Engineered plant biomass feedstock particles
US8034449B1 · kind B1 · utility
Assignee
Inventors
Key dates
| Filing date | Oct 19, 2010 |
| Grant date | Oct 11, 2011 |
| Priority date | — |
| Expiry date | Oct 19, 2030 |
Classification
- Technology area (CPC Y)Emerging Cross-Sectional Technologies
- CPC primaryY10T428/2982
- WIPO fieldMachine tools
- WIPO sectorMechanical engineering
Abstract
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×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel side surfaces characterized by substantially intact longitudinally arrayed fibers. The W×H dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel end surfaces characterized by crosscut fibers and end checking between fibers. The L×W dimensions define a pair of substantially parallel top surfaces characterized by some surface checking between longitudinally arrayed fibers. The feedstock particles are manufactured from a variety of plant biomass materials inc…
Source: USPTO / EPO open patent data. Objective bibliographic and citation counts.