Carbon-based durable goods and renewable fuel from biomass waste dissociation

Abstract

Techniques, systems, apparatus and material are disclosed for generating renewable energy from biomass waste while sequestering carbon. In one aspect, a method performed by a reactor to dissociate raw biomass waste into a renewable source energy or a carbon byproduct or both includes receiving the raw biomass waste that includes carbon, hydrogen and oxygen to be dissociated under an anaerobic reaction. Waste heat is recovered from an external heat source to heat the received raw biomass waste. The heated raw biomass waste is dissociated to produce the renewable fuel, carbon byproduct or both. The dissociating includes compacting the heated raw biomass waste, generating heat from an internal heat source, and applying the generated heat to the compacted biomass waste under pressure.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system for dissociation of raw biomass waste into a renewable fuel or a carbon byproduct or both, the system comprising:
 a hopper to receive the raw biomass waste that includes carbon, hydrogen and oxygen to be dissociated under an anaerobic reaction;   a waste heat exchanger coupled to the hopper to recover waste heat from an external heat source and transfer the recovered heat to the hopper to heat the raw biomass waste; and   a pressurized and heated reactor coupled to the hopper to receive the heated raw biomass waste, the reactor comprising:
 a conveyer to compact the heated raw biomass waste, 
 a combustor to generate heat used in the anaerobic reaction to dissociate the compacted biomass waste to produce the renewable fuel, carbon byproduct or both, and 
 a countercurrent heat exchanger to transfer heat from the produced renewable fuel or carbon byproduct or both to the compacted biomass waste that travels in a counter-flow direction from the advancing compacted biomass waste. 
   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the external heat source comprises a device for generating renewable energy comprising at least one of a wind energy generator, a solar energy generator, an energy generator from running water and a geothermal energy generator. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the conveyer is configured to:
 advance the compacted biomass waste towards a dissociation zone for dissociating the compacted biomass waste; and   remove moisture and air from the advancing compacted biomass waste.   
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the conveyer comprises:
 a progressively reduced pitch of helical flights of rotating tubes on an exterior surface of the conveyer to facilitate the removal of moisture and air.   
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 3 , wherein the pressurized and heated reactor is shaped to reduce a cross sectional area within the reactor for advancing the compacted biomass waste material while facilitating the removal of moisture and air. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the renewable fuel comprises at least one of hydrocarbon, alcohol, ammonia and hydrogen; and
 wherein the carbon byproduct comprises at least one of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and carbon.   
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 6 , wherein the hydrocarbon comprises at least one of methane and ethane; and
 wherein the alcohol comprises at least one of methanol and ethanol.   
     
     
         8 . The system of  claim 6 , further comprising:
 a hydrocarbon conversion system comprising one or more heat exchangers coupled to the reactor to receive the hydrocarbon and further coupled to the heat source to receive heat used to separate the hydrocarbon into hydrogen and carbon.   
     
     
         9 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the raw biomass waste comprises organic material containing carbon, hydrogen and oxygen obtained in response to photosynthesis. 
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 1 , further comprising a catalytic reaction zone for receiving a catalyst to facilitate formation of the renewable fuel comprising a hydrocarbon. 
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 10 , wherein the catalyst comprises at least one of, chromium, ceramics with rare earth constituents, a platinum metal group, nobleized nickel, and intermetallics of transition metals. 
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the biomass waste comprises at least one of glucose, lignin, and cellulosic feedstock.