METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR DEPOSITING AGENTS UPON AND WITHIN BIO-CHAR

• Main Author: GERALD C., SCHARF
• Format: Patent
• Language: English; French
• Published: 08.07.2010
• Subjects: ADDING MATERIALS TO FUELS OR FIRES TO REDUCE SMOKE ORUNDESIRABLE DEPOSITS OR TO FACILITATE SOOT REMOVAL; CHEMISTRY; COMPOUNDS THEREOF; FERTILISERS; FERTILISERS CHARACTERISED BY THEIR FORM; FIRELIGHTERS; FUELS; FUELS NOT OTHERWISE PROVIDED FOR; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; LIQUEFIED PETROLEUM GAS; LUBRICANTS; MANUFACTURE THEREOF; METALLURGY; MIXTURES OF FERTILISERS COVERED INDIVIDUALLY BY DIFFERENTSUBCLASSES OF CLASS C05; MIXTURES OF ONE OR MORE FERTILISERS WITH MATERIALS NOT HAVINGA SPECIFIC FERTILISING ACTIVITY, e.g. PESTICIDES,SOIL-CONDITIONERS, WETTING AGENTS; NATURAL GAS; NON-METALLIC ELEMENTS; PEAT; PETROLEUM, GAS OR COKE INDUSTRIES; PHOSPHATIC FERTILISERS; REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGYGENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION; SYNTHETIC NATURAL GAS OBTAINED BY PROCESSES NOT COVERED BYSUBCLASSES C10G, C10K; TECHNICAL GASES CONTAINING CARBON MONOXIDE; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER US CLASSIFICATION; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ARTCOLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS; TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINSTCLIMATE CHANGE

Methods and apparatuses for depositing agents relatively deep within pores of bio-char. Bio-char is first produced in an airtight oven by heating biomass feedstock. The bio-char is then cooled and steam is diffused into the pores of the bio-char. The steam-laden bio-char is immersed in a liquid bath containing soluble agents that are to be deposited in the pores of the bio-char. The liquid bath cools the char to below the condensation temperature of the steam, whereupon the condensing steam generates a partial vacuum within the pores, drawing the liquid into the pores. The bio-char is then removed from the liquid bath and dried so that the liquid within the pores evaporates, leaving behind the soluble agent. Accordingly, the invention yields bio-char that has soluble agent embedded relatively deep within its pores. L'invention concerne des procédés et des appareils pour déposer des agents relativement profondément dans les pores de charbon de bois biologique. Le charbon de bois biologique est tout d'abord produit dans un four étanche à l'air par chauffage d'une matière première biomasse. Le charbon de bois biologique est ensuite refroidi et de la vapeur est diffusée dans les pores du charbon de bois biologique. Le charbon de bois biologique chargé de vapeur est immergé dans un bain liquide contenant des agents solubles qui doivent être déposés dans les pores du charbon de bois biologique. Le bain liquide refroidit le charbon de bois en dessous de la température de condensation de la vapeur, la vapeur qui se condense générant ainsi un vide partiel dans les pores, qui aspire le liquide dans les pores. Le charbon de bois biologique est alors retiré du bain liquide et séché de manière à ce que le liquide dans les pores s'évapore, laissant l'agent soluble. L'invention permet ainsi d'obtenir un charbon de bois biologique qui contient un agent soluble incorporé relativement profondément dans ses pores.