Microwave Methods for Converting Hydrocarbon-Based Waste Materials into Oil and Gas Fuels

• Main Authors: Leis, Mathew, Mayhew, Frank, Cardinal, Christopher, McInnis, A. J, Spott, Tyler, Bauer, Brian, Greer, Tom, Tanne, Jason
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 29.04.2021
• Subjects: ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE ORUNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOIDCHEMISTRY; CHEMISTRY; DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONAGEOUS MATERIALS FORPRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS; ELECTRIC HEATING; ELECTRIC LIGHTING NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRIC TECHNIQUES NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; ELECTRICITY; FIRELIGHTERS; FUELS; FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; LUBRICANTS; METALLURGY; NATURAL GAS; PEAT; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PHYSICAL OR CHEMICAL PROCESSES OR APPARATUS IN GENERAL; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS; TRANSPORTING

A portable, sustainable, and efficient system and apparatus for breaking down processed solid plastic waste and other polymer-based feedstock into fuel oil, sustainable energy, carbon char, and other useful products. With minor modifications, biomass can also be treated. Distributed microwave heating sources and mechanical mixing effectively mix heat in a highly insulated reactor that protects the microwave components, makes fast pyrolysis possible, and thereby enables scaling down to compact and highly portable systems. Products include diesel, gasoline, propane, butane, and char. Product materials are distributed using tight temperature control and mechanical routing.