Renewable biomass derived carbon material for metallurgical processes and method of making the same

Abstract

A method for the production of a carbon material entirely from raw biomass feedstock for use in connection with a metallurgical production and refining process such as the production of steel, aluminum or silicon. The carbon material has a carbon content of greater than 50% by volume of non-volatile, high purity fixed elemental carbon and includes physical properties such as coking strength, conductivity, density, porosity, surface area and particle size which may be individually modified to meet the requirements of a specific metallurgical application.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method for the production of a carbon material from raw biomass feedstock for use in connection with a metallurgical production and refining process, the method comprising:
 introducing raw biomass feedstock to a carbonization reactor;   carbonizing the biomass feedstock at a preselected temperature at atmospheric pressure for a preselected period of time, thereby creating a carbon material having predetermined carbonized structure, properties and dimensions and carbonization by-products;   introducing the carbon material and a metallurgical precursor into a metallurgical refining unit;   heating the carbon material and metallurgical precursor to produce a preselected metal.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  further including preprocessing the biomass feedstock prior to carbonizing it. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein preprocessing the biomass feedstock includes drying the biomass feedstock to a preselected moisture content. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 2  wherein preprocessing the feedstock includes densifying the feedstock and forming or sizing it into a preselected size and/or shape. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 2  wherein preprocessing the biomass feedstock includes chemical modification of the biomass feedstock through exposure to an acid, a base or another chemical agent adapted to modify the biomass feedstock's physical structure. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1  including processing the carbonization by-products to provide fuel for the generation of heat, steam, electricity or other energy for biomass feedstock processing. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 6  wherein processing the carbonization by-products further includes utilizing a portion of the carbonization by-products to generate heat, steam, electricity or other energy for the metallurgical production and refining process. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metallurgical precursor comprises iron ore and wherein the preselected metal end product comprises iron. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 1  including introducing the carbon material having a predetermined carbonized structure into an electrode forming apparatus, mixing the carbon material with a binding material and forming the mixed carbon and binding material into one or more carbon electrodes. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9  including installing the one or more carbon electrodes in a metallurgical refining unit. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the metallurgical precursor comprises alumina and wherein the preselected metal end product comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the metallurgical precursor comprises silica and wherein the preselected metal end product comprises silicon. 
     
     
         13 . A metallurgical processing and refining material comprising greater than 50% by volume of non-volatile, high purity fixed elemental carbon. 
     
     
         14 . The metallurgical processing and refining material of  claim 13  further comprising a sulfur content of less than or equal to approximately 1% by mass. 
     
     
         15 . The metallurgical processing and refining material of  claim 14  further comprising an ash content of less than or equal to approximately 10% by mass. 
     
     
         16 . The metallurgical processing and refining material of  claim 15  further comprising less than or equal to approximately 10 mg/kg of each of the following components: antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, cobalt, copper, lead, nickel, mercury, phosphorous, boron and selenium. 
     
     
         17 . The metallurgical processing and refining material of  claim 16  having a surface are of between approximately 10 m 2 /g to approximately 600 m 2 /g. 
     
     
         18 . The metallurgical processing and refining material of  claim 17  which is substantially free of environmental hazardous chemicals or components. 
     
     
         19 . The metallurgical processing and refining material of  claim 18  wherein the material is produced entirely from raw biomass feedstock. 
     
     
         20 . The metallurgical processing and refining material of  claim 19  further including the following physical properties which may be individually modified or adjusted to meet the requirements of a specific metallurgical application: coking strength, conductivity, density, porosity, surface area and particle size.