Industries
INDUSTRIES
Mineral Processing
Originally conceived for exfoliation (expansion or puffing) of vermiculite, the TORBED technology has been adapted for a diverse range of thermal mineral processes, including roasting of sulphides, calcination of lime, calcination of clays, processing kaolin and producing metakaolin, dehydroxylation, drying, preheating, and many other applications. We are experienced with high temperature and demanding processes that require tight process control to produce superior products with a high energy efficiency, low maintenance solution.
The TORBED technology is ideally suited to mineral processes where energy efficiency, total footprint, process control, and fast reaction rates are important. This is especially prevalent with fine minerals, where the TORBED technology can be used as a flash calciner, or carry out other flash processes. Critically the high heat transfer rates means that during these flash processes the product surface area increases, which can lead to many desirable product outcomes.
As our clients focus on energy reduction, out technology’s abilities with fine materials and as a flash calciner have seen extensions to the range of applications in this area. The first of these is a fine drying process that uses the TORWAVE processor’s ability to heat material volumetrically, both saving energy and avoiding over-processing of the exterior of particles that would occur with a purely conventional heat source. The second is a process of flash calcining waste clays (construction spoil and demolition rubble) to produce a supplementary cementitious material which can be used as a substitute for cement in concrete. The helps toward decarbonisation of the cement industry and illustrates how our technology can be used as circular economy solutions equipment.
INDUSTRIES
High Volume Industrial Food Processing
Torftech has over 35 years of experience supplying fully electric TORBED systems into the food industry for a wide variety of high volume industrial food processing processes, including snack food and cereal popping, drying of ingredients and starches, roasting of nuts, coffee and spices. and many more. We have a range of standard processors as well as the ability to provide bespoke systems of any requirement. Use TORBED processors for faster, greener processing and better tasting, more consistent products. Use TORWAVE processors where higher heat transfer and volumetric heating can bring greater benefit.
Popped products
Drying
Drying food powders and products is easy, with the ability to handle a wide variety of product sizes and moisture contents. The TORBED food machines can be used for flash drying, as well as drying of sensitive products where both temperature and moisture control are critical. TORWAVE food machines offer even greater control.
Roasting
Excellent process control and homogeneity combine with the fully electric system for precision roasting of coffee, nuts, seeds, spices and more and potentially, a reduced carbon footprint.. The enhanced heat transfer and roasting time can increase the product surface area, improving flavour and extractability of flavour compounds.
Pasteurisation
The unparalleled heat transfer to seeds or herbs allows surface heating to occur to destroy contaminants without over-heating the overall product.
INDUSTRIES
Sludge Processing
The Torftech technology has been used extensively to dry sludges at both commercial and trial level on materials such as sewage sludge, paper sludge, Zeolytes and drill cuttings.
Some of these processes include combustion, gasification or calcination of the dried material to provide a heat source for the drying party of the process, providing a further example of the use of TORBED processors as circular economy solutions equipment. Our current focus is on Paper Sludge.
Torftech has over 20 years of experience in the paper industry, dealing with paper sludge to turn a waste stream in to a product stream. We have created systems for paper sludge drying, as well and for the calcination of the residual minerals in the sludge while combusting the remaining fibre.
The Intense processing in the TORBED reactor means that the paper sludge can be processed without problems around maintenance, and by making use of waste heat within the paper mill. By incorporating the TORBED calciner with the TORBED paper sludge dryer in many cases the system can be self-sustaining as well as providing additional energy to the mill, displacing some of the fossil fuel usage typically required for raising steam.
The TORBED technology can provide paper mills with a means of eliminating their waste streams, whilst in turn providing a net energy benefit to the mill and producing a product that can bring in revenue streams.
Efficient commercial food sludge processing helps in waste reduction and environmental protection and also contributes to the circular economy by turning waste into valuable resources. Our technologies and approaches optimize this process, enhance sustainability, and comply with regulations.
Our earliest experience with paper sludge was a dryer, which replaced a belt dryer which was much larger. The dried paper sludge was used for animal bedding, completing the recycle of the wastepaper that led to the paper sludge in the first place. A more recent project completes the recycle in a different way. The dried paper sludge is calcined, providing a supplementary cementitious material that can be used in concrete and heat which is used to dry the sludge once the system is uo and going. Circular economy solutions equipment!
Our earliest experience with paper sludge was a dryer, which replaced a belt dryer which was much larger. The dried paper sludge was used for animal bedding, completing the recycle of the wastepaper that led to the paper sludge in the first place. A more recent project (pictured) completes the recycle in a different way. This groundbreaking facility offers a. means of changing the carbon footprint of two foundational industries: paper and cement. Located in France, the plant harnesses the power of Torftech’s innovative TORBED processors to convert paper sludge into a lime product. It’s immediate carbon-reduction impact is to reduce the methane-producing landfilling of paper sludge. This lime mineral, a supplementary cementitious material, will play a pivotal role in the production of low carbon cement and the plant will also produce high quality heat, reducing energy consumption at the paper mill.
Key Highlights:
- Circular Economy Innovation: The plant is a tangible step towards decarbonizing both the paper and cement industries. Its aim is to valorise wastepaper sludge to create valuable minerals that would otherwise go to waste.
- Energy Efficiency: The heat generated during the process will be partially recycled to dry the paper sludge, with the remainder utilised for various industrial processes. This energy-conscious approach not only enhances sustainability but also contributes to substantial cost savings.
- Waste Utilisation: This process extracts value from not only wastepaper sludge, but also converts plastic rejects from the mill into useful heat. The accurately controlled process destroys the plastics, ensuring that there is no microplastic or other waste stream that is damaging to the environment.
- TORBED Technology: Torftech’s TORBED processors play a pivotal role in ensuring precision, control, and consistent production of high-quality lime minerals. Low footprint and maintenance requirements contribute to cost-effectiveness and lifetime economic benefit.
- Commercial Certification: The ultimate goal of this pilot plant is to produce bulk trial samples of minerals that will undergo extended testing for use as commercial cement. This will pave the way for the certification of TORBED-produced lime, providing a solid foundation for the total environmental and economic case of similar installations.
In providing this system, we demonstrate the immense potential of our proprietary technology in contributing to a sustainable and circular economy. This project marks a significant stride towards a future where waste becomes a valuable resource, and industries embrace innovative solutions for a greener planet.
INDUSTRIES
Waste Processing
Torftech has a long history of dealing with waste processing that requires specialist conditions or excellent process control. The TORBED technology
is ideally suited to these challenging processes when a tight control band is needed to ensure that there are no problems with under-treating the waste or with over-treating it and creating additional processing steps.
These wastes include oil contaminated fines, carbon poisoned catalysts, spent pot liners from the aluminium industry, recycled road stone, oily cuttings from drilling operations and many others. The low footprint of the TORBED reactor also means that it is an excellent solution for retrofitting into existing plants where waste control has become a new challenge.
INDUSTRIES
Thermal Biomass Processing
TORBED processors have been employed in the biomass sector across a full spectrum of thermal biomass processing from drying to combustion.
From making use of waste heat to supporting high quality by-products, thermal biomass processing is another series of applications which demonstrate our technology’s abilities as circular economy solutions equipment.
Drying
Widely used for processes that involve fines, TORBED dryers have been extensively deployed in both the food and biomass industries. In comparison to alternative technologies, they offer small scale, consistency of output and reduced mechanical complexity.
Torrefaction
A process of roasting biomass, driving off water and reducing bulk. Torftech supplied its first torrefaction plant in 2010/11 and has continued since to refine the technology.
Gasification
Flexible TORBED gasifiers display our hallmark control and flexibility, offering temperature control to prevent sintering of high alkali metal content biomass and the ability to accept and process pieces of biomass of varying sizes. Gasification in a TORBED produces syngas which can be used for power
or heat generation together with a biochar with a high surface area (a characteristic of many materials processed in a TORBED reactor). The quality of the biochar varies with both the nature of the biomass processed and the precise process conditions. Biochar produced in a TORBED gasifier has been sold commercially for soil remediation purposes.
Combustion
Where combustion, as opposed to torrefaction or gasification is the desired process, TORBED combustors offer their customary benefits of control, low pressure drop and small footprint. Useful and saleable byproducts are also possible, for example amorphous silica ash from combustion of rice husk: the quality of the result being a direct function of close temperature control.
INDUSTRIES
Insect Processing
There is significant global interest in processing insects for animal or even human consumption. A TORBED processor has been used for separation of larvae from frass.
Looking at the broader insect plant flow sheet, our processors offer potential as gasifiers, creating energy from the frass and as dryers, where in either dry or wet rendering processes, they can dry insect derived proteins without damaging them.
INDUSTRIES
Carbon Processing
We sold our first processor to the carbon sector in 1992. It was used to dry coal slimes, turning a waste into a viable fuel. Since then, TORBED processors have been used to regenerate spent activated carbon and to create an active biochar at commercial scale and to torrefy wood to create biocoal, also at commercial scale.
The TORBED processor offers broad ranging processing capabilities for the treatment of lignite, sub-bituminous coal and coal waste ranging from drying to devolatilization to activation.
INDUSTRIES
Industrial Catalyst Processing
The first TORBED processor used for catalyst processing was installed in 1997. The ability to control strong exothermic reactions allowed the regeneration and recovery of catalysts and zeolites to be carried out faster and with greater precision. The precise temperature control achieved in endothermic calcination of catalyst substrates produces higher surface area support structures and more reactive catalysts.
There are several application areas where TORBED reactors are already utilised including:
• Catalyst manufacture
• Catalyst regeneration
• Catalyst recovery
• Zeolite regeneration
Catalyst and zeolite regeneration are excellent and early examples of TORBED processors as circular economy solutions equipment. The TORWAVE processor with its combination of conventional and microwave heat sources, offers even greater process control where enhanced Industrial Catalyst Processing accuracy is needed.
INDUSTRIES
Industrial Gas Scrubbing
The first TORBED industrial gas scrubber, a pilot plant was installed in 1991. Designed to scrub Hydrofluoric acid from the exhaust gas streams of an aluminium smelter using a (highly abrasive) alumina reagent, this pilot plant led to the sale of a further 13 TORBED processors in 1996. 6m in internal diameter, these are the largest TORBED processors ever installed.
Our processors accuracy and thorough mixing make them ideally suited for gas scrubbing. As well as the largest ever TORBED processor installed, it also accounts for the smallest TORBED we have supplied, a 50mm internal diameter machine 3-D printed from resin and used for testing carbon capture reagents.
Industrial gas scrubbing is the core of any carbon capture technology and we continue to collaborate on projects designed to test the efficacy of reagents in carbon capture. A TORBED processor designed to sequester CO2 from a mixture of air and process gasses was installed in 2024.
We can change the way you process
Our processors have capabilities in a range of gas-solid contacting processes from high temperature flash calcination to low temperature drying across a diverse range of industries. Often our processors offer an alternative to less resource-efficient conventional technologies. Find out about some of the processes for which our technology has been used and see if we could assist you.