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ARTi accomplishes patent in pyrolysis “Thermochemical conversion system and method”

On February 2nd this year, 2021 ARTi Team led by president Dr. Bernardo del Campo successfully acquired a patent in pyrolysis “Thermochemical conversion system and method”  del Campo, B., 2021, US 10907827B2. The patent can be viewed here as well as on the Google Patent page.  The patent more specifically, is for a thermochemical system and method that may be configured to convert an organic feedstock to various types of pyrolysis-produced products. Dr. del Campo’s thermochemical system may include a solid material feed module, a reactor module, an afterburner module, and a solid product finishing module. The various operational parameters (temperature, pressure, etc.) of the various modules can be specified depending on the desired products. The product streams may be gaseous, vaporous, liquid, and/or solid. 

Illustration of Dr. Bernardo del Campo’s reactor design for his patent in pyrolysis “Thermochemical conversion system and method”

Numerous patents have been developed that deal with biomass reactors that use pyrolysis to generate gases, oils, and biochar. These systems, on the other hand, have many flaws, including being bulky, requiring considerable energy input, being limited in operation with a particular type of feedstock, moisture content, particle size, and sensitivity to foreign materials, to name a few. Furthermore, previous biomass reactors at this capacity have been complicated to run, are expensive to build, require multiple operators or sophisticated automation controls, and lack mobility or portability, to name a few. One of the many appeals of the biochar sector is the wide variety of materials that can be utilized for biochar and the accompanying development of the related technology. It will be argued by some that carbonization methodologies have been around for quite some time. Nevertheless, technical achievements can do much to not only further biochar properties and application but can also bring us closer to more widely adopted carbon sequestration, soil enhancement, and remediation methods.        Reactors intended for processing organic feedstock which includes biomass meant for biochar are typically designed to process the feedstock into a variety of products, including gas, liquid, and solids products, through pyrolysis or other reactions. Several factors, including the feedstock used, the temperature at which the reactor operates, and the amount of oxygen or reacting gases present in the reactor, will influence the conversion rate to each product. Any of the pyrolysis products can be further processed (e.g., the solid products may be activated, the liquid products may be collected, isolated and filtered, etc.). ARTi’s president Dr. Bernardo del Campo has designed and patented a biochar reactor that successfully contributes to significant advances in cost reduction, complexity reduction, flexibility, variety of feedstock options, and biochar product range.