Engineered plant biomass feedstock particles

Patent · Tue Oct 18 00:00:00 EDT 2011

OSTI ID:1028786

Dooley, James H ^[1]; Lanning, David N ^[1]; Broderick, Thomas F ^[2]

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1. Federal Way, WA
2. Lake Forest Park, WA

A novel class of flowable biomass feedstock particles with unusually large surface areas that can be manufactured in remarkably uniform sizes using low-energy comminution techniques. The feedstock particles are roughly parallelepiped in shape and characterized by a length dimension (L) aligned substantially with the grain direction and defining a substantially uniform distance along the grain, a width dimension (W) normal to L and aligned cross grain, and a height dimension (H) normal to W and L. The particles exhibit a disrupted grain structure with prominent end and surface checks that greatly enhances their skeletal surface area as compared to their envelope surface area. The L.times.H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers. The W.times.H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers. The L.times.W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top surfaces characterized by some surface checking between longitudinally arrayed fibers. At least 80% of the particles pass through a 1/4 inch screen having a 6.3 mm nominal sieve opening but are retained by a No. 10 screen having a 2 mm nominal sieve opening. The feedstock particles are manufactured from a variety of plant biomass materials including wood, crop residues, plantation grasses, hemp, bagasse, and bamboo.

• Research Organization: Forest Concepts, LLC (Auburn, WA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: SC0002291
• Assignee: Forest Concepts, LLC (Auburn, WA)
• Patent Number(s): 8,039,106
• Application Number: 12/966,198
• OSTI ID: 1028786
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS