With your favorite host

Vignesh Sridharan
Guests on todays show
K. Vaideesh Subbaraj
Shivendra Upadhyay
M. Vishwanath
Analysis of Biomass and Biofuels
as source of energy
Technology
and
Environmental Impact
of
Biomass & Biofuels
Biomass
Biomass
Plants
Animals (by way of plants)
Plants
Use solar energy to convert water and CO
2
to sugars through the
process of photosynthesis
Harvested portions of live plants or remains are sources of
biomass
Animals
Consume plants (or consumers of plants)
Elimination products or remains are sources of biomass
Virtually all of our current energy supply is derived from
biomass (fossil fuels are just well-aged)

Multiple Feedstocks
trees
grass
agricultural residues
energy crops
municipal solid waste
sewage sludge
animal manure
78
10.9
3
4.3
400
330
220
U.S. Biodegradable Wastes
Municipal Solid Waste
Sewage Sludge
Industrial Biosludge
Recycled Paper Fines
Agricultural Residues
Forestry Residues
Manure
Amount
(million tonne/year)
Alcohol Potential
Waste
(billion gal/year)
10
1.4
0.4
0.5
5
2
43
28
Total 1,046 135
U.S. Gasoline Consumption = 130 billion gal/year
U.S. Diesel Consumption = 40 billion gal/year
Biofuels, in Order of Maturity, p1 of 2
Adopted from NREL (2006) http://www.nrel.gov/biomass/pdfs/39436.pdf
FUEL SOURCE BENEFITS STATUS
Grain/Sugar
Ethanol
Corn, sorghum,
sugarcane
High-octane
Widely available sources
Commercially
proven
Biodiesel Vegetable and seed
oils; fats and greases
Increased fuel lubricity
Widely available sources
Commercially
proven
Gasoline and
diesel blends
Ethanol or biodiesel
blended with
petroleum fuels
Relatively straightforward for
refineries to process
Decreased sulfur emissions over
standard fuels
Commercial trials
in progress
Cellulosic
Ethanol
Grasses, wood chips,
and agricultural
residues
High-octane
Less demand on agricultural
lands than grain ethanol
DOE program
targeting 2012
demonstration
Butanol Corn, sorghum,
wheat, sugarcane
Low-volatility
High energy-density
Water tolerant
BP and DuPont in
progress
Biofuels, in Order of Maturity, p2 of 2
FUEL SOURCE BENEFITS STATUS
Pyrolysis
Liquids
Lignocellulosic
biomass
Can utilize waste products
Potential source of aromatics
and phenols
Several commercial
facilities produce
energy and chemicals
Syngas Liquids Various
biomasses
Can utilize waste products
Can be integrated with fossil
fuel sources (e.g., coal)
High quality fuel
Commercially
demonstrated a large
scale using fossil fuels;
biomass projects
underway
Biodiesel or jet
fuel
Microalgae High yield per acre
Could be integrated with CO
2

capture and reuse
Demonstrated at pilot
scale in 1990s. Many
start-ups currently
underway
Hydrocarbons
(designer fuels)
Biomass
carbohydrates
Generate synthetic copies of
current petroleum derived
feedstocks
Laboratory-scale
research
Adopted from NREL (2006) http://www.nrel.gov/biomass/pdfs/39436.pdf
Technology
Biomass technology today serves many markets
that were developed with fossil fuels and modestly
reduces their use

Uses - Industrial process heat and steam, Electrical
power generation, Transportation fuels (ethanol
and biodiesel) and other products.

Primary focus of the Biomass Program
development of advanced technologies.
Current Focus
Platform technologies


Sugar Platform Technology


Thermochemical Platform Technology
Bio-refinery
A facility that integrates biomass conversion
processes and equipment to produce fuels,
power, and chemicals from biomass.

Analogous to today's petroleum refineries

It is based on the Sugar Platform and the
Thermochemical Platform
Liquid Fuel
Technology






Biomass to Liquids (BTL)
via Gasification
Solid or solid/liquid biomass is converted to gas at
high temperatures in the presence of small
amounts of oxygen
Main objective is to transfer the maximum amount
of chemical energy within the feedstock to the
gaseous fraction by producing a high yield of low
molecular weight products (high H:C)
The resulting gas is conditioned to produce
synthesis gas (syngas)
Syngas is then converted to liquid fuel via the
Fischer-Tropsch process
Biomass Energy Systems
Types:

1. Fermentation (corn grain or corn stover ethanol)

2. Gasification (Wide range of feedstocks)

3. Pyrolysis
-Liquefaction (Fast Pyrolysis)
-Thermal Depolymerization (Hydrous Pyrolysis)

4. Biodiesel (Transesterfication)

5. Anaerobic Digestion (Biogas)

6. Others / Combinations (Fermentation of Syngas)

How to Get Liquid Transportation
Fuels from Biomass
Convert sugars and starches to ethanol
fermentation
Convert plant oils to biodiesel
transesterification
Convert anything to liquid pyrolysis
Convert anything to gas (gasification) with
subsequent conversion to liquid aka
biomass to liquids (BTL)
The Challenge
Jet Fuel
forest
waste
corn
stover
switch-
grass
Gasification to syngas (CO + H
2
)
Diesel
Gasoline
Lignocellulose
Fisher-Tropsch
methanol
Gasoline
corn
grain
sugarcane
starch
Saccharification
lignin burn
Enzymatic Fermentation
Ethanol
Pyrolysis, fast or slow
gases
bio-oil
sugar
Sugar/starch
Liquid Phase Processing
Dissolution
Can we achieve sufficiently high yields of targeted
chemical compounds from solubilized biomass fractions to
justify the cost of biomass pretreatment?
Fermentation
Starch-Based Ethanol
Food of Fuel Debate
Oxygenated gasoline
Established process and feedstock supply
Cellulosic Ethanol
SunOpta Bioprocess / Central MN Ethanol
Partnership (Little Falls)
Abengoa (Kansas)
Feedstock supply is perhaps the biggest
challenge
Ethanol (EtOH)
Chemical Composition
CH
3
CH
2
OH or (C
2
H
6
O)
Ethanol is ethanol source independent
Also known as ethyl alcohol or grain alcohol
2 types:
Biologic: conversion of starches to sugar followed by
fermentation of sugar with yeast
Synthetic: acid catalyzed hydration of ethylene
Blending
Currently used as a additive (10% max) to improve
performance (octane) of gasoline
Internal combustion engines must be designed to
accommodate ethanol content >10%
OH
Ethanol Sources
Most common sources are plants with high
sugar or starch content (e.g., corn, beets,
cane, potatoes)
Sources with more complex cellular
structures (e.g., wood, grass, stalks) require
more effort to extract available sugars
(cellulosic ethanol)
Gasification
Handful of commercial systems for ag residues
Several for wood
Fuel flexible Unlike cellulosic ethanol
More manageable feedstock supply
Shorter path to commercialization
Thermal energy district heating and cooling process
heat electrical energy generation transportation fuel
Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company / Frontline Energy
Gasifier and University of Minnesota, Morris system
Potential Gasification Products-
Heat (and Cooling)- Combustion of gas to make steam
Gases- Purify and store the CO and H
2

Ethanol, Methanol, Butanol, DME, Fisher Tropsch Gas and Diesel-
Electricity- Using Steam to power a turbine
Gasification

UMM Biomass Gasification System

o High natural gas prices have been crippling to Universities and other
public entities
o UMM Biomass Gasification System is a model for small to moderate
scale biomass systems
o Construction began July 2007 and was dedicated October 2008
o Builds on the current UMM district heating and cooling system
across the campus (natural gas) and will provide 80% of thermal
energy needs
o Provides fuel flexibility and choices (corn stover, wood, DDGS,
straw, grass hay, etc)
o Gasification appears to be a clean and moderately priced method to
provide heating and cooling. (~$5 per MM/BTU NG = $50 per ton
biomass)
o Wired for research


UMM Biomass Gasification System

UMM Gasifier
Gasification Technology

Gobar gas Production

Biogas

Synthesis gas

Gasification
A process that uses heat, pressure, and steam to
convert materials directly into a gas composed
primarily of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.

Gasification technologies rely four key engineering
factors
1. Gasification reactor atmosphere (level of oxygen
or air content).
2. Reactor design.
3. Internal and external heating.
4. Operating temperature.
Gasification
Typical raw materials - coal, petroleum-based
materials, and organic materials.

The feedstock is prepared and fed, in either dry or
slurried form, into a sealed reactor chamber called a
gasifier.

The feedstock is subjected to high heat, pressure, and
either an oxygen-rich or oxygen-starved environment
within the gasifier.
Raw Materials for Gasification
Gasification
Products of gasification :
* Hydrocarbon gases (also called syngas).
* Hydrocarbon liquids (oils).
* Char (carbon black and ash).

Syngas is primarily carbon monoxide and
hydrogen (more than 85 percent by volume)
and smaller quantities of carbon dioxide and
methane
Gasifier Plant
Gasifier Plant
Types of Gasifiers



Updraft Gasifier
Types of Gasifiers




Downdraft Gasifier
Types of Gasifiers




Twin-fire Gasifier
Types of Gasifiers
Crossdraft gas producers

Gobar gas
Gobar gas production is an anaerobic
process

Fermentation is carried out in an air tight,
closed cylindrical concrete tank called a
digester
Anaerobic Digestion - BioGas
Primarily used in engine gensets but also
can be feedstock for other biofuels

Composition:
Methane
Carbon Dioxide
Hydrogen Sulfide
Nitrogen



Community Biogas System


Feasibility study has been completed:
-Anaerobic Digester $10.59 MM BTU
-Biomass Gasification $10.44 MM BTU
Municipal financing improves economics
Large livestock producers near Morris
Large amounts of crop biomass
Large energy users including the ethanol plant
Inconsistent natural gas prices & supply
WCROC research and demonstration platform
Next step is underway!
Solid Fuel






Wood
Domestic heating with wood is still by far
the largest market for bio-energy
Dramatic improvements of technology in
domestic heating equipment
Improved tiled stoves, advanced logwood
boilers, woodchip boilers, pellet boilers and
pellet stoves.
Pourable wood-based fuel is also available
Tiled stoves
Pellet Boilers and Stoves

Logwood boiler

Woodchip boilers

Pyrolysis
Heating of biomass in the absense of air
Anhydrous Pyrolysis
Flash pyrolysis Bio-diesel
Hydrous Pyrolysis
Thermal depolmerization -Bio-oil
Vacuum Pyrolysis
Decreases boiling point
UOP, LLC (Des Plaines, Illinois)
Honeywell and Ensyn
Rapid Thermal Processing (RTP)
Converts forest and ag residues to bio-oil for power and heat


Biodiesel
Transesterification of lipids
Triglyceride is converted to methyl ester plus
glycerol
Vegetable Oil, Methanol, and Sodium
Hydroxide
Glycerol is a by-product
B2 mandate in Minnesota



Biodiesel or
FAME (Fatty Acid Methyl Ester)
Chemical composition
Similar to petroleum diesel fuel in structure (straight
chain) and number of carbon atoms (10 to 20)
Differs in that it is oxygenated and has a small number of
double bonds
Fuel characteristics will vary slightly depending upon
source
Blending
Completely miscible with diesel fuel
Used as an additive (5% max) to increase cetane and
improve performance of diesel
Internal combustion engines must be designed to
accommodate fuels with FAME content >5%

Biodiesel Sources
Plant oils
Soybean
Palm
Rice
Cottonseed
Rapeseed (canola)
Waste oils (plant and animal)
Algae recent interest because
High amounts of oil
Minimal competition with food crops and crop land
Can be grown on land with low potential for CO
2
sequestration (e.g.
deserts)
Does not necessarily require fresh water
Algae Biodiesel
Algae grow rapidly and can have a high
percentage of lipids, or oils.
Can double their mass several times a day
Produce at least 15 times more oil per acre than
alternatives such as rapeseed, palms, and
soybean
Efforts to screen natural microalgae species to
find the strains that produce the highest yields
and the most oil.
Combine with power plants Algae uses C02
then harvested for bio-diesel production
Bio-diesel

Made by transforming animal fat or vegetable
oil with alcohol .

Fuel is made from rapeseed (canola) oil or
soybean oil or recycled restaurant grease.

Directly substituted for diesel either as neat
fuel or as an oxygenate additive
Modified Waste Vegetable Fat

Designed for general use in most compression
ignition engines .

The production of MWVF can be achieved in a
continuous flow additive process.

It can be modified in various ways to make a
'greener' form of fuel
E-Diesel

Uses additives in order to allow blending of
ethanol with diesel.

Ethanol blends of 7.7% to 15% and up to 5%

Additives that prevent the ethanol and diesel
from separating at very low temperatures or
if water contamination occurs.

Jatropha


Biodiesel from Jatropha

Seeds of the Jatropha nut is
crushed and oil is extracted

The oil is processed and
refined to form bio-diesel.
Gaseous fuel
Technology






HR BioPetroleum
DME (Dimethyl Ether)
Produced by the dehydration of methanol
BioDME European Project to Produce
Dimethyl Ether
Low emissions
Volvo Group
Diesel replacement
CH3 0CH3
Colorless gas
Fischer Tropsch Fuels
Conversion of carbon monoxide and
hydrogen to liquid hydrocarbons using
catalytic reactions (Co, Fe, Ru)
Primarily Gasoline, Diesel, and Wax
WWII
Sasol
Syntroleum and Tyson Foods Bio-diesel
and jet fuel from low grade animal fats
BioAlcohols
Ethanol (10% mandate in MN)
C2 H6 0
Methanol (wood alcohol)
CH3 OH
Butanol
C4 H10 O
Propanol
C3 H7 OH
Advanced Biomass R & D Timeline

Federal Interagency Biomass R and D Board (2008)
Environmental Concerns
Air Pollution

Soil Deterioration
Air Concerns
Biomass processing technologies and biofuels use have the
potential to increase emissions of ozone precursors
o Increase in No
x
emissions
Excessive inhalation of ethanol is harmful
Combustion of ethanol would result in increased atmospheric
concentrations of carcinogens
Emission of relatively large sized particulate matter

Soil Concerns
Burning biomass deprives local eco-systems of nutrients
Production of dedicated energy crops renders land fallow
Reduced land availability for cattle grazing
Increased use of pesticides and fertilizers to produce energy
crops contaminate ground and surface water
o Affects fish and wildlife

Environmental Benefits
Reduction of waste
Extremely low emission of greenhouse gases compared to
fossil fuels
Ethanol is Carbon neutral and forms a part of the carbon cycle
Growing variety of crops increases bio-diversity
Socio-Economic Benefits
Helps developing economies by promoting agrarian
communities
Increase in jobs
Increase in trade balance (Indian perspective) due to lesser
dependence on foreign resources
BIO FUELS

THE WORLD SCENARIO
BRAZIL
World leader in production and export of
ethanol.
Ethanol produced per day equivalent to
200,000 barrels of gasoline.
24% blend ethanol mandatory.
Competitiveness
Bio diesel initiatives underway



U.S.A.
Ethanol : a big boost to economy
E85 sells cheaper than gasoline
Currently production aimed at 4.5 Billion gallons/yr
MTBE phased out in many states
Soya bean main source of biodiesel


E.U.
Rapeseed main source of bio diesel
3-15% blended petrol
France: Bio diesel exempted from domestic tax
Germany: Sales of bio diesel 99 million US gallons
Rise of SVO as domestic fuel
The Significant Others
China: 3
rd
largest producer of ethanol
producing 220,000 tons of ethanol, exporting
90,000 tons in 2000.
In southeast Asia, the Jatropha tree is used
as a significant fuel source
Malaysia and Indonesia are starting pilot-
scale production from palm oil.



India
Sources of ethanol:
Sugarcane
Molasses
Agricultural waste
Low average cost of Rs.18/litre projected
Annual production capacity of 1.5 Billion
litres



Sources of biodiesel:
Honge
Jatropha
High capital, broad scale production plan initiated
Cost per liter projected at Rs. 27

India (Contd.)
Bio Mass
Biomass already supplies 14 % of the worlds
primary energy consumption. On average, biomass
produces 38 % of the primary energy in developing
countries.

USA: 4% of total energy from bio mass, around
9000 MW

INDIA is short of 15,000 MW of energy and it costs
about 25,000 crores annually for the government to
import oil.



Bio Mass from cattle manure, agricultural waste,
forest residue and municipal waste.
Anaerobic digestion of livestock wastes to give bio
gas
Digester consumes roughly one third the power its
capable of producing.
Fertilizers as by product.

Average electricity generation of 5.5kWh per cow
per day!!



Thank You