You are on page 1of 54

Capacity Building Programme small scale biorefineries

24-25 June 2013 Putrajaya

Biorefinery principles and cascading use of biomass

istockphoto/anna kuzilina

Definition of IEA Bioenergy Task 42 Biorefinery is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of marketable products

Biorefinery: concepts, facilities, processes, clusters of industries Sustainable: maximising economics & social aspects, minimising
environmental impacts, fossil fuel replacement, closed cycles Processing: upstream processing, transformation, fractionation, thermo-chemical and biochemical conversion, extraction, separation, downstream processing Biomass: wood & agricultural crops, organic residues, forest residues, aquatic biomass Spectrum: multiple energy and non-energy products Marketable: Present and forecasted Products: both intermediates and final products (i.e. food, feed, materials, chemicals, fuels, power, heat) http://www.iea-bioenergy.task42-biorefineries.com/

http://www.iea-bioenergy.task42-biorefineries.com/

GENERAL REMARKS AND PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE BIOREFINERY APPROACH


Biomass is a precious resource, renewable but also limited. Prices and demand for biomass are increasing. Biomass and bioenergy must be produced and processed sustainably and valorized to their full potentials. This way bioenergy can contribute significantly to feeding the growing global population and providing a short cut to substitute for many of the products we now get from fossil fuels. Building new value chains from biomass (e.g. forestry and crop residues; waste and byproducts from agroindustry; municipality waste) is the basic building blocks for building the bioeconomy. This area offers unique opportunities and potentials for the creation of new jobs
Source: L.Lange BE-Sustainable No.3

GENERAL REMARKS AND PRINCIPLES BEHIND THE BIOREFINERY APPROACH


The biomass composition is highly complex; it holds several types of components, which can be developed into many types of products, not only in the bottom of the value pyramid, but also products higher up the value chain. Depending on the conversion process we can move from a downgrading (producing low value products as electricity and heat) to an upgrade to higher value products (e.g. food and feed ingredients, speciality chemicals etc). Currently most focus has been invested into developing logistics, equipment and technologies for efficient combustion, increasing the percentage of renewables in the energy system, but producing the lowest value products only. However, we must already now start planning for how we can move towards unlocking the full potentials of the biomass through optimized biorefinery technologies.
Source: L.Lange BE-Sustainable No.3

Cascading principle
The Biomass Value Pyramid: Biomass holds potentials for being converted into also higher level value chains. Combustion for production of heat and electricity gives the lowest value only, while production of biomass based fuel, fine chemicals, functional biomaterials, feed and food ingredients give higher value.

Source: L.Lange BE-Sustainable No.3

Biorefinery

Bioproduct based (e.g. pulp&paper)

Biofuel driven (e.g. bioethanol)

Classification: the 4 features to characterise a biorefinery system IEA Bioenergy Task 42 1. Platforms 2. Products

Biorefinery
3. Feedstocks 4. Processes

Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

Platforms

Platforms can be intermediate products towards products or linkages between different biorefinery concepts or final products Dominant platforms for biobased chemicals C6 Sugar platform Plant-based oil platform
Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

1-platform (oil) biorefinery using oilseed crops for biodiesel, glycering and feed via pressing, esterification and distillation Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

Classic 1G bioethanol plant

Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

Integrated cane ethanol refinery

Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

2G Ethanol refinery

Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

Bioethanol from wood

Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

Biomethane from grass and manure

Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

Biomethane from wood

Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

FT-fuels from Straw

Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

FT-fuels from woodchips

Source. IEA-Bioenergy task 42

14 Most Promising Biofuel-driven Biorefineries until 2025

New types of Biorefineries


There will be many types of biorefineries, designed to unlock the potentials of different types of feed stock: The Yellow biorefinery (Feedstock: cereal straw and stover) The Green Biorefinery (Feedstock: fresh green leaves of e.g. grasses, after crops and beet roots) The Grey Biorefinery (Feedstock: sludge; wet, composite and dirty biomass) The Blue Biorefinery (Feedstock: marine biomass; seafood waste, sea weeds and macro algae) The White Biorefinery (Feed stock: agroindustrial waste) Among these types of biorefineries, the most low hanging fruit is probably the valorization of selected types of byproducts and waste from agroindustrial food processing

Source: L.Lange BE-Sustainable No.3

BIOMASS CONVERSION ROUTES AND TECHNOLOGIES

1. Parts of each feedstock, e.g. crop residues, 3. Biomass upgrading includes any one of the densitication could also be used in other routes processes (pelletisation, pyrolysis, torrefaction, etc.) 2. Each route also gives co-products 4. AD = Anaerobic Digestion

Thermochemical value-chains

Source: European Biofuels Technology Platform

Biological value-chains

Source: European Biofuels Technology Platform

Thermo-chemical processes
Thermo-chemical conversion processes are sub-processes in a biorefinery, which aim to convert raw materials to a uniform intermediate product which can be further processed into a final value-added product using biochemical, catalytic or thermal methods. Thermo-chemical biomass conversion processes can be broadly classified as torrefaction, pyrolysis, gasification, hydrothermal liquefaction Combustion processes are applied for power, heat or combined heat and power (CHP) production.

Torrefaction
Torrefaction is a thermal process which operates at temperatures between 200 and 300C in the absence of oxygen. In general, torrefaction is combined with pelletisation, giving torrefied pellets (TO P) as the end product. Biomass is dried and partly decomposed to give a grindable, hydrophobic solid with high energy value. More like a pre-treatment than a conversion technology suitable for small scale

TORREFACTION

Several technologies available. Not standardized yet

Benefits and advantages of biomass torrefaction


Torrefaction (+ densification) enables energy-efficient (>90%) upgrading of biomass into commodity solid biofuels with favourable properties in view of logistics and end-use Favourable properties higher energy density, better water resistance, slower biodegradation, good grindability and flowability, homogenised material properties Enables cost savings in handling and transport, capex savings at end-user (e.g. outside storage, direct co-milling and co-feeding), higher co-firing percentages and enabling technology for gasification-based biofuels and biochemicals production Applicable to a wide range of ligno-cellulosic biomass feedstock, even mixed waste streams

Fuel characteristics

Source: SECTOR project

State of the art of torrefaction technology development


Many technology developers (>50) due to strong market pull Torrefaction technology is not yet fully commercially available for this application. Often application of reactor technology proven for other applications (drying, pyrolysis, combustion) Often limited bench-/pilot-scale testing, limited attention to energy efficiency and impact of exothermicity underestimated Good process control is essential for good performance and product quality control Overall energy efficiency is strongly dependent on heat integration design In general: torrefaction technology in demonstration phase with >10 demo-units and first commercial units in operation and under construction

BIOMASS PYROLYSIS
Pyrolysis is the thermal decomposition of biomass occurring in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic environment) that produces a solid (charcoal), a liquid (pyrolysis oil or bio-oil) and a gas product. The relative amounts of the three co-products depend on the operating temperature and the residence time used in the process. High heating rates of the biomass feedstocks at moderate temperatures (450C to 550C) result in oxygenated oils as the major products (70 to 80%), with the remainder split between a biochar and gases. Slow pyrolysis (also known as carbonization) is practiced throughout the world, for the production of charcoal. Fast Pyrolysis and flash pyrolysis are more advanced technologies and still under development.

FAST PYROLYSIS
Rapid thermal decomposition of organic compounds in the absence of oxygen to produce liquids, char, and gas Dry feedstock: <10% Small particles: <3 mm Short residence times: 0.5 -2 s Moderate temperatures (400-500 oC) Typical yields Oil: 60 -70% (can be used as substitute of heavy oil or in diesel engines) Char: 12 -15% Gas: 13 -25%

Pyrolysis
Use of various wood feedstocks has been demonstrated at a pilot scale. Many lignocellulosic biomass types (including agricultural wastes like straw, food processing residues etc.) may also be used as feedstocks, but some of them are more challenging to use than wood A number of fast pyrolysis technologies are all currently at various stages of development. Most processes employ fluidised- bed reactors, although other systems have also been designed.

The largest existing commercial-scale units are used to produce chemicals for the food flavouring industry. However, these units would only be considered pilot-scale for fuel production.

Pyrolysis applications
Pyrolysis oil can be utilised in a large number of applications, which can be divided in four main groups being heat, power, transport fuels and chemicals. Pyrolysis oil combustion in a boiler or furnace for heat is the most simple and straightforward application. Pyrolysis oil can replace both heavy and light fuel oils in industrial boiler applications. Pyrolysis oil co-combustion in an industrial, natural gas-fired power plant has been successfully demonstrated. Diesel engines and gas turbines for power production have been tested on pyrolysis oil, but some development is still required. Commercially available engines and/or gas turbines are stated to become available within several years. Transport fuels can be derived from pyrolysis oil either by direct upgrading or by gasification combined with gas-to-liquid synthesis to produce Methanol, FischerTropsch diesel or DME. Potentially high-value chemicals can be extracted like adhesives for wood, preservatives, browning/flavouring of food and more. Economic attractive recovery of chemicals from pyrolysis oil needs further development.

POTENTIAL APPLICTIONS OF PYROLYSIS

Source: Biomass Technology Group

EMPYRO: COMMERCIAL DEMO PYROLYSIS PLANT IN EU


EMPYRO is a polygeneration plant that will produce pyrolysis oil, process steam, and electricity from woody biomass. The produced oil is the main product and will be sold commercially on the market. Steam will be delivered to the neighbouring factory of AkzoNobel and electricity to the grid. Developing and demonstrating the recovery of acetic acid from biomass is part of the project. The main aim of EMPYRO is the local commercial demonstration of the fast pyrolysis concept from biomass supply, through the pyrolysis conversion step, to oil application. Plant capacity: 120 ton of wood/day Plant feedstock: Local wood residues Plant output per year: > Oil: 22,500 ton > Electricity: 6,000 MWh Steam: 80,000 ton Location: Enschede NL www.empyroproject.eu

BTG constructed a 5 tonne/day pilot pyrolysis unit in early 2000. Shortly after, a 50 tonne/day semi-commercial plant was built in Genting Malaysia.

ROADMAP - PYROLYSIS

Source: Biomass Technology Group

GASIFICATION Gasification is a high temperature (>700C) conversion of solid, carbonaceous fuels into combustible product gas which is used commercially in heat, power and CHP production. The gaseous intermediate fuel, consisting primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen, which can be used for the production of heat, power, liquid fuels, and chemicals.

The gas made in this process is cleaned and processed to form a so-called syngas, whose composition can be controlled. The importance of this technology lies in the fact that it can take advantage of advanced turbine designs and heatrecovery steam generators to achieve high energy efficiency.

Example: NOTAR gasifier by Xylowatt

Source: H.Knoef BE-Sustainable issue 1

GASIFICATION FOR BIOREFINERIES Since several decades biomass gasification offers the perspective of resourceefficient production of energy and co-products in poly-generation systems. More recently, biomass gasification has come to be seen as a central part of integrated biorefineries. The shift in interest to integrated biorefineries has led to an associated shift in the targeted application of the synthesis gas that is produced in biomass gasification. Pure syngas is the building block for organic chemistry, and in principle all products now being produced from fossil fuels can also be produced from syngas made from renewable biomass. Therefore, biomass gasification is becoming less focused on energy production but more on the production of high-added value products including transportation fuels, chemicals, Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG), etc.

Source: H.Knoef BE-Sustainable issue 1

Combination of gasification with other processes

The conversion of biomass in gasification processes is often combined with pyrolysis, combustion or both like in multi-stage gasifcation concepts. In these concepts, the gasification, pyrolysis and/or combustion processes are physically separated. Combined effect of the amount air supplied to the wood and the 3 Ts (temperature, turbulence and time). To explain and predict the gas composition an equivalence ratio is introduced. This is the amount of oxygen used relative to the amount required for complete combustion. The exact amount of air needed for complete conversion of wood to carbondioxide and water is called the stochiometric air.
Source: H.Knoef BE-Sustainable issue 1

Gasification products at different ER

Source: H.Knoef BE-Sustainable issue 1

Producergas cleaning
Syngas from biomass gasification is used for power production and synthesis of fuels and commodity chemicals. Impurities in gasification feedstocks, especially sulfur, nitrogen, chlorine, and ash, often find their way into syngas and can interfere with downstream applications. Incomplete gasification can also produce undesirable products in the syngas in the form of tar and particulate char. Several technologies for removing contaminants from syngas are available and are classified according to the gas temperature exiting the cleanup device: hot (T > 300oC), cold (T < ~100oC), and warm gas cleaning regimes. Cold gas cleanup uses relatively mature techniques that are highly effective although they often generate waste water streams and may suffer from energy inefficiencies. The majority of these techniques are based on using wet scrubbers.

Source: H.Knoef BE-Sustainable issue 1

Producergas utilization

Source: H.Knoef BE-Sustainable issue 1

synthetic natural gas applications (SNG)


Co-firing: percentages up to 10% (on energy basis) are feasible without the need for substantial modifications of the coal boiler. Combined heat and power (CHP): in CHP plants the product gas is fired in engines or turbines. Integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC): for electricity production on larger scales, integrated gasification combined cycles are preferred in which the gas is fired on a gas turbine. Fuel cells: for the production of electricity still in early development Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG): SNG is a gas with similar properties as natural gas but produced by methanation of H2 and CO in gasification product gas. Transportation fuels: biosyngas important for the production of fuel from GTL processes, Fischer-Tropsch diesel and methanol/DME. Methanol: methanol can be produced by means of the catalytic reaction of carbon monoxide and some carbon dioxide with hydrogen. Finally, the product gas can be used in the chemical synthesis like ammonia for fertiliser production, hydroformylation of olefins, hydrogen in refineries, mixed alcohols, carbon monoxide, olefins and aromatics. Source: H.Knoef BE-Sustainable issue 1

IGCC Plant in Guessing Austria

Stable plant availability since many years

Harbore CHP Plant in Denmark

Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL)


The HTL process converts biomass to biocrude by means of water at a temperature of 300-350C and at 120-180 bars pressure . Other products are gases (predominantly CO 2), water and dissolved organics. The fundamental biological building blocks are broken down and reformed during the process. Initially, these macromolecules are broken down into their monomer units. Oxygen and N, S, P are removed leaving behind the initial carbon and hydrogen atoms in the form of low molecular weight compounds. Biocrude may be utilised in co-combustion in coal- and oil-fired power stations or it may be upgraded by catalytic hydro-de-oxygenation (HDO) processing, for example into premium diesel fuel, kerosene and feedstock for chemical manufacturing.

Biochemical Conversion processes


Biochemical processes are based on the catalytic function of specific proteins called enzymes. Fermentation processes using living microorganisms (bacteria, yeast, etc.) are the most common form of biochemical processing. The process typically takes place in a contained reactor (a bioreactor or fermenter). Enzymes can also be isolated from cells, and used either in processes such as the conversion of starch to iso-glucose (the main sweetener used in soft drinks) or in end products like washing detergents. Today, biochemical processes are used in many parts of existing biorefineries. Biochemical processing is used to make, for example, bioethanol and chemicals like lactic and citric acids. One of the main advantages is that processing is carried out typically under very mild conditions (low temperature, low pressure and moderate pH values). Biochemical processes are also usually water-based.

Biological value-chains

Source: European Biofuels Technology Platform

Products obtained by fermentation

Biochemical Conversion processes


Biochemical processing is used to make, for example, bioethanol and chemicals like lactic and citric acids. One of the main advantages is that processing is carried out typically under very mild conditions (low temperature, low pressure and moderate pH values). Biochemical processes are also usually water-based. A bottleneck for biochemical processes is the fact that product concentrations are typically relatively low Also, it is common for several by-products to be produced during fermentation processes. These two factors make downstream processing (isolation and purification) of products comparatively expensive and energy-intensive (e.g. distillation dehydration)

Source: star-colibri .eu

Biochemical Conversion processes


The general challenges for biochemical processes are therefore: To increase yield and overall productivity. Reducing material loss during the different processes to maximise their sustainability and economic viability. To develop processes working at high concentrations of both raw material and endproduct. To develop cheaper and more efficient processes for downstream processing (DSP) after biochemical processes: DSP has a big impact on the economics of the system, in most cases being the critical factor.

Source: star-colibri .eu

You might also like