New baling systems receive patents
September 15, 2011
By Forest Concepts
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Sept. 15, 2011, Auburn, WA – Forest
Concepts has been granted two core U.S. patents for its new biomass baling
systems. The following patents were received from the U.S. Patent Office: U.S.
Patent No. 7,987,776, issue date August 2, 2011, entitled Engineered Woody
Biomass Baling System; and U.S. Patent No. 7,987,777, issue date August 2,
2011, entitled Engineered Tall Grass Biomass Baling System.
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Baling of hay and other agricultural crops
is a well-developed practice, but adapting existing agricultural balers to be
successful with bioenergy feedstocks has proven problematic. Engineers at
Forest Concepts applied sound science to discover and document three important
rheological properties of woody biomass and tall grass biomass. Knowledge of
these three properties enabled the design and construction of new balers that
can predictably and reproducibly bale both materials at pre-selected optimum transportation
densities while minimizing fossil fuel consumption during baling, handling, and
transport. The three rheological properties are platen pressure, friction, and
Poisson’s ratio, the values of which are specific for the material to be baled.
According to Dr. James H. Dooley, chief
technology officer and co-founder, “These three discoveries enable engineers to
design and manufacture robust, lightweight, rectangular balers for woody
biomass and tall grass feedstocks. Balers using our inventions are likely to
reduce the supply chain cost for delivery of feedstocks on conventional
semi-trailer trucks to bioenergy and biofuel plants.”
“With the first two critical patents in
place, the next step is to secure financing to begin building production balers
or to license/sell the biomass baling technology to an established equipment
manufacturer for commercialization,” says Mike Perry, CEO.
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