Compositions and methods for composite fuels

Abstract

A solid composite fuel for the mitigation of emissions from a coal-fired power plant includes a solid monothilic fuel material formed from the pyrolysis of a coal material and at least one solid renewable fuel material.

1 . A solid composite fuel for the mitigation of emissions from a coal-fired power plant, the solid composite fuel comprising a solid monolithic fuel material formed from the pyrolysis of a coal material, and at least one solid renewable fuel material. 
     
     
         2 . The fuel of  claim 1  wherein the coal material comprises at least one of anthracite, bituminous, sub-bituminous and lignite. 
     
     
         3 . The fuel of  claim 1  wherein the at least one solid renewable fuel material comprises at least one of a species from a class of terrestrial plants and a species from a class of aquatic plants. 
     
     
         4 . The fuel of  claim 1  wherein the at least one solid renewable fuel material comprises a solid carbon-containing waste. 
     
     
         5 . The fuel of  claim 4  wherein the at least one solid renewable fuel material contains essentially no halogen containing polymers. 
     
     
         6 . The fuel of  claim 4  wherein the at least one solid renewable fuel material comprises less than 10% ash. 
     
     
         7 . The fuel of  claim 1  further comprising at least one liquid renewable fuel material. 
     
     
         8 . The fuel of  claim 7  wherein the at least one liquid renewable fuel material comprises a carbon-containing liquid waste. 
     
     
         9 . The fuel of  claim 7  wherein the at least one liquid renewable fuel material contains essentially no halogen compounds. 
     
     
         10 . The fuel of  claim 1  wherein the coal material comprises at least one of anthracite, bituminous, sub-bituminous and lignite and the at least one solid renewable fuel material comprises at least one of a species from a class of terrestrial plants, a species from a class of aquatic plants and a solid carbon-containing waste, wherein the coal material is greater than 20% by weight of a dry weight of a mixture of the coal material and the at least one solid renewable fuel material prior to pyrolysis. 
     
     
         11 . The fuel of  claim 10  further comprising at least one binder material added to the coal material and the at least one solid renewable fuel material. 
     
     
         12 . The fuel of  claim 11  wherein the at least one binder material is added in one of prior to, during and after mixing of the materials to facilitate adhesion of the materials and promote formation of complex carbon structures during pyrolysis. 
     
     
         13 . The fuel of  claim 1  wherein individual pyrolized coal macerals are identifiable in a matrix of the solid composite fuel. 
     
     
         14 . The fuel of  claim 1  wherein the solid composite fuel produces sulfur emissions of less than 1.5 pounds of SO 2  per million BTU. 
     
     
         15 . A solid composite fuel for the mitigation of emissions from a coal-fired power plant comprising:
 a coal material;   at least one solid renewable fuel material; and   at least one binder material added to the coal material and the at least one solid renewable fuel material.   
     
     
         16 . The fuel of  claim 15  wherein the at least one binder material is added in one of prior to, during and after mixing of the materials to facilitate adhesion of the materials and promote formation of complex carbon structures during pyrolysis to form a solid monolithic fuel material. 
     
     
         17 . The fuel of  claim 15  wherein the at least one binder material includes at least one of a sugar, a starch, an unsaturated hydrocarbon, an oxygenated hydrocarbon, a cyclic hydrocarbon, an aromatic hydrocarbon, a phenolic hydrocarbon, a polycyclic hydrocarbon and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         18 . The fuel of  claim 17  wherein the at least one binder material comprises a fraction of collected pyrolysis oil having an initial boiling point in excess of 500° F. 
     
     
         19 . The fuel of  claim 18  wherein the at least one binder material is insoluble in one of C 10  and a lower alkane solvent at a temperature less than 250° F. 
     
     
         20 . A method of making a solid composite fuel, the method comprising:
 preparing a coal material and at least one solid renewable fuel material;   blending the coal material and the at least one solid renewable fuel material into a mixture;   drying the mixture;   pyrolizing the mixture in at least one pyrolizer; and   cooling resulting solid chars to form a solid composite fuel.   
     
     
         21 . The method according to  claim 20  wherein preparing the coal material and the at least one solid renewable fuel material comprises at least one of sizing, analyzing and quantifying the coal material and the at least one solid renewable fuel material. 
     
     
         22 . The method according to  claim 20  further comprising forming the resulting solid chars into at least one of pellets, rods and briquettes. 
     
     
         23 . The method according to  claim 20  further comprising recovering at least one of mercury and a tar oil product from the at least one pyrolizer. 
     
     
         24 . The method according to  claim 23  further comprising at least one of utilizing the recovered tar oil as fuel and processing the recovered tar oil. 
     
     
         25 . The method according to  claim 20  further comprising adding at least one binder material to the coal material and the at least one solid renewable fuel material in one of prior to, during and after the blending of the coal component and the at least one solid renewable fuel material. 
     
     
         26 . The method according to  claim 25  further comprising preparing at least one liquid renewable fuel material and blending the at least one liquid renewable fuel material with the at least one binder material.