# US 9,005,400 B2 · Device and method for controlling the conversion of biomass to biofuel > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,005,400 B2 - Document ID: US9005400B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 13/221,497 - Filed: 2011-08-30 - Published: 2012-05-17 - Granted: 2015-04-14 - Earliest claimed: 2010-08-30 - Assignees: Renewable Fuel Technologies, Inc. - Applicants: Mark Wechsler; James Braig R - Inventors: Mark Wechsler; James Braig R - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9005400B2 ## CPC - C10L 9/083: {Torrefaction} - C10B 47/44: with conveyor-screws - C10B 53/02: of cellulose-containing material (production of pyroligneous acid C10C5/00) - C10G 45/72: Controlling or regulating - C10L 1/02: essentially based on components consisting of carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen only - C10L 5/44: on vegetable substances - C10L 9/02: by chemical means - G01J 3/42: Absorption spectrometry; Double beam spectrometry; Flicker spectrometry; Reflection spectrometry (beam switching arrangements G01J3/08) - G01J 3/453: by correlation of the amplitudes - C10G 2300/1011: Biomass - C10G 2300/30: Physical properties of feedstocks or products - C10G 2300/708: Coking aspect, coke content and composition of deposits - F26B 2200/24: Wood particles, e.g. shavings, cuttings, saw dust - Y02E 50/10: Biofuels, e.g. bio-diesel - Y02E 50/30: Fuel from waste, e.g. synthetic alcohol or diesel - C10L: FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; NATURAL GAS; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSES C10G OR C10K; LIQUIFIED PETROLEUM GAS; USE OF ADDITIVES TO FUELS OR FIRES; FIRE-LIGHTERS - C10B: DESTRUCTIVE DISTILLATION OF CARBONACEOUS MATERIALS FOR PRODUCTION OF GAS, COKE, TAR, OR SIMILAR MATERIALS (cracking oils C10G; underground gasification of minerals E21B43/295) - C10G: CRACKING HYDROCARBON OILS; PRODUCTION OF LIQUID HYDROCARBON MIXTURES, e.g. BY DESTRUCTIVE HYDROGENATION, OLIGOMERISATION, POLYMERISATION (cracking to hydrogen or synthesis gas C01B; cracking or pyrolysis of hydrocarbon gases to individual hydrocarbons or mixtures thereof of definite or specified constitution C07C; cracking to cokes C10B); RECOVERY OF HYDROCARBON OILS FROM OIL-SHALE, OIL-SAND, OR GASES; REFINING MIXTURES MAINLY CONSISTING OF HYDROCARBONS; REFORMING OF NAPHTHA; MINERAL WAXES - G01J: MEASUREMENT OF INTENSITY, VELOCITY, SPECTRAL CONTENT, POLARISATION, PHASE OR PULSE CHARACTERISTICS OF INFRARED, VISIBLE OR ULTRAVIOLET LIGHT; COLORIMETRY; RADIATION PYROMETRY (light sources F21, H01J, H01K, H05B; investigating properties of materials by optical means G01N) - F26B: DRYING SOLID MATERIALS OR OBJECTS BY REMOVING LIQUID THEREFROM (drying devices for combines A01D41/133; racks for drying fruit or vegetables A01F25/12; drying foodstuffs A23; drying hair A45D20/00; body-drying implements A47K10/00; drying household articles A47L; drying gases or vapours B01D; chemical or physical processes for dewatering or like separating liquids from solids B01D43/00; centrifugal apparatus B04; drying ceramics C04B33/30; drying yarns or fabrics in association with some other form of treatment D06C; drying frames for laundry without heating or positive air circulation, domestic laundry-or spin-driers, wringing or hot pressing laundry D06F; furnaces, kilns, ovens F27) - Y02E: REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION ## Abstract Embodiments presented herein describe an apparatus and method to control the conversion of carbonaceous materials, particularly biomass and those biomass resources, into a high performance solid fuel. This method, and the apparatus described as the means to accomplish this method, provides a process having a control system that enables the system to produce a fuel of uniform quality, even with a change in biomass supply. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A method for the continuous torrefaction of biomass to obtain a fuel of specified or constant properties, said method comprising: sensing a property of biomass; and controlling the torrefaction in proportion to said property, wherein said sensing senses a mid-infrared spectra of torrefied biomass, and wherein said controlling includes utilizing a correlation of mid-infrared spectra and two ratios of H, C, and O atoms to estimate, based on said correlation and said sensed spectra, two ratios of H, C, and O atoms in the sample, and changing torrefaction parameters to approach the target values of H, C, and O atoms. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where said sensing estimates the heating value of biomass. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, where said sensing includes sensing the heating value of biomass. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The method of claim 2, where said sensing includes sensing an optical property of biomass. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, where said optical property is sensed using visible light. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The method of claim 4, where said optical property is sensed using mid-infrared light. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where said sensing estimates the moisture content of the biomass. ### Claim 8 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where said controlling controls the torrefaction temperature. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where said controlling controls the time during which the biomass is torrefied. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where said sensing estimates a physical or chemical property of the biomass, and where said controlling controls the conditions of torrefaction to obtain target fuel properties. ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including logging information related to the biomass or fuel. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, further including storing fuel samples. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The method of claim 1, where said sensing a property of the biomass senses the property during the torrefaction of the biomass. ### Claim 14 A method for the continuous torrefaction of biomass to obtain a fuel of specified or constant properties, said method comprising: sensing a property of the biomass during the torrefaction of the biomass; and controlling the torrefaction in proportion to said property. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, where said sensing estimates the heating value of biomass. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, where said sensing includes sensing the heating value of biomass. ### Claim 17 (depends on 15) The method of claim 15, where said sensing includes sensing an optical property of biomass. ### Claim 18 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, where said optical property is sensed using visible light. ### Claim 19 (depends on 17) The method of claim 17, where said optical property is sensed using mid-infrared light. ### Claim 20 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, where said sensing estimates the moisture content of the biomass. ### Claim 21 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, where said controlling controls the torrefaction temperature. ### Claim 22 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, where said controlling controls the time during which the biomass is torrefied. ### Claim 23 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, where said sensing estimates a physical or chemical property of the biomass, and where said controlling controls the conditions of torrefaction to obtain target fuel properties. ### Claim 24 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further including logging information related to the biomass or fuel. ### Claim 25 (depends on 14) The method of claim 14, further including storing fuel samples.