Some variations provide a biomedia composition comprising: from 50 wt % to 75 wt % total carbon, on a dry basis, according to ASTM D5373, wherein the total carbon is renewable according to ASTM D6866 (.sup.14C/.sup.12C isotopic ratio); from 20 wt % to 40 wt % oxygen, on a dry basis, according ASTM D5373; from 3 wt % to 10 wt % hydrogen, on a dry basis, according to ASTM D5373; and from 0.1 wt % to 2 wt % nitrogen, on a dry basis, according to ASTM D5373, wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by volatile-matter content from 50 wt % to 75 wt %, according to ASTM D3175; wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by ash content from 1 wt % to 25 wt %, according to ASTM D3174; and wherein the biomedia composition is characterized by moisture content from 0 to 75 wt %, according to ASTM D3173. Processes are also described to make and use the biomedia compositions.

A biomass upgrading process comprises a steam-cracking step for producing a granulated combustible product, and, prior to the granulation step, a step of mixing an intermediate pulverulent product resulting from the steam-cracking of the biomass and a pulverulent material having a high lignin content.

A process and apparatus are provided in the present invention for treatment of particulate biomass. The present process comprises a densification stage, a first treatment stage, a second treatment stage, a cooling stage; the present apparatus comprises a thermo-chemical treatment chamber which is a two-stage compact moving bed type including two compartments for pre-torrefaction and torrefaction and having a star or spider or ring formic hot gas distribution system equipped with at least one hot gas input and at least one hot gas output for each compartment, and at least one particulate biomass inlet and at least one particulate biomass outlet.

A modified dryer operates on a different principle from that used by the prior torrefaction plants. The subject invention utilizes thermal conduction to torrefy the biomass in a vibratory reactor in which a heated solid unperforated plate is sealed in the reactor to separate the biomass above from the gas used to heat the plate below. This permits using inert flue gas to heat the reactor which in turn permits the use of a cool air damping system to prevent thermal runaway. Also syngas evolved from the process is utilized to power a gas engine, the exhaust output of which is recirculated to heat the reactor plate. When the gas engine is coupled to an electric generator, waste energy is recovered for use in other parts of the plant or exported elsewhere.

Provided is a biomass pyrolysis apparatus comprising: a combustion furnace that produces a heat quantity by causing a stable property fuel to combust; a pyrolysis gasification furnace that produces a torrefied material, and a pyrolysis gas by pyrolyzing woody biomass by a heat quantity produced by the combustion furnace; and a pyrolysis gas introduction passage that introduces the pyrolysis gas from the pyrolysis gasification furnace into a boiler, into which the torrefied material is introduced.

An environmental friendly, continuous biomass torrefaction system is disclosed herein. This torrefaction system captures carbon dioxide (CO.sub.2) from the combustion gases generated in the process. A portion of the captured CO.sub.2 is recycled and used as the inert gas for torrefying biomass and cooling the torrefied biomass. The rest of the captured CO.sub.2 is stored.

The present document describes a catalyst to initiate microwave pyrolysis of waste, a process for the microwave pyrolysis of waste using the catalyst, as well as a microwave pyrolysis system.

A coal upgrade plant includes a dryer 1 that heats and dries coal before pyrolyzing the coal, and a scrubber 32 that treats a carrier gas discharged from the dryer 1 while catching a desorbed component desorbed from the coal when the coal is dried by the dryer 1. The coal upgrade plant further includes a carrier gas circulation path 22 that guides the carrier gas treated by the scrubber 32 to the dryer 1. A cyclone 28 is also provided on the upstream side of the scrubber 32. Thus, mercury and/or mercury-based substances generated in the dryer 1 can be removed.

The present invention provides a carbon-enriched biomass material, a method of producing the carbon-enriched biomass material, and a method for using the carbons-enriched biomass material. A lignocellulosic material is used as a starting material and is treated at elevated temperatures under partially oxidizing conditions in a reaction vessel which is isolated from the environment. The carbon enriched biomass can be used in domestic or industrial combustion processes.

A process for converting waste fibers to solid fuel is provided, including providing a supply of animal waste including the waste fibers in a predetermined quantity; washing the supply of animal waste for a predetermined washing period; dewatering the supply of animal waste by separating water from the waste fibers for a predetermined dewatering period; shedding the waste fibers for separating liquids from solids; compressing the dewatered and shed waste fibers to generate a plurality of briquettes; torrefying at least one of the plurality of briquettes in a torrefaction reactor using a heat source at a predetermined torrefying temperature for a predetermined torrefying period; removing the at least one of the plurality of briquettes from the reactor; and cooling the torrefaction reactor to reach a predetermined cooling temperature.