System and Method for Obtaining Combinations of Coal and Biomass Solid Fuel Pellets with High Caloric Content

Abstract

The invention is a new solid fuel combining coal and biomass and the process for making such fuel. The coal must be selected and prepared to be the correct sizes and quality, including the moisture content and levels of pollutants. Biomass must be selected and prepared by grinding and through a heating process in order to remove moisture and partially char the biomass. The biomass may be selected based on its percentage volume of carbon and hydrogen. A third material, binder is prepared in volumes to associate with the coal and biomass. The coal, biomass and binder are mixed in appropriate quantities and may be delivered to an extrusion, press pellet or briquetting machine that forms the mixture into an appropriate size and shape for the intended combustion situation. The resultant solid fuel has had desired properties for efficient burning and emission levels in the furnace for which it is designed.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS[0001]Not ApplicableSTATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT[0002]Not ApplicableREFERENCE TO SEQUENCE LISTING, A TABLE, OR A COMPUTER PROGRAM LISTING COMPACT DISK APPENDIX[0003]Not ApplicableBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0004]The present invention is in the technical field solid fuels. More particularly, the present invention is in the technical field utilizing a combination of materials to produce a fuel with high caloric content in the form of small briquettes or pellets, which, upon combustion, emit minimal amounts of pollutants.[0005]Conventional solid fuels, such as coal, biomass, and waste carboniferous materials, typically contain impurities and additional hazardous pollutants in the form of chemicals or chemical compounds varying from non-negligibly small, to minute amounts. These impurities, pollutants, or hazardous ingredients make solid fuels more costly to transport, reducing their efficiency of combustion, and ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0009]The present invention is a new solid fuel combining coal and biomass, and other selected carboniferous solids into a homogenous, caloric high value solid fuel. The coal must be selected and prepared to have the correct size and quality, including the moisture content and levels of pollutants. Biomass must also be selected and prepared to have the appropriate be size and quality, including moisture content and levels of pollutants. An essential factor is that the biomass be selected based on its percentage relative to volume of carbon and hydrogen. A third additional material that can be used is a binder, prepared in appropriate volumes so as to efficiently bind the coal and biomass. The coal, biomass and binder are mixed in appropriate proportions that may be delivered to a machine that forms the mixture into extrusions, pellets or briquettes, with the resultant solid fuel having more desired properties for efficient burning with substantially reduced levels of emissions. Emissions are effectively removed and captured by the kilns used in the present process. The pollutant gases can also be reprocessed since many have commercial value.

Problems solved by technology

These impurities, pollutants, or hazardous ingredients make solid fuels more costly to transport, reducing their efficiency of combustion, and causing hazardous emissions.

The capture of these impurities, pollutants, or hazardous ingredients post combustion, requires complex processing and excess costs as the impurities, pollutants, or hazardous ingredients are widely disbursed in the combustion gases.

Further, the coal, biomass or waste carboniferous material typically is not in suitable physical form for transport or introduction to a furnace.

Often, during transportation or handling of coal and biomass, undesirable particulate or dust pollution is emitted and, while the coal, biomass or waste carboniferous material is too small to be held on the stoker grate used to introduce fuel to the furnace of a boiler.

Failure to capture and contain this waste results in undesirable, as well as illegal contamination and pollution of the surroundings.

The typical practice of attempting to ignite coal and biomass in separate burners of the same furnace, where the two components are not intimately combined prior to ignition, is inefficient with unintended / undesirable results.

The combustion of heterogeneous solid fuels leads to altered flame temperature profiles, slagging, combustion inefficiency, increased ash, in addition to problems with grindability, fuel flow, and corrosion.

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