Overview
Recovery 2.0
is a sustainable approach to treat WASTE as a resource while assisting with the world's demand for
clean WATER and clean ENERGY.
The Thermal Reduction method of Waste Recovery is an
energy
intense process that takes a novel approach to eliminate stack emissions by capturing the would be flue gases
and turning them into a source for the recovery of ELEMENTS and ENERGY.
The Recovery 2.0 system incorporates the recovery of a multitude of materials including many strategic and valued resources such as Hydrogen, solid Carbon, Energy, clean Water, Mineral Salts (including Lithium), and a wide range of Metals, Minerals and Refined Products.
Step by Step Guide
In an attempt to demonstrate an overview of the potential pathways contained within the Recovery 2.0 process
we have outlined a number of
Streams
as examples.
These suggested scenarios serve only as a method to express the symbiotic pathways across the overall system.
Please note that the Recovery 2.0 design has been developed to be flexible and rapidly swapable to accommodate
changing inputs, desired output products, energy sources and market conditions.
The Step by Step Guide is an attempt to walk you through a superficial overview of the complex pathways involved in this novel
approach toward resource recovery.
The
Recovery 2.0
begins with the input of a primary energy source to one of the two thermal reduction feedstock flows,
either the
Waste Water
& Brine Stream or the
Solid Waste
stream.
Primary Energy Input
The primary energy
input source
may be any combination of concentrated solar, electricity or hydrogen from
external or internally generated or recovered sources.
The option exists to use plasma arc or traditional fossil fuels.
Waste Water
In the Waste Water Stream which may include concentrated
Brines,
the segregation of the mineral salts and solids residues occurs to remove impurities out of the recovery stream.
The recovery stream enters into the steam stage where the opportunity to harvest energy occurs.
The process flow progresses to the condensing step where the unique opportunity to accumulate compressed air exists
as the water vapor is condensed into liquid water.
The recovered product at this stage is Clean Water. The potential option exists at this point to harness this flow as
working water to yield additional energy.
Solid Waste
The thermal reduction of pre-prepared Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) in the form of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF)
consists primarily of mixed
hydrocarbon materials.
These are common materials such as organic and food waste, wood, paper,
rubber, plastics, all forms of textiles and oils. These materials contain various moisture contents (water).
The thermal reduction process converts the
mixed wastes
into a solid residue fraction and a
Hot Gas
fraction.
The hot gas is a rich feedstock that is refined into basic elements. The bulk of these gases are hydrocarbon based elements
and complexes with a small content of non-hydrocarbon materials.
The hydrocarbon fraction is split into clean hydrogen and solid carbon.
Hydrocarbon splitting
requires the input of energy.
The recovered hydrogen product may be sold externally or consumed internally as a primary fuel to drive
the Recovery 2.0 thermal reduction process.
Refining
In addition to the Hot Gas refining stage the non-hydrocarbon fraction and solid residue fraction may be recovered in the
high temperature refining
stage, a range of specialized processes that produce a variety of
Metals,
Minerals
and Refined Products.
Energy Recovery
The Recovery 2.0 system has been designed to operate at a high intensity energy level in order to insure the
molecular break down
of complex material elements back into their basic form.
This approach may be deemed as inefficient from a traditional perspective, but the novel Recovery 2.0 methods
may achieve an overall acceptable efficiency.
The input of energy is required to break molecular bonds, but once you have singular elements
you may paste them back together to build any complex materials that you may desire.
In general, the bonding of elements (in an exothermic oxidation reaction) gives off excess energy that may be
captured or harvested.
The implementation of energy harvesting zone,s spread throughout the Recovery 2.0 process, allows for a
Multi-Stage
Energy Management Strategy to recover a high percentage of the original primary energy input.
Opportunities may exist to add additional energy or fresh fuel at various stages across the system at different scales of the
Energy Recovery
Spectrum.
If one of the main goals of the Recovery 2.0 system is the recovery of resources from waste materials,
initiating a Thermal Reduction process spawns a number of integrated pathway streams.
Step 1.01 - The Thermal Reduction process requires a primary heat source in order to drive the pyrolysis reaction.
The primary heat source and the pyrolysis reactor are contained within two separate chambers.
In the first chamber, heat is generated with one of multiple of available options,
in this case the chosen method is the oxy combustion of solid recovered carbon.
Step 1.02 - The exhaust from step 1.01 is routed into a closed pipeline and contained throughout a
Recovery 2.0 CO2/Carbon cycle with no release to the open atmosphere.
Step 1.03 - The hot, pressurized flow of the CO2 entering the pipeline may be harvested to produce electricity
by passing threw a turobo machine stage. Post Turbo stage, the CO2 continues on to the next step.
Step 1.04 - The CO2 may be conducted through a heat exchanger or compression step if desired.
Step 1.05 - At this step, The material flow within the pipeline may be buffered for storage and preparation
for external sale or further internal use.
Step 1.06 - This is a conversion step where the CO2 may be diverted to a mineralization pathway stream or into
a CO2 Splitting unit to be converted into oxygen and solid recovered carbon.
Of the multiple Splitting options in this particular case we have chosen the Molten Media Extraction method.
The Molten Media is then sent to a regeneration stage and is ready to begin its cycle again.
The oxygen and solid carbon are harvested and ready for their next step.
The solid recovered carbon may be used in any number of industrial products or regenerated and consumed back into
Step 1.01.
Stream #2 begins the Thermal Reduction process of waste materials in the form of Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF).
SRF is a feedstock derived from Municipal solid waste (MSW) that has been prepared in a Material Recovery Facility (MRF)
to remove all the traditional recyclable commodities and the non-combustible fraction.
Step 2.01 - The Solid Recovered Fuel feedstock is charged into the second chamber of the pyrolysis reactor and is
heated past the point of vaporization and is transformed into a Hot Gas.
Step 2.02 - The Hot Gas stream is exhausted into a closed pipeline and contained throughout the
Recovery 2.0 Mixed Hydrocarbon Pipeline Recovery Cycle with no gaseous release to the open atmosphere.
The Hot Gas fraction consists largely of Water vapor, Carbon Dioxide and Mixed Hydrocarbon vapor and gases.
Step 2.03 - Hot Gas Refining is a step where Mixed Hydrocarbons are separated from
the water vapor which is extracted and introduce into the Water Recovery Cycle Pipeline,
CO2 is extracted and fed into the CO2/Carbon Pipeline.
The Mixed Hydrocarbons are either condensed to separate the condensable from the non-condensable fraction or
the mixed Hydrocarbons are split.
Step 2.03 - Splitting of mixed Hydrocarbons is achieved in a molten media extraction process
to harvest Hydrogen and solid carbon.
The primary objective of the Water Recovery Cycle Pipeline is the production of clean water from Brines and Waste water.
The thermal reduction method of water purification is energy intense and requires a primary source of heat.
Step 3.01 - Receiving and accumulation of raw brines and Waste water into the storage reservoir system.
Step 3.02 - The thermal reduction of waste water
digester tanks evaporation system
Step 3.03 - Removal of Evaporation residue mineral salts
Step 3.04 - The exhausted water vapor/steam from the thermal reduction unit is consolidated into
the Water Recovery Cycle Pipeline
Step 3.05 - The hot, pressurized steam presents the opportunity to harvest electricity
Step 3.06 - Steam Condensing Stage
Waste Recovery Process
- Introduction
Pathway Flow & Options
- Thermal Reduction
- Steam Stage
- Condensing Stage
- Water Phase
- Energy Storage
- Battery Banks
- Thermal Energy Storage
- Compressed Air Storage
- Exothermic Element Storage
Short Cycle Regeneration
- Hydro Energy
- Wind Energy
- Gravity Energy
- Temperature Gradient
Energy Sources
- Solar
- Electricity
- Internally Generated Electricity
- Excess Intermittent Electricity
- Grid Electricity
- Waste Heat
- Optional Sidestreams
Waste Recovery Process
- Summary
Thermal Reduction
The recovery of waste materials utilizing a
thermal
process is efficient and desirable for specific types of materials.
Thermal treatment of desalination
brine
concentrates and waste water is a desirable method to achieve water purification.
Thermal Waste Recovery such as gasification or pyrolysis use heat as a source to drive the process of
Hot Gas Refining.
As a more environmentally friendly approach and to replace
combustion
based heat sources, several approaches have been considered.
One of the most desirable methods is using high temperature heating elements to radiate heat to drive the thermal process.
The energy source required to generate the initial heat to fuel the thermal recovery process may differ from operation to operation.
One of the most exciting potential sources is the largely untapped use of concentrated solar, where the suns energy is focused
on heating high temperature radiating elements to generate steam.
Focusing input energy on high temperature heating elements is a more efficient method of conversion or heat transfer
than attempting to heat water directly.
In order to offset the intermittent solar imbalance, you may utilize Internally Generated and stored Electricity.
The opportunity to consume Excess Intermittent Electricity from outside sources exists and may present an arbitrage potential
and you may always resort back to Grid Electricity as a default.
By layering a novel approach to Waste Recovery operations the compound effect of shuffling the energy stack
may result in an energy neutral cost process and has the potential to operate with a net positive energy output.
Steam Stage
In the pathway to recovering clean water through the Thermal Purification process you produce steam as an
intermediate stage by-product or side stream. The potential opportunity to harvest energy from steam
may be harnessed to generate green electricity.
The current traditional method of harnessing energy from
steam
is by using a steam turbine to generate electricity.
In earlier history, prior to the development of electricity, steam was harnessed through the steam engine
which is accredited as a key factor in the development of the industrial revolution.
Condensing Stage
Since purified water is the primary desired product,
once you have had the opportunity to extract energy in the steam stage,
the spent steam needs to be condensed into liquid water.
The operating theory of the
Newcomen atmospheric steam engine/pump takes advantage of an over 1,600 to 1 (one) volume reduction
of water vapor condensing into liquid water thereby creating a partial vacuum which drives a pump.
The condensing process may yield harnessable energy to power a pump, to pump water or compress
air
or may be converted into rotary kinetic motion that may be used to generate electricity.
Water Phase
Recovered clean water is the primary goal of any waste water or desalinization water purification process.
The objective is to produce the highest volume of clean water output at the lowest economic cost.
The Water Phase of the recovery process, if engineered properly, may allow the opportunity to generate
Hydro
electric power.
Operations around the globe are striving to increase the reliable supply of clean water at a predictable cost while
dealing responsibly with the brine residues and residual materials.
By implementing A Novel Approach to Waste Recovery
the energy input cost of clean water may be greatly reduced or eliminated.
Battery Banks
Energy storage in traditional Battery Banks or flow battery systems
saves energy within chemical battery systems for release at a later time
to be converted into electricity.
A typical Novel Waste Recovery system has the flexibility to designate modular vaults to house the individual battery types
or combination of batteries of desired choice. The modular battery banks may be expanded to meet the desired capacity
of storage required.
Battery Energy Storage Systems (BESS)
Lithium Ion Battery, Lithium Ferrophosphate LFP Battery, Lead/Acid Battery, and
a variety of other combinations of content materials such as Sodium, Nickel, Zinc, Iron.
Exploring the field of Redox flow battery systems such as vanadium based or Iron Flow Battery using liquid storage tanks.
Thermal Energy Storage
Thermal Energy Storage systems typically use a radiant heat storage medium as a carrier to hold temperature specific energy
for release at a later time or date.
Sensible Thermal storage refers to heated sand, brick, carbon or other minerals.
Latent energy storage refers to the storage of phase changed mediums such as molten salts, molten metals,
Thermal Battery Storage vaults, both hot and cold systems, and include a range of materials such as ice.
Energy may be extracted from Thermal Storage systems as desired (on demand) to generate electricity or provide heating or cooling.
Certain systems also possess the ability to capture luminescent light emissions that may be converted into electricity
through Thermal Photovoltaic cells.
Compressed Air Storage
Compressed Air Energy storage - Compressed Air Energy Generation
Compressed Air may be generated at multiple source points throughout the Thermal Waste Recovery system
on a flexible option basis.
Compressed Air may be produced with the use of traditional compression pumps or by agitating and mixing
air and water in isothermal compression chambers.
Compressed Air storage capacity may be determined by the limitations of economic capital cost and physical space to accommodate
the pressure vessel storage.
The extraction of energy from compressed air may be realized in several methods which provide flexible multiple options.
Compressed Air may be used to run ancillary mechanical processes throughout the waste recovery facility as required.
The release of the compressed air takes advantage of the effects of rapid expansion to perform cooling tasks in processes such as
the Condensing Stage and has the potential to generate
Wind on Demand.
Exothermic Element Storage
Exothermic Element Storage is a novel concept designed to address longer term energy storage issues.
The simple overview of Exothermic Element Storage is the conversion of selected energy carrier materials into
stable ambient friendly forms for long term storage or transportation as a portable fuel source.
As, and when, required the carrier material may be converted into energy in the form of
heat
or electricity through an Exothermic process.
A spontaneous exothermic reaction refers to the effect that no external energy input is required
once an initial reaction is initiated and will continue until all the available fuel is consumed.
There exists options for a number of candidate carrier materials that may be selected.
One such example of a prospective ideal carrier is Calcium or Lime.
This material may be packaged and stored for an indefinite period of time in ambient stable conditions.
The material may be transported as common non-hazardous goods.
Once the Exothermic energy has been extracted the end products may be regenerated to start the cycle again.
Short Cycle Regeneration is an approach that uses minimal storage reserves, but rather relies on rapid cycle recharging from compatible symbiotic modules from within the overall process to produce electricity on demand.
Hydro Energy
Hydro Energy Generation on a Short Cycle Regeneration basis.
By designing the water phase of a thermal recovery system to hold a modest reservoir of water at an elevated level,
the potential to generate
Hydro
Electric power exists.
Relying on pumps to circulate the water, from the lower reservoir to the upper reservoir to overcome the volume restrictions,
under pressure to amplify the water flow rate to compensate for lack of drop or fall of water.
Tapping into symbiotic activity across the recovery system, to drive the pumps as required, a small scale
Hydro Generation system may produce electricity.
Wind Energy
Concentrated Air Flow commonly compared to, or thought of, in reference to traditional
Wind Energy
Generation,
is an indoor controlled Wind on Demand system designed to harness energy from air flow.
Generating wind on demand from the rapid expansion of compressed air channeled through a wind tunnel
may focus the energy of the natural equilibrium forces of air pressure.
Engineered properly this system presents an opportunity to harness up to hurricane force winds in a controlled fashion,
on an as required basis.
The symbiotic relationship of compressed air storage generated from a Thermal Waste Recovery steam condensation process
provides a novel opportunity to generate negative footprint energy that resolves some of the traditional wind energy challenges.
Gravity Energy
Gravity Energy Generation on a Short Cycle Regeneration basis.
The potential to generate electricity from the kinetic motion of the
gravity
drop of massive materials is typically a large scale site specific operation.
By refocusing the same principals adapted to a smaller scale module you may be able to install and harness the
quick regeneration of gravity energy.
By scaling up the number, or size, of the modules you may be able to generate a meaningful amount of electricity on demand.
Tapping into symbiotic relationships between other compatible modules across the thermal waste recovery system,
the gravity energy generation system may be rapidly regenerated.
Temperature Gradient
Temperature
Gradient
Energy Generation on a Short Cycle Regeneration basis from both traditional Heat Exchange technologies
and expanding the developments in novel temperature exploitation present new and exciting opportunities.
A number of opportunities exist at various points across the process to harness the
potential contained within the temperature differential that is inherent at each stage.
Not only harnessing the Temperature Gradient between Hot & Cold, but capturing finer tuned differences between
hot & warm, warm & cool and also cool & cold process points.
The low hanging fruit allows the opportunity to install mechanisms such as sterling engines to convert
the potential energy into kinetic motion or electricity.
Broad temperature gradients resulting from a process such as compressed air expansion (extreme cooling)
used to condense steam (a high heat source) may yield a large potential of regenerating or a maintained
temperature range.
From nano or micro to small scale or larger scale electric generation,
harvesting even incremental amounts of energy contribute to the overall efficiency of the operation.
Tapping into technologies such as Solid State Thermoelectric Seebeck effect devices like
Thermo Electric Generators (TEG) & Solar Thermo Electric Generators (STEG) may add a measurable percentage
to the system output.
Solar Energy
The input of solar energy
Concentrated Solar energy focused on high temperature heating elements as the primary heat source to anchor the
thermal waste recovery process to produce steam.
Common solar Photovoltaic, Luminescent Solar Concentrators & Thermal Photovoltaic cells
are a method used to collect light to convert directly into electricity.
Electricity
As the world electrifies and moves toward carbon free emissions an energy intense process such as thermal waste recovery
will be required to master Internally Generated Electricity in order to develop and move forward.
The
pathways
that have been referred to outline some novel approaches which include the generation of electricity from
Steam and
Hydro
Electric generation.
Harnessing energy on demand from storage such as
Battery Banks,
Thermal Energy Storage
and
Compressed Air Storage
that may be converted into electricity.
In addition, the availability to tap into
Short Cycle Regeneration
sources such as Gravity Energy, Wind Energy (Air Flow) and Temperature Gradient provide a novel combination of electric generation.
Some level of popular interest has currently been expressed in the area of Excess Intermittent Electricity storage
and potential arbitrage opportunities.
We view this strategy as somewhat fickle over the longer term and even question the financial stability of
capital expenditures into ventures that rely solely on the sale of electricity to the grid.
In saying this, we also acknowledge the there may be some shorter term benefits for waste recovery systems that can accommodate
these intermittent needs within their existing design.
Grid Electricity may be consumed as an alternative back-up to operate the thermal waste recovery system.
The sale into the grid of surplus electricity generated from the operation of a thermal waste recovery system
may provide a revenue source.
Future control of this income stream may be out of the hands of the waste recovery facility operator
and may diminish or disappear.
Waste Heat
Co-locating a thermal waste recovery facility at a source site that generates
Waste Heat
may provide a
ongoing supply of low cost energy.
This site choice ties the destiny of the facility directly to the ongoing operation of a third party.
Waste Heat may be channeled through a heat exchanger or into
Temperature Gradient
capture system.
Optional Sidestreams
The direct or ambient harvesting of symbiotic
energy
sidestreams and tributary flows from within a recovery operation
adds to the overall energy output efficiency.
While individual streams may be small, the consolidation of these coexisting power sources magnifies the total sustainable goals of clean energy.
Summary
The challenge is to design for optimum operation by
engineering a system that has the capability to swap from priority or default pathways
as seamlessly and rapidly as possible and the ability to scale up or down each energy pathway module.
Check-out
Recovery 2.0
