Mobile charcoal/biochar production and pelletizer system and method thereof

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-10501689-B2
Application number	US-201715643739-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Jul 7, 2017
Priority date	Jul 8, 2016
Publication date	Dec 10, 2019
Grant date	Dec 10, 2019

Abstract

Embodiments of the invention provide a portable charcoal system and method of operating thereof, wherein the portable charcoal system comprises a first compartment adapted to burn a material, a second compartment connected to the first compartment and adapted to receive the material from the first compartment, and a third compartment adapted to receive the material from the second compartment, the third compartment comprising an auger adapted to move the material from a back end to a front end, and out of the third compartment. The portable charcoal system further includes a source of air.

First claim

We claim:

1. A portable charcoal system comprising:
a first compartment at least partially defined by four walls and adapted to burn a material to produce charcoal, the first compartment comprising:
an open top; and
a bottom;

a second compartment at least partially defined by four walls and connected to the first compartment, the second compartment adapted to receive the charcoal from the first compartment;
a third compartment at least partially defined by a front end, and a back end, and connected to the second compartment, the third compartment adapted to receive the charcoal from the second compartment, the third compartment comprising a front end and a back end, and an auger adapted to move the charcoal from the back end to the front end and out of the third compartment; and
a source of air,
wherein the source of air directs a curtain air across the open top of the first compartment; and
wherein at least a portion of the bottom of the first compartment is configured to allow the charcoal to pass to the second compartment.

2. The portable charcoal system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom of the first compartment is at least one of an expanded metal, a sieve, or a grate.

3. The portable charcoal system of claim 1 , wherein at least a portion of the bottom of the first compartment is perforated.

4. The portable charcoal system of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment comprises at least one of a plurality of chain driven drag bars and directional bars on a bottom thereof.

5. The portable charcoal system of claim 1 , wherein the second compartment comprises an angled bottom surface.

6. The portable charcoal system of claim 1 , wherein the third compartment further comprises an extruder.

7. The portable charcoal system of claim 1 , wherein the third compartment further comprises a heat conductive medium therein.

8. The portable charcoal system of claim 1 , wherein the bottom is capable of moving axially in relation to the four walls of the first compartment.

9. A portable charcoal system comprising:
a first compartment at least partially defined by four peripheral walls and a platform on a bottom end thereof;
a second compartment at least partially defined by four peripheral walls and the platform on a top end thereof; and
a third compartment connected to an end of the second compartment, wherein the third compartment comprises:
an auger; and
an extruder,

wherein at least a portion of the platform is configured to allow charcoal to pass to the second compartment.

10. The portable charcoal system of claim 9 , wherein the third compartment further comprises a heat conductive medium.

11. The portable charcoal system of claim 10 , wherein the heat conductive medium is water.

12. The portable charcoal system of claim 10 , wherein the heat conductive medium comprises an additive.

13. The portable charcoal system of claim 12 , wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of a fertilizer and a binder.

14. The portable charcoal system of claim 9 , wherein the platform is capable of moving axially.

15. The portable charcoal system of claim 9 , wherein the second compartment comprises a plurality of chain driven drag bars and/or directional bars on a bottom thereof.

16. The portable charcoal system of claim 9 , wherein the second compartment comprises an angled bottom surface.

17. A portable charcoal system comprising:
a first compartment at least partially defined by a first cylindrical wall;
a second compartment at least partially defined by a second cylindrical wall and at least partially surrounding the first compartment;
a third compartment connected to the second compartment, the third compartment comprising a front end, a back end, and an auger adapted to move charcoal material from the back end to the front end thereof; and
a source of air,
wherein at least a portion of the first cylindrical wall is configured to allow charcoal to pass to the second compartment.

18. The portable charcoal system of claim 17 , wherein the portable charcoal system further comprises an intake compartment.

19. The portable charcoal system of claim 18 , wherein the intake compartment comprises a hopper and a fan.

20. The portable charcoal system of claim 17 , wherein the first cylindrical wall is at least one of an expanded metal, a sieve, or a grate.

21. The portable charcoal system of claim 17 , wherein an entirety of the cylindrical wall of the first compartment is perforated.

22. The portable charcoal system of claim 17 , wherein the first compartment and the second compartment are capable of rotating axially.

23. The portable charcoal system of claim 17 , wherein the third compartment further comprises a heat conductive medium.

24. The portable charcoal system of claim 23 , wherein the heat conductive medium comprises an additive.

25. The portable charcoal system of claim 24 , wherein the additive is selected from the group consisting of a fertilizer and a binder.

26. The portable charcoal system of claim 23 , wherein the heat conductive medium is water.

27. The portable charcoal system of claim 18 , the portable charcoal system further comprising a drive wheel, wherein the drive wheel is capable of rotating the first and the second compartment axially.

28. The portable charcoal system of claim 17 , wherein the portable charcoal system further comprises a drum trunnion.

Assignees

• Us Agriculture

Inventors

• Archuleta Jr James Geronimo
• Page-Dumroese Deborah

Classifications

• C10L5/447

  Carbonized vegetable substances, e.g. charcoal, or produced by hydrothermal carbonization of biomass · CPC title

• C10L5/368

  Shaped fuels bundled or contained in a bag or other container · CPC title

• C10L5/363

  Pellets or granulates · CPC title

• C05G5/12

  Granules or flakes · CPC title

• C05G3/80

  Soil conditioners · CPC title