Method for enhancing soil growth using bio-char

• US 8,236,085 B1
• Filed: 12/01/2011
• Issued: 08/07/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 06/06/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Carbon Technology Holding LLC
• Original Assignee: Cool Planet Biofuels, Inc. (Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.)
• Inventors: Cheiky, Michael, Sills, Ronald A., Jarand, Mark L.
• Primary Examiner(s): Langel, Wayne
• Application Number:
  US13/308,801
• Time in Patent Office: 250 Days
• Field of Search: 423/445.R, 71/6, 71/11, 71/31, 71/32, 71/54, 71/63, 719/03
• US Class Current: 71/6
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/05 Preparation or purification of carbon not covered by groups C01B32/15, C01B32/20, C01B32/25, C01B32/30
• CPC Class Codes: C05D 9/00 Other inorganic fertilisers
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 11/00 Other organic 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: C05G 3/00 Mixtures of one or more fertilisers with additives not having a specially fertilising activity
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 3/80 Soil conditioners
• CPC Class Codes: C05G 5/40 Fertilisers incorporated into a matrix
• CPC Class Codes: C09K 17/02 containing inorganic compounds only
• 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 53/02 of cellulose-containing material production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 57/005 After-treatment of coke, e.g. calcination desulfurization
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 57/02 Multi-step carbonising or coking processes
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/14 Fungi culture of mushrooms A01G18/00; as new plants A01H15/00; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: C12N 1/20 Bacteria; Culture media therefor
• CPC Class Codes: Y02E 50/10 Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel
• CPC Class Codes: Y02P 20/145 the feedstock being materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 71/903 Soil conditioner

Abstract

A method is described for rendering char from a biomass fractionator apparatus (BMF char) suitable for addition to soil in high concentrations, the method relying on multiple processes comprising removing detrimental hydrocarbons from BMF char, removing adsorbed gases from BMF char, introducing microorganisms to the BMF char, and adjusting soil pH.

Claims

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

grinding a biomass feedstock to produce ground biomass particles;

subjecting the ground biomass particles to sequential or concurrent ramps of temperature and pressure shocks;

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 after collecting the BMF char by removing adsorbed gas within char pores by water infiltration, vacuum suction, ultrasonic means, or impact means;

exposing the BMF char to microorganisms after rendering the surface hydrophilic; and

then

adding the BMF char to soil after exposing the BMF char to microorganisms.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass particles are ground to a diameter between about 0.001 inch and about 1 inch.

3. The method of claim 1, further comprising dispensing the ground biomass particles into thin sheets whose total thickness is a multiple of the ground biomass particle diameter before subjecting the ground biomass particles to sequential or concurrent ramps of temperature and pressure shocks wherein the multiple is any real number in the range of 1 to 30.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the biomass feedstock is used to produce different BMF chars based on a composition of the biomass feedstock.

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure shocks vary in magnitude from 0.2 MPa to 10 GPa, wherein an admixture of pressure shocks of differing magnitudes is combined with pressure shocks applied over a range of times.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature ramp includes a sufficiently high temperature to create a nonvolatile carbonaceous material within the ground biomass particles.

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure shocks increase thermal conductivity of formed nonvolatile carbonaceous material within the ground biomass particles.

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the temperature ramps and pressure shocks are conducted in an atmosphere containing a supercritical fluid.

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the pressure shocks decrease the effective density of the ground biomass particles.

10. The method of claim 1, wherein a pH of the BMF char is controlled via pH adjustment agents.

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the BMF char is activated.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein a pH of the soil is modified to accept the addition of BMF char.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the microorganisms include members of at least one of fungi, bacteria or archaea.

14. The method of claim 13, wherein fungi are members of the phyla Glomeromycota.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the BMF char contains glomalin structures.

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

grinding a biomass feedstock to produce ground biomass particles having a diameter between about 0.001 inch and about 1 inch;

dispensing the ground biomass particles into thin sheets whose total thickness is a multiple of the ground biomass particle diameter;

subjecting the ground biomass particles to sequential or concurrent ramps of temperature and pressure shocks;

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 after collecting the BMF char by removing adsorbed gas within char pores by water infiltration, vacuum suction, ultrasonic means, or impact means;

adding the BMF char to soil after rendering the surface hydrophilic; and

then exposing the BMF char to microorganisms.