the extruder feeder as well as in the container.

The chemical reactor with improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, thus conceived, is susceptible of numerous modifications and variations, all of which are within the scope of the inventive concept.

Furthermore, all the details can be replaced by other technically equivalent elements.

In practice, the materials employed, so long as compatible with the specific use, as well as the contingent shapes and dimensions, may be any according to the requirements and the state of the art.

Claims (10)

R I V E N D I C A Z I O N I 1. Chemical reactor with improved feeding device, particularly for the production of liquid hydrocarbons deriving from waste plastic materials, comprising at least one container body (2) suitable for receiving and containing reactive substances (3) for the production of reaction products, characterized in that it comprises extruder feeding means (4, 5) for at least part of said reactant substances (3) located upstream of said at least one container body (2) and operatively connected to said at least one container body (2) for introduction of said extruded reagent substances (3) into said at least one container body (2) at a temperature higher than a predetermined temperature value and at a humidity rate lower than a predetermined humidity value. 2. Chemical reactor, according to the preceding claim, characterized in that said predetermined temperature value is substantially equal to 90 ° C. 3. Chemical reactor, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said predetermined humidity value is substantially equal to 30%. 4. Chemical reactor, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises heating means for at least part of said reactant substances (3) operatively associated with said extruder feeder means (4, 5) for supply from the outside heat. 5. Chemical reactor, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that said heating means comprise at least one of electric resistances, open flames, gas radiant plates, induction systems, heat exchangers and / or heating the core of the screw with hot air and / or diathermic oil. 6. Chemical reactor, according to one or more of the preceding claims, characterized in that it comprises sealing connection means (7) between said extruder feeding means (4, 5) and said at least one container body (2) for preventing adduction of oxygen to the chemical reactor (1). 7. Chemical reactor, according to one or more of the preceding claims 1 to 5, characterized in that it comprises means (8) for transporting said extruded reagent substances (3) in said at least one container body (2). 8. Chemical reactor, according to the preceding claims 6 or 7, characterized in that said extruder feeding means (4) comprise at least one twin-screw or single-screw extruder. 9. Chemical reactor, according to the preceding claims 6 or 7, characterized in that said extruder feeding means (5) comprise at least one counter-rotating twin-screw extruder. 10. Chemical reactor, according to the preceding claims 8 or 9, characterized in that it comprises a plurality of container bodies (2) fed in parallel by said extruder feeder means (4, 5).