United States Environmental Protection Agency National Risk Management Research Laboratory Cincinnati, OH 45268 Research and Development EPA/600/SR-00/092 December 2000 of a to to Fuel Joseph M. Norbeckand Kent Johnson The report describes numerous de- sign considerations that were reviewed, design modifications made, and prelimi- nary results from operating a pilot-scale facility to develop, demonstrate, and evaluate the Hynol Process, a high-tem- perature, high-pressure method for con- verting biomass into methanol fuel. The University of California, Riverside, Col- lege of Engineering-Center for Environ- mental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) constructed a reactor ca- pable of gasifying approximately 50 Ib/ hr of biomass. The design for the reac- tor was developed for the U.S. Environ- mental Protection Agency (EPA) by an engineering consulting company under a separate contract. Significant design flaws were discovered and corrected during the project. This Project Summary was developed by the National Risk Management Re- search Laboratory's Air Pollution Pre- vention and Control Division, Research Triangle Park, NC, to announce key find- ings of the research project that is fully documented in a separate report of the same title (see Project Report ordering information at back). Introduction Producing methanol from biomass of- fers significant environmental, energy, and economic advantages over other liquid fuel resources. Methanol is cleaner-burn- ing than gasoline, so its widespread use can contribute to air quality improvements in urban areas. The fuel also can be pro- duced from domestic renewable re- sources, which brings advantages in emissions of greenhouse gases, energy security, local jobs, and fuel distribution. The Hynol Process originated at the Department of Energy's Brookhaven Na- tional Laboratory as a method for increas- ing the yield of fuel from conversion of biomass. Originally conceived to operate with a coal feedstock, the process has been applied to coprocessing biomass with fossil fuels, coal, oil, and gas at high temperature and high pressure. The pro- cess produces methanol, a liquid fuel that can be used for transportation, industrial processes, electrical power generation, and military needs. Bench-scale studies by others indicate that the Hynol Process could be economically competitive with petroleum because of its high carbon con- version efficiency (-87%). The Hynol Process involves three phases: (1) Reaction of biomass in a hydrogasifier, also referred to as a hydropyrolizer (HPR); (2) Steam pyrolization of the resulting gas, which produces a synthesis gas; and (3) Methanol synthe- sis, which leaves a recycle gas that can be returned to the HPR and waste heat that can be returned to the steam pyrolizer. In this project, the College of Engineer- ing-Center for Environmental Research and Technology (CE-CERT) at the Uni- versity of California, Riverside, constructed a pilot-scale Hynol Process facility ac- cording to a design developed by an en- gineering consultant to the EPA under a separate project. CE-CERT discovered numerous flaws in the design. These flaws were evaluated and corrected, at sub- stantial cost and with significant delays to the original project plan. CE-CERT performed some experiments with the reactor, but additional modifications are recommended before the pilot-scale facility can fulfill its ------- original mission of demonstrating and characterizing the Hynol Process with a variety of renewable feedstocks. Procedure From the specifications for construction of the Hynol Process facility, CE-CERT discovered significant errors in numerous systems, components, and processes, in- cluding: • Hydropyrolysis reactor refractory ma- terial. • Burner management system. • Secondary air system. • Low-pressure igniter. • Burner vessel. • Biomass feed system conveyor. • Biomass feed system overflow chutes. • Feed system storage containers. • Electrical controls. • Gas supply and measurement system. • Steam flow metering. • Nitrogen pulse heater. • Bed height measurement methodol- ogy. • Flow calculation methodology. • Cooling system. • Solenoid valves. • Exit flare stack. • Heat exchanger. • Sample system. CE-CERT conducted experiments and tests on systems, components, and sub- systems. When a system, component, or subsystem was found to be deficient for any reason, CE-CERT investigated pos- sible remedies and implemented the choice that would provide for maximum safety, performance, and cost-effective- ness. Modifications were completed in December 1999, and the first full-scale gasification experiments took place in January 2000. White oak wood chips were used as the biomass for these ex- periments. Results and Discussion The first gasification experiments were impaired by alkali problems and agglom- eration of sand, which was mixed with the biomass in the fluidized bed. Changes to materials injected with the biomass solved these problems. Gasification was achieved, but steady- state operation was not. Modifications to the heating system and a review of the material used as refractory may be necessary to achieve steady-state opera- tion. Overall carbon conversion efficiency was not calculated because the gasifier did not achieve steady-state operation. Conclusions Further research, and possibly a rede- sign of some components and materials, is necessary before the Hynol Process can be demonstrated at the pilot scale with a variety of feedstocks. J. Norbeck and K. Johnson are with the University of California, Riverside, River- side, CA 92521-0434. Robert H. Borgwardtis the EPA Project Officer (see below). The complete report, entitled "Evaluation of a Process to Convert Biomass to Methanol Fuel," (Order No. PB2001-101231; Cost: $51.00, subject to change) will be available only from: National Technical Information Service 5285 Port Royal Road Springfield, VA 22161 Telephone: (703) 605-6000 (800) 553-6847 (U.S. only) The EPA Project Officer can be contacted at: Air Pollution Prevention and Control Division National Risk Management Research Laboratory U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Research Triangle Park, NC 27711-0001 ------- United States Environmental Protection Agency CenterforEnvironmental Research Information Cincinnati, OH 45268 Official Business Penalty for Private Use $300 EPA/600/SR-00/092 PRESORTED STANDARD POSTAGE & FEES PAID EPA PERMIT No. G-35 ------- |