Super Compaction Of Biomass and Other Carbon-Containing Materials To High Energy Content Fuels

Abstract

A super compactor receives a carbon-containing material and delivers a brick suitable as fuel for power generation. A compaction chamber receives the carbon-containing material and has at least one ram reciprocating along a travel path and exerting a predetermined amount of pressure on the carbon-containing material. The compaction chamber also has an end effector plate or a movable slide gate against which the carbon-containing material is compressed, promoting the removal of moisture from the carbon-containing material, and one or more dewatering apertures or a membrane permitting moisture to pass through but blocking the carbon-containing material. A collector captures the moisture that passes through the dewatering apertures or membrane. A power unit provides power to the at least one ram. A heated extrusion chamber receives the carbon-containing material from the compaction chamber and heats and compacts the carbon-containing material to bind the carbon-containing material into the form of a brick.

What is claimed: 
     
         1 . A solid fuel composition formed from a raw biomass material having a first moisture content, a first volume, and a first alkalinity, the solid fuel composition comprising at least one compressed biomass material having a second moisture content that is about 50% or less of the first moisture content and a second volume that is reduced relative to the first volume by a factor of about 10:1 or more. 
     
     
         2 . The solid fuel composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a coating that retards entry into the composition of liquid or gas. 
     
     
         3 . The solid fuel composition of  claim 2 , wherein the coating comprises a lignin, a sugar, a starch, or any combination thereof 
     
     
         4 . The solid fuel composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a binder. 
     
     
         5 . The solid fuel composition of  claim 1 , further comprising a mixture of at least one compressed biomass material and at least one other material. 
     
     
         6 . The solid fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one compressed biomass material has a density of about 1.3 g/ml or more. 
     
     
         7 . The solid fuel composition of  claim 1 , wherein the at least one compressed biomass material has a second alkalinity that is reduced relative to the first alkalinity by more than 50% per MM BTU.