Patent application number | Description | Published |
20110262687 | ENGINEERED PLANT BIOMASS FEEDSTOCK PARTICLES - A novel class of flowable biomass feedstock particles with unusually large surface areas that can be manufactured in remarkably uniform sizes using low-energy comminution techniques. The feedstock particles are roughly parallelepiped in shape and characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially with the grain direction and defining a substantially uniform distance along the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L. The particles exhibit a disrupted grain structure with prominent end and surface checks that greatly enhances their skeletal surface area as compared to their envelope surface area. The L×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers. The W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers. The L×W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top surfaces characterized by some surface checking between longitudinally arrayed fibers. The feedstock particles are manufactured from a variety of plant biomass materials including wood, crop residues, plantation grasses, hemp, bagasse, and bamboo. | 10-27-2011 |
20110262751 | ENGINEERED PLANT BIOMASS FEEDSTOCK PARTICLES - A novel class of flowable biomass feedstock particles with unusually large surface areas that can be manufactured in remarkably uniform sizes using low-energy comminution techniques. The feedstock particles are roughly parallelepiped in shape and characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially with the grain direction and defining a substantially uniform distance along the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L. The particles exhibit a disrupted grain structure with prominent end and surface checks that greatly enhances their skeletal surface area as compared to their envelope surface area. The L×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers. The W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers. The L×W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top surfaces characterized by some surface checking between longitudinally arrayed fibers. At least 80% of the particles pass through a ¼ inch screen having a 6.3 mm nominal sieve opening but are retained by a No. 10 screen having a 2 mm nominal sieve opening. The feedstock particles are manufactured from a variety of plant biomass materials including wood, crop residues, plantation grasses, hemp, bagasse, and bamboo. | 10-27-2011 |
20110297018 | ENGINEERED TALL GRASS BIOMASS BALING SYSTEM - A biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive tall grass biomass material, a compression system adapted to compact the material into a rectangular bale in the chamber, and an ejection system adapted to move the bale from the chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall consisting of a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, wherein each chamber wall selected from among the upper wall, the lower wall, and the sidewalls can withstand a minimum distributed force perpendicular to the selected wall of at least (0.22×Pp×Aw) pounds, wherein Pp is the maximum pressure that the compression platen can apply to the material and Aw is the area of the selected wall expressed in square inches. | 12-08-2011 |
20120009422 | ENGINEERED PLANT BIOMASS FEEDSTOCK PARTICLES - A new class of plant biomass feedstock particles characterized by consistent piece size and shape uniformity, high skeletal surface area, and good flow properties. The particles of plant biomass material having fibers aligned in a grain are characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially parallel to the grain and defining a substantially uniform distance along the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L. In particular, the L×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers, the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers, and the L×W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces. The L×W surfaces of particles with L/H dimension ratios of 4:1 or less are further elaborated by surface checking between longitudinally arrayed fibers. The length dimension L is preferably aligned within 30° parallel to the grain, and more preferably within 10° parallel to the grain. The plant biomass material is preferably selected from among wood, agricultural crop residues, plantation grasses, hemp, bagasse, and bamboo. | 01-12-2012 |
20120070262 | OPTIMIZED TALL GRASS BIOMASS TRANSPORT SYSTEM - A transport system including a fleet of semi-trailer trucks, wherein a plurality of the semi-trailer trucks are loaded with rectangular bales of tall grass biomass, wherein the total weight of the bales is greater than 80% of the sum of the maximum transport weight capacities of the loaded semi-trailer trucks, wherein the total volume of the bales is greater than 80% of the sum of the maximum transport volumes of the loaded semi-trailer trucks, and wherein the bales on at least one of the plurality of loaded semi-trailer trucks have a net energy value of at least 244 million Btu. The trucks are preferably loaded to at least 85%, and most preferably to at least 90%, of their legal payloads. | 03-22-2012 |
20120186467 | Engineered Tall Grass Biomass Baler - A biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive tall grass biomass material and a compression system adapted to compact the tall grass biomass material into a parallelepiped bale in the chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall consisting essentially of a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, and wherein the compression system is adjustable by conventional controls to apply at least one operator-selectable compression platen pressure of between 22 psi and 30 psi to the tall grass biomass material in the chamber. | 07-26-2012 |
20120192732 | ENGINEERED TALL GRASS BIOMASS BALER - A biomass baler having a baling chamber adapted to receive tall grass biomass material and a compression system adapted to compact the tall grass biomass material into a parallelepiped bale in the chamber, wherein the baling chamber has a front wall consisting essentially of a reciprocating compression platen corresponding in dimensions to the width W and height H of the bale, opposing upper and lower walls corresponding in dimensions to the length L and either of the W and H of the bale, and opposing sidewalls corresponding in dimensions to the L and the other of the W and H of the bale, and wherein the compression system is adjustable by conventional controls to apply at least one operator-selectable compression platen pressure of between 22 psi and 30 psi to the tall grass biomass material in the chamber. | 08-02-2012 |
20120301722 | ENGINEERED PLANT BIOMASS PARTICLES COATED WITH BIOACTIVE AGENTS - Plant biomass particles coated with a bioactive agent such as a fertilizer or pesticide, characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially parallel to a grain direction and defining a substantially uniform distance along the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L. In particular, the L×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers, the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers, and the L×W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces. | 11-29-2012 |
20120308767 | BIMODAL AND MULTIMODAL PLANT BIOMASS PARTICLE MIXTURES - An industrial feedstock of plant biomass particles having fibers aligned in a grain, wherein the particles are individually characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially parallel to the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L, wherein the L×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers, the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers, and the L×W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces, and wherein the particles in the feedstock are collectively characterized by having a bimodal or multimodal size distribution. | 12-06-2012 |
20120326417 | OPTIMIZED TALL GRASS RECTANGULAR BALE TRANSPORT SYSTEM - A transport system including a fleet of semi-trailer trucks, wherein a plurality of the semi-trailer trucks are loaded with rectangular bales of tall grass biomass, wherein the total weight of the bales is greater than 90% of the sum of the maximum transport weight capacities of the loaded semi-trailer trucks, wherein the total volume of the bales is greater than 80% of the sum of the maximum transport volumes of the loaded semi-trailer trucks. | 12-27-2012 |
20130026264 | COMMINUTION PROCESS TO PRODUCE ENGINEERED WOOD PARTICLES OF UNIFORM SIZE AND SHAPE WITH DISRUPTED GRAIN STRUCTURE FROM VENEER - Comminution process of wood veneer to produce wood particles, by feeding wood veneer in a direction of travel substantially normal to grain through a counter rotating pair of intermeshing arrays of cutting discs arrayed axially perpendicular to the direction of veneer travel, wherein the cutting discs have a uniform thickness (Td), to produce wood particles characterized by a length dimension (L) substantially equal to the Td and aligned substantially parallel to grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) substantially equal to the veneer thickness (Tv) and aligned normal to W and L, wherein the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces with end checking between crosscut fibers. | 01-31-2013 |
20130074991 | COMMINUTION PROCESS TO PRODUCE ENGINEERED WOOD PARTICLES OF UNIFORM SIZE AND SHAPE WITH DISRUPTED GRAIN STRUCTURE FROM VENEER - Comminution process of wood veneer to produce wood particles, by feeding wood veneer in a direction of travel substantially normal to grain through a counter rotating pair of intermeshing arrays of cutting discs arrayed axially perpendicular to the direction of veneer travel, wherein the cutting discs have a uniform thickness (Td), to produce wood particles characterized by a length dimension (L) substantially equal to the Td and aligned substantially parallel to grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) substantially equal to the veneer thickness (Tv) and aligned normal to W and L, wherein the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces with end checking between crosscut fibers. | 03-28-2013 |
20130101850 | PRECISION WOOD PARTICLE FEEDSTOCKS - Wood particles having fibers aligned in a grain, wherein: the wood particles are characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially parallel to the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L; the L×H dimensions define two side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers; the W×H dimensions define two cross-grain end surfaces characterized individually as aligned either normal to the grain or oblique to the grain; the L×W dimensions define two substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces; and, a majority of the W×H surfaces in the mixture of wood particles have end checking | 04-25-2013 |
20130112789 | COMMINUTION PROCESS TO PRODUCE PRECISION WOOD PARTICLES OF UNIFORM SIZE AND SHAPE WITH DISRUPTED GRAIN STRUCTURE FROM WOOD CHIPS - A process of comminution of wood chips (C) having a grain direction to produce a mixture of wood particles (P), wherein the wood chips are characterized by an average length dimension (L | 05-09-2013 |
20130115459 | PRECISION WOOD PARTICLE FEEDSTOCKS - Wood particles having fibers aligned in a grain, wherein: the wood particles are characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially parallel to the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L; the L×H dimensions define two side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers; the W×H dimensions define two cross-grain end surfaces characterized individually as aligned either normal to the grain or oblique to the grain; the L×W dimensions define two substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces; and, a majority of the W×H surfaces in the mixture of wood particles have end checking. | 05-09-2013 |
20130186288 | PROCESS OF BALING SWITCHGRASS INTO RECTANGULAR HIGH DENSITY BALES OPTIMIZED FOR HIGHWAY TRANSPORT ON SEMI-TRAILER TRUCKS TO BIOREFINERIES - Process of baling a switchgrass biomass material at between about 22 and about 32 psi into a rectangular switchgrass bale having a bale density of between 14.6 and 20.5 lb/ft | 07-25-2013 |
20130189452 | RECTANGULAR SWITCHGRASS BALES PRODUCED AT HIGH DENSITY FOR OPTIMIZED HIGHWAY TRANSPORT ON SEMI-TRAILER TRUCKS TO BIOREFINERIES - Rectangular switchgrass bales optimized for highway transport on semi-trailer trucks, produced by a process of compacting a switchgrass biomass material at between about 22 and about 32 psi into a rectangular switchgrass bale having a bale density of between 14.6 and 20.5 lb/ft | 07-25-2013 |
20130189453 | RECTANGULAR SWITCHGRASS BALES OPTIMIZED FOR HIGH DENSITY TRANSPORT ON SEMI-TRAILER TRUCKS TO BIOREFINERIES - Rectangular switchgrass bales having bale densities of between 14.6 and 20.5 lb/ft | 07-25-2013 |
20130200181 | Woody Biomass Beneficiation System - A beneficiation process and apparatus for the continuous treatment of comminuted woody biomass, particularly hog fuel, to substantially remove mineral impurities and bark and to recover white wood therefrom for use as industrial feedstocks. | 08-08-2013 |
20130256435 | MULTIPASS COMMINUTION PROCESS TO PRODUCE PRECISION WOOD PARTICLES OF UNIFORM SIZE AND SHAPE WITH DISRUPTED GRAIN STRUCTURE FROM WOOD CHIPS - A process of comminution of wood chips (C) having a grain direction to produce a mixture of wood particles (P), wherein the wood chips are characterized by an average length dimension (L | 10-03-2013 |
20130302614 | ENGINEERED PLANT BIOMASS PARTICLES COATED WITH BIOLOGICAL AGENTS - Plant biomass particles coated with a biological agent such as a bacterium or seed, characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially parallel to a grain direction and defining a substantially uniform distance along the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L. In particular, the L x H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers, the W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers, and the L×W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top and bottom surfaces. | 11-14-2013 |
20130327857 | COMMINUTION PROCESS TO PRODUCE PRECISION WOOD PARTICLES OF UNIFORM SIZE AND SHAPE WITH DISRUPTED GRAIN STRUCTURE FROM WOOD CHIPS - A process of comminution of wood chips (C) having a grain direction to produce a mixture of wood particles (P), wherein the wood chips are characterized by an average length dimension (L | 12-12-2013 |
20140299685 | MULTIPASS ROTARY SHEAR COMMINUTION PROCESS TO PRODUCE CORN STOVER PARTICLES - A process of comminution of corn stover having a grain direction to produce a mixture of corn stover, by feeding the corn stover in a direction of travel substantially randomly to the grain direction one or more times through a counter rotating pair of intermeshing arrays of cutting discs (D) arrayed axially perpendicular to the direction of corn stover travel. | 10-09-2014 |
20140360925 | Woody Biomass Beneficiation System - A beneficiation process and apparatus for the continuous treatment of comminuted woody biomass, particularly hog fuel, to substantially remove mineral impurities and bark and to recover white wood therefrom for use as industrial feedstocks. | 12-11-2014 |