an advanced biomass...3 executive summary the ultimate aim of this project is to demonstrate the...

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AnAdvancedBiomassGasificationTechnology

ProjectResults

Leadorganisation: RenergiPtyLtd

Projectcommencementdate: 9November2012 Completiondate: 15January2018

Datepublished:

Contactname: Chun-ZhuLi

Title: JohnCurtinDistinguishedProfessor

Email: [email protected] Phone: 0892661131

Website: www.renergi.net

AnAdvancedBiomassGasificationTechnology|Page2

TableofContentsTableofContents...................................................................................................................................2

ExecutiveSummary................................................................................................................................3

ProjectOverview....................................................................................................................................4

Projectsummary............................................................................................................................4

Projectscope..................................................................................................................................4

Outcomes.......................................................................................................................................5

Transferability................................................................................................................................9

Publications..................................................................................................................................10

IntellectualProperty:Patents/Licences......................................................................................11

Awards..........................................................................................................................................11

Conclusionandnextsteps............................................................................................................11

Appendix..............................................................................................................................................13

Keywords......................................................................................................................................13

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ExecutiveSummary TheultimateaimofthisprojectistodemonstratetheadvancedbiomassgasificationtechnologyoriginallydevelopedbytheresearchersledbyProfessorChun-ZhuLiinCurtinUniversitytothebiomassprocessingcapacityof100kg/hr.Theprojecthasnowbeensuccessfullycompletedandmetallobjectivesoftheproject.

During the course of this project, a 100 kg/hr biomass gasification demonstration plant wasdesigned,constructed,commissionedandoperatedtoprovethetechnicalfeasibilityofthisadvancedgasification technology. A large number of trials have been carried out usingmallee biomass andwheatstrawgrowninWAagriculturalregionsasthefeedstocks.Theproductgasqualityhasbeenmonitoredbothwithanon-linegasanalyserandbysamplingforsubsequentoff-lineanalysis.

Thetrialswerecarriedoutunderawiderangeofconditions.Thedemonstrationplantperformedvery well, meeting or exceeding the design specifications. The results from the trials havedemonstratedthatthistechnologyiscapableofproducinggasificationproductgaswithlowcontentsoftarandparticulatesandhighheatingvalues,whichwillbesuitablefordirectuseinagasenginetogenerateelectricityand/orheat.Amassandenergybalanceprocessmodelhasbeendeveloped.

Thisprojecthasgeneratedalargeamountofintellectualproperty,including2patentapplicationsand technical know-how. This project has increased the technology readiness level (TRL) of thetechnologyfromTRL5to7.Thistechnologyhasmanyuniquefeatures,including

• Feedstockflexibilityandminimalpreparation.Mostofcommonlyavailablebiomassresourcescanbeusedasitsfeedstock.Thefeedstockcancontainawiderangeofparticlesizes,rangingfrommicronstocentimetres.Bio-oilcanalsobeafeedstock.

• Fastgasificationratesundermildreactionconditions.• Highefficiency.Thisisduetotheminimisationofoxygenconsumptionandtheincorporation

ofenergyrecoveryandrecuperationinthetechnologydesign.• Hotgascleaningusingbiocharasacatalystandadsorbent.Itconvertsorremovesawiderange

oforganicandinorganicimpuritiesintherawgasificationproductgas.Othersuitablecarbonmaterialsmayalsobeusedasacatalyst.Iteliminatestheneedofaliquidscrubbingprocessthatiscommonlyusedinconventionalhotgascleaningprocesses.

• Versatilityforcommercialoperation.Thetechnologycanbedeployedforpowergenerationatsmallorrelativelylargescales.Itcanbeusedforco-firingbiomasswithcoalornaturalgas.

• Negativeemissioncanbeachievedwhilegeneratingbase-load/dispatchablegreenelectricitywithouttheneedofanenergystoragedevice.

Therefore, this technology representsa significantadvance in thedevelopmentofgasificationtechnologiesintheworld.

The economic assessment has shown the economic competiveness of this technology in thegenerationofbase-load/dispatchablegreenelectricity.

A commercialisation strategy has been formulated. Renergi is planning to build the firstcommercial scale biomass gasification plants using this technology. The commercialisation of thistechnologywillhelptosecureAustralia’sgloballeadingpositioninthefieldofbioenergy.

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ProjectOverview

Projectsummary

ThisprojectaimstodemonstratetheadvancedbiomassgasificationtechnologyoriginallydevelopedbytheresearchersledbyProfessorChun-ZhuLiinCurtinUniversitytothebiomassprocessingcapacityof100kg/hr.

Duringthecourseofthisproject,a100kg/hrbiomassgasificationdemonstrationplantwasdesigned,constructed, commissioned and operated to prove the technical feasibility of this advancedgasification technology. A large number of trials have been carried out usingmallee biomass andwheatstrawgrowninWAagriculturalregionsasthefeedstocksunderawiderangeofconditions.Theproduct gas quality has been monitored both with an on-line gas analyser and by sampling forsubsequentoff-lineanalysis.

Thedemonstrationplantperformedverywell,meetingorexceedingthedesignspecifications.Theresults fromthe trialshavedemonstrated that this technology iscapableofproducinggasificationproductgaswithlowcontentsoftarandparticulatesandhighheatingvalues,whichwillbesuitablefordirectuseinagasenginetogeneratebase-loadelectricityand/orheat.Amassandenergybalanceprocessmodelhasbeendeveloped.

Theprojecthasnowbeensuccessfullycompleted,meetingallobjectivesoftheproject.Thisprojecthas demonstrated the technical feasibility of this advanced biomass gasification technology. Thisprojecthas increased the technology readiness level (TRL)of the technology fromTRL5 to7.Theeconomicassessmenthasshowntheeconomiccompetivenessofthistechnologyinthegenerationofgreen base-load/dispatchable electricity. This technology represents a significant advance in thedevelopmentofgasificationtechnologiesintheworld.

Acommercialisationstrategyhasbeenformulated.Renergiisplanningtobuildthefirstcommercialscalebiomassgasificationplantsusingthistechnology.ThecommercialisationofthistechnologywillmakeimportantcontributiontotheemergingbioenergyindustryinAustralia.

Projectscope

Gasification will be a vitally important energy technology in the carbon-constrained future. Viagasification,asolidfueloramixtureofsolidfuelscanbeusedtogeneratebase-load/dispatchable


electricity, to produce hydrogen, liquid fuels and chemicals. Biomass is a particularly attractivefeedstockforgasificationduetoitshighreactivityduringgasification.

Biomass has distinctly different properties from coal. The development of an advanced biomassgasificationtechnologymustconsiderthespecialfeaturesofbiomassasafuelforgasification:

• Very high volatile yields. Upon heating, a very substantial fraction of biomass would betransformedintogaseouscomponents,termedasvolatiles.Adirectconsequenceisthattherawgasificationproductgascanhavehighcontentsoftarresidue,negativelyimpactingitssubsequentuse.Theexistingwater-scrubbingprocesstoremovetarcangenerateastreamof wastewater, requiring expensive treatment before its disposal. A major technologicalbreakthroughisrequiredtoconverttarintousefulproductswithoutgeneratingastreamofwastewater.

• Strongvolatile-charinteractions.Theextensiveresearch,particularlythatledbyProfessorChun-Zhu Li in Curtin University, has shown that volatile-char interactions can influencealmost every aspect of gasification, including the termination of char gasification. Anadvanced biomass gasification technology should minimise the negative impacts of thevolatile-charinteractions.

• Highcontentsofpotassiumandotherinorganicspecies.Thesespeciescanvolatiliseeasily,contaminatingtherawgasificationproductgas.Theymustberemoved,ideallytogetherwithtarrymaterialintheproductgas.Theseinorganicspeciescanalsocauseash-relatedproblemssuchasslaggingduringgasification,whichmustbecarefullymanaged.

Based on intensive fundamental research, the team led by Professor Chun-Zhu Li developed aninnovative biomass gasification technology. The technology overcomes the above-mentionedproblems associated with the special properties of biomass, showing great promise to be acommerciallycompetitiveandhighlyefficientbiomassgasificationtechnology.Thetechnologywasdemonstratedwithalab-scalepilotplantataround4kg/hrbiomassprocessingcapacityandprotectedbyapatentapplication(PCT/AU2011/000936).

Thepurposeofthisprojecthasbeentoscaleupthisaward-winningproprietarytechnologyfrom4kg/hr to 100 kg/hr in order to obtain key technical information for the design and operation ofcommercialbiomassgasificationplantsusingthistechnology.Thisprojecthasbeenacriticalstepinthe overall research-development-demonstration-deployment value chain to commercialise thisnoveltechnology.

Outcomes

Design,Construction,CommissioningandOperationofa100kg/hrDemonstrationPlant

A100kg/hrbiomassgasificationdemonstrationplanthasbeensuccessfullydesigned,constructed,commissionedandoperatedduringthisproject.Figure1showaphotoofthedemonstrationplant,


locatedintheTechnologyPark,Perth,WesternAustralia.Thewholedemonstrationplantincludesthefollowing key sub-systems: a biomass drier, a biomass transferring and feeding sub-system, apyrolyser,agasifier,ahotgascleaningandenergyrecuperationunitandaflaretoburnallproductgasesbeforetheirreleasetotheatmosphere.

Figure2showstheworkingprincipleofthistechnology.Forbiomassthathasahighmoisturecontent,itwillbefirstlydriedtoremovesomeofitsmoisture.Thereisnoneedtoremoveallthemoisture.The

Figure1.Aphotoofthe100kg/hrgasificationdemonstrationplant.

Figure2.Aschematicdiagramshowingtheworkingprincipleofthistechnology.

PATENTSPENDINGq PCT/AU2011/000936q PCT/AU2014/001135q PCT/AU2014/001137

• Gascleaning• Energyrecuperation

Volatilereforming

Chargasification

Pyrolysis

Cleanproductgas

Heat

Rawproductgas

Biomass

Electricity

Drying

Heat


biomasswillthenbepyrolysedtoproduceagaseousintermediateproductcalledvolatilesandasolidintermediateproductcalledbiochar.Thebiocharwillbegasifiedwithairandsteaminthepracticalabsenceofvolatiles in thesamegasiferwherevolatileswillalsobe reformed. Inotherwords, thegasificationofbiocharandthereformingofvolatileswill takeplace indifferentzones in thesamereactor.Therawgasificationproductgasfromthegasificationofbiocharandthereformingofvolatileswillbecleanedinahotgascleaningandenergyrecuperationunit.Theorganicandinorganicimpuritiessuchastarresidueandvaporisedmetallicspecies(e.g.potassium)intherawgasificationproductgaswill be either chemically convertedor physically removed as thehot product gas is cooleddown.Energyrecuperationwillalsotakeplacetoconvertthethermalenergyintochemicalenergy.Infuturecommercialoperation, thecleanproductgaswillbeused inagasengineorother typesofpowergenerationequipment(e.g.fuelcells)togenerateelectricityand/orheat.However,asthegasenginesareconsideredasacommercialtechnologyanddonotformpartofthisproject,thecleanproductgasisburnedinaflareinthedemonstrationplantbeforeitsreleasetotheatmosphere.

AsisshowninFigure2,inthefuturecommercialoperation,theheatembeddedinthehotgasificationproductgasandtheheatinthefluegasfromtheengine(s)willberecoveredandusedtomeettheenergydemandforbiomasspyrolysisanddrying.

Alargenumberoftrialshavebeencarriedoutusingmalleebiomassandwheatstrawasitsfeedstocks.BothweregrowninWA.Figure3showssometypicalphotosofthebiomassusedinthesetrials.Itshould be noted that the feedstocks contain a wide range of particles ranging from microns tocentimetres.

Alargenumberoftrialswerecarriedoutinthisprojectunderawiderangeofconditions.Thesetrialshaveshownthatthedemonstrationplanthasperformedverywell,meetingorexceedingthedesignspecifications. Importantly, these trials have demonstrated that the technology could producegasificationproductgaswithlowcontentsoftarandparticulatesandhighheatingvalues,meetingthequalityrequirementforthegastobeuseddirectlyinagasenginetogenerateelectricityand/orheat.

FeaturesofThisBiomassGasificationTechnology

Thesetrialshavedemonstratedsomekeyfeaturesofthistechnology:

• Feedstockflexibilityandminimalpreparation.Themallee(woody)biomassandwheatstrawused in this project have covered the properties of a wide range of biomass resources,especiallyforestrywastes,woodyplantationsandagriculturalwastes.

Awiderangeofparticlesizes,rangingfrommicronstocentimetres,canbeinthesamefeedstock,reducingthecostofbiomasspreparation.Inparticular,theextensivegrindingofbiomasstoveryfineparticlesisnotnecessary.

Organicliquids,suchasbio-oil,canalsobeapotentialfeedstockforthistechnology.


• Fast gasification rates undermild reaction conditions. This technology can achieve rapidgasification under relatively mild conditions of atmospheric pressure and relatively lowtemperatures(<1000°Corevenlower).

• Highefficiency.Basedonthedataobtainedinthisprojectandthosefromthepreviouspilot

plant, our simulation predicts that cold gas efficiencies of over 90% (HHV) for futurecommercialoperationwouldbepossible.

• Hotgascleaning.Withoutusingaliquidscrubbingprocess,ourtechnologycanproducecleangasificationproductgasthatmeetsthequalityrequirementforitsdirectuseingasengines.

• Versatility for commercial operation mode. This technology can be used for small scaledistributedpowergenerationorrelativelylargescalepowergeneration.

a.Malleebiomass1(microchips)

b.Malleebiomass2(smallchips)

c.Malleebiomass3(bigchips)

d.Wheatstraw

Figure3.Thebiomassfeedstocksusedintrials.


The technologymay also be used for co-firing biomasswith coal or natural gas. Somecomponentsofthisoveralltechnologycanalsobeusedwithothertechnologies,includingtheretrofittingofexistinggasificationplants.

• Negativecarbonemission.Thistechnologyallowsforthebiochartobewithdrawnfromtheoverallprocessandtobereturnedtothesoilforcarbonsequestrationwithaddedbenefitsofimprovedsoilfertility.AsthecarboninbiocharhasoriginatedfromtheCO2intheatmosphere,the net effect is the negative carbon emission while base-load/dispatchable electricity isgenerated.

TechnologyReadinessLevelofThisTechnologyPriortothecommencementofthisproject,thetechnologyreadinesslevelwasassessedasLevel5withsomeaspectsreachingLevel6.Attheconclusionofthisproject,thetechnologyreadinesslevelisassessedasLevel7withsomeaspectsreachingLevel8.EconomicCompetitivenessofThisTechnologyTheeconomiccompetitivenessofthistechnologyisclear.Inparticular,powergenerationusingthistechnologyrequiresmuchlowercapitalinvestmentonaperkWhbasisthanmanyotherrenewablessuchaswindandsolar.Thisreducestheneedtosecurelargeamountsofcapitalasthetechnologyiswidelydeployedinthefuture.Reducing thecostofbiomass transportation isan importantway to reduce thecostofelectricity.Powergenerationusingthebio-oilproducedwithdistributedpyrolysersappears tobeparticularlyattractive.Enormous direct and indirect social, economic and environmental benefits will accrue from thecommercialisationofthistechnology.Forexample,alargenumberofhighqualityjobscanbecreatedforthegrowth,harvestingandprocessingofbiomassinregionalAustralia.Thistechnologyisparticularlycompetitivewhenrenewablebase-load/dispatchableelectricityistobegenerated as it does not require energy storage facilities to generate base-load or dispatchableelectricity.Indeed,biomassitselfisthecheapestformofenergystorage.

TransferabilityBioenergywillcontinuetoplayacriticalroleinourfutureenergysupply.Biomassisoneofveryfewrenewableenergy sources that canbeuseddirectly togeneratebase-load/dispatchableelectricitywithouttheneedofanenergystoragedevice.Bioenergywillbeofparticularimportancetostabiliseourgridsaswecontinuetoincreasetheproportionofrenewablesinourenergysupply.

The cost to centralise distributed biomass to achieve relatively large scale power generation is asignificant part of the overall cost of electricity. This technology can be deployed togetherwith a


pyrolysistechnology(e.g.Renergi’sgrindingpyrolysistechnology)todrasticallyreducethiscost.Tothisend,biomasscanbefirstlypyrolysedusingtransportablepyrolyserstoproducebio-oilandbiocharatlocationswherebiomassisgrown.Whilebiocharisusedformanyotherpurposes,bio-oilcanbetransported and centralised for reforming to produce clean gasification product gas using thistechnology.Thetransportationof liquidbio-oilwouldbemuchcheaperthanthetransportationofbulkybiomass,greatlyimprovingtheeconomiccompetitivenessofpowergenerationusingdistributedbiomass. It shouldbenoted that thegasification-basedpowerplantusingbio-oil as the feedstockwouldbealotsimplerthanthatusingbiomassasthefeedstock.

Inadditiontobeingpartofthisoverallbiomassgasificationtechnology,thenovelpyrolysistechnologydevelopedinthisprojectcanalsobeoperatedasstandalonepyrolysers,includingbeingdesignedtobecompactandtransportabletowherebiomassisgrown.

Possibility exists to produce carbon materials and generate electricity simultaneously to furtherimprovetheeconomiccompetitivenessofthistechnology.Thisdeservesfurtherinvestigation.

The gasification of solid fuels and the reforming of liquid/gaseous fuels are currently the maincommercialprocessestoproducehydrogen.Thistechnologycanbedeployedtoproduceexportablerenewablehydrogen.

Biomassistheonlyrenewablethatcanbeuseddirectlytoproduceliquidfuelsandchemicalsthatarecurrentlyproducedusingfossilfuels.Thehydrotreatmentofbio-crudes(e.g.bio-oil)fromthepyrolysisorhydrothermalliquefactionofbiomassisonesuchpromisingroutetoconvertbiomassintoliquidfuels and chemicals. However, hydrogen is an indispensable feedstock and the cost of hydrogenproductionlargelyinfluencestheoveralleconomicfeasibilityofthebiofuelprocess.Importantly,thistechnologycanalsobeusedtoproducehydrogenusingbiocharand/orhydrotreatmentwastesforthehydrogentobeusedasafeedstocktothehydrotreatmentunitwithinthesameplant.Indeed,thisadvancedbiomassgasificationtechnologywillbeveryimportantforthefuturecommercialisationofRenergi’sbiofueltechnologythatiscurrentlybeingdeveloped.

Alternatively, this technology canalsobeused toproduce syngas for the subsequent synthesisofliquidfuelsandchemicals.

Publications

1. S. Jiang,X.Hu,X.Shao,Y.Song,D.XiaandC.-Z.Li,Effectsof thermalpretreatmentandex-situgrindingonthepyrolysisofmalleewoodcylinders,FuelProcessingTechnology,2017,159,211-221.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuproc.2017.01.045.

2. M.D.M.Hasan,X.Hu,R.GunawanandC.-Z.Li,Pyrolysisoflargemalleewoodparticles:temperaturegradientswithinapyrolysingparticleandeffectsofmoisturecontent,FuelProcessingTechnology,2017,158,163-171.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuproc.2016.12.018.


3. S. Jiang, X. Hu, D. Xia and C.-Z. Li, Formation of aromatic ring structures during the thermaltreatment ofmalleewood cylinders at low temperature,Applied Energy, 2016,183, 542-551.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.apenergy.2016.09.015.

4. S.Zhang,Y.Song,Y.C.Song,Q.Yi,L.Dong,T.T.Li,L.Zhang,J.Feng,W.Y.LiandC.-Z.Li,Anadvancedbiomass gasification technology with integrated catalytic hot gas cleaning. Part III: Effects ofinorganicspeciesincharonthereformingoftarsfromwoodandagriculturalwastes,Fuel,2016,183,177-184.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2016.06.078.

IntellectualProperty:Patents/LicencesThisprojecthasstartedfromthetechnologydisclosedinthefollowingpatentapplication.Duringthecourseofthisproject,patentrightshavebeengrantedinanumberofcountries:

• C.-Z.Li,H.Wu,M.AsadullahandS.Wang.Amethodofgasifyingcarbonaceousmaterialanda gasification system, PCT/AU2011/000936; Owner: Curtin University of Technology butlicensedtoRenergiPtyLtd.PatentrightshavebeengrantedinAustralia(2011284780,1Oct2015),NewZealand(607367,30June2015),Singapore(187594,31July2015)andChina(ZL201180045572.6,30June2017).Theexaminationcontinuesinotherjurisdictions.

This project has created a large amount of intellectual property, especially the following patentapplications:

• C.-Z. Li, L. Dong and R. Gunawan, Process and apparatus for cleaning raw product gas,PCT/AU2014/001135;Owner:RenergiPtyLtd.Theexaminationhascommencedinvariousjurisdictions.NoticeofallowanceinUSAwasreceivedon29August2017.

• C.-Z. Li, R. Gunawan and L. Dong, Apparatus for pyrolysing carbonaceous material,PCT/AU2014/001137;Owner:RenergiPtyLtd.Theexaminationhascommenced invariousjurisdictions.

AwardsRenergiPtyLtdwasshortlistedfortheBestBusinessStart-upAward,InstitutionofChemicalEngineers(IChemE)GlobalAwards,UK,2015.

Conclusionandnextsteps

This project has successfully scaled up an advanced biomass gasification technology to a nominalbiomass processing capacity of 100 kg/hr. A dedicated demonstration plant has been designed,constructed, commissioned and operated very successfully. A large number of trials have beencompleted using mallee (woody) biomass and wheat straw as its feedstocks to demonstrate thetechnicalfeasibilityofthetechnologyforthegasificationofawiderangeofnon-foodlignocellulosicbiomass resources. This project has created a large amount of commercially valuable intellectualproperty,includingpatentsandtechnicalknow-how.


Thisprojecthasachievedallofitsobjectives.Thetechnologyisreadyforfurthercommercialisation.Renergi Pty Ltd is now planning to build commercial plants using this technology. The successfulcommercialisation of this advanced biomass gasification technology will make a significantcontribution to the emerging bioenergy industry in Australia and help to secureAustralia’s globalleadingpositioninthisimportantfieldofbioenergy.

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Appendix

KeywordsBiomass;gasification;pyrolysis;hotgascleaning;demonstration;tarremoval;mallee;straw,base-load;dispatchable;bio-oil;biochar;negativeemission.

an advanced biomass...3 executive summary the ultimate aim of this project is to demonstrate the...

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