The present disclosure describes a low-energy method of producing biocharcoal from woody and/or non-woody biomass, comprising pretreating the woody and/or non-woody biomass to completely or partially remove lignin, hemicellulose and other non-cellulose components of the biomass; drying the pretreated biomass; and pyrolyzing the dried biomass to produce biocharcoal.

The present disclosure describes a low-energy method of producing biocharcoal from woody and/or non-woody biomass, comprising pretreating the woody and/or non-woody biomass to completely or partially remove lignin, hemicellulose and other non-cellulose components of the biomass; drying the pretreated biomass; and pyrolyzing the dried biomass to produce biocharcoal.

The purpose is to produce inactivated coal in a short time while preventing spontaneous combustion. A coal inactivation processing apparatus for inactivating coal with an oxygen-containing process gas, wherein the coal inactivation processing apparatus comprises a kiln assembly (103) for passing coal (4) from the base-end side to the distal-end side therein, base-end-side process gas supply means (121-125) for supplying a process gas (13) to the base-end side of the interior of the kiln assembly (103), distal-end-side process gas supply means (131-135) for supplying a process gas (14) to the distal-end side of the interior of the kiln assembly (103), process gas oxygen concentration adjusting means (124a, 134a, 135, 136a) for adjusting the oxygen concentration of the process gases (13, 14) supplied into the kiln assembly (103), and a cooling device (160) for cooling the coal (4) inside the kiln assembly (103).

The purpose is to produce inactivated coal in a short time while preventing spontaneous combustion. A coal inactivation processing apparatus for inactivating coal with an oxygen-containing process gas, wherein the coal inactivation processing apparatus comprises a kiln assembly (103) for passing coal (4) from the base-end side to the distal-end side therein, base-end-side process gas supply means (121-125) for supplying a process gas (13) to the base-end side of the interior of the kiln assembly (103), distal-end-side process gas supply means (131-135) for supplying a process gas (14) to the distal-end side of the interior of the kiln assembly (103), process gas oxygen concentration adjusting means (124a, 134a, 135, 136a) for adjusting the oxygen concentration of the process gases (13, 14) supplied into the kiln assembly (103), and a cooling device (160) for cooling the coal (4) inside the kiln assembly (103).

A continuous process and apparatus for treating dried coal and coal char to promote passivation of the reactive carbon particles by forming a protective oxide coating and simultaneously adding moisture to rehydrate said particles. The passivation process is conducted in a novel apparatus providing for the staged control of the reaction temperature and the staged introduction of both oxygen and moisture. The fluidized bed apparatus has internal in-bed cooling means embedded within the fluidized coal or coal char particles so as to remove the heat energy as it is released by virtue of the exothermic passivation reactions.

A coal deactivation treatment device for deactivating of coal by means of a treatment gas that is a mixture of air and nitrogen gas is provided with, among other things: a treatment column inside of which coal flows from the top to the bottom; treatment gas feed means, and the like, for feeding treatment gas to the inside of the treatment column; humidifying heaters for heating and humidifying the treatment gas such that the treatment gas fed to the inside of the treatment column can maintain a relative humidity of 35% or greater, even at 95 C.; a temperature sensor and a control device for adjusting the temperature inside the treatment column such that the inside of the treatment column is maintained at a relative humidity of 35% or greater and a temperature of 95 C. or lower.

A coal deactivation treatment device for deactivating of coal by means of a treatment gas that is a mixture of air and nitrogen gas is provided with, among other things: a treatment column inside of which coal flows from the top to the bottom; treatment gas feed means, and the like, for feeding treatment gas to the inside of the treatment column; humidifying heaters for heating and humidifying the treatment gas such that the treatment gas fed to the inside of the treatment column can maintain a relative humidity of 35% or greater, even at 95 C.; a temperature sensor and a control device for adjusting the temperature inside the treatment column such that the inside of the treatment column is maintained at a relative humidity of 35% or greater and a temperature of 95 C. or lower.

Provided is an oxidation equipment for oxidizing a raw material containing at least one of carbonized coal and a torrefied biomass, the oxidation equipment including: a main body unit forming a fluidized bed; a gas supply unit supplying an oxygen-containing gas so that the raw material flows; a gas discharge unit discharging gas which has passed through the fluidized bed; a cooling unit cooling an oxidized product obtained by oxidizing the raw material; and a delivery unit delivering the oxidized product from the cooling unit, in which the main body unit has a first pressure measurement unit in a freeboard portion and a second pressure measurement unit in a portion through which the fluidized bed passes, and the delivery unit has a delivery amount control unit that controls the delivery amount of the oxidized product based on a differential pressure of the first and second pressure measurement units.

Provided is an oxidation equipment for oxidizing a raw material containing at least one of carbonized coal and a torrefied biomass, the oxidation equipment including: a main body unit forming a fluidized bed; a gas supply unit supplying an oxygen-containing gas so that the raw material flows; a gas discharge unit discharging gas which has passed through the fluidized bed; a cooling unit cooling an oxidized product obtained by oxidizing the raw material; and a delivery unit delivering the oxidized product from the cooling unit, in which the main body unit has a first pressure measurement unit in a freeboard portion and a second pressure measurement unit in a portion through which the fluidized bed passes, and the delivery unit has a delivery amount control unit that controls the delivery amount of the oxidized product based on a differential pressure of the first and second pressure measurement units.

A thermochemical oxidation reactor operably extracts energy from solid solar thermochemical fuel. In another aspect, an oxidation reactor includes a main reactor chamber and an extraction tube connected to the main reactor chamber to directly draw hot gas therefrom. In still a further aspect, an oxidation zone of a thermochemical oxidation reactor has an internal chamber with a larger cross-sectional area A as compared to internal cross-sectional areas B and C of adjacent recuperation and quenching zones of the reactor.