Methods and systems for processing solid fuel
In embodiments of the present invention, a method of heat treating a solid fuel briquette may include heating the solid fuel briquette using energy from at least one of a heat furnace or an electromagnetic energy system of a solid fuel treatment facility as the solid fuel briquette is moved through the treatment facility to a specified internal temperature, and sealing the heat-treated solid fuel briquette in a vessel for a duration of time.
1. A method comprising:
transporting a solid fuel through a solid fuel treatment facility;
detecting solid fuel that is thermally aberrant;
selectively removing the thermally aberrant solid fuel;
briquetting the remaining solid fuel to create a solid fuel briquette;
transporting the solid fuel briquette through the heat treatment facility; and
heating the solid fuel briquette as the solid fuel briquette is moved through the heat treatment facility to a pre-determined specified internal temperature.
2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the briquette comprises a binder.
3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the binder is at least one of a starch, a wheat starch, a corn starch, a sugar, molasses, saw dust, gilsonite, ground asphalt, rosin, plastic, guar gum, lignin, and poly(ethylene terephthalate)).
4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the solid fuel is at least one of a biomass product, an agro-forestry product, a coal, a sub-bituminous coal, a bituminous coal, and a waste coal.
5. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specified internal temperature is at least 400 degrees F.
6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specified internal temperature is at least 250 degrees F.
7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the specified internal temperature ranges between 60 degrees F. to about 500 degrees F.
8. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, maintaining the specified internal temperature for a specified duration of time.
9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the specified duration of time is at least one second.
10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the specified duration of time ranges from 1 to 30 seconds.
11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the specified duration of time is at least thirty seconds.
12. The method of claim 1 , further comprising, transporting the solid fuel briquette through a cooling station to cool the solid fuel briquette prior to transporting the solid fuel briquette to an accumulation site.
13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the cooling station comprises a surface application of cooling chemicals to control the solid fuel briquette temperature.
14. The method of claim 12 , wherein the cooling station comprises a facility for applying a cooling gas to control the solid fuel briquette temperature.
15. The method of claim 12 , wherein the cooling station comprises a facility for applying a mist of water to enable evaporative cooling of the solid fuel briquette.
16. The method of claim 12 , wherein the cooling station comprises inert gas or nitrogen.
17. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment facility comprises a non-oxidizing environment.
18. The method of claim 17 , wherein the non-oxidizing environment is obtained by injecting steam into the heat treatment facility.
19. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat treatment facility comprises at least one of an electromagnetic energy source and a furnace.
20. The method of claim 1 , wherein the heat-treated solid fuel briquette is resistant to degradation upon exposure to water.
21. The method of claim 1 , wherein exposure to water does not significantly change the structural integrity of the heat-treated solid fuel briquette.
22. The method of claim 1 , wherein the structural integrity of the solid fuel briquette is sufficient to enable obtaining a heat-treated solid fuel briquette that is resistant to degradation upon exposure to water.
23. A solid fuel briquette produced by the method of claim 1 .
24. The briquette of claim 23 , wherein the briquette is resistant to degradation upon exposure to water.
25. The briquette of claim 23 , wherein exposure to water does not significantly change the structural integrity of the briquette.
26. A method of heat treating a solid fuel briquette, comprising:
transporting the solid fuel through a solid fuel treatment facility, wherein the solid fuel is processed with electromagnetic radiation to a desired percent moisture;
detecting treated solid fuel that is thermally aberrant;
selectively removing thermally aberrant treated solid fuel;
briquetting the remaining treated solid fuel to form a solid fuel briquette; and
placing the solid fuel briquette in a vessel until the solid fuel briquette reaches a predetermined specified internal temperature.
27. The method of claim 26 , wherein the vessel is insulated.
28. The method of claim 26 , wherein an inert gas is introduced to the vessel when the briquette reaches the specified internal temperature.
29. The method of claim 26 , wherein oxygen is partially or completely removed from the vessel when the briquette reaches the specified internal temperature.
30. The method of claim 26 , wherein the specified internal temperature is at least 400 degrees F.
31. The method of either claim 1 , wherein detecting solid fuel that is thermally aberrant comprises treating the solid fuel using energy from a microwave system and detecting that the solid fuel exceeds a predetermined temperature with an infrared (IR) facility or a thermographic camera facility.
32. The method of claim 31 , wherein detecting solid fuel that is thermally aberrant further comprises transporting the solid fuel past a metal detector, transporting the solid fuel past a mass spectrometer, transporting solid fuel past a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) facility or any combination thereof and detecting that the solid fuel contains a predetermined amount of metallic material.
33. The method of either claim 1 , wherein selectively removing the thermally aberrant solid fuel is done by a robotic device.