Systems And Methods For Converting Biomass In The Field To A Combustible Fluid For Direct Replacement Or Supplement To Liquid Fossil Fuels

Abstract

Methods, systems, and devices convert biomass from the field to provide heat, motive working gas, electrical energy, or fuel such that the biomass directly replaces or supplements liquid fossil fuels wherever these fuels may be used. The methods include procedures for harvesting the biomass, reducing it to a transportable form, purifying it and blending additives as necessary, and finally reducing the refined biomass to an explosible particle size distribution generally finer than 80 mesh for heating applications or 200 mesh for application in internal or external combustion engines. The present invention preferably includes transportation of the finished powder to storage units at the end user site, where the fuel is used by continuous delivery, metering, and dispersal in air to produce a continuous supply of an explosible fluid dispersion for direct energy conversion. Systems of automatic production for a variety of applications are also described.

1 . A system for converting raw biomass to heat energy comprising:
 a harvester, wherein the harvester harvests at least one raw biomass material;   a transporter, wherein the transporter transports the raw biomass material to a central processing facility; and   the central processing facility comprising:
 a fine grinding system, wherein the fine grinding system grinds the raw biomass material to a predetermined size distribution to form a substantially explosible powdered fuel; and 
 at least one burner system comprising:
 a positive displacement powder dispersion feed system comprising:
 an oxidizing gas feed system supplying a flow of an oxidizing gas; 
 a powder fuel feed system regulating a powder flow rate of the explosible powdered solid fuel; and 
 a mixing zone having inputs coupled to the oxidizing gas feed system and the powder fuel feed system and an output comprising a moving stream of a dispersion of particles of the powdered solid fuel in the oxidizing gas; 
 
 a flame stabilizing combustion system fed by the mixing zone for directing the moving stream toward a stationary deflagrating flame; and 
 an ignition source for initiating the deflagrating flame; 
 wherein the powder flow rate and a gas feed rate for the oxidizing gas feed system are selected such that the dispersion of particles is explosible and sustains the stationary deflagrating flame. 
 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an engine run using heat energy produced in the burner system. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the engine is selected from the group consisting of an external combustion engine and an internal combustion engine. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 2  further comprising a generator run by the engine for generating electrical power. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising a rough grind system, wherein the rough grind system grinds the raw biomass material to a predetermined drying size for drying to remove moisture. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 5  further comprising a dryer, wherein the dryer removes moisture to a predetermined moisture level from the raw biomass material ground to the predetermined drying size. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one transfer device for transferring biomass within the central processing facility. 
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 7 , wherein the transfer device is selected from the group consisting of a conveyor belt, a metering auger, a blower, a truck, and a multi-wheeled transport device. 
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising an inventorying device for inventorying an amount of the biomass material in the system. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1  further comprising at least one storage device, wherein the storage device stores the substantially explosible powdered fuel until energy is needed. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the system produces energy by a continuous process of linked components. 
     
     
         12 . A method of delivering an explosible mixture comprising a substantially explosible powdered fuel to an ignition source inside a combustion enclosure in a self-sustainable system to generate power, the method comprising the steps of:
 a) harvesting at least one raw biomass material;   b) transporting the raw biomass material to a central processing facility;   c) drying the raw biomass material to a predetermined moisture level;   d) reducing at least a portion of the biomass material to a predetermined particle size for use as the substantially explosible powdered fuel;   e) mixing the powdered fuel with an oxidizing gas to form the explosible mixture;   f) igniting the explosible mixture in the combustion enclosure such that a stationary deflagrating combustion wave is formed; and   g) consuming the powdered fuel to produce energy to generate power.   
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of harvesting is performed such that the raw biomass material is transportable to the central processing facility. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the step of harvesting comprises a sub-step selected from the group consisting of:
 a) chipping a plurality of waste wood from a forest harvest into a truck equipped to compress and transport the waste wood;   b) collecting a plurality of pulpwood logs for transportation;   c) collecting and baling a plurality of waste corn stalks from a harvest;   e) cutting, windrowing, and baling switch grass;   f) collecting scrap wood, construction debris, or demolition debris; and   g) any combination of a) through f).   
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of reducing the raw biomass to a form that can be easily dried and transported by auger, air, or conveyor. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of drying the form as needed depending on timing requirements for harvesting the biomass and producing the substantially explosible powdered fuel. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 15  further comprising the step of inventorying the form to determine timing requirements for harvesting additional biomass material and delivering the substantially explosible powdered fuel to the ignition source. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 15 , wherein the step of reducing comprises at least one sub-step of grinding at least a portion of the form to a predetermined dimension to form the substantially explosible powdered fuel. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sub-steps of grinding are separated by intermediate steps of transporting using augers or air and inventorying using a plurality of bins. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 18 , wherein the sub-steps of grinding are continuous such that an output of a courser grinding mill is fed directly to a finer grinding mill. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of inventorying the powdered fuel. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of transporting the powdered fuel to at least one distribution center or to a storage facility of at least one final user. 
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of transferring the powdered fuel by auger or blower to a storage hopper of a final application at the central processing facility. 
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of mixing the powdered fuel with an oxidizing gas further comprises the sub-steps of metering the powdered fuel, metering the oxidizing gas, and mixing the powdered fuel with the oxidizing gas to form the explosible mixture. 
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the step of burning the explosible mixture further comprises the sub-step of blowing the explosible mixture past an ignition source. 
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 12 , wherein the raw biomass material is selected from the group consisting of wheat straw, rice straw, a portion of a plurality of trees left after a forest harvest, a portion of a forest, a portion of pulpwood harvested for paper making or particle board production, a fast growing plant species, any other waste biomass stream that can be readily harvested and driedcrops, wastes, residues, starch crops, grains, rice, barley, rye, oats, soybean, maize, wheat, sugar cane, sugar, cocoa bean, sugar crops, corn, grasses, switchgrass,  Miscanthus  grass, elephant grass, Orchardgrass, perennial grasses, Timothy grass tall fescue, prairie grass, Abfrageergebnisse, Reed canarygrass, industrial hemp, Giant reed, cotton, seeds, husks, seaweed, water hyacinth, algae, microalgae, herbaceous and woody energy crops, wood chips, bamboo, wood, stem wood, cellulose, and lignin, hardwoods, American sycamore, black locust, eucalyptus, hybrid poplar, hybrid willow, silver maple, softwoods, cedar, pine, Monterey pine, invasive types of brush, fishmeal, fat, whey, agricultural wastes, rice straw, chaff, wheat straw, sugar cane bagasse, corn stover, corn stalks, biochar, forestal wastes, sawdust, shavings, lumber wastes, pulp, pulp waste, mill wastes, thinned woods, brush solid wastes, municipal solid wastes, industrial solid wastes, construction wastes, demolition wood wastes, urban wood wastes, yard wastes, agricultural residues, livestock wastes, dry manure solids, poultry wastes, intermediate enzymatic and acid hydrolysis bio-solid byproducts and waste solids from biological processes of ethanol fermentation, methane production, and anaerobic digestion, and any combination of the above. 
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of providing electricity using energy released in the step of combustion of the explosible mixture. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of burning a portion of the explosible mixture in a combustion chamber of an internal combustion engine to generate a mechanical power. 
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of burning a portion of the explosible mixture to generate steam to run a steam turbine or to power an external combustion engine. 
     
     
         30 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of using energy generated from the step of consuming the powdered fuel to operate at least one machine selected from the group consisting of a grinding mill, an electrical generator for powering electric motors driving a plurality of equipment needed to produce the powdered fuel, a battery used to start up the burner, an electric cooking unit, a pump for pumping well water, a water purification system, electrical lighting, a cellular phone system, and any combination of the above. 
     
     
         31 . The method of  claim 12  further comprising the step of adding at least one additive to the raw biomass material selected from the group consisting of boron, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, silicon, sulfur, aluminum, iron, titanium, tantalum, zirconium, zinc, and compounds and alloys thereof, bronze, titanium dioxide, coal, ultra clean coal, metal, plastic, sulfur dust, phosphorus dust, polyester dust, a hydrocarbon-bearing solid, polypropylene, polystyrene, acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyester, polyamides, polyurethanes, polycarbonate, polyvinylidene chloride, polyethylene, polymethyl methacrylate, polytetrafluoroethylene, polyetheretherketone, polyetherimide, phenolics, urea-formaldehyde, melamine formaldehyde, and polylactic acid, and any combination of the above.