Method for producing synfuel from biodegradable carbonaceous material

Abstract

A bioreactor for producing synfuel from carbonaceous material includes a stacked particle heap comprising biodegradable carbonaceous material, an aerobic microbial consortium fermenting the biodegradable carbonaceous material into synfuel, and a gas impermeable barrier operatively covering the stacked particle heap. The covered particle heap is purged with at least one non-oxygenated gas. The bioreactor also includes a supply of anaerobic microorganisms which biodegrade the carbonaceous material within the stacked particle heap into synfuel. The synfuel is mixed with at least one reactor byproduct. The reactor byproducts are separated from the synfuel, which may include synthetic petroleum, alcohol, oil, and/or a gaseous fuel containing methane.

1 . A method of bioconverting organic carbonaceous material into fuel using a stacked particle bioreactor, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. coating the surface of a plurality of substrates having a particle size greater than or equal to about 0.3 cm with organic carbonaceous material and thereby forming a plurality of coated substrates;   b. forming a stacked particle bioreactor with the coated substrates, the stacked particle bioreactor having a void volume greater than or equal to about 15%;   c. forming an anaerobic environment within the stacked particle bioreactor;   d. anaerobically biotreating the stacked particle bioreactor until a desired amount of organic carbonaceous material within the stacked particle bioreactor has been converted to a gaseous fuel; and   e. collecting the gaseous fuel from the stacked particle bioreactor.   
   
   
       2 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of collecting synthetic petroleum from the stacked particle bioreactor as it drains from the bioreactor. 
   
   
       3 . A method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the plurality of substrates are comprised of at least one material selected from the group consisting of oil shale, coal, rock, asphalt, rubber, and plant waste. 
   
   
       4 . A method according to  claim 3 , wherein the plurality of substrates comprise plant waste selected from the group consisting of bark, corn cobs, nut shells, wood by-products, and crop by-products. 
   
   
       5 . A method according to  claim 1  or  2 , wherein the organic carbonaceous material coated on the substrates comprises an organic carbonaceous material selected from the group consisting of oil sands, oil shale, asphaltic oil, waste oil, bitumen, tar, pitch, kerogen, coal and agricultural waste. 
   
   
       6 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the organic carbonaceous material coated on the substrates comprises agricultural waste. 
   
   
       7 . A method according to  claim 6 , wherein the agricultural waste is selected from the group consisting of manure, fruit waste, straw, fermentation waste, and pulverized plant waste. 
   
   
       8 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the organic carbonaceous material coated on the substrates comprises coal and the coal has a metamorphic rank of bituminous coal or less. 
   
   
       9 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the organic carbonaceous material coated on the substrates comprises coal and the coal has a metamorphic rank of peat or less. 
   
   
       10 . A method according to  claim 5 , wherein the organic carbonaceous material is a concentrate made from oil shale. 
   
   
       11 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising the step of covering the stacked particle bioreactor with a gas impermeable barrier. 
   
   
       12 . A method according to  claim 11 , wherein the gas impermeable barrier is selected from the group consisting of a clay barrier layer or a plastic barrier. 
   
   
       13 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the step of forming an anaerobic environment includes purging the stacked particle bioreactor with argon, nitrogen, carbon dioxide, ammonia or hydrogen gas. 
   
   
       14 . A method according to  claim 1 , further comprising inoculating the stacked particle bioreactor with a culture comprising one or more aerobic and/or facultative anaerobic microorganisms and aerobically fermenting organic carbonaceous material in the bioreactor prior to forming an anaerobic environment within the bioreactor. 
   
   
       15 . A method according to  claim 14 , further comprising aerating the bioreactor during at least a portion of the aerobic fermentation. 
   
   
       16 . A method according to  claim 14 , wherein the step of forming an anaerobic environment includes reducing the oxygen concentration within the stacked particle bioreactor through aerobic fermentation. 
   
   
       17 . A method according to  claim 1 , wherein the gaseous fuel comprises methane. 
   
   
       18 . A method of bioconverting organic carbonaceous material into fuel using a stacked particle bioreactor, the method comprising the steps of:
 a. agglomerating particles comprising organic carbonaceous material with an agglomeration aid into a plurality of agglomerates having a particle size greater than or equal to about 0.3 cm;   b. forming a stacked particle bioreactor with the agglomerates, the stacked particle bioreactor having a void volume greater than or equal to about 15%;   c. forming an anaerobic environment within the stacked particle bioreactor;   d. anaerobically biotreating the stacked particle bioreactor until a desired amount of organic carbonaceous material within the stacked particle bioreactor has been converted to a gaseous fuel; and   e. collecting the gaseous fuel from the stacked particle bioreactor.   
   
   
       19 . method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of collecting synthetic petroleum from the stacked particle bioreactor as it drains from the bioreactor. 
   
   
       20 . A method according to  claim 18  or  19 , wherein the particles comprise an organic carbonaceous material selected from the group consisting of oil sands, carbonaceous rock, asphalt, rubber, and agricultural waste. 
   
   
       21 . A method according to  claim 20 , wherein the particles comprise agricultural waste and the agricultural waste comprises at least one plant waste selected from the group consisting of bark, corn cobs, nut shells, wood by-products, and crop by-products. 
   
   
       22 . A method according to  claim 21 , wherein the particles comprise carbonaceous rock and the carbonaceous rock comprises coal or oil shale. 
   
   
       23 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the carbonaceous rock comprises coal having a metamorphic rank of bituminous coal or less. 
   
   
       24 . A method according to  claim 22 , wherein the carbonaceous rock comprises coal having a metamorphic rank of peat or less. 
   
   
       25 . A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising the step of covering the stacked particle bioreactor with a gas impermeable barrier. 
   
   
       26 . A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising inoculating the stacked particle bioreactor with a culture comprising one or more aerobic and/or facultative anaerobic microorganisms and aerobically fermenting organic carbonaceous material in the bioreactor prior to forming an anaerobic environment within the bioreactor. 
   
   
       27 . A method according to  claim 26 , wherein the step of forming an anaerobic environment includes reducing the oxygen concentration within the stacked particle bioreactor through aerobic fermentation. 
   
   
       28 . A method according to  claim 18 , further comprising coating the plurality of agglomerates with at least one material selected from the group consisting of asphaltic oil, waste oil, bitumen, tar, pitch, and kerogen.