Carbon Technology Holdings, LLC

Dustin Slack

James A Mennell

Daren Einar Daugaard

Daniel J Despen

In some variations, the invention provides a biocarbon composition comprising a low fixed carbon material with a fixed carbon concentration from 20 wt % to 55 wt %; a high fixed carbon material with a fixed carbon concentration from 50 wt % to 100 wt % (and higher than the fixed carbon concentration of the low fixed carbon material; from 0 to 30 wt % moisture; from 0 to 15 wt % ash; and from 0 to 20 wt % of one or more additives (such as a binder). Some variations provide a process for producing a biocarbon composition, the process comprising: pyrolyzing a first biomass-containing feedstock to generate a low fixed carbon material; separately pyrolyzing a second biomass-containing feedstock to generate a high fixed carbon material; blending the low fixed carbon material with the high fixed carbon material, thereby generating an intermediate material; optionally, blending one or more additives into the intermediate material; optionally, drying the intermediate material; and recovering a biocarbon composition containing the intermediate material or a thermally treated form thereof.

Biocarbon blends with optimized fixed carbon content, and methods for making and using the same

Some variations provide a carbon-negative carbon product that is characterized by a carbon intensity less than 0 kg COe per metric ton of the carbon-negative carbon product, wherein the carbon-negative carbon product contains at least about 50 wt % carbon. In some embodiments, the carbon intensity is less than −500 kg COe per metric ton of the carbon-negative carbon product. Other variations provide a carbon-negative metal product (e.g., a steel product) that is characterized by a carbon intensity less than 0 kg COe per metric ton of the carbon-negative metal product, wherein the metal product contains from 50 wt % to 100 wt % of one or more metals and optionally one or more alloying elements. In some embodiments, the carbon-negative metal product is characterized by a carbon intensity less than −200 kg COe per metric ton of the carbon-negative metal product. The carbon-negative metal product can contain a wide variety of metals.

Carbon-negative metallurgical products

Some variations provide a composition for reducing a metal ore, the composition comprising a carbon-metal ore particulate, wherein the carbon-metal ore particulate comprises at least about 0.1 wt % to at most about 50 wt % fixed carbon on a moisture-free and ash-free basis, and wherein the carbon is at least 50% renewable carbon as determined from a measurement of theC/C isotopic ratio. Some variations provide a process for reducing a metal ore, comprising: providing a biomass feedstock; pyrolyzing the feedstock to generate a biogenic reagent comprising carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas comprising hydrogen or carbon monoxide; obtaining a metal ore comprising a metal oxide; combining the carbon with the metal ore, to generate a carbon-metal ore particulate; optionally pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate; and utilizing the pyrolysis off-gas to chemically reduce the metal oxide to elemental metal, such as iron.

Bio-reduction of metal ores integrated with biomass pyrolysis

Provided are biogenic porous carbon silicon dioxide compositions, as well as related compositions, and methods of making and using such compositions. Exemplary biogenic porous carbon silicon dioxide compositions include a high-carbon biogenic reagent composition that contains at least about 50 wt % total carbon, at most about 5 wt % hydrogen, at most about 1 wt % nitrogen, at most about 0.5 wt % phosphorus, at most about 0.2 wt % sulfur, at most about 0.02 wt % titanium, at most about 0.5% calcium, at most about 0.1% aluminum, and silicon dioxide. The total carbon can be biogenic carbon, and the silicon dioxide can be contained within river rock or silica fume. Also provided are processes for producing such compositions, where the processes can include: preheating a renewable feedstock, pyrolyzing the renewable feedstock, separating certain pyrolysis products, cooling solid pyrolysis products, and introducing silicon dioxide at a certain point in process.

Biogenic porous carbon silicon dioxide compositions

In some variations, the disclosure provides a renewable biocarbon composition comprising from 50 wt % to 99 wt % total carbon, wherein the biocarbon composition is characterized by a base-acid ratio selected from 0.1 to 10, an iron-calcium ratio selected from 0.05 to 5, iron-plus-calcium parameter selected from 5 to 50 wt %, a slagging factor selected from 0.001 to 1, and/or a fouling factor or modified fouling factor selected from 0.1 to 10. Some variations provide a process comprising: providing a biomass feedstock; pyrolyzing the biomass feedstock to generate an intermediate biocarbon stream; washing or treating the intermediate biocarbon stream with an acid, a base, a salt, a metal, H, HO, CO, CO, or a combination thereof, and/or introducing an additive in the process, to adjust a base-acid ratio or other compositional parameter; and recovering a biocarbon composition comprising from 50 wt % to 99 wt % total carbon and optimized for a compositional parameter.

Biocarbon compositions with optimized compositional parameters, and processes for producing the same

Some variations provide a process for producing biocarbon pellets, comprising: pyrolyzing a biomass-containing feedstock in a first pyrolysis reactor to generate a first biogenic reagent and a pyrolysis vapor; introducing the pyrolysis vapor to a separation unit, to generate a pyrolysis precipitate in liquid or solid form; contacting the first biogenic reagent with the pyrolysis precipitate, thereby generating an intermediate material; pelletizing the intermediate material, to generate intermediate pellets; optionally, drying the intermediate pellets; separately pyrolyzing the intermediate pellets in a second pyrolysis reactor to generate a second biogenic reagent and a pyrolysis off-gas; and recovering the second biogenic reagent as biocarbon pellets. Some variations provide a similar process that utilizes a carbon-containing condensed-matter material, which is not necessarily a pyrolysis precipitate. The disclosure provides improved processes for producing biocarbon compositions, especially with respect to carbon yield and biocarbon properties, such as reactivity.

Processes for producing biocarbon pellets with high fixed-carbon content and optimized reactivity, and biocarbon pellets obtained therefrom

Some variations provide a composition for reducing a metal ore, the composition comprising a carbon-metal ore particulate, wherein the carbon-metal ore particulate comprises at least about 0.1 wt % to at most about 50 wt % fixed carbon on a moisture-free and ash-free basis, and wherein the carbon is at least 50% renewable carbon as determined from a measurement of theC/C isotopic ratio. Some variations provide a process for reducing a metal ore, comprising: providing a biomass feedstock; pyrolyzing the feedstock to generate a biogenic reagent comprising carbon and a pyrolysis off-gas comprising hydrogen or carbon monoxide; obtaining a metal ore comprising a metal oxide; combining the carbon with the metal ore, to generate a carbon-metal ore particulate; optionally pelletizing the carbon-metal ore particulate; and utilizing the pyrolysis off-gas to chemically reduce the metal oxide to elemental metal, such as iron. The disclosed technologies are environmentally superior to conventional processes based on coal.

Growing community of inventors

Gwinn, MI, United States of America

Dustin Slack