Long-range approach to the natural gas shortage utilizing nonfossil renewable carbon

Journal Article · Wed Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1975 · Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6868993

Klass, D L

A review of the important factors involved in the development of a perpetual methane economy indicates that the concept is technically feasible and may provide a long-range practical solution to the problem of producing SNG from nonrenewable fossil fuels to alleviate the natural gas shortage. This concept is to supplement organic wastes gasification and provide another source of nonfossil carbon for SNG production. Its development depends on suitable planting, growing, harvesting, transportation, and conversion of biomass to SNG. A broad range of biomass production technology is available because crops can be land- or water-based. Examples of biomass that may prove to be optimum crops include land crops of Sudangrass, napiergrass, sorghum, sugarcane, and the unicellular algae Chlorella and Scenedesmus, and seawater crops of Macrocystis pyrifera (giant kelp). Several of these crops could yield 20 to 30 tons of dry organic matter/acre/y, some others up to 60 tons/acre/y. These crops are estimated to range in fuel value from 5000 to 8000 Btu/dry lb, suitable for SNG production. Methane is then produced by digestion, pyrolysis, and hydrogasification. Available information indicates that biomass can be used to produce SNG from a low of $0.73 to $1.77/million Btu using digestion of land- or water-based crops to a high of $3.50/million Btu using digestion of giant kelp. Capital requirements for the 1st approach would be $980 million, based on a biomass yield of 20 dry tons/acre/y, fuel value of 8000 Btu/dry lb, area required of 1.3 million acres, and SNG production of 1 billion ft/sup 3//day. Capital requirements for the 2nd approach are estimated at $105 billion, based on a biomass yield of 49 dry tons/acre/y, fuel value of 5160 Btu/dry lb, area required of 22.4 million acres, and SNG production of 19.2 billion ft/sup 3//day.

• OSTI ID: 6868993
• Journal Information: Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States), Journal Name: Am. Chem. Soc., Div. Fuel Chem., Prepr.; (United States) Vol. 20:2; ISSN ACFPA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090122* -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
ALKANES
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
BIOCONVERSION
BIOMASS
BIOSYNTHESIS
CAPITAL
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
COST
CRYOGENIC FLUIDS
DECOMPOSITION
DIGESTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
GAS FUELS
GASES
GASIFICATION
GRASS
HIGH BTU GAS
HYDROCARBONS
MANAGEMENT
METHANE
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
PROCESSING
PRODUCTION
PYROLYSIS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
SEAWEEDS
SYNTHESIS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING