The invention relates to the use of engineered fuel feedstocks to control the emission of sulfur-based, chlorine-based, nitrogen-based, or mercury-based pollutants, such as SO.sub.2, SO.sub.3, H.sub.2SO.sub.4, NO, NO.sub.2, HCl, and Hg that are generated during the combustion of fossil fuels, such as coal. Disclosed are novel engineered fuel feedstocks, feedstocks produced by the described processes, methods of making the fuel feedstocks, methods of producing energy from the fuel feedstocks, and methods of generating electricity from the fuel feedstocks.

Polymer pellets are formed using laminar gas flow within a downstream gas conduit, as may be implemented consistent with one or more embodiments herein. A gas channel directs gas to an outlet of a polymer extrusion mandrel via which a polymer melt is extruded. A downstream gas conduit extends away from the outlet of the polymer extrusion mandrel, and provides laminar gas flow along the polymer melt extending from the extrusion mandrel, and within the downstream gas conduit. Using this approach, laminar flow can be maintained along an initial portion of the polymer melt, and used to control the subsequent formation of pellets therefrom.

Embodiments of a process for producing high grade coke from crude oil residue include at least partially separating, in a solvent extraction unit, the crude oil residue into a deasphalted oil (DAO)-containing stream and an asphaltene containing-stream, producing a pressurized, heated DAO-containing stream, where the pressurized, heated DAO-containing stream, mixing a supercritical water stream with the pressurized, heated DAO-containing stream to create a combined feed stream, introducing the combined feed stream to an upgrading reactor system operating at supercritical temperature and pressure to yield one or more upgrading reactor output streams comprising upgraded product and a slurry mixture, where the slurry mixture comprises sulfur and one or more additional metals. The process also may include calcining the slurry mixture at a temperature of from 700 C. to 1900 C. to produce a product stream comprising the high grade coke.

The present invention is provided with a step for preheating coal, a step for heating an extraction solvent, a step for mixing the preheated coal and the extraction solvent heated to a higher temperature than the preheated coal and thereby heating the coal, a step for separating a solution in which a coal component is dissolved from the mixture of the coal and the extraction solvent, and a step for evaporating and separating the extraction solvent from the solution.

The application relates to a Ramjet solid fuel having an ignition temperature of less than 400 C., the fuel comprising a bis-(ethylene oxy) methane polysulfide polymer (BMPP) and hydroxyl-terminated polybutadiene (HTPB), the copolymer having a BMPP/HTPB weight ratio of from 1/3 to 3/1; and the fuel comprising at least 85 weight % copolymer. The BMPP comprises from 5 to 8 weight percent mercaptan. Furthermore, the BMPP is selected from

HS(RSS).sub.aCH.sub.2CH((SSR).sub.cCSH)CH.sub.2(SSR).sub.bSHa) where R=(CH.sub.2).sub.2OCH.sub.2O(CH.sub.2).sub.2 and a+b+c<7; and

H(SC.sub.2H.sub.4OCH.sub.2OC.sub.2H4S).sub.nH where n=7.b)

A method for making a biosludge-based biomass fuel includes: introducing an oxidizing agent gas and an aqueous solution into a biosludge to undergo lysis of bacteria contained in a biosludge under oscillation of the oxidizing agent gas and the aqueous solution so as to form a pre-treated biosludge mixture; filtering out the oxidized biosludge from the pre-treated biosludge mixture under pressurized treatment to form biosludge solids; drying the biosludge solids; grinding the dried biosludge solids to form particulate biosludge solids; and mixing the particulate biosludge solids with an oil sludge.

A method for making a biosludge-based biomass fuel includes: introducing an oxidizing agent gas and an aqueous solution into a biosludge to undergo lysis of bacteria contained in a biosludge under oscillation of the oxidizing agent gas and the aqueous solution so as to form a pre-treated biosludge mixture; filtering out the oxidized biosludge from the pre-treated biosludge mixture under pressurized treatment to form biosludge solids; drying the biosludge solids; grinding the dried biosludge solids to form particulate biosludge solids; and mixing the particulate biosludge solids with an oil sludge.

A method for forming a magnetic hydrochar nanocomposite includes the step of adding basically treated desert date seeds into a vessel containing phosphoric acid and mixing the basically treated desert date seeds with the phosphoric acid to form a mixture. The mixture is transferred to a microwave and heated to 150? C. The mixture is held at this temperature for one hour to form a hydrochar. The magnetic hydrochar nanocomposite is further formed by dissolving ferrous sulphate and ferric chloride to form magnetic nanoparticles. The magnetic nanoparticles are mixed with the hydrochar, then date fruit extract is mixed with the magnetic nanoparticles and hydrochar mixture to form a resultant mixture. The pH of the resultant mixture is raised to 9-11 by adding sodium hydroxide to form a basic resultant mixture. The basic resultant mixture is heated in a microwave to 150? C. for 30 minutes to form the magnetic hydrochar nanocomposite.

There is described a processor for use in the microwave torrefaction of biomass material which comprises, a micronized biomass char material and a method of producing a biomass char material, and a method of producing L-glucosan.

Embodiments of a process for producing high grade coke from crude oil residue include at least partially separating, in a solvent extraction unit, the crude oil residue into a deasphalted oil (DAO)-containing stream and an asphaltene containing-stream, producing a pressurized, heated DAO-containing stream, where the pressurized, heated DAO-containing stream, mixing a supercritical water stream with the pressurized, heated DAO-containing stream to create a combined feed stream, introducing the combined feed stream to an upgrading reactor system operating at supercritical temperature and pressure to yield one or more upgrading reactor output streams comprising upgraded product and a slurry mixture, where the slurry mixture comprises sulfur and one or more additional metals. The process also may include calcining the slurry mixture at a temperature of from 700 C. to 1900 C. to produce a product stream comprising the high grade coke.