Microwave Produced Biochar from Beneficiated Organic-Carbon-Containing Feedstock

Abstract

A processed biochar composition made with an oxygen-starved microwave sub-system from a processed organic-carbon-containing feedstock made with a beneficiation sub-system is described. Renewable biomass feedstock passed through a beneficiation sub-system to reduce water content to below at least 20 wt % and water-soluble salt reduction of at least 60% from that of unprocessed organic-carbon-containing feedstock on a dry basis. The processed feedstock is introduced into a substantially microwave-transparent reaction chamber. A microwave source emits microwaves which are directed through the microwave-transparent wall of the reaction chamber to impinge on the feedstock within the reaction chamber. The microwave source may be rotated relative to the reaction chamber. The feedstock is subjected to microwaves until the desired reaction occurs to produce a solid processed biochar fuel.

Description

FIELD OF THE INVENTION[0001]The present invention relates generally to the production of solid char fuel from an organic-carbon-containing feedstock.BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0002]The vast majority of fuels are distilled from crude oil pumped from limited underground reserves or mined from coal. As the earth's crude oil supplies become more difficult and expensive to collect and there is growing concerns about the environmental effects of coal other than clean anthracite coal, the world-wide demand for energy is simultaneously growing. Over the next ten years, depletion of the remaining world's easily accessible crude oil reserves and clean anthracite coal reserves will lead to a significant increase in cost for fuel obtained from crude oil and coal.[0003]The search to find processes that can efficiently convert biomass to fuels and by-products suitable for transportation and / or heating is an important factor in meeting the ever-increasing demand for energy. In addition, processes...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0010]The invention is a processed biochar that is a suitable clean coal substitute for devices that use coal as a feedstock to generate heat such as, for example, coal-fired boilers used to make electricity. The low salt content of the processed biochar substantially reduces adverse corrosive wear and maintenance cleaning of the devices that is typical today. The uniform low water content and uniform, high energy density of the beneficiated organic-carbon-containing feedstock used to make the processed biochar allows for a wide variety of renewable organic-carbon-containing feedstock to be used in the microwave section of the process in a cost efficient manner. During the beneficiation section of the process, the s...

Problems solved by technology

As the earth's crude oil supplies become more difficult and expensive to collect and there is growing concerns about the environmental effects of coal other than clean anthracite coal, the world-wide demand for energy is simultaneously growing.

Over the next ten years, depletion of the remaining world's easily accessible crude oil reserves and clean anthracite coal reserves will lead to a significant increase in cost for fuel obtained from crude oil and coal.

However, this feedstock typically contains too much water and contaminants such as water-soluble salts to make it an economical alternative to common sources of fuel such as coal, petroleum, or natural gas.

And, even if the plants were sun or kiln-dried, the natural and man-made chemicals and water-soluble salts that remain in the plant cells combine to create corrosion and disruptive glazes in furnaces.

Also, the remaining moisture lowers the heat-producing MMBTU per ton energy density of the feedstock thus limiting a furnace's efficiency.

Thus, municipal waste facilities that process organic-carbon-containing feedstock, a broader class of feedstock that includes materials that contain plant cells, generally operate in ...

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