The present invention concerns a method for the removal of inorganic components such as potassium, sodium, chlorine, sulfur, phosphorus and heavy metals, from biomass of rural or forest or urban origin or even mixture of different origin biomasses, from low quality coals such as peat, lignite and sub-bituminous/bituminous coals, from urban/industrial origin residues/wastes, which are possible to include as much organic>5% weightas inorganic<95% weightcharge and from sewage treatment plant sludges. The desired goal is achieved with the physicochemical treatment of the raw material. The method can also include the thermal treatment, which can precede or follow the physicochemical one. The application of the thermal treatment depends on the nature and the particular characteristics of each raw material as well as on the feasibility analysis of the whole process in order to determine the optimization point in each case.

There is described a method of producing ()-levoglucosenone, said method comprising, heating lignin to a temperature in excess of 150 C. for a time sufficient to convert a proportion of the lignin to ()-evoglucosenone.

Process for the treatment of a feedstock containing biomass, the process including a) drying the feedstock at a temperature between 20 and 180 C. for a duration between 5 and 180 minutes, b) torrefaction of the feedstock originating from step a) in order to produce at least one torrefied biomass solid effluent, c) co-grinding the torrefied biomass solid effluent originating from step b), in the presence of at least one solid fossil feedstock in order to obtain a powder.

The invention is directed to a process to prepare a char product and a syngas mixture comprising hydrogen and carbon monoxide from a solid torrefied biomass feed comprising the following steps: (i) subjecting the solid biomass feed to a pyrolysis reaction thereby obtaining a gaseous fraction comprising hydrogen, carbon monoxide and a mixture of gaseous organic compounds and a solid fraction comprising of char particles; (ii) separating the char particles as the char product from the gaseous fraction; (iii) subjecting the gaseous fraction obtained in step (ii) to a continuously operated partial oxidation to obtain a syngas mixture further comprising water and having an elevated temperature and (iv) contacting the syngas mixture with a carbonaceous compound to chemically quench the syngas mixture. The temperature of the syngas is reduced in step (iv) from between 1000 and 1600 C. to a temperature of between 800 and 1200 C.

A method is disclosed for producing a mechanically stable, energy dense and water-resistant biomass product. By utilizing a unique two-step heating process in combination with mechanical compression, the resulting biomass product retains its physical shape and strength after immersion in ambient water for many hours. The treatment is effective for a variety of cellulosic biomass materials including forest slash wood.

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.

The present invention relates to a process for cooling hot torrefied biomass, which process comprises the steps of a) applying water onto the hot torrefied biomass, resulting in steam with entrained dust and organic volatiles, and cooled torrefied biomass comprising water; b) condensing the steam with entrained dust and organic volatiles to form a condensate comprising dust and organic volatiles; and c) recycling the condensate comprising dust and organic volatiles to step a). The invention also relates to a cooling device for cooling hot torrefied biomass enabling the cooling process according to the invention, and a system for producing torrefied biomass comprising such a cooling device.

The present invention relates to a method and system for torrefaction of biomass and combustion of generated torrefaction gases. The torrefaction gases released from the biomass during the torrefaction reaction are withdrawn from the reactor and into a first burning zone. A secondary stream of air is introduced to the first burning zone to combust the torrefaction gases whereupon hot flue gases are obtained. Part of the hot flue gases are directed to a mixing unit. The rest of the hot flue gas is directed to a second burning zone for complete combustion of the flue gases. The fully combusted flue gases obtained in the second burning zone are directed to a heat recovery unit where the temperature of the flue gas is decreased. Part of the cold flue gases are directed to the mixing unit where it is mixed with the hot flue gases such that a stream of cooled flue gases is obtained. The stream of the cooled flue gases are diverted into the torrefaction reactor for direct heating of the biomass.

A system and method for torrefying a combination of biomass and biochar colloidal dispersion is provided.

This method for roasting biomass, including the flow by gravity of the biomass from the top towards the bottom of a column (4) with a counter-current of hot gases flowing from the bottom towards the top of the column (4), with the establishment of an increasing temperature gradient from the top towards the bottom of the column (4), the recovery of the gases at the top of the column and their recycling at the bottom of the column (4) by way of a gas circuit (12) so that the gases flow in a closed loop in the column (4) and the gas circuit (12), and the heating of the gases recovered by passing them through a heat exchanger (16) before their recycling at the bottom of the column (4).