Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis Oil Stand-Alone and Co-Hydroprocessing Case Studies: Design, Cost, and Sustainability Based on Process Model Predictions
- National Renewable Energy Lab., Golden, CO (United States)
- Suphat Watanasiri Consulting LLC
- Argonne National Laboratory
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory
Refined liquid fuels provide conveniences for road, rail, air, and marine transportation due to high energy density, ease of transport and storage, and existing production and distribution infrastructure. Biomass conversion technologies can help diversify and increase the supply of liquid fuels towards a more robust energy future. The backbone of such development must include reliable, high-volume biomass supply chains and efficient utilization of those resources. These activities, if pursued, will lead to rural infrastructure development and new jobs. Refined liquid fuels provide conveniences for road, rail, air, and marine transportation due to high energy density, ease of transport and storage, and existing production and distribution infrastructure. Biomass conversion technologies can help diversify and increase the supply of liquid fuels towards a more robust energy future. The backbone of such development must include reliable, high-volume biomass supply chains and efficient utilization of those resources. These activities, if pursued, will lead to rural infrastructure development and new jobs. In this study we focus on woody biomass conversion via catalytic fast pyrolysis (CFP) to produce CFP oil, a partly-stabilized oxygenated liquid. The CFP oil fuel intermediate can then be hydroprocessed to produce liquid hydrocarbon fuels compatible with the existing petroleum fuels infrastructure. CFP involves fast pyrolysis with the rapid heating of biomass to ~500 degrees C to produce vapors that are catalytically upgraded to increase the stability of the produced CFP oil after vapor condensation. The projections in this report are based on bench scale experimental results used in conceptual process models, assuming the successful scaleup of bench-scale performance. A well-developed biomass supply chain and mature CFP technology are assumed for future projections; results are also influenced by the underlying assumptions presented. Uncertainties associated with pioneer plants are not addressed in this report. Thus, the results represent the future potential of this technology pathway, and not its current status. The production and transport of biomass along with preprocessing for compatibility with the CFP process, and conversion to CFP oil, are the most expensive steps in this pathway, hence related R&D can open the biggest opportunities for cost reduction. The focus of this report is on understanding process implications and associated costs of introducing CFP oils into hydroprocessing units. Hydroprocessing is a family of well-established petroleum refinery operations involving reactions of petroleum feedstocks with hydrogen. These operations help refiners achieve fuel quality and quantity goals based on market demand and associated fuel regulations. Leveraging the existing extensive petroleum infrastructure to process CFP oils can be economically advantageous. However, the differences in properties of incumbent petroleum feedstocks with CFP oils, including a significant proportion of constituent oxygen in CFP oils, require careful R&D to understand the changes necessary when CFP oils are introduced in hydroprocessing operations designed to handle petroleum feedstocks. CFP oil hydroprocessing, both with 100% CFP oil and coprocessing with petroleum feedstocks, is a topic of ongoing research. Additional public domain experimental data is necessary in order to develop a more comprehensive understanding of reaction behavior in various setups; this can help develop predictive reactor models that can accelerate process development, scaleup, and refinery adoption of CFP oils. This report does not address the required experimental efforts, but explores other process requirements, such as changes necessary to control the reactor temperature because of the different exothermic behavior of CFP oils compared to petroleum feedstocks. In summary, commercial advancement of this biomass conversion pathway requires: (1) the development of an efficient high-volume supply chain that addresses biomass feedstock quality requirements for CFP, (2) large volume, reliable, and efficient production of CFP oils from biomass, (3) further experimentation to understand CFP oil reaction behavior in hydroprocessors to facilitate adoption by refiners after making necessary changes to address risks. The focus of this report is on understanding process implications and associated costs of introducing CFP oils into hydroprocessing units. Hydroprocessing is a family of well-established petroleum refinery operations involving reactions of petroleum feedstocks with hydrogen. These operations help refiners achieve fuel quality and quantity goals based on market demand and associated fuel regulations. Leveraging the existing extensive petroleum infrastructure to process CFP oils can be economically advantageous.
- Research Organization:
- National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Transportation Office. Bioenergy Technologies Office
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC36-08GO28308
- OSTI ID:
- 2583551
- Report Number(s):
- NREL/TP-5100-90984
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
Similar Records
Co-Processing Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oils and Hydrothermal Liquefaction Biocrudes in Fluid Catalytic Cracking and Hydroprocessing in Refineries
Coprocessing Biomass Fast Pyrolysis and Catalytic Fast Pyrolysis Oils with Vacuum Gas Oil in Refinery Hydroprocessing