A method of preparing a fuel composition includes placing coal having a heat content between about 3,000 BTU/lb and about 9,000 BTU/lb and a moisture content between about 20 wt % and about 60 wt % in a vessel. The coal is exposed to heat and a pressure less than atmospheric pressure within the vessel, thereby reducing the coal, such that an average primary particle size of the coal is less than 1 millimeter. A binder is introduced to the vessel, such that the coal combines with the binder to yield a mixture. The mixture is shaped to yield a fuel composition.

The present application provides charcoal briquettes infused with a flammable composition including fusel oil and/or one or more dehydration products of fusel oil and the flammable compositions including one or more dehydration products of fusel oil.

Structured composite wood pellets comprising wood pellets with a coating at least partially covering the wood pellets, where the coating reduces the generation of dust/fines of the wood pellet upon impact and/or abrasion. The coating may comprise crude tall oil, distilled tall oil, tall oil pitch, tall oil fatty acids, tall oil heads, non-food use sustainable wax, or a combination thereof. The coating may be located at the surface and/or subsurface of the wood pellets rather than throughout, and may be applied at a rate of less than 1 wt. % of the wood pellets.

A bio emulsion fuel manufacturing apparatus and method using vegetable oil is provided, including an oil tank unit configured to refine a vegetable oil introduced from an oil inlet by using a coagulant agent and a centrifugal decanter; a water tank unit configured to pretreat a water introduced from a water inlet by using a water tank catalyst; a mixed oil unit connected to the oil tank unit and the water tank unit, and configured to produce a mixed oil by using an inline mixer; and an ionization catalyst unit connected to the mixed oil unit and configured to convert the mixed oil to a bio emulsion fuel by using an ionization catalyst group.

The present application provides methods of igniting a fuel source with a lighter fluid composition including fusel oil; self-lighting charcoal briquettes infused with fusel oil, flammable compositions including fusel oil, methods of making flammable compositions including fusel oil, and lighter devices including fusel oil.

Provided is an additive composition and method for preventing fouling, slagging and corrosion of biomass multi fuel fired or dedicated boilers using alumina, and more particularly, to an additive composition capable of effectively preventing from fouling, slagging and corrosion of the inner wall of a biomass boiler and optimizing the thermal efficiency of power generation facilities by increasing the melting temperature of an inorganic material contained in the biomass fuel using alumina, and the additive composition may include 0.1 to 5 parts by weight of alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) in respective of 100 parts by weight of fuels fed into biomass multi fuel fired or dedicated boilers.

A method for manufacturing biomass based fuel configured to reduce chemical and/or mechanical effects of flue gas on heat transfer surfaces is described. The method comprises providing biomass and steam into a reactor; maintaining said biomass and said steam simultaneously in the reactor, in a pressure of at least 10 bar(a) and at a temperature from 180 C. to 250 C. for at least 2 minutes; and decreasing the pressure in the reactor and/or conveying biomass out of the reactor such that the pressure of the environment of the biomass decreases below 5 bar(a), to produce steam-exploded biomass. The method further comprises adding some combustion additive to the biomass and/or the steam-exploded biomass.

A method for upgrading coal fines by separating out at least some mineral components is provided. The method comprises the treatment of optionally graded coal fines with microalgae in aqueous medium to form a slurry under conditions that permit adsorption of microalgae onto particles of coal fines. The slurry is treated to separate a first fraction that is rich in coal fines together with adsorbed microalgae thereon from a second fraction that has more mineral components in it than does the first fraction and processing the first fraction to recover upgraded coal fines therefrom. Contacting is preferably carried out in a manner aimed at loading the coal fines generally evenly with microalgae adsorbed thereon in an amount of from 5 to 15% by weight of coal fines. Separation may be carried out by sedimentation, cyclone separation or flotation.

Biomass based fuel configured to reduce chemical and/or mechanical effects of flue gas on heat transfer surfaces. The biomass based fuel comprises steam-exploded biomass and some combustion additive. The combustion additive is selected from a group of additives that are capable of reducing chemical and/or mechanical effects of flue gas on heat transfer surfaces. The combustion additive may comprise fouling-reducing additive and/or an additive reducing corrosion potential. In addition, a method for manufacturing biomass based fuel configured to reduce chemical and/or mechanical effects of flue gas on heat transfer surfaces. The method comprises providing biomass and steam into a reactor; maintaining said biomass and said steam simultaneously in the reactor, in a pressure of at least 10 bar(a) and at a temperature from 180 C. to 250 C. for at least 2 minutes; and decreasing the pressure in the reactor and/or conveying biomass out of the reactor such that the pressure of the environment of the biomass decreases below 5 bar(a), to produce steam-exploded biomass. The method further comprises adding some combustion additive to the biomass and/or the steam-exploded biomass.

A method for storing a modified coal includes a pile forming step of forming a pile by stacking a blended coal of an agglomerate-shaped coal and a powdery modified coal. The modified coal has a content of particles having a particle diameter of 2 mm or less of 35% by mass or more. The pile formed in the pile forming step has a packing density of 1.0 g/cm.sup.3 or more.