Delivery of the “LORVER” system for the production of bioenergy and start of the campaign of tests

Project LORVER Homécourt, 16^th December 2013.

The technology implemented for the LORVER Project (patent no. IT TO2010A001043 of 23/12/2010) is absolutely innovative, but, at the same time, is the result of 14 years of work performed by Sea Marconi as leader within two European projects (patents Haloclean Conversion no. G1RD-1999-00082 and Haloclean Application no. G1RD-CT-2002-03014).

The research by Sea Marconi and the further design and construction choices, demonstrated that it is possible to develop a modular, ultra-compact, pre-fabricated system, with containerised sizes facilitating the logistics, not requiring particular infrastructures, but just a resting bed. The system is designed to operate 24/24 with a high operational availability (up to 7,500 h/y) with a supervision and control system also in remote mode.

The system implemented is based upon 5 modules:

1. feeding
2. pyrolysis, through a particular design of the reactor (using thermally conductive bodies) perfectly sealed with respect to the ambient, in the absence of oxygen, with temperatures between 450 and 550 ° C capable of ensuring the 5 fundamental functions:
   1. transfer of heath into the biomass to be converted
   2. transfer of the biomass during the conversion
   3. mixing
   4. milling (progressive crushing of the material)
   5. catalytic function;
3.  heating the highly conductive bodies in a closed-loop circuit using the biochar as provider of energy. From this module it is possible to spill biochar for dedicated applications such as in agriculture as soil amendment capable of capturing CO2 in a ongoing mode (1 kg of biochar captures up to 3 kg of CO2 equivalents).
4. production of syngas provided by a sealed rotary reactor converting the pyrolysis gases into permanent gas at 850 °C under hyper-dynamic and catalytic conditions. The syngas can be considered of energetic high quality with a reduced content of TARs: highly viscous organic substances.
5. treatment of the syngas through a 3-stage integrated system:
   1. elimination of ashes through a cyclone,
   2. cooling of the gas through a washing by closed-loop water where the temperature changes to 40 – 60 °C,
   3. neutralisation of the acid products by an alkalization process.

The syngas can be used either directly as a high energy value fuel for heating or in gas driven engine for electric and thermal co-generation.

• This system can be easily geared and can, later on, move from 100 kg/h to 1,000 kg/h of biomass to be converted for a size capable of producing about 1MWe and 1.2 MWt.
• It provides a great reduction of the dimensions of the system about 50 times with respect to systems equipped with rotary furnaces.
• Flexibility. The Sea Marconi technological solution provides the conversion of different types of materials with different granulometries and a higher reliability since it is lacking the limiting factors by other systems such as “down-draft”.
• Lower investment costs.
• Easy and fast installation (a few days).
• Higher control of the temperature in each single phase of the processes and conversion times of the biomasses.
• Complete maintainability of the system thanks to a design facilitating an easy and fast access by the operators.

Sea Marconi showed skills for an outstanding multi-tasking winning the extreme challenge in implementing the competences acquired in the core business in a different setting until it produced new lines of technological innovations. Within the LORVER Project Sea Marconi covered the entire production chain moving from the conceptual idea, through the engineering and the fabrication (also with specialised suppliers) to the installation phase, the start-up and the support and monitoring phase also in a remote mode.

The technology developed by Sea Marconi represents surely a new line of technologies with a key role for the future expansion of the business in different global markets for bioenergy and bio-products.
The other applications in this field, grouped under the designation BioEnPro, pertain to the conversion of municipal waste, to be considered a non-combustion technology or non-incineration technology, with a 0 Km approach, small sized, particularly suitable for civil protection or exhibition events. Not only, the Sea Marconi proposal is a fully sustainable solution since it respects and is winning under all the following aspects:

• Scientific
• Best environmental and landscaping available technique
• Economic and financial
• Social