Indirect thermal liquefaction process for producing liquid fuels from biomass

Conference · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1980

OSTI ID:6885361

Kuester, J L

A progress report on an indirect liquefaction process to convert biomass type materials to quality liquid hydrocarbon fuels by gasification followed by catalytic liquid fuels synthesis has been presented. A wide variety of feedstocks can be processed through the gasification system to a gas with a heating value of 500 + Btu/SCF. Some feedstocks are more attractive than others with regard to producing a high olefin content. This appears to be related to hydrocarbon content of the material. The H/sub 2//CO ratio can be manipulated over a wide range in the gasification system with steam addition. Some feedstocks require the aid of a water-gas shift catalyst while others appear to exhibit an auto-catalytic effect to achieve the conversion. H/sub 2/S content (beyond the gasification system wet scrubber) is negligible for the feedstocks surveyed. The water gas shift reaction appears to be enhanced with an increase in pyrolysis reactor temperature over the range of 1300 to 1700/sup 0/F. Reactor temperature in the Fischer-Tropsch step is a significant factor with regard to manipulating product composition analysis. The optimum temperature however will probably correspond to maximum conversion to liquid hydrocarbons in the C/sub 5/ - C/sub 17/ range. Continuing research includes integrated system performance assessment, alternative feedstock characterization (through gasification) and factor studies for gasification (e.g., catalyst usage, alternate heat transfer media, steam usage, recycle effects, residence time study) and liquefaction (e.g., improved catalysts, catalyst activity characterization).

• Research Organization: Arizona State Univ., Tempe (USA). Dept. of Chemical Engineering
• DOE Contract Number: AS02-76CS40202
• OSTI ID: 6885361
• Report Number(s): COO-2981-61; CONF-800802-24
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
090122* -- Hydrocarbon Fuels-- Preparation from Wastes or Biomass-- (1976-1989)
140504 -- Solar Energy Conversion-- Biomass Production & Conversion-- (-1989)
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ALCOHOLS
ALKANES
AQUATIC ORGANISMS
BAGASSE
BIOMASS
CATALYSIS
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DATA
DIESEL FUELS
ENERGY SOURCES
FISCHER-TROPSCH SYNTHESIS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUELS
GASIFICATION
GASOLINE
GUAYULE
HYDROCARBONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROGEN SULFIDES
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INFORMATION
JOJOBA
KEROSENE
LIQUEFACTION
LIQUID FUELS
NUMERICAL DATA
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC MATTER
ORGANIC WASTES
PEAT
PETROLEUM PRODUCTS
PLANTS
PROPANOLS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RUBBER TREES
SHRUBS
SOLID WASTES
SULFIDES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SYNTHESIS
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
TREES
WASTES
WATER HYACINTHS
WOOD WASTES