US2007151145A1PendingUtilityA1

System and method for producing solid fuel

28
Individually held — no corporate assignee on recordPriority: Nov 23, 2005Filed: Nov 22, 2006Published: Jul 5, 2007
Est. expiryNov 23, 2025(expired)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Paul R. Felger
Y02E50/10C10L 5/363C10L 5/42C10L 5/44C10L 5/366Y02E50/30
28
PatentIndex Score
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Cited by
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References
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Claims

Abstract

A system and method for producing solid fuel may comprise a base material in the form of at least one of biomaterial waste and one or more agricultural crops. The base material is combined with at least one additive, wherein the combination of the base material and the at least one additive has at least one property that is different than that of the base material. The combination of the base material and the at least one additive is processed to form the solid fuel.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method of producing a solid fuel comprising: 
 providing a base material in the form of at least one of biomaterial waste and one or more agricultural crops,    combining the base material with at least one additive, the combination of the base material and the at least one additive having at least one property that is different than that of the base material, and    processing the combination of the base material and the at least one additive to form the solid fuel.    
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein processing the combination of the base material and the at least one additive comprises processing the combination of the base material and the at least one additive to form a powdered fuel.  
   
   
       3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein processing the combination of the base material and the at least one additive comprises processing the combination of the base material and the at least one additive to form fuel pellets.  
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the base material has an associated BTU value, 
 and wherein the at least one additive has a BTU value that is greater than the associated BTU value such that combining the base material with at least one additive results in the combination having a BTU value that is greater than the associated BTU value.    
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein combining the base material with the at least one additive comprises selecting the at least one additive to have a BTU value which, when combined with the base material, results in the combination that achieves a target BTU value.  
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the base material has an associated nutrient value, 
 and wherein the at least one additive has a nutrient value that is greater than the associated nutrient value such that combining the base material with at least one additive results in the combination having a nutrient value that is greater than the associated nutrient value.    
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein combining the base material with the at least one additive comprises selecting the at least one additive to have a nutrient value which, when combined with the base material, results in the combination that achieves a target nutrient value.  
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 7  further comprising: 
 burning the solid fuel to produce ash having the target nutrient value, and    using the ash as fertilizer.    
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 1  wherein solid fuel formed without the at least one additive produces dust when handled, 
 and wherein the at least one additive includes a binder which, when combined with the base material, reduces dust produced by handling of the resulting solid fuel.    
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 1  wherein a solid fuel formed without the at least one additive produces emissions having a number of emission elements when burned, 
 and wherein the at least one additive reduces emission of at least one of the number of emission elements resulting from burning of the resulting solid fuel.    
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the biomaterial waste comprises animal manure.  
   
   
       12 . A system for producing solid fuel, comprising: 
 a mixer configured to combine a base material in the form of at least one of biomaterial waste and one or more agricultural crops with at least one additive, the combination of the base material and the at least one additive having at least one property that is different than that of the base material, and    a mill configured to process the combination of the base material and the at least one additive to produce the solid fuel in powder or pellet form.    
   
   
       13 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the biomaterial waste comprises animal manure.  
   
   
       14 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the base material has a first BTU value, 
 and wherein the at least one additive has a second BTU value that is higher than the first BTU value so that the combination of the base material and the at least one additive has a resulting BTU value that is higher than the first BTU value.    
   
   
       15 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the base material has a first nutrient value, 
 and wherein the at least one additive has a second nutrient value that is higher than the first nutrient value so that the combination of the base material and the at least one additive has a resulting nutrient value that is higher than the first nutrient value.    
   
   
       16 . The system of  claim 12  wherein a first solid fuel produced without the at least one additive produces dust when handled, 
 and wherein the at least one additive comprises a binder which, when combined with the base material, results in second solid fuel that produces less dust than the first solid fuel when handled.    
   
   
       17 . The system of  claim 12  wherein a first solid fuel produced without the at least one additive produces emissions having a number of emission elements when burned, 
 and wherein the at least one additive comprises a binder which, when combined with the base material, results in a second solid fuel which, when burned, produces less of at least one of the number of emission elements than the first solid fuel.    
   
   
       18 . The system of  claim 12  wherein the at least one additive comprises a binder that increases the lubricity of the mill when then mill processes the combination of the base material and the at least one additive.  
   
   
       19 . A method of producing a dry solid fuel, comprising: 
 growing a combination of a number of agricultural plants together on a common plot of land,    grinding the combination of a number of agricultural plants into a ground crop combination,    drying the ground crop combination, and    mixing the ground crop combination to produce the dry solid fuel.    
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein growing the combination of a number of agricultural plants comprises including in the combination one or more plants that cause the combination of a number of agricultural plants to have a BTU value that is within a range of BTU values.  
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein growing the combination of a number of agricultural plants comprises including in the combination one or more plants that cause the combination of a number of agricultural plants to have a nutrient value that is within a range of nutrient values.  
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 19  wherein growing the combination of a number of agricultural plants comprises including in the combination one or more plants that provide fibrous bulk for burning and for producing nutritional ash.  
   
   
       23 . The method of  claim 19  wherein growing the combination of a number of agricultural plants comprises including in the combination one or more plants that naturally ward off at least one of weeds, insect pests and animal pests.  
   
   
       24 . The method of  claim 19  wherein growing the combination of a number of agricultural plants comprises including in the combination one or more plants that act as a binder for the dry solid fuel when ground or milled.  
   
   
       25 . The method of  claim 19  wherein growing the combination of a number of agricultural plants comprises including in the combination one or more plants that provide natural fertilizer for remaining ones of the number of agricultural plants being grown on the common plot of land.  
   
   
       26 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising selecting the number of agricultural plants based on terrain, climate and soil content of the common plot of land.  
   
   
       27 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising burning the dry solid fuel to produce heat having a BTU value that is within a range of BTU values.  
   
   
       28 . The method of  claim 19  further comprising using ash resulting from burning the dry solid fuel as fertilizer.  
   
   
       29 . The method of  claim 19  wherein growing the combination of a number of agricultural plants comprises including in the combination one or more plants that control emission of at least one emission element resulting from burning of the dry solid fuel.

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