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Biomass Waste Renewal: Thermochemical Conversion to Mixed Alcohol

Join Robert Cattolica in a cutting-edge project investigating the process of converting biomass waste into mixed alcohol, an eco-friendly fuel. Discover the potential of this renewable biofuel production and the shift towards sustainable energy sources. Delve into the historical focus on gas-to-liquids technology and explore the current market trends driving renewable fuels in the US and California. Unlock the innovative research methods used, including gasification feedstocks, output products, and the efficiency of the conversion process. Learn about the UC Discovery/West Biofuels Research Project's innovative approach and the future potential of biomass waste utilization for energy production.

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Biomass Waste Renewal: Thermochemical Conversion to Mixed Alcohol

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  1. Renewal Fuel from Biomass Waste UC Discovery/West Biofuels Research Project: “An Investigation of a Thermochemical Process for the Conversion of Biomass to Mixed Alcohol” Robert Cattolica Professor of Engineering Physics Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering University of California at San Diego La Jolla, CA rjcat@ucsd.edu

  2. Historical Focus Gas to Liquids(Fischer-Tropsch Catalyst) • 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

  3. 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

  4. 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.

  5. Gasification Feedstocks and Output Products Potential Products Oxygen Nitrogen Argon Carbon Dioxide Potential Feeds Sulfur/Sulfuric Acid Natural gas Steam Residual oils Orimulsion GasificationPlant Syngas – H2/CO Petroleum coke CombinedCycle Coal Electric Power Waste Oils Hydrogen Biomass Carbon Monoxide Black liquor Fertilizer (Urea, ammonium nitrate) Chemical Production Sewage Sludge Slag forConstruction Materials SNG Industrial Chemicals Ethanol / Higher Alcohols Acetic Acid Fischer-TropschSynthesis Naphtha Diesel Jet Fuel Wax

  6. 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

  7. Gasifier CO, H2 , CO2 , CH4 C + H2O Syngas CO + H2 CO, H2 , CO2 , CH4 Reformer Reactor MoS Catalyst Syngas with sulfur OK CO + H2 Mixed Alcohol Synthesis Reactor UC Discovery/West Biofuels Biomass to Mixed Alcohol Three Stage Process Producer Gas Gasification Reactor Reforming Catalyst

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

  9. 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.)

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