Thermally treated biomass with high mass and carbon retention

Abstract

The invention relates to thermally treated biomass materials with high carbon retention rates and to the use of these thermally treated biomass materials in producing cementitious materials and related cementitious products. Biomass materials are used in producing various cementitious materials, however, a number compounds found in untreated biomass can have negative impacts on cementitious binders. As a result, incorporating biomass into cementitious materials can have a number of negative impacts on cementitious materials and products, including impacts on fresh mix characteristics (e.g., workability and setting times) and mechanical characteristics of resulting cementitious materials and products, for example. Various strategies have been explored to mitigate or accommodate these impacts on cementitious materials that contain biomass. The invention employs low intensity thermal treatments to chemically alter key biomass compounds in order to improve the compatibility of biomass and cementitious binders while minimizing mass losses and maximizing biomass carbon retention.

Description

THERMALLY TREATED BIOMASS WITH HIGH MASS AND CARBON RETENTION INVENTORS:James RHODES, Kiran RHODES, Ashwin RHODES BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION FIELD OF THE INVENTION

[0001] At least one embodiment of the invention relates to the fields of biomass materials and biomass thermal treatment processes, which may be used to affect key characteristics of biomass materials and improve their utility in producing various materials, manufacturing various products, and in other related applications. At least one embodiment of the invention further relates to fields of cementitious materials and products, particularly to cementitious materials and products that incorporate biomass materials. Such materials and products may be used in a variety of applications, including but not limited to applications in the construction industry and / or in the manufacture of products and materials used in the construction industry. A variety of applications for such cementitious materials and products also exist outside of the construction industry. In this context, at least one embodiment of the invention therefore relates to the fields associated with each of these various applications of cementitious materials and products. Further, the incorporation of biomass materials into long-lived products, including cementitious materials and products, may be viewed as a way to effectively remove biomass carbon from the natural carbon cycle and store this carbon away from the atmosphere for time periods that are relevant for mitigating anthropogenic climate change. As such, at least one embodiment of the invention also relates to the fields of atmospheric carbon removal and, more generally, to the field of mitigating anthropogenic climate change.

[0002] More particularly, at least one embodiment of the invention relates to thermally treated biomass materials having improved compatibility with cementitious binders and to methods of producing such materials using controlled thermal treatment processes that achieve high mass and carbon retention.DESCRIPTION OF THE RELATED ART

[0003] Biomass materials have been used to produce a wide variety of products. Among other things, biomass has been incorporated into cementitious materials and products, which may be referred to as biomass-cement composites (“BCC”). Examples date back thousands of years and include Roman concrete and ancient temples in south Asia. Currently, BCCs are used to produce a number of modern products. Examples of modern BCC products using raw, or untreated,biomass include wood-wool cement boards, various acoustic panel products, so called hemp-crete, and so-called wood-crete, among others.

[0004] Biomass materials have been incorporated into cementitious materials for centuries. Modem biomass-cement composites include wood-cement boards, hempcrete, and related materials. However, untreated biomass contains compounds, including sugars, that interfere with cement hydration reactions, resulting in reduced workability and mechanical strength. These effects are commonly referred to as cement poisoning.

[0005] Existing approaches to address these issues include chemical processing to isolate cellulose fibers and high-intensity thermal treatments such as torrefaction and pyrolysis. While effective, such approaches result in low material yields, high costs, and reduced carbon retention.

[0006] While these products are valuable, the applications for BCCs have been strongly constrained by the limited compatibility of raw biomass with most cementitious binders. More specifically, certain compounds contained in raw biomass can negatively impact the chemical reactions that are utilized by many cementitious binders. This can interfere with wet mix characteristics (including workability and setting, for example) and / or result in materials that have substantially reduced mechanical properties (e.g., compressive, flexural, and tensile strengths) relative to cementitious materials that do not include biomass materials, for example. These types of impacts may generally be referred to as “cement poisoning”.

[0007] Various types of compounds contained in untreated or “raw” biomass can contribute to cement poisoning. Among these, natural sugars may be particularly important. Pure sugars have well-documented cement poisoning effects, and empirical results indicate a broad correlation between the sugar content of raw biomass and the severity of cement poisoning.

[0008] In addition to the mere presence of potentially problematic compounds, the physical mobility of these compounds can also be important. For example, water is generally used to activate cement binders. Water can be also easily absorbed into pores and pore spaces within biomass particles. When absorbed water migrates back out of the biomass particles it can carry with it various biomass compounds back out to mix with the cement binder.

[0009] Recent developments in the use of thermally treated biomass in cementitious materials have focused primarily on the incorporation of biochar and related materials into cement compositions. For example, U.S. Patent Application Publication No. US20220298073A1 describes cementitious compositions comprising biochar and methods of producing such compositions. In such systems, biochar is incorporated into hydraulic cement formulations at relatively high proportions, such asat least 2% by mass. The biochar materials described therein are produced using thermal processes associated with relatively low dry matter mass yields, reported to be approximately 18% on a dry matter basis.

[0010] A growing body of academic literature has also explored the use of biochar in cementitious materials, including applications directed toward decarbonization and sustainable construction. Various studies have reported beneficial effects of incorporating biochar into cementitious materials at relatively low cement replacement rates, typically on the order of 0.5% to 10% by mass. However, many of these studies do not provide detailed characterization of the thermal treatment conditions used to produce the biochar materials, nor do they report corresponding dry matter mass yields associated with those treatments.

[0011] Several literature reviews have further examined the impact of biochar on cementitious materials, including effects on strength, durability, and carbon sequestration. While these studies generally indicate that biochar can be incorporated into cementitious systems, they often lack detailed information regarding the processing conditions used to produce the biochar, including treatment temperature, residence time, and resulting material yields. In some cases, reported carbon content data suggest that the biochar materials were produced using relatively high-severity thermal treatments, which are typically associated with substantial mass loss.

[0012] Additional reviews of the field have characterized the thermal processes used to produce biomass-derived materials for cement applications, including torrefaction, pyrolysis, gasification, and hydrothermal carbonization. These processes are generally associated with treatment temperatures ranging from approximately 180°C to over 1000°C. For example, torrefaction is commonly conducted at temperatures between 200°C and 300°C and is associated with dry matter mass yields on the order of approximately 60% to 80%, while higher-temperature processes such as pyrolysis and gasification typically result in lower yields. However, relatively few studies have reported the use of biomass materials produced at lower treatment temperatures, and where such ranges are reported, it is often unclear whether they reflect single treatments or multiple distinct treatment conditions.

[0013] Other studies have evaluated the use of biomass-derived materials, including biochar, torrefied biomass, and biomass ash, as partial replacements for cement or as additives in cementitious materials. Reported cement replacement rates in such studies commonly range from approximately 2% to 10% by mass. While some studies report improvements in certain material properties, others note reductions in compressive strength when biomass-derived materials are used either as aggregate substitutes or as partial cement replacements. Additionally, these studiesgenerally do not provide detailed characterization of the thermal treatment yields or process conditions associated with the biomass materials used.

[0014] Earlier work investigating the interaction of biomass with cementitious systems has also examined the effects of thermal treatment on wood materials. For example, studies conducted in the mid-2000s evaluated the effects of heat-treated wood on early-stage cement hydration, using treatment temperatures in the range of approximately 240°C to 260°C. These studies reported that thermally treated wood could influence cement hydration behavior, including retardation effects and reductions in heat of hydration, but did not provide detailed information regarding treatment residence times or resulting material yields.

[0015] Comprehensive reviews of lignocellulosic biomass in cementitious materials have further identified a range of treatment methods, including low-temperature heating (below approximately 200°C), torrefaction (approximately 200°C to 300°C), and boiling or hydrothermal treatments. These studies generally report that such treatments can reduce some of the negative impacts associated with untreated biomass, but also note that the use of biomass as an aggregate or as a partial cement replacement often results in reductions in compressive strength.

[0016] More recent comparative analyses of biochar and hydrochar materials for cementitious applications have described a range of thermal treatment processes, including gasification (approximately 600°C to 1200°C), torrefaction (approximately 200°C to 300°C), and hydrothermal carbonization (approximately 180°C to 300°C). Such studies indicate that biomass materials suitable for construction applications are typically produced at relatively high treatment temperatures, often exceeding 300°C, and are associated with significant changes in physical and chemical properties relative to untreated biomass. These materials have been explored for use both as aggregate substitutes and as partial cement replacements within cementitious systems.

[0017] Accordingly, there remains a need for improved methods of treating biomass that mitigate cement poisoning effects while maintaining high mass yield and carbon retention.BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0018] At least one embodiment of the invention provides thermally treated biomass materials produced using controlled thermal treatments that transform compounds responsible for cement poisoning while minimizing mass loss.

[0019] At least one embodiment of the invention provides thermally treated biomass materials and methods of producing such materials. The methods involve heating biomass under conditionssufficient to chemically transform compounds responsible for cement poisoning while limiting volatilization of biomass constituents.

[0020] In one or more embodiments, the thermal treatment is conducted at temperatures sufficient to induce chemical and / or physical transformations of biomass compounds, including transformations analogous to caramelization or Maillard-type reactions, while maintaining high dry matter mass yield.

[0021] In one or more embodiments, treatment temperatures, residence times, and environments are selected to achieve chemical and / or physical transformations without substantial volatilization.

[0022] The resulting biomass may be used as an admixture, binder component, aggregate in cementitious materials, or component of a binder system.

[0023] Certain chemical, mechanical, and thermal treatments are known to substantially reduce or eliminate the cement poisoning effects of biomass. For example, biomass-derived cellulose fibers are isolated from raw biomass materials using chemical and mechanical processes and are used successfully in fiber cement products. As another example, biochars are produced through torrefaction and / or pyrolysis processes, in which biomass components are thermally decomposed into volatile compounds and removed via vaporization. Notably, the treatments used to produce both cellulose fibers and biochars effectively remove natural sugars from the biomass-derived product either by mechanical and chemical processes (in the case of cellulose fibers) or by thermally decomposing and volatilizing them (in the case of biochars). While each of these approaches yield biomass-derived materials that are broadly compatible with at least some cement binders, they each also present significant challenges to broadscale adoption of BCC materials. The treatment processes are relatively expensive and process yields are generally low. The cellulose content of biomass can vary significantly but may often be in the range of -50% on a dry mass basis. As a result, cellulose yields may be lower than 50% on a dry mass basis, sometimes substantially lower. Similarly, biochar yields from pyrolysis and torrefaction often range from 15% to 50% on a dry mass basis. Such low yields substantially increase the effective feedstock costs for these materials (i.e., 1 ton of cement-compatible biomass requires 2-6 tons of biomass feedstock). They also substantially reduce the amount of biomass carbon retained, thereby reducing the potential biomass carbon storage rate of resulting BCC products. This reduction in carbon storage may be important, as biomass carbon storage emerges as a potentially important approach for mitigating anthropogenic climate change.

[0024] Biomass thermal treatments are varied and often divided into five general types: non-reactive drying; reactive drying; torrefaction; pyrolysis; and gasification. The differences between these types of treatments are often described in terms of thermal intensity or thermal treatment intensity, which reflects multiple factors, including particularly treatment temperatures and residence times. For example, non-reactive drying often occurs at temperatures below 150°C; reactive drying often occurs at temperatures between 150°C and 200°C; torrefaction often occurs at temperatures between 200°C and 300°C; pyrolysis often occurs at temperatures between 300°C and 450°C; and gasification often occurs at temperatures greater than 450°C. Note that these general temperature ranges are not absolutely definitive and treatment temperatures for different processes can overlap for a variety of reasons. Moreover, the temperatures used to implement a given process are often specified as a function of the residence time, among other factors. Residence times and treatment temperatures may be inversely related. For example, in many instances the residence time required to achieve a particular treatment objective may be reduced by employing higher treatment temperatures and vice versa.

[0025] Further, both treatment temperatures and residence times can depend on other factors, including the biomass particle size, the biomass type, the treatment environment, the heat transfer mechanism, and heat transfer media, for example. Biomass particle size is important because, among other things, biomass is not a very good thermal conductor. As a result, significant temperature gradients can develop within biomass particles during thermal treatments. As a result, higher temperatures and / or longer residence times may be employed to achieve a particular minimum temperature target throughout the entire masses of biomass particles, for example.

[0026] Various heat transfer mechanisms may be used in biomass thermal treatments. Different heat transfer mechanisms are generally associated with different rates of heat transfer. For example, Conduction is generally a slower heat transfer mechanism than convection. As a result, longer residence times (and / or higher applied temperatures) may be required for thermal treatments that rely primarily on conduction for heat transfer (where the biomass is heated by solid-to-solid contact with a surface like a heated conveyer trough, heated screw, heated tubes, or heated paddles, for example), as compared to the residence times required for thermal treatments that effectively leverage convention for heat transfer by using circulating heated fluids or gases, for example. In convective systems, the specific heat of the fluid can also impact the treatment temperatures and / or residence times used to achieve a particular thermal treatment objective. For example, steam (including superheated steam) has a higher specific heat than air and many other gases (e.g., nitrogen, CO2, combustion gases, etc.); therefore, lower treatment temperatures and / or shorter residence times may be possible using steam as the heat transfer media instead of air or other gases.

[0027] Given the variability in these various processing parameters, it can be useful to differentiate biomass thermal treatment types based on the physical and chemical processes associated with each. For example, non-reactive drying is generally associated with vaporizing and removing water from the biomass solids with minimal vaporization of volatile compounds and minimal chemical transformations of biomass components; reactive drying is generally associated with vaporizing and removing water with some initial chemical transformations of biomass components, but with minimal vaporization of volatile compounds; torrefaction is generally associated with vaporizing / removing volatile compounds from the biomass and increasing chemical transformations and thermal decomposition of biomass components; pyrolysis is generally associated with extensive thermal decomposition of major biomass components of the biomass solids (e.g., cellulose, hemi-cellulose, and lignin) into volatile compounds and vaporizing / removing those volatile compounds; and gasification is generally associated with complete, or nearly complete, thermal decomposition and vaporization of biomass components to maximize conversion of biomass solids into condensable and non-condensable gases.

[0028] In addition to the factors discussed above, the environment in which the thermal treatment is applied is an important factor in thermal biomass treatments. This is because, among other things, many thermal treatments involve heating biomass above the ignition temperature. Doing this in an oxygen-rich environment (like air) may result in oxidation and combustion reactions rather than torrefaction, pyrolysis, or gasification reactions. Thermogravimetric analysis of multiple biomass types indicates that biomass ignition temperatures often in the range of ~240°C to ~275°C. Accordingly, biomass torrefaction, pyrolysis, and gasification treatments are typically conducted in low-oxygen environments in order to limit the extent of oxidation and combustion reactions. In contrast, drying treatments - both reactive and non-reactive drying - may be conducted in air because the treatment temperatures are generally insufficient to initiate combustion.

[0029] In this context, by way of one or more embodiments, it is noteworthy that thermogravimetric analysis indicates that mass losses from heating dry biomass typically begin to accelerate as temperatures exceed -225 °C. These mass losses may be attributed to the vaporization of volatile organic compounds in the biomass and to initial stages of thermal transformations and vaporization of major biomass constituents (e.g., cellulose and hemi-cellulose). These physical and chemical processes are generally associated with torrefaction and pyrolysis, as describedabove. In other words, the mass losses observed in thermogravimetric analyses are consistent with the fundamental processes associated with torrefaction and pyrolysis (i.e., vaporization of volatile organics and decomposition and vaporization of maj or biomass constituents) and help explain both why these treatments are generally accomplished within the temperature ranges discussed above and why these treatments are generally associated with significant mass losses.

[0030] Notably, in at least one embodiment, while biochar produced via torrefaction, pyrolysis, and / or carbonization has been shown to be effective for improving the compatibility of biomass with cement, neither these treatments nor other thermal treatments conventionally applied to biomass have been developed with a goal of transforming natural sugars and other compounds present in biomass or of mitigating other potential causes of cement poisoning. Moreover, it is reasonable to assume that the primary reason why biomass solids subjected to relatively intense torrefaction and / or pyrolysis processes exhibit reduced cement poisoning behavior is because the cement poisoning compounds are removed via devolatilization during these treatments. If so, the relatively low mass yields associated with torrefaction, pyrolysis, and / or carbonziation could be expected to be an inherent aspect of neutralizing the cement poisoning characteristics of biomass.

[0031] In contrast, by way of one at least one embodiment, if the mitigation of cement poisoning attributes can be accomplished by chemically transforming cement poisoning constituents into compounds that do not exhibit cement poisoning behavior, for example, then mitigating cement poisoning attributes of biomass would be possible without the high mass losses associated with relatively high intensity torrefaction, pyrolysis, and carbonization processes. Similarly, if the mitigation of cement poisoning attributes can be accomplished by thermally-induced physical transformations of biomass compounds that effectively limit the mobility of cement poisoning constituents out of the biomass particles and into the binder mix, for example, by creating physical blockages of biomass particle pores and pore spaces, then mitigating cement poisoning attributes of biomass should be possible without the high mass losses associated with torrefaction and pyrolysis. While these theoretical scenarios are conceivable, to our knowledge they have not previously been proposed or reduced to practice.

[0032] Separate from the fields of biomass torrefaction and pyrolysis, there is a body of knowledge related to thermal treatments that provide chemical decomposition and transformation conversion of natural sugars. This body of knowledge has been developed in the field of cooking and food processing systems. It includes, among other things, chemistry related to so called caramelization and Maillard reactions. Caramelization comprises a complex set of chemical reactions that sugars undergo when subjected to heat. These reactions typically involve bothchemical transformation / decomposition of sugars and chemical reactions among various reaction intermediaries to form a wide variety of reaction products. The temperatures associated with caramelization vary across sugar types, among various other factors, and generally range from ~100°C to ~180°C. Maillard reactions are distinguished from caramelization in that they generally involve reactions between sugars and available amino acids. In other aspects, however, Maillard reactions share many similarities with caramelization: they comprise complex reactions that can include chemical transformation / decomposition of sugars and chemical reactions among various reaction intermediaries to form a wide variety of reaction products; and while the temperatures associated with Maillard reactions can vary, they typically range from ~130°C to ~170°C. Further, while both caramelization and Maillard reactions can produce volatile compounds, which may vaporize during the process or after the reactions are complete, the relative quantities of these volatile compounds are generally low on a mass percentage basis. As a result, the mass losses typically associated with caramelization and Maillard reactions are also generally low. Moreover, many of the reaction products from caramelization and Maillard reactions can be relatively plastic at high temperatures and solid at lower temperatures. As a result, these reaction products may create physical barriers within biomass particle pores and pore spaces that inhibit the flow of water into and out of biomass particles, thereby inhibiting the mobility of natural sugars and / or other compounds that exhibit cement poisoning attributes.

[0033] Importantly, by way of one or more embodiments, while most of our knowledge regarding caramelization and Maillard reactions comes from cooking and food processing industries, the reaction mechanisms, temperatures, and reaction kinetics associated with these reactions are general and broadly applicable to the decomposition of sugars across many contexts. As a result, by way of at least one embodiment, these reactions provide a fundamental basis for establishing novel thermal treatments to cost effectively produce novel biomass materials that have improved compatibility with cementitious binders and high mass and carbon retention rates.BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] The above and other aspects, features and advantages of the ideas conveyed through this disclosure will be more apparent from the following more particular description thereof, presented in conjunction with the following drawings wherein:

[0035] Figure 1 illustrates a compressive strength development of cementitious materials incorporating thermally treated biomass, according to one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0036] Figure 2 illustrates strength development across varying treatment intensities, according to one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0037] Figure 3 illustrates compressive strength as a function of biomass content, according to one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0038] Figure 4 illustrates compressive strength as a function of treatment intensity, according to one or more embodiments of the invention.DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0039] At least one embodiment of the invention provides methods for thermally treating biomass to produce materials suitable for use in cementitious applications. The thermal treatment may be conducted under conditions that achieve internal biomass temperatures sufficient to induce chemical transformations while minimizing volatilization.

[0040] In one or more embodiments, biomass is heated to internal temperatures between approximately 100°C and 300°C. The treatment may be conducted using dry or wet processes, including systems employing air, steam, or liquid media. Residence time, heat transfer mechanisms, and biomass characteristics may influence the treatment conditions.

[0041] In one or more embodiments, the biomass is processed to achieve a dry matter mass yield greater than 50%, and in one or more embodiments greater than 70%, 80%, or 90%. Higher yields correspond to lower treatment intensity and improved carbon retention.

[0042] The treated biomass may be incorporated into cementitious materials comprising mineral binders including Portland cement, alkali-activated binders, and other binder systems. The resulting materials may be used in a wide range of applications, including structural and non-structural construction materials.

[0043] At least one embodiment of the invention provides methods and processes for thermal treatment, including particularly low-intensity thermal treatment, of biomass that can be applied to produce novel biomass materials that exhibit improved physical and chemical characteristics for various applications. Among these various improved characteristics, the thermally treated biomass materials may have improved compatibility with cementitious binders, reduced water absorption rates, and relatively high mass and carbon retention rates. In this context, high mass and carbon retention rates means that relatively little of the dry mass or carbon is lost or removed from the biomass during the treatment process. At least one embodiment of the invention provides novel biomass materials with improved physical and chemical characteristics for various applications, including but not limited to applications related to the production of cementitious materials and products. At least one embodiment of the invention further provides novel cementitious materials and products that comorise biomass-cement composites (“BCCs”). Thesevarious biomass materials, BCC materials, associated cementitious BCC products, and the methods and processes for producing each are all within the scope of the invention.

[0044] Without being bound by theory or otherwise limiting the scope of one or more embodiments of the invention, the low-intensity thermal treatments generally involve heating biomass particles to internal temperatures that are (i) sufficiently high to initiate chemical reactions, chemical transformations, and / or physical transformations of compounds found within raw or untreated biomass and / or produced through the thermal treatment and optionally (ii) sufficiently low to limit mass losses from vaporization of volatile compounds - both volatile compounds native to the untreated biomass and volatile compounds created during the thermal treatment process. Again without being bound by theory or otherwise limiting the scope of at least one embodiment of the invention, these chemical reactions and transformations may include, but are not limited to, (a) those that may be directly associated with compounds responsible for cement poisoning attributes of biomass and (b) those that may result in physical transformations of biomass pores and pore spaces, including but not limited to physical blockages of the pores and pore spaces.

[0045] The minimum internal temperature(s) to which biomass material particles may be heated according to the one or more embodiments of the invention can vary according to multiple factors including residence time, heat transfer mechanism, heat transfer media, biomass type, biomass format, and biomass particle size, among other factors. This is because, for example, the particular compounds and the relative quantities of compounds - including cement poisoning compounds -contained in biomass can vary by biomass type. That being true, minimum internal biomass particle temperatures required for this thermal treatment are typically in the range of 100°C to 225 °C. Without being bound by theory or otherwise limiting the scope of the invention, these minimum internal temperatures are broadly consistent with the temperatures associated with caramelization and Maillard reactions, which can achieve thermal decomposition of natural sugars. Heating biomass to higher minimum internal temperatures may have practical or economic advantages and are therefore also within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention. Moreover, different applications, including but not limited to different types of cement binders, have different levels of sensitivity to compounds that may be present in biomass and / or that may be produced within the biomass via chemical reactions occurring during thermal treatment. As a result, the minimum internal biomass particle temperature of the thermal treatment may vary according to the specific application, including the specific cement binder(s) that will be used with the treated biomass. Further, different cementitious products and different cementitious product manufacturing systems have different requirements regarding thecharacteristics of cementitious mixes used in manufacturing processes and / or regarding the mechanical performance of finished products, for example. These factors may also affect the minimum internal biomass particle temperature of thermal treatments within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0046] In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 100°C, or greater than 105 °C, or greater than 110°C, or greater than 115°C, or greater then 120°C, or greater than 125°C, or greater than 130°C, or greater than 135°C, or greater than 140°C, or greater than 145°C, or greater than 150°C, or greater than 155°C, or greater than 160°C, or greater than 165 °C, or greater than 170°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 175°C, or greater than 180°C, or greater than 185°C, or greater than 190°C, or greater than 195 °C, or greater than 200°C, or greater than 205 °C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 210°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 215°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 220°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 225 °C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 230°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 235 °C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 240°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 245 °C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 250°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 255°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 260°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 265 °C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 270°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 275°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 280°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 285 °C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 290°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 295 °C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 300°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 305°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 310°C. Inone or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 315 °C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 320°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 325 °C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 330°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 335°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 340°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 345°C. In one or more embodiments the biomass is heated to internal particle temperatures greater than 350°C.

[0047] The maximum internal temperatures to which biomass material may be heated according to at least one embodiment of the invention can also vary according to multiple factors, including residence time, heat transfer mechanism, heat transfer media, biomass type, biomass format, and biomass particle size, among other factors. Biomass type can impact the maximum internal temperatures because, for example, the specific combinations of volatile compounds contained in biomass and / or the combinations of non-volatile compounds which may decompose or otherwise be transformed to form volatile compounds during thermal treatments of biomass can vary by biomass type. As a result, the internal temperatures at which mass losses accelerate from vaporizing such volatile compounds (either volatile compounds present in the biomass or volatile compounds formed by thermal reactions with or among otherwise non-volatile compounds) can vary by biomass type. Accordingly, the maximum internal temperatures to which biomass material particles may be heated to minimize such mass losses can vary according to biomass type. Maximum internal biomass particle temperatures can also depend on various other factors. For example, using higher biomass temperatures can reduce the residence times required to achieve specific thermal treatment objectives, and reducing residence times can lower capital costs, operating costs, or both. Further, increasing temperatures may be useful for ensuring adequate chemical decomposition or transformations of relevant biomass compounds, including but not limited to cement poisoning compounds (e.g., reflecting temperature dependence of reaction kinetics, for example), which may be useful to ensure product quality requirements are met consistently, for example. Moreover, practical limits on the formation and vaporization of volatile compounds are, among other things, a function of economic impacts associated with mass losses. Economic process optimization may also exhibit dependance on various other external factors, including but not limited to market factors. As a result, higher internal biomass particle temperatures may have practical or economic advantages and are therefore within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention. Further, different types of applications, includingdifferent types of cement binders, have different levels of sensitivity to particular compounds that may be present in the biomass and / or that may be produced within the biomass via chemical reactions occurring during thermal treatment. As a result, the maximum internal biomass particle temperature achieved during thermal treatment may vary according to the application for which the treated biomass will be used, including but not limited to the cement binder(s) with which the treated biomass will be used. Further, different cementitious product manufacturing processes have different requirements regarding the wet mix characteristics of the materials used and / or regarding the mechanical performance of the finished product(s), for example. These factors may also affect the maximum internal biomass particle temperature achieved during the thermal treatment. As a result, the maximum internal temperatures to which biomass particles may be heated within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention can vary widely. That being true, maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are typically in the range of 130°C to 300°C. Without being bound by theory, these maximum temperatures are broadly consistent with the temperatures at which mass losses accelerate during biomass thermal treatments. A noted, the maximum internal biomass particle temperature may be affected by economic, market, or other factors. As a result, internal biomass particle temperatures exceeding this range may also be used and are also within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0048] Again without being bound by theory or otherwise limiting the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention, particular benefits can be achieved in one or more embodiments by maintaining maximum biomass temperatures below the ignition temperature of the biomass. This can help limit oxidation and combustion reactions, even when the thermal treatment is processed in an oxygen-rich environment, such as in ambient air. Limiting oxidation and combustion reactions in this way can both reduce the risks associated with combustion (including propertytype risks, health and safety risks, and financial risks associated with feedstock and / or product material losses, for example) and enable use of lower cost equipment and processing methods.

[0049] In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 355°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 350°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 345 °C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 340°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 335°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 330°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 325°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internalbiomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 320°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 315 °C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 310°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 305°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 300°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 280°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 270°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 260°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum biomass temperatures are maintained are below 250°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 245 °C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 240°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 235 °C. In one or more embodiments the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 230°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 225 °C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 220°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 215°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 210°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 205 °C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 200°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 199°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 195 °C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 190°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 185 °C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 180°C. In one or more embodiments the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 175 °C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 160°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 155°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 150°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures aremaintained are below 145°C. In one or more embodiments, the maximum internal biomass particle temperatures are maintained are below 140°C.

[0050] The biomass thermal treatment can be accomplished in any system capable of heating the biomass material to a suitable temperature, within the maximum and minimum internal biomass temperatures disclosed above, and maintaining the biomass temperature for time period sufficient to achieve the thermal treatment objectives. Note that the degree to which chemical reactions and / or physical transformations must progress depends on a variety of factors, including but not limited to: the type(s) of biomass to be treated; the materials and products with which the treated biomass may be utilized, including but not limited to the cementitious binders with which the treated biomass may be utilized; the BCC materials to be produced; the products to be manufactured; the mix characteristics required for such production and / or manufacturing processes; the mechanical and durability performance requirements of the product(s); and various related economic factors.

[0051] Systems that may be capable of meeting these requirements are diverse. In one or more embodiments the thermal treatment system may comprise one or more traditional charcoal kilns, in which biomass may be processed in batches by oxidizing a portion of the biomass to generate heat and in which the extent of oxidation is controlled by limiting air flow into the kiln. In one or more embodiments the thermal treatment system may comprise one or more modern batch kilns, in which biomass is heated by radiant mechanisms, by contact with circulating hot air, hot gases, hot steam, and or other hot fluids, and in which heat is provided directly to the kiln using electric heating elements, fuels combustion mechanisms, or some other mechanism, or in which heat is provided indirectly by circulating a fluid, gas, or other heat transfer media between the kiln and a heat source, where in the heat source may comprise electric heating elements, one or more waste heat sources, and or fuel combustion mechanisms, for example. In one or more embodiments the thermal treatment system may comprise one or more modem batch dryers or heaters. In one or more embodiments the thermal treatment system may comprise one or more continuous dryers, heaters, calciners, or kilns, including but not limited to rotary kilns, rotary dryers, heated screw systems, heated disk systems, heated conveyor systems, flash dryers, flash kilns, and / or heated paddle systems among others. In one or more embodiments the thermal treatment system may comprise a thermal conditioning system or steam conditioning system.

[0052] In one or more embodiments the thermal treatment system may comprise a pressurized steam treatment system or digester, as these terms are used in the pulp, paper, and / or medium density fiberboard industries, for example. In one or more embodiments, a steam treatment systemor digester may be integrated with a wood refining system for producing thermally treated and refined wood or biomass material. Such thermally treated and refined wood or biomass may comprise an intermediate product that is further processed - including but not limited to washing to remove residual sugars, drying, grinding, milling, and / or reformatting the thermally treated biomass material - for use in cementitious material applications, for example.

[0053] In one or more embodiments the thermal treatment system may comprise a hot liquid and / or hot liquid extraction treatment, including treatments comprising hot water, hot solvents, and / or various potential combinations of hot water and solvents, for example. Such hot liquid treatments also include and are not limited to auto-hydrolysis processes and pre-hydrolysis processes, for example. Such hot liquid extraction treatments may be configured to decompose, extract, remove, and / or otherwise neutralize compounds in the biomass that exhibit cement poisoning attributes without impacting the balance of non-soluble compounds in the biomass, including but not limited to hemicellulose, cellulose, and / or lignin, for example. Alternatively, such hot liquid extraction systems may be configured to also selectively decompose, extract, remove, and / or otherwise neutralize additional components of the biomass including but not limited to hemicellulose, cellulose, and / or lignin. Selectively decomposing, extracting, removing, and / or otherwise neutralizing components including but not limited to hemicellulose, cellulose, and / or lignin may be beneficial to mitigate potential cement poisoning effects of these compounds and / or cement poisoning effects of the compounds that may result from future decomposition of these compounds in a cementitious application, for example. Such thermally treated wood or biomass from such processes may comprise an intermediate product that is further processed -including but not limited to washing, drying, grinding, milling, and / or reformatting the thermally treated biomass material - for use in cementitious material applications, for example.

[0054] For example, in one or more embodiments the thermal biomass treatment comprises a hot liquid extraction process that is configured (e.g., by specifying treatment temperatures, pressures, residence times, solvents, and / or other operating parameters) to effectively decompose, extract, remove, transform, and / or otherwise neutralize key compounds of the untreated biomass that exhibit cement poisoning characteristics (including but not limited to sugar monomers and oligomers) while minimizing the impacts on other compounds of the untreated biomass, including but not limited to hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin. In one or more embodiments the thermal treatment comprising a hot liquid extraction process is configured to also selectively and / or partially decompose, extract, remove, transform, and / or otherwise neutralize various other compounds of the untreated biomass, including but not limited to selectively and / or partiallydecomposing, extracting, removing, transforming, and / or otherwise neutralizing one or more of the hemicellulose, cellulose, and / or lignin of the untreated biomass.

[0055] In one or more embodiments the thermally treated biomass produced via steam, pressurized steam, and / or hot liquid processes or systems may comprise a thermally treated biomass intermediate material that is further processed to produce a thermally treated biomass material that is suitable for use in cementitious material applications. Such further processing may comprise but is not limited to washing, drying, grinding, milling, densifying, and / or reformatting the thermally treated biomass intermediate material. Such additional processing may also include blending of the thermally treated biomass intermediate material with one or more other materials to enhance its utility in cementitious material applications; examples include but are not limited to blending with pozzolans, fillers, gypsum, aggregates of various types, calcined or un-calcined clays and / or minerals, mineral binders of various types, accelerators of various types, and / or other admixtures of various types for use in cementitious materials.

[0056] In one or more embodiments the thermal treatment system may comprise one or more conveyance systems, including belts, chains, vibratory systems, fluidizing systems, single or multiple screw conveying & / or extrusion systems, buckets, trays, rollers, paddles, gravity conveyance systems, rotating drums or pipes, and / or pneumatic conveyance systems, among others. Such conveyance systems, kilns, heaters, dryers, heaters, conditioning systems, or other related thermal treatment systems may be used alone or in any combination. Heat for the thermal treatment may be supplied from various heat sources, including but not limited to waste heat sources, electric heating elements, infrared radiation elements, microwave radiation elements, fuel combustion elements, or other heat sources. Potential waste heat sources include but are not limited to waste heat from other commercial, industrial and / or utility processes, including but not limited to combustion energy systems, other combustion systems, heat sinks, non-combustion energy systems, other thermal treatment systems, thermo-chemical systems, petrochemical systems, calciners, clay calciners, cement calciners, food processing systems, agricultural processing systems, cryogenic systems, and compression systems, among others. Heat for the thermal treatment may be supplied directly to the biomass material being treated or indirectly via one or more heat transfer surfaces, solid heat transfer media, fluids, gases, other heat transfer media, or other heat transfer mechanisms, either alone or in any combination. Potential heat transfer fluids include but are not limited to air, nitrogen, fuel combustion products, off-gases, steam, oil, and / or other fluids. Such heat transfer fluids and mechanisms may be used alone or in any combination. The thermal treatment may be accomplished in one or multiple stages or phases. For example, a two-stage treatment process may involve a first, lower temperature process toremove moisture, followed by a second, higher temperature process to drive the chemical reactions within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention. Implementing the thermal treatment using multi-stage processes may, for example, provide energy efficiency and / or other benefits.

[0057] The temperature to which heating elements and / or heat transfer surfaces, heat transfer solid media, heat transfer fluids, and / or other heat transfer media may be heated in order to bring the biomass material to the thermal treatment temperature will generally be greater than the minimum internal biomass temperature for the treatment. It may also be greater than the maximum internal biomass temperature for the treatment, given the temperature differentials required to effectively transfer heat from the treatment media to the biomass. The specific temperature, and the temperature relative to the minimum and maximum biomass treatment temperatures, may vary depending on the heat transfer mechanisms, heat transfer rates, heat capacities of relevant materials, and residence times utilized for the thermal treatment, for example. In one or more embodiments, the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be greater than the minimum internal biomass temperature specified for the thermal treatment. In one or more embodiments the temperature(s) of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be either lower than or greater than the maximum biomass temperature specified for the thermal treatment.

[0058] In one or more embodiments it can be beneficial for the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media to be lower than the ignition temperature of the biomass to be treated and / or lower than the ignition temperature of the volatiles released from the biomass, which may be considered to be an aspect or factor of the ignition temperature of the biomass. In one or more embodiments the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be lower than the biomass ignition temperature by an amount greater than or equal to 1% of the ignition temperature. In one or more embodiments the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be lower than the biomass ignition temperature by an amount greater than or equal to 2% of the ignition temperature. In one or more embodiments the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be lower than the biomass ignition temperature by an amount greater than or equal to 3% of the ignition temperature. In one or more embodiments the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be lower than the biomass ignition temperature by an amount greater than or equal to 4% of the ignition temperature. In one or more embodiments the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be lower than the biomass ignition temperature by an amount greater than or equal to 5% of the ignition temperature. In one or more embodiments the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be lower than the biomass ignition temperature by an amount greaterthan or equal to 7.5% of the ignition temperature. In one or more embodiments the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be lower than the biomass ignition temperature by an amount greater than or equal to 10% of the ignition temperature. In one or more embodiments the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be lower than the biomass ignition temperature by an amount greater than or equal to 12.5% of the ignition temperature. In one or more embodiments the temperature of the heating elements and / or heat transfer media may be lower than the biomass ignition temperature by an amount greater than or equal to 15% of the ignition temperature.

[0059] In one or more embodiments it may be convenient to specify the thermal treatment according to the treatment temperature, which may comprise the temperature of heat transfer media, heat transfer fluids, and / or heat transfer liquids. Depending on the equipment and technical context, these temperatures may be specified in terms of initial or input temperatures, in terms of steady state temperatures, and / or in terms of final or exit temperatures, each of which may be considered a treatment temperature of the thermal treatment process. For example, a conventional, rotary drum dryer used for biomass drying may have a gas inlet temperature over 450°C and gas outlet temperatures below 150°C. Each of these may be considered a treatment temperature of the dryer in some relevant respects. In this case the biomass dryer treatment temperatures noted above, for example, 450°C might be specified as the maximum treatment temperature of the process and 150°C might be specified as the minimum treatment temperature of the process. As another example, pressurized steam treatment processes, hot liquid processes, hot liquid extraction processes, auto-hydrolysis processes and / or steam explosion processes might have a specified treatment temperature greater than 120°C, 130°C, 140°C, 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C , 185°C, 190°C, 195°C, 200°C, 210°C, 220°C, 240°C, or250°C, for example. Alternatively, such treatment processes may have a specified treatment temperature lower than 120°C, 130°C, 140°C, 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C , 185°C, 190°C, 195°C, 200°C, 210°C, 220°C, 240°C, or 250°C, for example. Note that liquids processes operating at such temperatures may be maintained under elevated pressure to so that process fluids remain in liquid form, as intended for the specific heat treatment process. It is also noteworthy that wet or liquids based thermal biomass treatments can often be operated with treatment temperatures that are significantly lower than dry thermal biomass treatments that achieve similar results in terms of neutralizing cement poisoning attributes of the biomass. There are a variety of reasons for this. These include but are not limited to the chemical reactivity of water and other liquid process inputs, the solvent characteristics and / or dissolution capacity of water and / or other solvents at high temperatures and pressures, and the relative solubility of biomass compounds exhibiting cement poisoning behavior. As a result, treatmenttemperatures for wet thermal biomass treatments may typically range from 120°C to 190°C, whereas treatment temperatures for dry thermal biomass treatments may typically range from 185 °C to 265 °C, with even higher temperatures used to accelerate the relevant processes.

[0060] In one or more embodiments the maximum treatment temperature is less than at least one ofthe following values: 120°C, 130°C, I4O°C, 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C , 185°C, 190°C, 195°C, 200°C, 210°C, 220°C, 240°C, 250°C, 275°C, 300°C, 325°C, 350°C, and 400°C. In one or more embodiments the maximum treatment temperature is greater than at least one of the following values: 120°C, 130°C, I4O°C, 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C , 185°C, 190°C, 195°C, 200°C, 210°C, 220°C, 240°C, 250°C, 275°C, 300°C, 325°C, 350°C, and 400°C.

[0061] In one or more embodiments the minimum treatment temperature is less than at least one ofthe following values: 120°C, 130°C, I4O°C, 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C , 185°C, 190°C, 195°C, 200°C, 210°C, 220°C, 240°C, 250°C, 275°C, 300°C, 325°C, 350°C, and 400°C. In one or more embodiments the minimum treatment temperature is greater than at least one of the following values: 150°C, 160°C, 170°C, 180°C , 185°C, 190°C, 195°C, 200°C, 210°C, 220°C, 240°C, 250°C, 275°C, 300°C, 325°C, 350°C, and 400°C.

[0062] The biomass residence time required for the thermal treatment varies depending on a variety of factors. These factors may include, but are not limited to: the type of biomass being processed; the heat transfer mechanism utilized (e.g., conduction provided by contacting biomass with a solid heat transfer surface verses convection of a heated liquid, fluid, gas or other heat transfer media around the biomass particles); the heat capacity of the heat transfer medium (e.g., contacted surface or heated fluid, gas, or particle media); and the biomass particle size.

[0063] In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than one minute. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be between 1 and 2 minutes, or less than 1 minute, or less than 2 minutes or greater than 1 minute or greater than 2 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be between 1 and 5 minutes, or less than 1 minute, or greater than 1 minute, or less than 5 minutes or greater than 5 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 10 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 15 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 20 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 30 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 45 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less 1 hour. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 1.5 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 2 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 2 hours. In one or more embodiments theresidence time may be less than 3 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 4 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 5 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be less than 10 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 1 minute. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 2 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 5 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 10 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 15 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 20 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 30 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 45 minutes. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 1 hour. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 1.5 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 2 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 3 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 4 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 5 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 10 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 12 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 18 hours. In one or more embodiments the residence time may be more than 24 hours.

[0064] Combinations of various treatment conditions, including but not limited to treatment temperatures, biomass particle temperatures, treatment environments (including but not limited to environmental characteristics like oxygen concentrations, volatiles concentrations, water vapor or steam levels, pressures, humidity, liquid phase and / or vapor phase compounds, etc.), heat transfer liquids, fluids or media, and / or treatment residence times can be used to specify conditions for the intensity of thermal treatment, which may correspond to the extent of physical and / or chemical transformations resulting from a particular thermal treatment. Thermal treatment intensity may be characterized in terms of product compositional metrics or metrics describing changes in the biomass solids resulting from the thermal treatment. For example, one common compositional metric that reflects thermal treatment intensity is the fixed carbon content of the final biomass product. The carbon contained in biomass is often described as comprising fixed carbon and volatile carbon. As volatile compounds, including but not limited to compounds comprising volatile carbon, are removed from the biomass solids during a thermal treatment via devolatilization and / or vaporization, the fixed carbon that remains represents a larger mass fraction of the final product solids. As a result, increasing thermal treatment intensities are generally associated with increasing mass fractions of fixed carbon in product solids.

[0065] As another example, residual sugars, residual hemicellulose, residual cellulose, and / or residual lignin content may be used to specify the treatment intensities of various thermal treatments. Generally speaking, higher treatment intensities are associated with lower levels of each of these, and potentially other, residual compounds. It is noteworthy, however, that such reductions may depend on a washing process that may be implemented after the primary thermal treatment in order to remove water soluble carbohydrates, for example. This may be particularly true in embodiments comprising steam treatments and / or steam refining treatments, in which partially decomposed compounds may condense on the outside surfaces of thermally treated biomass particles when steam evaporates. In one or more embodiments, such a washing process may be implemented at either high or low pressure environments.

[0066] As another example, dry matter mass yield (“DMMY”) can be a convenient measure of thermal treatment intensity. DMMY is generally calculated as the dry mass of the product solids divided by the dry mass of the solid input. DMMY is generally inversely related to thermal treatment intensity. In dry treatment processes this is because higher intensity thermal treatments result in increasing proportions of the feedstock being removed either by being directly volatized and / or thermally converted to volatile compounds and subsequently volatilized. In wet treatment processes -including but not limited to steam treatments, pressurized steam treatments, and hot liquids processes, for example - where soluble compounds may be removed by dissolution into liquid solutions or liquid output streams, for example, this is because higher intensity thermal treatments result in increasing proportions of the feedstock being removed either by being directly dissolved into treatment fluids and / or thermally converted to soluble compounds and subsequently dissolved into treatment fluids. As a result, higher treatment intensities are generally associated with lower DMMY values. Conversely, lower intensity thermal treatments are typically associated with higher DMMY. For example, low temperature drying processes might have 100% DMMY whereas very high intensity carbonization processes may have DMMY of only -15%.

[0067] In one or more embodiments it is convenient to specify the thermal treatment intensity in terms of residual sugars and / or residual hemicellulose levels of the solid treatment outputs. This is because residual sugars can have direct cement poisoning effects and residual hemicellulose can be decomposed into sugars in the alkaline environment created within various cementitious mixes. Among one or more embodiments where this type of specification may be useful, it may be particularly useful in wet thermal treatment processes, including but not limited to steam treatments and / or pressurized steam treatments. In one or more embodiments the residual sugars content may be further reduced through a washing process following the thermal treatment process.

[0068] As such, in one or more embodiments it is convenient to specify the thermal treatment intensity in terms of dry matter mass yields (“DMMY”). In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 15%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 20%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 25%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 30%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 35%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 40%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 45%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 50%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 55%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 60%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 65%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 70%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 75%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 80%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 85%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 90%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 95%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 15%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 20%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 25%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 30%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 35%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 40%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 45%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 50%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 55%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is greater than 60%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 65%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 70%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 75%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 80%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 85%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 90%. In one or more embodiments the DMMY is less than 95%.

[0069] In one or more embodiments it may be convenient to specify the thermal treatment intensity using an “intensity factor” or “severity factor”. Severity factors for wet and / or liquid based biomass thermal treatments are often defined using the following formula:,D, [ / T- 100logo= log • exp -

[0070]

[0071] Where: Ro is defined as the severity factor, t is the residence time or dwell time in minutes, T is the treatment temperature in °C, 100 comprises a reference temperature in °C and 14.75 comprises an empirical constant

[0072] Various other formulations for this and similar intensity or severity factors can also be used and may be more appropriate for other types of thermal treatments. For example, a severity factor that may be used for torrefaction processes is sometimes referred to as the Torrefaction Severity Factor (“TSF”). The formula defining the TSF is similar to the one above; however, it includes an additional exponential factor (alpha) to the time variable, wherein the value for alpha depends on the type of material and / or type of biomass being processed. An alternate factor that may be used to describe the intensity of torrefaction processes is processes is sometimes referred to as the Torrefaction Severity Index (“TSF’). TSI is generally calculated as a ratio of the dry matter mass losses for two treatments - the treatment of interest and a reference treatment - where the dry matter mass loss is simply 100 minus the DMMY. As a result, TSI scales directly with DMMY. With this in mind, DMMY is used as a generalized measure of treatment intensities and / or severities for the empirical testing described herein. Those skilled in the art will understand how to convert between various forms of severity factors and / or similarly apply alternate severity factors similar to those described herein.

[0073] In one or more embodiments the process may be configured to have a severity factor (Ro) less than at least one of the following values: 2.5; 3; 3.5; 4; 4.5; or 5. In one or more embodiments the process may be configured to comprise a severity factor greater than at least one of the following values: 2.5; 3; 3.5; 4; 4.5; or 5.

[0074] Biomass types that are suitable for thermal processing within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention are varied. Examples include but are not limited to woody biomass, hardwoods, softwoods, mixed woods, timber residues, wood residues, thinning wastes, milling residues, bark, manufacturing wastes, herbaceous biomass, energy crops, crop residues, straw from various crops, stalks from various crops, stover, bagasse, stubble, agricultural processing wastes and residues, seeds, nut or seed shells, husks, chaff, hemp stalks, hemp hurds, waste fibers, textile materials, textile processing or production wastes, agricultural surplus materials, food wastes, macro-algae, micro-algae, diatoms, cyanobacteria, yeasts, fermentation products and byproducts, various other types of aquaculture products, and livestock wastes, among others.

[0075] Biomass feedstock may be received at a thermal processing facility in virtually any size or format. Examples include but are not limited to logs, sticks, chips, sawdust, milled particles, odd-sized waste or scraps, trimmings, thinnings, clippings, leaves, stems, bales, ground material, loose material, mixed material, fibers, consolidated fibers or particles, planks, boards, pellets, briquettes, cubes, flours, and powders, among others. Given the variety in biomass feedstock sizes and formats, it may be beneficial to resize the biomass before or after thermal treatment. Forexample, resizing before thermal processing may be beneficial for efficient material handling in the thermal treatment process, and resizing after thermal treatment may be beneficial to support downstream processing, downstream material handling, and / or use while benefitting from the drying and chemical transformations that may occur during the thermal treatment. Resizing may comprise any of a number of processes that include but are not limited to chopping, sawing, cutting, grinding, de-baling, shredding, milling, crushing, pulverizing, powdering, or any other resizing process. It may also be beneficial to reformat the biomass either before or after thermal processing. For example, reformatting prior to thermal processing may be beneficial for material handling during thermal processing, and reformatting after thermal processing may be beneficial for downstream material handling, logistics, and / or use. Reformatting may comprise any of a number of processes that include but are not limited to cutting, grinding, pelleting, cubing, briquetting, pressing, compacting, or any other reformatting process. As a result of these various resizing and reformatting processes, the thermally treated biomass may be provided for downstream processing and use in any of a variety of forms and formats. Examples include but are not limited to chips, chunks, powder, dust, flour, leaves, stems, sticks, milled particles of various sizes and size distributions, ground materials of various particle sizes and size distributions, loose materials, pressed materials, loose or consolidated fibers, pellets, briquettes, cubes, planks, or boards, and / or combinations of these or other potential sizes and formats.

[0076] Biomass that has been thermally treated according to the methods and processes described herein may be utilized in a variety of applications. It may be useful for producing a variety of construction materials, including various types of fiber boards, for example. The physical and chemical changes that result from the thermal treatments may, for example, provide improved hydrophobicity, water absorption, pest resistance, fire ignition, grindability, or other related physical or chemical properties of the biomass. Biomass that has been thermally treated according to the methods and processes described herein are within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention regardless of its downstream use. Additionally, biomass that has been so treated may be used for removing atmospheric carbon from the active carbon cycle and storing that carbon away from the atmosphere for time periods relevant for mitigating anthropogenic climate change.

[0077] As discussed above, biomass that has been thermally treated according to the methods and processes described herein are characterized by, among other things, improved compatibility with cementitious binders (e.g., relative to untreated or raw biomass) and increased mass and carbon retention (e.g., relative to biomass that has been subjected to more intensive chemical and / or thermal treatments). Such thermally treated biomass may be used beneficially with multiple typesof cementitious binders to produce a wide variety of cementitious materials and products. Examples of cementitious binder types that may be used with the thermally treated biomass include but are not limited to ordinary Portland cement (“OPC”) binders (including but not limited to Types I, II, III, IV, V, and white cement binders), limestone cement binders (including but not limited to Portland-limestone and Type IL cement binders, Type A-LL and BLL cement binders, and limestone calcined clay cement binders ) reactive belite-rich Portland cement (“RBPC”) binders, hydraulic lime binders, natural lime binders, carbonating lime binders, calcium sulfoalumniate (“CSA”) binders, belite calcium sulfoaluminate (“BCSA”) binders, Wollastonitebased cement, Prehydrated calcium silicate cement, Magnesium silicate cement (“MSC”) binders, magnesium oxysulfate binders, magnesium phosphate binders, magnesium oxychloride binders, Alkali-activated cement (“AAC”) binders, calcined clay binders, pozzolan binders, slag binders, fly ash and bottom ash binders, silica fume binders, gypsum-based binders, other mineral binders, binders comprised of one or more combinations of these and potentially other binders, and various other binders and binder systems that may be relevant for particular applications, even if they are not explicitly included among the various examples noted herein.

[0078] Beyond its compatibility with these and potentially other cementitious binders, biomass that has been thermally treated according to the methods and processes described herein may provide beneficial contributions to the efficacy of the binder system. For example, it may act as a supplementary cementitious material when mixed with one or more binder types. As another example, the thermally treated biomass may act as a precursor material in alkali activated cement materials. As such, the thermally treated biomass may effectively supplement other binder components (including but not limited to the binder components listed above) in producing cementitious materials and products. In such applications, the thermally treated biomass may be used to produce novel hybrid binders, novel blended binders, and / or novel blended hydraulic cements in which the thermally treated biomass may be blended with, supplement, and / or substitute for a portion of a conventional binder or of other binders that might otherwise be utilized. Empirical testing described herein verifies that such applications are feasible using thermally treated biomass in one or more mineral binder systems.

[0079] Accordingly, in one or more embodiments the quantity of thermally treated biomass utilized to produce a cementitious material or product may be specified relative to a quantity of other binders or binder components. For example, in one or more embodiments the quantity of thermally treated biomass may be specified using a mass ratio of biomass to binder (understood in this context to be the ratio of thermally treated biomass within the binder system to non-biomass binder components within the binder system). In one or more embodiments the biomass to binderratio may be less than 2%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be less than 5%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 5% and 10%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 10% and 15%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 15% and 20%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 20% and 25%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 25% and 30%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 30% and 35%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 35% and 40%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 40% and 50%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 50% and 60%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 60% and 75%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 75% and 90%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be between 90% and 100%. In one or more embodiments the biomass to binder ratio may be greater than 1. It is understood here and throughout the various examples herein that references to “biomass” within an application of the one or more embodiments of the invention generally refer to thermally treated biomass produced according to the teachings herein.

[0080] Put another way, and for the avoidance of doubt, in one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components within a blended binder system may be less than 2:98. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 5:95. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 10:90. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 15:85. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 20:80. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 25:75. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 30:70. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 35:65. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 40:60. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 45:55. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 50:50. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass tonon-biomass binder components may be less than 55:45. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 60:40. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 65:35. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 70:30. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 75:25. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 80:20. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 85:15. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be less than 90:10. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components in a blended binder system may be greater than 2:98. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 5:95. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 10:90. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 15:85. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 20:80. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 25:75. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 30:70. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 35:65. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 40:60. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 45:55. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 50:50. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components maybe greater than 55:45. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 60:40. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 65:35. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 70:30. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 75:25. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 80:20. In one or more embodiments the massratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 85:15. In one or more embodiments the mass ratio of thermally treated biomass to non-biomass binder components may be greater than 90: 10. It is understood by those skilled in the art that the mass ratios indicated here and throughout these teachings can be equivalently specified, and materials equivalently proportioned, on a volumetric basis.

[0081] Alternatively and / or additionally, the thermally treated biomass may benefit cementitious materials and products by acting as an aggregate, filler, reinforcing fiber, thermally insulating material, acoustically insulating material, and / or other non-binder input to the cementitious materials and products. In such applications, the thermally treated biomass may be blended with, supplement, and / or displace a portion of conventional aggregates, fillers, reinforcing fibers, thermally insulating material, acoustically insulating material, and / or other non-binder input that might otherwise be utilized. Each of these applications are within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention. Accordingly, in one or more embodiments the quantity of thermally treated biomass utilized to produce a cementitious material or product may be specified relative to a quantity of other non-binder input to the cementitious material or product. For example, in one or more embodiments the quantity of thermally treated biomass may be specified using a mass ratio or volumetric ratio of biomass to a non-binder input. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be less than 5%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 5% and 10%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 10% and 15%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 15% and 20%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 20% and 25%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 25% and 30%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 30% and 35%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 35% and 40%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 40% and 50%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 50% and 60%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 60% and 75%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 75% and 90%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be between 90% and 100%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be greater than 1.

[0082] In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be greater than 1.5. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be greater than 2. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to non-binder input may be greater than 3.

[0083] In one or more embodiments, the thermally treated biomass may be used as a non-binder input to a cementitious material (e.g., as described above), but it may be convenient to specify the quantity of treated biomass in the cementitious material relative to the amount of binder in the cementitious material (instead of relative to the amount of one or more non-binder inputs). In one or more embodiments it may be convenient to specify such relative quantities as either mass or volumetric ratios of treated biomass to binder.

[0084] In one or more embodiments - whether the thermally treated biomass is used as a binder input or a non-binder input - the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 1%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 2%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 5%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 10%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 20%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 30%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 40%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 50%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 60%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 70%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 80%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 90%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be less than 100%. In one or more embodiments the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 1%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 2%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 5%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 10%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 20%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 30%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 40%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 50%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 60%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 70%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 80%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 90%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 100%. In one or moreembodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 150%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 200%. In one or more embodiments, the ratio of biomass to binder may be greater than 300%.

[0085] The thermally treated biomass may be supplied for downstream use with cementitious binders in various forms. For example, it may be supplied independently, as a stand-alone input for producing cementitious materials and / or products; it may be supplied as a mix that includes one or more cementitious binder inputs; it may be supplied as a mixture that includes one or more other admixes for the cementitious material or product; and / or it may be supplied as a mixture with one or more aggregate materials, fiber materials, reinforcing materials, and / or filler materials.

[0086] The variety of forms in which thermally treated biomass provided according to the presentation may be supplied also contributes to the wide range of options by which it may be supplied. For example, it may be supplied as 1-part cement, concrete, admixture, and / or grout mixtures and delivered in bags suitable for distribution via home improvement retailers. Alternatively, it may be produced and supplied as either 1-part mixes or multi-part mixes and delivered via bulk industrial containers, including but not limited to so-called super sacks. Alternatively, such 1-part or multi -part mixes may be delivered via shipping containers or as uncontainerized bulk materials via truck, rail, or ship. The 1-part or multi-part mixes may be supplied with other material inputs, either premixed or supplied via parallel deliveries. Examples of such other material inputs include but are not limited to: mineral aggregates (e.g., sand and gravel); other types of aggregates; fibers for material reinforcement; various admixtures to enhance relevant aspects or characteristics of the cementitious formulation (e.g., set times and workability) or of the produced cementitious materials and products; and various types of fillers or other materials, for example. These options for supplying thermally treated biomass specified according to the one or more embodiments of the invention are broadly similar to the options widely used to supply conventional cement and concrete products. No specialized equipment or material handling protocols are required. This is a significant advantage of the current invention.

[0087] Similarly, thermally treated biomass provided according to the one or more embodiments of the invention is flexible with respect to the manufacturing processes in which the biomasscontaining inputs may be utilized. These include virtually all manufacturing processes currently applied in the cement and concrete industries. The thermally treated biomass and cementitious inputs may be mixed with aggregates and / or other minerals or admixtures and transferred to an in-place placement, to a mold or form, or to another environment where the cementitious productwill be used. Examples include but are not limited to: hand mixing the thermally treated biomass and other cementitious inputs with aggregates and hand placing resulting concrete (e.g., in a home improvement setting); mixing the thermally treated biomass and other cementitious inputs with aggregates and / or other minerals or admixtures in a batch plant for delivery to a job site (e.g., via a concrete truck) where the concrete or cementitious mixture may be poured into engineered placements, molds, or forms; mixing the thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixture with aggregates and / or other minerals or admixtures in a mobile batch plant for placement into forms for manufacturing tilt-up buildings; mixing the thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixture with aggregates and / or other minerals or admixtures and / or preformed foams in a batch plant, mobile batch plant, and / or similar mixing equipment and transferring the mix for placement in flowable fill and / or controlled strength material applications; mixing the thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixture with aggregates and / or potentially other minerals or admixtures and transferring the mix into molds for manufacturing concrete masonry units, pavers, tiles, barriers, curbs, and / or related concrete products using automated or semi-automated equipment and machinery; mixing the thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixture with aggregates and / or other minerals or admixtures in machinery and equipment designed to produce wallboard-type products or mixing these various components and transferring the resulting mix to machinery and equipment designed to produce wallboard-type products; mixing the thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixture with aggregates and / or other minerals or admixtures in machinery and equipment designed to produce insulation-type products - including but not limited to acoustic insulation boards, panels, blocks, or tiles, and thermal insulation boards, panels, blocks, or tiles -or mixing these various components and transferring the resulting mix to machinery and equipment designed to produce such insulation-type products; mixing the thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixture with aggregates and / or other minerals or admixtures in machinery and equipment designed to produce fiber-cement-type products or mixing these various components and transferring the resulting mix to machinery and equipment designed to produce fiber-cement-type products; mixing the thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixture with aggregates and or other minerals and / or admixtures and transferring the resulting mix to forms for producing precast products or precast elements, including precast products for constructing buildings, above-ground infrastructure, below-ground infrastructure, and / or other precast products or elements; mixing the thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixture with aggregates and or other minerals and / or admixtures and transferring the resulting mix to equipment for producing 3-D printed forms or products.

[0088] As implied by the discussion above, the thermally treated biomass provided according to the one or more embodiments of the invention is highly flexible with respect to manufacturing processes used for various cementitious materials and products. The options for utilizing thermally treated biomass specified according to the one or more embodiments of the invention to manufacture cementitious and concrete products are similar to the options widely used to supply conventional cementitious and concrete products. Specialized manufacturing processes or equipment are generally not required for handling and utilizing the thermally treated biomass as an input to producing cementitious materials and products. This is a significant advantage of the current invention. Moreover, the cost effectiveness, wide availability, low environmental footprint, and low handling risks associated with material inputs to thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixtures produced according to the one or more embodiments of the invention combined with the simplicity of both the mix formulations and the associated production / manufacturing processes makes thermally treated biomass and concrete or cementitious mixtures produced according to the one or more embodiments of the invention suitable for a wide variety of practical applications. These span virtually all applications of conventional cement, concrete, and mineral binder systems. Example applications include, but are not limited to: so-called readymix cement; bagged cement and concrete; pour-in-place concrete; precast concrete; tilt-up concrete; concrete blocks and concrete masonry units; architectural concrete; specialty products such as sinks, countertops, and fixtures; wallboard products including but not limited to gypsum drywall products; fiberboard products; sound-insulating products; thermally insulating products; fiber cement products; modular and / or other prefabricated buildings; foamed cement and concrete products; flowable fill and controlled strength applications; lightweight concrete products and applications; etc. The suitability of mix formulations comprising thermally treated biomass produced according to the one or more embodiments of the invention to such a wide range of applications is an advantage of the one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0089] Further, the compatibility of thermally treated biomass provided according to the one or more embodiments of the invention with conventional cement binders distinguishes the one or more embodiments of the invention from biomass types and treatments that have been described elsewhere. Importantly, these characteristics are not hypothetical or conceptual; they are specifically manifest in the biomass-containing concrete or cementitious mixtures described herein and specified according to the one or more embodiments of the invention (e.g., in the simplicity, cost effectiveness, mechanical properties, and biomass mass and biomass carbon retention rates), in the manufacturing methods and production processes used to utilize such biomass-containing concrete or cementitious mixtures in industrial applications (e.g., in the compatibility ofmanufacturing processes and production methods with those already in widespread industrial application), and in the biomass-containing concrete and cementitious products that may be manufactured using and / or otherwise comprising thermally treated biomass produced and / or provided according to the one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0090] With respect to alkali activated cement binders, thermally treated biomass provided according to the one or more embodiments of the invention is highly flexible with respect to available types of mineral precursors. Precursor types that may be used alone or in any combination within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention include but are not limited to: fly ash of various types (e.g., type C fly ash, type F fly ash, and other types of fly ash derived from various fuel sources, including both fossil fuels and renewable or biogenic fuels); bottom ash of various types and from various fuel sources; slags of various types (e.g., ground granulated blast furnace slag, gasifier slag, boiler slag originating from both fossil fuels and biogenic fuels, non-ferrous slags of various types, etc.); natural clays (e.g., kaolinitic clays, iron-rich clays, etc.); calcined or partially calcined clays (e.g., metakaolin); silica fume; mineral or natural aluminosilicate; synthetic aluminosilicates (e.g., aluminosilicate glass powders); glass industry wastes; aluminum industry wastes (e.g., red mud, brown mud, anodization mud, alumina wastes, aluminum slag, etc.) bauxite; laterite; zeolite; bentonite; pumice; natural or synthetic pozzolanic materials; and scoria.

[0091] In various contexts the use of thermally treated biomass provided according to the one or more embodiments of the invention and used in a long-lived material or product, including a long-lived cementitious materials or products, may comprise atmospheric carbon removal or storage of biomass carbon that was fixed via photosynthesis and removed from the atmosphere during biomass production. Additionally, the lifecycle emissions associated with the thermally treated biomass may be lower than the lifecycle emissions of other material and product inputs that might otherwise be used, in which case the use of thermally treated biomass in the material or product may comprise avoided emissions. The atmospheric carbon removal and / or avoided emissions that result from using the thermally treated biomass in a long-lived material or product may be applied to offset other emissions sources within the product supply chain or otherwise reduce the emissions, including lifecycle emissions, of the long-lived material or product. In one or more embodiments, the lifecycle emissions of the long-lived material or product, including cementitious materials and products, may be specified using established emission accounting protocols, including but not limited to lifecycle emissions protocols. In one or more embodiments the avoided emissions and / or atmospheric carbon removal may enable the long-lived material or product, including cementitious materials and products, in which the thermally treated biomass isused to be qualified, labeled, and / or marketed as “low carbon”, “carbon neutral”, “carbon negative”, or other related specification of materials or products. Alternatively, the atmospheric carbon removal and / or the avoided emissions may be used to offset or otherwise reduce the emissions, including lifecycle emissions, of other products associated with the supply chain of the biomass and / or the long-lived material or product. In one or more embodiments, the lifecycle emissions of such other products may be specified using established emission accounting protocols, including but not limited to lifecycle emissions protocols. In one or more embodiments the avoided emissions and / or atmospheric carbon removal may enable such other products to be qualified, labeled, and / or marketed as “low carbon”, “carbon neutral”, “carbon negative”, or other related specification of materials or products. In one or more embodiments the atmospheric carbon removal and / or avoided emissions associated with the use of thermally treated biomass in long-lived materials and products may be separately marketed. In these and other one or more embodiments, the atmospheric carbon removals and / or avoided emissions associated with the use of thermally treated biomass in long-lived materials and products may comprise or may be applied to generate carbon credits, emissions credits, regulatory instruments, and / or other benefits associated with such environmental attributes. The production, quantification, registration, and / or marketing of such environmental attributes, emissions credits, carbon credits, and / or regulatory instruments based on or derived from the use of thermally treated biomass provided according to the one or more embodiments of the invention and utilized within long-lived materials and products is also within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0092] The current invention was reduced to practice and further motivated by testing mortars comprising mixtures of ordinary Portland cement (“OPC”), ground biomass, and sand. Results from three such mortar tests are presented in Table 1. As indicated, the cementitious material produced with no biomass (Sample No. 1) had an unconfined compression strength (“UCS”) in excess of six thousand pounds per square inch (“psi”). The material produced with untreated pine wood (Sample No. 3) had a UCS of only six hundred psi, comprising over 90% reduction in compressive strength. The material produced with treated pine wood (Sample No. 2) had an intermediate UCS result - it was -50% lower strength than the baseline material produced with no biomass and more than 4 times greater strength than the material produced with raw biomass. Importantly, at 3,200 psi, the UCS of the material produced with the thermally treated biomass exceeded the minimum threshold value typically required for structural grade cementitious products. The thermal treatment used to produce the thermally treated biomass used for these tests comprised a four hour treatment in a 200°C oven at atmospheric pressure in the presence of ambient air. These example test results provided an initial demonstration of the ability to (i)produce structural strength cementitious materials using an OPC binder with thermally treated biomass and (ii) substantially mitigate the cement-poisoning effects of compounds present in raw, untreated biomass. Note that this second point is a reflection of, among other things, the possibility that physical characteristics of the treated biomass particles (e.g., low strength of the particles themselves relative to sand) contributed substantially to the strength reductions indicated for the mortar comprising thermally treated biomass, rather than poisoning of the cement chemistry.

[0093] Table 1. Example results from initial mortar testingSample Composition Mass Ratio Biomass Type 28-Day UCS Number [OPC : Biomass : Sand] [PSI]1 1 : 0 : 1 N / A - 6,300 2 1 : 0.4 : 0.6 Treated Pine - 3,200 3 1 : 0.4 : 0.6 Untreated Pine - 600

[0094] Empirical testing of thermally treated biomass with novel alkali-activated cement binders indicates that thermally treated biomass can act similarly to plasticizers in a cementitious mixture. This is particularly relevant in the case of AAC binders because such binder systems are highly sensitive to the amount of water added to the mix. In these tests, treated biomass added at dosages equivalent to a 5% biomass: cement mass ratio achieved results similar to adding conventional plasticizers containing calcium lignosulfonate at a dosage equivalent to a 1% plasticizer: cement mass ratio, for example. Such plasticizing and / or water reducing attributes of treated biomass additions may be useful for producing cementitious materials of various types from AAC type binders as well as from multiple other types of binder systems. As such, in one or more embodiments the thermally treated biomass provided according to the teachings herein comprises a cement or concrete admixture, including but not limited to a plasticizing and / or water reducing admixture.

[0095] Testing of thermally treated biomass with OPC composites comprising exclusively OPC binder and thermally treated biomass and having relatively high biomass:cement ratios indicates that thermally treated biomass can be used to produce various low strength materials, “controlled strength” materials, and / or lightweight cementitious materials. Example results from test mixes having biomass:cement mass ratios ranging from 1:1 to 1.8:1 are provided in Table 2. Cementitious materials with these relatively low strengths may be useful in various applications, including but not limited to thermal insulation applications, acoustic insulation applications, wallboard and wall panel applications, lightweight concrete block applications, lightweight pouredconcrete applications including but not limited to ready mix and pour in place applications, flowable fill applications, and block fill applications, lightweight tilt-up concrete applications, and lightweight precast concrete applications, for example. Adding sand or other aggregates to the mix can increase compressive strengths as well as material weights or densities to support variations of these and potentially other applications.

[0096] Table 2. Example results from low strength material testingSample Composition Mass Ratio 28-Day UCSNumber [Biomass : OPC] [PSI]4 1 : 1 6365 1.5 : 1 2076 1.6 : 1 1597 1.7 : 1 1118 1.8 : 1 88

[0097] Producing low strength, controlled strength, and / or lightweight cementitious materials similar to those described above using thermally treated biomass, instead of using conventional production inputs and processes, may provide various advantages. Examples include but are not limited to simplification of production processes, reduction of input costs and production costs, and improvements in environmental performance. For example, embodiments of the one or more embodiments of the invention comprising flowable fill and / or block fill applications using thermally treated biomass with one or more mineral cementitious binder systems may provide similar technical performance with improved environmental performance relative to conventional options for fill applications that use expanded polystyrene materials. As another example, embodiments of the one or more embodiments of the invention comprising lightweight and / or moderate strength concrete blocks using thermally treated biomass with one or more mineral cementitious binder systems may provide similar technical performance with simplified manufacturing processes and lower production costs than conventional options for lightweight, and / or moderate strength concrete blocks that use aerated autoclaved cement materials. In this second example, these benefits may accrue because lightweight and / or moderate strength concrete blocks produced according to the one or more embodiments of the invention do not require specialized manufacturing using autoclaves, for example.

[0098] Concrete materials are often produced as mixes of binder, fine aggregates, coarse aggregates, and / or potentially other material inputs. A common mix design is often referred to asa “1:2:3” type concrete, where 1:2:3 refers to the ratio of cement to fine aggregate and to coarse aggregate. Mixes following these basic designs - e.g., 1 :2:3 type concrete mixes - are used herein as representative benchmarks for describing applications and reporting empirical results; however, none of the results, applications, or embodiments described herein are limited to 1:2:3 type concrete materials. Those with ordinary skill in the art will understand how the teachings provided herein can be equally applied to infinite variations of concretes and other cementitious material mix designs.

[0099] Figure 1 and Figure 2 illustrate sample results from early empirical tests of 1:2:3 type concrete mixes incorporating thermally treated biomass in quantities equivalent to biomass: cement ratios up to 20% (or alternately described as having a 0.20 : 1 ratio). These figures are presented as strength curves illustrating strength development over time for the various types of material samples produced. Figure 1 illustrates strength curves for materials incorporating thermally treated biomass with a treatment intensity resulting in a 77% DMMY. Figure 2 illustrates similar curves for material samples incorporating thermally treated biomass with a treatment intensity resulting in an 87% DMMY. Note that the upper limit of compression strength detection for the equipment used in these early compression tests is 4,500 psi, indicating that the ultimate strength of many of these samples is greater than the values indicated in these figures. It is worth noting that, from a statistical perspective, the number of samples produced these tests is relatively small; as a result, relatively small apparent differences in compression strength indicated (e.g., at 28 days) are not necessarily statistically significant and may be within the error ranges of the equipment and testing methods applied.

[0100] Figure 1. Strength Curves for Mortars of OPC, Sand, and Thermally Treated Biomass -DMMY = 77%.

[0101] Figure 2. Strength Curves for Mortars of OPC, Sand, and Thermally Treated Biomass -DMMY = 87%.

[0102] The results illustrated in these figures indicate that increasing biomass:cement ratios can be associated with increasing retardation of strength development and / or hydration reactions (where retardation in this context generally describes delays in strength development over time). The ability to effectively slow strength development and / or hydration reactions may be useful for limiting the heat of hydration or slowing its development during the curing process. This may help mitigate structural challenges that are commonly associated with higher heats of hydration and more accelerated strength development, which can be particularly relevant for large concrete pours and / or so called “mass concrete” applications.

[0103] As such, in one or more embodiments thermally treated biomass provided according to the teachings herein may comprise an admixture that retards setting and / or strength development and / or that reduces the heat of hydration of cementitious materials during curing. In one or more embodiments thermally treated biomass provided according to the teachings herein may comprise a blended hydraulic cement (as described further below) or binder system having retarded strength development and / or reduced heat of hydration during the curing process. Such blended hydraulic cements and / or binder systems may provide benefits similar to and / or be qualified as a “Moderate Heat of Hydration” cement or a “Low Heat of Hydration” cement, as specified under ASTM standard Cl 157, for example. In such embodiments the blended hydraulic cements and / or binder systems comprising thermally treated biomass may provide various advantages relative to other moderate heat of hydration and low heat of hydration cements. These advantages may include but are not limited to lower costs, higher long-term strengths (as the retarding effects noted here do not necessarily correlate with weaker long-term strength), and / or improved environmental performance.

[0104] The results illustrated in Figure 1 and Figure 2 do not support strong conclusions about possible relations between the quantity of thermally treated biomass and the ultimate material characteristics, including but not limited to unconfined compression strength. These results also do not support strong conclusions regarding the intensity of thermal treatment. To the contrary, the strength curves are broadly similar across the two thermal treatment intensities illustrated. This suggests that the effects of thermally treated biomass on cementitious materials are relatively insensitive to treatment intensity, at least for treatment intensities corresponding for DMMY values between 77% and 87%. Without being bound by theory, these treatment intensities that are generally high enough to drive the physical and chemical removal, transformation, destruction, decay or otherwise neutralization of compounds contained in biomass that display cement poisoning behavior. In other words, and without being bound by theory, these treatment intensities are higher than the minimum treatment intensities required to remove, transform, destroy, decompose, and / or otherwise neutralize cement poisoning compounds contained in raw biomass.

[0105] The flexibility of thermally treated biomass across treatment intensities, so long as the treatment intensities are greater than the minimum threshold intensities required, is a feature of the one or more embodiments of the invention that is further demonstrated through results from additional empirical tests described herein.

[0106] As an example, testing of 1:2:3 type concrete materials using novel alkali activated binders similarly indicate limited sensitivity of plasticizing & / or water reducing benefits ofthermally treated biomass to thermal treatment intensity for thermal treatment intensities resulting in dry matter mass yields between -25% and -90%.

[0107] As another example, results of other empirical testing indicate that biomass subjected to certain thermal treatments with intensities generating dry matter yields between 80% and 90% may be utilized as an admixture in concretes using OPC cements at dosages equivalent to biomass:OPC mass ratios of up to at least 5% without significant negative impacts. None of the empirical results generated indicate that treatment intensities associated with these specific dry matter mass yields represent upper or lower limits regarding treatment intensities for thermally treated biomass comprising such an admixture.

[0108] Figure 3. 28- Day Compressive Strengths of Concretes with Thermally Treated Biomass Aggregates.

[0109] Figure 3 illustrates results of empirical testing of 1:2:3 type concretes produced with thermally treated biomass used as a partial substitute for fine aggregates (sand) having biomass: cement mass ratios between 0.4 and 0.8. To be clear, the relative quantities of cement binder (OPC-type) and coarse aggregates (gravel) are held constant in these examples. Only the relative quantities of fine aggregates comprising thermally treated biomass and sand are adjusted such that increasing quantities of thermally treated biomass are correspond with proportional reductions in the quantities of sand.

[0110] As indicated, in Figure 3, the compressive strength of concrete materials using thermally treated biomass comprising fine aggregates tends to decrease as the relative quantity of thermally treated biomass aggregates increases. As noted above, this may have more to do with the relatively low mechanical strength of treated biomass particles than the chemical impacts of biomass compounds on cement curing. Regardless, these results indicate that such concretes can achieve compression strengths greater than minimum values required for structural applications (typically between 2,000 and 3,000 psi) even with relatively large quantities of thermally treated biomass aggregates. Note that the biomass:cement ratios used in the results presented in Figure 3 do not represent upper or lower limits. Concretes with higher and lower biomass: cement ratios are possible. In general, concretes achieving higher compressive strengths can be achieved with fine aggregate blends having lower effective biomass:cement ratios, and concretes with lower compressive strengths can be achieved with fine aggregate blends having lower effective biomass: cement ratios.

[0111] These results are broadly consistent with those of low and controlled strength materials described above comprising only a mineral binder (e.g., OPC) and a thermally treated biomass (i.e. where thermally treated biomass comprises a complete substitute for other aggregates in the cementitious material). The results described here illustrate that thermally treated biomass can also comprise a partial substitute for aggregates in a cementitious material, and that blending aggregates comprising thermally treated biomass with other types of aggregates can be used to produce cementitious materials with properties reflecting the various types of aggregates present in the mix design.

[0112] The early empirical testing results presented above focus primarily on mix designs in which the thermally treated biomass is used as an admixture and on designs in which the thermally treated biomass is used as a partial or complete substitute for aggregates within a cementitious material. Additional testing results indicate that thermally treated biomass used in this way can also be associated with significant increases in UCS of OPC-based concretes. In fact one or more mix designs in which thermally treated biomass comprises a partial substitute for fine aggregates resulted in 28-day compression strengths that were up to 30% higher than the baseline material produced without any biomass. While these strength-enhancing characteristics are not directly indicated in Figure 1 or Figure 2, these results are not inconsistent with one another, as cured compression strength values for various samples exceed the detection levels of testing equipment used to generate the data presented in Figure 1 and Figure 2. The fact that thermally treated biomass incorporated in a cementitious mix as an aggregate can react with cementitious binders to increase the strength of the binder system may be conceptualized as such. As such, in one or more embodiments thermally treated biomass provided according to the teachings herein may comprise a strength enhancing admixture and / or may comprise a blended hydraulic cement (as described further below) with enhanced compression strength.

[0113] Taken together, empirical testing results presented here indicate that thermally treated biomass provided according to the teachings herein can be used to deliver a number of material advantages for cementitious materials produced within multiple mineral binder systems when the thermally treated biomass is integrated into mix designs as an admixture or as a partial or complete substitute for aggregates. These material advantages include but are not limited to: lifecycle carbon intensity reductions; improvements in workability and wet mix characteristics (e.g., plasticizing and / or water reducing benefits); retarding benefits, with potential benefits for the heat of hydration; and strength increases.

[0114] As a result, in one or more embodiments of the one or more embodiments of the invention, thermally treated biomass produced and / or provided according to the teachings herein may comprise a cement admixture, an aggregate, and / or a reactive aggregate to provide various potential advantages for a cementitious mixture and / or resulting cementitious material and / or product. In these and related embodiments the thermally treated biomass may comprise a plasticizing admix, a water reducing admix, a strengthening admix, a retarding admixture, a heat of hydration reducing mixture, a heat of hydration controlling admixture, and / or lifecycle carbon intensity reducing admixture, for example. Additional empirical testing has focused on cementitious material mix designs in which thermally treated biomass produced according to the teachings provided herein comprises a partial substitute for a mineral binder in producing a cementitious material, including but not limited to concrete materials. Results from these tests indicate that OPC-based cementitious materials and / or concretes (comprising ordinary Portland cements and / or Portland-limestone cements, for example) with 28-day compression strengths comparable to baseline cementitious materials and / or concretes (i.e., with no thermally treated biomass) can be produced with blended hydraulic cements or binder systems in which thermally treated biomass comprises between 2% and at least 15% of the blended binder. In other words, these empirical tests demonstrate that thermally treated biomass provided according to the teachings herein can be used in blended hydraulic cements and / or binder systems comprising mineral binders (including but not limited to OPC-type mineral binders) and thermally treated biomass, in which the thermally treated biomass comprises up to at least 15% by mass of the blended hydraulic cement, and that such blended hydraulic cements can be used in producing cementitious and / or concrete materials with compressive strengths that are similar to or stronger than similar cementitious and / or concrete materials that comprise mineral-only binders and / or binder systems that have no biomass content. Blended cements with biomass:cement ratios higher than 15% are also possible while still achieving strength requirements for structural strength materials.

[0115] Results from empirical testing of concretes comprising such blended binder systems (e.g., binders comprising various blends of various thermally treated biomass materials and mineral binders such as OPC) indicate that cured compression strength values can be relatively insensitive to thermal treatment intensities, including but not limited to treatment intensities associated with DMMY ranging from -75% to -95%. Empirical testing of such concretes using thermally treated biomass with higher treatment intensities and correspondingly lower DMMY (e.g., below 75%) has demonstrated remarkably low sensitivity of 28-day compression strengths to such higher thermal treatment intensities. This has been demonstrated with thermally treated biomass producedusing a range of process configurations, equipment types, and effective treatment intensities. For example, this includes concretes produced with blended hydraulic cements comprising OPC and thermally treated biomass comprising charcoal, which is typically produced with treatment intensities resulting in DMMY ranging from 20% to 40%.

[0116] Thermal treatments used to produce thermally treated biomass with DMMY at the high end of the range tested above (e.g., 90% - 95%) involved heating samples of pine wood pellets in a conventional oven (atmospheric pressure with access to ambient air) with treatment temperatures between 185 °C and 232°C with residence times between 20 minutes and 2 hours. The biomass was dried in a 100°C prior to entering the thermal treatment. Further, the pelleting process used to produce the pine wood pellets used in these tests amounts to a mild thermal pre-treatment to the processes described with respect to these empirical tests described here. DMMY from heating associated biomass drying and pelleting of 98-99%. This 1-2% dry matter mass loss is additional to the dry matter mass losses comprising the DMMY values reported here. Therefore aggregate dry matter losses across the various thermal treatments to which these biomass samples were exposed amounts to 6% to 12% (5% to 10% for the thermal processes conducted for these tests plus 1% - 2% for the drying and pelleting processes), resulting in aggregate DMMY of approximately 88% to 94%.

[0117] Empirical testing with thermally treated pine wood pellets subjected to treatments resulting in DMMY values greater than 95% provides a useful example of the minimum treatment intensities associated with the one or more embodiments of the invention and of the impact of treatment intensities exceeding this minimum. Figure 4 illustrates this by plotting the 7-day unconfined compression strengths of 1:2:3 type concrete samples produced with a blended hydraulic binder comprising 85% OPC mineral binder and 15% thermally treated pine biomass. Each of the data points plotted reflects 1:2:3 type concrete using thermally treated pine biomass subjected to thermal treatments resulting in different DMMY values. The DMMY values for the data plotted range from -93% to 100%, wherein the 100% yield refers to pine pellets that were dried at 100°C and not subjected to additional thermal treatment. The thermal treatments used to produce these biomass samples comprised 30 min treatments at temperatures between 185°C and 211°C in an atmospheric pressure oven with access to ambient air. Note that all of the samples were produced from pine pellets and therefore likely have an additional 1% - 2% DMMY reductions from the pelleting process that were not measured directly and therefore are not included in the data presented herein.

[0118] Figure 4. 7 Day compression strengths of 1:2:3 concretes with pine wood as a function of thermal treatment DMMY.

[0119] As indicated in Figure 4, the 7-day compression strength values for these types of concrete materials is relatively stable for materials comprising thermally treated pine biomass with DMMY below -95%. The compression strength values drop significantly for these materials comprising thermally treated pine biomass with DMMY above this level. In this context, 95% DMMY may be considered a measure of the minimum treatment intensity for neutralizing cement poisoning characteristics of compounds present in the raw pine pellets.

[0120] The analysis reflected in this discussion, combined with the data and data analysis indicated in Figure 4 comprises a basic method for evaluating the minimum thermal treatment intensity and / or severity to effectively remove, transform, destroy, decompose, and / or otherwise neutralize cement poisoning compounds contained in untreated biomass. The basic analytic approach described here can be used to measure and specify minimum treatment intensity and / or severity metrics for various biomass types, thermal treatment types, and cementitious material applications.

[0121] Note that, as implied above, while providing a generally useful benchmark, treatment intensities associated with 95% DMMY is not an absolute or global minimum threshold intensity for providing thermally treated biomass according to the one or more embodiments of the invention. For example, as noted above, the pelleting process used to supply the pine wood pellets used in this empirical testing likely resulted in an additional 1% - 2% mass loss, suggesting that the 95% maximum DMMY measured and described here might be equivalent to a 93% - 94% maximum DMMY if measured with respect to untreated pine wood chips rather than untreated pine wood pellets. Moreover, the minimum intensity required to effectively neutralize cement poisoning characteristics of compounds in untreated biomass may vary by biomass type. As noted above, for example, pine bark generally contains higher levels of volatile compounds than pine wood. As a result, thermal treatments with treatment severities sufficient to effectively neutralize cement poisoning characteristics of certain compounds of the biomass may result in lower DMMY values when applied to bark because larger relative quantities of volatile compounds may be driven off in the process, for example. Similarly, bark (and herbaceous biomass types) often contains higher quantities of soluble sugars than wood; as a result, wet processes that remove such compounds via dissolution into the treatment liquid may result in lower DMMY when otherwise equivalent processes are applied to bark (or herbaceous biomass types) verses wood. Such dependencies between DMMY and biomass type are consistent with the empirical findings notedelsewhere herein (e.g., that similar thermal treatments result in higher mass losses and lower DMMY values when they are applied to bark and corn stover than when they are applied to pine wood or oak wood, for example, and that lower DMMY values may be required to effectively neutralize the cement poisoning attributes in these biomass types containing higher relative quantities of volatile compounds, for example). This sensitivity of thermal treatment severity to biomass type is also broadly recognized by those skilled in the arts. Note, for example, the “alpha” parameter used to calculate TSF, which is an empirical value defined for each type of material and / or type of biomass to be torrefied. Moreover, the minimum thermal treatment conditions required can vary by biomass treatment type. For example, wet treatments may have significantly different minimum threshold treatment intensities than dry treatments because, for example, a key mechanism of removing relevant compounds in wet thermal treatments can be dissolution into the liquid treatment fluid (which is a function of compound solubility) whereas a key mechanism of removing relevant compounds in dry thermal treatments is generally volatilization (a function of compound volatility and / or evaporation conditions), and the solubility rates and volatilization rates of a single compound do not necessarily correspond to the same thermal treatment intensities across wet and dry treatment conditions. Further, the minimum treatment intensity required may vary by cementitious product and / or application type. That is because some cementitious materials (e.g., AAC binders) may be less sensitive to cement poisoning behaviors of certain biomass compounds than other cementitious materials (e.g., OPC binders).

[0122] That said, the existence of a minimum threshold treatment intensity required to effectively neutralize cement poisoning attributes of compounds in biomass is generally applicable. Further, the basic methods used to evaluate and specify minimum threshold treatment intensities, as demonstrated with the examples provided herein, for each type of biomass to be treated, each type of treatment system, and / or each type of cementitious material application of interest is also generally applicable. As such, the teachings provided herein comprise a robust set of methods and processes for determining and specifying the minimum thermal treatment intensities and / or severities to effectively (remove, transform, destroy, decompose, and / or otherwise) neutralize cement poisoning compounds contained in untreated biomass. These methods and processes can be applied to nearly any biomass type and thermal treatment type to evaluate, define, and / or otherwise specify minimum threshold thermal treatment intensities and / or severities appropriate to make a given biomass type suitable for use in a given cementitious material application of interest.

[0123] Thermal treatments used to produce thermally treated biomass with DMMY at the lower end of the ranges described here (e.g., 75% - 89%) were achieved using combinations of highertreatment temperatures and / or longer residence times, including treatment temperatures ranging from ~200°C to 265°C and treatment times ranging from 30 minutes to 6 hours.

[0124] Results from empirical testing of concretes comprising such blended binder systems (e.g., comprising thermally treated biomass and OPC) indicate that 28 day compression strength values similar to those of baseline concretes (i.e., comprising pure OPC binders) can be produced using thermally treated biomass of various types and from various sources. This includes biomass comprising softwoods, hardwoods, wood residuals, bark, and crop residues, for example.

[0125] These various results do not imply that thermally treated biomass of all types and thermal treatments have identical characteristics and behaviors relevant to cementitious materials. Different types of biomass have different DMMY when exposed to similar thermal treatments, for example. That is because, among other things, biomass composition varies by biomass type, including the volatiles content and composition of the biomass. All else being equal, when two types of biomass are exposed to similar thermal treatments, biomass types having higher volatiles content tends to exhibit lower DMMY than biomass types having lower volatiles content. This is true virtually by definition. For example, pine bark generally has higher volatiles content than pine wood. As a result, applying similar thermal treatments to these alternate biomass types generally results in lower DMMY for the bark than for the wood.

[0126] Further, fresh / wet mix properties and cured concrete properties can vary significantly depending on the thermal treatment intensity and biomass type. This may reflect, for example, variability in the particle structure and or chemical composition of thermally treated biomass produced from various types of biomass and / or at various thermal treatments, for example with lower intensity thermal treatments resulting in more fibrous material; it may reflect, for example, variability in pore structures and water absorption rates for thermally treated biomass produced from various types of biomass and various thermal treatments; it may reflect, for example, variability in various physical characteristics of the thermally treated biomass, including but not limited to variability in friability / grindability, for example, which can vary according to the types of biomass and thermal treatment, for example. As a result, providing thermally treated biomass that performs consistently in a particular cementitious application generally requires controlling for biomass type, treatment process, and / or treatment intensity. Mix designs targeting particular fresh / wet mix properties and cured concrete properties may also require controlling for thermal treatment intensity and biomass type. For example, empirical testing has indicated that bark and herbaceous biomass types (e.g., com stover) typically have lower DMMY than wood, given similar thermal treatments, and that thermal treatments with intensities associated with lowerDMMY are often required to achieve similar product characteristics in cementitious materials using bark and herbaceous biomass types.

[0127] Despite these sensitivities, the relatively high degree of flexibility across key variables -including but not limited to biomass type, treatment intensity, treatment temperature, dry matter treatment yield, and treatment equipment configuration - is a notable feature of the current invention. It provides a remarkably broad flexibility for producing, supplying, and / or utilizing cementitious materials, cementitious products, and cementitious material inputs comprising thermally treated biomass. It also provides remarkably broad flexibility for optimizing production systems and supply chains around key variables, including but not limited to technical variables, feedstock availability, economic variables, and / or other market conditions, for example.

[0128] Without being bound by theory, this notable flexibility appears to reflect the robust ability of thermal processing to transform, decay, remove (e.g., via volatilization and / or dissolution) and / or otherwise neutralize the compounds of raw biomass that exhibit cement poisoning characteristics, so long as the treatment intensity exceeds the minimum threshold intensity required to achieve these desired effects. Again without being bound by theory, examples of chemical reactions and processes capable of delivering effective transformation of such compounds include but are not limited to Maillard reactions and caramelization reactions, as described herein. These and other relevant reactions and processes can be initiated at temperatures well below those commonly associated with conventional thermal biomass treatments and can have relatively rapid reaction kinetics. For example, empirical testing described herein demonstrates that such intended effects can be achieved with thermal treatment temperatures at and below 200°C. This is true using both dry process involving material removal via volatilization of volatile compounds and wet processes involving material removal via dissolution of soluble compounds and / or volatilization of volatile compounds.

[0129] Recognizing this significant flexibility, the ability to control key aspects of the effect of thermally treated biomass on wet / fresh mix characteristics and / or on cured properties of cementitious materials by controlling for biomass types and thermal treatments used in producing the thermally treated biomass is an important feature of the invention. For example, empirical testing indicates that, all else being equal, relatively low intensity thermal treatment of bark and certain crop residues produces a thermally treated biomass exhibiting stronger retarding impacts on Portland cement materials than a thermally treated biomass produced from wood with similarly low thermal treatment intensities. By extension, increasing the thermal treatment intensity - for example by increasing the treatment temperature, treatment pressure, humidity, heat capacities ofheat transfer liquids, fluids, and / or heat transfer media, residence time, or combinations thereof - can generally control for the otherwise elevated retarding impacts of such thermally treated biomasses (e.g., of bark and certain crop residues) on the strength development of Portland cement materials.

[0130] These features of the one or more embodiments of the invention enable one or more embodiments using thermal processes that have treatment intensities - characterized, for example, by treatment times, treatment temperatures, treatment pressures, solvents (including but not limited to water and various other solvents), heat transfer liquids, fluids, and / or heat transfer media with varying specific heat capacities, and / or treatment yields, for example - that are significantly less intense than most conventional thermal biomass treatments, examples of which include torrefaction, pyrolysis, steam explosion, and carbonization. In other words, the one or more embodiments of the invention can be applied with thermal treatment processes having lower treatment temperatures, shorter residence times, lower treatment pressures, lower heat capacities of heat transfer liquids, heat transfer fluids, and / or heat transfer media, and resulting in higher DMMY than many conventional thermal biomass treatments. The ability to utilize such low intensity heat treatments can provide various advantages, including but not limited to simplicity of thermal treatment system design, reduced equipment costs, reduce operating costs, and increased DMMY with benefits for output-specific feedstock costs.

[0131] That said, because the effective neutralization of cement poisoning compounds in raw biomass occurs when a minimum treatment intensity is achieved, the one or more embodiments of the invention can be effectively implemented using thermal biomass treatment processes having treatment intensities greater than or equal to the (relatively low) minimum threshold intensities described herein. Among the various options available, biomass that has been thermally treated using processes and treatment intensities that are equivalent to those of more conventional thermal biomass treatments (and that exceed the minimum treatment intensities described herein) - which include biomass torrefaction, pyrolysis, steam explosion, carbonization, auto-hydrolysis, steam refining, hot liquids extraction, among others - can be utilized in one or more embodiments of the one or more embodiments of the invention. For this reason, those applications of thermally treated biomass described herein that comprise biomass treated with one or more conventional thermal processes (with treatment intensities exceeding the minimum threshold values described herein) and further processed to provide material suitable for use in cementitious materials are also within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention. Such further processing may include but is not limited to drying, grinding, and blending with other various materials suitable for use in cementitious materials and products.

[0132] This includes and is not limited to embodiments in which thermally treated biomass comprises an admixture providing beneficial characteristics for cementitious materials and products, for example, wherein the thermally treated biomass is produced with one or more previously established thermal treatments and further processed for use in cementitious materials. Using such further processing to make the thermally treated biomass suitable for use as an admixture for a cementitious material as described herein is novel and non-obvious.

[0133] This also includes and is not limited to embodiments in which thermally treated biomass comprises an input to or a component of a blended hydraulic cements and / or binder system, for example, wherein the thermally treated biomass is produced with one or more previously established thermal treatments and further processed for use as a blended hydraulic cement and / or binder system. Using such further processing to make the thermally treated biomass suitable for use as an input for a blended hydraulic cement and / or binder system as described herein is novel and non-obvious.

[0134] This also includes and is not limited to embodiments in which thermally treated biomass comprises an aggregate and / or a reactive aggregate in a cementitious material, for example, wherein the thermally treated biomass is produced with one or more previously established thermal treatments and further processed to make it suitable for such an application. Using the thermally treated biomass as an aggregate to impart various beneficial attributes to the cementitious material - including but not limited to reduced weight, improved insulating properties, improved environmental performance, and / or reduced costs - as described herein is novel and non-obvious.

[0135] Generally speaking, the ability to implement the invention in embodiments comprising multiple potential values for key thermal treatment parameters is a noteworthy feature of the one or more embodiments of the invention. It means that the one or more embodiments of the invention can be implemented in multiple embodiments using multiple different types of conventional thermal treatment processes and / or thermal treatment equipment that are capable of achieving and / or exceeding the conditions associated with the minimum treatment intensities described herein, including but not limited to various processes and equipment that have been developed, installed, and / or applied in other biomass applications. Examples of conventional thermal treatment processes and equipment that may be used to implement the one or more embodiments of the invention in its various potential embodiments include, but are not limited to: charcoal production processes and equipment of various designs and configurations; carbonization processes and equipment of various designs and configurations; biochar production processes andequipment of various designs and configurations; torrefaction processes and equipment of various designs and configurations; processes and equipment used to produce so called “black wood pellets” and / or “biocoal”; steam explosion processes and equipment of various designs and configurations; pyrolysis processes and equipment of various designs and configurations, including but not limited to those capable of producing various combinations of biomass solids (e.g., biochars), liquids (e.g., bio-oils), and gases (e.g., synthesis gases); biomass caramelization processes and equipment, including but not limited to processes and equipment used to make so called “caramelized wood” and / or “thermally modified wood”; furnaces and ovens of various designs and configurations, including but not limited to so called “multi-hearth furnaces”, conveyor ovens, and batch ovens, for example; calciners of various designs and configurations, including but not limited to rotary calciners and gravity-fed calciners, for example; dryers of various designs and configurations, including but not limited to belt dryers and rotary dryers, for example; heaters of various designs and configurations; steam pressure vessels of various designs and configurations, including but not limited to those used for steam treatment and refining of wood fiber for medium density fiberboard, for example; vessels for high temperature liquid processes including but not limited to those intended for auto-hydrolysis processes, hot water extraction processes, and or other hot liquids processes.

[0136] A key aspect for each of these and various other potentially applicable processes and equipment that may be used to implement the one or more embodiments of the invention is the ability of the processes and equipment to achieve treatment intensities greater than or equal to the minimum threshold intensities described herein, which include, for example, raising the biomass temperature to a temperature greater than or equal to a minimum threshold level for a period of time sufficient to transform, decay, remove (e.g., via volatilization and / or dissolution) and / or otherwise neutralize the cement poisoning attributes of compounds and materials present in untreated or raw biomass. Note that the threshold temperature and time are related by the kinetics of the thermal transformation, decay, removal (e.g., via volatilization and / or dissolution), and / or other neutralization process. For example, one embodiment may involve heating the biomass to a relatively high temperature for several seconds or several minutes while another embodiment may involve heating the biomass to a relatively lower temperature for a longer period of time -perhaps a half an hour or more. These relationships are understood by those skilled in the art and are often related empirically through concepts like severity indexes, severity factors, torrefaction severity indexes, for example. Note that process parameters appropriate for one or more embodiments of the invention may also impacted by various parameters of the biomass beingtreated, including but not limited to biomass type, cellular structure, particle size, and moisture content, for example.

[0137] The one or more embodiments of the invention has been reduced to practice with low intensity processes having thermal treatment temperatures between 185 °C and 200°C in atmospheric pressure and in an ambient air environment. It has been accomplished in empirical testing with thermal treatment residence times at and / or below 20 minutes in atmospheric pressure and in an ambient air environment. It has also been accomplished in empirical testing with higher thermal treatment temperatures and longer thermal treatment residence times, equating to substantially higher treatment intensities. Those skilled in the art will understand the various means available to achieve and / or exceed these minimum treatment intensities by changing various treatment parameters, including but not limited to treatment temperatures, residence times, treatment pressures, treatment fluid composition and phases (e.g., adding steam to increase the specific heat capacity of convective heat transfer fluids and / or using water at temperatures between 120 and 190 in a pressure vessel suitable for maintaining water in the liquid phase at these temperatures, for example), and various related treatment parameters. For example, the required treatment intensity can be achieved with shorter residence times by increasing the treatment temperature, treatment pressure, mixing rates, the specific heat capacity of convective heat transfer fluids (e.g., by steam injection), by using hot water in a pressurized treatment vessel with or without added solvents, or by adjusting a combination of these treatment parameters.

[0138] In this context, it is noteworthy that embodiments implementing the invention using thermal treatment processes characterized by relatively low treatment intensities can provide important benefits related to dry matter solids yields, for example. Decreasing treatment intensities are generally associated with increasing DMMY. Increasing solids yields is generally associated with increasing efficiencies with which biomass feedstock resources are utilized, reducing outputspecific feedstock costs, and reducing lifecycle environmental impacts of production. Of particular relevance in this context is the ability to reduce output-specific feedstock costs by implementing embodiments of the invention with thermal biomass treatments that achieve relatively high DMMY. This is because production costs, driven in large part by low DMMY and correspondingly high output-specific feedstock costs, has proven to be a major challenge to scaling up various thermal biomass treatments in other contexts and / or for other applications. Relevant examples include but are not limited to torrefied biomass, so-called “biocoal”, and biochar, all of which are associated with relatively high treatment intensities and relatively low DMMY.

[0139] In this context, one or more embodiments of the invention comprise biomass thermal treatment processing equipment configured so that it is capable of treating the biomass in treatment conditions at or above the minimum threshold treatment conditions required to provide thermally treated biomass suitable for use as a admixture for a cementitious material or product and / or suitable for use as an input for or component of a blended hydraulic cement. These conditions are described in various ways throughout the teachings herein. In one or more embodiments the equipment and processes are configured to achieve treatment intensities greater than or equal to the minimum threshold intensities described herein.

[0140] In one or more embodiments of the invention comprises a biomass thermal treatment process that is configured to treat biomass in conditions - which may also described as configured to treat biomass at treatment intensities - that are at or above the minimum threshold treatment conditions and / or treatment intensities that are required to provide thermally treated biomass for use as an admixture for cementitious material and / or suitable for use as an input for or component of a blended binder system or hydraulic cement.

[0141] In one or more embodiments of the invention comprises a biomass thermal treatment process that further comprises a biomass thermal treatment process that is configured to treat biomass in conditions - which may also described as configured to treat biomass at treatment intensities - that are lower than the minimum threshold treatment conditions and / or treatment intensities that are generally associated with producing torrefied biomass, so called “biocoal”, so-called “black pellets”, biochar, thermally modified biomass, steam refined biomass, or hot water extracted biomass, among various other biomass products subjected to relatively higher intensity thermal treatments.

[0142] In one or more embodiments of the invention comprises a biomass thermal treatment process that further comprises a biomass thermal treatment process that is configured to treat biomass in conditions - which may also described as configured to treat biomass at treatment intensities - that are at or above the minimum threshold treatment conditions and / or treatment intensities that are generally required to produce torrefied biomass, so called “biocoal”, so-called “black pellets”, biochar, thermally modified biomass, steam refined biomass, hot liquid extracted biomass, or hot water extracted biomass, among various other biomass products subjected to relatively higher intensity thermal treatments.

[0143] In one or more embodiments of the invention such a biomass thermal treatment process further comprises a biomass thermal treatment process that is configured to treat biomass in conditions - which may also described as configured to treat biomass at treatment intensities -that are lower than the minimum treatment conditions and / or treatment intensities that are required to produce thermally treated biomass with dry matter mass yields equal to one or more of the following values: 95%, 90%, 85%; 80%; 77%; 75%; 70%; 65%; 60%; 55%; 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, and 25%.

[0144] In one or more embodiments of the invention such a biomass thermal treatment process further comprises a biomass thermal treatment process that is configured to treat biomass in conditions - which may also described as configured to treat biomass at treatment intensities -that are at or above the minimum treatment conditions and / or treatment intensities that are required to produce thermally treated biomass with dry matter mass yields equal to one or more of the following values: 95%, 90%, 85%; 80%; 77%; 75%; 70%; 65%; 60%; 55%; 50%, 45%, 40%, 35%, 30%, and 25%.

[0145] In one or more embodiments of the invention comprises such a thermal treatment process that may optionally include a cooling process followed by a size reduction process to produce a granulated or powdered product suitable for use as an admixture for a cementitious material and / or suitable for use as an input for or component of a blended binder system or hydraulic cement. In one or more embodiments of the invention comprises a thermal treatment process that may optionally include a drying process followed by a size reduction process to produce a granulated or powdered product suitable for use as an admixture for a cementitious material and / or suitable for use as an input for or component of a blended binder system or hydraulic cement.

[0146] Embodiments that implement the invention using thermal treatment processes characterized by relatively higher treatment intensities than the minimum threshold intensities described here can provide useful benefits, including but not limited to benefits related to physical characteristics of product quality, for example. Increasing treatment intensities are generally associated with increasing product friability and / or grindability, with increasing hydrophobicity, and / or with decreasing water absorption, for example. Increasing product friability and / or grindability is generally associated with decreasing grinding energy requirements, decreasing grinding costs, and / or greater physical product consistency, particularly for a product intended for use in a powdered form. Increasing hydrophobicity and / or decreasing water absorption can be important for simplifying material handling and storage requirements (e.g., by limiting the requirement to protect the product from water exposure). Reducing water absorption can also be beneficial for reducing the product impacts on water demand and fresh mix workability (e.g., flow and slump behavior) during the production of cementitious materials. Increasing treatment intensities can also be associated with increasing product resistance to various decay / and ordecomposition processes, including but not limited to biological, chemical, and thermal decomposition processes (although these decay and decomposition processes are also substantially mitigated by thermal treatments with intensities greater than the minimum intensities specified herein, as these treatments effectively remove the nutritive value of wood, reducing its ability to support fungi, bacteria, or other agents of decomposition). This can be beneficial for both reducing biomass product handling and storage requirements and for improving biomass retention -including but not limited to improving the actual or perceived permanence of biomass carbon storage - within finished cementitious materials and products. These various benefits are often emphasized as being provided by various thermal biomass treatments that have been established to support other technologies and / or applications, including but not limited to so called “black wood pellets”, “biocoal”, steam-exploded pellets, biochar, biocarbon, thermally modified wood, and hot liquid extracted biomass, for example.

[0147] Further, embodiments that implement the invention using one or more conventional thermal biomass treatment processes - including, but not limited to torrefaction, pyrolysis, and / or steam explosion processes, such as those developed to produce so-called “black wood pellets”, “biocoal”, biochar, and steam-exploded wood products for the energy sector, for example, as well as steam refined biomass and biomass subjected to auto-hydrolysis for the pulp, paper, and / or fiberboard industries, for example - can deliver additional practical benefits. For example, such embodiments can enable previously installed production capacity and production capacity otherwise already in development to support energy sector applications to be effectively leveraged to support embodiments of the invention. This ability is a valuable feature of the one or more embodiments of the invention and provides additional flexibility in material sourcing across multiple existing and planned production facilities.

[0148] From the perspective of a biomass thermal treatment facility operator, the flexibility in thermal treatments that are suitable for use in one or more embodiments of the invention increases the scope of market opportunities for thermally treated biomass outputs from a single facility. For example, assuming suitable customization of downstream processes to accommodate the needs of cementitious materials, as described herein, thermally treated biomass produced in upstream unit processes of a single facility could be directed to alternate downstream processes to service customers and / or applications in energy sector (for example if the facility comprises biocoal production) or the pulp / fiber sectors (for example if the facility comprises fiber auto-hydrolysis processes) on the one hand and optionally to service cementitious product / construction sector applications (e.g., by directing thermally treated biomass to appropriate downstream processes), depending on market conditions, available production capacity, and demand.

[0149] In this context, preferred embodiments of the invention reflect tradeoffs among the various potential benefits of alternate supply chain structures, treatment intensities, process and equipment configurations, facility operational parameters, product characteristics, and market conditions, among other potential factors. These include tradeoffs among various factors, including but not limited to those disclosed herein. The ability for embodiments of the invention to comprise such wide ranges in operating conditions and equipment configurations is an important feature and benefit of the one or more embodiments of the invention. It also clarifies the relevance of teaching embodiments spanning such large ranges of equipment types, equipment configurations, operational parameters, thermal treatment facility types, thermal treatment intensities, feedstock types, and thermally treated biomass product characteristics, mineral binder systems, cementitious material production systems, cementitious material applications, and cementitious material types, among other various relevant factors and parameters that fall within the scope of the one or more embodiments of the invention.

[0150] Accordingly, in one or more embodiments of the invention comprises a thermally treated biomass material input for a cementitious material wherein the thermally treated biomass comprises a solid output from at least one of a torrefaction process, a pyrolysis process, a steam explosion process, and a reactive drying process. Similarly, in one or more embodiments of the invention comprises a thermally treated biomass material input for a cementitious material wherein the thermally treated biomass comprises at least sone of: a biocoal; a black wood pellet; a thermally modified wood; and a biochar. In one or more embodiments the thermally treated biomass may further comprise fines, may be ground to a granular or powder form, or may be provided in a larger format, including but not limited to chips, shreds, pellets, cubes, shavings, crumbs, chunks, blocks, or any similar format. In one or more embodiments the thermally treated biomass may further comprise at least one of: an admixture for a cementitious material; a component of a hydraulic cement; a component of a cementitious binder system; a hydraulic cement; a cementitious binder system; a reactive aggregate of a cementitious material; an aggregate of a cementitious material; and a cementitious material or product.

[0151] While the ideas herein disclosed has been described by means of specific embodiments and applications thereof, numerous modifications and variations could be made thereto by those skilled in the art without departing from the scope of the invention set forth in the claims.

Claims

AMENDED CLAIMSreceived by the International Bureau on 30 July 2026 (30.07.2026)1. A method of producing a thermally treated biomass component, comprising: heating a biomass component to a temperature sufficient to chemically modify one or more compounds responsible for inhibiting cement hydration such that the one or more compounds exhibit a reduced ability to inhibit hydration of a hydraulic cement, while limiting thermal degradation and volatilization of organic constituents of the biomass component and maintaining a dry matter mass yield greater than 50%.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical modification is accomplished without converting a majority of the biomass into biochar.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the thermally treated biomass component is heated to a maximum temperature greater than or equal to 190°C.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature is between 100°C and 310°C.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature is between 200°C and 285°C.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the dry matter mass yield is greater than 70%.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the dry matter mass yield is greater than 80%.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical modification includes reactions analogous to caramelization or Maillard reactions.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating is performed in a dry process.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the heating is performed in a wet process.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical modification reduces cement poisoning effects of the biomass component relative to an untreated biomass component.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the chemical modification reduces cement poisoning while maintaining greater carbon retention than biomass subjected to pyrolysis.

13. The method of claim 1, further comprising incorporating the thermally treated biomass component into a cementitious composition comprising a mineral binder.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein the mineral binder and the thermally treated biomass component function together as a blended hydraulic cementitious binder.

15. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermally treated biomass component functions as an admixture that provides at least one of the following benefits to the cementitious composition: improves workability;reduces water demand;maintains or increases mechanical strength relative to a corresponding cementitious composition that does not include the thermally treated biomass component; andreduces carbon intensity.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermally treated biomass component functions as an aggregate or partial aggregate substitute.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein the thermally treated biomass reduces the lifecycle carbon intensity of the cementitious composition or improves biomass carbon storage within the cementitious composition.

18. The method of claim 1, further comprising mixing the thermally treated biomass component with a mineral binder to produce a cementitious material.

19. A thermally treated biomass component produced according to the method of claim 1.

20. A cementitious composition comprising:a mineral binder; andthe thermally treated biomass component of claim 19.

21. The cementitious composition of claim 20, wherein the mineral binder and the thermally treated biomass component function together as a blended hydraulic cementitious binder.

22. The cementitious composition of claim 20, wherein the thermally treated biomass component functions as an admixture that provides at least one of the following benefits to the cementitious composition:improves workability;reduces water demand;maintains or increases mechanical strength relative to a corresponding cementitious composition that does not include the thermally treated biomass component; and reduces carbon intensity.

23. The cementitious composition of claim 20, wherein the thermally treated biomass component functions as an aggregate or partial aggregate substitute.

24. The cementitious composition of claim 20, wherein the thermally treated biomass component reduces the lifecycle carbon intensity of the cementitious composition or improves biomass carbon storage within the cementitious composition.

25. The cementitious composition of claim 20, wherein the thermally treated biomass component comprises greater carbon retention than biomass subjected to pyrolysis.

26. A cementitious article formed from the cementitious composition of claim 20.

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