US2009133321A1PendingUtilityA1

Method for producing a bio-fuel

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Assignee: JOHNSON GLENNPriority: Oct 23, 2007Filed: Oct 16, 2008Published: May 28, 2009
Est. expiryOct 23, 2027(~1.3 yrs left)· nominal 20-yr term from priority
Inventors:Glenn Johnson
C10L 5/445Y02E50/30C10L 5/366Y02E50/10C10L 1/026Y02P30/20C10G 2300/1014A01H 3/00C10L 5/363C10L 1/02
56
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Claims

Abstract

A method for producing a bio-fuel may include selecting a first and a second plant species such that the second plant species, when grown together in competition with the first plant species, causes a BTU value of the first plant species to increase above a range of BTU values that the first plant species has when grown alone. The method may further include planting a combination of the first and second plant species together in competition, harvesting the combination of the first and second plant species when sufficiently mature, and processing the harvested combination of the first and second plant species to produce the bio-fuel.

Claims

exact text as granted — not AI-modified
1 . A method for producing a bio-fuel comprising:
 selecting a first and a second plant species such that the second plant species, when grown together in competition with the first plant species, causes a BTU value of the first plant species to increase above a range of BTU values that the first plant species has when grown alone,   planting a combination of the first and second plant species together in competition,   harvesting the combination of the first and second plant species when sufficiently mature, and   processing the harvested combination of the first and second plant species to produce the bio-fuel.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first plant species has a lignin content,
 and wherein the second plant species causes the BTU value of the first plant species to increase by causing the first plant species to grow with greater lignin content than when grown alone.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the lignin content of the first plant species varies as a function of a size of the first plant species,
 and wherein the second plant species is a catalytic plant species that, when grown together in competition with the first plant species, causes the first plant species to grow larger than when grown alone so that the lignin content of the first plant species correspondingly increases.   
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the first plant species is  ambrosia trifida.    
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the second plant species is a tall-growing, high-lignin one or a combination of a corn species and a  sorghum  species. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 5  wherein the second plant species is one or a combination of a G family, an E series and a tropical corn series hybrid corn species and a number 1506 hybrid  sorghum  species. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 5  wherein planting a combination of the first and second plant species further comprises planting  ambrosia artemisiifolia  along with the first and second plant species such that a resulting combination comprises  ambrosia trifida , a tall-growing, high-lignin one or a combination of a corn species and a  sorghum  species and  ambrosia artemisiifolia,    and wherein harvesting comprises harvesting the resulting combination when sufficiently mature.   
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 5  further comprising carrying out the selecting, the planting and the harvesting events at least twice in a single growing season. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the second plant species for a first one of the selecting, the growing and the harvesting events is the tall-growing, high-lignin corn species,
 and wherein the second plant species for a second one of the selecting, the growing and the harvesting events is the tall-growing, high-lignin  sorghum  species.   
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting the second plant species to have a BTU value that is within a predefined range of BTU values. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 10  wherein the predefined range of BTU values is greater than or equal to the range of BTU values of the first plant species. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting either of the first and second plant species to have resistance to root pests. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 1  further comprising selecting either of the first and second plant species to have resistance to at least one of corn borer insects and stalk-boring insects. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 1  wherein harvesting comprises cutting the combination of the first and second plant species at a predetermined height above the ground, the predetermined height being selected to minimize at least one of dirt spatter and silicon dioxide on the cut combination of the first and second plant species. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 14  wherein harvesting further comprises reducing the cut combination of the first and second plant species to smaller pieces. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 1  wherein planting a combination of the first and second plant species further comprises planting a third plant species along with the first and second plant species such that a resulting combination comprises the first, second and third plant species, the third plant species being selected to at least temporarily supplement one of the first and second plant species,
 and wherein harvesting comprises harvesting the resulting combination when sufficiently mature.   
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 1  wherein processing comprises processing the harvested combination to produce the bio-fuel in any of a solid, a powder and a pellet form. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 1  wherein processing comprises:
 processing the harvested combination to produce a bio-mass, and   processing the bio-mass to produce any of ethanol, bio-diesel fuel, bio-gas, bio-oil, solid bio-fuel, powdered bio-fuel and pelletized bio-fuel.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 4  further comprising:
 mixing additional phosphorus with a base fertilizer to form a modified fertilizer, and   fertilizing the planted  ambrosia trifida  with the modified fertilizer.   
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the base fertilizer is a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. 
     
     
         21 . The method of  claim 19  wherein the second plant species is ambrosia artemisiifolia. 
     
     
         22 . The method of  claim 1  wherein the first plant species is a species of  Amaranthus.    
     
     
         23 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the species of  Amaranthus  comprises  Amaranthus rudis.    
     
     
         24 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the species of  Amaranthus  comprises  Amaranthus hybridus.    
     
     
         25 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the species of  Amaranthus  comprises  Amaranthus retroflexus.    
     
     
         26 . The method of  claim 22  further comprising:
 mixing additional phosphorus with a base fertilizer to form a modified fertilizer, and   fertilizing the species of  Amaranthus  with the modified fertilizer.   
     
     
         27 . The method of  claim 26  wherein the base fertilizer is a nitrogen-phosphorus-potassium fertilizer. 
     
     
         28 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the second plant species comprises at least one of  Ambrosia trifida  and  Ambrosia artemisiifolia.    
     
     
         29 . The method of  claim 22  wherein the second plant species comprises at least one of a corn species and a  sorghum  species.

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