MEANS OF PROCESSING BIOMASS FOR USE IN INTERNAL COMBUSTION ENGINES

Abstract

Biomass is processed into a slurry (Heavy Biofuel Oil or HBFO) comprising a fuel slurry suitable for low and medium speed diesel engines or other suitable power equipment that is produced by subjecting biomass feedstock to steam explosion processing, washing and separating unwanted materials, micronization to a targeted size, de-ashing with high pressure steam combined with micronization, and separation by means of classification of unwanted materials and a slurrification processes to make the HBFO suitable for use in internal combustion engines, such as diesel engine systems.

Claims

1. A method of producing biomass-based liquefied processed carbon (Heavy Biofuel or HBFO) from biomass materials, the steps of the method comprising: de-ashing the biomass to reduce an alkali metals and chlorine content using a steam explosion process; steam jet mill micronizing the resulting processed biomass such that additional materials are removed resulting in particles having an average size of less than 20 microns in size; classifying the material by separation and removing larger harder unwanted materials; and slurrying the processed biomass with water and hydrocarbon fuels to form a stable micro-fluid meeting diesel engine technology company criteria including meeting an apparent equivalent Newtonian fluid viscosity of between 10 and 20 centiStokes.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising: milling a unit of biomass material using one or more milling units adapted to micronize the biomass with steam jet mills; washing the biomass material and repeatedly milling the biomass material with a steam jet mill to reduce the prevalence of one or more alkali metals in the unit of biomass; and classifying the micronized material and extracting the larger and harder biomass in the biomass material, the larger and harder biomass made up of a higher portion of silica and alumina.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeatedly steam jet milling the biomass material until the prevalence of silicon and aluminum is below 80 PPM and the prevalence of calcium is below 400 PPM before slurry preparation.

4. The method of claim 1, further comprising repeatedly steam jet milling the biomass material until the prevalence of silicon and aluminum is below 18 PPM and the prevalence of calcium is below 200 PPM before slurry preparation.

5. The method of claim 2, further comprising repeatedly steam jet milling the biomass material until the prevalence of silicon and aluminum is below 80 PPM and the prevalence of calcium is below 200 PPM in the resulting slurry fuel.

6. The method of claim 2, further comprising repeatedly steam jet milling the biomass material until the prevalence of silicon and aluminum is below 18 PPM and the prevalence of calcium is below 200 PPM in the resulting slurry fuel.

7. The method of claim 3, wherein the biomass material removed by classification is sent to a combustion system to be used as fuel to create steam for use in all of: the steam jet mill process, the water purification production process, and power generation with steam produced.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein the biomass material removed by classification is sent to a combustion system to be used as fuel to create steam for use in all of: the steam jet mill process, the water purification production process, and power generation with steam produced.

9. The method of claim 5, wherein the biomass material removed by classification is sent to a combustion system to be used as fuel to create steam for use in all of: the steam jet mill process, the water purification production process, and power generation with steam produced.

10. The method of claim 3, wherein the biomass material removed by classification is sent to a combustion system to be used as fuel to create steam for use in all of: the steam jet mill process, the water purification production process, and power generation with steam produced.

11. The method of claim 3, wherein the biomass material removed by during processing is used to produce fertilizer.

12. The method of claim 4, wherein the biomass material removed during processing is used to produce fertilizer.

13. The method of claim 5, wherein the biomass material removed during processing is used to produce fertilizer.

14. The method of claim 6, wherein the biomass material removed during processing is used to produce fertilizer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0034] In order that the advantages of the invention will be readily understood, a more particular description of the invention will be rendered by reference to specific embodiments that are illustrated in the appended drawings. Understanding that these drawings depict only typical embodiments of the invention and are not therefore to be considered to be limiting of its scope, the invention will be described and explained with additional specificity and detail through the use of the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0035] FIG. 1 sets forth a block diagram showing the typical biomass processing paths to produce a biofuel formulation by existing process in accordance with the present invention;

[0036] FIG. 2 sets forth a basic process flow diagram of a method of biomass processing treatment for producing a diesel engine fuel grade bio-fuel for fuel for diesel systems in accordance with the present invention;

[0037] FIG. 3 sets forth a basic process flow diagram of a method of biomass processing treatment production with a milling step to an intermediate size and then washed to remove soluble materials followed by additional treatment to create diesel engine fuel grade biomass for creating a slurry for fueling diesel engine systems in accordance with the present invention;

[0038] FIG. 4 sets forth a basic process flow diagram of a method of biomass based diesel fuel production with extracted components that will contain high ash levels being directed to a combustion system to produce steam or power for processing and purified water or power to create biomass based liquefied processed carbon slurry fuel in accordance with the present invention; and

[0039] FIG. 5 sets forth a basic process flow diagram of a method of biomass based diesel fuel production with extracted components that will contain high ash levels being directed to produce a fertilizer product from the extracted elements from the process used to create biomass based liquefied processed carbon slurry fuel in accordance with the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0040] Reference throughout this specification to one embodiment, an embodiment, or similar language means that a particular feature, structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Appearances of the phrases in one embodiment, in an embodiment, and similar language throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, all refer to the same embodiment.

[0041] The described features, structures, or characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. In the following description, numerous specific details are provided. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize, however, that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific details, or with other methods, components, materials, and so forth. In other instances, well-known structures, materials, or operations are not shown or described in detail to avoid obscuring aspects of the invention.

[0042] It is an objective of the present invention to successfully address the problems associated with traditional biomass as fuel for internal combustion engines and some forms of turbine generation systems. The present invention provides modifications in the steam explosion biomass processing that conditions biomass by adding a steam jet processing additional step to continue removing the contaminants that are water soluble or susceptible to extraction from the steam conditions to acceptable levels prior to the final biomass refining process and in addition utilizing the steam jet process to micronize such processed biomass such that said fuel grade biomass can mixed with liquid elements and create a slurry suitable for the fuel delivery system and operation of a diesel engine.

[0043] A process that reduces quantities of certain elements inherent in biomass that lead to abrasive ash such as silicon oxides (silicates) or aluminum oxides and calcium compounds to acceptable levels in the fuel grade biomass after the biomass has been processed in the steam explosion system and the micronization of such processed biomass with a size particle separation system to remove abrasive or fouling impurities targeted for extraction and production of a slurry with said micronized biomass using well know commercially available slurry processes.

[0044] A process that uses materials extracted during the biomass refining process and uses those extracted materials in a product or in a process to create additional value or reduce material waste from said processing. Such processes would produce a biomass based fuel product that would be capable of use in a diesel engine or specialized turbine with acceptable wear characteristics. These and other aspects of the present invention are realized in a method and system for producing biomass based fuels as shown and described in the following figures and related description.

[0045] FIG. 2 sets forth a basic process flow diagram for key steps of a method of biomass treatment for biomass feedstock to create diesel engine fuel grade biomass fuel for fuel for diesel engine systems. FIG. 2 shows suitable raw biomass input 202 to a steam explosion process 204. That steam exploded material is then milled 206 using a steam jet to a set level and subjected then washed with such steam jet in 208 to remove any soluble material exposed from the milling process in 206. The milled material is subjected to a classification system involving a fluidic (air or flotation) or electrostatic separation system to separate larger particles and any remaining particles that contain a high percentage of unwanted abrasive or fouling material 210. The biomass material is then tested 211 for conformity to a set criteria. If some portion of the classified biomass material does not satisfy the criteria it is returned to 206 for further processing and if any of the biomass meets the criteria it is sent to the slurry production step 212 for mixing to produce the stable biomass based diesel fuel in 214.

[0046] FIG. 3 sets forth a basic process flow diagram of a method of biomass treatment for biomass feedstock to create diesel engine fuel grade biomass fuel for fuel for diesel engine systems. FIG. 3 comprises suitable raw biomass input 302 to a steam explosion process 304. That steam exploded material is then milled using a steam jet to a set level 306 and subjected then washed in a separate step 308 to remove unwanted particles that could damage engine systems. Unwanted material from such wash is removed at 307. That processed biomass material is then milled using a steam jet to a set level 310 and subjected then washed with steam jet in 312 to remove any soluble material exposed from the milling process at 310 and the subjected material at the same time is exposed to the steam jet and any unwanted material is removed at 309. In 312, the material from the milling and cleaning process in 310 is subjected to a classification system (or step) or an electrostatic separation to separate unwanted particles remaining or particles which contain a high percentage of harder abrasive or potentially fouling material 312 and such unwanted material is removed from the processing at 320. The remaining biomass material is then tested 313 for conformity to a set criteria and if it does not meet the criteria it is returned to 310 for further processing and if the biomass meets the criteria it is sent to the slurry production step 314 for mixing with blending inputs 318 to produce the stable biomass based diesel fuel in 316.

[0047] FIG. 4 sets forth a basic process flow diagram of a method of biomass treatment for biomass feedstock to create diesel engine fuel grade biomass fuel for fuel for diesel engine systems. FIG. 4 comprises suitable raw biomass input 402 to a steam explosion process 404. That steam exploded material is then milled using a steam jet to a set level 406 and subjected then washed in a separate step 408 to remove hard particle that could impede micronization.

[0048] Biomass material remaining is then milled using a steam jet to a set level 410 and subjected then washed with steam jet with unwanted material extracted at 409. In 412 the milled and cleaned material is subjected to a size classification separation system or to an electrostatic separation system to separate any particles remaining that contain a high percentage of harder abrasive or potentially fouling material 412. Any materials removed in processes steps shown at 407, 409, and 411 are directed to a combustion system to produce steam 414 and 416, purified water 416 or power 417 as shown as 414, 416 and 417 as directed to other input point in the production process. The biomass material is then test for conformity to a set criteria and if it does not meet the criteria it is returned to 410 for further processing and if the biomass meets the criteria it is sent to the slurry production step 419 for mixing with suitable blending components at 416 to produce the stable biomass based diesel fuel in 420.

[0049] FIG. 5 shows the same biomass processing steps as FIG. 4 but the materials removed from the biomass in some or all stages of material separation at 507, 509, 526 and go to a process to create a fertilizer material at 522.

[0050] In some embodiments, fuel injectors are replaced or retrofit with units designed to handle the volume of biofuel slurry required to combust the amount of thermal energy the engine was designed for the thermal energy equivalent of the gaseous fuel, distillate oil or heavy fuel oil the engine was designed for combusting to maintain the same mechanical power output.

[0051] In some embodiments, common rail injection components are replaced or retrofit which are designed to handle the volume of biofuel slurry fuel required to be injected to provide the thermal energy equivalent of the distillate oil or heavy fuel of the engine or turbine was designed for combusting to maintain the same mechanical power output.

[0052] Reference throughout this specification to features, advantages, or similar language does not imply that all of the features and advantages that may be realized with the present invention should be or are in any single embodiment of the invention. Rather, language referring to the features and advantages is understood to mean that a specific feature, advantage, or characteristic described in connection with an embodiment is included in at least one embodiment of the present invention. Thus, discussion of the features and advantages, and similar language, throughout this specification may, but do not necessarily, refer to the same embodiment.

[0053] Furthermore, the described features, advantages, and characteristics of the invention may be combined in any suitable manner in one or more embodiments. One skilled in the relevant art will recognize that the invention may be practiced without one or more of the specific features or advantages of a particular embodiment. In other instances, additional features and advantages may be recognized in certain embodiments that may not be present in all embodiments of the invention.

[0054] These features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following description and appended claims, or may be learned by the practice of the invention as set forth hereinafter.

[0055] The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The described embodiments are to be considered in all respects only as illustrative and not restrictive. The scope of the invention is, therefore, indicated by the appended claims rather than by the foregoing description. All changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency of the claims are to be embraced within their scope.