Method of manufacturing densified firelog from unwanted and diseased wood, and method of doing business regarding same

Abstract

A method of manufacturing firelogs from unwanted or diseased forest wood is disclosed. The method includes the steps of gathering such unwanted wood products from a forest and on-site grinding and drying those wood products into ground material prior to extruding same into a firelog. The sale of the firelog can then be used to pay for further gathering of the unwanted wood. Moreover, the machines used to grind and dry the material can be powered by burning the unwanted firewood as well.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION [0001] This application claims priority to U.S. Provisional Ser. No. 60 / 571,108 filed on May 14, 2004.FIELD OF THE DISCLOSURE [0002] The present disclosure generally related to densified wood products, and more particularly relates to methods of manufacturing such wood products or firelogs. BACKGROUND OF THE DISCLOSURE [0003] The invention described in this filing pertains to the field of the manufacture of artificial firelogs, and a system for processing wood waste from forest, woodland, wildland, and urban-wildland interface regions, into densified wood firelogs, and a system whereby utilizing unwanted wood materials in forested and wooded areas as raw material in such firelogs enables otherwise cost-prohibitive, but important, thinning operations. Additionally, the invention enables the high-value utilization of diseased and fungus-infected wood needing to be cleared from these areas. [0004] It has become apparent and much discussed over the...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0014] This method and process, in the context of solving the problem of unwanted forest fuel buildup, allows reduction of fuel to be funded without resorting to practices that are injurious to the environment and undesirable to large segments of the population, because the need to cut large timber as a means of paying for fuel reduction efforts is reduced or mitigated. Our method provides a market for the lowest value residue of such thinning operations, allowing thinning and fuel reduction operations to take place where it has been economically infeasible to do so previously, so that more hazardous fuel can be eliminated from the environment. Application of this method reduces the need to control fuel buildup by means of controlled bums, which are hazardous, polluting, and difficult to instigate.

[0015] It also solves a significant problem by providing a business method where the added value of the end product provides a higher margin than most other large-scale uses of the material, such as in firing biomass power plants. The competition in the marketplace for power plant fuel, because of very low cost fossil fuels, drives down the value of the wood material for this purpose. Additionally, transportation of this low-value material for power plant utilization is economically infeasible, whereas the method of our invention can be relocated to near or at the source of the material, substantially reducing or eliminating transport costs.

[0016] Our process and method also provide the opportunity to improve air quality, as the densified wood firelogs bum cleaner than alternatives such as the wax logs which emit petrochemical byproducts, and firewood which emits twice the particulate material (soot).

Problems solved by technology

The competition in the marketplace for power plant fuel, because of very low cost fossil fuels, drives down the value of the wood material for this purpose.

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