Organically clean biomass fuel

• US 20040159042A1
• Filed: 01/13/2004
• Published: 08/19/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 02/06/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Ecoem, LLC
• Original Assignee: Ecoem, LLC
• Inventors: Murcia, Philippe R.
• Granted Patent: US 6,818,027 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 44/500
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/361 Briquettes
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/365 Logs
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/44 on vegetable substances
• 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

Abstract

An organically clean biomass fuel formed of mixture of a powder, which may be either dried, cellulosic product, wood charcoal powder, and/or a combination of the two, and a fluid, which may be vegetable oil, vegetable alcohol or a combination of the two. A centrifugal machine dries moist, cellulosic product and extracts black liquor. A grinder transforms the dried, cellulosic product into powder. Gum may be extracted from the vegetable oil or vegetable alcohol. A batch mixer or vibrating vessel mixes the powder and the fluid together; the fluid moisturizes the powder. Depending upon the relative amount of the fluid as compared to powder, the mixture will either be in a liquid cream state or a doughy state. If the latter, the mixture may be pressed into briquettes or ingots.

Claims

1. An organically clean biomass fuel, comprising a mixture of a powder and a fluid, the powder having an average fiber length of at most 500 micrometers and including a constituent selected from a group consisting of a cellulosic powder, a wood charcoal powder, and any combination thereof, the fluid including a constituent selected from a group consisting of a vegetable oil, a vegetable alcohol and any combination thereof, the powder being substantially free of black liquor and tar.

2. An organically clean biomass fuel of claim 1, wherein the mixture is in a pressed state forming a briquette.

3. An organically clean biomass fuel of claim 1, wherein the mixture is in a pressed state forming an ingot weighing at least two pounds.

4. An organically clean biomass fuel of claim 1, wherein the mixture is in a doughy state at room temperature.

5. An organically clean biomass fuel of claim 1, wherein the mixture is in a viscous, liquidy cream state at room temperature.

6. An organically clean biomass fuel of claim 1, wherein the fluid is substantially free of gum.

7. A method of forming an organically clean biomass fuel, comprising mixing a powder having an average fiber length of at most 500 micrometers with a fluid that moisturizes same to form a mixture that constitutes the organcially clean biomass fuel, the powder including a constituent selected from a group consisting of cellulosic powder, wood charcoal powder and any combination thereof, the fluid including a constituent selected from a group consisting of vegetable oil, vegetable alcohol, and any combination thereof, the powder being substantially free of black liquor and tar.

8. A method of claim 7, further comprising drying a cellulosic product and grinding same to form the cellulosic powder, and extracting black liquor from the cellulosic product.

9. A method of claim 7, wherein the moisturizing includes spraying the fluid in micro droplets onto the powder.

10. A method of claim 7, further comprising mixing the powder and fluid to provide a doughy texture.

11. A method of claim 7, further comprising bagging or boxing the mixture with the doughy texture.

12. A method of claim 11, further comprising pressing the mixture with the doughy texture into at least one of ingots and briquettes.

13. A method of claim 7, further comprising mixing the powder and the fluid into a mixture having a viscous, liquidy cream state at room temperature.

14. A method of claim 13, further comprising pouring the mixture into a liquid-tight container.

15. An apparatus to form an organically clean biomass fuel, comprising a source of powder having an average fiber length of at most 500 micrometers and being substantially free of black liquor and tar, a source of fluid to moisturize the powder, and a mixer arranged to mix the source of powder and the source of fluid to form a mixture that constitutes the organically clean biomass fuel, the source of powder including a constituent selected from a group consisting of cellulosic powder, wood charcoal powder and any combination thereof, the fluid including a constituent selected from a group consisting of vegetable oil, vegetable alcohol and any combination thereof.

16. An apparatus of claim 15, further comprising a grinder arranged to grind a starting material into the source of powder, the starting material being selected from a group consisting of a dry cellulosic product, wood charcoal and any combination thereof.

17. An apparatus of claim 16, further comprising a centrifugal machine arranged to dry the starting material.

18. An apparatus as in claim 17, further comprising an collector of black liquor extracted from the starting material during drying of the starting material.

19. An apparatus as in claim 18, wherein the mixer is configured to mix the powder and the fluid together to form a mixture with a doughy texture, further comprising a pressing machine arranged to press the mixture with the doughy texture into ingots or briquettes.