This invention relates to a method and apparatus for thermochemically processing material, and in particular relates to the torrefaction of organic material such as biomass, in particular to improve the energy content of the material, the method involving enclosing the material in a reactor which is then evacuated by means of a fluid driven vacuum pump to establish an oxygen free environment within the reactor, heating the material to above 200° C. to liberate process by-products such as volatile gases and/or oils, extracting the liberated volatile gases and/or oils from the enclosure and entraining same within the fluid driving the vacuum pump.

Energy is generated from cellulosic biofuel waste streams, specifically a lignin filter cake and a waste syrup, by combusting these waste products in a fluidized bed combustor under specified conditions. The heat and steam generated can be used to generate electricity and/or in cellulosic biofuel production processes.

An system for processing biomass comprising a stator, a rotor having an axis of rotation, the rotor being disposed inside the stator and configured to rotate about the axis of rotation therein, a processing chamber defined between the rotor and the stator, an inlet in fluid communication with the processing chamber which is designed to introduce unprocessed biomass into the processing chamber, an outlet in fluid communication with the processing chamber which is designed to carry out processed biomass from the processing chamber and a pump operationally associated with the inlet and the outlet, wherein the pump is configured to pump the unprocessed biomass through the processing chamber.

Systems and methods of producing a solid fuel composition are disclosed. In particular, systems and methods for producing a solid fuel composition by heating and mixing a solid waste mixture to a maximum temperature sufficient to melt the mixed plastics within the solid waste mixture is disclosed.

A fuel composition that provides a renewable biofuel energy source for reducing dependence on fossil fuels and improving air quality by reducing the amount of carbon monoxide released into the air during combustion. The fuel composition includes an energy crop comprising: a solid granular component being suspended in a liquid non-petroleum plant based fuel. The liquid fuel containing the granular component is efficacious in releasing copious quantities of vapor for burning. The vapor provides a more complete and efficient burn. The fuel composition further comprises an oxidizing agent for removing a plurality of electrons from the granular component during combustion, and/or an additive that imparts a change in the physical properties of the fuel composition.

The method is for separation of lignin from original black liquor (BL.sub.IN) that has a first precipitation phase (PR1/PR2) for precipitation of lignin by a first acidification using acidifier, CO.sub.2, at alkaline conditions, then separating a lignin cake with subsequent suspension of the lignin cake in a strong acid in order to leach out metals from the lignin followed by dewatering and obtaining a clean lignin product LP. Lignin germ particles (LG) are added to the original black liquor in the first precipitation stage, preferably between two phases in said precipitation stage, in order to increase lignin particle growth on such lignin germ particles instead of spontaneous nucleation of lignin particles in said original black liquor. This results in improved filterability in subsequent dewatering and lignin cake formation and hence an increased lignin yield.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a solid biomass fuel, as well as a solid biomass fuel produced by said process. Additionally, the present invention relates to a combustion process comprising combusting said solid biomass fuel so as to produce energy.

The present invention concerns a method for carrying out the combined operation of a bioethanol production unit and a biogas unit. The method comprises the following steps: a) mashing corn meal from a dry milling step with at least 0.1 t of dry matter in the form of whole stillage and at least 0.1 m.sup.3 of outflow from the biogas unit per tonne of corn meal, b) feeding the mash from a) to a cooking stage with mash temperatures below the gelatinization temperature of the starch inn the corn meal, followed by an ethanol-forming fermentation step and then feeding the fermented mash to a distillation step, c) feeding the whole stillage from b) to the mashing step in a) and to the biogas unit.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a solid biomass fuel from agricultural waste such as grass, rice husk, yam, straw, corn cob or any combination thereof, as well as a solid biomass fuel produced by said process. Additionally, the present invention relates to a combustion process comprising combusting said solid biomass fuel so as to produce energy and a pre-treatment process for pre-treating one or more sources of biomass for use in the production of a solid biomass fuel.

An organic waste digester system is provided. The system includes a heated hopper unit within the housing to receive organic waste. An agitation mechanism mixes the organic waste along with a microbe mixture to aid breakdown of the waste. Liquefied organic waste is discharged through an outlet and conveyed to a drying unit downstream of the hopper unit. The drying unit includes a microwave dryer unit.