Renewal Fuel from Biomass WasteRenewal Fuel from Biomass Waste

UC Discovery/West Biofuels Research Project:UC Discovery/West Biofuels Research Project:

““An Investigation of a Thermochemical Process for the An Investigation of a Thermochemical Process for the Conversion of Biomass to Mixed Alcohol”Conversion of Biomass to Mixed Alcohol”

Robert Cattolica

Professor of Engineering PhysicsDepartment of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering

University of California at San DiegoLa Jolla, CA

rjcat@ucsd.edu

• Past focus of FT technology development

– Fossil feedstock (coal, natural gas, etc.)

– Diesel and Paraffins

• Current focus of FT technology development

– Renewable feedstock (biomass, MSW, etc.)

– Alcohols and Chemicals

Historical Focus Gas to Liquids(Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst)

Renewable Fuels Market in US

• US Gasoline Annual Consumption (2005)

140 billion gallons

5% renewable fuel goal = 7 billion gallons

• Renewable Fuel (ethanol) Production (2005)

4 billon gallons US

12 billion gallons World Wide

• Energy Policy Act 2005 – Renewal Fuel Requirement

4 billion gallons 2006

7.5 billion gallons 2012

Renewable Fuels Market in California

• Market: Alcohol Blending in Gasoline in California

Gasoline Consumption 15,000 million gals/yr Renewal fuel requirement (6%) 900 million gals/yr Ethanol fuel production in California

75 million gals/yr (current production imported corn) 50 million gals/yr (under construction imported corn)

51 million gals/yr (12% in wine)

• Biomass Waste Stream Resources: Forest Waste, Agricultural Plant Waste, Urban Green Waste, MSW, etc.

Gasification Feedstocks and Output Products

GasificationPlant

Syngas – H2/CO

Slag forConstruction

Materials

Potential FeedsNatural gas

Residual oils

OrimulsionPetroleum coke

Coal

Waste Oils

Biomass

Black liquor

Sewage Sludge

Potential Products

OxygenNitrogenArgonCarbon DioxideSulfur/Sulfuric AcidSteam

Combined Cycle Electric Power

ChemicalProduction

Fischer-Tropsch

Synthesis

HydrogenCarbon MonoxideFertilizer (Urea, ammonium nitrate)SNGIndustrial ChemicalsEthanol / Higher AlcoholsAcetic AcidNaphthaDieselJet FuelWax

UC Discovery/West Biofuels (WB) Biomass to Alcohol Research

Two Year Program: $3M (WB $1.85M/UC $1.15M) 2007-2009

5 tons/day, three stage research reactor

9 Professors, 7 post docs, 1 development engineer

Systems, Applied, and Basic Research

Pending DOE Education Program: 9 four-year fellowships in renewable fuels

UC Discovery/West Biofuels Biomass to Mixed Alcohol Three Stage Process

MoSCatalyst

CO + H2 Mixed AlcoholSyngas with sulfur OK

Synthesis Reactor

GasifierC + H2O CO, H2 , CO2 , CH4

Gasification Reactor

ReformingCatalyst

CO + H2CO, H2 , CO2 , CH4

Reformer Reactor

Syngas

Producer GasProducer Gas

Mixed alcohol composition for MoS based catalyst "D“and composition with methanol recycle or removal.

Mixed Alcohol from Biomass(100 gals/ton)

Mixed AlcoholBaseline

Composition

Mixed Alcoholwith Methanol

recycle

Ethanol 50 % 75%

Methanol 28 % -

Propanol 16 % 11%

Butanol 4 % 8%

Pentanol 2% 6%

Conclusions:The thermochemical conversion of biomass to mixed alcohol

is an attractive approach for producing renewable biofuel:

• Based on well known chemical engineering methods.

• Research needed in system integration, controls, sensors, and improved catalysts performance.

• Recycles biomass waste stream energy – no net CO2

• Potential Feedstocks: forest waste, agricultural plant waste, urban green waste, and MSW

• Distributed fuels production – (forests, land fills, etc.)