Biomass pelletizing process
AssigneePellet Technology LLC
InventorJames Russell Zeeck
Life of this patent
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Abstract
A process is provided using non-food or limited-feed agricultural residue and energy crops for energy production, such as ethanol or electricity generation. The agricultural plant material is harvested and baled. The bales are transported to the processing site for storage or immediate processing. The bale strings are first removed, and then the broken bales are shredded. The shredded plant material is then ground to a small size. The ground material is then pelletized to produce densified pellets of the agricultural plant material. The pellets are cooled and then stored or transported to an end user.
Claims27
A process for utilizing agricultural crop residue material comprising:
- harvesting from a field agricultural crop residue material selected from a group consisting of corn stover and soybean stubble;
- then
- bailing the harvested material;
- then
- transporting the baled material to a storage site;
- then
- shredding the baled material;
- then
- grinding the shredded material;
- then
- pelletizing the ground material into pellets without the use of binding additives and consisting essentially of the ground material;
- transporting the pellets to a facility for use.
A process for utilizing agricultural crop residue material for energy production comprising:
- harvesting from a field agricultural crop residue material selected from a group consisting of corn stover and soybean stubble;
- bailing the harvested material;
- shredding the baled material;
- grinding the shredded material;
- pelletizing the ground material into pellets without the use of binding additives, the pellets being comprised of at least 95% of the ground material;
- and
- wherein the ground material is fed into a straight, non-restricted die for pelletizing.
A process for utilizing agricultural crop residue material for energy production comprising:
- harvesting from a field agricultural crop residue material selected from a group consisting of corn stover and soybean stubble;
- bailing the harvested material;
- shredding the baled material;
- grinding the shredded material;
- pelletizing the ground material into pellets consisting essentially of the ground material;
- and
- wherein the ground material is fed under a compressed flow through a split conveyor into a die for pelletizing.
A process for utilizing agricultural crop residue material for energy production comprising:
- harvesting from a field agricultural crop residue material selected from a group consisting of corn stover and soybean stubble;
- bailing the harvested material;
- shredding the baled material;
- grinding the shredded material;
- pelletizing the ground material into pellets consisting essentially of the ground material;
- providing an air flow for assisting the flow of material through the grinding and pelletizing steps.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.