Options for Biomass to Energy Commercial and Emerging Technologies

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Options for Biomass to EnergyCommercial and
Emerging Technologies

• Biomass to Business
• Albuquerque NM
• March 25, 2004
• John Scahill
• National Bioenergy Center

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Biomass Feedstocks
Forest Wood Residues
Agricultural Residues
Energy Crops
Thinning Residues Wood chips Urban Wood
waste pallets crate discards wood yard trimmings
Corn stover Rice hulls Sugarcane bagasse Animal
biosolids
Hybrid poplar Switchgrass Willow
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Biomass Constituents

• Lignin 15-25
• Complex aromatic structure
• Very high energy content

• Hemicellulose 23-32
• Polymer of 5 6 carbon sugar

Solid

• Cellulose 38-50
• Polymer of glucose, very good biochemical
  feedstock

Gas or Liquid
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Biomass Conversion Pathways
Thermal
Biological
Physical
No Air
Partial air
Excess air
Pretreatment
A/D
Combustion
Gasification
Pyrolysis
Hydrolysis (Heat Pressure)
Fermentation
CH4
Heat
Fuel Gases (CO H2)
Liquids
Ethanol
Liquids
H2
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Source Cogeneration and On-site Power Production
July 2003 Jeremy Hugues
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Gasification
Air (0.3) O2 (0.3) Steam
Producer Gas (mol) CO 24 H2 13 CH4 3 CO2 8 N2 52
(tars particulate)
Synthesis Gas (mol) CO 39 H2 20 CH4 17 C2H2 6 CO
2 18 N2 0 (tars particulate)
Fuel Gases
Heat
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Gasification
Thermochemical Reactions
C CO2 2 CO (Boudouard)
800 - 850 C
C H2O CO H2
(Water gas shift)
Biomass CH 1.4 O 0.6
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Gasifier Types
Design Basis Fuel Properties, End Use, Scale,
Cost

• Updraft
• Downdraft
• Fluidized Bed
• Bubbling
• Circulating Flow
• Entrained Flow
• Staged (pyrolysis / steam reforming)

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Updraft Gasifier
Biomass

• Simple, reliable
• Commercial history
• High tars
• Close coupled combustion

Gas, Tar, Water
C CO2 2CO C H2O CO H2
Pyrolysis
Reduction
Combustion
Air
C O2 CO2 4H O2 2 H2O
Source Renewable Energy Corp. Ltd (Waterwide
Technology)
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Downdraft Gasifier

• Requires low moisture (
• Lowest Tar
• Can use gas in engines (after conditioning)

Biomass
Air
C O2 CO2 4H O2 2H2O
Pyrolysis
Gas, Tar, Water
Combustion
Reduction
C CO2 2CO C H2O CO H2
Ash
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Fluidized Bed Gasifier

• Highest throughput
• Fuel flexible
• Tolerates moisture
• Complex operation

Product Gas
Freeboard
Ash
Fluid Bed
Biomass
Air/Steam
Plenum
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Entrained Flow Gasification
(Steam Reforming)
Flue Gas
850 C
Synthesis gas
Biomass
Char
Burner
Gas Slip stream
Steam
Air
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Staged Gasification
Pyrolysis
Steam Reforming
850 C
Biomass moisture
Vapors steam
Synthesis Gas
700 C
Burner
Burner
Carbon Conversion Technologies 2004
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Biomass Pyrolysis (liquefaction)
Storable Product

• Rapid Heat Transfer
• Oxygen Free Environment
• 60 70 wt liquids
• 10-15 wt char
• 10-15 wt gases

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Biomass Pyrolysis (liquefaction)Bio-oil Uses
Bio-Oil From Pyrolysis

• Fuel oil substitute
• Chemicals
• Hydrogen
• Turbines (Power)

75 Green ton/day (40 Dry) Commercial RTP
Facility at Rhinelander, WI operating since 1995
Oriented Strand Boards and Plywood made from
Bio-Oil Phenolic Resinsare being tested at
mill scale
Ensyn Technologies
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Biomass Technology Risk
Commercial
Demonstration
Prototype
Stoker grate combustion
Downdraft Gasification
(small)
FB Gasification
FB Combustion
Small Modular Systems
Updraft Gasification
Synthesis Gas Production (entrained and FB)
Low installed cost Low Efficiency Low Risk
High installed cost High Efficiency High Risk
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Technology Installed Cost
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Biomass Thermal Conversion Developers
Liquefaction
Syngas (fuels)
Producer gas (CHP)
High Pressure
Changing World Technologies
GTI U.S. Carbona Finland Foster Wheeler
U.S.
O2
10-25 MPa
1-3 MPa
Ensyn -Canada Dynamotive- Canada ROI U.S. BTG
Netherlands Fortum -Finland
Carbona Finland Lurgi Germany Foster Wheeler
U.S. EPI U.S. Prime Energy U.S.
FERCO U.S. MTCI- U.S. Pearson U.S. Carbon
Conversion Technology U.S.
Indirect heat
Low Pressure 0.2 MPa
Air
300-600 C
700- 850 C
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Making Biomass Disappear
Air curtain burner
400 tons / day
0.00 Productivity