Method of Using A Reaction Chamber for Beneficiation

Abstract

Methods for producing processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock from an unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock are described. Unprocessed feedstock is introduced into and transported through at least one reaction chamber. The reaction chamber is configured for each feedstock to produce processed feedstock having a water-soluble salt reduction of at least 60 percent from that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock and a water content of less than 20 percent.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A process for removing water and water-soluble salts from organic-carbon-containing feedstock:
 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;   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;   removing the pressure so as to penetrate the more penetrable regions to create porous feedstock with open pores in the plant cell walls; and   pressing the porous feedstock to create processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that has a water content of less than 20 wt % and a water-soluble salt content that is decreased by at least 60 wt % on a dry basis from that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock.   
     
     
         2 . The process 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. 
     
     
         3 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein the pressure is removed within a time of less than 500 milliseconds. 
     
     
         4 . The process of  claim 1 , wherein at least one pressure plate has a pattern that is adapted to compress each organic-carbon-containing feedstock with targeted results. 
     
     
         5 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising prewashing the unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock before it enters the reaction chamber with a particular set of conditions for each organic-carbon-containing feedstock that includes time duration, temperature profile, pressure profile and chemical content of pretreatment solution to at least initiate the dissolution of contaminates that hinder creation of the cell wall passageways for intracellular water and intracellular water-soluble salts to pass outward from the plant cells. 
     
     
         6 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising masticating the unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock into particles having a longest dimension of less than 1 inch (2.5 centimeters) before it enters the reaction chamber. 
     
     
         7 . The process of  claim 1 , further comprising separating at least oils, waxes, and volatile organic compounds from the porous feedstock with solvents less polar than water. 
     
     
         8 . The process of  claim 2 , wherein the organic-carbon-containing feedstock comprises at least two types from a group consisting of a herbaceous plant material, a soft woody plant material, and a hard woody plant material, each type passes in series through the reaction chamber, and wherein the energy density of each plant material in the processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock is substantially the same. 
     
     
         9 . A process for removing water and water-soluble salts from organic-carbon-containing feedstock, comprising:
 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;   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;   removing the pressure so as to penetrate the more penetrable regions to create porous feedstock with open pores in the plant cell walls; and   pressing the porous feedstock to create processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock that has a water content of less than 20 wt %, a water-soluble salt content that is decreased by at least 50% on a dry basis 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.