Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention are configured to produce boiler and transportation fuels. A first phase of the method may include oxidation and/or hyper-acidification of bio-oil to produce an intermediate product. A second phase of the method may include catalytic deoxygenation, esterification, or olefination/esterification of the intermediate product under pressurized syngas. The composition of the resulting product—e.g., a boiler fuel—produced by these methods may be used directly or further upgraded to a transportation fuel. Certain embodiments of the present invention also include catalytic compositions configured for use in the method embodiments.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for producing thermoset, water repellent binders particularly effective for forming combustible composite materials. The binders include a mixture of an alkaline protein hydrolyzate and a bio-oil or an acidic protein hydrolyzate and a lignin compound. Desirably, the binders and the resulting combustible composite materials are substantially free of formaldehyde.

Abstract: The device and method are provided to increase anhydrosugars yield during pyrolysis of biomass. This increase is achieved by injection of a liquid or gas into the vapor stream of any pyrolysis reactor prior to the reactor condensers. A second feature of our technology is the utilization of sonication, microwave excitation, or shear mixing of the biomass to increase the acid catalyst rate for demineralization or removal of hemicellulose prior to pyrolysis. The increased reactivity of these treatments reduces reaction time as well as the required amount of catalyst to less than half of that otherwise required. A fractional condensation system employed by our pyrolysis reactor is another feature of our technology. This system condenses bio-oil pyrolysis vapors to various desired fractions by differential temperature manipulation of individual condensers comprising a condenser chain.

Abstract: A method for producing biofuel and other hydrocarbons from bio-oil is disclosed. The method does not require the use of hydrogen derived from fossil fuel.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and device to produce esterified, olefinated/esterified, or thermochemolytic reacted bio-oils as fuels. The olefinated/esterified product may be utilized as a biocrude for input to a refinery, either alone or in combination with petroleum crude oils. The bio-oil esterification reaction is catalyzed by addition of alcohol and acid catalyst. The olefination/esterification reaction is catalyzed by addition of resin acid or other heterogeneous catalyst to catalyze olefins added to previously etherified bio-oil; the olefins and alcohol may also be simultaneously combined and catalyzed by addition of resin acid or other heterogeneous catalyst to produce the olefinated/esterified product.

Abstract: Certain embodiments of the present invention are configured to produce boiler and transportation fuels. A first phase of the method may include oxidation and/or hyper-acidification of bio-oil to produce an intermediate product. A second phase of the method may include catalytic deoxygenation, esterification, or olefination/esterification of the intermediate product under pressurized syngas. The composition of the resulting product—e.g., a boiler fuel—produced by these methods may be used directly or further upgraded to a transportation fuel. Certain embodiments of the present invention also include catalytic compositions configured for use in the method embodiments.

Abstract: Methods and compositions are provided for producing thermoset, water repellent binders particularly effective for forming combustible composite materials. The binders include a mixture of an alkaline protein hydrolyzate and a bio-oil or an acidic protein hydrolyzate and a lignin compound. Desirably, the binders and the resulting combustible composite materials are substantially free of formaldehyde.

Abstract: An improved method of providing heat to a pyrolysis reactor is disclosed. A solid heat carrier produces fast pyrolysis vapors during transport of the solid heat carrier/feedstock mixture down the shell of the main reactor tube by the reactor tube auger. These vapors are drawn from the main reactor tube by a slight vacuum pressure and are condensed in a multiple condenser train comprised of shell and tube condensers cooled by water or other means.

Abstract: The device and method of this invention provides a means to increase anhydrosugars yield during pyrolysis of biomass. This increase is achieved by injection of a liquid or gas into the vapor stream of any pyrolysis reactor prior to the reactor condensers. A second novel feature of our technology is the utilization of sonication, microwave excitation or shear mixing of the biomass to increase the acid catalyst rate for demineralization or removal of hemicellulose prior to pyrolysis. The increased reactivity of these treatments reduces reaction time as well as the required amount of catalyst to less than half of that otherwise required. A fractional condensation system employed by our pyrolysis reactor is also a novel element of our technology. This system condenses bio-oil pyrolysis vapors to various desired fractions by differential temperature manipulation of individual condensers comprising a condenser chain.

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and device to produce esterified, olefinated/esterified, or thermochemolytic reacted bio-oils as fuels. The olefinated/esterified product may be utilized as a biocrude for input to a refinery, either alone or in combination with petroleum crude oils. The bio-oil esterification reaction is catalyzed by addition of alcohol and acid catalyst. The olefination/esterification reaction is catalyzed by addition of resin acid or other heterogeneous catalyst to catalyze olefins added to previously etherified bio-oil; the olefins and alcohol may also be simultaneously combined and catalyzed by addition of resin acid or other heterogeneous catalyst to produce the olefinated/esterified product.

Abstract: A Moisture and Density Detector (MDD) provides a method and apparatus to determine the moisture content and/or density, as well as presence and location of anomalies, and/or wood type of any dielectric material for various purposes. This device is very useful in detecting the moisture content of wood and wood-based materials, such as that of lumber in a dry kiln prior to, during and/or following drying. The MDD passes a radio frequency signal and/or any other signal between opposed or adjacent capacitance electrodes and measures the signal strength and phase shift of the signal. The addition of phase shift and multiple frequencies improves the accuracy of the results.

Abstract: A Moisture and Density Detector (MDD) that provides a method and apparatus to determine the moisture content and/or density of any dielectric material for various purposes. This device is very useful in detecting the moisture content (MC) of wood and wood-based materials, such as that of lumber in a dry kiln prior to, during and/or following drying. The MDD passes a radio frequency signal between opposed or adjacent capacitance electrodes and measures the signal strength and phase shift of the signal. The addition of phase shift and multiple frequencies improves the accuracy of the results.

Abstract: A Moisture and Density Detector (MDD) that provides a method and apparatus to determine the moisture content and/or density of any dielectric material for various purposes. This device is very useful in detecting the moisture content (MC) of wood and wood-based materials, such as that of lumber in a dry kiln prior to, during and/or following drying. The MDD passes a radio frequency signal between opposed or adjacent capacitance electrodes and measures the signal strength and phase shift of the signal. The addition of phase shift and multiple frequencies improves the accuracy of the results.

Abstract: A system for the detection of knots and voids in wood or lumber employs opposed arrays of capacitor plates. The presence of knots and/or voids is detected based on changes in the dielectrical response produced in the electrical fields defined by the opposed capacitor plate arrays. A software system delineates specific knot and void defects determined. Wood or lumber strength can further be estimated by comparing a sensed dielectric value in a clear portion of the lumber or wood with an established dielectric response value for wood of known density. Employing an appropriate correlation factor the relative wood density, coupled with knot/void location and size, permits an estimate of over all wood strength.

Abstract: A method for determining the presence of knots and/or voids in lumber surfaces by uniformly heating the wood and then submitting the wood to an infrared camera, providing a thermal image of the surface of the wood. Knots and voids heat differently from the remaining wood areas, the differential heating being observed by the inspection of the thermal image, or more preferably by conversion of the image to a digital signal which is communicated to a frame grabber and data processor, permitting frame-by-frame inspection of the heat distribution on the surface of the wood. Locations of differential heating corresponding to knots and voids are detected, and can be communicated to subsequent processing devices, to either exclude all or some of the defect areas, or control the use to which the defect-bearing wood is put.