Corn stover fuel objects with high heat output and reduced emissions designed for large-scale power generation

Abstract

A Novel fuel object comprised of a proportion of corn stover and a proportion of wood fiber combined with a basically reacting compound. The object comprises fiber of the appropriate size and moisture content combined with an inorganic base. An appropriately sized object is readily manufactured, provides high heat output, is consistent in fuel characteristics, and is sized and configured for use in power generation facilities. Based on fiber selection and processing, the fuel object may be used in a variety of current power generation technologies including stoker, fluidized bed, gasifier, cyclonic, direct-fired, and pulverized coal technologies, and results in significant reduction of air emissions (including sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, hydrochloric acid, carbon monoxide, carbon dioxide, and mercury) compared to coal with no loss of boiler or furnace efficiency.

1 . A fuel object having maximum dimension of about 6 cm, a volume of about 10 to 100 cm 3 , a moisture content of less than about 14 wt. %, the fuel object comprising:
 (i) about 60 to 80 wt. % of a particulate derived from corn stover having a particle size of about 100 to 35,000 microns;   (ii) about 20 to 40 wt. % of a wood fiber having a particle size of about 100 to 30,000 microns; and   (iii) about 1 to 10 wt. % of sodium bicarbonate; and   (iv) wherein the fuel object is substantially free of coal as a heat source and the fuel object provides at least 7,000 BTU-lb −1  (3500 cal.-gm −1 ).   
     
     
         2 . The fuel object of  claim 1  wherein the fuel object comprises a cubic unit with a side dimension of 2 to 6 cm. 
     
     
         3 . A fuel source comprising a fuel object according to  claim 1  and a conventional fossil fuel. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel source of  claim 3  wherein the conventional fossil fuel comprises coal. 
     
     
         5 . A method of reducing emissions upon combustion of a conventional fossil fuel, said method comprising co-firing a fuel object of  claim 1  with a conventional fossil fuel. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein HCl, SO 2  and NO x  emissions are reduced. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the conventional fossil fuel is selected from coal products and petroleum products. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 7  wherein the coal products are selected from bituminous coal, anthracite coal and peat. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the coal comprises eastern coal.