Method for the bioactivation of biochar for use as a soil amendment

• US 10,273,195 B2
• Filed: 11/10/2016
• Issued: 04/30/2019
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carbon Technology Holding LLC
• Original Assignee: Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheiky, Michael C., Sills, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Langel, Wayne A
• Application Number:
  US15/348,464
• Publication Number:
  US 20170190633A1
• Time in Patent Office: 901 Days
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 9/00 Other inorganic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/02 from peat, brown coal, and similar vegetable deposits
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/08 Organic fertilisers containing added bacterial cultures, mycelia or the like
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 5/006 Waste from chemical processing of material, e.g. diestillation, roasting, cooking
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 9/04 Biological compost
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/80 Soil conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/04 applied in a physical form other than a solution or a grout, e.g. as granules or gases
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 47/44 with conveyor-screws
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 57/02 Multi-step carbonising or coking processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 7/10 with conveyor-screws
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/02 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/30 from carbon monoxide with hydrogen
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2300/1011 Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/02 Gasoline
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/04 Diesel oil
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/06 Gasoil
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2400/08 Jet fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/094 Char
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/02 essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/442 : Wood or forestry waste
• CPC Class Codes: Y02A 40/20 : Fertilizers of biological origin, e.g. guano or fertilizers made from animal corpses
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 : Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/30 : Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 : the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 30/20 : using bio-feedstock
• CPC Class Codes: Y02T 50/678 : Aviation using fuels of non-fossil origin

Abstract

A method for the production of an agent for enhancing soil growth is described, comprising: grinding a biomass feedstock to produce ground biomass particles; subjecting the ground biomass particles to a biofractioning process including an auger reactor; selectively collecting at least one volatile component as it is released from the ground biomass particles; collecting a last remaining nonvolatile component comprising BMF char; rendering a surface of the BMF char hydrophilic; exposing the BMF char to microorganisms; and adding the BMF char to soil.

Claims

1. A method or the production of an agent for enhancing soil growth, comprising:

subjecting biomass to a biofractioning process wherein the process comprises at least two biofractioning steps;

selectively collecting at least one volatile component as it is released from the biomass during biofractioning and retaining a nonvolatile component for further biofractioning;

collecting a last remaining nonvolatile component comprising BMF char; and

rendering a surface of the BMF char hydrophilic to produce an agent for enhancing soil growth by subjecting the BMF char to further processing comprising water infiltration, vacuum suction, ultrasonic processing, impact processing or introducing a water solution containing a soluble nutrient into the pores of the BMF char, where such processing for rendering the surface of the BMF char hydrophilic does not include the exclusive use of immersion of the biochar in a liquid solution in a steam laden atmosphere and does not include the exclusive use of immersion of the biochar in a liquid solution to remove absorbed gases.

2. The method of claim 1, further comprising controlling a pH of the BMF char via pH adjustment agents.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising activating the BMF char.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering a surface of the BMF char hydrophilic comprises removing adsorbed gas within char pores.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein rendering a surface of the BMF char hydrophilic comprises removing adsorbed hydrocarbons at a temperature above 400°

C.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein rendering a surface of the BMF char hydrophilic comprises removing adsorbed hydrocarbons at a temperature above 700°

C.

7. The method of claim 4, wherein removing adsorbed gas within char pores comprises removing adsorbed gases by water infiltration, vacuum suction, ultrasound, or impact.

8. The method of claim 4, wherein removing adsorbed gas within char pores comprises removing adsorbed gases by introducing a water solution containing soluble plant nutrients.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein subjecting the biomass to a biofractioning process comprises:

feeding the biomass into a reactor;

conveying the biomass through the reactor; and

heating the biomass as the biomass is conveyed through the reactor.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein subjecting the biomass to a biofractioning process comprises:

subjecting the biomass to ramps of temperature; and

selectively collecting various groups of compounds as they are released from the biomass.

11. The method of claim 10, wherein the ramps of temperature are increments over a range of times, pressure, or local working gas compositions.

12. A method for processing biomass, comprising:

loading biomass into one of a plurality of biomass reaction compartments;

heating the biomass in a first heating step to release low boiling point bio-compounds and pyrolysis fragments and;

advancing the heating biomass to a second of the plurality of biomass reaction compartments and heating the biomass to release a second stream of volatile compounds;

selectively collecting various compounds as they are released from the biomass;

collecting a last remaining nonvolatile components comprising BMF char; and

rendering a surface of the BMF char hydrophilic by subjecting the BMF char to further processing comprising water infiltration, vacuum suction, ultrasonic processing, impact processing or introducing a water solution containing a soluble nutrient into the pores of the BMF char, where such processing for rendering the surface of the BMF char hydrophilic does not include the exclusive use of immersion of the biochar in a liquid solution in a steam laden atmosphere and does not include the exclusive use of immersion of the biochar in a liquid solution to remove adsorbed gases.

13. The method of claim 12, wherein rendering a surface of the BMF char hydrophilic comprises removing adsorbed gas within char pores.

14. The method of claim 12, wherein rendering a surface of the BMF char hydrophilic comprises removing adsorbed hydrocarbons at a temperature above 400°

C.

15. The method of claim 14, wherein rendering a surface of the BMF char hydrophilic comprises removing adsorbed hydrocarbons at a temperature above 700°

C.

16. The method of claim 13, wherein removing adsorbed gas within char pores comprises removing adsorbed gases by water infiltration, vacuum suction, ultrasound, or impact.

17. The method of claim 13, wherein removing adsorbed gas within char pores comprises removing adsorbed gases by introducing a water solution containing soluble plant nutrients.

18. The method of claim 13 further comprising further heating the biomass in a second heating step at a higher temperature than said first heating step to drive off heavier biomass fragments.

19. The method of claim 13, wherein the heavier biomass fragments comprise sugar derived furans and lignin derived aromatics.