Conceptual process design and economics for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via indirect liquefaction of biomass through methanol/dimethyl ether intermediates
Abstract
This paper describes in detail one potential conversion process for the production of highoctane gasoline blendstock via indirect liquefaction of biomass. The processing steps of this pathway include the conversion of biomass to synthesis gas via indirect gasifi cation, gas clean-up via reforming of tars and other hydrocarbons, catalytic conversion of syngas to methanol, methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether (DME), and the homologation of DME over a zeolite catalyst to high-octane gasoline range hydrocarbon products. The current process confi guration has similarities to conventional methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) technologies, but there are key distinctions, specifi cally regarding the product slate, catalysts, and reactor conditions. A techno-economic analysis is performed to investigate the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock. The design features a processing daily capacity of 2000 tonnes (2205 short tons) of dry biomass. The process yields 271 liters of liquid fuel per dry tonne of biomass (65 gal/dry ton), for an annual fuel production rate of 178 million liters (47 MM gal) at 90% on-stream time. The estimated total capital investment for an nth-plant is $438 million. The resulting minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) is $0.86 per liter or $3.25 per gallon in 2011 US dollars. A rigorous sensitivity analysis captures uncertaintiesmore »
- Authors:
-
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- DWH Process Consulting LLC, Centennial, CO (United States)
- Publication Date:
- Research Org.:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States); Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
- Sponsoring Org.:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office
- OSTI Identifier:
- 1236955
- Alternate Identifier(s):
- OSTI ID: 1243215
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/JA-5100-65305; PNNL-SA-113776
Journal ID: ISSN 1932-104X
- Grant/Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308; AC05-76RL01830
- Resource Type:
- Journal Article: Accepted Manuscript
- Journal Name:
- Biofuels, Bioproducts & Biorefining
- Additional Journal Information:
- Journal Volume: 10; Journal Issue: 1; Related Information: Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining; Journal ID: ISSN 1932-104X
- Publisher:
- Wiley
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
- Subject:
- 09 BIOMASS FUELS; biomass; thermochemical conversion; indirect gasification; dimethyl ether homologation; high-octane gasoline; process design; techno-economic analysis; sustainability
Citation Formats
Tan, Eric C. D., Talmadge, Michael, Dutta, Abhijit, Hensley, Jesse, Snowden-Swan, Lesley J., Humbird, David, Schaidle, Joshua, and Biddy, Mary. Conceptual process design and economics for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via indirect liquefaction of biomass through methanol/dimethyl ether intermediates. United States: N. p., 2015.
Web. doi:10.1002/bbb.1611.
Tan, Eric C. D., Talmadge, Michael, Dutta, Abhijit, Hensley, Jesse, Snowden-Swan, Lesley J., Humbird, David, Schaidle, Joshua, & Biddy, Mary. Conceptual process design and economics for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via indirect liquefaction of biomass through methanol/dimethyl ether intermediates. United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.1611
Tan, Eric C. D., Talmadge, Michael, Dutta, Abhijit, Hensley, Jesse, Snowden-Swan, Lesley J., Humbird, David, Schaidle, Joshua, and Biddy, Mary. 2015.
"Conceptual process design and economics for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via indirect liquefaction of biomass through methanol/dimethyl ether intermediates". United States. https://doi.org/10.1002/bbb.1611. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1236955.
@article{osti_1236955,
title = {Conceptual process design and economics for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via indirect liquefaction of biomass through methanol/dimethyl ether intermediates},
author = {Tan, Eric C. D. and Talmadge, Michael and Dutta, Abhijit and Hensley, Jesse and Snowden-Swan, Lesley J. and Humbird, David and Schaidle, Joshua and Biddy, Mary},
abstractNote = {This paper describes in detail one potential conversion process for the production of highoctane gasoline blendstock via indirect liquefaction of biomass. The processing steps of this pathway include the conversion of biomass to synthesis gas via indirect gasifi cation, gas clean-up via reforming of tars and other hydrocarbons, catalytic conversion of syngas to methanol, methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether (DME), and the homologation of DME over a zeolite catalyst to high-octane gasoline range hydrocarbon products. The current process confi guration has similarities to conventional methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) technologies, but there are key distinctions, specifi cally regarding the product slate, catalysts, and reactor conditions. A techno-economic analysis is performed to investigate the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock. The design features a processing daily capacity of 2000 tonnes (2205 short tons) of dry biomass. The process yields 271 liters of liquid fuel per dry tonne of biomass (65 gal/dry ton), for an annual fuel production rate of 178 million liters (47 MM gal) at 90% on-stream time. The estimated total capital investment for an nth-plant is $438 million. The resulting minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) is $0.86 per liter or $3.25 per gallon in 2011 US dollars. A rigorous sensitivity analysis captures uncertainties in costs and plant performance. Sustainability metrics for the conversion process are quantifi ed and assessed. The potential premium value of the high-octane gasoline blendstock is examined and found to be at least as competitive as fossil-derived blendstocks.},
doi = {10.1002/bbb.1611},
url = {https://www.osti.gov/biblio/1236955},
journal = {Biofuels, Bioproducts & Biorefining},
issn = {1932-104X},
number = 1,
volume = 10,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2015},
month = {Wed Oct 28 00:00:00 EDT 2015}
}
Web of Science
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