Processed Biomass Pellets From Organic-Carbon-Containing Feedstock

Abstract

A renewable processed biomass pellet composition made with a pelletizing 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 water-soluble intracellular 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 to result in renewable processed biomass pellets having an energy density of at least 17 MMBTU/ton (20 GJ/MT) a water content of less than 20 wt %, and water-soluble intracellular 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, and made with 40% less energy than expended to make current biomass pellets.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A composition comprising:
 a processed biomass pellet composition that comprises a processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock with characteristics that include an energy density of at least 17 MMBTU/ton (20 GJ/MT), a water content of less than 20 wt %, and a water-soluble intracellular salt content that is decreased more than 60 wt % on a dry basis for the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock from that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock, wherein the processed biomass pellet is made from unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that is converted into the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock with a beneficiation sub-system, and into the processed biomass pellet with a pelletizing sub-system that is made with 40% less energy than expended to make an unprocessed biomass pellet.   
     
     
         2 . A composition according to  claim 1  wherein the beneficiation sub-system, comprises:
 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; 
 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:
 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, 
 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 
 a compaction section in communication with the vapor explosion section and configured to compress the porous organic-carbon-containing feedstock 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 
 
 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 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 . A composition according to  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 biomass pellets; and   a collection chamber configured to gather an aggregate of processed biomass pellets.   
     
     
         4 . A composition according to  claim 3 , wherein the pelletizing sub-system further comprises a heating chamber configured to apply sufficient heat to the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock to reduce its water content to less than 10% by weight. 
     
     
         5 . A composition according to  claim 4 , wherein the compression chamber and the heating chamber are the same chamber. 
     
     
         6 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the water-soluble intracellular salt content is reduced by more than 70 wt %. 
     
     
         7 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock comprises less than 5 wt % water. 
     
     
         8 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock comprises less than 5 wt % volatiles. 
     
     
         9 . A composition according to  claim 1 , wherein the unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock comprises at least two from a group consisting of a herbaceous plant material, a soft woody plant material, and a hard woody plant material, wherein each type passes in series through the at least one reaction chamber, and wherein the energy density of each plant material in the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock is at least 17 MMBTU/ton (20 GJ/MT). 
     
     
         10 . A composition according to  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. 
     
     
         11 . A composition according to  claim 1 , 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. 
     
     
         12 . A composition according to  claim 2 , wherein the beneficiation system further comprises a pretreatment chamber that is configured to use for each unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock a particular set of conditions including time duration, temperature profile, and the chemical content of pretreatment solution to at least initiate the dissolution of contaminates that would hinder creation of the plant cell wall passageways that allow intracellular water and intracellular water-soluble salts to pass outward from the plant cells. 
     
     
         13 . A composition according to  claim 2 , wherein the compaction section further comprises at least one rinsing subsection configured to flush more of the water-soluble salt from the porous organic-carbon-containing feedstock before it is passed to the compaction section. 
     
     
         14 . A composition according to  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,
 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.