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.

A system for producing biomass pellets comprising a pan mill for comminuting a biomass material, a treatment means in which the comminuted biomass material is treated with an oxidizing reactant and a pellet press for pressing pellets from the treated biomass material. The invention further relates to an associated process. The intention is to initiate during pellet production oxidation reactions which can otherwise result in autoignition of the pellets in pellet heaps.

A system for producing biomass pellets comprising a pan mill for comminuting a biomass material, a treatment means in which the comminuted biomass material is treated with an oxidizing reactant and a pellet press for pressing pellets from the treated biomass material. The invention further relates to an associated process. The intention is to initiate during pellet production oxidation reactions which can otherwise result in autoignition of the pellets in pellet heaps.

A conventional agricultural cuber machine was modified to transform fibrous, low density cellulosic biomass into a mechanically stable form suitable for use as a feed stock to a bulk flow torrefier process without requiring the addition of a binder or other such adjuvant. Certain disclosed embodiments of the product concern a compact cube or thin puck of raw cellulosic biomass having a density of from 4 to 15 times the bulk density of the shredded raw biomass or from 20 to 32 lb/cu ft. The moisture content is below 10%, typically 3-8%. The strength of the product as measured by dropping the product onto a hard surface from a height of 3 ft. will not produce more than 10% breakage. The products of the present invention can be produced having any desirable dimensions, such as substantially square-, rectangular- or parallelogram-shaped product having at least one dimension of from about 5 to about 30 millimeters, which corresponds to the dimension of the die 2 in FIG. 2. The length of each extrudate is determined by the angle of the deflector plate 1 in FIG. 2.

A conventional agricultural cuber machine was modified to transform fibrous, low density cellulosic biomass into a mechanically stable form suitable for use as a feed stock to a bulk flow torrefier process without requiring the addition of a binder or other such adjuvant. Certain disclosed embodiments of the product concern a compact cube or thin puck of raw cellulosic biomass having a density of from 4 to 15 times the bulk density of the shredded raw biomass or from 20 to 32 lb/cu ft. The moisture content is below 10%, typically 3-8%. The strength of the product as measured by dropping the product onto a hard surface from a height of 3 ft. will not produce more than 10% breakage. The products of the present invention can be produced having any desirable dimensions, such as substantially square-, rectangular- or parallelogram-shaped product having at least one dimension of from about 5 to about 30 millimeters, which corresponds to the dimension of the die 2 in FIG. 2. The length of each extrudate is determined by the angle of the deflector plate 1 in FIG. 2.

A receiver for irregularly shaped bricks cast from non-volatile bituminous material includes a receiver with a specialized storage chamber that can receive viscous bituminous material and a concave lid preferably modified with a radiant heating system that can accept and melt or soften arriving bricks. The lid includes multiple openings or other delivery routes that funnel the melted bituminous material to the chamber below. The radiant heating system can be electrical where cables or grids are embedded in the lid or where conductive materials coat or are distributed throughout the lid. Alternatively, the radiant heating system can be hydronic where channels or conduits are embedded in the lid to circulate heated liquid such as water or water mixed with propylene glycol. The receiver can also include blenders, skimmers, and additional heaters to further skim, blend, or process the bituminous material collected in the chamber.

A receiver for irregularly shaped bricks cast from non-volatile bituminous material includes a receiver with a specialized storage chamber that can receive viscous bituminous material and a concave lid preferably modified with a radiant heating system that can accept and melt or soften arriving bricks. The lid includes multiple openings or other delivery routes that funnel the melted bituminous material to the chamber below. The radiant heating system can be electrical where cables or grids are embedded in the lid or where conductive materials coat or are distributed throughout the lid. Alternatively, the radiant heating system can be hydronic where channels or conduits are embedded in the lid to circulate heated liquid such as water or water mixed with propylene glycol. The receiver can also include blenders, skimmers, and additional heaters to further skim, blend, or process the bituminous material collected in the chamber.

A biofuel product having constituents selected from the group including fat, oil and/or grease components. A container is formed of a biodegradable material having a multiplicity of openings of a size and shape adapted for allowing the fat, oil and/or grease components to pass through the openings to an interior area of the container. An absorbent capture material is positioned in the container and holds a quantity of the fat, oil and/or grease. The container, capture material and fat, oil and/or grease collectively include the biofuel product.

A biofuel product having constituents selected from the group including fat, oil and/or grease components. A container is formed of a biodegradable material having a multiplicity of openings of a size and shape adapted for allowing the fat, oil and/or grease components to pass through the openings to an interior area of the container. An absorbent capture material is positioned in the container and holds a quantity of the fat, oil and/or grease. The container, capture material and fat, oil and/or grease collectively include the biofuel product.

Polymer pellets are formed using laminar gas flow within a downstream gas conduit, as may be implemented consistent with one or more embodiments herein. A gas channel directs gas to an outlet of a polymer extrusion mandrel via which a polymer melt is extruded. A downstream gas conduit extends away from the outlet of the polymer extrusion mandrel, and provides laminar gas flow along the polymer melt extending from the extrusion mandrel, and within the downstream gas conduit. Using this approach, laminar flow can be maintained along an initial portion of the polymer melt, and used to control the subsequent formation of pellets therefrom.