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Emerging Issues About Biofuels Under EPA's Emergency Response Program

Emerging Issues About Biofuels Under EPA's Emergency Response Program. Gregory J. Wilson U.S. EPA - Office of Emergency Management Washington, DC 20460 wilson.gregory@epa.gov. Regional Response Team 2 West Point, New York April 7, 2009. Legislative Background. Energy Policy Act of 2005

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Emerging Issues About Biofuels Under EPA's Emergency Response Program

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  1. Emerging Issues About Biofuels Under EPA's Emergency Response Program Gregory J. Wilson U.S. EPA - Office of Emergency Management Washington, DC 20460 wilson.gregory@epa.gov Regional Response Team 2 West Point, New York April 7, 2009

  2. Legislative Background • Energy Policy Act of 2005 • Biofuel mandates increase from 4 bgy (2006) to 7.5 bgy (2012). • Requires EPA to promulgate regulations implementing a renewable fuel program. • Energy Independence & Security Act (EISA) (2007) • Expand use of renewable fuels to 36 billion gallons per year (bgy) by 2022 • Ethanol production from corn starch is capped at 15 bgy • Cellulosic Biofuel (renewable fuel from any cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin) • 0.5 billion gallons by 2012 • 3 billion gallons by 2015 • 16 billion gallons by 2022 • Advanced Biofuels (biomass-based diesel, other biofuels)

  3. Feedstock Production Feedstock Logistics Biofuels Production Biofuels Distribution Biofuels End Use Biofuels Supply Chain Ag Crops Ag Residues Energy Crops Forest Residues Wastes Algae Fuel types Biochemical Conversion Thermochemical Conversion Biological Conversion Chemical Conversion Transportation fuels in light & heavy duty vehicles & trucks, Off -Road vehicles, Locomotives, Flight technologies, Boats/Ships Power & Generators Chemical Feedstocks for Manufacturing Harvesting & Collecting Storage Pre-Processing Transportation Distribution by barge, truck, rail, pipeline Storage in tanks Dispensing

  4. Ethanol Production (supply) – Coastal Consumers (demand)

  5. Biofuels Integration Roadmap Vessels with Crude Petroleum Oil as Cargo Oil Field Production Pipeline/Vessel Animal Fat / Vegetable Oil (AFVO) Traditional Petroleum Refinery Company AFVOs Generator Terminal Vessels (barges) with Petroleum Products as Cargo Dealers Railcar Pipeline Pipelines (under development) Biorefinery Ethanol/biodiesel Blending Terminal Denatured Fuel Ethanol/Vessels Railcar Transloading Truck Dealer Denaturant Wholesale/Jobber Company Biodiesel Dealer Consumer 5

  6. Current Ethanol Plantshttp://www.card.iastate.edu/research/bio/tools/ethanol.aspx as of 01/16/2008

  7. Typical Ethanol Dry Mill Process Cleaning and Milling Mash Preparation Enzymes Grain (Corn) Fermentation Distillation Denaturant 190 Proof 2-5% Gasoline DDGS Separation Dried Distillers Grains with Solubles (DDGS) Dehydration Molecular Sieves 200 Proof Ethanol Storage DDGS Drying GTL: Ethanol/Biodiesel Gasification DDGS Storage Fuel Ethanol Livestock

  8. Denaturant – Why & How Much • U.S. Department of the Treasury - Alcohol and Tobacco Tax and Trade Bureau (TTB) • Render ethanol unfit for human consumption • At least 2 gallons of denaturant to every 100 gallons of fuel ethanol • Natural Gasoline • Conventional Unleaded Gasoline • Straight Run Gasoline • Naphtha • Kerosene • Ethanol producers add ~4.76 % volume

  9. Ethanol Plant Process Chemicals • Ethanol production process (pH adjustment, nutrients) • Sulfuric Acid - Corrosive • Sodium Hydroxide (Caustic Soda) – Corrosive • Ammonia Source - Anhydrous, Hydrous - Corrosive • Cleaning chemicals keep fermentation clean • Chlorine-based Solution - Corrosive • Caustic Soda - Corrosive • General water treatment chemicals • Chlorine- or Bromine-based Solution - Corrosive • Ammonia-related Solution - Some Hazards • Surfactants - Some hazards, typically mild • Ethanol and Ethanol Blended Fuels, Emergency Response Training and Safety Issues, National Association of State Fire Marshals, July 1, 2008 • www.firemarshals.org/data/File/docs/Emergency-Response-IAFC.pdf • EPA (R5) – Ethanol Manufacturing Facility Response Overview

  10. Human Health Effects Exposure to fuel ethanol may occur by breathing its vapors (inhalation), getting it on the skin or in the eyes (skin absorption), or swallowing it (ingestion). Exposure to ethanol vapors in high concentrations or for prolonged periods can be harmful to human health. Ethanol can cause local dehydration and lesions. Absorption, which occurs swiftly from the gastrointestinal tract, causes euphoria, with subsequent dizziness, inebriation, paralysis, diminished reflex, and respiratory paralysis. Ecological Effects Pure ethanol can be toxic to fish at high enough concentrations Lethal concentrations for fish (rainbow trout): 11,200 to 15,300 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Pure ethanol is completely miscible in water Pure ethanol may biodegrade aerobically and anaerobically Biodegradation may decrease the dissolved oxygen in surface water, resulting in fish kills and other adverse impacts to oxygen-dependent species (direct or indirect). Potential Risks of Ethanol

  11. Ethanol Spill

  12. Ethanol Spill

  13. Typical Biodiesel (e.g., FAME) Generation Methanol NaOH Vegetable Oil Feedstock Preparation Transesterification Reaction Catalyst Preparation Phase Separation Crude Biodiesel Glycerin Phase Acid Acid Neutralization Acidification & FFA Separation Free Fatty Acids Water Water Washing FFA Methanol Recovery Drying Crude Glycerin Purified Glycerin Finished Biodiesel Glycerin Refining

  14. Current Biodiesel Plants

  15. Biodiesel Plant Process Chemicals • Biodiesel production process • Methanol • Volatile; Flammable (Class 3) • Sodium Hydroxide (Caustic Soda) • Corrosive; Catalyst • Potassium Hydroxide • Corrosive; Catalyst • Sodium Methylate • Catalyst • Hexane • Volatile; Flammable (Class 3) • Glycerol (glycerine) • EPA (R5) – Biodiesel Manufacturing Facility Response Overview

  16. Biofuel Spill Fire and release point

  17. Vegetable Oil (Biodiesel Feedstock) Spill • Properties similar to petroleum. • Light non-aqueous phase liquid (LNAPL). • Toxic effects: coating of feathers, fur, and gills is harmful. • Absence of odor and sheen results in reduced avoidance. • Reduces thermal insulation and buoyancy. • May burn if ignited. • May clog water treatment plants (due to the polymerization property).

  18. Effects of Vegetable Oil Spills • High BOD may cause oxygen depletion. • Greater effect on DO than petroleum oils. • Unsaturated oils (liquids at cold temperatures) are subject to chemical (abiotic) oxidation. • Polymerization due to chemical oxidation and cross-linking. • Rancid odors may develop rapidly. • Unsaturated oils form gum balls and varnishes in presence of oxygen, which resist biodegradation. • Saturated oils turn solid or semi-solid at cool temperatures, highly resistant to biodegradation. • May be toxic or form toxic products. • Especially free fatty acids and chemical oxidation products.

  19. Biofuels InfrastructureTransportation and Non-transportation Related • Distribution terminals • Blending facilities • Transfer hubs • Rail lines & railcars • Barges & waterways • Transport trucks • Pipelines • Ethanol and biodiesel currently do not use many of the traditional petroleum products infrastructure

  20. Transloading Biofuels • Typical individual railcar capacity • ~30,000 U.S. gallons • Shipped in unit trains • Can be as high as 100 railcars • Transferred from rail cars to tank trucks for delivery to blending terminals • Transfer process equipment not necessary “fixed” in a single location

  21. Relevant Emergency Response Issues • Fires and spills involving ethanol and ethanol/gasoline blends pose some complex challenges for emergency responders • Ethanol is a polar/water-miscible flammable liquid (one that mixes readily with water) • Degrades the effectiveness of fire fighting foams that are not alcohol resistant • DOT PHMSA Guide 127 - Flammable Liquids Polar/Water-miscible, 2004 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG2004) • http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubs/erg/g127.pdf • Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition (EERC), • http://www.ethanolresponse.com

  22. Relevant Emergency Response Issues Ethanol and Ethanol Blended Fuels, Emergency Response Training and Safety Issues, National Association of State Fire Marshals, July 1, 2008 www.firemarshals.org/data/File/docs/Emergency-Response-IAFC.pdf • Alcohol-Resistant – Aqueous Film Forming Foam (AR-AFFF) • Effective with ethanol blends from E10 through E95 • E10 can be extinguished with AFFF and AR-AFFF but require higher application rates to prevent burn back • Sprinkler application, which is typical of the fire suppression systems at many storage terminal loading racks • Creates a physical, polymer-membrane barrier between the foam blanket and fuel surface • Alcohol Resistant – Film Forming Fluoroproteins (AR-FFFP) 22

  23. EPA Regulations • Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasures • Facility Response Plans • Risk Management Plans • Emergency Planning and Community Right to Know

  24. Summary • Recent energy legislation mandates biofuel usage. • Requires EPA to develop a new Renewable Fuel Standard. • Expand biofuels to 36 billion gallons by 2022. • New generation, storage, and distribution infrastructure challenges • Integrating biofuels into traditional fuel supply chain • Infrastructure challenges • Fires and spills involving ethanol and ethanol/gasoline blends pose some complex challenges for emergency responders • Biodiesel & other substances in biofuels generation

  25. Additional Resources • DOT PHMSA Guide 127 - Flammable Liquids Polar/Water-miscible. • 2004 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG2004) • http://hazmat.dot.gov/pubs/erg/g127.pdf • Ethanol Emergency Response Coalition (EERC) • http://www.ethanolresponse.com • Guidebook for Handling, Storing, & Dispensing Fuel Ethanol (DOE) • http://www.nrel.gov/docs/fy02osti/30849.pdf • EPA Region 5 - Ethanol & Biodiesel Response Manuals • EPA Region 7 - Ethanol & Biodiesel Plant Manuals • http://epa.gov/region07/priorities/agriculture/biodiesel_manual.pdf • http://epa.gov/region07/priorities/agriculture/ethanol_plants_manual.pdf

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