Systems and methods for processing biomass for carbon sequestration

Abstract

Systems and methods for processing, storing, and / or monitoring biomass are generally described. In various described embodiments, the systems and methods include one or more of the following processing steps or capabilities for sequestering carbon from biomass: namely, grinding the biomass, for example by heat drying, sterilizing the ground biomass or reducing its ability to maintain its biological load or biological activity; solidifying the biomass; encapsulating the solidified biomass; and quantifying the carbon content of the biomass. Certain systems and methods further include the ability to detect leakage or degradation of processed biomass isolated in a biomass storage facility.

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] Related applications This application is a result of the following U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 463,888, filed on 3 May 2023 under Section 119(e) of the U.S. Patent Act, titled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF PROCESSING BIOMASS FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION," filed on 6 November 2023, titled "SYSTEMS AND METHODS OF PROCESSING BIOMASS FOR CARBON SEQUESTRATION," filed on 10 November 2023, titled "ARTICLES AND RELATED METHODS FOR THE ENCAPSULATION OF BIOMASS," and the following application filed on 8 March 2024, titled "ENCAPSULATION OF BIOMASS THROUGH APPLICATION OF A CURABLE POLYMER OR Priority is claimed to be to U.S. Provisional Patent Application No. 63 / 563,279, titled “RESIN”, which are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety for all purposes.

[0002] Systems and methods for carbon sequestration by processing, storing, and / or monitoring biomass are generally described. [Background technology]

[0003] Atmospheric levels of carbon-containing gaseous compounds (e.g., CO2, CH4) have been increasing for centuries, and this increase in atmospheric levels of these gases correlates with global climate change. Extensive research and government policies are directed towards managing the rise in atmospheric carbon levels, including the use of cleaner technologies (e.g., electric-powered vehicles instead of petroleum-powered vehicles) and policies that promote more environmentally friendly alternatives (e.g., renewable energy incentives, carbon sequestration tax credits). Despite efforts to reduce emissions, atmospheric carbon levels continue to rise. Therefore, improved systems and methods for removing carbon from the atmosphere are needed. [Overview of the project]

[0004] Systems and methods for carbon sequestration by processing, storing, and / or monitoring biomass are generally described. The subject matter of this disclosure may, in some cases, include related products, alternative solutions to specific problems, and / or multiple different uses of one or more systems and / or articles.

[0005] One embodiment describes a method for sequestrating carbon. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving biomass. In some embodiments, the method includes processing the biomass for sequestration. In certain embodiments, the processing includes grinding the biomass, sterilizing the ground biomass, solidifying the biomass to form a plurality of solidified biomass units, encapsulating the solidified biomass units, and quantifying the carbon content of the biomass.

[0006] In another embodiment, a method for sequestering carbon is described. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving biomass. In some embodiments, the method includes processing the biomass for sequestering. In certain embodiments, the processing includes sterilizing the biomass, encapsulating the sterilized biomass, and quantifying the carbon content of the encapsulated biomass.

[0007] In another embodiment, a method for sequestering carbon is described. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving biomass. In some embodiments, the method includes processing the biomass for sequestering. In certain embodiments, the processing includes sterilizing the biomass, solidifying the biomass to form a plurality of solidified biomass units, encapsulating the solidified biomass units, and quantifying the carbon content of the biomass.

[0008] In another embodiment, a method for sequestering carbon is described. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving biomass. In some embodiments, the method includes treating the biomass for sequestering. In certain embodiments, the treatment includes solidifying the biomass. In certain embodiments, the treatment includes solidifying the biomass to form a plurality of solidified biomass units, encapsulating the solidified biomass units to a degree sufficient to prevent microbial activity and spoilage of the encapsulated biomass for at least 100 years when the biomass is stored in the dark under standard atmospheric conditions, and quantifying the carbon content of the biomass. In certain cases, the method includes encapsulating the solidified biomass units to a degree sufficient to prevent microbial activity and spoilage of the encapsulated biomass for at least 100 years when the biomass is stored under conditions where it may be exposed to light, such as in an above-ground warehouse or similar location.

[0009] In another embodiment, a method for sequestering carbon is described. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving treated biomass. In certain embodiments, the treated biomass is solidified and encapsulated. In some embodiments, the method includes monitoring at least one property of the treated biomass or the area in which the treated biomass is stored in order to determine the stability and / or sterility of the treated biomass. In certain embodiments, monitoring includes sampling gas through a first outlet from the airtight sealed area in which the treated biomass is stored and opening a vent to the airtight sealed area when sampling gas through a first inlet in order to maintain pressure within the airtight sealed area.

[0010] In another embodiment, a method for sequestrating carbon is described. In some embodiments, the method includes receiving biomass. In some embodiments, the method includes processing the biomass for sequestration. In certain embodiments, the processing includes crushing the biomass. In certain embodiments, the processing includes sterilizing the crushed biomass. In certain embodiments, the processing includes solidifying the biomass to form a plurality of solidified biomass units. In certain embodiments, the processing includes encapsulating the solidified biomass units. In certain embodiments, the processing includes quantifying the carbon content of the biomass.

[0011] In another embodiment, an article is described. In some embodiments, the article comprises biomass. In certain embodiments, the biomass is substantially resistant to microbial growth. In certain embodiments, the biomass has a sterility assurance level of 10⁻¹ or less. In some embodiments, the biomass of the article is substantially free of non-biomass material. In some embodiments, the article comprises one or more layers surrounding the biomass. In certain embodiments, one or more layers are substantially impermeable to oxygen, water, and / or carbon dioxide.

[0012] In one embodiment, a biomass-containing article is described. The article comprises biomass, one or more barrier layers surrounding the biomass, and tracers that are neither biomass nor biomass degradation products, detectable by sensors to indicate a change in the mass of the biomass resulting from the rupture and / or leakage or degradation of one or more barrier layers.

[0013] In another embodiment, a method is described for monitoring the deterioration of biomass units and / or leakage from biomass units in a biomass storage system containing stored biomass. The method includes detecting at least one component of a tracer when the tracer is released in or out of the biomass storage system, and determining the location of the leakage or deterioration of at least one biomass unit that is leaking or deteriorating within the biomass storage system.

[0014] In another embodiment, the method includes monitoring biomass degradation and / or leakage in biomass in a storage system containing a plurality of stored biomass units. Such a method includes detecting at least one component of a tracer released from a damaged biomass unit of the plurality of stored biomass units when a tracer is released from a biomass unit in the biomass storage system, and determining the location of the damaged biomass unit in the biomass storage system.

[0015] In another embodiment, the method includes providing individual units of processed biomass material and encapsulating the units of processed biomass material in an encapsulation layer containing a polymer that is not a thermoplastic polymer, such that the units of processed biomass material are airtight inside.

[0016] In another embodiment, the method comprises providing individual units of processed biomass material and encapsulating the units of processed biomass material in an encapsulation layer such that the units of processed biomass material are airtightly sealed within the encapsulation layer, the encapsulation layer comprising a thermosetting synthetic polymer and / or a naturally occurring, non-synthetically produced polymer or resin.

[0017] In another embodiment, a material is described. In some embodiments, the material comprises individual units of treated biomass material and an encapsulation layer surrounding the units of treated biomass material, the units of treated biomass material being airtightly sealed within the encapsulation layer.

[0018] In another embodiment, the material comprises individual units of processed biomass material and an encapsulation layer surrounding the units of processed biomass material, the encapsulation layer comprising a thermosetting synthetic polymer and / or a naturally occurring, non-synthetically produced polymer or resin.

[0019] Other advantages and novel features of this disclosure will become apparent from the following detailed description of various non-limiting embodiments of this disclosure, when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In the event that this specification and any documents incorporated by reference contain conflicting and / or inconsistent disclosures, this specification shall prevail.

[0020] Non-limiting embodiments of this disclosure are described by reference to the accompanying drawings, which are schematic and not intended to be drawn to scale unless otherwise indicated. In the drawings, each identical or substantially identical component shown is typically represented by a single number. For the purposes of clarity, not all components are labeled in all drawings, and not all components of each embodiment of this disclosure are shown where illustration is not necessary to enable those skilled in the art to understand this disclosure. [Brief explanation of the drawing]

[0021] [Figure 1] Several embodiments of a multi-step method for carbon sequestration are shown. [Figure 2A] Schematic diagrams of the crushing of untreated biomass according to several embodiments are shown. [Figure 2B] A schematic diagram of the sterilization of crushed biomass according to several embodiments is shown. [Figure 2C] Schematic diagrams of the solidification of sterilized biomass according to several embodiments are shown. [Figure 2D] Schematic diagrams of solidified biomass encapsulated within layers, according to several embodiments, are shown. [Figure 2E] Schematic diagrams of exemplary encapsulated biomass cross-sections in Figure 2D are shown according to several embodiments. [Figure 2F] Schematic diagrams of solidified biomass encapsulated within a first and second layer, according to several embodiments, are shown. [Figure 2G] Schematic diagrams of the cross-section of the exemplary encapsulated biomass shown in Figure 2F, according to several embodiments, are provided. [Figure 2H] A schematic diagram of a pallet containing multiple blocks of encapsulated biomass is shown. [Figure 2I] A schematic diagram of an isolation site containing multiple blocks of encapsulated biomass is shown. [Figure 3] A schematic diagram of a system for monitoring one or more characteristics of biomass at an isolation site is shown. [Figure 4] This is a plot of %CO2 generated by biomass under simulated isolation conditions. The tested biomass was sterilized by dehydration with heated air according to the conditions of Example 3. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] Systems and methods relating to the processing, storage, and / or monitoring of biomass are generally described. Some embodiments of these systems and / or methods relate to carbon sequestration. In some cases, untreated biomass is received and processed to form treated biomass. For example, in some cases, the biomass may be crushed in one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material), dried / dehydrated, sterilized, solidified, and / or encapsulated. According to some embodiments, the treated biomass may be stored to sequestrate the carbon contained within the biomass. Still other embodiments relate to monitoring the treated biomass (e.g., evaluating the stability of sequestrated carbon as a function of time).

[0023] One strategy for reducing atmospheric carbon levels involves capturing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the air and storing or using the captured CO2 in a way that prevents it from re-entering the atmosphere. Several methods for capturing CO2 from the atmosphere are energy-intensive; for example, direct air capture, which utilizes large mechanical systems and solid adsorbents or liquid solvents to capture CO2, can require 5-7 GJ to remove 1 ton of CO2 from the atmosphere. In contrast, plants naturally remove CO2 from the air through photosynthesis powered by sunlight. Therefore, some aspects of this disclosure relate to capturing carbon in the form of biomass (e.g., plant-derived biomass).

[0024] While existing approaches to biomass-based carbon sequestration exist, these approaches may have limited effectiveness over long periods (e.g., at least 100 years). For example, some existing biomass-based approaches to carbon sequestration involve burying untreated (or minimally treated) biomass in landfills or underground layers. However, biomass decomposition releases CO2 and / or CH4, and the decomposition of untreated (or minimally treated) biomass in an uncontrolled environment can result in the production of highly variable levels of CO2 and / or CH4 over time, depending on the type of biomass (e.g., biomass with a higher carbohydrate content may decompose faster than biomass with a higher lignin content) and / or environmental conditions (e.g., greater exposure to microorganisms, water, and / or oxygen may lead to more rapid decomposition). Furthermore, in some cases, untreated (or minimally treated) biomass (e.g., logs) may be difficult to transport and / or store efficiently.

[0025] Some aspects of this disclosure relate to systems and methods that overcome key challenges associated with existing biomass-based carbon sequestration approaches. For example, some aspects of this disclosure relate to processing biomass to reduce or eliminate biomass decomposition, thereby reducing or eliminating the generation of carbon-containing gases (e.g., CO2, CH4). Certain aspects of the systems and methods described herein relate to the reduction or elimination of decomposition and / or microbial activity through sterilization of biomass (e.g., to reduce or eliminate the sustainability of microorganisms present in the biomass or microbial activity in the biomass), solidification of the biomass, and encapsulation of the solidified biomass in one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers comprising polymer material). In some cases, such aspects can ensure that biomass decomposition is terminated (after sterilization) and does not resume and / or can not be sustained under storage conditions (since the one or more encapsulation layers are preferably impermeable to water, oxygen, water vapor, and / or microorganisms). Certain embodiments of the systems and methods described herein further relate to the storage of treated biomass at isolation sites (e.g., landfills, underground locations). According to some embodiments, solidifying the biomass (e.g., into pellets, extruded cylindrical logs, briquettes, and / or blocks) before storage can enable more compact, stable, and structurally sound storage of the biomass. In some cases, such embodiments can ensure that no carbon-containing gases from the decomposition of the biomass are released into the atmosphere.

[0026] Such systems and methods can advantageously capture carbon from the atmosphere and minimize or prevent the release of carbon-containing gases into the atmosphere (e.g., by reducing or eliminating the microbial decomposition of biomass and ensuring that the decomposition of such biomass does not resume), thereby reducing atmospheric carbon levels over long periods (e.g., at least 100 years, at least 500 years, at least 1000 years, at least 1500 years, at least 2000 years, at least 2500 years, at least 5000 years, at least 10,000 years). In particular cases, such systems and methods can achieve such reduced atmospheric carbon levels without adding large amounts of additives (e.g., salts) to the biomass, which may be costly and / or environmentally harmful.

[0027] Certain embodiments also relate to the high-precision quantification of carbon content within biomass. Such embodiments may enable accurate recording of the amount of carbon captured and stored within a particular isolation site. Certain embodiments also relate to monitoring various aspects of stored biomass and / or isolation sites. In some cases, such embodiments may advantageously enable long-term monitoring of the stability of sequestered carbon.

[0028] A schematic diagram of an exemplary embodiment for processing, storing, and monitoring biomass for carbon sequestration is shown in the non-limiting example of Figure 1, where biomass may be received from a source (e.g., a farm, forest, agricultural processing facility, woodworking facility, etc.) 110. The biomass may be processed 120. Processing the biomass may include any of the following steps, e.g., grinding the biomass 130, sterilizing the biomass 140, solidifying the biomass 150, encapsulating the biomass 160, and / or quantifying the carbon content of the biomass 170. The processed biomass may then be transported 180, stored 190, and / or monitored 195.

[0029] The examples described above are merely embodiments of the methods described herein. While the processing steps are optional, it may be advantageous in some cases to include some or all of the steps. Furthermore, the arrangement of steps shown in Figure 1 is not the only assumed order. In another non-limiting example, the biomass may, in some cases, be encapsulated and then sterilized. Other combinations and / or configurations of the steps shown in Figure 1 are possible, some of which are described elsewhere in this specification. Each step shown in Figure 1 is described in further detail below.

[0030] In some embodiments, the biomass is initially obtained (e.g., received). Any of the various types and / or sources of biomass may be suitable for subsequent processing, storage, and / or monitoring steps. In some embodiments, the biomass is plant-derived biomass. In some embodiments, the plant-derived biomass may be residues or waste resulting from the conversion of precursor biomass raw materials into biofuels or other products of chemical conversion. According to some such embodiments, plant-derived biomass considered as waste from such conversion processes is sequestrated biomass for the carbon sequestration process described herein. In another embodiment, part of the plant-derived biomass may be converted into biofuels and the remainder sequestrated. For example, in one embodiment, the biomass is a maize plant, and a first part of the maize plant (e.g., grains) is converted into a biofuel such as ethanol, and a second part of the maize plant (e.g., corn stover) is sequestrated via the carbon sequestration process described herein. According to some embodiments, such an arrangement may be desirable because the carbon sequestration process associated with the second part of the biomass may reduce the overall carbon intensity associated with the use of the biofuel converted from the first part of the biomass. Carbon intensity is known to those skilled in the art and is generally considered to be the metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalents per megajoule of energy produced from a biomass source used to produce biofuels.

[0031] In certain embodiments, plant-derived biomass includes waste from agricultural harvesting and / or processing. Non-limiting examples of suitable waste from agricultural harvesting and / or processing include palm oil waste, sugarcane bagasse, rice husks, soybean husks, coconut husks, rice straw, wheat straw, and corn stover. In certain embodiments, plant-derived biomass includes waste from timber harvesting and / or processing. Non-limiting examples of suitable waste from timber harvesting and / or processing include logs, wood residue, bark, sawdust, wood chips, trunks, and branches. In certain embodiments, plant-derived biomass includes grasses (e.g., fast-growing grasses). Non-limiting examples of grasses include Miscanthus and switchgrass. Other suitable types of plant-derived biomass include, but are not limited to, garden waste (e.g., lawnmower, twigs, leaves, and mowed grass) and seaweed. In some embodiments, using plant-derived biomass, including organic waste from agriculture or timber harvesting and / or processing, can minimize costs because some sources of organic waste have limited or no benefit to other uses. In some embodiments, the biomass is animal-derived biomass (e.g., animal waste). Non-limiting examples of animal waste include poultry bedding and farm waste. In some embodiments, the biomass includes the organic fraction of municipal solid waste. In some embodiments, the biomass includes food waste (e.g., food discarded by grocery stores and / or restaurants, expired food, etc.). In some cases, the biomass obtained may be solid biomass and / or liquid biomass. According to some embodiments, it may be advantageous to use solid biomass as opposed to liquid biomass because liquid biomass may require more energy to process than solid biomass. For example, processing liquid biomass may require an initial substantial and energy-intensive dewatering process before further processing can be carried out (and / or require more extensive dewatering than solid biomass).

[0032] Acquiring biomass can involve any of a variety of appropriate methods. Biomass can be received from any of a variety of sources. Non-exclusive examples of appropriate sources include farms, forests, agricultural processing facilities (e.g., agricultural flour mills, palm oil processing facilities, sugar mills, rice mills), wood processing facilities (e.g., sawmills, paper mills), forestry companies, local governments, grocery stores, restaurants, biofuel producers, and food processing facilities. In some cases, acquiring biomass involves purchasing and / or receiving biomass from vendors (e.g., farms, forests, agricultural processing facilities, wood processing facilities, forestry companies, grocery stores, restaurants, food processing facilities) and / or agencies that collect compost waste (e.g., local governments). In some cases, organic waste may be collected manually. According to some embodiments, biomass may be intentionally cultivated for carbon sequestration purposes (e.g., fast-growing crops such as miscanthus and / or switchgrass) and then harvested according to any known harvesting technique (e.g., using a combine harvester). Other methods are available for obtaining biomass.

[0033] Some aspects of this disclosure relate to the processing of biomass. In some cases, the processing of biomass may include any one or a combination of the following steps, which are not limited to a specific order. That is, in some cases, the processing of biomass may be carried out in the order described below. In other cases, some and / or all of the steps for processing biomass may be carried out in a different order. Furthermore, in addition to storing and / or monitoring biomass, none, some, and / or all of the steps for processing biomass may be carried out.

[0034] In some embodiments, processing biomass includes grinding the biomass. In some cases, grinding the biomass advantageously facilitates further processing of the biomass (e.g., sterilization, solidification, encapsulation). For example, grinding the biomass can increase the surface area-to-volume ratio of the biomass, allowing further processing steps (e.g., drying and / or sterilization) to be carried out more effectively and / or efficiently. Furthermore, in some cases, grinding can result in a fluid solid, which can facilitate the solidification of the biomass into a specific size and / or shape.

[0035] In some cases, the biomass to be crushed may be untreated. In other cases, the biomass may have been treated through one or more other processing steps disclosed herein before being crushed. In some embodiments, the biomass may not be crushed. For example, in some cases, the biomass (e.g., sawdust) may be of a suitable size upon receipt and may not be crushed.

[0036] In some embodiments, pulverizing biomass includes grinding, shredding, beating, chopping, pulverizing, and / or cutting the biomass. Pulverizing biomass can be carried out using any suitable apparatus. Non-limiting examples of suitable apparatus include grinders, shredders, hammer mills (e.g., those typically used during wood pelletization), chippers, flakes, refiners, and ball mills. Non-limiting examples of suitable shredders include the Weima WL4, WL6, and WL8 shredders. Those skilled in the art will recognize a variety of methods and apparatus for pulverizing biomass. In some embodiments, it may be advantageous to align a particular biomass source to facilitate the pulverization of the biomass. For example, if the biomass includes straw (e.g., wheat straw, rice straw), it may be advantageous to align the long axis of the straw with the direction of movement of the straw into the apparatus in which it is pulverized. This can facilitate the pulverization of biomass such as straw having a large aspect ratio (for example, 2:1 or greater, 5:1 or greater, 10:1 or greater, 20:1 or greater, 50:1 or greater, 100:1 or greater, and / or 500:1 or less, or 1,000:1 or less).

[0037] In some embodiments, crushing biomass results in biomass particles having a relatively small average size. For example, according to some embodiments, an article of biomass having a first average maximum dimension may be crushed into particles having a second average maximum dimension, where the second average maximum dimension is less than the first average maximum dimension.

[0038] Figure 2A shows a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of pulverizing biomass 230. In Figure 2A, biomass 232 such as grass or wood is received and may be pulverized 233 (e.g., ground, shredded, etc.) into a number of relatively uniform particles 234. As shown in Figure 2A, articles of unpulverized biomass 232 have an average maximum dimension 236 that is greater than the average maximum dimension 238 of the particles 234.

[0039] In some cases, uncrushed biomass articles may have one of several average maximum dimensions. In some cases, uncrushed biomass articles may have a first average maximum dimension of 5 cm or more, 10 cm or more, 20 cm or more, 50 cm or more, 1 m or more, 2 m or more, 3 m or more, 5 m or more, 10 m or more, 15 m or more, 20 m or more, or 25 m or more. In some cases, the first average maximum dimension of a biomass article may be 25 m or less, 20 m or less, 15 m or less, 10 m or less, 5 m or less, 3 m or less, 2 m or less, 1 m or less, 50 cm or less, 20 cm or less, 10 cm or less, or 5 cm or less. Combinations of the aforementioned ranges are possible (e.g., 5 cm or more and 25 m or less). Other ranges are also possible.

[0040] According to some embodiments, grinding can yield biomass particles having a second average maximum dimension. In some cases, the second average maximum dimension may be 1 micron or more, 10 microns or more, 50 microns or more, 100 microns or more, 500 microns or more, 1 mm or more, 2 mm or more, 3 mm or more, 5 mm or more, 1 cm or more, 2 cm or more, 3 cm or more, 4 cm or more, or 5 cm or more. In some embodiments, the second average maximum dimension may be 5 cm or less, 4 cm or less, 3 cm or less, 2 cm or less, 1 cm or less, 5 mm or less, 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, 1 mm or less, 500 microns or less, 100 microns or less, 50 microns or less, 10 microns or less, or 1 micron or less. Combinations of the aforementioned ranges are possible (e.g., 1 micron or more and 5 cm or less). Other ranges are also possible.

[0041] According to some embodiments, grinding can result in particles having a relatively uniform size. In some embodiments, particles having a relatively uniform size may behave like a fluid solid, which can facilitate further processing and / or solidification of the biomass to a specific size and / or shape. In some embodiments, the size of individual particles of the ground biomass may vary by only 100%, 90%, 80%, 70%, 60%, 50%, 40%, 30%, 20%, 10%, 5%, or 1% of the second average maximum dimension of the ground particles.

[0042] In some embodiments, the crushing of biomass may be carried out in a facility that is at least partially enclosed. In certain embodiments, the crushing of biomass may be carried out in a facility that is fully enclosed (e.g., indoors). In some embodiments, the crushing of biomass may be carried out in an outdoor environment.

[0043] According to some embodiments, processing biomass includes sterilizing the biomass. In some embodiments, the sterilization step is performed after the grinding step and before the solidification step. In some embodiments, the sterilization step is performed after the solidification step and before the encapsulation step. In some cases, the ground biomass may be sterilized. In other cases, the untreated biomass may be sterilized. Sterilization has its usual meaning in the art and will be understood by those skilled in the art. Generally, sterilization refers to at least partial removal, inactivation, and / or elimination of organisms in the biomass, e.g., microorganisms (e.g., methanogenic bacteria, CO2-producing microorganisms), thereby minimizing and / or preventing the decomposition of the biomass by microorganisms. In some cases, the biomass may be encapsulated in one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) before and / or after sterilization, as described elsewhere in this specification, and sterilization of the biomass may sufficiently reduce the number of microorganisms present so that the decomposition of the biomass within one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) is slowed and / or stopped.

[0044] In some embodiments, sterilizing biomass may involve any of a variety of suitable methods as understood by those skilled in the art. In some cases, sterilizing biomass involves heating biomass. In certain cases, heating biomass involves exposing biomass to dry heat and / or moist heat (e.g., steam) using any suitable heating device. Non-limiting examples of suitable heating devices include ovens, autoclaves, water bath devices, water cascade devices, heat exchangers, dryers (e.g., rotary drum dryers, fluidized bed dryers, rolling bed dryers, microwave dryers), convection furnaces, radiant heaters, and solar heat receivers / dryers / heaters.

[0045] In some embodiments, sterilizing biomass involves heating the biomass at a sterilization temperature for a sterilization time. In some cases, the sterilization temperature is at least 65°C, at least 70°C, at least 80°C, at least 90°C, at least 100°C, at least 120°C, at least 150°C, at least 170°C, at least 200°C, at least 300°C, at least 400°C, at least 500°C, at least 600°C, at least 700°C, at least 800°C, or at least 850°C. Depending on the circumstances, the sterilization temperature may be 65°C-80°C, 65°C-90°C, 65°C-100°C, 65°C-120°C, 65°C-150°C, 65°C-200°C, 65°C-500°C, 65°C-850°C, 70°C-80°C, 70°C-90°C, 70°C-100°C, 70°C-120°C, 70°C-150°C, 70°C-200°C, 70°C-500°C, 70°C-850°C, 80°C-90°C, 80°C-100°C, 80°C-120°C, 80°C-150°C, 80°C-200°C, 80°C-500°C, 80°C-850°C, or 90°C. The ranges are ~100°C, 90°C~120°C, 90°C~150°C, 90°C~200°C, 90°C~500°C, 90°C~850°C, 100°C~120°C, 100°C~150°C, 150°C~180°C, 100°C~200°C, 100°C~500°C, 100°C~850°C, 120°C~150°C, 120°C~200°C, 120°C~500°C, 120°C~850°C, 150°C~200°C, 150°C~500°C, 150°C~850°C, 200°C~500°C, 200°C~850°C, or 500°C~850°C. In some cases, the sterilization temperature is approximately 170°C. In some embodiments, the sterilization time is at least 5 seconds, at least 15 seconds, at least 30 seconds, at least 1 minute, at least 3 minutes, at least 5 minutes, at least 10 minutes, at least 15 minutes, at least 30 minutes, at least 45 minutes, at least 60 minutes, at least 90 minutes, at least 120 minutes, at least 150 minutes, or at least 180 minutes. In some embodiments, the sterilization time is 180 minutes or less, 150 minutes or less, 120 minutes or less, 90 minutes or less, 60 minutes or less, 45 minutes or less, 30 minutes or less, 15 minutes or less, 10 minutes or less, 5 minutes or less, 3 minutes or less, 1 minute or less, 30 seconds or less, 15 seconds or less, or 5 seconds or less.In certain embodiments, the sterilization time is 5-15 seconds, 5-30 seconds, 5 seconds-1 minute, 5 seconds-3 minutes, 5 seconds-5 minutes, 5 seconds-10 minutes, 5 seconds-15 minutes, 5 seconds-30 minutes, 5 seconds-45 minutes, 5 seconds-60 minutes, 5 seconds-90 minutes, 5 seconds-120 minutes, 5 seconds-150 minutes, 5 seconds-180 minutes, 30 seconds-1 minute, 30 seconds-3 minutes, 30 seconds-5 minutes, 30 seconds to 10 minutes, 30 seconds to 15 minutes, 30 seconds to 30 minutes, 30 seconds to 45 minutes, 30 seconds to 60 minutes, 30 seconds to 90 minutes, 30 seconds to 120 minutes, 30 seconds to 150 minutes, 30 seconds to 1 80 minutes, 1 minute to 5 minutes, 1 minute to 10 minutes, 1 minute to 15 minutes, 1 minute to 30 minutes, 1 minute to 45 minutes, 1 minute to 60 minutes, 1 minute to 90 minutes, 1 minute to 120 minutes, 1 minute to 150 minutes, 1 Group ~ 180 minutes, 5 minutes ~ 10 minutes, 5 minutes ~ 15 minutes, 5 minutes ~ 30 minutes, 5 minutes ~ 45 minutes, 5 minutes ~ 60 minutes, 5 minutes ~ 90 minutes, 5 minutes ~ 120 minutes, 5 minutes ~ 150 minutes, 5 minutes ~ 180 minutes, 10 minutes ~ 30 minutes, 10 minutes ~ 45 minutes, 10 minutes ~ 60 minutes, 10 minutes ~ 90 minutes, 10 minutes ~ 120 minutes, 10 minutes ~ 150 minutes, 10 minutes ~ 180 minutes, 30 minutes ~ 60 minutes The sterilization time ranges from 1 minute, 30-90 minutes, 30-120 minutes, 30-150 minutes, 30-180 minutes, 60-90 minutes, 60-120 minutes, 60-150 minutes, 60-180 minutes, 90-120 minutes, 90-150 minutes, 90-180 minutes, 120-150 minutes, 120-180 minutes, or 150-180 minutes. In some embodiments, the sterilization time is approximately 20 minutes. In certain embodiments, the sterilization temperature is approximately 170°C and the sterilization time is approximately 20 minutes.

[0046] In some cases, sterilizing biomass involves exposing the biomass to electromagnetic radiation (e.g., microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays, and / or ultraviolet (UV) radiation). In some cases, sterilizing biomass involves exposing the biomass to one or more chemical disinfectants (e.g., sodium hypochlorite, ethylene oxide, ozone, chlorine gas, hydrogen peroxide vapor, formaldehyde vapor). In some cases, sterilizing biomass involves neutralizing methanogenic bacteria and / or CO2-producing microorganisms. In some cases, sterilizing biomass involves vacuum sealing the biomass. Further other methods for sterilizing biomass are possible. Figure 2B shows an exemplary embodiment of sterilizing biomass 240. In Figure 2B, pulverized biomass 234 is exposed to UV radiation 242, which sterilizes the pulverized biomass 234.

[0047] In some embodiments, sterilizing biomass involves performing a single step described herein (e.g., heating / drying the biomass, exposing the biomass to electromagnetic radiation or a chemical disinfectant). In some embodiments, sterilizing biomass involves performing two or more steps described herein. As an exemplary example, sterilizing biomass may include a first step of exposing the biomass to UV radiation (e.g., radiation having wavelengths in the range of 100 nm to 400 nm), a second step of dehydrating the biomass, and a third step of heating the biomass.

[0048] In some embodiments, the sterilized biomass has a sufficiently high sterility assurance to prevent subsequent microbial growth during the expected isolation period and under the expected conditions. The product's sterility assurance level ("SAL") provides a measure of the probability that the product remains non-sterile after undergoing the sterilization process. As an exemplary example, 10 -3 A SAL of 10 means that there is a 1 in 1,000 chance that viable microorganisms are present in the sterilized product. In some cases, the SAL of sterilized biomass is 10 0 Less than 10 -1Less than or equal to 10 -2 Less than or equal to 10 -3 Less than or equal to 10 -4 Less than or equal to 10 -5 Less than or equal to, or 10 -6 Less than or equal to. As used herein, "10 n Less than or equal to" SAL includes SAL such as 10 n 10 n-1 10 n-2 10 n-3 and the like.

[0049] In some embodiments, the sterilization process described herein may achieve a desired logarithmic reduction in the population of a target microorganism (sometimes referred to as a "challenge microorganism"). In certain embodiments, the challenge microorganism is a gram-positive bacterium, a methanogen, and / or a CO2-producing microorganism. In some embodiments, the sterilized biomass has at least a 1-log reduction, at least a 2-log reduction, at least a 3-log reduction, at least a 4-log reduction, at least a 5-log reduction, or at least a 6-log reduction in the population of challenge microorganisms compared to the unsterilized biomass. In some embodiments, the sterilized biomass has a logarithmic reduction in the population of challenge microorganisms compared to the unsterilized biomass in the range of 1-log reduction to 2-log reduction, 1-log reduction to 3-log reduction, 1-log reduction to 4-log reduction, 1-log reduction to 5-log reduction, 1-log reduction to 6-log reduction, 2-log reduction to 3-log reduction, 2-log reduction to 4-log reduction, 2-log reduction to 5-log reduction, 2-log reduction to 6-log reduction, 3-log reduction to 4-log reduction, 3-log reduction to 5-log reduction, 3-log reduction to 6-log reduction, 4-log reduction to 5-log reduction, 4-log reduction to 6-log reduction, or 5-log reduction to 6-log reduction.

[0050] In some embodiments, sterilizing the biomass can be performed within a facility that is at least partially enclosed. In certain embodiments, sterilizing the biomass can be performed within a fully enclosed (e.g., indoor) facility. In some cases, performing the sterilization process within a fully enclosed (e.g., indoor) facility can advantageously reduce or eliminate contamination during the sterilization process.

[0051] According to some embodiments, processing biomass includes dehydrating the biomass. In certain cases, a single step (e.g., heating or microwave treatment of the biomass) can achieve both dehydration and sterilization of the biomass. In some embodiments, two or more steps (e.g., performed simultaneously or sequentially) may be used to dehydrate and sterilize the biomass. In some embodiments, dehydrating biomass includes heating, microwave treatment, filtration, centrifugation, mechanical dehydration, and / or chemical drying of the biomass. According to some embodiments, a rotary drum dryer may be used to heat and dehydrate the biomass.

[0052] Dehydrating biomass may involve reducing the initial moisture content (wt.%) of the biomass to its final moisture content (wt.%). In some embodiments, biomass may be at least partially dehydrated using a heated air dryer, such as a rotary drum dryer. For example, within such a heated air dryer, the biomass may be exposed to heated air for a period of time (e.g., between 5 and 60 minutes, as described elsewhere in this specification) at any of a variety of suitable temperatures (e.g., between 150°C and 200°C, as described elsewhere in this specification) to dehydrate the biomass. In some cases, it may be desirable to partially dehydrate the biomass without completely dehydrating it (e.g., the biomass being 0% moisture) to aid in the solidification process, as described elsewhere in this specification. In some embodiments, at least partially dehydrating the biomass involves reducing the water activity of the biomass to a level that effectively sterilizes the biomass to a degree of sterility sufficient to prevent degradation during subsequent processing and isolation. In some embodiments, partial dehydration (e.g., a final moisture content of 1 wt.% or more, 2 wt.% or more, 3 wt.% or more, 4 wt.% or more, etc.) may be desirable because the dehydration process may be less energy-intensive and / or more efficient compared to complete or perfect dehydration with a moisture content of 0 wt.% or close to it, such as conventional methods of sterilizing biomass by drying, and / or because it may make the biomass more suitable for solidification or other subsequent processing steps. In some such embodiments, the residual moisture content in the biomass is selected to sufficiently sterilize the biomass for the purpose of stability for isolation using the methods described herein, for example, in certain embodiments, the final moisture content is selected to be insufficient to support microbial growth so that dehydrating and sterilizing the biomass is performed in a single step, while reducing the energy required to dehydrate the biomass compared to typical conventional drying methods.According to some embodiments, biomass can be dehydrated until the final moisture content is 1 wt.% or more, 2 wt.% or more, 4 wt.% or more, 6 wt.% or more, 8 wt.% or more, 10 wt.% or more, 12 wt.% or more, 14 wt.% or more, 16 wt.% or more, 18 wt.% or more, 20 wt.% or more, 22 wt.% or more, 24 wt.% or more, 26 wt.% or more, 28 wt.% or more, or 30 wt.% or more. In some cases, the final moisture content of the biomass may be 30 wt.% or less, 28 wt.% or less, 26 wt.% or less, 24 wt.% or less, 22 wt.% or less, 20 wt.% or less, 18 wt.% or less, 16 wt.% or less, 14 wt.% or less, 12 wt.% or less, 10 wt.% or less, 8 wt.% or less, 6 wt.% or less, 4 wt.% or less, 2 wt.% or less, or 1 wt.% or less. The aforementioned range combinations are possible (for example, 1 wt.% or more and 30 wt.% or less, 6 wt.% or more and 14 wt.% or less, 10 wt.% or more and 12 wt.% or less, 4 wt.% or more and 30 wt.% or less, 4 wt.% or more and 14 wt.% or less, 4 wt.% or more and 12 wt.% or less, 4 wt.% or more and 10 wt.% or less). Other ranges are also possible.

[0053] According to some embodiments, a first portion of the biomass may be sterilized (for example, by heating and dehydrating the biomass), while a second portion of the biomass may not need to be sterilized. According to some embodiments, as described above, sterilizing the biomass may involve dehydrating the biomass to reduce the moisture content present in the biomass in order to prevent microbial growth. Therefore, if a portion of the biomass naturally has a moisture content insufficient to sustain microbial growth, it may be unnecessary to perform a sterilization step on such biomass. Thus, in some embodiments, a first portion of the biomass may be dehydrated, while a second portion of the biomass may not undergo a dehydration step. For example, in some embodiments, the biomass may be plant-derived biomass as described elsewhere in this specification, and a portion of the biomass may be rice husks and / or sawdust that is sufficiently dry so as not to contain enough moisture to promote microbial growth. In such embodiments, the biomass containing rice husks and / or sawdust may not need to be dehydrated or subjected to a sterilization step. Other biomass sources that may have a sufficiently low moisture content to prevent microbial growth and may not require sterilization can also be processed using the methods and systems described herein.

[0054] In some embodiments, processing biomass includes solidifying the biomass. Solidifying biomass can, in some cases, facilitate the processing (e.g., encapsulation), stacking, transport, handling, storage, and / or monitoring of the biomass. For example, in some embodiments, solidifying biomass may include forming a plurality of solidified biomass units, each of which may facilitate further processing and / or handling. In certain embodiments, solidifying biomass can significantly result in a unit of solidified biomass that can withstand relatively high compressive and / or shear loads and / or resist the rupture of one or more encapsulation layers. In some cases, the solidified biomass may be crushed biomass and / or sterilized biomass. In some embodiments, solidifying biomass may include applying pressure to at least a portion of the biomass so that the solidified biomass has a higher density than the unsolidified biomass (i.e., densifies the biomass). In certain embodiments where the biomass contains lignin, sufficient pressure may be applied to crosslink at least a portion of the lignin in the biomass.

[0055] The solidification of biomass can be carried out using any suitable apparatus. Non-limiting examples of suitable apparatus include extruders, presses (e.g., stamping presses, hydraulic presses, screw presses), briquetting machines, pelletizers, and cube machines. Those skilled in the art will recognize a variety of methods and apparatus for solidifying biomass.

[0056] Figure 2C shows a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of solidifying biomass 250. In Figure 2C, pressure 252 is applied from multiple directions to the crushed biomass 234 to form solidified biomass 254. In Figure 2C, the solidified biomass 258 is a rectangular block having a first dimension 256, a second dimension 258, and a third dimension 260, which can be any of various sizes.

[0057] In some embodiments, solidifying biomass may involve mixing the biomass with one or more additives. In certain embodiments, one or more additives may be added to the biomass (e.g., before solidification) to improve the structural properties of the solidified biomass material and / or prevent decomposition. For example, in some embodiments, one or more additives include one or more crosslinking agents or other adhesives. In some cases, one or more crosslinking agents include one or more monomers and / or oligomers that can be crosslinked in the biomass. According to some embodiments, the biomass may be heated and / or exposed to radiation (e.g., UV radiation) after solidification, which may induce crosslinking of one or more crosslinking agents, thereby improving the structural integrity of the solidified biomass. In some embodiments, one or more additives include a desiccant (e.g., alumina, silica gel, and / or CaCl2) to dehydrate the biomass. In some embodiments, one or more additives include one or more antimicrobial agents (e.g., antimicrobial compounds). In some embodiments, one or more additives include a tracer (e.g., isotope-labeled molecules, tracer gases). In some such cases, tracers may be useful for monitoring the decomposition and / or other impaired state of biomass, as described elsewhere in this specification. In some embodiments, mixtures of different tracers may be used to provide higher resolution to help determine the location within a biomass storage facility of units of stored biomass that are decomposing, leaking, or otherwise impaired. For example, by providing more distinctive tracer "signatures" that characterize different biomass-containing units or storage locations for the same total number of unique tracers, the ability to identify leaks from each of two units is provided, for example, by using tracers A and B separately within a stored biomass unit, and if a mixture of A+B is included, a third identification point can be obtained. Similarly, different ratios of A and B in the A+B mixture may provide additional ability for identification.Adding more unique tracers (i.e., three or more) in different combinations and / or ratios may provide further detectable markers for determining the location and / or origin of the leak.

[0058] In some embodiments, any additive added to the biomass may be added in relatively small amounts. In certain embodiments, any additive added to the biomass may be present in amounts of 5 wt.% or less, 4 wt.% or less, 3 wt.% or less, 2 wt.% or less, 1.5 wt.% or less, 1 wt.% or less, or 0.05 wt.% or less. In certain embodiments, any Additive added to the biomass may be present in amounts ranging from 0.05 wt.% to 1 wt.%, 0.05 wt.% to 1.5 wt.%, 0.05 wt.% to 2 wt.%, 0.05 wt.% to 3 wt.%, 0.05 wt.% to 4 wt.%, 0.05 wt.% to 5 wt.%, 1 wt.% to 2 wt.%, 1 wt.% to 3 wt.%, 1 wt.% to 4 wt.%, 1 wt.% to 5 wt.%, 2 wt.% to 3 wt.%, 2 wt.% to 4 wt.%, 2 wt.% to 5 wt.%, 3 wt.% to 4 wt.%, 3 wt.% to 5 wt.%, or 4 wt.% to 5 wt.%.

[0059] According to some embodiments, applying pressure to solidify biomass may include applying any suitable pressure. In some cases, the pressure may be applied anisotropically to the biomass. In other cases, the pressure may be applied isotropically to the biomass in order to solidify the biomass uniformly. In certain embodiments, the pressure may be applied from one direction (e.g., from above, from below). In certain embodiments, the pressure may be applied from two or more directions (e.g., from above and below, from above, from below, and from one to four lateral directions).

[0060] In some embodiments, applying pressure to solidify the biomass includes applying a pressure of 1 MPa or more, 2 MPa or more, 3 MPa or more, 4 MPa or more, 5 MPa or more, 6 MPa or more, 7 MPa or more, 8 MPa or more, 9 MPa or more, 10 MPa or more, 20 MPa or more, 30 MPa or more, 40 MPa or more, 50 MPa or more, 80 MPa or more, 100 MPa or more, 150 MPa or more, 200 MPa or more, 250 MPa or more, 300 MPa or more, 350 MPa or more, or 400 MPa or more. In some embodiments, applying pressure to solidify biomass includes applying pressures of 400 MPa or less, 350 MPa or less, 300 MPa or less, 250 MPa or less, 200 MPa or less, 150 MPa or less, 100 MPa or less, 80 MPa or less, 50 MPa or less, 40 MPa or less, 30 MPa or less, 20 MPa or less, 10 MPa or less, 9 MPa or less, 8 MPa or less, 7 MPa or less, 6 MPa or less, 5 MPa or less, 4 MPa or less, 3 MPa or less, 2 MPa or less, or 1 MPa or less. Combinations of the aforementioned ranges are possible (e.g., 1 MPa or more and 400 MPa or less, 20 MPa or more and 250 MPa or less, 6 MPa or more and 8 MPa or less). Other ranges are also possible.

[0061] In some embodiments, the solidified biomass has a relatively high density. In certain cases, this relatively high density can advantageously allow for stacking the solidified biomass in multiple layers without compromising the structural integrity of the lower layers of solidified biomass. In some cases, the solidified biomass has a density of 250 kg / m³. 3 More than 300kg / m 3 More than 400kg / m 3 More than 500kg / m 3 More than 600kg / m 3 More than 700kg / m 3 More than 800kg / m 3 More than 900kg / m 3 More than 1000kg / m 3 More than 1100kg / m 3 More than 1200kg / m 3 More than 1300kg / m 3 More than 1400kg / m3 More than 1500kg / m 3 More than 1750kg / m 3 More than 2000kg / m 3 More than 2250kg / m 3 Above, or 2500 kg / m 3 It has a density of the above. In some embodiments, the solidified biomass has a density of 2500 kg / m³. 3 Below 2250kg / m 3 Below 2000kg / m 3 Below 1750kg / m 3 Below 1500kg / m 3 Below 1400kg / m 3 Below 1300kg / m 3 Below 1200kg / m 3 Below 1100kg / m 3 Below 1000kg / m 3 Below 900kg / m 3 Below 800kg / m 3 Below 700kg / m 3 Below 600kg / m 3 Below 500kg / m 3 Below 400kg / m 3 Below 300kg / m 3 The following, or 250 kg / m 3 It has the following densities. Combinations of the aforementioned ranges are possible (for example, 700 kg / m³). 3 The above and 1500 kg / m 3 Below 500kg / m 3 The above and 2000 kg / m 3 Below 250kg / m 3 The above and 2500 kg / m 3 (See below). Other ranges are also possible.

[0062] In some cases, solidified biomass (i.e., densified biomass) has a density at least twice, at least five times, at least ten times, at least fifteen times, at least twenty times, at least thirty times, at least forty times, at least fifty times, or at least one hundred times greater than that of unsolidified biomass (e.g., biomass before solidification). In certain embodiments, the density of solidified biomass is 2 to 5 times, 2 to 10 times, 2 to 15 times, 2 to 20 times, 2 to 30 times, 2 to 40 times, 2 to 50 times, 5 to 10 times, 5 to 15 times, 5 to 20 times, 5 to 30 times, 5 to 40 times, 5 to 50 times, 10 to 15 times, 10 to 20 times, 10 to 30 times, 10 to 40 times, 10 to 50 times, 15 to 20 times, 15 to 30 times, 15 to 40 times, 15 to 50 times, 20 to 30 times, 20 to 40 times, 20 to 50 times, 30 to 40 times, 30 to 50 times, or 40 to 50 times greater than the density of unsolidified biomass.

[0063] In some embodiments, the biomass may be molded into specific shapes during and / or after solidification. For example, the shape of the solidified biomass may be substantially a cube, sphere, ellipsoid, cylinder, triangular prism, cuboid, hexagonal prism, octagonal prism, truncated icosahedron, or any other regular three-dimensional shape. In certain embodiments, the solidified biomass may have an irregular three-dimensional shape. The shape of the solidified biomass may be designed so that multiple units of solidified biomass can be stacked and / or stored with minimal space between the biomass units (e.g., relatively high packing efficiency, e.g., 80% or more, 85% or more, 90% or more, 95% or more, or 99% or more). In some cases, the biomass may be molded into briquettes and / or blocks during or after solidification. In some cases, molding the solidified biomass into briquettes and / or blocks may be useful for efficiently packaging (e.g., stacking) the briquettes and / or blocks for transport, handling, storage, and / or monitoring. According to some embodiments, solidified biomass (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) may be designed to withstand compressive and / or shear loads. In some embodiments, solidified biomass (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) includes one or more structural features to facilitate stacking and / or withstand compressive and / or shear loads. A non-limiting example of a suitable structural feature is a shear key. In some embodiments, forming the biomass into objects of known dimensions (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) may facilitate the encapsulation of the solidified biomass and allow for the achievement of a seal (e.g., an airtight seal). According to some embodiments, the shape of the solidified biomass may be selected to facilitate the efficient packaging of two or more solidified biomass units. In some cases, fluidity and / or the ability to bag units of solidified biomass is desirable. In certain cases, the ability to stack solidified biomass units with little or no void space between units is desirable, for example, stacking on pallets as described elsewhere in this specification.In some embodiments, a particular shape for solidified biomass may be selected based on the ability to form the solidified biomass into such a shape. For example, in some embodiments, the solidified biomass may be extruded using an extrusion line so that the solidified biomass formed therefrom is cylindrical. The cylindrical solidified biomass unit may be mechanically stable and therefore can be easily stored without mechanical destruction of the solidified biomass unit.

[0064] Figure 2C shows an exemplary embodiment of solidified biomass in the shape of block 254. Block 254 has a first dimension 256, a second dimension 258, and a third dimension 260, which can be any of a variety of sizes. In some cases, the first, second, and / or third dimensions of the briquette and / or block may be independently 1 cm or more, 2 cm or more, 3 cm or more, 4 cm or more, 5 cm or more, 6 cm or more, 7 cm or more, 8 cm or more, 9 cm or more, 10 cm or more, 20 cm or more, 30 cm or more, 40 cm or more, 50 cm or more, 80 cm or more, 100 cm or more, 120 cm or more, or 150 cm or more. According to some embodiments, the first, second, and / or third dimensions of a briquette and / or block may independently be 150 cm or less, 120 cm or less, 100 cm or less, 80 cm or less, 50 cm or less, 40 cm or less, 30 cm or less, 20 cm or less, 10 cm or less, 9 cm or less, 8 cm or less, 7 cm or less, 6 cm or less, 5 cm or less, 4 cm or less, 3 cm or less, 2 cm or less, or 1 cm or less. Independently for each dimension, combinations of the aforementioned ranges are possible (e.g., 1 cm or more and 150 cm or less, 1 cm or more and 50 cm or less, 10 cm or more and 30 cm or less, 3 cm or more and 6 cm or less). Other ranges are also possible. Note that in some cases, each dimension may be equal. In other cases, all dimensions may not be equal to one another, or none of the dimensions may be equal to one another. In certain examples, two or more briquettes may be combined (e.g., in a sealed container or bag) to form a larger unit.

[0065] According to some embodiments, one or more of the dimensions of the solidified biomass briquettes may be relatively small (e.g., 10 cm or less, 5 cm or less, 2 cm or less). Relatively small dimensions of the solidified biomass briquettes may allow for flexible handling and / or transport of the solidified biomass briquettes. In some such cases, the small dimensions may result in an increase in the surface area-to-volume ratio of the solidified biomass briquettes compared to the initial size of the biomass, thereby improving the throughput and / or homogeneity of other processing steps (e.g., the addition of additives as described elsewhere in this specification). In some embodiments, the small dimensions may facilitate subsequent processing steps such as individual encapsulation of each briquette and / or sterilization of the briquettes. Furthermore, in some such cases, because the dimensions of the solidified biomass briquettes are small, the impact of any damage to a single solidified biomass briquette (e.g., misconfiguration, structural failure, and / or rupture of the encapsulation layer) may be minimized when the solidified biomass briquettes are stored (e.g., stacked and / or buried). In other words, the breakage of one solidified biomass briquette may be relatively insignificant on a wt.% basis relative to the entire briquette. That is, as discussed elsewhere, the relatively small dimensions of a briquette may allow for the storage of a relatively large number of briquettes (e.g., more than 1,000 briquettes, more than 1 million briquettes, more than 1 billion briquettes, or other quantities disclosed elsewhere in this specification), and therefore the mechanical breakage of one briquette may account for only a small wt.% of the total stored biomass (e.g., less than or equal to 0.001 wt.%, less than or equal to 0.0001 wt.%, or less than or equal to 0.00001 wt.%). In some cases, mechanical failure of a single solidified biomass briquette may release CO2 and / or CH4 in amounts of 1 ppm or less, 0.5 ppm or less, 0.1 ppm or less, 0.05 ppm or less, 0.01 ppm or less, 0.005 ppm or less, 0.001 ppm or less, 0.0005 ppm or less, 0.0001 ppm or less, or 0.00001 ppm or less.

[0066] In some embodiments, processing biomass involves encapsulating the biomass in one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material). In some embodiments, one or more layers have a relatively low gas permeability rate for water vapor and / or oxygen. Thus, in certain cases, encapsulating biomass in one or more layers can favorably reduce or eliminate the generation of carbon-containing gases (e.g., CO2, CH4) by reducing or preventing the introduction of microorganisms, water (e.g., liquid water, water vapor), and / or oxygen into the encapsulated biomass, thereby delaying, reducing, or eliminating the decomposition of the biomass. In some embodiments, the low water and / or oxygen permeability rate of one or more layers can inhibit and / or completely prevent microbial growth in the biomass encapsulated therein. In certain cases, encapsulating biomass in one or more layers can favorably reduce or eliminate the release of any carbon-containing gases (e.g., CO2, CH4) produced by the decomposition of the encapsulated biomass due to the low gas permeability rate of one or more layers. In addition, in some such cases where biomass begins to decompose and can form CO2 and / or CH4, a low gas permeation rate in one or more layers can lead to an increase in CO2 and / or CH4 levels within the encapsulated biomass, shifting the equilibrium of CO2 and / or CH4 production and thereby slowing the decomposition rate.

[0067] According to some embodiments, encapsulation may involve surrounding biomass with one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material). In certain embodiments, encapsulating biomass involves forming one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) around solidified biomass by coating, wrapping, shrink-fitting, spraying, brushing, dip-coating, and / or other methods. In certain embodiments, encapsulating biomass includes wrapping with a membrane. In some embodiments, encapsulation excludes wrapping. In certain embodiments, encapsulating biomass means that one or more layers include a substantially tightly adhered coating. In certain embodiments, one or more layers include one or more layers formed around solidified biomass (e.g., via wrapping, shrink-fitting, spraying, brushing, and / or dip-coating). In certain embodiments, one or more layers include a pre-designed containment body (e.g., a bag or container). In contrast to wrapping processes, which in some cases may require complex machinery and / or may be more difficult to form an airtight seal, solidified biomass can be inserted into a pre-formed containment body (e.g., a bag or container). In certain cases, the pre-formed containment body (e.g., a bag or container) may contain a polymer material. According to some embodiments, encapsulation involves inserting biomass into a pre-formed containment body (e.g., a pre-formed bag) and sealing the containment body.

[0068] According to some embodiments, individual units of biomass (e.g., briquettes, blocks, cylinders, pellets, etc.) may be individually encapsulated, for example, instead of, and / or in addition to, wrapping, bagging, or otherwise encapsulating a group of multiple biomass units together. In some embodiments, encapsulation includes individually encapsulating the biomass units of multiple biomass units produced during biomass encapsulation. In some embodiments, encapsulation includes encapsulating a group of biomass units, where each group of biomass units includes a portion of all biomass units produced during biomass encapsulation. Individually encapsulating single units of biomass can offer certain advantages, such as better isolation from oxygen / water vapor and the ability to create or maintain a desired formed shape of the biomass unit, which may make it easier to stack, transport, handle, store, and / or monitor the biomass unit. For example, in some embodiments, individually encapsulating individual biomass units can mechanically stabilize the biomass within each unit, thereby preventing loss of biomass and / or biomass unit morphology or mechanical integrity during further transport, stacking, or handling, which can also improve the accuracy of any carbon measurement and / or tracking of the system. Furthermore, in the encapsulation of individual biomass units, because the amount of biomass contained in each capsule is small, in contrast to such capsules containing multiple solidified biomass units, any breakage or damage to the encapsulation barrier layer may expose less biomass to loss of sterile conditions.

[0069] In addition, according to certain embodiments of this specification, individual encapsulation of biomass units may more advantageously allow for the labeling of individual biomass units. For example, one or more layers encapsulating each individual biomass unit may facilitate corresponding labeling on each biomass unit, enabling a more discrete resolution for tracking, leak detection, and / or integrity monitoring, for example, by adhering labels to one or more layers, printing labels on one or more labels, as described in more detail herein. Individually encapsulated solidified biomass units may also be grouped together in certain embodiments and further encapsulated in secondary, tertiary, quaternary, etc., encapsulation steps using encapsulation materials that may be different from or the same as the primary encapsulation material to add further protection against air, water, microorganisms, etc.

[0070] In some embodiments, one or more encapsulating layers form an airtight seal around one or more biomass units contained therein (e.g., solidified biomass units). According to certain embodiments, one or more encapsulating layers airtightly seal one or more biomass units (e.g., solidified biomass units). For example, one or more layers encapsulating the biomass may include a material having a relatively low oxygen permeability. In some embodiments, the oxygen permeability may be measured by the ASTM D3985-17 standard test. In some embodiments, the oxygen permeability of one or more layers is 1 cc / m³ 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.9cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.8cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.7cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.6cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.5cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.4cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.3cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.2cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.1cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.09cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.08cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.07cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.06cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.05cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.04cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.03cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.02cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.01cc / m 2 / 24 hours or less, 0.005cc / m 2 Less than 24 hours, or 0.001 cc / m³ 2 / 24 hours or less. In some embodiments, each individual encapsulation layer of one or more layers may have any of the oxygen permeability rates disclosed herein. In some embodiments, one or more layers may include two, three, four, etc. layers, as described elsewhere herein, and the overall oxygen permeability of one or more layers (e.g., two, three, four, etc.) may be any or less of the aforementioned range.

[0071] Encapsulating biomass can be carried out using any suitable equipment. Non-limiting examples of suitable devices include coating machines (e.g., spray coating machines, dip coating machines), wrapping machines, shrink-fitting machines, and automated bagging machines. Those skilled in the art will recognize other suitable methods and devices for encapsulating biomass.

[0072] The biomass encapsulation step may occur before and / or after the biomass sterilization step. Therefore, biomass encapsulation may include encapsulating sterilized and / or unsterilized biomass. In certain embodiments, biomass sterilization may include multiple sterilization steps, and the biomass encapsulation step may occur between two or more of these sterilization steps. As a non-limiting exemplary example, the biomass encapsulation step may occur after a first sterilization step and before a second sterilization step. That is, the biomass may be at least partially sterilized before encapsulation and then further sterilized after encapsulation. In certain cases, the first and second sterilization steps may utilize different sterilization methods (e.g., the first sterilization step may use exposure to UV radiation, and the second sterilization step may use thermal drying). In certain cases, the first and second sterilization steps may utilize the same sterilization method. In some examples where the first and second sterilization steps utilize the same sterilization method, one or more parameters (e.g., sterilization temperature, sterilization time) may be changed.

[0073] In certain embodiments, the biomass encapsulation step occurs within a relatively short period following the biomass sterilization step and / or the biomass solidification step. For example, in some cases, the encapsulation step may begin less than 60 minutes, less than 45 minutes, less than 30 minutes, less than 20 minutes, less than 15 minutes, less than 10 minutes, less than 5 minutes, less than 2 minutes, less than 1 minute, less than 45 seconds, less than 30 seconds, less than 10 seconds, less than 5 seconds, or 0 seconds after the completion of the sterilization step and / or the solidification step. In some cases, the time between the completion of the sterilization and / or solidification process and the start of the encapsulation process may be 0-5 seconds, 0-10 seconds, 0-30 seconds, 0-45 seconds, 0 seconds-1 minute, 0 seconds-2 minutes, 0 seconds-5 minutes, 0 seconds-10 minutes, 0 seconds-15 minutes, 0 seconds-20 minutes, 0 seconds-30 minutes, 0 seconds-45 minutes, 0 seconds-60 minutes, 10-30 seconds, 10 seconds-45 seconds, 10 seconds-1 minute, 10 seconds-2 minutes, 10 seconds-5 minutes, 10 seconds-10 minutes, 10 seconds-15 minutes, 10 seconds-20 minutes, 10 seconds-30 minutes, 10 seconds-45 minutes, 10 seconds-60 minutes, 30 seconds-1 minute. The time range is 30 seconds to 2 minutes, 30 seconds to 5 minutes, 30 seconds to 10 minutes, 30 seconds to 15 minutes, 30 seconds to 20 minutes, 30 seconds to 30 minutes, 30 seconds to 45 minutes, 30 seconds to 60 minutes, 1 to 5 minutes, 1 to 10 minutes, 1 to 15 minutes, 1 to 20 minutes, 1 to 30 minutes, 1 to 45 minutes, 1 to 60 minutes, 5 to 10 minutes, 5 to 15 minutes, 5 to 20 minutes, 5 to 30 minutes, 5 to 45 minutes, 5 to 60 minutes, 10 to 20 minutes, 10 to 30 minutes, 10 to 45 minutes, 10 to 60 minutes, 20 to 30 minutes, 20 to 45 minutes, 20 to 60 minutes, 30 to 45 minutes, 30 to 60 minutes, or 45 to 60 minutes.

[0074] In certain embodiments, the biomass encapsulation step occurs within a relatively short distance from the biomass drying and / or sterilization step, and / or the biomass solidification step. For example, in some cases, the sterilization output location (e.g., the location where the sterilized biomass is deposited after sterilization is complete) and / or the solidification output location (e.g., the location where the solidified biomass is deposited after solidification is complete) is within a relatively short distance from the encapsulation input location (e.g., the location where the biomass is deposited for encapsulation). In some cases, the distance between the sterilization output location and / or the solidification output location and the encapsulation input location is about 60 meters or less, 50 meters or less, 40 meters or less, 30 meters or less, 20 meters or less, 10 meters or less, 8 meters or less, 5 meters or less, 2 meters or less, 1 meter or less, 0.5 meters or less, 0.1 meters or less, or 0 meters. In some cases, the distance between the sterilization output position and / or solidification output position and the encapsulation input position is 0-0.1m, 0-0.5m, 0-1m, 0-2m, 0-5m, 0-8m, 0-10m, 0.1-0.5m, 0.1-1m, 0.1-2m, 0.1-5m, 0.1-8m, 0.1-10m, 0.5-1m, 0.5-2m, 0.5-5m, 0.5-8m, 0.5-10m, 1-2m, 1-5m, 1-8m, 1-10m The range is 2-5 meters, 2-8 meters, 2-10 meters, 5-10 meters, 8-10 meters, 0-20 meters, 0-30 meters, 0-meter, 0-50 meters, 0-60 meters, 10-20 meters, 10-30 meters, 10-40 meters, 10-50 meters, 10-60 meters, 20-30 meters, 20-40 meters, 20-50 meters, 20-60 meters, 30-40 meters, 30-50 meters, 30-60 meters, 40-50 meters, 40-60 meters, or 50-60 meters.In some embodiments, the device for encapsulating biomass may be connected to a device for sterilizing and / or solidifying biomass (for example, so that the biomass can be directly deposited from the sterilization and / or solidification output location to the encapsulation input location). In certain cases, a relatively short distance between the sterilization output location and / or solidification output location and the encapsulation input location may advantageously reduce or prevent the introduction of microorganisms between the sterilization and encapsulation steps.

[0075] In some embodiments, the encapsulation of biomass may be carried out in a facility that is at least partially enclosed. In certain embodiments, the encapsulation of biomass may be carried out in a facility that is fully enclosed (e.g., indoors). In some cases, carrying out the encapsulation process in a facility that is fully enclosed (e.g., indoors) may favorably reduce or eliminate contamination during the encapsulation process. In certain embodiments, the encapsulation of biomass takes place in the same facility as the solidification of biomass. In certain embodiments, the encapsulation of biomass takes place in the same facility as the sterilization of biomass. In certain embodiments, the encapsulation of biomass takes place in the same facility as the crushing of biomass.

[0076] Figure 2D shows a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of encapsulation. The upper part of Figure 2D shows a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of encapsulation, in which solidified biomass 254 is uniformly and tightly coated in layer 262 (e.g., via wrapping, shrink-fit, spray, brushing, and / or dip coating). The lower part of Figure 2D shows a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of encapsulation, in which solidified biomass 254 is inserted into a pre-formed bag or containment body 262. Figure 2E shows a cross-sectional view of the solidified biomass 254 and layer 262.

[0077] One or more layers may comprise any of a variety of materials. In certain embodiments, one or more layers for encapsulating biomass may comprise a polymer material. In some embodiments, the polymer material has relatively low permeability to water and / or oxygen, relatively high ductility (e.g., for facilitating the formation of an airtight seal), and / or a relatively long decay half-life. In some cases, the polymer material may comprise thermoplastic polymers such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyamide-6 (PA6), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), poly(m-xylylene adipamide) (MXD6), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC), and / or other thermoplastic polymers. In certain cases, it may be particularly advantageous to use a polymer material comprising PET. In certain embodiments, the PET is biaxially oriented PET (BoPET). In some cases, the polymer material includes recycled polymer material. In certain cases, using recycled polymer material (e.g., recycled PET) may have the advantage of minimizing the amount of waste plastic entering the environment and / or reducing the need to produce more plastic. Furthermore, if one or more layers include polymer material, the polymer material may also include carbon and thus may further contribute to carbon sequestration. In certain embodiments, at least one of the one or more layers (and possibly each layer) may include two or more polymer materials.

[0078] In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more encapsulation layers comprises a non-thermoplastic and / or curable polymer, and / or a bio-based non-synthetic polymer or resin, and / or a highly viscous adhesive material (e.g., bitumen, pitch, asphalt, etc.), and the method for encapsulating biomass with such encapsulation materials may include, but are not limited to, any preferred method described above for thermoplastic encapsulation materials. Preferred materials may include, but are not limited to, thermosetting polymers, and natural polymers and resins such as amber. Such materials may further be cured, for example, through non-thermally driven phase change processes such as crosslinking or chain extension mechanisms, solvent evaporation, or otherwise formed into a solid encapsulation layer. Such materials may, upon curing, be polymers and / or macromolecules that form films, layers, networks, etc., for example, through the generation of covalent chemical bonds between different polymer chains in crosslinking, or through the addition of covalent monomers / macromomers via chain extension mechanisms. Such covalent chemical bonds can be induced through a number of different pathways, including free radical polymerization, vulcanization of rubber or other elastomers, or direct crosslinking between individual reactive chemical moieties on polymer chains. The insoluble networks of these types of materials can be formed through curing processes that may be functionally irreversible, thus creating extremely long-lasting and durable materials for stable encapsulation. In certain cases, the formed polymer network is extremely resistant to thermal degradation or chemical attack, keeping biomass units encapsulated in such materials stably sealed over extended periods of isolation. For example, perfectly preserved insects have been found inside 45-million-year-old amber, demonstrating the ability of these types of crosslinked materials to prevent the decomposition of organic materials encapsulated within them for very long periods.

[0079] According to some embodiments, a thermosetting material suitable for use in at least one of one or more encapsulation layers may be modified to be mechanically robust and / or to provide a barrier to water and gas transport, which is a desirable property for encapsulating biomass and preventing decomposition. In many commercial applications, packaging materials need to be removable to access the packaged goods (e.g., food, pharmaceuticals), and therefore thermosetting materials are generally not suitable for use. However, in certain embodiments of encapsulating solidified biomass for carbon removal purposes described herein, one objective may be to keep the biomass material stably sealed for long periods, such as thousands of years in some cases, which can be achieved, for example, by using a thermosetting material that is irreversibly chemically crosslinked upon curing to form at least one encapsulation layer sealing the biomass. In some such embodiments, once the thermosetting polymer is applied to the biomass and cured, it may provide long-term or nearly indefinite protection from the intrusion of water and / or oxygen. Coatings of thermosetting polymers can also be highly adhesive due to the property that the resin is often liquid or moldable before curing.

[0080] Relevant thermosetting chemistry that can be used for the purpose of sealing biomass (e.g., solidified biomass, densified biomass) to prevent decomposition includes polyurethanes, formaldehyde polymers, cyanate esters, polyimides, and epoxy. Such polymers may be applied by dipping, painting, or spraying onto biomass, e.g., solidified (e.g., densified) biomass, through any suitable technique, for example, as described elsewhere in this specification. Thermosetting materials may also be applied as two-component formulations, as in the case of epoxy. In such particular cases, the epoxide resin may be mixed with a curing agent (e.g., an amine) that cures to form an epoxy encapsulation barrier layer. This may be done, for example, by spraying, dipping, or painting the biomass with the first component, followed by spraying, dipping, or painting the biomass with the second component. Curing or crosslinking of the polymer or prepolymer for the purpose of encapsulating biomass may be done, for example, by heating, irradiation, application of a catalytic material (e.g., a curing agent), and / or application of pressure.

[0081] For example, polyurethane is a set of polymer chemistry that can be either thermosetting or thermoplastic materials. In some cases, this disclosure describes the use of crosslinked thermosetting polyurethane as material for at least one or more encapsulating layers, providing strong mechanical properties including durability and abrasion resistance. Polyurethane is known to have urethane bonds and is usually synthesized by the reaction of an alcohol with an isocyanate. The alcohol may be a polyol, and the structure of the polyol may contribute to the branched and crosslinked structure characteristic of thermosetting materials. For example, short-chain, low-molecular-weight polyols may react with aromatic isocyanates to provide a highly structured, rigid polyurethane. To apply these types of materials as encapsulating materials, the reaction may be carried out while the monomer or prepolymer is coating or surrounding the material to be encapsulated. One way this may be done is to mix the materials and then immediately coat them onto the biomass, allowing the solvent to evaporate while the curing reaction takes place. In such embodiments, what remains is a rigid thermosetting polyurethane that completely or substantially seals the solidified biomass unit(s).

[0082] As another example, phenol-formaldehyde polymers can be formed to create a polymer network through the reaction of phenol and formaldehyde. The reaction may, in certain cases, be a two-step process, the first step of which involves contacting phenol and formaldehyde with each other, for example, when the molar ratio of formaldehyde to phenol is less than 1, to produce a fluid or adhesive prepolymer, which can then be further cured by heating the prepolymer while adding more formaldehyde. According to some embodiments, a fully cured phenol-formaldehyde resin may provide a mechanically robust and degradation-resistant thermosetting polymer network that is sufficiently suitable for stably encapsulating biomass within at least one of one or more layers. The polymerization / curing reaction may proceed as a step-growth polymerization that generates methylene bridge bonds between phenol groups. In some cases, when the molar ratio of formaldehyde to phenol reaches 1, the system is fully crosslinked, as each phenol group is theoretically bonded at that point. These types of resins are extremely rigid and mechanically strong, and are used in everything from billiard balls to countertops.

[0083] Another suitable or potentially suitable example as an encapsulation material (e.g., for encapsulating solidified or densified biomass) is the melamine / melamine-formaldehyde polymer. Such polymers are another class of thermosetting polymers, in some embodiments, suitable for use as a material in at least one of one or more encapsulation layers, in this case using formaldehyde as one of its components. To produce such polymers, formaldehyde can be condensed with melamine to produce a hydroxymethyl compound. The hydroxymethyl species can then be heated in the presence of an acid to form bonds through further condensation and crosslinking, thereby yielding a thermosetting polymer. Such materials have been used to make dishes, countertops, and flooring, as well as in other applications where their water resistance and strong mechanical properties are advantageous. These properties may also be suitable and advantageous in acting as a barrier against water or gas entering encapsulated stored biomass.

[0084] Another class of thermosetting polymers suitable or potentially suitable for use in the disclosed methods and for biomass encapsulation is cyanate esters. These materials have the formula ROC≡N, where R is an organic group. Cyanate esters can be cured by heating or with a catalyst to produce thermosetting materials that, for certain species, may have very high toughness and high glass transition temperatures. Flexibility and relative ease of curing may be advantageous for the application of such materials as protective coatings or layers for stored biomass (e.g., solidified biomass, densified biomass, etc.). At least certain such materials can be applied as a fluid, uncured or partially cured polymer network, which may then be heated to initiate or complete the curing process without the need to add additional components that may, in certain cases, require mixing or control of heterogeneity.

[0085] In some embodiments, epoxy is another class of thermosetting materials that is suitable or potentially suitable for use in at least one of one or more layers. Epoxy is typically formulated and supplied as a prepolymer, macromer, or polymer containing epoxide groups that can react with other macromers, prepolymers, or polymers having chemical groups reactive with the epoxide groups, such as amines, acids, phenols, alcohols, or thiols, and / or low molecular weight or monomer additives. Such additives act as curing agents by introducing crosslinking moieties throughout the polymer. Epoxy chemistry is extremely diverse and can result in a wide range of properties, but many typical epoxys have very good mechanical strength properties and high chemical and thermal resistance. The curing process can be slow in some examples, sometimes taking several weeks to reach full mechanical properties, but this depends on the specific reactions and curing conditions utilized.

[0086] Furthermore, according to some embodiments, another exemplary class of non-thermoplastic polymers that may be suitable as an encapsulation material for at least one of one or more encapsulation layers in the context of this disclosure is polyimide, which may be formed, for example, by a reaction between a dianhydride and a diamine, or between a dianhydride and a diisocyanate. In any of these synthesis routes, the resulting material is, in typical embodiments, a polymer network that is relatively lightweight while having favorable mechanical and thermal properties. Polyimide is also typically resistant to flame combustion, which can be advantageous in protecting encapsulated biomass from the risk of fire at any point in time, whether during storage or transport.

[0087] Another alternative group of materials suitable or potentially suitable for at least certain embodiments of the disclosed encapsulating materials is natural (i.e., naturally occurring and / or non-synthetically produced) resins, e.g., crosslinked resins, e.g., plant resins or tree sap (e.g., amber). Such particular materials, e.g., amber, can withstand degradation for thousands of years and are attractive for applications where one objective may be to prevent the intrusion of water or oxygen into stored biomass for very long periods. This class also includes natural rubber (e.g., latex / polyisoprene) (when vulcanized), balsam, copal, kauri gum, rosin, shellac, and others, as well as materials such as resin varnishes made from these through the addition of drying oils (such as linseed oil, tung oil, and walnut oil containing high levels of polyunsaturated fatty acids) and solvents, which harden or solidify upon drying. In certain embodiments, two or more of these types of materials may be combined to improve the properties of the overall encapsulation layer(s), and / or combined with one or more of the aforementioned synthetic thermosetting and / or thermoplastic encapsulation materials to adjust the properties of the composite or polymer mixture-based encapsulation material.

[0088] In certain embodiments, biomass encapsulation may occur first in a material that is particularly impermeable to moisture (e.g., amber), and then sequentially or in combination with another material that is more mechanically robust, elastic, shock-absorbing, etc. (e.g., vulcanized natural rubber, thermoplastic polymer, etc.) to protect the encapsulated biomass from mechanical wear or damage. In certain embodiments, it may be advantageous to encapsulate biomass in a mixture of thermosetting polymers and other materials such as thermoplastic polymers to access the favorable properties of multiple classes of materials. Certain thermosetting materials may be brittle and are at risk of fracturing during the transport and handling of sealed biomass blocks. However, by mixing other materials such as thermoplastic polymers, oligomers, or other small (e.g., plasticizer) molecules, the encapsulating material may be less brittle while still maintaining the lifespan of the crosslinked thermosetting polymer. Preferred properties may be measured, for example, by using a Charpy Impact test that provides a stress / strain curve showing the energy required to fracture the candidate material(s).

[0089] In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more encapsulation layers is directly adjacent to the solidified biomass. That is, in certain embodiments, at least one of the one or more layers is in direct physical contact with at least a portion of the solidified biomass. In some such embodiments, there may be no intervening layers or components between the one or more layers and the solidified biomass. In other embodiments, one or more intervening layers or components may be present between the one or more layers and the solidified biomass. In certain cases, the presence of at least one of the one or more layers directly adjacent to the solidified biomass can advantageously maximize the protection of the solidified biomass against exposure to water, oxygen, and / or microorganisms.

[0090] In some cases, at least one of the encapsulation layers (and, in some cases, each layer) has a thickness of 100 nm or more, 500 nm or more, 1 micron or more, 10 microns or more, 50 microns or more, 100 microns or more, 250 microns or more, 500 microns or more, 1 mm or more, 5 mm or more, 8 mm or more, or 10 mm or more. In some cases, the thickness of at least one of the layers (and, in some cases, each layer) is 10 mm or less, 8 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, 1 mm or less, 500 microns or less, 250 microns or less, 100 microns or less, 50 microns or less, 10 microns or less, 500 nm or less, or 100 nm or less. Combinations of the aforementioned ranges are possible (e.g., 100 nm or more and 10 mm or less). Other ranges are also possible. In some cases, using one or more layers with relatively high thickness can maintain the integrity of one or more layers even if a portion of one or more layers degrades (e.g., due to exposure to UV radiation and / or abrasion during transport).

[0091] In some cases, the total thickness of one or more encapsulation layers may be 100 nm or more, 500 nm or more, 1 micron or more, 10 microns or more, 50 microns or more, 100 microns or more, 250 microns or more, 500 microns or more, 1 mm or more, 5 mm or more, 8 mm or more, 10 mm or more, 15 mm or more, 20 mm or more, or 25 mm or more. In some cases, the total thickness of one or more layers may be 25 mm or less, 20 mm or less, 15 mm or less, 10 mm or less, 8 mm or less, 5 mm or less, 3 mm or less, 2 mm or less, 1 mm or less, 500 microns or less, 250 microns or less, 100 microns or less, 50 microns or less, 10 microns or less, 500 nm or less, or 100 nm or less. Combinations of the above ranges are possible (for example, 100 nm or more and 25 mm or less, 100 nm or more and 10 mm or less). Other ranges are also possible.

[0092] In some embodiments, one or more encapsulation layers (e.g., one or more layers comprising a polymeric material) may have relatively high impact resistance in order to avoid damage during transportation and / or handling, e.g., due to abrasion, and to maintain structural integrity during storage. In some cases, the impact resistance of one or more layers may be measured by the ASTM D256-23e1 standard Izod impact strength test. In some embodiments, the impact resistance of one or more layers is 20 J / m 2 or more, 50 J / m 2 or more, 100 J / m 2 or more, 150 J / m 2 or more, 200 J / m 2 or more, 250 J / m 2 or more, 300 J / m 2 or more, 350 J / m 2 or more, 400 J / m 2 or more, 450 J / m 2 or more, 500 J / m 2 or more, 1000 J / m 2 or more, 1500 J / m 2 or more, or 2000 J / m 2 or more. In some cases, the impact resistance of one or more layers is 2000 J / m 2 or less, 1500 J / m 2 or less, 1000 J / m 2 or less, 500 J / m 2 or less, 450 J / m 2 or less, 400 J / m 2 or less, 350 J / m 2 or less, 300 J / m 2 or less, 250 J / m 2 or less, 200 J / m 2 or less, 150 J / m 2 or less, 100 J / m 2 or less, 50 J / m 2 or less, or 20 J / m 2 or less. Combinations of the foregoing ranges are possible (e.g., 20 J / m 2 or more and 2000 J / m 2 or less). Other ranges are possible.

[0093] In some cases, one or more encapsulating layers (e.g., one or more layers comprising polymer material) may be substantially impermeable to water (e.g., water vapor), oxygen, and / or microorganisms associated with biomass decomposition, including but not limited to Gram-positive bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. According to some embodiments, one or more layers may have relatively low gas permeability rates for water vapor and / or oxygen, thereby reducing or preventing microbial growth and subsequent decomposition of the encapsulated biomass. In some embodiments, the gas permeability rate of one or more layers can be measured using the ASTM D3985-17 standard test. According to some embodiments, one or more layers may have a gas permeability rate of 10 mol s -1 m -2 Below, 5mol s -1 m -2 Below, 3mol s -1 m -2 Below, 1mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.9mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.8mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.7mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.6mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.5mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.4mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.3mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.2mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.1mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.05mol s -1 m -2 The following, or 0.01 mol s -1 m -2 The following oxygen gas permeation rates may be observed. In some embodiments, the gas permeation rate of water vapor in one or more layers may be measured using the ASTM E96M-22ae1 standard test. According to some embodiments, one or more layers may have a gas permeation rate of 10 mol s.-1 m -2 Below, 5mol s -1 m -2 Below, 3mol s -1 m -2 Below, 1mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.9mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.8mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.7mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.6mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.5mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.4mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.3mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.2mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.1mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.05mol s -1 m -2 The following, or 0.01 mol s -1 m -2 The following water vapor gas permeation rates may be observed.

[0094] In some embodiments, one or more encapsulation layers (e.g., one or more layers comprising a polymer material) have a relatively high coefficient of friction. In certain cases, a relatively high coefficient of friction can advantageously reduce the movement of encapsulated biomass during transport and / or storage at the isolation site.

[0095] In some embodiments, one or more encapsulated layers (e.g., one or more layers comprising a polymer material) may further contain radiation-absorbing motifs and / or molecules distinct from the polymer material (e.g., UV radiation-absorbing). In some cases, the radiation-absorbing motifs and / or molecules may absorb incident radiation without generating a photoinitiator (e.g., by converting the radiation into heat). In some such cases, the radiation-absorbing motifs and / or molecules can prevent one or more layers from degrading, for example, by photo-oxidation, and thus extend the lifetime of one or more layers in the presence of radiation.

[0096] In some cases, one or more encapsulated layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) may further contain radiation-reflective components. For example, in some cases, one or more layers may be metallized, and a thin film of metal may coat the outer surface of one or more layers. In some such cases, the thin film of metal may contain aluminum, gold, nickel, and chromium. In some cases, the thin film of metal may have a thickness of 500 microns or less, 400 microns or less, 300 microns or less, 250 microns or less, 200 microns or less, 150 microns or less, 100 microns or less, 50 microns or less, or 20 microns or less. In such embodiments, the metal film may be thick enough to reflect incident radiation (e.g., UV radiation) in order to minimize and / or prevent the incident radiation from interacting with other parts of one or more layers (e.g., the polymer material of one or more layers).

[0097] It can be particularly advantageous that one or more encapsulating layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) contain material having a relatively long decay half-life. According to some embodiments, the degradation rate of the material of one or more layers (e.g., polymer material) can be measured using the ASTM F1980-21 standard test. In some cases, the material of one or more layers may structurally decompose after periods of 100 years or more, 250 years or more, 500 years or more, 750 years or more, 1000 years or more, 1500 years or more, 2000 years or more, 2500 years or more, 5000 years or more, or 10,000 years or more. In some cases, the material of one or more layers (e.g., polymer material) may not decompose to a measurable extent during the test. In some embodiments, the material of one or more layers (e.g., polymer material) having a relatively long decay half-life allows one or more layers to maintain their structural integrity for a relatively long time and, therefore, encapsulate biomass for a relatively long time. In some of these cases, as described elsewhere in this specification, the encapsulated biomass may be stored to sequestrate the carbon content of the encapsulated biomass, thereby removing the carbon content from, for example, the atmosphere.

[0098] In some cases, multiple encapsulation layers (e.g., multiple layers containing polymer material) may be used. According to some embodiments, one or more layers may include 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, or more layers. Figure 2F shows a schematic diagram of a non-limiting example of encapsulation in which solidified biomass 254 is uniformly coated with a first layer 262 and a second layer 264. Figure 2G shows a cross-sectional view of the solidified biomass 254, the first layer 262, and the second layer 264. It should be understood that additional layers are also possible.

[0099] In certain cases, at least one (and possibly each) of the one or more encapsulation layers comprises a polymer material. In some embodiments, different layers may comprise different polymer materials. In some such cases, the first layer may comprise a polymer material having a relatively low gas permeability rate to oxygen and / or water vapor, as described elsewhere in this specification, while the second layer may have a relatively low degradation rate when exposed to UV radiation and / or relatively high impact resistance, where the second layer may be the outermost layer of the encapsulated biomass. In some such configurations, the first layer may delay and / or prevent the decomposition of the biomass, and the second layer may delay and / or prevent the degradation of the first layer when the encapsulated biomass is exposed, for example, to sunlight (and / or other UV radiation sources) and / or physical abrasion. In some cases, multiple layers may comprise the same polymer material, thereby reducing the total gas permeability rate of one or more layers (e.g., when all layers are considered together) to water vapor and / or oxygen. In some cases, multiple layers may allow for the complete encapsulation of biomass while one or more layers are partially degraded. In some cases, one or more nonpolymer materials (e.g., oxygen-scavenging compounds) may be present between different layers of one or more layers. According to some embodiments, each individual encapsulation layer of one or more encapsulation layers may be included to provide the solidified biomass unit with desired properties. For example, as described above, in some embodiments, at least one of the one or more layers may have a low water permeability. According to some embodiments, at least one of the one or more layers may have a low oxygen permeability. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more layers may have a low CO2 permeability. In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more layers may reflect UV radiation at least partially.In some embodiments, at least one of the one or more layers may be relatively mechanically robust, i.e., impact resistant and / or wear-resistant. According to some embodiments, one or more layers may be reactive with substances present in the atmosphere, such as water or oxygen. In some such embodiments, it may be desirable to have multiple layers such that no reactive layer is exposed to an atmosphere containing a gas in which the inner layers of the multiple layers are reactive. In some embodiments, it may be desirable to have a multilayer structure including at least one robust outer layer resistant to mechanical failure and at least one layer having a low oxygen permeability rate. In some such embodiments, it may be even more advantageous to include at least one layer having a low water permeability rate and / or a low CO2 permeability rate in the multilayer structure.

[0100] In some embodiments, one of the one or more encapsulation layers may comprise multiple sublayers laminated (or otherwise bonded) to a single layer. In certain embodiments, different sublayers of the multiple sublayers may comprise different polymer materials (e.g., having different gas permeation rates for oxygen and / or water vapor). In certain embodiments, two or more sublayers of the multiple sublayers may comprise the same polymer material. In some cases, one or more nonpolymer materials (e.g., oxygen-scavenging compounds) may be present between two or more sublayers of the multiple sublayers.

[0101] In some embodiments, encapsulating solidified biomass can sufficiently delay and / or prevent the decomposition of the encapsulated biomass for at least 100 years, at least 500 years, at least 1000 years, at least 1500 years, at least 2000 years, at least 2500 years, at least 5000 years, or at least 10,000 years when the biomass is stored in the dark under standard atmospheric conditions. In some cases, encapsulating solidified biomass can delay and / or prevent the decomposition of the encapsulated biomass for at least 10 mol s of oxygen under standard atmospheric conditions. -1 m 2At the above rates, water vapor is 10 mol s⁻¹. -1 m 2 At the above rates, it is possible to sufficiently prevent oxygen and / or water vapor from being transported from the ambient atmosphere to the encapsulated biomass. In certain cases, encapsulating solidified biomass units is sufficient to prevent microbial activity and spoilage of the encapsulated biomass for at least 100 years when the biomass is stored in conditions where it may be exposed to light, such as in an above-ground warehouse or similar location.

[0102] According to some embodiments, biomass can be processed to produce articles containing biomass. In some embodiments, the article further includes one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) that encapsulate the biomass. In some cases, one or more layers may be substantially impermeable to oxygen, water vapor, and / or carbon dioxide. According to some embodiments, the biomass of the article (e.g., an article which is an encapsulated biomass unit(s)) is substantially free of non-biomass material.

[0103] The article may include biomass treated by any of the processing steps described above, in any order and / or combination. In some embodiments, the biomass is substantially resistant to microbial growth. In some embodiments, the biomass is 10 -1 The following 10 -2 The following 10 -3 The following 10 -4 The following 10 -5 The following, or 10 -6 The following levels of sterility assurance (SAL) are observed. In some embodiments, the biomass has at least one-logarithmic reduction, at least two-logarithmic reduction, at least three-logarithmic reduction, at least four-logarithmic reduction, at least five-logarithmic reduction, or at least six-logarithmic reduction in the number of challenge microorganisms (e.g., Gram-positive bacteria, methanogenic bacteria, and / or CO2-producing microorganisms).

[0104] In some embodiments, the solidified biomass has a relatively high density. In a particular embodiment, the solidified biomass has a density of 250 kg / m³. 3 More than 300kg / m 3 More than 400kg / m 3 More than 500kg / m 3 More than 600kg / m 3 More than 700kg / m 3 More than 800kg / m 3 More than 900kg / m 3 More than 1000kg / m 3 More than 1100kg / m 3 More than 1200kg / m 3 More than 1300kg / m 3 More than 1400kg / m 3 More than 1500kg / m 3 More than 1750kg / m 3 More than 2000kg / m 3 More than 2250kg / m 3 Above, or 2500 kg / m 3 It has a density of the above. In some embodiments, the biomass is 2500 kg / m³. 3 Below 2250kg / m 3 Below 2000kg / m 3 Below 1750kg / m 3 Below 1500kg / m 3 Below 1400kg / m 3 Below 1300kg / m 3 Below 1200kg / m 3 Below 1100kg / m 3 Below 1000kg / m 3 Below 900kg / m 3 Below 800kg / m 3 Below 700kg / m 3 Below 600kg / m 3 Below 500kg / m 3 Below 400kg / m 3 Below 300kg / m 3 The following, or 250 kg / m 3 It has the following densities. Combinations of the aforementioned ranges are possible (for example, 700 kg / m³). 3 The above and 1500 kg / m3 Below 500kg / m 3 The above and 2000 kg / m 3 Below 250kg / m 3 The above and 2500 kg / m 3 (See below). Other ranges are also possible.

[0105] The solidified biomass can have any suitable shape. In certain embodiments, the biomass may have substantially the shape of a cube, sphere, ellipsoid, cylinder, triangular prism, rectangular prism, hexagonal prism, octagonal prism, and / or truncated icosahedron. Other shapes are also possible.

[0106] One or more layers may comprise any suitable material as described above in relation to biomass encapsulation. In such embodiments, one or more layers comprise a polymer material. Non-limiting examples of suitable polymer materials include PET, BoPET, PP, HDPE, PVC, PS, PE, PLA, PA6, PEN, MXD6, PVOH, EVOH, and PVDC, as well as / or any one or more of the aforementioned thermosetting, curable, and / or natural resin or coating materials. In some embodiments, one or more layers comprise one, two, three, four, five, or more layers. In certain embodiments, a single layer of one or more layers may comprise multiple sublayers laminated or otherwise bonded to the single layer. Different layers of one or more layers, or different sublayers of multiple sublayers in a single layer, may comprise different polymer materials (e.g., having different gas permeability rates for oxygen and / or water vapor) or the same polymer material. In some cases, one or more nonpolymer materials (e.g., oxygen-scavenging compounds) may be present between two or more layers of one or more layers, or between two or more sublayers of multiple sublayers within a single layer.

[0107] In some cases, one or more encapsulating layers (e.g., one or more layers comprising polymer material) may be substantially impermeable to water (e.g., water vapor), oxygen, and / or microorganisms associated with biomass decomposition, including but not limited to Gram-positive bacteria, fungi, and actinomycetes. According to some embodiments, one or more layers may have a relatively low gas permeability rate to water vapor and / or oxygen, thereby reducing or preventing microbial growth and subsequent decomposition of the encapsulated biomass. According to some embodiments, one or more layers may have a permeability rate of 10 mol s -1 m -2 Below, 5mol s -1 m -2 Below, 3mol s -1 m -2 Below, 1mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.9mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.8mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.7mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.6mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.5mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.4mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.3mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.2mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.1mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.05mol s -1 m -2 The following, or 0.01 mol s -1 m -2 The following oxygen gas permeation rates may be observed. In some embodiments, the gas permeation rate of water vapor in one or more layers may be measured using the ASTM E96M-22ae1 standard test. According to some embodiments, one or more layers may have a gas permeation rate of 10 mol s. -1 m -2 Below, 5mol s -1 m -2Below, 3mol s -1 m -2 Below, 1mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.9mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.8mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.7mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.6mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.5mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.4mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.3mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.2mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.1mol s -1 m -2 Below, 0.05mol s -1 m -2 The following, or 0.01 mol s -1 m -2 The following water vapor gas permeation rates may be observed.

[0108] In certain embodiments, the carbon content of the biomass is quantified before storage. In some cases, the carbon content of the biomass may be quantified and recorded to comply with regulatory body regulations or policies.

[0109] According to some embodiments, the carbon content of encapsulated biomass can be quantified. In certain embodiments, the carbon content of each unit of treated biomass can be quantified to track and / or report the amount of carbon removed from the atmosphere.

[0110] According to some embodiments, the carbon content may be quantified with relatively high accuracy, which may be advantageous when tracking the amount of carbon and / or verifying the amount of carbon removed from the atmosphere. In some cases, the carbon content of biomass may be determined by mass spectrometry, gravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, and / or dual-energy X-ray imaging. In some embodiments, the carbon content of biomass may be 10 wt.% or more, 20 wt.% or more, 30 wt.% or more, 40 wt.% or more, 50 wt.% or more, 60 wt.% or more, 70 wt.% or more, 80 wt.% or more, 90 wt.% or more, or 95 wt.% or more of the biomass. In some embodiments, the mass of the carbon content in biomass may be obtained by obtaining the wt.% of the carbon content in biomass and multiplying it by the total mass of the biomass. The total mass of the biomass may be measured according to any suitable method known in the art. In some embodiments, the total mass of the biomass may be measured using a scale (e.g., a standalone scale, a conveyor belt scale, a checkway scale) or other weighing device. In certain embodiments, the biomass (e.g., the volume of biomass to be solidified into solidified biomass units) may be weighed before solidification. In certain embodiments, one or more solidified biomass units (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) may be weighed after solidification. In some embodiments, as described elsewhere in this specification, the biomass may be transported along a conveyor belt. In some such embodiments, a checkway scale may be located along the conveyor belt and / or at the end of the conveyor belt, so that the biomass being transported along the conveyor belt passes over the checkway scale and its mass can be measured.

[0111] In some cases, after quantifying the carbon content in the processed (e.g., solidified and / or encapsulated) biomass unit, a label (e.g., an RFID label, barcode, serial number, etc.) may be applied and / or placed on the processed biomass, where the label may include information about the amount of carbon contained in the biomass unit (e.g., weight, type of biomass). Applying or placing the label can be carried out by any of a variety of suitable methods, including printing the label (e.g., on the outer layer or encapsulation layer of the briquette using ink or other materials), bonding the label, modifying the outer layer of one or more layers encapsulating the processed biomass (e.g., pressing the label into the flexible outer layer, inducing an optical change in the outer layer by applying energy such as heat and / or light, mechanical or chemical etching), other suitable methods for applying or placing the label, and combinations thereof. As a non-limiting example, the label may be printed directly onto the outer layer of the encapsulated biomass unit. In some embodiments, the label may be printed on a first side of the article, and the second side of the article may contain an adhesive for fixing the label to the encapsulated biomass unit.

[0112] Applying or placing labels may be advantageous for any of several reasons. For example, in some cases, labels may identify different biomass units and provide information about them, for example, when there are variations in the amount of carbon sequestrated between each biomass unit. Furthermore, in some cases, labeling at the start of carbon sequestration may enable more accurate monitoring of the carbon sequestration process over time. For example, the second carbon content of a biomass unit may be measured at a later point in time and then compared to the initial carbon content, and changes in carbon content may be tracked by individual biomass units using labels. Identification and monitoring of carbon content may preferably provide the ability to track the amount of carbon sequestrated using the processes described herein. According to some embodiments, labels may be used to track the location of corresponding biomass units, for example, during transport and / or storage. In some embodiments, it is undesirable for biomass units to degrade, be damaged, or otherwise leak, but labeling may be desirable to facilitate monitoring carbon content and tracking the location of specific biomass units, thereby helping to determine, if any, locations within a storage system where units are prone to degradation (e.g., due to weight load distribution, unintended exposure to heat or light) over the storage period. Thus, such tracking may provide the ability to improve the storage facility over time to avoid or correct locations within the storage system where biomass units are prone to degradation.

[0113] In some embodiments, biomass may be palletized for handling, transport, and / or storage. In some cases, biomass may be crushed, sterilized, solidified (e.g., into briquettes and / or blocks), and / or encapsulated before palletizing. Palletizing solidified biomass may be achieved by methods known to those skilled in the art, for example, by stacking two or more units of solidified biomass in an orderly structure on one or more pallets. In some embodiments, following initial palletization on one or more pallets (e.g., stacking two or more units of solidified biomass), the orderly structure formed thereon may then be at least partially packaged. For example, the outer perimeter of the orderly structure of two or more units of solidified biomass may be packaged to prevent the disintegration or separation of the orderly structure.

[0114] Pallets may be formed from any suitable material. In certain embodiments, one or more (and possibly all) pallets comprise one or more polymers. In certain embodiments, one or more (and possibly all) pallets do not comprise wood or other plant-derived components. In some cases, it may be advantageous for pallets to be formed from one or more polymers rather than wood or other plant-derived components, thereby avoiding the introduction of unsterilized biomass that could become hosts for the relevant microbial community into the isolation site. In some cases, pallets formed from one or more polymers may advantageously reduce or avoid the formation of fragments, which may damage or rupture one or more layers encapsulating one or more solidified biomass units (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks). However, in certain embodiments, one or more (and possibly all) pallets comprise wood. In some cases, one or more (and possibly all) pallets may be sterilized (e.g., via UV radiation, heat, or any other sterilization method described herein) before being used to store and / or transport biomass.

[0115] In some cases, palletization (e.g., stacking one or more solidified biomass units on one or more pallets) can advantageously enable efficient transport and / or storage of solidified biomass units (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks). In certain cases, palletization may reduce or minimize the risk of damage to one or more encapsulation layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) during transport and / or storage of solidified biomass units. Figure 2H shows a schematic diagram of a non-limiting embodiment of palletized solidified biomass. In Figure 2H, multiple encapsulated solidified biomass units (e.g., blocks) 266 are stacked on a pallet 268.

[0116] Much of the aforementioned disclosure has focused on obtaining (e.g., receiving) raw biomass and / or processing the biomass. In some cases, the throughput for processing the biomass is directly related to the overall rate of carbon sequestration. According to some embodiments, raw biomass may be processed (e.g., by crushing, sterilizing, solidifying, and / or encapsulating) at rates of 10 kg / hr or more, 100 kg / hr or more, 10000 kg / hr or more, 20000 kg / hr or more, 50000 kg / hr or more, or 100000 kg / hr or more. In some cases, untreated biomass can be processed at rates of 100,000 kg / hr or less, 50,000 kg / hr or less, 20,000 kg / hr or less, 10,000 kg / hr or less, 5,000 kg / hr or less, 3,000 kg / hr or less, 2,000 kg / hr or less, 1,000 kg / hr or less, 100 kg / hr or less, or 10 kg / hr or less. Combinations of the aforementioned ranges are possible (e.g., 1,000 kg / hr or more and 5,000 kg / hr or less). Other ranges are also possible.

[0117] In some cases, processed biomass can be received, which is solidified and encapsulated. According to some embodiments, some untreated biomass and / or some processed biomass can be received and / or processed. According to some embodiments, the received biomass comes from biomass suppliers, farms, forests, agricultural product processors, and / or wood product processors. Other sources from which biomass can be received are also possible.

[0118] In some cases, carbon sequestration includes storing biomass (e.g., treated biomass). Storing biomass may include transporting treated biomass from a first location to a second location. For example, in some embodiments, the first location may be a processing site and the second location may be a sequestration site. In some cases, the first location may be where untreated biomass is acquired, received, and / or processed. According to some embodiments, the second location may include a sequestration site. In certain embodiments, the sequestration site may include an underground location where biomass can be stored. In some cases, the sequestration site may be a landfill. In some cases, the lowest level of the sequestration site may be located above ground level (e.g., to prevent upward buoyancy acting on the liner of the sequestration site). In certain embodiments, the sequestration site may be located above ground. Exemplarily, the sequestration site may include an above-ground, lined earthen mound or similar structure. According to some embodiments, the sequestration site may include two or more compartments and / or locations where biomass units can be stored. For example, the isolation site may include at least two underground compartments where biomass can be stored. If multiple compartments and / or locations exist, each compartment and / or location may include a liner and be configured to prevent water leakage into it and / or to facilitate water drainage from it.

[0119] In some embodiments, the isolation site includes a liner. In certain embodiments, the liner is configured to be resistant to weathering degradation. In some cases, the liner acts as a secondary permeable barrier between the treated biomass and microorganisms, oxygen, and / or water vapor. In certain cases, the liner has a low permeability coefficient (e.g., 1 × 10⁻⁶). -8 (Has m / s or less)

[0120] In some cases, the liner comprises clay and / or polyethylene. In certain embodiments, the liner is a composite liner. In some cases, the composite liner comprises one or more compacted soil layers and one or more layers comprising a polymer membrane (e.g., a high-density polyethylene membrane).

[0121] In some cases, the isolation site includes a drainage system. In certain embodiments, the isolation site includes one or more drainage pipes configured, for example, to remove excess water from precipitation. In some cases, the drainage pipes may be located at the bottom of the isolation site. In some cases, such drainage pipes can advantageously prevent puddles from forming within the isolation site when part of the site is exposed to the atmosphere and therefore to precipitation.

[0122] In some embodiments, the isolation site has a relatively flat floor surface. In certain embodiments, the floor surface can withstand the compressive forces associated with the biomass units (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) stacked on the floor surface. In some cases, more than 1,000, more than 10,000, more than 100,000, more than 1 million, more than 10 million, more than 100 million, more than 1 billion, or more than 1 trillion biomass units may be stored on the floor surface of the isolation site. In certain embodiments, the isolation site may be configured to store more than 100,000 tons of biomass per year, more than 500,000 tons of biomass per year, or more than 1 million tons of biomass per year for at least 5, 10, 20, 30, 40, 50, or 100 years. Thus, in some cases, more than 5 million tons of biomass, more than 10 million tons of biomass, more than 50 million tons, or more than 100 million tons of biomass may be stored on the floor surface of the isolation site.

[0123] According to some embodiments, there may be advantages associated with using isolation sites, including underground locations. For example, after storing biomass in an underground location (e.g., burying it), the biomass may no longer be exposed to UV light. In some such embodiments, this may extend the lifespan of one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) encapsulating the biomass. In some cases, storing biomass in an underground location (e.g., burying it) may provide some degree of temperature control. That is, in some cases, underground temperatures may not fluctuate as much as ambient temperatures above ground due to the relatively high heat capacity of soil compared to air and the relatively low per-flow rate underground compared to above ground. In some such cases, the relatively stable underground temperature may be beneficial in minimizing the decomposition of the biomass.

[0124] According to some embodiments, the isolation site is sealed from the external atmosphere and / or configured to regulate the pressure within the isolation site. For example, in some embodiments, the internal volume of the isolation site may be configured to be sealed so that the biomass contained therein is not exposed to the ambient atmosphere, maintaining conditions such as a dry and / or oxygen-free environment to prevent decomposition. In some embodiments, the seal is an airtight seal. In addition, for similar reasons as the purpose of sealing the isolation site, in some embodiments the isolation site may further include one or more desiccants contained within the internal volume of the isolation site so that the moisture content of any air within the internal volume is lower than the moisture content of the atmosphere. In some embodiments, if the internal volume of the isolation site is sealed from the ambient atmosphere, the isolation site may further include a negative pressure source (e.g., a piston pump, a diaphragm pump, a peristaltic pump, or any other suitable pump for creating a vacuum) configured to take gas from within the internal volume of the isolation site in order to analyze the gas and monitor the presence of any decomposition of the biomass and / or any tracers present in the biomass unit.

[0125] For example, when negative pressure is generated within the internal volume of an isolation site, a gas sample can be taken for monitoring. In some such embodiments, when biomass decomposes and releases CO2 and / or CH4, and / or when the encapsulation layer is damaged and the contained tracer is released, the gas sample taken by the vacuum device may be directed to an analytical instrument, including sensors or other analytical instruments for performing gas chromatography, mass spectrometry, etc. (as described in more detail elsewhere herein) to measure the properties of the gas taken from the internal volume of the isolation site. In particular cases, monitoring CO2 and / or CH4 in addition to, or instead of, the presence of other gases such as O2, water vapor, and tracers may be beneficial in certain circumstances.

[0126] Furthermore, it should be noted that in some embodiments, if the compartment(s) of the isolation site containing the processed biomass are sealed, sampling gas from the internal volume of the compartment(s) may create a vacuum within them, which may reduce or eliminate the ability to take additional gas samples at some point. Therefore, the compartment(s) may further include one or more vents configured to open to the ambient atmosphere and / or other supply gas sources when the internal volume of the compartment(s) is sampled periodically. This can be achieved in some embodiments by passively or actively opening at least one of the one or more vents to the atmosphere and / or other supply gas sources to facilitate pressure equilibrium within the compartment(s) to prevent the formation of a vacuum within the compartment(s) after gas samples(s) contained within the internal volume of the compartment(s) have been taken. The flow of supply gas through one or more vents may be passively or actively controlled via one or more valves, such as check valves, solenoid valves, piston valves, butterfly valves, or any other valve suitable for controlling airflow. Thus, in some embodiments, the method includes monitoring biomass, which includes sampling gas from a sealed compartment(s) or area(s) through an outlet to a sampling system, and opening a vent or inlet to a sealed compartment(s) or area(s) when sampling gas through an outlet to maintain a constant pressure within the biomass containment compartment(s) or area(s).

[0127] Figure 3 shows an exemplary gas sampling system 300 for monitoring biomass stored in a sealed compartment(s) of an isolation site having multiple such compartments 310a, 310b, and 310c. Each compartment 310a, 310b, and 310c is fluidically connected to a negative pressure source 330 via an outlet pipe 320. The negative pressure source is configured to collect gas from compartments 310a, 310b, and 310c and deliver the gas to an analytical instrument 340, which includes a gas analyzer (e.g., a gas chromatography system (GC), a mass spectrometer, or a combination thereof (GC-MS), or other suitable analyzer) for analyzing the composition of the gas sample. Each compartment 310a, 310b, and 310c further includes its respective vent valve 350 on a fluid channel that fluidly connects compartments 310a, 310b, and 310c to the ambient atmosphere. Valves 350 for the corresponding compartments 310a, 310b, and 310c are configured to open to the ambient atmosphere when the system is sampling from the compartments, thereby equalizing the pressure within them.

[0128] According to some embodiments, sensors may be incorporated within and / or around the structure of an isolation site, which may facilitate real-time monitoring of biomass degradation as described elsewhere in this specification.

[0129] In some cases, at least one characteristic of the biomass (e.g., treated biomass) and / or the area in which the biomass is stored may be monitored to determine the stability and / or sterility of the biomass. In some such cases, monitoring stability may provide information regarding the efficiency of carbon sequestration. In some cases, the efficiency of carbon sequestration may refer to the amount of carbon that remains sequestrated after a certain period of time (e.g., 1 month, 6 months, 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, 50 years, 100 years, 500 years, 1000 years, 1500 years, 2000 years, 2500 years, 5000 years, 10,000 years, etc.) relative to the initial amount of sequestrated carbon. Monitoring may proceed in real time and / or after various time increments (e.g., weekly, every 4 weeks, annually, every 5 years, every 10 years, every 20 years, every 50 years, every 100 years, every 500 years, every 1000 years, etc.).

[0130] Monitoring can provide validation of the carbon sequestration process, which can provide greater accountability for carbon sequestration projects, as well as regulatory projects associated with them. Any of the various methods for monitoring the stability and / or sterility of biomass is suitable. According to some embodiments, monitoring at least one property includes measuring the wt.% of carbon in the biomass, the gas content in and / or released from the biomass (e.g., O2, N2, CO2, CH4, and / or tracers), and / or the water content in the biomass. For example, in some embodiments, CO2 and / or CH4 may be released from the biomass, for example, due to mechanical failure of one or more layers encapsulating the biomass, and / or decomposition of the biomass. In some such embodiments, monitoring may include measuring the first gas content (e.g., CO2 and / or CH4) present in the internal volume of the compartment(s) of the sequestration site relative to the second gas content present in the ambient atmosphere. Such comparisons can, in some embodiments, facilitate accurate monitoring of the amount of carbon sequestrated in the biomass stored at the sequestration site. While the monitoring systems described herein may be installed to mitigate decay or decomposition, it will be understood that it is still desirable in carbon sequestration processes for the biomass to remain stably encapsulated and not decompose.

[0131] As described elsewhere in this specification, the biomass may include additives containing tracers, which are detectable substances that are neither the biomass itself nor its degradation products. Non-limiting examples of suitable tracers include sulfur hexafluoride, helium, hydrogen (H2), and mercaptans. Tracers may be in solid, liquid, or gaseous form at standard temperature and pressure (STP) and / or under the conditions prevalent during storage, if not overlapping with STP. In certain embodiments, one or more tracers are selected to undergo a phase change to form one or more gaseous tracers and / or to release tracer vapors. In some embodiments, the tracers are contained in a brittle vessel, and the tracers are released and detectable when the brittle vessel ruptures due to mechanical collapse or other fracture of the unit(s) of biomass containing or in contact with the brittle vessel. In some embodiments, the tracers include compounds that can be easily monitored (e.g., gases or vapors detectable with a resolution of parts per billion or parts per trillion). In some embodiments, monitoring at least one property of the biomass includes measuring the tracer content. In specific cases, the integrity of one or more encapsulation layers in one or more units of solidified biomass (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) can be assessed using the ASTM-F2391 Standard Test Method for Measuring Package and Seal Integrity Using Helium as the Tracer Gas. In some embodiments, the tracer can reduce or maintain the concentration of water in the biomass, reduce or maintain the partial pressure of oxygen present in or in equilibrium with the biomass, and / or reduce the viable microbial content of the biomass to below the level of viable microbial content initially present in the biomass before exposure to the tracer.In some embodiments, the tracer(s) are incorporated into one or more units of solidified biomass and / or into one or more encapsulation layers that coat one or more units of solidified biomass.

[0132] In some embodiments, the tracer may include an isotopically labeled compound. According to some embodiments, monitoring at least one property of the biomass may include measuring the isotopic ratio and / or the stability of the isotopes contained in the biomass. In some cases, the tracer may be useful for monitoring the degradation of biomass while simplifying the overall interpretation of the data that may be collected through the monitoring process (e.g., if an isotopically labeled compound is detected, if degradation products of the tracer are detected).

[0133] In some embodiments, the tracer contains two or more isotopes, and as a result, the ratio of the two or more isotopes provides information about the biomass. In some embodiments, the ratio of the two or more isotopes is at least 1:1, at least 2:1, at least 3:1, at least 5:1, at least 10:1, at least 50:1, at least 100:1, at least 1,000:1, at least 10,000:1, at least 100,000:1, at least 1,000,000:1, at least 10,000,000:1, or greater. In some embodiments, the ratio of two or more isotopes is less than or equal to 10,000,000:1, less than or equal to 1,000,000:1, less than or equal to 100,000:1, less than or equal to 10,000:1, less than or equal to 1,000:1, less than or equal to 50:1, less than or equal to 10:1, less than or equal to 5:1, less than or equal to 3:1, less than or equal to 2:1, or less than or equal to 1:1. Combinations of the ranges referenced above are also possible (for example, at least 1:1 and less than or equal to 10,000,000:1). Other ranges are possible.

[0134] In some embodiments, one or more (and possibly all) units (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) of biomass may include tracers. In certain embodiments, tracers may be incorporated into a subset of units of biomass to provide a robust statistical sample (while maintaining a concentration high enough to allow detection in the event of rupture or leakage). In certain cases, different tracers may be placed at different locations around an isolation site to determine the location of leakage in the event of leakage. In some cases, tracers may be inexpensive, stable, and / or non-reactive (chemically or biologically). In other cases, solid tracers may react with water and / or oxygen to form one or more detectable gaseous tracers, allowing for the determination of biomass exposure to water or oxygen, or the determination of water or oxygen production by or within the biomass as a result of, for example, decomposition or microbial activity. In some cases, tracers may be present at low concentrations (e.g., ppm or ppb levels).

[0135] In some cases, directly incorporating stable carbon isotopes into biomass can provide evidence that the biomass is decomposing to form CO2 and / or CH4. The isotopic ratios of CO2 and / or CH4 may have a unique signal for the included isotopes, allowing for the determination of which proportion of the generated CO2 and / or CH4 is attributable to the decomposition of the sequestered biomass. In certain cases, stable carbon isotopes may be incorporated into a carbon polymer in one or more encapsulation layers.

[0136] In some cases, isotopic signatures can be determined for biomass of a specific origin (for example, the profile of naturally occurring carbon isotopes in the biomass may be determined). In some cases, monitoring at least one property of the biomass may include monitoring any gas releases from the isolation site for the presence of an isotopic signature. In some such cases, the detection of an isotopic signature may indicate the decomposition of biomass from a specific origin.

[0137] In some embodiments, monitoring includes directly or indirectly measuring the mass or density of the isolated biomass. Any substantial change in mass or density may indicate that moisture intrusion has occurred.

[0138] Monitoring any of the above parameters can be carried out using any suitable analytical technique known to those skilled in the art. For example, gravimetric analysis can be used to determine the mass before and / or after a set period. In some cases, gas chromatography can be used to measure the composition of any gases generated from the biomass (e.g., gases that may be present due to biomass decomposition). In some cases, a flux tower or flux chamber can be used to measure the CO2 flux generated from the biomass and / or a biomass-containing isolation site (e.g., to monitor CO2 that may be present due to biomass decomposition). In some cases, mass spectrometry can be used to determine the amounts of different species (e.g., carbon, water, oxygen, and / or tracers) in the biomass and / or the isotopic ratios present in the biomass. In some cases, ultrasonic techniques can be used to perform non-destructive measurements of density.

[0139] According to some embodiments, one or more sensors may be located at one or more locations within the isolation site. In some cases, one or more sensors may provide real-time data. In certain cases, one or more sensors may include one or more load cells (force sensors) which may be used to measure mass. In certain cases, one or more sensors may include one or more chemical sensors configured to sense different molecules (e.g., CH4, O2, and / or isotopically labeled gases) that may indicate biomass decomposition. In some cases, one or more ports may be located at one or more locations within the isolation site. In certain embodiments, one or more ports may draw gas from the isolation site, and the gas may be measured for the presence of one or more molecules (e.g., O2, N2, CO2, CH4) and / or moisture content. In some cases, the gas may be measured for the presence of one or more volatile organic compounds (VOCs). In some cases, the presence of one or more VOCs may indicate the generation or degradation of polymers within the isolation site.

[0140] In some cases, the wt.% of carbon in biomass can be determined in the treated biomass and compared to a reference sample. In some cases, the reference sample may be the average wt.% present in the treated biomass (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks). In some cases, biomass decomposition can be determined by measuring changes in the mass and / or density of the biomass. Changes in the mass and / or density of the biomass may, in some cases, indicate a change in the composition of the biomass. In some such cases, if biomass decomposition is suspected, subsequent tests may be performed to determine another property of the biomass (e.g., wt% of carbon). In some embodiments, the percentage change in the mass and / or density of one or more units of biomass (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) may be less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 2%, less than 1%, less than 0.5%, or less than 0.1% over a period of at least 10, at least 20, at least 100, at least 200, at least 500, at least 500, at least 1000, at least 1500, at least 2000, at least 5000, or at least 10,000 years.

[0141] In some embodiments, the percentage change in the wt.% carbon of one or more units of biomass (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) may be less than 10%, less than 5%, less than 2%, less than 1%, less than 0.5%, or less than 0.1% over a period of at least 10, at least 20, at least 100, at least 200, at least 500, at least 500, at least 1000, at least 1500, at least 2000, at least 5000, or at least 10,000 years.

[0142] In some embodiments, the amount of O2, N2, CO2, CH4, and / or moisture present in the gas generated from the isolation site may be less than 5 wt.%, less than 2 wt.%, less than 1.5 wt.%, less than 1 wt.%, less than 0.5 wt.%, less than 0.1 wt.%, less than 0.05 wt.%, or less than 0.01 wt.% over a period of at least 10, at least 20, at least 100, at least 200, at least 500, at least 500, at least 5000, or at least 10,000 years. In some embodiments, if any mechanical failure occurs in one or more layers encapsulating one or more units of biomass, any tracer(s) and / or CO2 and / or CH4 may be released from the biomass following the breakdown of the integrity of the encapsulation barrier layer and subsequent decomposition of the biomass. In some such embodiments, a relatively high wt% of gas may be released from the isolation site compared to when the biomass unit is stable.

[0143] In some cases, monitoring biomass may further include reporting the amount of carbon in the biomass to verify the efficiency of carbon sequestration. Reporting the amount of carbon in biomass can demonstrate the effectiveness of a carbon sequestration scheme and may therefore be useful in ensuring the quality of carbon sequestration technology.

[0144] While the monitoring process is described above in the context of relatively long periods (e.g., over 1 year, 10 years, 100 years, 1000 years, 1500 years, 2000 years, 2500 years, 5000 years, 10,000 years), it should be noted that in some cases, accelerated aging experiments can be used to confirm the stability and / or sterility of one or more layers encapsulating the biomass over shorter periods, and this can then be used to provide information for monitoring the biomass over similarly short periods. For example, the ASTM F1980-21 test can be used to accelerate the aging of the encapsulating layer(s) (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) and determine the decomposition of the biomass. In some cases, after accelerating the aging of one or more layers, the encapsulated biomass can then be monitored in real time to determine whether the biomass is decomposing. In some cases, real-time monitoring in this manner can continue for more than one day, more than one week, more than four weeks, or more than one year. If one or more layers degrade during accelerated aging experiments, testing in such a manner may be particularly beneficial because the biomass decomposition rate may subsequently accelerate without a completely intact encapsulation layer.

[0145] In some embodiments, if biomass degradation is detected, one or more units of biomass (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) that are the source of the biomass degradation may be identified and removed from the isolation site. In some cases, one or more units of biomass (e.g., briquettes and / or blocks) may be reencapsulated in one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) and restorable at the isolation site.

[0146] As described elsewhere in this specification, each of the aforementioned method steps may be carried out independently of each other, in combination, and / or in any order, whether or not, as described above. In some cases, untreated biomass may be received and treated by crushing the biomass, sterilizing the biomass, solidifying the biomass, encapsulating the biomass, quantifying the amount of carbon in the biomass, storing the biomass, and / or monitoring the biomass. In a preferred series of embodiments, untreated biomass is obtained, crushed to an average particle size of 1 micron or more and 5 cm or less, sterilized by dehydrating the biomass, solidified by applying uniform pressure to the biomass to form blocks, logs, or briquettes containing the biomass, and encapsulated to form blocks, logs, or briquettes containing the treated biomass using one or more layers containing PET, the one or more layers containing PET having a thickness of 100 nm or more and 10 mm or less. In some such embodiments, blocks, logs, or briquettes containing processed biomass may be stored by burying the blocks, logs, or briquettes in a landfill. In some embodiments, the carbon content of the briquettes is monitored by measuring the composition of the atmosphere above the landfill at different times (e.g., at heights of 5 cm, 10 cm, 50 cm, 1 m, 2 m, 3 m, 5 m, or other heights above the landfill) using mass spectrometry and / or gas chromatography. For example, in some such embodiments, the partial pressure of gases (e.g., CO2, CH4) indicating biomass decomposition may be monitored.

[0147] In some embodiments, carbon sequestration includes receiving biomass (untreated and / or treated), encapsulating the biomass, then storing the biomass, and / or monitoring it. In some such cases, encapsulating the biomass with one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) can extend the time over which carbon can be sequestrated by delaying and / or preventing the decomposition of the biomass. According to some embodiments, carbon sequestration may include receiving treated biomass, storing the biomass, and / or monitoring the biomass. The received treated biomass can accelerate the overall carbon sequestration process.

[0148] In some embodiments, carbon sequestration may include receiving biomass, encapsulating biomass, processing biomass, storing biomass, and monitoring biomass. In some such cases, encapsulation of biomass may occur before other processing steps such as solidification and / or sterilization. In some cases, biomass may be encapsulated in one or more layers (e.g., one or more layers containing polymer material) deposited on the biomass (e.g., via wrapping, shrink wrapping, spraying, brushing, and / or dip coating). In some cases, biomass may be encapsulated in a pre-designed bag, and biomass may be processed in a pre-designed bag.

[0149] The biomass treatment and / or storage methods described herein may be useful for a variety of applications. For example, treating and storing biomass so that the treated biomass resists decomposition over a period of time (e.g., at least 1 year, 5 years, 10 years, 50 years, 100 years, 500 years, 1000 years, 1500 years, 2000 years, 2500 years, 5000 years, 10,000 years, or more) may be used to capture and store carbon and prevent carbon from re-entering the atmosphere. In such a way, the treatment and / or storage of biomass may alter the atmospheric composition (e.g., over a long period of time) and potentially provide environmentally beneficial changes.

[0150] Depending on the composition of the encapsulation layer(s) (e.g., polymer material) and / or the structural integrity of the solidified biomass, in some embodiments in which biomass is solidified and encapsulated in briquettes and / or blocks, logs, pellets, etc., the briquettes and / or blocks may be useful as building materials. For example, briquettes and / or blocks may function similarly to clay bricks in construction, depending on their resistance to degradation due to weathering (e.g., exposure to UV radiation, precipitation, etc.). In some cases, using biomass-containing briquettes and / or blocks may reduce the carbon footprint of constructing new structures by simultaneously sequestering carbon and / or avoiding conventional building materials.

[0151] Sequestrating carbon in the manner described herein may be advantageous for compliance with regulatory policies. For example, while some companies may conduct operations that release carbon into the atmosphere, participation in carbon sequestration (e.g., through the processes described herein) may "offset" or "reduce" those emissions, potentially resulting in net-negative carbon emissions. More accurate and explainable carbon sequestration may be available by using improved methods for processing and / or monitoring biomass for carbon sequestration as described herein. Some aspects of this disclosure that may be particularly relevant to this purpose may be biomass monitoring, which can ensure that carbon is sequestrated from the atmosphere for a relatively long period. In some cases, compliance with regulatory policies may incentivize companies to invest in methods to reduce their carbon footprint in order to avoid potentially hefty fines from regulators. Thus, in addition to regulatory policies, there may also be financial incentives for companies to adopt the carbon sequestration technologies described herein.

[0152] The following examples are intended to illustrate specific embodiments of the present invention, but are not intended to illustrate the entire scope of the invention. [Examples]

[0153] Prophetic Example 1 This example illustrates the carbon sequestration process according to several embodiments.

[0154] Biomass is obtained in the form of sawdust, wood waste, rice husks, rice straw, wheat straw, and sugarcane bagasse. The biomass is transported and fed into a hammer mill, where it is crushed to reduce and homogenize the average particle size. The crushed biomass is then crushed in a rotary drum heater, where it is dehydrated at 170°C for 20 minutes to sterilize it. The moisture content in the biomass is reduced to 12 wt.% or less in the rotary drum heater. After dehydration, the biomass is transported to a briquette machine, where the crushed biomass is solidified into briquettes (i.e., densified). Note that the biomass should be sampled periodically and the carbon content should be determined using an elemental analyzer.

[0155] Next, the briquettes are transported to an encapsulation machine, a HarpakUlma FM300 machine, where they are encapsulated and airtightly sealed within a durable composite barrier film. In the encapsulation machine, the film is placed above and around each briquette, and then heated jaws are used to form seams surrounding the briquettes and seal the film. Here, each briquette is encapsulated individually. The barrier film is a three-layer film consisting of a polyamide outer layer, a metallized polyethylene terephthalate intermediate layer, and an inner layer which is a co-extruded material containing polyethylene and polyamide, and the inner layer seals the barrier film when the encapsulation machine applies the heated jaws.

[0156] Next, each briquette is transported from the encapsulation machine. The weight of each individual briquette is measured using a checkway, and then the amount of carbon contained in each briquette is determined using the weight and the carbon content previously determined using an elemental analyzer.

[0157] The encapsulated briquettes are then transported to a location where they will be palletized. The pallets containing the individually encapsulated briquettes are then wrapped to facilitate the transport of the briquette pallets.

[0158] Subsequently, the biomass is transported from the processing site to the isolation site. The isolation site includes multiple storage cells, each excavated to a depth of 12 feet and incorporating clay and geomembrane liners to prevent water infiltration. The isolation site is designed with a rainwater collection system to prevent any water accumulation within the internal volume of the storage cells in the isolation site where the biomass briquettes are stored. The rainwater collection system further facilitates testing of runoff for environmental contaminants such as microplastics that may result from the degradation of the encapsulation material (i.e., the barrier film mentioned above). Each storage cell is filled with biomass briquettes and then sealed with 2 feet of clay and 18 inches of soil.

[0159] Each individual storage cell within the isolation site is monitored for CO2 or CH4 production by sampling the headspace within each storage cell after closure (i.e., after sealing with clay and soil) using a Picarro G220-i Analyzer. Samples obtained from the headspace of each storage cell are compared to simultaneously collected background samples to determine any increases in CO2, CH4, and / or δ13C concentrations, and consequently, any degradation of the briquette barrier film and / or the decomposition of the biomass contained within it. This sampling is performed quantitatively to determine the level and rate of decomposition.

[0160] Prophetic Example 2 This example illustrates the carbon sequestration process according to several embodiments.

[0161] In this case, as in Example 1, the biomass is received, crushed, and dewatered. After crushing, the crushed biomass is transported to an extrusion line (not a briquette machine like in Example 1), where it is solidified (i.e., densified) and extruded into cylindrical biomass units. Then, as in Example 1, the cylindrical biomass units are encapsulated, transported, stored, and monitored.

[0162] Example 3 In this experiment, the rotary drum drying technique used in Predictive Example 1 was tested to ensure sufficient sterility of the dehydrated biomass. A solidified biomass block was produced and dehydrated at 170°C for 20 minutes using a rotary drum heater, with a final moisture content measured at 9.2–9.8 wt.%. To test for microbial activity, the dehydrated block was cut into 3-inch x 3-inch pieces that fit into a glass chamber. Potassium hydroxide (KOH) pellets were placed in the glass chamber along with the pieces, the glass chamber was closed, and airtight sealed for a selected period. The chamber was opened, the pellets were removed, and data points were obtained by titrating them with a 0.5N hydrochloric acid (HCl) solution to determine the volume of CO2 produced during the period of the experiment. These results, shown in Figure 4, demonstrate that no detectable CO2 was produced over the first six months of the experimental test. This indicates that the dehydration process effectively halted the decomposition of the biomass.

[0163] While several embodiments of the present invention are described and illustrated herein, those skilled in the art will readily assume various other means and / or structures for carrying out the functions described herein and / or obtaining one or more of the results and / or advantages, and each of such variations and / or modifications will be considered within the scope of the present invention. More generally, those skilled in the art will readily understand that all parameters, dimensions, materials and configurations described herein are intended to be illustrative, and that actual parameters, dimensions, materials and / or configurations will depend on the particular use or use in which the teachings of the present invention are used. Those skilled in the art will be able to recognize or confirm many equivalents to the particular embodiments of the present invention described herein using nothing more than ordinary experimentation. Thus, it should be understood that the embodiments described herein are presented merely as examples, and within the scope of the appended claims and their equivalents, the present invention may be carried out in ways other than those specifically described and claimed. The present invention covers each individual feature, system, article, material and / or method described herein. Furthermore, any combination of two or more such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods is included within the scope of the present invention if such features, systems, articles, materials, and / or methods are not mutually inconsistent.

[0164] As used in this specification and in the claims of this application, the indefinite articles "a" and "an" should be understood to mean "at least one" unless explicitly stated otherwise.

[0165] As used herein and in the claims, the expression “and / or” should be understood to mean “either or both” of the elements thus combined, that is, elements that exist together in some cases and separately in others. Other elements other than those specifically identified by the “and / or” clause may exist, whether related to the specifically identified elements or not, unless otherwise explicitly indicated. Thus, as a non-restrictive example, when used in combination with unrestrictive language such as “comprising,” a reference to “A and / or B” may, in one embodiment, mean A without B (optionally including elements other than B), in another embodiment, mean B without A (optionally including elements other than A), and in yet another embodiment, mean both A and B (optionally including other elements), and so on.

[0166] As used herein and in the claims, “or” should be understood to have the same meaning as “and / or” as defined above. For example, when separating items in a list, “or” or “and / or” shall be interpreted as inclusive, that is, including at least one of the list of numbers or elements, but two or more, and optionally, any further items not on the list. Only explicitly opposing terms such as “only one of” or “exactly one of,” or, as used in a claim, “consisting of,” refer to the inclusion of exactly one element from a list of numbers or elements. In general, as used herein, the term “or” shall be interpreted as indicating an exclusive choice (i.e., “one or the other but not both”) only when preceded by an exclusive term such as “either,” “one of,” “only one of,” or “exactly one of.” When used in patent claims, "consisting essentially of" shall have the ordinary meaning as it is used in the field of patent law.

[0167] As used herein in this specification and in the claims, the expression “at least one” relating to a list of one or more elements means at least one element selected from any one or more elements of the list of elements, but not necessarily including at least one of each and all elements specifically described in the list of elements, and not excluding any combination of elements in the list of elements. This definition also allows for the existence of elements other than those specifically identified in the list of elements to which the expression “at least one” refers, whether or not they relate to the specifically identified elements. Therefore, as a non-restrictive example, “at least one of A and B” (or equivalently, “at least one of A or B” or equivalently, “at least one of A and / or B”) may, in one embodiment, refer to A containing at least one, any more than one, such that B is absent (and optionally contains elements other than B); in another embodiment, refer to B containing at least one, any more than one, such that A is absent (and optionally contains elements other than A); and in yet another embodiment, refer to A containing at least one, any more than one, and B containing at least one, any more than one (and optionally containing other elements), and so on.

[0168] As used herein, "wt%" is an abbreviation for weight percentage.

[0169] Several embodiments may be embodied as methods, and various examples thereof are described. The actions performed as part of the method may be ordered in any suitable manner. Thus, embodiments may include actions performed in a different order than those illustrated, actions different from those described (e.g., more or fewer), and / or actions performed simultaneously, even though the embodiments specifically described above show the actions being performed sequentially.

[0170] The use of sequential terms such as “first,” “second,” and “third” in the claims to modify elements of the claims does not in itself imply importance, priority, or order of one element of a claim relative to other elements, or the temporal order in which the actions of the method are performed, but is used solely as a label to distinguish elements of the claims, to differentiate one element of a claim having a particular name from another element having the same name (apart from the use of sequential terms).

[0171] As with the above specification, all transitional phrases in the claims, such as “comprising,” “including,” “carrying,” “having,” “containing,” “involving,” and “holding,” should be understood to be open-ended, meaning they include but are not limited to them. Only the transitional phrases “consisting of” and “essentially consisting of” are closed or semi-closed transitional phrases, respectively, as described in Section 2111.03 of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office's Examination Manual.

Claims

1. A method for sequestering carbon, wherein the method is Receiving biomass and This includes processing the biomass for isolation, and processing is The aforementioned biomass is crushed, Sterilizing the aforementioned biomass, Solidifying the biomass in order to form multiple solidified biomass units, The solidified biomass unit is encapsulated, The method comprising quantifying the carbon content of the biomass.

2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization step occurs after the crushing step and before the solidification step.

3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the sterilization step occurs after the solidification step and before the encapsulation step.

4. A method for sequestering carbon, wherein the method is Receiving biomass and This includes processing the biomass for isolation, and processing is Sterilizing the aforementioned biomass, The sterilized biomass is encapsulated, The method comprising quantifying the carbon content of the encapsulated biomass.

5. A method for sequestering carbon, wherein the method is Receiving biomass and This includes processing the biomass for isolation, and processing is Sterilizing the aforementioned biomass, Solidifying the biomass in order to form multiple solidified biomass units, The solidified biomass unit is encapsulated, The method comprising quantifying the carbon content of the biomass.

6. The method according to claim 5, wherein the sterilization step occurs after the solidification step and before the encapsulation step.

7. A method for sequestering carbon, wherein the method is Receiving biomass and This includes processing the biomass for isolation, and processing is Solidifying the biomass in order to form multiple solidified biomass units, The solidified biomass units are encapsulated in such a way that they prevent microbial activity and spoilage of the encapsulated biomass for at least 100 years when the biomass is stored in the dark under standard atmospheric conditions. The method comprising quantifying the carbon content of the biomass.

8. The method according to claim 7, wherein, in the encapsulation step, the solidified biomass unit is sufficiently encapsulated to prevent microbial activity and spoilage of the encapsulated biomass for at least 100 years when stored under conditions in which the biomass is exposed to visible light.

9. A method for sequestering carbon, wherein the method is Receiving processed biomass, wherein the processed biomass is solidified and encapsulated, and the receiving The method comprising monitoring at least one of the properties of the treated biomass or the area in which the treated biomass is stored in order to determine the stability and / or sterility of the treated biomass.

10. The monitoring involves sampling gas from an airtight, sealed area where the processed biomass is stored through a first outlet, The method according to claim 9, comprising opening a vent to the airtight sealed area when sampling gas through a first inlet in order to maintain pressure within the airtight sealed area.

11. A method for sequestering carbon, wherein the method is Receiving biomass and This includes processing the biomass for isolation, and processing is The aforementioned biomass is crushed, Sterilizing the aforementioned biomass, Solidifying the biomass in order to form multiple solidified biomass units, The solidified biomass unit is encapsulated, The method comprising quantifying the carbon content of the biomass.

12. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sterilization step occurs after the grinding step and before the solidification step.

13. The method according to claim 11, wherein the sterilization step occurs after the solidification step and before the encapsulation step.

14. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the biomass is solid biomass.

15. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the biomass is plant-derived biomass.

16. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the biomass includes waste from agricultural harvesting and / or processing, waste from timber harvesting and / or processing, and / or grasses.

17. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the biomass includes palm oil waste, sugarcane bagasse, rice husks, soybean husks, coconut husks, rice straw, wheat straw, corn stover, logs, wood residue, bark, sawdust, wood chips, trunks, branches, miscanthus, switchgrass, and / or seaweed.

18. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the biomass received is from one or more farms, forests, agricultural processing facilities, wood processing facilities, forestry companies, local governments, grocery stores, restaurants, and / or food processing facilities.

19. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the pulverization of the biomass includes grinding, shredding, beating, chopping, powdering, and / or cutting the biomass from an article having a first average maximum dimension to particles having a second average maximum dimension less than the first average maximum dimension.

20. The method according to claim 19, wherein the first average maximum dimension is 5 cm or more and / or 25 m or less.

21. The method according to any one of claims 19 to 20, wherein the second average maximum dimension is 1 micron or more and / or 5 cm or less.

22. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein sterilization comprises heating the biomass at a sterilization temperature for a sterilization time.

23. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein sterilization includes exposing the biomass to electromagnetic radiation.

24. The method according to claim 23, wherein the electromagnetic radiation includes microwaves, X-rays, gamma rays, and / or UV radiation.

25. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein sterilization comprises exposing the biomass to one or more chemical disinfectants.

26. The method according to claim 25, wherein the one or more chemical disinfectants include sodium hypochlorite, ethylene oxide, ozone, chlorine gas, hydrogen peroxide vapor, and / or formaldehyde vapor.

27. Sterilization is necessary to remove methanogenic bacteria and / or CO2. ２ The method according to any one of the prior claims, comprising neutralizing the produced microorganisms.

28. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein sterilization includes dehydrating the biomass.

29. The method according to claim 28, wherein sterilizing the biomass includes dehydrating the biomass by exposing it to heated air at a temperature of 150°C to 200°C for 5 to 60 minutes.

30. The method according to claim 28, wherein sterilizing the biomass includes dehydrating the biomass using a microwave or solar heater.

31. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the biomass is sufficiently sterilized to stop or prevent the decomposition of the biomass.

32. The method according to claim 28 or 29, wherein the water content of the biomass after dehydration is 30 wt.% or less and / or 4 wt.% or more.

33. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein sterilizing the biomass results in at least a 3-logarithmic reduction in the population of microorganisms.

34. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein solidification includes consolidating the biomass.

35. The method according to any one of the prior claims, further comprising solidifying the biomass into briquettes, pellets, cylinders, and / or blocks.

36. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein solidification includes applying sufficient pressure to crosslink at least a portion of the lignin in the biomass.

37. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein solidification is further comprising adding one or more additives to improve the structural properties of the solidified biomass material.

38. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein encapsulation comprises encapsulation in one or more layers comprising a polymer material.

39. The method according to claim 38, wherein encapsulation includes individually encapsulating the biomass units of a plurality of biomass units generated during the encapsulation of the biomass.

40. The method according to claim 38, wherein encapsulation comprises encapsulating a group of biomass units, each group of biomass units comprising a portion of all biomass units produced during the encapsulation of the biomass.

41. The method according to claim 38, wherein the polymer material comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyamide-6 (PA6), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), poly(m-xylylene adipamide) (MXD6), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and / or polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC).

42. The method according to claim 38, wherein the polymer material includes PET, and the PET is biaxially oriented PET.

43. The method according to any one of claims 38 to 42, wherein the polymer material is substantially impermeable to water, oxygen, and / or microorganisms associated with the decomposition of biomass.

44. The method according to claim 43, wherein the microorganisms involved in the decomposition of biomass include Gram-positive bacteria, fungi, and / or actinomycetes.

45. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein encapsulation includes tight sealing.

46. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein encapsulation includes hermetically sealing.

47. The method according to any one of claims 1 to 46, wherein encapsulation includes wrapping with a membrane.

48. The method according to claim 38, wherein encapsulation excludes wrapping.

49. The method according to claim 48, wherein encapsulation includes inserting the biomass into a pre-formed bag and sealing the bag.

50. The method according to any one of the prior claims, further comprising stacking encapsulated biomass on one or more pallets.

51. The method according to claim 50, wherein the one or more pallets comprises one or more polymers.

52. The method according to any one of claims 50 to 51, wherein the one or more pallets do not contain wood.

53. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein storing the treated biomass includes transporting the treated biomass from a first location to a second location.

54. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein storing the treated biomass includes burying the treated biomass.

55. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein monitoring the at least one of the characteristics includes measuring the wt% of carbon in the treated biomass.

56. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein monitoring the at least one of the characteristics includes measuring the gas content, moisture content, and / or tracer content.

57. Measuring the gas content is ２ , N ２ CO ２ , and / or CH ４ The method according to claim 56, comprising measuring the content of the substance.

58. The method according to any one of claims 56 to 57, wherein measuring the tracer content includes measuring the content of sulfur hexafluoride, helium, hydrogen, and / or mercaptan.

59. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein monitoring the at least one of the characteristics includes measuring the stability of isotopes contained in the biomass.

60. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein monitoring the at least one of the characteristics includes measuring the isotopic ratio.

61. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein monitoring the at least one of the properties includes measuring a change in mass and / or density.

62. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein monitoring the at least one of the aforementioned properties includes reporting the amount of carbon.

63. The method according to any one of the prior claims, wherein monitoring the at least one of the characteristics includes determining the amount of carbon in the treated biomass and comparing the amount of carbon with a reference carbon amount.

64. Articles, Biomass, wherein the biomass is substantially resistant to microbial growth, and the biomass is 10 －１ The biomass has the following sterility assurance levels, and the biomass substantially contains no non-biomass material, The article comprising one or more layers surrounding the biomass, wherein the one or more layers are substantially impermeable to oxygen, water, and / or carbon dioxide.

65. The article according to claim 64, wherein the biomass is sterilized.

66. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 65, wherein the biomass comprises biomass particles having an average maximum size of 1 micron or more and / or 5 cm or less.

67. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 66, wherein the one or more layers are substantially impermeable to water, oxygen, and / or microorganisms.

68. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 67, wherein the one or more layers include a polymer material.

69. The article according to claim 68, wherein the polymer material comprises polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polypropylene (PP), high-density polyethylene (HDPE), polyvinyl chloride (PVC), polystyrene (PS), polyethylene (PE), poly(lactic acid) (PLA), polyamide-6 (PA6), polyethylene naphthalate (PEN), poly(m-xylylene adipamide) (MXD6), polyvinyl alcohol (PVOH), ethylene vinyl alcohol (EVOH), and / or polyvinylidene chloride (PVDC).

70. The article according to claim 69, wherein the polymer material includes PET.

71. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 70, wherein the one or more layers include a single layer.

72. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 71, wherein the one or more layers include two, three, four, five, or more layers.

73. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 72, wherein the one or more layers include a layer comprising a plurality of sub-layers solidified into a single layer.

74. The article according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the total thickness of the one or more layers is 100 nm or more and 10 mm or less.

75. The density of the biomass is 250 kg / m³. ３ The above and / or 2500 kg / m ３ The article according to any one of claims 64 to 74, which is as follows:

76. The density of the biomass is 500 kg / m ３ or more and / or 2000 kg / m ３ or less, and the article according to any one of claims 64 to 75.

77. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 76, wherein the biomass is stable for at least 100 years.

78. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 77, wherein the biomass is sufficiently sterilized to stop the decomposition of biomass in progress within one or more layers.

79. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 78, wherein the moisture content of the biomass is 30 wt% or less and / or 4% or more.

80. The article according to any one of claims 64 to 79, further comprising a tracer.

81. A biomass-containing article, wherein the article is Biomass and, One or more encapsulating barrier layers surrounding the biomass, A biomass-containing article comprising a tracer, which is neither biomass nor a biomass degradation product, detectable by a sensor to indicate a change in the mass of the biomass resulting from the destruction and / or leakage or degradation of one or more of the barrier layers.

82. The article according to claim 81, wherein the tracer contains a gas that can be detected with a resolution of one part per billion.

83. The tracer is sulfur hexafluoride, helium, hydrogen (H ２ The article according to any one of claims 81 or 82, comprising ), and / or mercaptan.

84. The article according to any one of claims 81 to 83, wherein the tracer comprises an isotope-labeled molecule.

85. The article according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the tracer is a component of an additive.

86. The article according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the biomass is substantially sterile or has been conferred resistance to microbial growth.

87. The article according to any one of the prior claims, wherein the one or more barrier layers are substantially impermeable to oxygen, water, and / or carbon dioxide.

88. A method for monitoring the deterioration of biomass units and / or leakage from biomass units in a biomass storage system containing stored biomass, wherein the method is: To detect at least one component of the tracer when the tracer is released within or from the biomass storage system, The method comprising determining the location of leakage or deterioration of at least one leaking or degraded biomass unit within the biomass storage system.

89. The method according to claim 88, further comprising monitoring at least one characteristic of the biomass.

90. The method according to any one of claims 88 or 89, further comprising monitoring the decomposition of the biomass.

91. The method according to any one of claims 88 to 90, wherein the tracer contains a gas that can be detected at a concentration of 1,000 parts per billion or more.

92. The tracer is sulfur hexafluoride, helium, hydrogen (H ２ The method according to any one of claims 88 to 91, comprising ), and / or mercaptan.

93. The method according to any one of claims 88 to 92, wherein the tracer includes an isotope-labeled molecule.

94. The method according to any one of claims 88 to 93, further comprising passing a gas suspected to contain the tracer through a gas analyzer.

95. The method according to claim 94, wherein the gas analyzer includes a mass spectrometer.

96. A method for monitoring biomass degradation and / or leakage within biomass in a biomass storage system containing multiple stored biomass units, wherein the method is: When a tracer is released from the biomass unit in the biomass storage system, the system detects at least one component of the tracer released from the damaged biomass unit among the plurality of stored biomass units. The method comprising determining the location of the damaged biomass unit within the biomass storage system.

97. The method according to claim 96, wherein in the detection step, a mixture of tracers is detected, and the location of the damaged biomass unit is determined in the determination step, at least in part, on the identification and / or relative concentration of the individual tracers in the mixture of tracers.

98. It is a method, To provide individual units of processed biomass material, The method comprising encapsulating the unit of the treated biomass material in an encapsulation layer containing a polymer that is not a thermoplastic polymer, such that the unit of the treated biomass material is airtightly sealed within the encapsulation layer.

99. It is a material, Individual units of processed biomass material, The material comprises an encapsulation layer surrounding the unit of the treated biomass material, the unit of the treated biomass material being airtightly sealed within the encapsulation layer.

100. It is a method, To provide individual units of processed biomass material, The process involves encapsulating the unit of the processed biomass material in an encapsulation layer such that the unit of the processed biomass material is airtightly sealed within the encapsulation layer, wherein the encapsulation layer is Thermosetting synthetic polymers, and / or The method comprising encapsulating a naturally occurring, non-synthetically produced polymer or resin.

101. It is a material, The material comprises individual units of processed biomass material and an encapsulation layer that surrounds and airtightly seals the units of processed biomass material, wherein the encapsulation layer comprises a thermosetting synthetic polymer and / or a naturally occurring, non-synthetically produced polymer or resin.

102. The aforementioned encapsulation layer is made of the following materials, namely, Melamine / Melamine-formaldehyde polymer, Cyanate ester polymer, epoxy polymer, Polyimide, amber, vulcanized rubber, Balsam, Copal, Kauri gum, Rosin, Shellac, tar, Bitumen, and / or A method or material according to any one of claims 98 to 101, comprising one or more asphalts individually or in any combination.

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