Moisture Resistant Biomass Fuel Compact and Method of Manufacturing
A method of processing a biomass fuel compact is provided that includes combining a composition of combustible biomass materials, comminuting the composition of biomass materials, drying the biomass adding an adhesive to the biomass materials to form a composite biomass, the adhesive having a starch and a hydroxide, forming the composite biomass into a shapeform, and heat treating the composite biomass before or after producing the shapeform at a base temperature sufficient to break O-H bonds, the base temperature being below a mean torrefication temperature of the composite biomass such that torrefaction of a substantial portion of the biomass materials does not occur.
1 . A method of processing a biomass fuel compact comprising:
combining a composition of combustible biomass materials;
comminuting the composition of biomass materials; rotary friction drying of biomass materials,
adding an adhesive to the biomass materials to form a composite biomass, the adhesive comprising a starch and a hydroxide;
forming the composite biomass into a shapeform; and
heat treating the composite biomass shapeform at a base temperature sufficient to break O-H bonds, the base temperature being below a torrefication temperature of the composite biomass such that torrefaction of the biomass materials does not occur.
2 . The method according to claim 1 further comprising applying an oil coating to at least a portion of the composite biomass shapeform after heat treating.
3 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat treating is performed in an inert environment.
4 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat treating is performed in a microwave apparatus.
5 . The method according to claim 4 , wherein the composite biomass shapeform is heat treated by the microwave apparatus in a continuous process.
6 . A biomass fuel compact manufactured according to the method of claim 4 , wherein the combustible biomass materials include at least a portion of microwave receptors.
7 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the heat treating is performed in a temperature range of about 120° F. to about 455° F.
8 . A biomass fuel compact manufactured according to the method of claim 1 .
9 . The biomass fuel compact according to claim 8 , wherein the shapeform defines a cylindrical sector.
10 . The biomass fuel compact according to claim 9 , wherein the cylindrical sector is a quadrant.
11 . A method of processing a biomass fuel compact comprising heat treating biomass materials of the biomass fuel compact at a base temperature sufficient to break O-H bonds, the base temperature being below a torrefication temperature of the biomass fuel compact such that torrefaction of the biomass materials does not occur.
12 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the heat treating is performed after the biomass fuel compact is formed into a shapeform.
13 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the heat treating is performed on the biomass materials before the biomass fuel compact is formed into a shapeform.
14 . The method according to claim 11 further comprising adding an adhesive to the biomass materials to form a composite biomass, the adhesive comprising a starch and a hydroxide, wherein the composite biomass is further processed into a shapeform.
15 . The method according to claim 11 further comprising applying an oil coating to at least a portion of the biomass fuel compact after heat treating.
16 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the heat treating is performed in an inert environment.
17 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the heat treating is performed in a microwave apparatus.
18 . The method according to claim 17 , wherein the biomass fuel compact is heat treated by the microwave apparatus in a continuous process.
19 . A biomass fuel compact manufactured according to the method of claim 17 , wherein the biomass materials include at least a portion of microwave receptors.
20 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the heat treating is performed in a temperature range of about 120° F. to about 455° F.
21 . A biomass fuel compact manufactured according to the method of claim 11 .
22 . The biomass fuel compact according to claim 21 having a shapeform defining a cylindrical sector.
23 . The biomass fuel compact according to claim 22 , wherein the cylindrical sector is a quadrant.
24 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the heat treating is performed in a rotary friction dryer.
25 . The method according to claim 11 , wherein the process is split into two steps of first removing the water and moisture, then complete the heat treatment with a second dryer.
26 . The method according to claim 25 , where the first dryer is a microwave, and the second dryer is a rotary friction dryer.
27 . The method according to claim 11 further comprising applying wood vinegar that may be collected from the friction rotary dryer to at least a portion of the biomass fuel.
24 . A method of processing a biomass fuel compact comprising heat treating biomass materials of the biomass fuel compact at a base temperature sufficient to break O-H bonds, the base temperature being below a mean torrefication temperature of the biomass fuel compact such that torrefaction of a substantial portion of the biomass materials does not occur.