This invention provides processes and systems for converting biomass into highcarbon 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.

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.

A system for forming a woody biomass component and a binder component into a solid fuel element having a predetermined density. The system includes a first compression assembly for compressing an uncompressed mixture of the woody biomass component and the binder component to provide a first compressed mixture formed into a preliminary element having a preliminary density. The system also includes a second compression assembly for compressing the preliminary element to form the solid fuel element having the predetermined density, which is greater than the preliminary density.

A continuous flow treatment apparatus comprises a heating fluid management portion and a feces treatment portion. The heating fluid management portion is configured to heat heating fluid and provide the heated heating fluid to a heat exchanger. The feces treatment portion comprises the heat exchanger. The heat exchanger is configured to receive feces at a first position of the heat exchanger, indirectly heat the feces via the heated heating fluid as the feces are transported from the first position to a second position of the heat exchanger, and provide the heated feces at the second position. The feces are maintained at a minimum temperature for a predetermined amount of time such that the feces exiting the feces treatment portion have been rendered sanitary for at least one of storage or further processing.

Methods and systems for separating liquid components are disclosed. A vessel is provided containing a solids conveyance device. At least a first portion of the vessel acts as an indirect-contact heat exchanger and a second portion of the vessel contains a filter. A process liquid stream, containing a first component and a second component, is passed into the first portion of the vessel. A portion of the second component is frozen and entrained in the first portion of the vessel into the process liquid stream, resulting in a process slurry stream. The process slurry stream is passed into a second portion of the vessel by the solids conveyance device. The process slurry stream is separated into a solid product stream and a primary liquid product stream by passing the primary liquid product stream through the filter and out of the vessel while separately removing the solid product stream out of the vessel.

Processes and systems for converting biomass into high-carbon biogenic reagents that are suitable for a variety of commercial applications. Pyrolysis in the presence of an inert gas is employed 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. The structural objects may have a structure and/or strength that derive from the feedstock, heat rate, and additives.

The present invention relates to a process for odorizing a cryogenic fluid, comprising a step a) of continuously feeding an odorizing agent in liquid or gaseous form into a feed zone, said feeding being carried out at a temperature above the temperature of the cryogenic fluid and above the crystallization temperature of the odorizing agent, a step b) of feeding said odorizing agent in liquid or gaseous form from step a) into a buffer zone in which the liquid or gaseous odorizing agent is brought to a temperature of about the temperature of the cryogenic fluid, and a step c) of feeding said odorizing agent cooled in step b) into the contact zone, wherein said odorizing agent comes into contact with said cryogenic fluid to be odorized.

The present invention also relates to an odorizing device for implementing said odorizing process.

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. After the biomass has been steam-exploded, it may be washed and used as an engineered soil.

A municipal solid waste recycling facility for producing a solid recovered fuel is provided. The municipal solid waste recycling facility includes a pre-shredding unit and a shredding unit. The pre-shredding unit includes a trommel configured to sort a first stream of solid waste by size into a second stream of solid waste and a third stream of solid waste. The shredding unit includes a primary shredder configured to shred the second stream of solid waste.

This disclosure relates to a processing that includes a first shell and a second shell disposed within the first shell. The second shell includes a first end, a second end, and a wall extending between the first end and the second end. The second shell also defines a cavity and a longitudinal axis extending between the first end and the second end. A cross section of the second shell transverse to the longitudinal axis includes a first arcuate inner wall portion having a first radius of curvature and a second arcuate inner wall portion having a second radius of curvature. The first radius of curvature is larger than the second radius of curvature.