System and method for extracting energy from agricultural waste
AssigneeBest Biofuels LLC c/o Smithfield Foods, Inc.
InventorJerrel Dale Branson
Life of this patent
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Abstract
The present invention relates to a process and apparatus for processing agricultural waste to make alcohol and/or biodiesel. The agricultural wastes are subjected to anaerobic digestion which produces a biogas stream containing methane, which is subsequently reformed to a syngas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The syngas is converted to an alcohol which may be stored, sold, used, or fed directly to a reactor for production of biodiesel. The solids effluent from the anaerobic digester can be further utilized as slow release, organic certified fertilizer. Additionally, the wastewater from the process is acceptable for immediate reuse in agricultural operations.
Claims14
A method for treating agricultural wastes comprising:
- anaerobic digesting a mixture of at least agricultural waste and up to 99% by weight water to yield solids and a biogas including methane and carbon dioxide;
- reforming the biogas including methane and carbon dioxide to a syngas including carbon monoxide and hydrogen in a steam reformation process;
- and
- converting the syngas containing carbon monoxide and hydrogen to methanol in an alcohol conversion process.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.