Particle for gasification containing a cellulose core with a coating of lignin

Abstract

A biomass composition of matter to be used in a torrefaction process or a biomass gasification reaction is described. The biomass in a particle form is created in a pretreatment step that occurs prior to the torrefaction process or the biomass gasification reaction. A bulk structure of the biomass is 1) stripped apart to at least partially separate an outer layer of lignin in the biomass from the cellulose fibers, 2) internally blown apart to create fragments of the fiber bundle, and 3) any combination of the two in the pretreatment step. The biomass in particle form has a length to thickness aspect ratio on average of less than 300 to 1, a thickness on average of less than 100 microns thick and a length on average of less than 3000 microns.

1 . A biomass composition of matter to be used in 1) a biomass gasification reaction where larger organic molecules making up the biomass are decomposed into smaller molecules to create syngas components, including hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), as a product of the biomass gasification reaction, 2) a torrefaction process, or 3) any combination of the two, comprising:
 biomass in a particle form created in a pretreatment step that occurs prior to the biomass gasification reaction or torrefaction process, where the biomass initially has a bulk structure including organic polymers of lignin that surround a plurality of cellulose fibers in a fiber bundle, where the bulk structure of the biomass is 1) stripped apart to at least partially separate an outer layer of lignin in the biomass from the cellulose fibers, 2) internally blown apart to create fragments of the fiber bundle, and 3) any combination of the two in the pretreatment step that uses at least moisture, pressure, and heat to liberate and expose the cellulose fibers to be able to react in a two-stage sequence during the biomass gasification reaction or torrefaction process rather than react in a repeating cycle of multiple layers of lignin followed by the cellulose and hemicelluloses, and where the biomass in particle form has a length to thickness aspect ratio on average of less than 300 to 1, a thickness on average of less than 100 microns thick and a length on average of less than 3000 microns.   
     
     
         2 . The biomass composition of matter of  claim 1 , where the biomass particle created in the pretreatment step includes both 1) chunks of pure lignin, from the layer of lignin surrounding any hemi-cellulose and cellulose in the cellulose fibers, that have been separated from the cellulose fibers as well as 2) cellulose fibers now freestanding from the fiber bundle where the freestanding cellulose fibers have some lignin still attached to the surface of the fiber, where the biomass particle when fed into the biomass gasifier is allowed a more rapid exposure to directly react the cellulose and hemi-cellulose as well as substantially eliminating having to react layer after layer of lignin surrounding the cellulose and hemi-cellulose, followed by another layer of lignin surrounding cellulose and hemi-celluloses that would have to be sequentially reacted through if the pretreatment step did not at least partially separate the lignin from the cellulose fibers. 
     
     
         3 . The biomass composition of matter of  claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment step is a Thermo Mechanical Pulping process using two or more stages to pretreat the biomass for subsequent supply to the biomass gasifier, where the stages are configured to use a combination of heat, pressure, moisture, and mechanical agitation that are applied to the biomass to degrade bonds between the lignin from the cellulose fibers, then mechanically strip fibers from the fiber bundle to separate an outer layer of lignin in the biomass from the cellulose fibers, and then supply the biomass particles in a pulp form from an outlet stage of the Thermo Mechanical Pulping process. 
     
     
         4 . The biomass composition of matter of  claim 3 , wherein the biomass particle formed after the pretreatment step of the Thermo Mechanical Pulping process is 1) an individual cellulose fiber having some lignin on the cellulose fiber while other areas of the individual cellulose fibers have no lignin adhering to the surface of the cellulose fiber, 2) a group of several fibers adhering together but at least ten times less than in the amount of plurality of fibers making up the fiber bundle, and 3) any combination, where the average dimensions of the biomass in particle form produced from the Thermo Mechanical Pulping process is approximately 10 to 100 microns thick with a length of fifty microns to three mm, and an aggregate amount of biomass in particle form supplied from the outlet stage of the Thermo Mechanical Pulping process has an increased exposed surface area of at least twenty times the surface area compared to the surface area of a same amount of biomass supplied to an input stage of the TMP process. 
     
     
         5 . The biomass composition of matter of  claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment step is a Thermo Mechanical Pulping that uses two or more stages that include a steam tube stage and a refiner unit stage,
 where the steam tube stage has an input cavity to receive biomass in chip form and a steam supply input to apply steam into a vessel containing the biomass in chip form to elevate temperature in the vessel to between 130 to 200 degrees C. at a pressure between 70 and 110 PSI, where the biomass in chip form with softened lignin is then fed from the steam tube stage to the refiner unit stage, which is at the same pressure as the steam tube stage, and   where in the refiner unit stage a mechanical separator is configured to further to cooperate with the steam to separate the plurality of cellulose fibers in the fiber bundle into biomass in particle form consisting of 1) individual strands of fibers 2) a group of no more than three individual fibers in the group of fibers 2), and 3) any combination of both.   
     
     
         6 . The biomass composition of matter of  claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment step is a steam explosion process that uses a combination of heat, pressure, and moisture that are applied to biomass in two or more stages to make the biomass in particle form, where the biomass is created in a moist fine particle form, where the steam explosion process applies steam to biomass in chip form received in an input stage from a lower pressure steam supply input to begin degrading bonds between the lignin and cellulose fibers of the biomass and increase a moisture content of the biomass in chip form, and then in another stage, apply a higher pressure steam at at least ten times atmospheric pressure to heat and pressurize any gases and fluids present inside the biomass in order to internally blow apart the bulk structure of the biomass via a rapid depressurization of the biomass with the increased moisture content and degraded bonds, where the biomass produced into the moist fine particle form from the stages has average dimensions of less than 50 microns thick and less than 500 microns in length. 
     
     
         7 . The biomass composition of matter of  claim 6 , wherein the biomass particle formed after the pretreatment step of the steam explosion process is a fragment of one to several cellulose fibers adhering to each other with having some lignin on each fiber but merely a portion of these fibers from the fiber bundle remain intact, and where the average dimensions of the particles of biomass produced from the steam explosion process are approximately 10 to 100 microns thick with a length of less than 200 microns, and the produced biomass in fine particle form has a length to thickness aspect ratio on average of less than 10 to 1, and an aggregate amount of biomass in fine particle form produced after the steam explosion process has an increased exposed surface area of at least twenty times the surface area compared to a surface area of a same amount of biomass supplied to an input stage of the steam explosion process. 
     
     
         8 . The biomass composition of matter of  claim 6 , wherein the biomass composition formed after the SEP pretreatment step is multiple fragments of the individual cellulose fibers or even several cellulose fibers clumped together; however, merely a portion of the original cellulose fibers remain intact, which makes the mass smaller and flow characteristics of the biomass in fine particle form to flow like a grain of sand rather than like a fiber stalk; and
 where the two or more stages includes a mechanical agitation step of the biomass prior to forming the biomass composition of multiple fragments of the individual cellulose fibers or even several cellulose fibers clumped together.   
     
     
         9 . The biomass composition of matter of  claim 1 , wherein the decomposition of the large organic molecules in the biomass gasification reaction occurs due exposure of the biomass composition to elevated heat of greater than 700 degrees C. but not with exposure to a flame or other combustion source, and where the two-stage sequence of almost all of the lignin reacting and then the cellulose and hemi-cellulose reacting during the biomass gasification reaction produces a reaction product of resultant stable ash formation, a complete amelioration of tar to less than 500 milligrams per normal cubic meter, and a yield of at least 90% of the biomass to hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide gaseous products. 
     
     
         10 . The biomass composition of matter of  claim 1 , wherein the pretreatment step is SEP that uses two or more stages including a thermally hydrating stage and a steam explosion stage, where the thermally hydrating stage has steam applied to biomass received in chip form in order to soften and elevate a moisture content of the biomass so at least the cellulose fibers and surrounding lignin of the biomass in the steam explosion stage can be internally blown apart, and in the steam explosion stage, the softened and hydrated biomass are exposed to 160 to 850 PSI and temperature between 160-270° C. for a set time period to create high pressure steam inside the partially hollow cellulose fibers and other porous areas in the bulk structure of the biomass material, and then an amount of pressure at an exit in the steam explosion stage is dropped rapidly in less than three seconds by extruding the bulk structure of the biomass through an orifice sized in proportion to the fibers passing through it into a tube at normal atmospheric pressure to cause an internal explosion, which internally blows apart the biomass into minute fine particles of biomass, where internally blowing apart the bulk structure of biomass in the fiber bundle into pieces and fragments of cellulose fiber and lignin results in 1) an increase of a surface area of the biomass in fine particle form compared the received biomass in chip form, and 2) the creation of the two-step reaction in the biomass gasification reaction of any of lignin adhering cellulose fiber as well as any loose chunks of lignin and then a reaction of the cellulose fibers as opposed to a multistep cycling reaction of lignin and then the cellulose fibers followed by lignin and more cellulose fibers. 
     
     
         11 . A method to create a biomass composition of matter to be used in 1) a biomass gasification reaction where larger organic molecules making up the biomass are decomposed into smaller molecules to create syngas components, including hydrogen (H2) and carbon monoxide (CO), as a product of the biomass gasification reaction, 2) a torrefaction process, or 3) any combination of the two, comprising:
 creating biomass in a particle form in a pretreatment step that occurs prior to the biomass gasification reaction or torrefaction process, where the biomass initially has a bulk structure including organic polymers of lignin that surround a plurality of cellulose fibers in a fiber bundle, where the bulk structure of the biomass is 1) stripped apart to at least partially separate an outer layer of lignin in the biomass from the cellulose fibers, 2) internally blown apart to create fragments of the fiber bundle, and 3) any combination of the two in the pretreatment step that uses at least moisture, pressure, and heat to liberate and expose the cellulose fibers to be able to react in a two stage sequence during the biomass gasification reaction or torrefaction process rather than react in a repeating cycle of multiple layers of lignin followed by the cellulose and hemi-cellulose; and where the biomass in particle form has a length to thickness aspect ratio on average of less than 300 to 1, a thickness on average of less than 100 microns thick and a length on average of less than 3000 microns.   
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 11 , biomass particle created in the pretreatment step includes both 1) chunks of pure lignin, from the layer of lignin surrounding any hemi-cellulose and cellulose in the cellulose fibers, that have been separated from the cellulose fibers as well as 2) cellulose fibers now freestanding from the fiber bundle where the freestanding cellulose fibers have some lignin still attached to the surface of the fiber, where the biomass particle when fed into the biomass gasifier is allowed a more rapid exposure to directly react the cellulose and hemi-cellulose as well as substantially eliminating having to react layer after layer of lignin surrounding the cellulose and hemi-cellulose, followed by another layer of lignin surrounding cellulose and hemi-celluloses that would have to be sequentially reacted through if the pretreatment step did not at least partially separate the lignin from the cellulose fibers. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pretreatment step is a Thermo Mechanical Pulping process using two or more stages to pretreat the biomass for subsequent supply to the biomass gasifier, where the stages are configured to use a combination of heat, pressure, moisture, and mechanical agitation that are applied to the biomass to degrade bonds between the lignin from the cellulose fibers, then mechanically strip fibers from the fiber bundle to separate the outer layer of lignin in the biomass from the cellulose fibers, and then supply the particles in a pulp form from an outlet stage of the Thermo Mechanical Pulping process. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the biomass particle formed after the pretreatment step of the Thermo Mechanical Pulping process is 1) an individual cellulose fiber having some lignin on the cellulose fiber while other areas of the individual cellulose fibers have no lignin adhering to the surface of the cellulose fiber, 2) a group of several fibers adhering together but at least ten times less than in the amount of plurality of fibers making up the fiber bundle, and 3) any combination, where the average dimensions of the biomass in particle form produced from the Thermo Mechanical Pulping process is approximately 10 to 100 microns thick with a length of three mm or less, and an aggregate amount of biomass in particle form supplied from the outlet stage of the Thermo Mechanical Pulping process has an increased exposed surface area of at least twenty times the surface area compared to the surface area of a same amount of biomass supplied to an input stage of the TMP process. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pretreatment step is a Thermo Mechanical Pulping that uses two or more stages that include a steam tube stage and a refiner unit stage,
 where the steam tube stage has an input cavity to receive biomass in chip form and a steam supply input to apply steam into a vessel containing the biomass in chip form to elevate temperature in the vessel to between 130 to 200 degrees C. at a pressure between 70 and 110 PSI, where the biomass in chip form with softened lignin is then fed from the steam tube stage to the refiner unit stage, which is at the same pressure as the steam tube stage, and   where in the refiner unit stage a mechanical separator is configured to further to cooperate with the steam to separate the plurality of cellulose fibers in the fiber bundle into biomass in particle form consisting of 1) individual strands of fibers 2) a group of no more than three individual fibers in the group of fibers 2), and 3) any combination of both.   
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pretreatment step is a steam explosion process that uses a combination of heat, pressure, and moisture that are applied to biomass in two or more stages to make the biomass in particle form, where the biomass is in a moist fine particle form, where the steam explosion process applies steam to biomass in chip form received in an input stage from a lower pressure steam supply input to begin degrading bonds between the lignin and cellulose fibers of the biomass and increase a moisture content of the biomass in chip form, and then in another stage, apply a higher pressure steam at at least ten times atmospheric pressure to heat and pressurize any gases and fluids present inside the biomass in order to internally blow apart the bulk structure of the biomass via a rapid depressurization of the biomass with the increased moisture content and degraded bonds, where the biomass produced into the moist fine particle form from the stages has average dimensions of less than 50 microns thick and less than 500 microns in length. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the biomass particle formed after the pretreatment step of the steam explosion process is a fragment of one to several cellulose fibers adhering to each other with having some lignin on each fiber but merely a portion of these fibers from the fiber bundle remain intact, and where the average dimensions of the particles of biomass produced from the steam explosion process are approximately 10 to 100 microns thick with a length of less than 200 microns, and the produced biomass in fine particle form has a length to thickness aspect ratio on average of less than 10 to 1, and an aggregate amount of biomass in fine particle form produced after the steam explosion process has an increased exposed surface area of at least twenty times the surface area compared to a surface area of a same amount of biomass supplied to an input stage of the steam explosion process. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the biomass composition formed after the SEP pretreatment step is multiple fragments of the individual cellulose fibers or even several cellulose fibers clumped together; however, merely a portion of the original cellulose fibers remain intact, which makes the mass smaller and flow characteristics of the biomass in fine particle form to flow like a grain of sand rather than like a fiber stalk; and
 where the two or more stages includes a mechanical agitation step of the biomass prior to forming the biomass composition of multiple fragments of the individual cellulose fibers or even several cellulose fibers clumped together.   
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the decomposition of the large organic molecules in the biomass gasification reaction occurs due to the exposure of the biomass composition to elevated heat of greater than 700 degrees C. but not with exposure to a flame or other combustion source, and where the two-stage sequence of almost all of the lignin reacting and then the cellulose and hemi-cellulose reacting during the biomass gasification reaction produces a reaction product of resultant stable ash formation, a complete amelioration of tar to less than 500 milligrams per normal cubic meter, and a yield of at least 90% of the biomass to hydrogen, carbon dioxide, and carbon monoxide gaseous products. 
     
     
         20 . The method of  claim 11 , wherein the pretreatment step is SEP that uses two or more stages including a thermally hydrating stage and a steam explosion stage, where the thermally hydrating stage has steam applied to biomass received in chip form in order to soften and elevate a moisture content of the biomass so at least the cellulose fibers and surrounding lignin of the biomass in the steam explosion stage can be internally blown apart, and in the steam explosion stage, the softened and hydrated biomass are exposed to 160 to 850 PSI and temperature between 160-270° C. for a set time period to create high pressure steam inside the partially hollow cellulose fibers and other porous areas in the bulk structure of the biomass material, and then an amount of pressure at an exit in the steam explosion stage is dropped rapidly in less than three seconds by extruding the bulk structure of the biomass into a tube at normal atmospheric pressure to cause an internal explosion, which internally blows apart the biomass into minute fine particles of biomass, where the exit is an orifice sized in proportion to the fibers passing through it to cause a violent interaction of the fibers with neighboring fibers, the edges of the exit orifice, and any combination of both, where internally blowing apart the bulk structure of biomass in the fiber bundle into pieces and fragments of cellulose fiber and lignin.