Staged reforming

The Staged reforming is a toy in the testing thermochemical process for converting organic raw materials (renewable raw materials, manure or organic waste ) into combustible low-nitrogen gases ( in addition to methane and carbon monoxide mainly hydrogen) is used in the steam as gasification agent. The method in which the smoldering (pyrolysis ) of biomass and the formation of the product gas run separately, will be used to generate heat and for recovering electrical energy in gas generators and serve as a source of hydrogen.

Method

In the staged reforming pyrolysis and gas conversion are technically separated. In the first step, the biological material is split with approximately 600 degrees Celsius and gas ( pyrolysis ) coke. In a second step, the produced gas with steam, and the heat energy recovered from the coke is purified to a dust and residue-free product gas.

The temperature control is done in a cycle. Here, the mixture was heated to about 1000 degrees Celsius in the preheater heat transfer medium from above is added to the reactor. By chemical reaction, the material cools to 750 degrees. Further cooling to 550 degrees is supported by cool, new material is mixed. The migrated down material is then heated again at 1050 degrees. The product gas ( syngas ) of staged reforming is hydrogen-rich (44% ) and also contains carbon monoxide (CO, 14% ), carbon dioxide (CO2, 18%) and methane (CH4, 1 %) and water ( 23%).

An advantage of the two-step process is used in the broad range of possible raw materials. This also paper and sewage sludge and animal manure and organic waste can be used alongside renewable raw materials such as hay, straw or wood. In addition, the dust and the tar yield lower than in single-stage method, which facilitates the use of the gas in the product gas.

History

The mills of the Dr. GmbH & CO. KG patented process was used between 2001 and 2006 in a pilot plant with a capacity of one megawatt in Herten. The construction of a plant ( " Blue Tower " ) with 10 megawatts of power for the supply of synthetic natural gas also in Herten, on the site of the former Zeche Ewald, encourages the State of North Rhine -Westphalia with 7.1 million euros. Critics of the project keeping the technology is too expensive and question the practical application and the energy efficiency of the process. The majority owner of the company shares the Blue Tower GmbH, Solar Millennium AG, presented December 21, 2011 insolvency at the Amtsgericht Fürth. The further progress at the construction site Herten is so uncertain.