Granted Patent B2

US 12,252,655 · App. 17/535,310 · Granted Mar 18, 2025

Inventors: Peter G. Tiverios (Anderson, SC); E. James Macias (Pleasanton, CA); Stephen H. Lucas (Foristell, MO); Lewis L. Rich (Seneca, SC); Gregor A. Thomson (Yorktown, VA)

Assignee: Fulcrum BioEnergy, Inc.

C10L1/04B01J19/0006C07C29/1518C10G2/32C10G2/34C10G47/00C10J3/26C10J3/466C10J3/485C10J3/721C10J3/82C10K1/004C10K1/005C10K1/101C10K1/16C10K3/001C10K3/04C10L1/08C10J2300/0903C10J2300/0906C10J2300/0946C10J2300/0959C10J2300/0976C10J2300/1628C10J2300/1634C10J2300/1643C10J2300/1659C10J2300/1665C10J2300/1671C10J2300/1675C10J2300/1815C10J2300/1853C10L2200/0469C10L2200/0492C10L2270/023C10L2270/026C10L2270/04C10L2290/04C10L2290/10C10L2290/42C10L2290/54C10L2290/543Y02E20/16Y02E50/10Y02E50/30Y02P20/129Y02P20/133Y02P30/00

Abstract

Claims (34)

1. A method for processing feedstock, comprising:

providing incoming feedstock wherein the incoming feedstock is comprised of mixed solid waste including wet organic waste, dry organic waste and inorganic waste that is comingled and includes non-carbonaceous material and carbonaceous material comprised of both biogenic and non-biogenic carbon material; and

processing the incoming feedstock to selectively recover the biogenic carbon material from the incoming feedstock to produce a processed feedstock having biogenic carbon content of 50% and greater, wherein the processing step comprises:

separating the incoming feedstock into a first stream containing mixed solid waste material having a first size and larger, and a second stream containing mixed solid waste material having a size smaller than the first size;

comminuting the first stream to reduce the first size of the mixed solid waste and to produce an output stream containing mixed solid waste having a reduced size;

combining the output stream and the second stream to produce a combined stream, and

fractionating the combined stream to remove non-biogenic carbon and non-carbonaceous material to produce a stream of processed feedstock comprising biogenic carbon material and other carbonaceous materials and having a biogenic carbon content of 50% and greater.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the mixed solid waste is municipal solid waste (MSW).

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the processed feedstock is processed and upgraded to biogenic carbon liquid fuels.

4. The method of claim 1 ,

wherein the stream of processed feedstock comprises biogenic carbon material and other carbonaceous materials and having a size of 2 inches and smaller.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

further fractionating the stream comprising biogenic carbon material and other carbonaceous materials to remove inert material and to produce a carbonaceous material stream.

6. The method of claim 5 , further comprising:

comminuting the carbonaceous material stream to produce an output stream containing carbonaceous material having a size of 1 inch and smaller.

7. The method of claim 6 , further comprising:

drying the output stream to produce a processed feedstock containing carbonaceous material and a moisture content in the range of 8% to 15%.

8. The method of claim 5 , wherein the incoming feedstock is processed to selectively recover plastic material from the incoming feedstock to produce a processed feedstock having biogenic carbon content of 50% or less.

9. The method of claim 7 , wherein the processed feedstock contains biogenic carbon content in a range of 50% to 100%.

10. The method of claim 7 , wherein the processed feedstock contains 51% and greater biogenic carbon content.

11. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of separating the comingled mixed solid waste is carried out using a trommel.

12. The method of claim 1 , wherein the step of comminuting is carried out using a shredder with a shredder opening in a range of 6-15 inches.

13. The method of claim 4 , wherein the step of fractionating the combined stream is carried out through a vibratory screen.

14. The method of claim 5 , wherein the further fractionating step is carried out through an air separator wherein a heavy fraction is separated from a light fraction by differences in density.

15. The method of claim 14 , wherein the heavy fraction from the air separator is further fractionated in another air separator wherein the heavy fraction is further separated into a medium fraction and a heavy-heavy fraction by differences in density.

16. The method of claim 15 , wherein the heavy-heavy fraction is removed.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein the light fraction is combined with the medium fraction and the combined stream is passed over a magnet to remove ferrous material from the combined stream.

18. The method of claim 14 , wherein the heavy fraction is further fractionated through a vibratory screen to remove non-carbonaceous (i.e. inert) material having a size of 1 inch and smaller.

19. The method of claim 15 , wherein the light fraction, medium fraction and heavy fraction are combined to produce a combined fraction stream and then passed through an eddy current to remove non-ferrous material.

20. The method of claim 19 , wherein the combined fraction stream is passed through an optical sorter to remove at least a portion of plastic content in the combined fraction stream, to produce a processed feedstock.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein the plastic content in the combined fraction stream is selectively removed such that processed feedstock has a biogenic carbon content of up to 95%.

22. The method of claim 20 , wherein the plastic content in the combined fraction stream is selectively removed such that processed feedstock has a biogenic carbon content of up to 50%.

23. The method of claim 20 , wherein the plastic content in the combined fraction stream is selectively removed such that processed feedstock has a biogenic carbon content of 51% and greater.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the plastic content in the combined fraction stream is selectively removed such that processed feedstock has a biogenic carbon content between 50% and to 95%.

Assignments (5)

Continuity (10)

References Cited (272)