A process and system for producing an engineered fuel product that meets customer specifications for composition and combustion characteristics is provided. The engineered fuel product is preferably a high-BTU, alternative fuel that burns cleaner than coal or petroleum coke (petcoke) and has significantly reduced NOx, SO.sub.2 and GHG emissions.

A method for producing briquettes made of a waste material includes provisioning of at least one metal and at least one organic material. The waste material is mechanically prepared in a single or multiple stages and at least one first fraction of the waste material is separated. A briquette mixture containing the at least one first fraction is produced, wherein the at least one first fraction has a calorific value of 0 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg. A calorific value of the briquette mixture is adjusted by varying at least the first fraction. The briquette mixture is introduced into a briquetting device and pressed into briquettes. Briquettes with a calorific value of 5 MJ/kg to 30 MJ/kg and with a maximum copper content of 0.1 wt % to 20 wt % are produced.

A charcoal replacement solid energy fuel comprises wood particles substantially fully impregnated with a melt-flowable, natural, monolignol biopolymer derived from biomass which can be further processed into various shapes of briquettes, pellets and other shapes for grilling, heating/cooking, green coal energy and other applications. The material and its method of making are environmentally friendly, carbon neutral, and lower cost alternative to charcoal or traditional coal. The melt-flowable monolignol based material impregnated into the wood imparts significant water resistance, UV resistance, antimicrobial functionality, faster lighting and higher BTU/lb energy without the need to add carbonize wood or coal. The impregnated wood granules or particles can then be compressed, without the need for additional binder, into various homogenous charcoal briquette replacements, pellets, or shapes for grilling or green coal energy fuel.

This disclosure provides a method of making a high-fixed-carbon material comprising pyrolyzing biomass to generate intermediate solids and a pyrolysis vapor; condensing the pyrolysis vapor to generate pyrolysis liquid; blending the pyrolysis liquid with the intermediate solids, to generate a mixture; and further pyrolyzing the mixture to generate a high-fixed-carbon material. A process can comprise: pyrolyzing a biomass-comprising feedstock in a first pyrolysis reactor to generate a first biogenic reagent and a first pyrolysis vapor; introducing the first pyrolysis vapor to a condensing system to generate a condenser liquid; contacting the first biogenic reagent with the condenser liquid, thereby generating an intermediate material; further pyrolyzing the intermediate material in a second pyrolysis reactor to generate a second biogenic reagent and a second pyrolysis vapor; and recovering the second biogenic reagent as a high-yield biocarbon composition. The process can further comprise pelletizing the intermediate material. Many process and system configurations are disclosed.

A process for cleaning and beneficiating biomass is described which may allow removal of entrained salts and light volatiles from biomass materials. The process may also minimize energy use through capturing steam and flue gases for re-use. The process may generally comprise the following steps: prewashing and/or preheating a biomass, pressurizing the biomass in a steam explosion vessel, rapidly depressurizing the steam explosion vessel, releasing the steam from the steam explosion vessel entrained with fine lignin-enriched particles into a cyclone-type gas expansion vessel, routing the steam from the gas expansion vessel to the input hopper, subjecting the biomass to a second washing step, mechanically removing a portion of the water from the biomass, and evaporatively heating the biomass.

This disclosure provides a method of making a high-fixed-carbon material comprising pyrolyzing biomass to generate intermediate solids and a pyrolysis vapor; condensing the pyrolysis vapor to generate pyrolysis liquid; blending the pyrolysis liquid with the intermediate solids, to generate a mixture; and further pyrolyzing the mixture to generate a high-fixed-carbon material. A process can comprise: pyrolyzing a biomass-comprising feedstock in a first pyrolysis reactor to generate a first biogenic reagent and a first pyrolysis vapor; introducing the first pyrolysis vapor to a condensing system to generate a condenser liquid; contacting the first biogenic reagent with the condenser liquid, thereby generating an intermediate material; further pyrolyzing the intermediate material in a second pyrolysis reactor to generate a second biogenic reagent and a second pyrolysis vapor; and recovering the second biogenic reagent as a high-yield biocarbon composition. The process can further comprise pelletizing the intermediate material. Many process and system configurations are disclosed.

A method of processing coal 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 heated by conduction. A pressure in the vessel is reduced to below atmospheric pressure, thereby reducing the coal, such that an average primary particle size of the coal is less than 1 millimeter. The reduced coal is shaped to yield a fuel composition.

Some variations provide a process for producing biocarbon pellets, comprising: pyrolyzing a biomass-containing feedstock in a first pyrolysis reactor to generate a first biogenic reagent and a pyrolysis vapor; introducing the pyrolysis vapor to a separation unit, to generate a pyrolysis precipitate in liquid or solid form; contacting the first biogenic reagent with the pyrolysis precipitate, thereby generating an intermediate material; pelletizing the intermediate material, to generate intermediate pellets; optionally, drying the intermediate pellets; separately pyrolyzing the intermediate pellets in a second pyrolysis reactor to generate a second biogenic reagent and a pyrolysis off-gas; and recovering the second biogenic reagent as biocarbon pellets. Some variations provide a similar process that utilizes a carbon-containing condensed-matter material, which is not necessarily a pyrolysis precipitate. The disclosure provides improved processes for producing biocarbon compositions, especially with respect to carbon yield and biocarbon properties, such as reactivity.

This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into high carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Some embodiments employ pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas to generate hot pyrolyzed solids, condensable vapors, and non-condensable gases, followed by separation of vapors and gases, and cooling of the hot pyrolyzed solids in the presence of the inert gas. Additives may be introduced during processing or combined with the reagent, or both. The biogenic reagent may include at least 70 wt %, 80 wt %, 90 wt %, 95 wt %, or more total carbon on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may have an energy content of at least 12,000 Btu/lb, 13,000 Btu/lb, 14,000 Btu/lb, or 14,500 Btu/lb on a dry basis. The biogenic reagent may be formed into fine powders, or structural objects.

Capturing mercury or arsenic heavy metal from a moist gas containing water vapour, by: a) cooling the moist gas by heat exchange with a heat transfer fluid produced in e) in order to obtain a gas cooled to a temperature Tf, vaporizing the heat transfer fluid; b) separating condensed water and condensates contained in the cooled gas obtained in a) obtaining a gas depleted in water and a liquid stream containing water; c) compressing vaporized heat transfer fluid obtained from a) obtaining compressed heat transfer fluid; d) heating water-depleted gas by heat exchange with compressed heat transfer fluid obtained in c) obtaining a cooled heat transfer fluid and a gas reheated to a temperature Tc; e) decompressing cooled heat transfer fluid obtained in d), recycling heat transfer fluid to a); f) contacting reheated gas obtained in d) with a capture mass for said heavy metal.