High Protein Fuel Combustion via Steam Injection
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Solution Overview
Problem
High protein organic materials, such as spent grain and bio-solids from wastewater treatment plants, are difficult to combust efficiently due to protein cross-linking reactions, leading to incomplete combustion and excessive smoke, making them unsuitable as primary fuel sources without additional combustible fuels.
Innovation Solution
A process involving mechanical removal of liquid and soluble components, drying to reduce moisture content, pulverization to less than 2 mm, and simultaneous steam injection into the combustion chamber to inhibit protein cross-linking and enhance combustion, allowing for the use of high protein materials as primary fuel without additional combustibles.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Productivity
If high protein organic materials are combusted under typical conditions, then they can be used as fuel, but they produce excessive smoke and incomplete combustion exceeding regulatory limits
Solution Approach 1:
The patent applies parameter changes by modifying the combustion conditions through steam injection and controlled temperature profiles. The process changes the physical and chemical parameters of the combustion environment to prevent protein cross-linking reactions, thereby achieving complete combustion and reducing smoke opacity to meet regulatory standards while maintaining combustion efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
Steam is introduced as an intermediary substance in the combustion chamber. The steam acts as a mediator that prevents protein cross-linking reactions by maintaining appropriate moisture levels and temperature distribution, enabling complete combustion of high protein materials without excessive smoke generation.
2Loss of energy
If high protein organic materials are combusted without additional fuel, then operating costs are reduced, but they cannot sustain auto-combustion and require assistance from traditional fuels
Solution Approach 1:
The patent enables high protein organic materials to serve themselves as primary fuel by eliminating the need for traditional combustible assistants. Through steam injection and controlled combustion conditions, the process allows these materials to sustain complete combustion independently, achieving both cost reduction and reliable continuous operation.
Solution Approach 2:
By changing the combustion parameters through steam injection and temperature control, the patent transforms high protein materials from non-auto-combustible to auto-combustible state, enabling them to sustain combustion without additional fuel sources while maintaining reliability.
3Productivity
If high protein organic materials are combusted, then they can be used as fuel source, but protein cross-linking reactions cause incomplete combustion
Solution Approach 1:
Steam serves as an intermediary that prevents protein cross-linking reactions during combustion. The steam maintains appropriate environmental conditions in the combustion chamber, ensuring complete combustion of high protein materials and preventing the formation of harmful incomplete combustion products while maintaining energy generation efficiency.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent changes the combustion parameters through steam injection, which modifies the temperature and moisture conditions to prevent protein cross-linking. This parameter change enables complete combustion, eliminating incomplete combustion products while maintaining energy generation from high protein organic materials.
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
This process enables efficient combustion of high protein organic materials with reduced nitrogen oxide production and opacity, meeting regulatory compliance, and effectively degrades hazardous compounds like PFAS into less hazardous substances.
Implementation Method 1
simultaneous steam injection into the combustion chamber to inhibit protein cross-linking and enhance combustion
Implementation Method 2
allowing for the use of high protein materials as primary fuel without additional combustibles
Implementation Method 3
allowing protein thermal decomposition by-products to react with nitrogen oxides (NOX) within the combustion chamber to form water (H2O) and nitrogen (N2)
Implementation Method 4
protein thermal decomposition by-products react with nitrogen oxides (NOX) within the combustion chamber to form water (H2O) and nitrogen (N2)
Implementation Method 5
applying heat to dry the organic material to reduce its moisture content to ten percent (10%) or less by weight
Data Source
AI summary
A process of making a fuel product from a non-combustible high protein organic material such as a biological by-product or waste material. The moisture content of the high protein organic material is mechanically reduced and dried to reduce the moisture content to less than ten percent (10%). The high protein organic material is pulverized to a particle size of less than about 2 mm. The high protein organic waste material is fed into a combustion chamber and separated during combustion such as by spraying of the high protein organic waste material within the combustion chamber. Temperature and nitrogenous hydrocarbon combustion reactions within the combustion chamber are also controlled by injection of steam within the combustion chamber. The concentration of protein thermal decomposition by-products, the temperature and/or pressure within the combustion chamber is also controlled to degrade hazardous polyfluoro compounds into less hazardous compounds.