System and method for forming a solid fuel element

A method of forming a solid fuel element having a mass comprising a woody biomass component and a binder component, the method comprising the following steps:

• (a) providing the woody biomass component, the woody biomass component comprising a plurality of woody biomass particles;
• (b) providing the binder component, the binder component comprising a plurality of binder particles;
• (c) forming an uncompressed mixture comprising at least about 70% and at most about 80% by weight of the woody biomass component, and at least about 20% and at most about 30% by weight of the binder component;
• (d) heating the uncompressed mixture to a preselected temperature that is greater than a glass transition temperature of the binder component and less than a melting temperature of the binder component;
• (e) providing a first compression assembly comprising a first cylinder comprising a first chamber therein and a first piston movable in the first cylinder;
• (f) via a fine metering assembly, delivering the mass of the uncompressed mixture to the first chamber;
• (g) with the first compression assembly, compressing the mass of the uncompressed mixture to provide a preliminary element comprising a first compressed mixture having a preliminary density that is less than 1.0 g/cc;
• (h) heating the first compressed mixture to the preselected temperature;
• (i) providing a second compression assembly comprising a second cylinder comprising a second chamber therein and a second piston movable in the second cylinder;
• (j) positioning the preliminary element in the second chamber;
• (k) compressing the preliminary element in the second chamber to form the solid fuel element having a density that is greater than the preliminary density;
• and
• (l) removing the solid fuel element from the second chamber.