# US 2014/0194284 A1 · Methods of activating charcoal resulting from biomass gasification > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 2014/0194284 A1 - Document ID: US20140194284A1 - Status: Published application - Kind: A1 - Application number: 13/737,718 - Filed: 2013-01-09 - Published: 2014-07-10 - Earliest claimed: 2013-01-09 - Assignees: General Electric Company - Applicants: General Electric Company - Inventors: Jinmesh Pranav Majmudar; Omprakash Mall - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US20140194284A1 ## CPC - B01J 20/3078: {Thermal treatment, e.g. calcining or pyrolizing} - B01J 20/20: comprising free carbon; comprising carbon obtained by carbonising processes - C01B 32/324: from waste materials, e.g. tyres or spent sulfite pulp liquor - C01B 32/336: characterised by gaseous activating agents - Y02P 20/133: Renewable energy sources, e.g. sunlight - B01J: CHEMICAL OR PHYSICAL PROCESSES, e.g. CATALYSIS OR COLLOID CHEMISTRY; THEIR RELEVANT APPARATUS - C01B: NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; {METALLOIDS OR COMPOUNDS THEREOF NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASS C01C} - Y02P: CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION TECHNOLOGIES IN THE PRODUCTION OR PROCESSING OF GOODS ## Abstract Methods for activating charcoal resulting from biomass gasification are provided. Exemplary methods include gasifying biomass in a gasification reactor of an integrated biomass gasification system to produce charcoal; and activating charcoal using heat generated from an integral heat source of the integrated biomass gasification system. The methods include activation of charcoal resulting from biomass gasification in a more efficient, economical manner, thereby increasing the value of biomass gasification with minimal investment in the process. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method of activating charcoal resulting from gasification, said method comprising: gasifying dried biomass material in a gasification reactor of an integrated biomass gasification system to produce charcoal; and activating the charcoal using heat generated from an integral heat source of the integrated biomass gasification system. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising drying the biomass material using a dryer. ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1 further comprising sun-drying the biomass material. ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein the integrated biomass gasification system also includes a combustor and a turbine in flow communication with the gasification reactor, said method further comprises contacting the biomass material with at least one of turbine exhaust and combustor exhaust. ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The method in accordance with claim 1, wherein activating the charcoal comprises heating the charcoal to a temperature of from about 400° C. to about 1100° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 5) The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the integrated biomass gasification system further includes a combustor and a turbine in flow communication with the gasification reactor, said method further comprises heating the charcoal with at least one of turbine exhaust and combustor exhaust. ### Claim 7 (depends on 5) The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the integrated biomass gasification system further includes a hot screw conveyor coupled to the gasification reactor, said method further comprises heating the charcoal with outer walls of the hot screw conveyor. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The method in accordance with claim 5, wherein the integrated biomass gasification system further includes a combustor in flow communication with the gasification reactor and a heat exchanger in flow communication with the combustor, said method further comprises heating the charcoal with steam generated by the heat exchanger. ### Claim 9 A method of activating charcoal resulting from gasification, said method comprising: gasifying dried biomass material in a gasification reactor of an integrated biomass gasification system to produce a stream of charcoal and producer gas; separating the charcoal from the producer gas of the stream using a hot screw conveyor; and activating the charcoal using heat generated from an integral heat source of the integrated biomass gasification system. ### Claim 10 (depends on 9) The method in accordance with claim 9, wherein activating the charcoal comprises heating the charcoal to a temperature of from about 400° C. to about 1100° C. ### Claim 11 (depends on 10) The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein activating the charcoal comprises heating the charcoal with the producer gas at a temperature of about 500° C., wherein activating occurs subsequent to separating the charcoal from the producer gas. ### Claim 12 (depends on 10) The method in accordance with claim 10 further comprising combusting the producer gas in a combustor to generate combustor exhaust, wherein the charcoal is activated by heating the charcoal with the combustor exhaust. ### Claim 13 (depends on 12) The method in accordance with claim 12, wherein the integrated biomass gasification system further includes a turbine in flow communication with the combustor, said method further comprises heating the charcoal with turbine exhaust. ### Claim 14 (depends on 10) The method in accordance with claim 10, wherein the integrated biomass gasification system further includes a combustor in flow communication with the gasification reactor and a heat exchanger in flow communication with the combustor, said method further comprises heating the charcoal with steam generated by the heat exchanger. ### Claim 15 A method of activating charcoal resulting from gasification, said method comprising: gasifying dried biomass material in a gasification reactor of an integrated biomass gasification system to produce a stream of charcoal and producer gas; separating the charcoal from the producer gas of the stream using a hot screw conveyor; combusting the producer gas using a combustor to generate hot exhaust gases; and activating the charcoal using heat from the hot exhaust gases. ### Claim 16 The method in accordance with 15 further comprising sun- drying the biomass material. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein activating the charcoal comprises heating the charcoal to a temperature of at least about 400° C. ### Claim 18 (depends on 15) The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein activating the charcoal comprises heating the charcoal to a temperature of from about 400° C. to about 1100° C. ### Claim 19 (depends on 15) The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein combusting the producer gas comprises generating combustor exhaust and turbine exhaust, wherein the combustor exhaust and the turbine exhaust are combined to generate the hot exhaust gases. ### Claim 20 (depends on 15) The method in accordance with claim 15, wherein activating the charcoal comprises heating the charcoal without the use of an external heat source.