Infused high BTU combustion composition and method of making and using the same

• US 9,809,775 B2
• Filed: 11/04/2014
• Issued: 11/07/2017
• Est. Priority Date: 11/04/2013
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: IHB Technologies, Inc.
• Original Assignee: IHB Technologies, Inc.
• Inventors: Iverson, Hans E., Iverson, Kerstin K.
• Primary Examiner(s): MCAVOY, ELLEN M
• Application Number:
  US14/532,551
• Publication Number:
  US 20150121749A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,099 Days
• Field of Search: 44550-599, 44605, 44606
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 10/00 Use of additives to fuels or fires for particular purposes additives for liquid carbonaceous fuels characterised by their chemical nature C10L1/10; using binders for briquetting solid fuels C10L5/10; using additives to improve the combustion of solid fuels C10L9/10
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0469 Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2250/04 Additive or component is a polymer
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/24 Mixing, stirring of fuel components
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/28 Cutting, disintegrating, shredding or grinding
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/30 Pressing, compressing or compacting
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/146 with wax, e.g. paraffin wax
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/32 Coating
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/361 Briquettes
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/363 Pellets or granulates
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/406 on plastic
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/442 Wood or forestry waste
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/445 Agricultural waste, e.g. corn crops, grass clippings, nut shells or oil pressing residues
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 9/10 by using additives
• 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 organic fuel additive for improving the combustion of a bioenergy solid fuel product, the organic fuel additive comprising a mixture of combustible organic fines and a polymer material, wherein the polymer material encapsulates the combustible organic fines in solid form, and methods of making and using the same.

Claims

1. An organic fuel additive for improving the combustion of a bioenergy solid fuel product, the organic fuel additive comprising a microsphere of from 1.0 to 1.5 mm, the microsphere consisting essentially of a mixture of 50 wt. % combustible organic fines and 50 wt. % of a polymer material, wherein the combustible organic fines have a uniform particulate size distribution of from 0.05 microns to 1000 microns and are configured to be uniformly dispersed and encapsulated within the polymer material.

2. The solid fuel additive of claim 1 wherein the polymer material comprises a hydrocarbon wax.

3. The solid fuel additive of claim 2 wherein the hydrocarbon wax is a paraffin wax.

4. The solid fuel additive of claim 1 wherein said solid fuel additive is configured to be added to a biomass wherein the biomass comprises lignocellulose biomass.

5. The solid fuel additive of claim 4 wherein the biomass comprises lignocellulose biomass in the form of forestry, agricultural or energy crop biomass.

6. The solid fuel additive of claim 4 wherein the biomass comprises wood, wood residue, straw, hay cellulose, grass, grains, fruit shells and mixtures thereof.

7. The solid fuel additive of claim 1 wherein the combustible organic fines comprise an ultra high grade anthracite.

8. The solid fuel additive of claim 1 wherein the combustible organic fines comprise aspen or pine wood fines.

9. A solid fuel product comprising:

99 to 90 wt. % of a biomass; and

1 to 10 wt. % of a fuel additive for increasing the BTUs of the solid fuel product, the fuel additive comprising a microsphere of from 1.0 to 1.5 mm, said microsphere consisting essentially of 50 wt. % of combustible organic fines having a uniform particulate size distribution of 0.05 microns to 1000 microns and 50 wt. % of a polymer material, said combustible organic fines being uniformly dispersed within and encapsulated by the polymer material, said fuel additive configured to being infused into the biomass by subjecting it to temperatures of greater than or equal to 100 degrees C.

10. The solid fuel product of claim 9 wherein the biomass comprises forestry, energy crop of agricultural biomass and the combustible organic fines comprise a hard coal particulate or wood fines.

11. A method of making an organic fuel additive comprising:

providing 50 wt. % of a polymer material;

applying a temperature to the polymer material to effect a flowable liquid state of the polymer material;

mixing 50 wt. % combustible organic fines having a uniform particulate size distribution of from 0.05 microns to 1000 microns to the flowable liquid polymer material to create a free flowing full dispersed and suspended mixture of the organic fines in the polymer;

congealing the mixture at a temperature of 160 degrees F. to about 200 degrees F. to form droplets; and

forming the droplets into microspheres of from 1.0 to 1.5 mm, wherein the combustible organic fines are uniformly dispersed and encapsulated within the microspheres.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the milling comprises ball milling, bead milling, basket milling, roller milling, jet milling, pin milling, hammer milling or jaw milling.

13. The method of claim 11 further comprising mixing with or spraying the organic fuel additive on a biomass at a temperature of from 100 degrees F. to 260 degrees F.;

coating the surface area of the biomass with a thickness of about 100 microns to about 1000 microns of the organic fuel additive; and

compacting the fuel additive with the biomass under high pressure and elevated temperatures to a size of about 1 mm to 500 mm to form a bioenergy solid fuel product.

14. The method of claim 13 wherein the bioenergy solid fuel product is pelletized or briquetted.