USPTO makes available online patent with no assignee for 'pelletized fuel products, methods, and apparatuses'; patent application filed on June 11, 2013

Allison Oesterle

December 26, 2013 (Politics & Government Week) – By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Politics & Government Week -- According to news reporting originating from Washington, D.C., by VerticalNews journalists, a patent application by the inventors Lawrence, William J. (Meridian, MS); Coble, III, James Grady (Fernandina Beach, FL), filed on June 11, 2013, was made available online on December 19, 2013.

No assignee for this patent application has been made.

Reporters obtained the following quote from the background information supplied by the inventors: "Biomass-based fuel products are desirable because they provide a renewable energy source and an eco-friendly alternative to coal and other fossil fuels. Processes such as torrefaction are known to produce at least partially carbonized biomass-based fuel products offering increased energy value and improved combustion properties over the raw biomass.

"Densification and pelletization processes are known to transform the at least partially carbonized biomass into more useful forms for storage, shipping, and handling. Densification and pelletization processes, however, experience handling problems. It would therefore be desirable to provide improved methods and apparatuses for producing pelletized, torrefied biomass-based fuel products."

In addition to obtaining background information on this patent application, VerticalNews editors also obtained the inventors' summary information for this patent application: "In one aspect, a method for producing a pelletized fuel product is provided. The method includes pelletizing at least partially carbonized biomass in an inert atmosphere. In one embodiment, the at least partially carbonized biomass includes torrefied wood or hydrothermally carbonized wood. In one embodiment, the inert atmosphere includes an inert gas selected from the group consisting of nitrogen, carbon dioxide, and steam.

"In another aspect, an apparatus for producing a pelletized fuel product is provided. The apparatus includes a feeder of at least partially carbonized biomass, a pelletizer configured to receive and pelletize the at least partially carbonized biomass, and an inert gas source configured to provide inert gas to the pelletizer. In one embodiment, the apparatus further includes a water source configured to moisten the at least partially carbonized biomass to a moisture content of between about 2 percent and about 40 percent by weight of the at least partially carbonized biomass prior to pelletization.

"In yet another aspect, a method for producing a pelletized carbonized fuel product is provided. The method includes at least partially carbonizing a biomass feed to produce at least partially carbonized biomass, and thereafter pelletizing the at least partially carbonized biomass in an inert atmosphere to produce a pelletized carbonized fuel product. In one embodiment, the step of at least partially carbonizing a biomass feed comprises torrefying the biomass feed or hydrothermally carbonizing the biomass feed.

"In another aspect, an apparatus for producing a pelletized carbonized fuel product is provided. The apparatus includes a feeder of raw biomass, a reactor configured to receive and at least partially carbonize the raw biomass, a pelletizer configured to receive and pelletize the at least partially carbonized biomass, and an inert gas source configured to provide inert gas to the pelletizer. In one embodiment, the reactor is a torrefaction reactor or a hydrothermal carbonization reactor.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

"FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of an apparatus for producing a pelletized fuel product.

"FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating one embodiment of an apparatus for producing a pelletized carbonized fuel product."

For more information, see this patent application: Lawrence, William J.; Coble, III, James Grady. Pelletized Fuel Products, Methods, and Apparatuses. Filed June 11, 2013 and posted December 19, 2013. Patent URL: http://appft.uspto.gov/netacgi/nph-Parser?Sect1=PTO2&Sect2=HITOFF&u=%2Fnetahtml%2FPTO%2Fsearch-adv.html&r=6150&p=123&f=G&l=50&d=PG01&S1=20131212.PD.&OS=PD/20131212&RS=PD/20131212

Keywords for this news article include: Patents.

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