Systems and processes provide for a thermal process to transform sludge (and a variety of other natural waste materials) into electricity. Dewatered sludge and other materials containing a high amount of latent energy are dried into a powdered biofuel using a drying gas produced in the system. The drying gas is recirculated and is heated by the biofuel produced in the system, waste heat (from turbines or internal combustion engines), gas (including natural gas or digester gas) and/or oil. The biofuel is combusted in a boiler system that utilizes a burner operable to burn biofuel and produce heat utilized in a series of heat exchangers that heat the recirculating drying air and steam that powers the turbines for electricity production.

An apparatus and a method are provided for continuously drying bulk goods, in particular wood fibers and/or wood chips, in a dryer, wherein the drying vapors are led to a dryer circuit, in which the drying vapors are indirectly heated via a heat-exchanger and are conducted to the dryer again.

An apparatus and a method are provided for continuously drying bulk goods, in particular wood fibers and/or wood chips, in a dryer, wherein the drying vapors are led to a dryer circuit, in which the drying vapors are indirectly heated via a heat-exchanger and are conducted to the dryer again.

Aspects of the present disclosure include devices, systems, methods, and control systems for processing waste into usable products, such as fuel stock, soil additives, and usable byproducts. Various system components may include: 1) a material loading area; 2) a pre-shredder; 3) a magnet based separator; 4) an eddy current separator; 5) additional sorting devices, such as a ballistic separator and/or an optical separator; 6) a mechanical pulverizer, such as a vertical shaft impactor (VSI); 7) a moisture separation device, such as a cyclone; 8) a compressor, such as a ram baler; 9) a packager, such as a bale wrapper; 10) analyzers, such as for moisture and caloric data analysis; 11) a thermal pressure chamber, such as a thermal screw; and 12) a control system to control operation of the system.

An energy-saving sludge drying disposal system is provided. The disposal system includes a vacuum heating unit, an incinerating unit, a vacuum cooling unit and a molten salt heat exchanging unit. The vacuum cooling unit includes a high-temperature gas inlet, a condensed water outlet, a low-temperature gas outlet, a low-temperature liquid inlet and a medium-temperature liquid outlet. The high-temperature gas inlet of the vacuum cooling unit is connected with the vacuum heating unit. The incinerating unit includes an incinerator, an incineration gas inlet, a combustion-supporting gas inlet, a flue gas discharge outlet, a cold molten salt inlet and a hot molten salt outlet. The incineration gas inlet is connected with the low-temperature gas outlet of the vacuum cooling unit. The molten salt heat exchanging unit includes a cold molten salt outlet, a hot molten salt inlet, a medium-temperature liquid inlet and a high-temperature liquid outlet.

Processes and apparatus are described for removing impurities from solid biomass while preserving hydrogen and carbon content. Examples are provided of processes using acidified aqueous solutions in a countercurrent extraction process that includes the pneumatic transport of slurries between process units, or a mechanical dewatering step, or both, to produce a washed biomass suitable for various upgrading and conversion processes. Compositions related to the processes are also described.

Processes and apparatus are described for removing impurities from solid biomass while preserving hydrogen and carbon content. Examples are provided of processes using acidified aqueous solutions in a countercurrent extraction process that includes the pneumatic transport of slurries between process units, or a mechanical dewatering step, or both, to produce a washed biomass suitable for various upgrading and conversion processes. Compositions related to the processes are also described.

Disclosed is a system and method for the combustion of biomass material employing a swirling fluidized bed combustion (SFBC) chamber, and preferably a second stage combustion carried out in a cyclone separator. In the combustion chamber, primary air is introduced from a bottom air box that fluidizes the bed material and fuel, and staged secondary air is introduced in the tangential direction and at varied vertical positions in the combustion chamber so as to cause the materials in the combustion chamber (i.e., the mixture of air and particles) to swirl. The secondary air injection can have a significant effect on the air-fuel particle flow in the combustion chamber, and more particularly strengthens the swirling flow, promotes axial recirculation, increases particle mass fluxes in the combustion chamber, and retains more fuel particles in the combustion chamber. This process increases the residence time of the particle flow. The turbulent flow of the fuel particles and air is well mixed and mostly burned in the combustion chamber, with any unburned waste and particles being directed to the cyclone separator, where such unburned waste and particles are burned completely, and flying ash is divided and collected in a container connected to the cyclone separator, while dioxin production is significantly minimized if not altogether eliminated. A Stirling engine along with cooling system and engine control box is integrated with the SFBC chamber to produce electricity from the waste combustion process. Residual heat in the flue gas may be captured after the combustion chamber and directed to a fuel feeder to first dry the biomass. System exhaust is directed to a twisted tube-based shell and tube heat exchanger (STHE) and may produce hot water for space heating.

The invention provides a process for the conversion of biomass into a biomass product which is suitable for use as a fuel. The biomass is of plant origin and comprises microorganisms naturally occurring in the biomass. The process comprises—preparing a slurry by dispersing the biomass comprising the naturally occurring microorganisms in an aqueous liquid, maintaining the slurry at conditions suitable for aerobic digestion by the microorganisms to obtain a slurry comprising the biomass product as a dispersed solid phase, and—recovering the biomass product. The recovering comprises washing and drying the biomass product. The invention also provides a combustion process.

The invention provides a process for the conversion of biomass into a biomass product which is suitable for use as a fuel. The biomass is of plant origin and comprises microorganisms naturally occurring in the biomass. The process comprises—preparing a slurry by dispersing the biomass comprising the naturally occurring microorganisms in an aqueous liquid, maintaining the slurry at conditions suitable for aerobic digestion by the microorganisms to obtain a slurry comprising the biomass product as a dispersed solid phase, and—recovering the biomass product. The recovering comprises washing and drying the biomass product. The invention also provides a combustion process.