Systems and methods for collecting biomass

Patent metadata

Field	Value
Publication number	US-9655300-B2
Application number	US-201113993053-A
Country	US
Kind code	B2
Filing date	Dec 8, 2011
Priority date	Dec 9, 2010
Publication date	May 23, 2017
Grant date	May 23, 2017

Abstract

A system for collecting biomass for the production of ethanol is disclosed. Also disclosed is a method for collecting biomass. The method comprising: harvesting biomass with a combine, wherein a first portion of the biomass is substantially forced against the ground and a second portion of the biomass passes through the combine and forming bales comprising the second portion of the biomass. According to an aspect, the bales comprise a majority of the second portion of the biomass and a small part of the first portion of the biomass.

First claim

What is claimed is:

1. A method for collecting biomass, comprising:
harvesting biomass with a combine in a first pass, wherein a first portion of the biomass is separated from a second upper portion of the biomass;
flattening the first portion on top of a ground and into a bed formation, and depositing the second upper portion of the biomass in a windrow overlying the flattened first portion;
baling the deposited second upper portion of the biomass in a second pass baling, wherein a bail of the second upper portion comprises no more than 4 percent by weight of materials foreign to the biomass;
preparing and pre-treating the bales to form a pre-treated material;
treating and fermenting the pre-treated material to produce a fermentation product comprising ethanol; and
distilling the fermentation product to recover the ethanol;
the second pass baling comprising collecting about 15 to 30 percent of the biomass.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second pass baling comprises collecting about 17 to 25 percent of the biomass.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the second pass baling comprises collecting about 20 to 23 percent of the biomass.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising flattening the first portion of the biomass by cutting the first portion of the biomass with a chopping corn head.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising flattening the first portion of the biomass by stomping the first portion of the biomass with a stalk stomper.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the harvesting comprises harvesting biomass that comprises lignocellulosic material.

7. The method of claim 6 , wherein the harvesting comprises harvesting biomass that comprises at least one of corn cobs, corn plant husks, corn plant leaves, and corn plant stalks.

8. The method of claim 6 , wherein the harvesting comprises harvesting biomass that consists essentially of corn cobs, corn plant husks, corn plant leaves, and corn stalks.

9. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise about 25 to 50 percent of corn cobs by weight.

10. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise about 28 to 42 percent of corn cobs by weight.

11. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise about 32 to 35 percent of corn cobs by weight.

12. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise about 35 to 60 percent of corn leaves and husks by weight.

13. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise about 40 to 55 percent of corn leaves and husks by weight.

14. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise about 43 to 48 percent of corn leaves and husks by weight.

15. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise about 10 to 25 percent of corn stalks by weight.

16. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise about 12 to 22 percent of corn stalks by weight.

17. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise about 14 to 18 percent of corn stalks by weight.

18. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise less than about 4 percent of material other than corn cobs, corn leaves and husks and corn stalks by weight.

19. The method of claim 8 , wherein the forming comprises forming bales that comprise less than about 3 percent of material other than corn cobs, corn leaves and husks and corn stalks by weight.

Assignees

• Schany William J
• Weishaar Scott A
• Poet Res Inc

Inventors

• Schany William J
• Weishaar Scott A

Classifications

• A01D43/086

  and means for collecting, gathering or loading mown material · CPC title

• A01D41/14

  Mowing tables · CPC title

• A01D45/021

  Cornheaders · CPC title

• A01D43/006 Primary

  with devices for pressing or compacting · CPC title

• A01D91/04

  Products growing above the soil (fruit, hops A01D46/00) · CPC title