Microchannel Catalytic Processes for Converting Biomass-Derived Syngas to Transportation Fuels

Book · Mon Aug 15 00:00:00 EDT 2005

OSTI ID:984257

Cao, Chunshe; Wang, Yong; Jones, Susanne B; Hu, Jianli; Li, Xiaohong S; Elliott, Douglas C; Stevens, Don J

Biomass gasification process provides feedstock for Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis to produce liquid transportation fuels. Biomass-derived feedstock has the nature of small scale, at which conventional fossil fuel base gas-to-liquid (GTL) technologies are not cost-competitive. The use of microchannel reactor technology is potentially an enabling technology for biomass conversions to hydrocarbon fuels. In this paper, a catalytic microchannel reactor integrated with highly effecient heat exchangers was used to demonstrate the significatnly improved FT productivity by minimizing heat and mass transfer limitations in this three phase reaction system. In order to achieve high yields of naphtha and diesel range of hydrocarbons (C5-C19), we have developed a unique structured catalyst system suitable for the deployment in microchannel reactor applications. This engineered catalyst structure is based on metallic monolith supports, uniformly coated with an improved catalyst formula. Such an ordered catalyst structure also has the advantages of the high thermal conductivity and reduced mass transfer resistance. By tailoring the mass transfer limitations, we have demonstrated that this engineered catalyst produces hydrocarbons with narrower carbon distributions (mainly less than C25) than a conventional particulate catalyst at similar conversion and methane selectivity. In particular, majority of the synthesis products fall into the gasoline and diesel range. This uniquie product distribution, in turn, has positive impace on process economics since a milder or no hydrocracker will be required in downstream product processing.

• Research Organization: Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Molecular Sciences Lab. (EMSL)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE
• DOE Contract Number: AC05-76RL01830
• OSTI ID: 984257
• Report Number(s): PNNL-SA-43441; 17504; BM0101010; TRN: US201015%%912
• Resource Relation: Related Information: Microreactor Technology and Process Intensification, ACS Symposium Series, 914:273-284
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

02 PETROLEUM
03 NATURAL GAS
09 BIOMASS FUELS
29 ENERGY PLANNING
POLICY AND ECONOMY
BIOMASS
CARBON
CATALYSTS
DISTRIBUTION
ECONOMICS
FOSSIL FUELS
GASIFICATION
GASOLINE
HEAT EXCHANGERS
HYDROCARBONS
MASS TRANSFER
METHANE
NAPHTHA
PARTICULATES
PROCESSING
PRODUCTIVITY
REACTOR TECHNOLOGY
SYNTHESIS
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY
Environmental Molecular Sciences Laboratory