A method of separating a feed stream in a distillation tower. Vapor is permitted to rise upwardly from a distillation section of the distillation tower. A feed stream is introduced into a controlled freeze zone section of the distillation tower, the controlled freeze zone section being situated above the distillation section. The feed stream is released above a level of a liquid retained by a melt tray assembly in the controlled freeze zone section. Vapor from the distillation section is directed into the liquid retained by the melt tray assembly. A solid is formed from the feed stream in the controlled freeze zone section.

A method for producing charcoal particles or pellets which use different additives as binders for the biochar pellets. The method includes producing a mixture with charcoal and additives selected from nanocrystalline cellulose, nanocrystalline fibrils, bentonite, and polyvinyl acetate. The mixture is created by mixing one or more of the additives with charcoal or bentonite. The mixture is then processed in a pelletizer device. While processing, the surface of the mixture is sprayed with a liquid. Once turned into pellets by way of the pelletizer device, the resulting pellets are then dried by applying heat to the pellets. The liquid can be water or a solution of water and sodium borate.

A method of transporting non-volatile bituminous materials from a first location to a second location involves carrying a plurality of irregular bricks formed by the bituminous material in transport chambers carried by vehicles. Bricks are defined by a plurality of non-planar surface, which create gaps between adjacent bricks, and can further include polymer skeletons and other features that help them float. The bricks can travel by land, sea, air, or rail and need not be heated while in transit. Transport chambers have active or preferably passive environmental control systems to circulate cooling air, water, or other substances through the transport chamber and the gaps between adjacent bricks. In a preferred embodiment, ambient air circulates among the bricks during travel by land and ambient water circulates among the bricks during marine travel. The vehicles carrying the transport chambers can be low-emissions or zero-emission vehicles including fuel-cell powered trains and ships.

There is described a biodiesel composition and process for producing biodiesel and related products. There is also described related fuels and fuel blends comprising biodiesel. The biodiesel composition may be prepared from a mixture comprising fats, oils and greases from sewer waste.

The disclosure includes a method, comprising passing a fluid into a co-current contactor, passing a solvent into the co-current contactor, dividing the solvent into solvent droplets having a first average droplet size, placing the fluid in contact with the solvent droplets to create a combined stream, coalescing at least a portion of the solvent droplets to create solvent droplets having a second average droplet size, wherein the second average droplet size is greater than the first average droplet size, and separating the fluid and the solvent.

The disclosure includes a method, comprising passing a fluid into a co-current contactor, passing a solvent into the co-current contactor, dividing the solvent into solvent droplets having a first average droplet size, placing the fluid in contact with the solvent droplets to create a combined stream, coalescing at least a portion of the solvent droplets to create solvent droplets having a second average droplet size, wherein the second average droplet size is greater than the first average droplet size, and separating the fluid and the solvent.

A method for producing refined-coal has steps of (A) heating a mixture including moisture-containing coal and oil, to dehydrate the coal; (B) removing, in a first mist separator having plural baffle plates disposed in parallel, fine particles accompanying vapor generated by the dehydration step and adhered to the surface of the a first mist separator by spraying a liquid at a temperature of 50 C. or above and 150 C. or below in the first mist separator, which temperature is lower than a temperature to which the mixture is heated in step (A), wherein the sprayed liquid includes an oil component; and (C) compressing the vapor to obtain high-temperature vapor. In the step (B), the vapor is made to sequentially pass through the first mist separator and a second mist separator of a mesh type, while spraying liquid onto the first mist separator through which the vapor passes firstly.

A method for separating undesired components from gas mixtures comprises the following steps of providing a gas mixture containing at least two gaseous components, wherein one component is an undesired component, feeding water to the gas mixture, forming a hydrate of the undesired component and a remaining gas mixture, wherein the hydrate is formed by spraying a combination comprising the water and the gas mixture, and separating the hydrate from the remaining gas mixture.

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.

An additive used in the production of wood pellets to increase throughput. The additive may be applied as a booster to wood prior to forming the wood into pellets. The booster may comprise 30% to 100% tall oil pitch and 70% to 0% tall oil head and may be applied at a rate of 0.01 to 2 wt. % of the wood.