Process for producing pulp and energy from grassland cropping systems

Abstract

A novel method for producing pulp and energy from grasses is disclosed. The invention relates to producing grass plants and harvesting, handling and processing the harvested plant material.

What is claimed:  
     
         1 . A method of producing a fibrous pulp comprising: 
   1 ) harvesting and drying a grass plant to produce harvested material;      2 ) collecting said harvested material;      3 ) size reduction of said harvested material;      4 ) densification of said harvested material; and      5 ) transporting said harvested material to a pulp mill to produce fibrous pulp, or to an energy plant to produce energy.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said grass plant is selected from the group consisting of bahiagrass, bermudagrass, johnsongrass, panic grass, switchgrass, kikuyu grass, elephant grass, Miscanthus, giant reed, weeping lovegrass, corn, sorghum, sorghum-sudangrass, tall fescue, reed canary grass, canary grass, smooth brome grass, perennial ryegrass, bamboo, Arundo, annual ryegrass, wheat, rye, or oats.  
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said densification is done by baling the harvested material into round or square bales.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein said bales are ground in a tub grinder to produce pieces of grass.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said pieces are densified by building a module with a cotton module builder.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said densification is carried out by compressing the piecess or powder into pellets or cubes having a density range of about 10 lbs/ft 3  to about 90 lbs/ft 3    
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said size reduction is done by chopping said plant into pieces.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said pieces are densified by building a module with a cotton module builder.  
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 7 , wherein said densification is carried out by compressing the pieces or powder into pellets or cubes having a density range of about 10 lbs/ft 3  to about 90 lbs/ft 3 .  
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein said size reduction is done by milling or pulverizing said plant into a powder with a bulk density between about 10 lbs/ft 3  and about 60 lb/ft 3 .  
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said pieces are densified by building a module with a cotton module builder.  
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said densification is carried out by compressing the pieces or powder into pellets or cubes having a density range of about 10 lbs/ft 3  to about 90 lbs/ft 3 .  
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 6 , wherein the pellets or cubes are from {fraction ( 1 / 2 )} inch in length to about 10 inches in length.  
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the pellets or cubes are fed into a energy plant to produce energy.  
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the said cubes or pellets are co-milled with coal prior to co-firing the harvested material with coal to produce electricity.  
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein the said pellets or cubes are fed into a pulp mill to produce a fibrous pulp.  
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 14 , wherein said pellets or cubes are fed into a pulp mill in a mixture with wood chips to produce a fibrous pulp.  
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 10 , wherein said powder is fed into a gasifier to produce syngas.