Biosolid Fuel
Biosolid fuel is taking agri-fibre material and blending, chopping, drying and milling into a fluid like material that can be easily implemented into combustion chambers by means of an air stream.

In the Midwest we have an abundance of agri-fibre material. We can use crop wastes such as excess straw and stalks left behind after the grain is harvested. We can use perennial grasses that are native to our region. Weeds and ditch grass is plentiful in every area. Wood wastes can be used if available. Paper and cardboard can be captured and blended in with other biomass, utilizing public waste streams.

PF approach to capturing and delivering biomass is from areas that do not compete with other markets. Such markets as grain production, feed for cattle and so on. It is critical that we strive to capture and use biomass that is from waste streams first, or biomass that has limited value in other areas. Initially across the plains we have ample options of securing the biomass without competing with other industries.

The difficulty in securing this biomass is identifying, securing and delivering in an economical means to a user end point. This is where PF has set itself apart from those who only talk about biomass energy.

Gasification
PF has created a working relationship with Alternative Energy Solution of Wichita, KS. AES is the only US distributor of Uniconfort Biomass Gasification Boilers. With AES we look for potential customers that use boilers in the 100 to 560 bhp range. We have gasification units up to 10,000bhp in size if needed.

What is Biomass Gasification?
Biomass can be described as “stored solar energy”. AES has secured proven biomass technology that harnesses the stored power in biomass materials using a process called gasification. Gasification is the cleanest combustion method available, and is at the core of each AES biomass technology offering.

The term "gasification" has, confusingly, taken on multiple definitions depending on the entity using the term. AES subscribes to the predominant meaning. Wikipedia defines gasification as follows:

Gasification is a process that converts carbonaceous materials such as coal, petroleum, petroleum coke or biomass, into carbon monoxide, hydrogen and carbon dioxide.

The Three Gasifier Processes:

1. The pyrolysis (or devolatilization) process occurs as the carbonaceous particle heats up. Volatiles are released and char is produced, resulting in up to 70% weight loss for coal. The process is dependent on the properties of the carbonaceous material and determines the structure and composition of the char, which will then undergo gasification reactions.

2. The combustion process occurs as the volatile products and some of the char reacts with oxygen to form carbon dioxide and carbon monoxide, which provides heat for the subsequent gasification reactions. Pyrolysis and combustion are very rapid processes.

3. The gasification process occurs as the char reacts with carbon dioxide and steam to produce carbon monoxide and hydrogen. The resulting gas is called producer gas or syngas (or wood gas when fueled by wood) and may be more efficiently converted to energy such as electricity than would be possible by direct combustion of the fuel, as the fuel is first combusted in a gas turbine and the heat is used to produce steam to drive a steam turbine.

Also, corrosive ash elements such as chloride and potassium may be refined out by the gasification process, allowing high temperature combustion of the gas from otherwise problematic fuels.

No Slurry. No Sludge. Just Saleable Ash
Not to be confused with a digester which extracts methane from wet biomass to then be combusted, the gasifier uses a high heat, oxygen depleted environment to produce syngas which is then mixed with air and creates the heat to produce hot water, hot air or steam. Biomass fuel is supplied directly into the combustion chamber, which can accept completely dry biomass or quite wet biomass- up to 120% moisture on a dry basis.

We leave no pollutants to be pumped out and disposed of. Saleable ash is the only byproduct of our process, which can represent a new revenue stream. The ash produced by the gasifier can be used as a construction filler in asphalt and soil cement as well as a soil amendment for growers or as a coating used by seed producers.
 

Pellet/Bricking of Biomass
Pelletizing of a combination of wood and biomass gives PF the ability to offer a fuel for residential home heating pellet stoves. This will reduce shipping cost substantially to the customers in the plains states. These are available for the 2008-2009 heating season. We offer these in 40 lbs. Bags or in bulk totes. If you are a pellet dealer and would like to learn more about our product please do not hesitate to contact us.

Bricking is compressing our biomass into bricks. The advantage to this process is to allow for economical transportation and to better facilitate a large industrial customer.