Biomass Pyrolysis to Hydrocarbon Fuels in the Petroleum Refining Context: Cooperative Research and Development Final Report, CRADA Number CRD-12-500
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
This work focuses on developing a thermochemical route to produce biofuels from agricultural wastes such as sugar cane bagasse, wood chips or corn stover; more specifically it intends to develop the biomass pyrolysis route, which produces bio-oils. Production of bio-oils by pyrolysis is a commercial technology. However, bio-oils are currently not being used for liquid fuels production. Although bio-oils can be produced by high-pressure liquefaction, pyrolysis is a less expensive technology. Nevertheless, bio-oils cannot be used directly as a transportation fuel without upgrading, since they are generally unstable, viscous, and acidic. Thus NREL and Petrobras intend to use their combined expertise to develop a two-step route to biofuels production: in the first step, a stable bio-oil is produced by NREL biomass pyrolysis technology, while in the second step it is upgraded by using two distinct catalytic processes under development by Petrobras. The first process converts bio-oil into gasoline, LPG, and fuel oil using the catalytic cracking process, while the second one, converts bio-oil into synthesis gas. Syngas gasification catalysts provided by both NREL and Petrobras will be tested. The work includes experiments at both sites to produce bio-oil and then biofuels, life-cycle analysis of each route, personnel training and development of analytical methods with a duration time of two years.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 1417135
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-5100-70775
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Mild Biomass Liquefaction Process for Economic Production of Stabilized Refinery-Ready Bio-oil
Bio-Oil Separation and Stabilization by Supercritical Fluid Fractionation. 2014 Final Report