Abstract: A conventional agricultural “cuber” machine was modified to transform fibrous, low density cellulosic biomass into a mechanically stable form suitable for use as a feed stock to a bulk flow torrefier process without requiring the addition of a “binder” or other such adjuvant. Certain disclosed embodiments of the product concern a compact “cube” or “thin puck” of raw cellulosic biomass having a density of from 4 to 15 times the bulk density of the shredded raw biomass or from 20 to 32 lb/cu ft. The moisture content is below 10%, typically 3-8%. The strength of the product as measured by dropping the product onto a hard surface from a height of 3 ft. will not produce more than 10% breakage. The products of the present invention can be produced having any desirable dimensions, such as substantially square-, rectangular- or parallelogram-shaped product having at least one dimension of from about 5 to about 30 millimeters, which corresponds to the dimension of the die 2 in FIG. 2.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a binder-free product and process for making the product. The product is a mechanically stable, water resistant torrefied biomass product that does not comprise an extrinsic binder additive. The product is made using a combination of appropriate pre-treatment steps and compressing the conditioned biomass feedstock into a thermally managed compaction device comprising at least one modified die. The modified die allows for differential cooling/heating modifications so as to control the temperature near the entrance to the compaction device and passing the formed torrefied biomass into a post-formation curing zone.