Systems study of fuels from sugarcane, sweet sorghum, and sugar beets. Volume III. Conversion to fuels and chemical feedstocks. Task 77. Final report
Information developed in field interviews and literature research which form the basis of extensive calculations that pertain to numerous alternative means of converting the sugar crops into fuels and chemical feedstocks is reported. Investigation of numerous candidate fuels and chemical feedstocks that might be made from sugar crops indicates that ethanol and ammonia are the most promising. The projected cost of ethanol by use of well-established fermentation technology on juice extracted from sugarcane or on molasses is expected to be quite close to that projected for ethanol from natural gas liquids or petroleum by 1980. The ammonia market is substantial (17 million tons), but this key fertilizer and chemical product is expected to cost close to $200 per ton when made from sugar crop residues, well above what ammonia made from natural gas at $3 per million Btu costs. However, sugarcane-based ammonia might compete well with coal-based ammonia. Sugarcane appears to be the most promising sugar crop for conversion to fuels and chemicals in the short and intermediate term. The costs of sugarcane juice and bagasse are lower than for the corresponding sugar beet products. Of the sugar crops, sweet sorghum has the greatest long-range appeal for the United States because the crop can grow over a much wider geographical range than can sugarcane. The development of processes to manufacture ammonia, methanol, acetic acid, and thermochemical substitute natural gas (SNG) from sugar crop residues depends on technology to generate synthesis gas. Sugarcane bagasse appears to be the most economic source of furfural. Anaerobic digestion of sugarcane or sugan-containing juices to SNG is ruled out on economic grounds. The principal findings of the conversion aspects of the research are summarized quantitatively. Alternative routes for conversion of sugar crops to fuels and chemicals are presented.
- Research Organization:
- Battelle Columbus Labs., Ohio (USA)
- DOE Contract Number:
- W-7405-ENG-92
- OSTI ID:
- 7089314
- Report Number(s):
- BMI-1957(Vol.3)
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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10 SYNTHETIC FUELS
AMMONIA
BIOSYNTHESIS
CHEMICAL FEEDSTOCKS
ETHANOL
FURFURAL
SUGAR CANE
ACID HYDROLYSIS
ANAEROBIC DIGESTION
FERMENTATION
THERMOCHEMICAL PROCESSES
ACETIC ACID
BAGASSE
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COST
ECONOMICS
HIGH BTU GAS
INDUSTRIAL PLANTS
LIQUIDS
RESIDUES
AGRICULTURAL WASTES
ALCOHOLS
ALDEHYDES
BIOCONVERSION
BIOMASS
CARBOXYLIC ACIDS
CHEMICAL REACTIONS
DECOMPOSITION
DIGESTION
ENERGY SOURCES
FLUIDS
FUEL GAS
FUELS
FURANS
GASES
GRAMINEAE
GRASS
HETEROCYCLIC COMPOUNDS
HYDRIDES
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
HYDROLYSIS
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
LYSIS
MANAGEMENT
MONOCARBOXYLIC ACIDS
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NITROGEN HYDRIDES
ORGANIC ACIDS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
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SOLID WASTES
SOLVOLYSIS
SYNTHESIS
WASTE MANAGEMENT
WASTE PROCESSING
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