Processed Biochar Pellets from Beneficiated Organic-Carbon-Containng Feedstock

Abstract

A renewable processed biochar pellet composition made with a pelletizing sub-system followed with a heating sub-system from a processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock made with a beneficiation sub-system is described. Renewable biomass feedstock passed through a beneficiation sub-system to reduce water content to below at least 20 wt % and an intracellular water-soluble salt reduction of at least 60% from that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock on a dry basis. The processed feedstock is introduced into a pelletizing sub-system and then into a heating sub-system to result in renewable processed biochar pellets having an energy density of at least 21 MMBTU/ton (24 GJ/MT), a water content of less than 10 wt %, and an intracellular water-soluble salt content that is decreased by at least 60 wt % on a dry basis for the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock from that of the unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition, comprising:
 a processed biochar pellet composition that comprises a processed biochar made from a processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock and having characteristics that include an energy density of at least 21 MMBTU/ton (24 GJ/MT), a water content of less than 10 wt %, and an intracellular water-soluble salt content in the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that is decreased more than 60 wt % on a dry basis from that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that was the source of the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock, and   the processed biochar pellet is made from unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that is converted into a processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock with a beneficiation sub-system, into the processed biochar with a heating sub-system, and into the processed biomass pellet with a pelletizing sub-system.   
     
     
         2 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the beneficiation sub-system, comprises:
 a. a transmission device configured to convey into a reaction chamber unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock comprising free water, intercellular water, intracellular water, intracellular water-soluble salts, and at least some plant cells comprising cell walls that include lignin, hemicellulose, and microfibrils within fibrils; 
 b. at least one reaction chamber comprising at least one entrance passageway, at least one exit passageway for fluid, at least one exit passageway for processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock, and at least three sections, the sections comprising,
 i. a wet fibril disruption section configured to interact with at least some of the lignin and hemicellulose between the fibrils to make at least some regions of the cell wall more susceptible to penetration by water-soluble salts without dissolving more than 25 percent of the lignin and hemicellulose, 
 ii. a vapor explosion section in communication with the wet fibril disruption section and at least configured to volatilize plant fibril permeable fluid through rapid decompression to penetrate the more susceptible regions of the cell wall so as to create a porous organic-carbon-containing feedstock with plant cell wall passageways for intracellular water and intracellular water-soluble salts to pass from the plant cell, and 
 iii. a compaction section in communication with the vapor explosion section and configured to compress the porous organic-carbon-containing feedstock between pressure plates configured to minimize formation of water-impermeable felt so as to permit the escape of intracellular water and intracellular water-soluble salt from the reaction chamber fluid exit passageway and to create processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that passes out through its reaction chamber exit passageway; and 
 
 c. a collection device in communication with the reaction chamber and configured to gather the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock having a water content of less than 20% by weight, a combined lignin and hemicellulose content that is decreased by at less than 25% on a dry basis from that of the unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock, and a water-soluble intracellular salt content that is decreased by at least 60% on a dry basis from that of the unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock. 
 
     
     
         3 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the heating sub-system is an oxygen-deprived thermal sub-system, comprises:
 a reaction chamber configured to heat processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock in an atmosphere that contains less than 4 percent oxygen to a temperature sufficient to convert at least some processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into processed biogas and processed biochar. 
 
     
     
         4 . The composition of  claim 3  wherein the oxygen-deprived thermal sub-system, comprises:
 a. a hot box configured to be able to heat from an ambient temperature to an operating sublimation temperature, maintain an initial operating sublimation temperature and a final operating sublimation temperature that are stable within less than ±10° C., and cool from operating sublimation temperatures to an ambient temperature without leaking any oxygen into the hot box and having at least one heat source in communication with the interior of the hot box to supply heat as needed; 
 b. at least one substantially horizontal reaction chamber largely located within the hot box, having a surface, configured to heat the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock without external catalyst or additional water to an operating sublimation temperature in a time frame that is short enough to sublime at least part of the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock without creating substantially any liquid, configured to heat from an ambient temperature to an operating sublimation temperature, operate at a sublimation temperature, and cool from a operating sublimation temperature to an ambient temperature without leaking any product gas fuel into the surrounding hot box, and comprising an input end outside the hot box and configured to receive compressed feedstock through an input line and an output end outside the hot box and configured to discharge product gas fuel gas through a discharge line and solid char fuel through an output line; 
 c. a first powered transport mechanism that is located within the reaction chamber and is configured to convey sublimation products of the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock through the reaction chamber as the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock is transformed into processed biogas and processed biochar; and 
 d. a gas-tight element on both the input line and output line and configured to prevent hot biogas from adversely escaping from the reaction chamber. 
 
     
     
         5 . The composition of  claim 3  wherein the oxygen-deprived thermal sub-system, comprises:
 a. at least one substantially vertical reaction chamber configured to heat the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock without external catalyst or additional water, carbon dioxide, or carbon monoxide, to an operating sublimation temperature in a time frame that is short enough to sublime at least part of the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock without creating substantially any liquid; 
 b. a first powered transport mechanism that is located partly within the reaction chamber, has an extended part that extends outside the reaction chamber, and is configured to convey sublimation products of the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock through the reaction chamber as the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock is transformed into biogas and processed biochar; and 
 c. a self-adjusting seal that is configured to continuously contain the processed biogas within the reaction chamber at the region surrounding the extended part of the powered transport mechanism during changing temperatures of startup and shutdown operations, and during steady-state sublimation temperature during operation. 
 
     
     
         6 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the heating sub-system is a microwave sub-system, comprising:
 a. at least one reaction chamber within a microwave reflecting enclosure, the reaction chamber comprising at least one microwave-transparent chamber wall and at least one reaction cavity within the reaction chamber that is configured to hold the organic-carbon-containing feedstock in an externally supplied oxygen free atmosphere; 
 b. a microwave subsystem comprising at least one device configured to emit microwaves when energized, the microwave device positioned relative to the reaction chamber so that the microwaves are directed through the microwave-transparent chamber wall and into the reaction cavity; and 
 c. a mechanism configured to provide relative motion between the microwave device and the reaction chamber. 
 
     
     
         7 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the pelletizing sub-system, comprises:
 a compression chamber configured to separate the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into discrete units of mass having a longest length of at least 0.16 inch (4.0 cm) and a density of at least 37.5 pounds per cubic foot (0.60 grams per cubic centimeter) to form processed biochar pellets and 
 a collection chamber configured to gather aggregates of processed biochar pellets. 
 
     
     
         8 . The composition of  claim 1  wherein the unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock has a water-soluble salt content of at least 4000 mg/kg on a dry basis. 
     
     
         9 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein the vapor explosion section of the beneficiation sub-system, further comprises:
 a wash element that is configured to remove and clean micro particles of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock, lignin fragments, and hemicellulosic fragments from the vapor explosion section into a fine, sticky mass of biomass with high lignin content, and 
 wherein a blending chamber of the blending sub-section is further configured to receive fine, sticky mass of biomass to permit lower temperatures in a compaction chamber formation during formation of blended compact aggregates. 
 
     
     
         10 . The composition of  claim 2  wherein the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock has a water soluble intracellular salt content that is decreased by more than 75 wt % on a dry basis from that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock and the compaction section of the beneficiated sub-system is configured to provide at least one rinsing step. 
     
     
         11 . A process of making processed a biochar pellet that comprises a processed biochar, comprising the steps of:
 inputting into a system comprising a first, a second, and a third subsystem an unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that includes free water, intercellular water, intracellular water, intracellular water-soluble salts, and at least some plant cells comprising cell walls that include lignin, hemicellulose, and microfibrils within fibrils;   passing unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock through the first subsystem, a beneficiation sub-system process, to result in processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock having a water content of less than 20 wt % and a water soluble intracellular salt content that is reduced by at least 60 wt % on a dry basis from that of the unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock;   passing the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock through the second subsystem, a heating sub-system process, to result in a processed biochar; and   passing processed biochar through the third subsystem, a pelletizing sub-system process, to result in pelletized processed biohchar pellets made from a processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock and having characteristics that include an energy density of at least 21 MMBTU/ton (24 GJ/MT), a water content of less than 10 wt %, and an intracellular water-soluble salt content in the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that is decreased more than 60 wt % on a dry basis from that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that was the source of the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock.   
     
     
         12 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the beneficiation sub-system process, further comprises the steps of:
 a. inputting into a beneficiation sub-system reaction chamber unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock comprising free water, intercellular water, intracellular water, intracellular water-soluble salts, and at least some plant cells comprising cell walls that include lignin, hemicellulose, and microfibrils within fibrils; 
 b. exposing the feedstock to hot solvent under pressure for a time at conditions specific to the feedstock to make some regions of the cell walls comprising crystallized cellulosic fibrils, lignin, and hemicellulose more able to be penetrable by water-soluble salts without dissolving more than 25 percent of the lignin and hemicellulose; 
 c. removing the pressure so as to penetrate the more penetrable regions to create porous feedstock with open pores in the plant cell walls; and 
 d. pressing the porous feedstock with conditions that include an adjustable compaction pressure versus time profile and compaction time duration, and between pressure plates configured to prevent felt from forming and blocking escape from the reaction chamber of intracellular and intercellular water, and intracellular water-soluble salts, and to create processed biomass that has a water content of less than 20 wt % and a water-soluble intracellular salt content that is decreased by at least 60 wt % on a dry basis from that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock; 
 the heat generating sub-system process, further comprises the steps of: 
 e. inputting processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into an oxygen-deprived reaction chamber configured to heat the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock in an atmosphere that contains less than 4 percent oxygen to a temperature sufficient to convert at least some processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into processed biogas and processed biochar; and 
 the pelletizing sub-system process, further comprises the step of 
 f. a compressing the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock to separate it into pellets with discrete units of mass having a longest length of at least 0.16 inch (4.0 cm) and a density of at least 37.5 pounds per cubic foot (0.60 grams per cubic centimeter) and collecting an aggregate of processed biochar pellets. 
 
     
     
         13 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the beneficiation sub-system process, further comprises:
 removing and cleaning of micro particles of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock, lignin fragments, and hemicellulosic fragments from the vapor explosion section into a fine, sticky mass of biomass with high lignin content in the removing the pressure step, and the blending sub-system, further comprises: 
 adding the fine, sticky mass of biomass to the blended powder to permit lower temperatures in the compressing step during formation of blended compact aggregates. 
 
     
     
         14 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the beneficiation sub-system process, further comprises:
 removing and cleaning of micro particles of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock, lignin fragments, and hemicellulosic fragments from the vapor explosion section into a fine, sticky mass of biomass with high lignin content in the removing the pressure step, and the blending sub-system, further comprises: 
 adding the fine, sticky mass of biomass to the processed biochar to permit lower temperatures during the formation of the processed biochar pellet. 
 
     
     
         15 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the heating sub-system is an oxygen-deprived thermal sub-system process, further comprises the steps of:
 a. inputting processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into a substantially horizontal sublimating reaction chamber largely contained within a hot box and configured to be able to heat from an ambient temperature to an operating sublimation temperature, operate at a sublimation temperature, and cool from a operating sublimation temperature to an ambient temperature without leaking any hot product gas fuel from the reaction chamber into the hot box or atmosphere, or leaking any oxygen from outside the hot box into the hot box; 
 b. heating the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock to a sublimating temperature before it is able to form a liquid phase; 
 c. maintaining the temperature at a sublimation temperature for a residence time that is as long a time as needed to convert the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock to processed biogas and processed biochar; and 
 d. separating the processed biogas from the processed biochar. 
 
     
     
         16 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the wherein the heating sub-system is an oxygen-deprived thermal sub-system process, further comprises the steps of:
 a. inputting processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into a substantially vertical sublimating reaction chamber; 
 b. heating processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock to a sublimating temperature before it is able to form a liquid phase; 
 c. maintaining the temperature at a sublimation temperature for a residence time that is as long a time as needed to convert the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock to processed biogas and processed biochar; and 
 d. separating the processed biogas from the processed biochar. 
 
     
     
         17 . The process of  claim 12  wherein the heating sub-system is a microwave sub-system process, comprising the steps of:
 a. inputting processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into a substantially microwave-transparent reaction chamber containing no externally supplied oxygen and within a microwave reflective enclosure; 
 b. directing microwaves from a microwave source through walls of the reaction chamber to impinge on the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock; 
 c. providing relative motion between the microwave-transparent reaction chamber and the microwave source; and 
 d. microwaving the feedstock until the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock reacts to produce processed biochar further comprising a water content of less than 10 wt % and a water-soluble salt content that is a decrease of more than 60 wt % on a dry basis of the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock from that of the unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock. 
 
     
     
         18 . The process of  claim 11  wherein the beneficiation sub-system process and the pelletizing sub-system process, further comprises the steps of:
 a. inputting into a reaction chamber unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock comprising free water, intercellular water, intracellular water, intracellular water-soluble salts, and at least some plant cells comprising cell walls that include lignin, hemicellulose, and microfibrils within fibrils; 
 b. exposing the feedstock to hot solvent under pressure for a time at conditions specific to the feedstock to make some regions of the cell walls comprising crystallized cellulosic fibrils, lignin, and hemicellulose more able to be penetrable by water-soluble salts without dissolving more than 25 percent of the lignin and hemicellulose; 
 c. removing the pressure so as to penetrate the more penetrable regions to create porous feedstock with open pores in the plant cell walls; and 
 d. pressing the porous feedstock with conditions that include an adjustable compaction pressure versus time profile and compaction time duration, and between pressure plates configured to prevent felt from forming and blocking escape from the reaction chamber of intracellular and intercellular water, and intracellular water-soluble salts and to create processed biomass that has a water content of less than 20 wt %, a water-soluble intracellular salt content that is decreased by at least 60 wt % on a dry basis over that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock, and a cost per weight of removing the water and water-soluble salt that is reduced to less than 60% of the cost per weight of similar water removal from known mechanical, known physiochemical, or known thermal processes; 
 the heat generating sub-system process, further comprises the steps of: 
 e. inputting processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into an oxygen-deprived reaction chamber configured to heat the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock in an atmosphere that contains less than 4 percent oxygen to a temperature sufficient to convert at least some processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into processed biogas and processed biochar; and 
 the pelletizing sub-system process, further comprises the steps of 
 f. a compressing the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock to separate it into pellets with discrete units of mass having a longest length of at least 0.16 inch (4.0 cm) and a density of at least 37.5 pounds per cubic foot (0.60 grams per cubic centimeter) and collecting an aggregate of processed biochar pellets.