Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels and Hydrothermal Saccharification for

Cellulosic Ethanol Production2008 Farm to Fuel Summit2008 Farm to Fuel Summit

Lixiong LiLixiong Li

August 1, 2008August 1, 2008

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OutlineOutline

Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels Florida Crop Oils Catalytic Hydrothermolysis Preliminary Results

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Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels - Florida Oil Crops as Feedstocks

Current Focus - Crop Oils (see table below according to Florida Agriculture Statistical Directory for 2006 harvest season)

Potential Targets - Animal fats, algae/algal oils, Jatropha and other oil crops being introduced to Florida

Oil Crop 2006 Acreage Planted

2006 Production

Reported Biodiesel

Yield

Potential Biodiesel

Output

Potential Increase in

Biofuel Output

Soybean 7,000 135,000 bushels

60 gal/acre 420,000 gal 900%

Peanut 130,000 150,000 tons 123 gal/acre 16,000,000 gal 40%

Cotton Seed

60,000 47,000 tons 35 gal/acre 2,100,000 gal 50%

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Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels - Catalytic Hydrothermolysis

Soybean Oil

Hydrolysis,Saponification

180OC, 1-2 hrs

Fatty Acid Salts(Soap)

Pyrolysis,Cat. Cracking

350-650OC, <1 hrs

Cat. Trans-esterification

30-65OC, 1-8 hrs

Post RefiningFatty Acid Esters

(Biodiesel)

Biofuel

Gas, Oil,Oil Residue,

Char

Non-CatalyticHydrolysis,180-300OC, 1-5 mins

Soybean Oil

Fatty Acids

Pyrolysis,Cat. Cracking

350-550OC, 5-10 mins

Non-Cat. Trans-esterification240-300OC, 2-4 mins

Post RefiningFatty Acid Esters

(Biodiesel)

Biofuel

ProductDistribution??

Low-Pressure Processes High-Pressure Processes

Processing Options for Converting Crop Oils to Biofuels

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Water Reactant Reaction and Heat Transfer Medium Source of Hydrogen

Heat Activation Energy Product Fractionation

Catalyst

Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels - Catalytic Hydrothermolysis (CH)

Vegetable Oil

BioFuelsTriglyceride

ModificationsCatalytic

Hydrothermolysis

Water/Catalysts

Pre-Conditioning

Conventional Post Treatment

Conversion Post-Refining

(Aqueous Phase)

(Organic Phase)

Vegetable Oil

BioFuelsTriglyceride

ModificationsCatalytic

Hydrothermolysis

Water/Catalysts

Pre-Conditioning

Conventional Post Treatment

Conversion Post-Refining

(Aqueous Phase)

(Organic Phase)(Patent Pending)

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Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels - Laboratory Facility and Staff

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Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels - Preliminary Results (CH Conversion of Soybean Oil)

Product Distribution

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

≤5

6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 >20

Carbon Number

% M

as

s

SB Oil Baseline

SB Oil Catalyst

JP-8

Diesel

Gasoline

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Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels - Preliminary Results (CH Conv of Soybean Oil – JP8 Fraction)

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Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels - Preliminary Results (CH Conv of Peanut Oil – JP8 Fraction)

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Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels - Preliminary Results (CH converted SB oil)

Turbine Fuel, JP-8 NATO F-34

Diesel, Naval Distillate NATO F-76

Properties ARA JP-8

Spec ARA Diesel

Spec

Aromatics, wt% 2.6 25 max - - Paraffins (normal + iso), vol% 40 - 56 - Cyclopariffins, vol% 52 - - - Dicycloparifins, vol% 5.9 - - - Heat of combustion, MJ/kg 43.4 42.8 min - - Smoke point, mm >30 25 min - - Freeze point, oC <-47 -47 max - - Flash point, oC >38 38 min 89 60 min Distillation (D2887, D86) pass - pass - Density, kg/L 0.793 0.775 min 0.823 0.876 max Acid #, mg KOH/g <0.01 0.015 max <0.01 0.30 max Hydrogen, wt% - 13.4 min 14.1 12.5 min Cloud point, oC - - -8 -1 max Pour point, oC - - -15 -6 max Viscosity @40oC, cSt - - 3.04 1.7-4.3 Demulsification, min - - 1 <10 Cetane Index - Report 57 >43 Tests performed by ARA, Air Force Research Laboratory, and Pax River Naval Air Station

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Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels - Competitive Advantage

ARA Other Bio JP-8

Bio Diesel

Current F-T

Alternative

Processing

Properties

Density

Energy

Pollution

Combustion

- Good - Fair - Poor

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SummarySummary Conversion of Crop Oils to Biofuels

Conversion of soybean and peanut oils to JP-8, Naval Distillate, and Gasoline has been demonstrated

Fuel tests met USAF and Navy specifications Small-scale system design has been initiated

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AcknowledgementAcknowledgement Funding

Florida Farm to Fuel Grant Matching Funds by Concho LLC and ARA IR&D

ARA Biofuel Team Ed Coppola Lynda Liptak Jeff Rine Jonathan Miller Devin Walker

Graphics and Administration Support Rodney Walker Angela Devoy