Investigations on catalyzed steam gasification of biomass: feasibility study of methane production via catalytic gasification of 200 tons of wood per day

Technical Report · Thu Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1981

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2172/6709864· OSTI ID:6709864

Mudge, L K; Weber, S L; Mitchell, D H; Sealock, Jr, L J; Robertus, R J

This report is a result of an additional study made of the economic feasibility of producing substitute natural gas (SNG) from wood via catalytic gasification with steam. The report has as its basis the original 2000 tons of wood per day study generated from process development unit testing performed by the Pacific Northwest Laboratory. The goal of this additional work was to determine the feasibility of a smaller scale plant one-tenth the size of the original or 200 tons of dry wood feed per day. Plant production based on this wood feed is 2.16 MM Scfd of SNG with a HHV of 956 Btu per Scf. All process and support facilities necessary to convert wood to SNG are included in this study. The plant location is Newport, Oregon. The capital cost for the plant is $26,680,000 - September 1980 basis. Gas production costs which allow for return on capital have been calculated for various wood prices for both utility and private investor financing. These wood prices represent the cost of unchipped wood delivered to the plant site. For utility financing, the gas production costs are, respectively, $14.34, $14.83, $15.86, and $17.84 per MM Btu for wood costs of $5, $10, $20, and $40 per dry ton. For private investor financing, the corresponding product costs are $18.76, $19.26, $20.28, and $22.31 per MM Btu for the corresponding wood costs. The costs calculated by the utility financing method includes a return on equity of 15% and an interest rate of 10% on the debt. The private investor financing method, which is 100% equity financing, incorporates a discounted cash flow (DCF) return on equity of 12%. The thermal efficiency without taking an energy credit for char is 57.4%.

• Research Organization: Battelle Pacific Northwest Labs., Richland, WA (USA)
• DOE Contract Number: AC06-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 6709864
• Report Number(s): PNL-3695(App.C)
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090121 -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Chemical Synthesis-- (1976-1989)
10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
140504* -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
BIOMASS CONVERSION PLANTS
CAPITAL
CATALYSIS
COST
DATA
DIAGRAMS
ECONOMIC ANALYSIS
ECONOMICS
EFFICIENCY
EQUIPMENT
FEASIBILITY STUDIES
FINANCIAL DATA
FINANCING
FLOWSHEETS
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
HIGH BTU GAS
INFORMATION
OPERATING COST
PRODUCTION
STEAM
THERMAL EFFICIENCY
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
WOOD