Various techniques are described for enhanced combustion of hot water extraction (HWE) derived liquor. For example, the HWE derived liquor can be pre-treated prior to introduction into a combustion chamber. The pre-treatment can include subjecting HWE derived liquor to filtration to remove suspended solids, evaporation to produce a first stage concentrated HWE liquor; additional concentration to produce a second stage concentrated HWE liquor; additional filtration to remove additional suspended solids; and pre-heating to produce a preheated HWE liquor. The preheated HWE liquor can be atomized and combined with pre-heated combustion air supplied into a combustion chamber to effect combustion of the HWE derived liquor.

Mineral additives and a method for operating a waste-to-energy furnace are provided in order to improve its operational performance and availability, increase the lifetime of the combustor building materials (refractory walls and heat-exchanger metallic tubes) and flue gas treatment equipment, improve ash quality, reduce emissions and avoid combustion problems such as agglomeration, slagging, deposition, and corrosion. A method for operating a waste-to-energy furnace, such as a fluidized bed reactor, pulverized-fuel combustor, grate combustor includes introducing mineral additive into the furnace. The method further includes heating at least a portion of the mineral additive either intimately in contact with the fuel, such that the ability of mineral additive to induce crystallization of the surface of forming ashes is enhanced, or minimizing the contact of the mineral additive with the fuel and the forming ashes, such that the solid-gas reactions between the mineral additive and the volatile compounds in the flue gas are favored and the mineral additive power to capture at least a portion of the inorganic volatile compounds present in the furnace is enhanced.

A system for digesting biodigestible feed that preferably includes the steps of comminuting the feed, introducing feed, an oxygen-containing gas, an accelerant, and bacteria into a digestion zone, the bacteria being suitable for digesting the feed under aerobic, anaerobic, and anoxic conditions. The contents of the digestion zone can be changed from aerobic operation to either anoxic or anaerobic operation, or vice versa, without changing the bacteria in the digestion zone.

A treatment method and apparatus is provided to effectively use a combustible waste such as waste plastic, waste tires, rice husk, wood shavings, PKS, RDF and sludge while maintaining stable operation; to improve the combustion efficiency of a fossil fuel such as coal and coke; and furthermore to reduce the NOx concentration in a cement kiln exhaust gas. An apparatus 1 for treating a combustible, the apparatus comprising: a mixer 3 for mixing a combustible C with a preheated raw material R2, which has a temperature of 600° C. or higher and 900° C. or lower and which is drawn from a preheater cyclone of a cement burning device 10, to gasify the combustible; and a feeder 5 for feeding the gasified combustible and the preheated raw material (mixed raw material M) to a region from an inlet end 13a of the cement burning device to a calciner 12. When the combustible and the preheated raw material are mixed, moisture may be added to cause water gas shift reaction, and the resultant water gas and the preheated raw material may be introduced to the region from the inlet end of the cement burning device to the calciner.

Various techniques are described for enhanced combustion of hot water extraction (HWE) derived liquor. For example, the HWE derived liquor can be pre-treated prior to introduction into a combustion chamber. The pre-treatment can include subjecting HWE derived liquor to filtration to remove suspended solids, evaporation to produce a first stage concentrated HWE liquor; additional concentration to produce a second stage concentrated HWE liquor; additional filtration to remove additional suspended solids; and pre-heating to produce a preheated HWE liquor. The preheated HWE liquor can be atomized and combined with pre-heated combustion air supplied into a combustion chamber to effect combustion of the HWE derived liquor.

Mineral additives and a method for operating a waste-to-energy furnace are provided in order to improve its operational performance and availability, increase the lifetime of the combustor building materials (refractory walls and heat-exchanger metallic tubes) and flue gas treatment equipment, improve ash quality, reduce emissions and avoid combustion problems such as agglomeration, slagging, deposition, and corrosion. A method for operating a waste-to-energy furnace, such as a fluidized bed reactor, pulverized-fuel combustor, grate combustor includes introducing mineral additive into the furnace. The method further includes heating at least a portion of the mineral additive either intimately in contact with the fuel, such that the ability of mineral additive to induce crystallization of the surface of forming ashes is enhanced, or minimizing the contact of the mineral additive with the fuel and the forming ashes, such that the solid-gas reactions between the mineral additive and the volatile compounds in the flue gas are favored and the mineral additive power to capture at least a portion of the inorganic volatile compounds present in the furnace is enhanced.

A process for producing biocoke is provided, comprising: providing a heated biogas stream comprising carbon-containing vapors; providing a kinetic interface media, in solid form; introducing the kinetic interface media and the heated biogas stream to a kinetic interface reactor, operated to convert at least some of the carbon-containing vapors to biocoke; removing the solid biocoke-containing kinetic interface media from the kinetic interface reactor; and recovering the solid biocoke-containing kinetic interface media. Other variations provide a process for producing biocoke, comprising: providing a bioliquid stream comprising carbon-containing liquids; providing a kinetic interface media, in solid form; introducing the kinetic interface media and the bioliquid stream to a kinetic interface reactor, operated to convert at least some of the carbon-containing liquids to biocoke; removing the solid biocoke-containing kinetic interface media from the kinetic interface reactor; and recovering the solid biocoke-containing kinetic interface media. Many embodiments are described.

A process for producing biocoke is provided, comprising: providing a heated biogas stream comprising carbon-containing vapors; providing a kinetic interface media, in solid form; introducing the kinetic interface media and the heated biogas stream to a kinetic interface reactor, operated to convert at least some of the carbon-containing vapors to biocoke; removing the solid biocoke-containing kinetic interface media from the kinetic interface reactor; and recovering the solid biocoke-containing kinetic interface media. Other variations provide a process for producing biocoke, comprising: providing a bioliquid stream comprising carbon-containing liquids; providing a kinetic interface media, in solid form; introducing the kinetic interface media and the bioliquid stream to a kinetic interface reactor, operated to convert at least some of the carbon-containing liquids to biocoke; removing the solid biocoke-containing kinetic interface media from the kinetic interface reactor; and recovering the solid biocoke-containing kinetic interface media. Many embodiments are described.

Low carbon atomic number mixed alcohol gel paste or pancake and straw charcoal grate combination of ignition agent, with fossil fuels such as bituminous coal lignite, straw branches and other agricultural and forestry waste, polyolefin and other synthetic organic polymer waste, other combustible solid and semi-solid low-value raw fuels, with non-toxic auxiliary materials carefully crafted high volatile column ignition coal and lower coal, are stacked in the insulation—fire-resistant furnace core. Throw in a small strip of burning paper to ignite the igniter from the top, that is, start long flame combustion, followed by the ignition coal on fire, its surface red hot coal layer will be designed to move down more quickly and gradually, to the lower coal on fire.

Mineral additive blend compositions and a method for operating a furnace are provided in order to avoid combustion problems such as agglomeration, deposition, corrosion and reducing emissions. A method for operating a furnace, such as a fluidized-bed reactor, pulverized-fuel combustor, and grate combustor, includes introducing fuel and a mineral additive blend including a clay and a functional mineral into the furnace.