Method for making sequesterable biochar

• US 9,963,650 B2
• Filed: 05/27/2016
• Issued: 05/08/2018
• Est. Priority Date: 07/25/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Cool Planet Energy Systems, Inc.
• Inventors: Cheiky, Michael C., Sills, Ronald A.
• Primary Examiner(s): Toomer, Cephia D
• Application Number:
  US15/167,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20160272904A1
• Time in Patent Office: 711 Days
• 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: C01B 32/366 by physical processes, e.g. by irradiation, by using electric current passing through carbonaceous feedstock or by using recyclable inert heating bodies
• CPC Class Codes: C01B 32/50 Carbon dioxide
• 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 17/60 Heating or cooling during the treatment
• CPC Class Codes: C05F 9/04 Biological compost
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 47/02 with stationary charge
• CPC Class Codes: C10B 47/12 in which the charge is subjected to mechanical pressures during coking
• 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: C10G 1/008 Controlling or regulating of liquefaction processes
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/02 by distillation
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 1/10 from rubber or rubber waste
• CPC Class Codes: C10G 2/32 with the use of catalysts
• 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 2400/08 Jet fuel
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0903 Feed preparation
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0916 : Biomass
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/092 : Wood, cellulose
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/0946 : Waste, e.g. MSW, tires, glass, tar sand, peat, paper, lignite, oil shale
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 2300/1656 : Conversion of synthesis gas to chemicals
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/002 : Horizontal gasifiers, e.g. belt-type gasifiers
• CPC Class Codes: C10J 3/62 : with separate withdrawal of the distillation products
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/02 : essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 1/04 : essentially based on blends of hydrocarbons
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2200/0469 : Renewables or materials of biological origin
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/02 : Combustion or pyrolysis
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 2290/06 : Heat exchange, direct or indirect
• CPC Class Codes: C10L 5/447 : Carbonized vegetable substances, e.g. charcoal, or produced by hydrothermal carbonization of biomass
• CPC Class Codes: E21B 41/0064 : Carbon dioxide sequestration storing fluids in porous layers B65G5/005
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 30/018 : Certifying business or products
• 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
• CPC Class Codes: Y02W 30/40 : Bio-organic fraction processing; Production of fertilisers from the organic fraction of waste or refuse

Abstract

A method and process is described for producing negative carbon fuel. In its broadest form, a carbon-containing input is converted to combustible fuels, refinery feedstock, or chemicals and a carbonaceous solid concurrently in separate and substantially uncontaminated form. In an embodiment of the invention, biomass is converted via discrete increasing temperatures under pressure to blendable combustible fuels and a carbonaceous solid. The carbonaceous solid may be reacted to synthesis gas, sold as charcoal product, carbon credits, used for carbon offsets, or sequestered.

Claims

1. A method for making sequesterable biochar from a carbon-containing input, comprising:

subjecting a carbon-containing input to a pyrolysis process to obtain a volatile gas stream and an inert carbonaceous solid, wherein the volatile gas stream and the inert carbonaceous solid are formed as separate components in the process and wherein a portion of the carbon from the carbon-containing input is contained in the inert carbonaceous solid;

converting the volatile gas stream to one or more of combustible fuels, fuel blend stocks, refinery or chemical feedstock, refinery or chemical intermediates or chemicals; and

removing hydrocarbons from the inert carbonaceous solid to provide a sequesterable biochar.

3. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the carbon-containing input comprises biomass.

4. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein removing hydrocarbons from the inert carbonaceous solid renders the carbonaceous solid more hydrophilic.

5. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein removing hydrocarbons from the inert carbonaceous solid comprises subjecting the inert carbonaceous solid to temperatures above 700°

C.

6. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising activating the inert carbonaceous solid.

7. The method of claim 6, wherein activating the inert carbonaceous solid comprises reacting the inert carbonaceous solid with steam, H₂O or O₂.

8. The method of claim 6, wherein activating the inert carbonaceous solid increases the surface area of the inert carbonaceous solid.

9. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising removing adsorbed gases from the inert carbonaceous solid.

10. The method of claim 9, wherein removing adsorbed gases from the inert carbonaceous solid comprises immersing the inert carbonaceous solid in boiling water.

11. The method of claim 9, wherein removing adsorbed gases from the inert carbonaceous solid renders the carbonaceous solid more hydrophilic.

12. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

sequestering the sequesterable biochar by introducing the sequesterable biochar into the ground.

13. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising:

sequestering the carbon of the sequesterable biochar by addition to soil containing compost material.

14. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the sequesterable biochar has a surface area in excess of 300 m²/g.

15. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising introducing a soluble nutrient to the sequesterable biochar.

16. The method of claim 15, wherein the nutrient comprises at least one nutrient selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulfur, molybdenum, zinc, boron, cobalt, copper, iron, manganese and chloride.

17. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising introducing a microorganism to the sequesterable biochar.

18. The method of claim 17, wherein the microorganism comprises at least one of fungi, archaea and bacteria.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the microorganism comprises fungi and the fungi is selected from members of the arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

20. The method of claim 1 or 2, further comprising introducing the sequesterable biochar to soil and adjusting the soil pH.

21. The method of claim 20, wherein adjusting the soil pH comprises adding pH adjusting compounds to the soil after introduction of the sequesterable biochar.

22. The method of claim 20, wherein adjusting the soil pH comprises adding pH adjusting compounds to the sequesterable biochar before introduction of the sequesterable biochar to the soil.

23. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pyrolysis process comprises subjecting biomass to ramps of temperatures under pressure.

24. The method of claim 1 or 2, wherein the pyrolysis process comprises a biofractionation process.

2. A method for making sequesterable biochar from a carbon-containing input, comprising:

subjecting a carbon-containing input to a pyrolysis process comprising one or more processing steps to obtain an inert carbonaceous solid and one or more combustible fuels, refinery feedstock or chemicals, and

removing hydrocarbons from the inert carbonaceous solid to provide a sequesterable biochar;

wherein the one or more combustible fuels, refinery feedstock or chemicals and the inert carbonaceous solid are formed as separate components in the process, and

wherein a portion of the carbon from the carbon containing input is contained in the inert carbonaceous solid.