Country Report -- USA
Presented at the
IEA Bioenergy Task 34 meeting
September 15, 2009
Doug Elliott
Outline
USA research groups
USA commercialization efforts
Biomass to End Use
Integrated Biorefineries
Thermochemical
Conversion
Feedstock Production
and Infrastructure
Demonstration & Deployment
Processing RD&D
Biofuels
Feedstock
Production
Feedstock
Logistics
Bioproducts
Biopower
Biofuels – rail, truck,
pipelines – blenders – fuel pumps
Vehicles CONVERSION
Biopower – transmission
lines
Bioproducts – rail, truck
DISTRIBUTION END USE
Chemicals,
Materials
Grid
Infrastructure
Biochemical
Conversion
Hydrotreating of Biomass Pyrolysis Oils
fast
pyrolyzer
HC
light
products
medium
products
heavy
products
hydrogen recycle and
byproduct gas reforming
char
byproduct
H2
biomass
HT
aqueous
byproduct
gas
byproduct
aqueous
byproduct
Laboratory Research and Development
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (DOE)
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (DOE)
Eastern Regional Research Center (USDA-ARS)
Iowa State University
University of Massachusetts-Amherst
University of Maine
Washington State University-Pullman and Tri-Cities
Mississippi State University
Virginia Tech
University of Minnesota
University of Georgia
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Douglas Elliott, Alan Zacher
Fluidized-bed pyrolysis
1 kg/h, 2 in pipe
oil spray quench
feedstock assessment
Catalytic pyrolysis
Technoeconomic assessments
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Douglas Elliott, Todd Hart
Improved catalysts for bio-oil hydrogenation
ruthenium
palladium
Small batch testing of model compounds
acetic acid
guaiacol (2-methoxyphenol)
furfural
Pacific Northwest National Laboratory Douglas Elliott, Gary Neuenschwander
Continuous-flow bench-scale reactor tests have been performed to test catalysts and processing conditions.
99 hydrotreater data sets
49 hydrocracking data sets
Recovered products are analyzed at PNNL and UOP to determine composition and value
National Renewable Energy Laboratory Stefan Czernik, Kristiina Iisa
Bio-oil neutralization and stabilization
Catalytic Pyrolysis
MBMS testing
Mild-hydrotreating batch reactor
Technoeconomic assessments
Integration into petroleum refinery
Hot-gas filtration (bio-oil stabilization DOE solicitation)
Eastern Regional Research Center-USDA ARS Akwesi Boateng, Charles Mullan
Pyro-probe GCMS
Bubbling fluidized-bed fast pyrolysis
2.5 kg/h, 3 in diameter
fractional product recovery with electrostatic precipitator
agricultural feedstock comparisons
Catalytic pyrolysis (DOE bio-oil stabilization solicitation)
Iowa State University Robert Brown
Fast pyrolysis research
micropyrolysis -- 500 g to ¼ ton/day PDU
fluidized beds, auger pyrolyzers, free-fall reactor
bio-oil recovery methods with fractionation
hot-gas filtration
Interdisciplinary studies
upgrading
plant ideotypes to affect bio-oil properties
carbon sequestration using bio-char
technoeconomic assessments
Bio-oil stabilization (DOE solicitation)
University of Massachusetts-Amherst George Huber
Catalytic fast pyrolysis
gasoline range aromatics directly from biomass
Upgrading of bio-oil by aqueous-phase processing
catalytic processing to hydrogen and alkanes
Bio-oil stabilization (DOE solicitation)
Fundamental kinetic model of pyrolysis
reactor engineering model
Virginia Tech Foster Agblevor
Fluidized-bed pyrolysis 100 g/h
hot gas filter
condensers and electrostatic precipitator
Chicken litter pyrolysis 5 ton/day
fluidized bed reactor
Fractional catalytic pyrolysis 2 kg/h
fluidized bed reactor
Bio-oil stabilization (DOE solicitation) Stable bio-oils that can be distilled into various fractions
Stable bio-oils will also be mixed with petroleum feedstock for processing
Mississippi State University Philip Steele
Extensive review of fast pyrolysis
Auger pyrolysis unit modified from ROI original design
1 kg/h
<1.5 sec to few sec vapor residence time
30 to 50 seconds solids residence time)
Bio-oil hydrotreating hydrocarbon products
University of Maine Clayton Wheeler, Brian Frederick, William DeSisto
Fluidized-bed fast pyrolysis
100 g/h
hybrid cyclone/hot gas filter
electrostatic precipitator
whole biomass and biomass fractions
Catalytic upgrading of bio-oil
fundamental study of HDO by model compound tests
novel catalyst synthesis
Washington State University Manuel Garcia-Perez, Hanwu Lei
Pullman Campus
Fundamental studies of of reactions
Pretreatment methods
Built a 2 kg/h auger pyrolyzer
Develop and validate new analytical methods
Tri-Cities Campus
Comparisons of microwave heating and bubbling fluidized-bed
University of Minnesota R. Roger Ruan
Microwave-assisted pyrolysis
up to pilot scale (70 kg/h) continuous-flow
Catalytic pyrolysis to produce stable bio-oil
Reach and maintain exothermic reactions
Low-cost distributed system for on-farm application
University of Georgia KC Das
Slow pyrolysis
batch reactors, 1 to 5L
Intermediate pyrolysis
auger reactor, 4 in diameter by 14 in long
1 ton/d auger unit operated by Eprida Inc.
Commercial process Research
UOP LLC
Envergent Technologies
Dynamotive
Renewable Oil International (ROI)
R&A Energy Solutions
UOP LLC Jennifer Holmgren, Rich Marinangeli
Formed a Renewable Energy and Chemicals division in November 2006
CRADA project with PNNL and NREL for petroleum refinery feedstock from biomass pyrolysis 2006-2009
Bio-oil stabilization project (DOE solicitation) with PNNL, NREL, ERRC, Ensyn and Pall 2009-2011
Distributed Pyrolysis and Centralized Bio-oil Processing
StabilizationPyrolysisBiomass
Mixed WoodsMixed Woods
Corn StoverCorn Stover
Deoxygenate
Gasoline
Diesel
Jet
ChemicalsOther
Refinery Processes
Biocrude
Ref
iner
y
P P
P P
P P
Ref
iner
y
P P
P P
P P
Holmgren, J. et al. NPRA national meeting, San Diego, February 2008.
Envergent Technologies Mark Reno, Geoff Hopkins
Joint venture 55/45 of UOP LLC and Ensyn
Near term commercialization of fast pyrolysis of biomass for heat and power
Longer term potential of upgraded fuels being evaluated
Dynamotive USA Tom Bouchard
Bio-oil production under contract West Lorne operated at 75% of 130 ton/d capacity
reached peak of 090% of nameplate
6-month contract for $260,000
18 shipments planned, August delivery completed
200 ton/day feed contract signed for Arkansas plant 220,000 green ton per year for 10 years
2-stage hydrotreating of bio-oil to hydrocarbons
Renewable Oil International Phillip Badger
Has built several auger pyrolysis units Florence, Alabama
University of Georgia
Mississippi State University
Boston, Massachusetts
Virginia
Small Business Industrial Research work
Mobile demonstration unit recently in Oregon
few hundred pounds per day
R&A Solutions Joel Keller
Slow pyrolysis auger kiln
Vapor products burned for power generation in integrated plant
Oil, char and aqueous byproducts all have uses
A wide range of biomass and waste can be processed
3 ton/day unit for the Army; 50 ton/day considered largest expected size
Conclusions
Biomass conversion to liquid fuels via pyrolytic processes and catalytic hydroprocessing is under development.
Interesting yields of hydrocarbon liquid products have been demonstrated at the bench-scale.
Improved understanding of process steps and product properties is developing.
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