Exhaust system for a biochar kiln

{
  "publication_number": "US10160911B2",
  "country": "US",
  "kind": "B2",
  "title": "Exhaust system for a biochar kiln",
  "abstract": "An example exhaust system for a biochar kiln includes a chimney of the biochar kiln. The example exhaust system for a biochar kiln also includes a first forced air inlet on the chimney to draw smoke through the chimney during a preheating stage to prime the chimney. The example exhaust system for a biochar kiln also includes a second forced air inlet operatively coupled with the chimney. The second forced air inlet activated to increase airflow when air naturally occurring in a smoke stream in the chimney is insufficient, the second forced air inlet deactivated when there is sufficient air.",
  "claims": [
    "1. An exhaust system for a biochar kiln, comprising: a chimney of the biochar kiln; a first forced air inlet on the chimney to draw smoke through the chimney during a preheating stage to prime the chimney, the first forced air inlet being connected to a first blower; a second forced air inlet operatively coupled with the chimney, the second forced air inlet being connected to a second blower, wherein the second blower is activated to increase airflow when air naturally occurring in a smoke stream in the chimney is insufficient, the second blower deactivated when there is sufficient air; and both a temperature sensor and an oxygen sensor with feedback to a controller, wherein the controller activates and deactivates the first blower and the second blower based on input from the temperature sensor and the oxygen sensor.",
    "2. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the first blower provides different airflow speeds in the chimney.",
    "3. The exhaust system of claim 1, wherein the second blower provides different airflow speeds in the chimney.",
    "4. The exhaust system of claim 1, further comprising at least one of a diffuser, a baffle, and a blade in the chimney to mix air in the chimney by causing turbulence.",
    "5. The exhaust system of claim 1, further comprising: a catalytic converter; and air dampers; wherein the catalytic converter, the first blower, and the second blower are controllable based on the temperature of the catalytic converter, wherein if a flow rate of the second blower is already at maximum and is unable to provide enough air to cool the catalytic converter, air dampers and the first blower are limited to reduce heat and smoke emitted from the combustion chamber.",
    "6. The exhaust system of claim 5, wherein as volatile organic and other compounds are purged from feedstock in the biochar kiln, smoke declines such that the catalytic converter requires less second air and a rate of the second blower is reduced.",
    "7. The exhaust system of claim 6, wherein when the rate of the second blower declines a predetermined amount, char conversion in the biochar kiln is deemed to be complete.",
    "8. The exhaust system of claim 1, further comprising a damper to allow additional flow control.",
    "9. The exhaust system of claim 8, wherein the damper enables controlling smoke entering the chimney to prevent overwhelming a catalytic converter with smoke.",
    "10. The exhaust system of claim 9, wherein both air flow and smoke being exhausted is controlled by operation of the first and second blowers for air flow, and dampers for smoke exhaust."
  ],
  "description_excerpt": "Biochar is made from biomass (trees, agricultural waste, etc.) in an oxygen-deprived, high temperature environment. Quality biochar has high purity, absorptivity and cation exchange capacity which provide significant benefits to several large markets including agriculture, pollution remediation, odor sequestration, separation of gases, oil and gas clean up, and more.\n\nAirflow control and heat recovery in a managed kiln is disclosed. In an example, a ventilation and exhaust system for a biochar kiln comprises a plurality of air inlet ports around an outer circumference of a combustion chamber. A chimney is configured for heating by pyrolysis and for exhausting smoke from the combustion chamber. A plurality of exhaust inlet pipes are configured to pass smoke from the combustion chamber to the chimney. A controller is configured to regulate the exhausting based upon output from one or more sensors.\n\nThe example system may further comprise at least one catalytic converter configured to reduce emissions from smoke exhausting through the chimney. Port covers may be configured to open and close the air inlet ports to respectively allow air to enter the combustion chamber and prevent air from entering the combustion chamber. The port covers may have cams configured to compress port cover seals against the air inlet ports with rotation in a first direction. Flow regulation assemblies may be coupled with the port covers and wherein the flow regulation assemblies include blowers.",
  "cpc": [
    "C10B 3/02",
    "C10B 1/02",
    "C10B 49/02",
    "C10B 53/02",
    "F23B 90/06",
    "F23B 90/08",
    "F23G 7/07",
    "F23G 7/10",
    "F23L 11/02",
    "F23L 17/005",
    "F23L 2700/001",
    "F23L 3/00",
    "F23L 5/02",
    "F23N 2033/04",
    "F23N 2233/04",
    "Y02E 50/10",
    "Y02E 50/14"
  ],
  "ipc": [
    "C10B 1/02",
    "C10B 3/02",
    "C10B 49/02",
    "C10B 53/02",
    "F23B 90/06",
    "F23B 90/08",
    "F23G 7/07",
    "F23G 7/10",
    "F23L 3/00",
    "F23L 5/02",
    "F23L 11/02",
    "F23L 17/00"
  ],
  "assignees": [
    "BIOCHAR NOW LLC"
  ],
  "inventors": [
    "Donald P. Aupperle",
    "Mikel S. Olander",
    "Benjamin M. Beierwaltes",
    "William T. Beierwaltes",
    "II James G. Gaspard"
  ],
  "filing_date": "2018-06-04",
  "publication_date": "2018-12-25",
  "grant_date": "2018-12-25",
  "priority_date": "2012-02-16",
  "application_number": "US-201815997367-A",
  "family_id": "64753978",
  "cited_by_count": 5,
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