Transportation Fuels From Biomass

7/31/2019 Transportation Fuels From Biomass

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Transportation Fuels from

Biomass :A sustainable

Alternative for Energy Needs

Dr A K GuptaEx. Scientist G , Indian Institute of Petroleum,

Dehradun, INDIA


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Background

About 100 years ago, the economy wasprimarily based on Biomass orCarbohydrates

In 1920s a shift towards Fossil Fuelsstarted

This trend accelerated after World war II

Presently Fossil fuels have become theenergy and chemical commoditybackbone of both developed anddeveloping Nations.


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Due to abundant availability and favourable

economics, Fossil fuels (crude oil, Naturalgas and Coal) energy resources stilldominated the market.

Concerns for environment, and depletion offossil fuel reserves have evoked seriousdeplates all over the world


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This has led to

search for ecofriendly and sustainablealternative fuels.

increased efforts for energyconservation and improving energyefficiency.


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For developing countries like India,where the economy is largelyagricultural based biofuels such as

Biodiesel, ethanol, biomass derivedfuels, biogas and bio-syn gas arebecoming increasingly important as

future fuels.


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Biomass can providealternative to

Fossil resources


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Strengths of biomass Available in abundant quantities

Can significantly enhance our energyindependence and security

Can reduce use of imported oil and increase

reliability of energy supplies Can improve balance of Trade deficit Other benefits include

Productive use of agricultural, Municipal andforest wastes

Lower Emissions of Green House gases andpollutants

Growth of Rural Economy


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Potential Biomass Resourcess

Agricultural Residues

Forest Residues

Primary mill residues

Sludge (manure & Biosolids) Biogas (Landfill, digester and sewage

gas)

Other wastes (e.g. Organic fraction ofMSN)

Micro algae


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SLUDGE

SLUDGE

PROTEIN,SLUDGE

METHANE

HYDROGEN

ALCOHOLS;ETHANOL,

ETC.SUGARS

COMPOSTHUMUS,CO2, H2O

WETBIOMASS,SEWAGE,MANURE,ALGAE,WASTELIQUORS

ANAEROBICDIGESTION

MICROBIALDIGESTION

ANAEROBICDIGESTION

ACIDHYDROLYSIS

FERMEN-TATION

FEEDSTOCK PROCESS FUELS COPRODUCTS

Bioconversion processes

+

+

+


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Pyroconversion processes

DRYBIOMASS

MUNICIPALWASTE

WOOD ANDFARM

RESIDUES

DESTRUCTIVEDISTILLATION

PYROLYSIS

O2-PARTIALCOMBUSTION

FEEDSTOCK PROCESS FUELS COPRODUCTS

CHARCOAL(METHANOL)

CHARS, OILS,GASSES

OILS

METHANE

METHANOL

HEAT, STEAM,ELECTRICITY

HYDROLIQUEFACTION

SYNTHESISGAS

CO + H2

AIR PARTIALCOMBUSTION LOW BTU

GAS

TOTAL COMBUSTION

WOODCHEMICALS

AMMONIA

MINERALASH

+

+


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Current and future biofuels

Bio-alchols and ethers Methanol, Ethanol, butanol,ETBE, MTBE

Vegetable oils, Biodiesel

Biogas- SNG, bio-methane

Gasification products- Syn gas Bio-mehane steam reformed products- Syn gas

Pyrolysis oil

Bio-syn gas based Liquid fuels- F-T fuels, Methanol,

DME Hydrogen

MicroAlgae based biodiesel and liquid fuels


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Bio-ethanol

Conventionally produced viafermentation of sugars derived fromsugar crops.

Can also be produced from starch

and biomass via hydrolysis followedby fermentation.

Bio-ethanol is suitable as gasoline

blending component The cost of ethanol from biomass is

higher ~ $ 1.27 / gal


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Bioethanol

Future Research is focussed onreducing the cost of productionthrough improvements in

fermentation technology, using lowcost feed stocks, and newbiocatalysts.

The process patented by IIP,Dehradun uses a Thermophilicbacteria which directly converts

starch into ethanol in high yields.


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Biodiesel

Biodiesel is methyl/ethyl esters ofFatty acids.

Biodiesel can be used in blends withdiesel or as such in IC engines.

It produces less tail pipeemmissions and improves lubricityof diesel.


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Biodiesel

Conventionally produced viatransesterification of vegetable oils,waste oils and animal fat using alkali

catalysts such as NaOH, KOH,MeONa etc.

Alkali catalysts based processes are

not suitable for feed stockscontaining high FFA and generatelarge effluents as waste.

1.5 -2 times costler than diesel


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Biodiesel More Research is needed to reduce the

cost of biodiesel, use of cheaper feedstocks with high FFA, and reduceeffluents.

Recently, Studies have been reported in:-Transesterification in supercritical

MeOH

- Use of heterogeneous catalysts (metaloxides, phosphates, zeolites etc.

Most of the heterogeneous catalystsare also not suitable for high FFA

containing feed stocks


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Biodiesel: new developments

Axens, France process uses a silicatecatalyst for transesterification of lowFFA oils.

IIP, Dehradun has patented aheterogeneous catalyst whichsimultaneously catalysestransesterification of glycerides and

esterification of FFA, thereby givinghigh yields even with low quality oilscontaining high FFA.


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Substitute natural gas(SNG) from Biomass

What is SNG ?

SNG is subtitute natural gas derived frombiomass/ organic wastes. Since it is

obtained from renewable resources it isalso known as green gas


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SNG Production:

There are four options for producing SNG fro biomass/ wasteorganic matter (MSW):

1. SNG production by upgrading Biomass from AnaerobicDigestion

2. SNG production by combined biomassgasification/methanation process.

3. SNG production by biomass hydrogasification process4. Cogeneration as well as stand-alone production of F-T

liquids and SNG

SNG d ti


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SNG production..

Development status:

Anaerobic digestion is a well established technology for wastetreatment, and generally available on commercial scale.

Millions of anaerobic digesters (commonly known as biogas

plants) have been built around the world, most of which arevery small, built in developing countries.

Large scale digesters have been built in France, Germany, andBelgium for treating Municipal Solid waste (MSW) and farm

based digesters dotted around Europe. In UK use of land fillgas is significant.

The technology is fully commercial.


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SNG production by combined biomass

gasification/methanation process:

GasificationGas

Clean-up

Methanation

Gas conditioning

SNG

Biomass

Steam(O2)

SNG production by combined biomass gasification/ methanation

process


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SNG production by biomass hydrogasificationprocess:

Hydrogen and biomass are fed to the reactoroperating at 30 bar and 800-850oC.

Due to exothermic reactions this reactor canbe operated autothermally. ( ExampleDeutshe Montan Tehnologies (DMT)

Hydro-

gasification

Gas

Clean-up

Gas

conditioning

Bioma

ss

H2 (rich)gas

Final

Methanation

SNG


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SNG co-production by conversion of biomassthrough Fischer-Tropsch/metanation:

In this process syn gas produced in the gasifier isconverted to liquid fuel by once through F-T process.

The off gas is from F-T process which contains

unconverted CO and H2 and methane produced ingasification and C1C4 hydrocarbons produced in F-Tsynthesis is upgraded by methanation and CO2removal.


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Cogeneration as well as stand-alone production ofF-T liquids and SNG

GasificationF-T

SynthesisMethanation

CO2

removalSNG

CO2

F-T liquids

Biomass

Gasification

Gasification

Biomass

F-T

synthesis

Methanation CO2removal

SNG

F-T

liquids

CO2


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Potential Alternative Bio-syngas

applications

Base chemicals Transportation fuels

nAromatics (BTX)

nOlefins

(Ethylene, propylene,butenes, Butadiene)

nMethanol

nSubstitute for CNG

nGasoline (MTG process)nDimethyl Ether (DME)

nFischer-Tropsch (FT)

dieselnMixed Alcohols

nSubstitute Natural Gas

(SNG)

nPower production


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Syn gas (Bio-syn gas)from biomass

Syn gas is a mixture of CO and H2

Biosyn gas can be produced by gasification

of biomass.

It can also be produced by steam reforming ofSNG obtained from anaerobic digestion of

biomass Currently, Bio Syn gas to liquid fuels is one of

the most researched area


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Boi-oils from biomass

Fast Pyrolysis, a thermal process, is used toproduce pyrolysis oil ( Bio-oil)

Bio-oils are not suitable as transportation fuelsbut can be upgraded

Bio-oils can be used in power plants.


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Bio-oils

Upgrading Bio-oils to Transportation fuels:- Microemulsion with 5-30% bio-oil in

diesel with emulsifiers.

- Deoxigenation :-hydrotreatment over Co-Mo/Ni-Mo catalysts

- Catalytic cracking over zeolitecatalysts

Upgrading bio-oils to transportation fuels is

not economical


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H2 From Biomass

Biomass conversion technologies can be divided intotwo categories.

1. Direct production routes (simplicity of process).

2. Conversion of storable intermediates (additionalproduction steps, distributed production ofintermediates, lower transportation costs of biomass,

larger-scale H2 production facilities.) Both categories involve thermochemical and biological

routes.


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Pathways From Biomass to H2Biomass

Thermochemical

Gasification High Pressure

AqueousPyrolysis

H2/CO CH4/CO2

CH3OH/CO2

H2

/CO2

CH4/CO2 CH1.4O.6

H2

/CO2H2/C

H2

/CO2

Bio-shift

Shift

Synthesis

Reforming

shift

H2/CO2

Reforming

shift

H2/CO2

Reforming

shift

Sever

e

P th f Bi t


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Pathways from Biomass toH2 Biomass

Biological

H2/CO2

AnaerobicDigestion

Metabolic

ProcessingFermentation

CH4/CO2CH3CH2OH/CO2

H2/CO2H2/C

H2/CO2

Bio-shiftReformingshift Pyrolysis

Reformingshift Photo-

biology

H2/O2


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Direct Production of H2 From

Biomass Gasification coupled with water-gas shift is the most

widely practiced process route for biomass to H2.

Thermal, steam and partial oxidation gasificationtechnologies are under development around theworld.

Feedstocks include both dedicated crops and

agricultural and forest product residues of hardwood,softwood and herbaceous species.


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Direct Solar Gasification

Several investigators have examined the use ofsolar process heat for gasification or organicsolid wastes to produce H

2.

Studies have shown favourable economicprojections for solar gasification of

carbonaceous materials such as agriculturalwaste to produce syn gas for producing H2.


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Supercritical Conversion of

Biomass Aqueous conversion of whole biomass to H2

under low temperature supercritical

conditions in another area of investigation inrecent years.

Corrosion, pumping of biomass slurry,improvement in heating rates, heat transfer,commercial reactor system development aresome of the problems need attention.

P l i H d d C b


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Pyrolysis to Hydrogen and Carbonor MethanolThis is a high temperature two-step process involving

(i) Conversion of biomass to methane

(ii) Thermal decomposition of methane to H2 and clean carbon-black

Typical overall stoichiometry is:

CH1.44 O0.66 + C + 0.6 H2 + 0.66 H2O

The process is called Hydrocarb processIn another process Carnol Process methanol is produced with H2

CH1.44 O0.66 + 0.30 CH4 0.64 C + 0.66 CH3OH


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ISSUES

Since H2 content in Biomass is low the yield of H2 islow (Approx. 6% vs. 25% of CH4)

Energy content of biomass is also low due to 40% O2content.

Low energy content of biomass is inherent limitationof the process since over half of H2 from biomasscomes from splitting of water in steam reforming.

continued


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Even at reasonable high efficiency, production of H2from biomass is not presently economically competitivewith natural gas steam reforming without the advantageof high-value co-products, very low cost biomass andpotential environmental incentives.

There are no completed technology demonstrations.

ISSUES


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Microalgae

Micro algae are single-celled plants that containphotosynthetic machinery driven by the Suns

energy to combine CO2 and water to form

variety of products. These are low input high yield feed stocks to

produce biofuels.

It produces 30 times more energy per acre landthan land crops such as soyabean.


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Algae to liquid fuels Dry algae contains as high as 50-60% lipids

and hydrocarbons.

Oil is extracted from dry algae by solvents

Algae oil is converted to biodiesel Oil cake can be gasified to produce syn gas

which can be used to produce liquid fuels(

diesel and gasoline) via F-T process Cost of production of biodiesel from

microalgae is ~ $ 3.50/gal

C l i


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Conclusions:

Awide range of transportation fuels, which

can reduce our vulnerabilityto disruption infuel supplies and improve our balance oftrade deficit, can be produced from biomass.

Biomass based fuels are little costlier thanfossil fuels

Biofuels are more eco-friendly than fossil

fuels. There is need for focused R&D to reduce

cost and quality of biomass based fuels


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Thanks

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Transportation Fuels From Biomass