Forest Residue Processing System for Wood Fiber and Hog Fuel Recovery

Resolve Bottlenecks,
Find Innovative SolutionsGenerate Solutions

Solution Overview

Problem

Forest residue, which includes logging residue, stumps, and other woody biomass, is underutilized due to its bulkiness and low density, making it uneconomic to transport and process into valuable wood products, with much of it being disposed of by burning or decomposition, resulting in negative environmental impacts.

Innovation Solution

A system and method for recovering wood fiber from forest residue by size-reducing and separating elements, including using a shredder to remove bark, aerodynamically separating leaves and needles, and optimizing the diversion of residue to produce hog fuel, while filtering and sorting to create sub-feeds based on physical characteristics for efficient wood fiber recovery and hog fuel production.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Power

If forest residue is used as hog fuel, then energy production is improved, but wood fiber recovery is reduced

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenergy productionVSAvoidwood fiber recovery

Core Design Contradiction:

PowerVSQuantity of substance

Solution Approach 1:

The system divides forest residue into separate streams: a hog fuel stream for energy production and a wood fiber recovery stream for material recovery. This segmentation allows each stream to be optimized for its specific purpose, resolving the contradiction between energy production and wood fiber recovery by processing different portions of the residue simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #1Segmentation

Solution Approach 2:

The system changes the physical parameters of forest residue through size-reduction processing (chipping, shredding, grinding) to transform it from a bulk material suitable for energy production into a processed material that can be effectively separated and recovered as wood fiber, enabling both energy production and material recovery

Inventive Principle:

Principle #35Parameter changes

2Object-affected harmful factors

If forest residue is disposed of by burning or decomposition, then environmental impact is reduced, but resource utilization is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveenvironmental impactVSAvoidresource utilization

Core Design Contradiction:

Object-affected harmful factorsVSProductivity

Solution Approach 1:

The system converts the previously harmful disposal methods (burning or decomposition) into beneficial processes by implementing size-reduction and separation technology that enables wood fiber recovery. This transforms waste into a valuable resource while maintaining environmental benefits through controlled processing and utilization

Inventive Principle:

Principle #22Blessing in disguise (Convert harm into benefit)

Solution Approach 2:

The system recovers valuable wood fiber from forest residue that would otherwise be discarded through burning or decomposition. By implementing separation technology, the system recovers useful materials while still allowing appropriate disposal of remaining residues, thereby improving resource utilization without compromising environmental benefits

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

3Quantity of substance

If forest residue is transported, then material recovery is improved, but transportation cost is worsened

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvematerial recoveryVSAvoidtransportation cost

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSWeight of moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The system performs size-reduction processing (chipping, shredding, grinding) as a preliminary action before transportation. This preliminary processing reduces the bulk density and improves the transport efficiency of forest residue, making material recovery more economical by reducing transportation costs

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The system effectively recovers 50% or more of forest residue as usable wood fiber and provides 40% or more as hog fuel, enhancing the utilization of forest residue and reducing environmental impact by converting it into renewable energy and valuable products.

Implementation Method 1

size-reducing forest residue elements to free and separate bark portions (e.g., by abrading, shearing, peeling, and/or the like)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAbrasion: Abrasion

Implementation Method 2

aerodynamically separating leaves, needles, and/or the like from forest residue elements (e.g., by passing the forest residue elements through a flow of air)

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectAerodynamic separation:

Data Source

PatentUS10675661B2Systems and methods for use in processing of forest residue

Publication Date: 2020.06.09 BIOFUELS TECHNOLOY LLC

AI summary

This disclosure includes systems and methods that may be used in forest residue processing. Some systems use or include: a filter configured to filter elements based on element size, a separator configured to separate elements based on element areal density, a separator configured to separate elements based on element density, and/or a sorter configured to sort elements based on element wood fiber content.