A feasibility study for the coprocessing of fossil fuels with biomass by the Hydrocarb Process

Technical Report · Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1991

OSTI ID:5744043

Steinberg, M ^[1]; Grohse, E W; Tung, Yuanki ^[2]

---

1. Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
2. Hydrocarb Corp., Port Jefferson Station, NY (USA)

A feasibility study was undertaken at Brookhaven National Laboratory to determine the potential of coprocessing biomass with fossil fuel to produce a clean carbon fuel and coproduct methanol by the Hydrocarb Process. The Hydrocarb Process consists of three basic process steps: (1) the hydropyrolysis of a carbonaceous feedstock to a methane-rich process gas stream followed by (2) the thermal decomposition of methane to carbon and hydrogen part of which is recycled and (3) the third is the conversion of CO with hydrogen to methanol. Any carbonaceous material can be used as feedstock. The coproducts are clean particulate carbon black, liquid methanol and gaseous hydrogen or methane. Background process chemistry data are presented for the hydropyrolysis of carbonaceous material and the pyrolysis of methane. A preliminary process design and evaluation of a Hydrocarb coprocess system is presented. A computer simulation model of the process developed by the Hydrocarb Corporation is used to determine mass and energy balances for alternate process cycles. For purposes of mitigating the potential CO{sub 2} greenhouse effect, coprocessing fossil fuel with biomass allows the option of sequestering the carbon and utilizing only the hydrogen-rich coproduct methanol as fuel which reduces CO{sub 2} emissions significantly. In this manner not only is the CO{sub 2} emission reduced but CO{sub 2} can be removed from the atmosphere and sequestered. Furthermore the conversion of fossil fuel (natural gas) to methanol is greatly enhanced compared to conventional conversion of fossil fuel to methanol. Preliminary economic analysis indicates potential economic competitiveness of the Hydrocarb coprocess compared to conventional methods of fossil fuel conversion such as steam-oxygen reforming of natural gas. It is concluded that the system appears technically and economically feasible. 28 refs., 12 figs., 13 tabs.

• Research Organization: Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)
• Sponsoring Organization: USEPA; Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, DC (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC02-76CH00016
• OSTI ID: 5744043
• Report Number(s): BNL-46058; ON: DE91011971
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
03 NATURAL GAS
BIOMASS
COPROCESSING
CARBON BLACK
SYNTHESIS
FOSSIL FUELS
METHANE
METHANOL
CARBON DIOXIDE
CARBON MONOXIDE
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DATA ANALYSIS
DECOMPOSITION
ECONOMICS
ENERGY BALANCE
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FUEL SLURRIES
GASIFICATION
GREENHOUSE EFFECT
HYDROGEN
HYDROGENATION
MASS BALANCE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MITIGATION
NATURAL GAS
PLANNING
PYROLYSIS
SYNTHESIS GAS
TECHNOLOGY ASSESSMENT
WOOD
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
CARBON
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DISPERSIONS
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
MIXTURES
NONMETALS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PROCESSING
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SIMULATION
SLURRIES
SUSPENSIONS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
090900* - Biomass Fuels- Processing- (1990-)
030300 - Natural Gas- Drilling
Production
& Processing