Methods of forming densified biomass

1. A method of forming densified biomass, comprising:

densifying a biomass feedstock to form a first densified biomass, wherein the biomass feedstock exhibits a moisture content of at least 25% by weight immediately prior to the densifying;

drying, in a dryer, to a temperature of between about 50° C. and about 100° C., the first densified biomass to form a second densified biomass having a moisture content of less than 10% by weight; and

exposing the second densified biomass to acid to form xylose,

wherein the method does not comprise steam conditioning.

2. A method of forming densified biomass, comprising:

exposing a biomass feedstock to ammonia;

heating the biomass feedstock and maintaining a mean temperature of the biomass feedstock within a range from 70° C. to 110° C. for a time period of less than 5 minutes;

after exposing the biomass feedstock to the ammonia and heating the biomass feedstock, densifying the biomass feedstock to form a first densified biomass, wherein the biomass feedstock exhibits a moisture content of at least 25% by weight immediately prior to the densifying; and

drying, in a dryer, to a temperature of between about 50° C. and about 100° C., the first densified biomass to form a second densified biomass having a moisture content of less than 10% by weight.

3. A method of forming densified biomass, comprising:

heating a biomass feedstock to a temperature within a range from 70° C. to 110° C.;

after heating the biomass feedstock, densifying the biomass feedstock to form a first densified biomass, wherein the biomass feedstock exhibits a moisture content of at least 25% by weight immediately prior to the densifying; and

drying, in a grain dryer, belt dryer, or cross-flow dryer, the first densified biomass to a temperature of between about 50° C. and about 100° C. to form a second densified biomass having a moisture content of less than 10% by weight.

4. The method of claim 3 , further comprising, before heating the biomass feedstock, comminuting the biomass feedstock.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein densifying the biomass feedstock comprises pressing the comminuted biomass feedstock to form the first densified biomass, the first densified biomass comprising a plurality of pellets exhibiting a moisture content of at least 20% by weight.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising cutting the plurality of pellets such that a pellet of the plurality of pellets exhibits an average length from one to five times an average diameter of the pellet of the plurality of pellets.

7. The method of claim 5 , wherein the drying comprises heating, in the grain dryer, the belt dryer, or the cross-flow dryer, the plurality of pellets to remove water therefrom and form the second densified biomass, the second densified biomass comprising a plurality of dried pellets having the moisture content of less than 10% by weight.

8. The method of claim 5 , further comprising cooling the second densified biomass.

9. The method of claim 5 :

wherein drying, in the grain dryer, the belt dryer, or the cross-flow dryer, to the temperature of between about 50° and about 100° C., the first densified biomass comprises heating, in the grain dryer, the belt dryer, or the cross-flow dryer, to the temperature of between about 50° and about 100° C., the plurality of pellets to remove water therefrom and form the second densified biomass, the second densified biomass comprising a plurality of dried pellets having the moisture content of less than 10% by weight; and

further comprising cooling the plurality of dried pellets.

10. The method of claim 3 , further comprising adding water or steam to the biomass feedstock to cause the biomass feedstock to exhibit the moisture content of at least 25% by weight immediately prior to the densifying.

11. The method of claim 3 , wherein heating the biomass feedstock comprises heating the biomass feedstock without substantially reducing the moisture content thereof.

12. The method of claim 3 , wherein heating the biomass feedstock comprises heating the biomass feedstock without causing torrefaction thereof.

13. The method of claim 3 , further comprising, before heating the biomass feedstock, mixing the biomass feedstock with a binder.

14. The method of claim 3 , wherein densifying the biomass feedstock comprises compressing the biomass feedstock in a die to form the first densified biomass as a plurality of pellets.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein compressing the biomass feedstock in a die comprises passing the biomass feedstock through an orifice having a maximum dimension in a range from 6 mm to 8 mm.

16. The method of claim 3 , further comprising cooling the second densified biomass.

17. The method of claim 3 , wherein drying the first densified biomass comprises removing water from the first densified biomass to form the second densified biomass having a moisture content from 7.0% to 9.0% by weight.

18. The method of claim 3 , wherein drying the first densified biomass to the temperature of between about 50° C. and about 100° C. comprises maintaining the first densified biomass at a temperature of at least 60° C. and up to the 100° C. for a time period from 2 hours to 3 hours.

19. The method of claim 3 , wherein densifying the biomass feedstock comprises densifying an herbaceous biomass.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein densifying an herbaceous biomass comprises densifying a biomass comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of corn stover, wheat straw, energy sorghum, miscanthus, and switch grass.

21. The method of claim 3 , wherein densifying the biomass feedstock comprises densifying a woody biomass.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein densifying a woody biomass comprises densifying a biomass comprising at least one material selected from the group consisting of pine and eucalyptus.

23. The method of claim 3 , wherein densifying the biomass feedstock comprises densifying municipal solid waste.

24. The method of claim 3 , wherein densifying the biomass feedstock comprises densifying the biomass feedstock in a pellet mill, a briquette press, an agglomerator, or a cuber.

25. The method of claim 3 , wherein drying the first densified biomass to form the second densified biomass comprises forming the second densified biomass having a density in a range from 400 kg/m 3 to 650 kg/m 3 .

26. The method of claim 3 :

further comprising, prior to the heating, comminuting the biomass feedstock having the moisture content of at least 25% by weight;

wherein the densifying comprises pressing the biomass feedstock to form a plurality of pellets of the first densified biomass;

wherein the drying comprises heating the plurality of pellets of the first densified biomass to remove water therefrom and form a plurality of dried pellets of the second densified biomass having the moisture content of less than 10% by weight; and

further comprising cooling the plurality of dried pellets of the second densified biomass.

27. The method of claim 26 , further comprising cutting the plurality of dried pellets of the second densified biomass such that a pellet of the plurality of dried pellets of the second densified biomass exhibits an average length from one to five times an average diameter of the pellet of the plurality of dried pellets of the second densified biomass.

28. The method of claim 3 , further comprising adding water to the biomass feedstock to cause the biomass feedstock to exhibit a moisture content of at least 30% by weight before the densifying, wherein the densifying comprises pressing.

29. The method of claim 3 , wherein densifying the biomass feedstock comprises densifying a previously undried biomass feedstock.

30. The method of claim 3 , wherein densifying the biomass feedstock comprises subjecting the biomass feedstock to a pressure from about 10 MPa to about 600 MPa to compress and compact the biomass feedstock to form the first densified biomass.