Battelle Memorial Institute

Lesley J Snowden-Swan

Andrew J Schmidt

Richard T Hallen

Todd R Hart

Daniel B Anderson

Michael R Thorson

Justin M Billing

David B Spry

Robert A Romine

A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system has a biomass slurry flow path with a first pump and a first heat exchanger network downstream of the first pump. The first heat exchanger network includes plurality of heat exchangers in a parallel, series, and/or series-parallel flow arrangement. The biomass slurry flow path extends through cold flow sides of the heat exchangers of the first heat exchanger network. The biomass slurry flow path includes a second pump downstream of the first heat exchanger network, and a second heat exchanger network downstream of the second pump. The biomass slurry flow path extends through cold flow sides of the heat exchangers of the second heat exchanger network. A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) reactor is downstream of the second heat exchanger network. Heat transfer liquid in a heat transfer liquid circuit flows through hot flow sides of the heat exchangers of the second heat exchanger network.

Hydrothermal liquefaction system with heat exchanger network

A hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) system can comprise a biomass slurry source, a first pump in fluid communication with the slurry source and configured to pressurize a biomass slurry stream from the slurry source to a first pressure, a first heat exchanger in fluid communication with the first pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the first pump to a first temperature, a second pump in fluid communication with the first heat exchanger and configured to pressurize a slurry stream received from the first heat exchanger to a second pressure higher than the first pressure, a second heat exchanger in fluid communication with the second pump and configured to heat a slurry stream received from the second pump to a second temperature higher than the first temperature, and a HTL reactor configured to produce biocrude from a slurry stream received from the second heat exchanger.

Hydrothermal liquefaction system

The invention is a method of using enzymes from thiophyllic microbes for selectively breaking the sulfur rubber cross-link bonds in vulcanized rubber. The process is halted at the sulfoxide or sulfone step so that a devulcanized layer is reactive with virgin rubber.

Method for the addition of vulcanized waste rubber to virgin rubber

Growing community of inventors

Ellensburg, WA, United States of America

Lesley J Snowden-Swan