CONVERTER FOR ORGANIC MATERIALS

A continuous converter for pyrolysing or otherwise processing biomass or other solid organic feed materials includes a reaction chamber () for producing a solid carbon-containing product and a gas product and optionally a liquid water product via pyrolysis or other reaction mechanisms from a solid organic feed material. The chamber has an inlet () for supplying a solid organic feed material to the chamber and separate outlets () for the solid carbon-containing product and the gas product produced in the reaction chamber. The inlet and the solid carbon-containing product outlet are configured so that the solid materials in the inlet and in the outlet form respective gas seals in the inlet and the outlet. 1. An apparatus for pyrolysing or otherwise processing a solid organic feed material includes:(a) a reaction chamber having an upstream end, a downstream end, an inlet for the organic feed material, and separate outlets for a gas product and a dried and pyrolysed solid carbon-containing product produced from the organic feed material in the chamber; and(b) an assembly for moving the organic material through the reaction chamber from the upstream end towards the downstream end of the chamber counter-current to a flow of gas produced in the chamber.2. The apparatus defined in includes an outlet for a liquid water product.3. The apparatus defined in includes a device for supplying the solid feed material to the reaction chamber that is configured so that the solid material in the inlet forms a gas seal.4. The apparatus defined in wherein the device is configured for compressing material within the device to form the gas seal.5. The apparatus defined in wherein the device includes two screws on the same axis claim 4 , with the screws being adapted to counter-rotate with respect to each other claim 4 , and an axial gap between the screws in which feed material is compressed in use of the device.6. The apparatus defined in wherein each screw is independently driven by a ...