PYROLYSIS AT ECN Paul de Wild Biobased Delta dag Rotterdam April 2016 www.ecn.nl
Dr. Paul de Wild Education and career history Graduated in analytical and physical chemistry - Professional education Arnhem - Radboud University Nijmegen 1989-1990 Researcher Leiden University 1990-2007 Research scientist ECN 2007-2011 PhD at Groningen University 2011- now Senior research scientist / project manager ECN 2015-now Teacher RUG Research experience & interests > 10 years experience in thermochemical conversion technologies for biomass Other experience and interests include fossil fuel processing for fuel cells, hydrogen, gas cleaning, mineral matter transformations http://dissertations.ub.rug.nl/faculties /science/2011/p.j.de.wild/
Selected publications Fractionation of Wheat Straw by Prehydrolysis, Organosolv Delignification and Enzymatic Hydrolysis for Production of Sugars and Lignin. Huijgen, W.J.J.; Smit, A.T.; Wild, P.J. de; Uil, H. den; Bioresource Technology, 2012, Ed.114, p.389-398. Biomass pyrolysis for chemicals. De Wild, P.J., Reith, J.H.; Heeres, E.; Biofuels, 2011, Ed.2, p.185-208. Lignin fast pyrolysis: Results from an international collaboration. Nowakowski, D.J.; Bridgwater, A.V.; De Wild, P.J.; Elliott, D.C.; Meier, D.; Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 2010, 88, 53 72. Bioenergy II: Biomass Valorisation by a Hybrid Thermochemical Fractionation Approach. De Wild, P.J.; Uil, H. den; Reith, J.H.; Lunshof, A.; Hendriks, C.; Eck, E. van; Heeres, E.; International Journal of Chemical Reactor Engineering, 7, Article A51, 2009. Lignin Valorisation for Chemicals and (Transportation) Fuels via (Catalytic) Pyrolysis and Hydrodeoxygenation. De Wild, P.J.; Laan, R.R. van der; Kloekhorst, A.; Heeres, E.; Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy, 2009, Vol 28, No 3, p.461-469. Biomass Valorisation by Staged Degasification : A new pyrolysis-based thermochemical conversion option to produce value-added chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass. De Wild, P.J.; Uil, H. den; Reith, J.H.; Kiel, J.H.A., Heeres, H.J.E., Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 85, 124 133, (2008).
Energy research Centre of the Netherlands (ECN) Paul de Wild, Project Manager Biorefinery T: +31 88 515 4270, dewild@ecn.nl
ECN at a glance Mission: To develop knowledge and technologies that enable a transition to more sustainable energy systems 1955 founded 5 commercial licensing deals p/y 550 employees ±20 patents a year 80 M annual turnover Petten Wieringermeer Amsterdam Brussels Beijing Eindhoven ECN Focus Areas Solar energy Biomass Policy studies Energy efficiency Wind energy Environment & Energy engineering
ECN acts as a bridge between science and corporate innovation Science Industrial partners Fundamental Research Applied Research Industrial Development What we do Problem Solving Technology development Studies & Policy Support How we work with our clients Consultancy & Services Contract research and development Technology development & Transfer Joint Industry Projects
Full Circle : making the most out of every molecule
Biomass: selected activities at ECN Torrefaction: Commodity fuel High bulk & energy density, long shelf lifetime (hydrophobic) Combustion: Heat and power Fuel behaviour during combustion, ashes, slags, agglomeration effects Gasification: Synthetic Natural Gas RTD gasification technology, tar removal, BTX recovery, SNG synthesis Biorefinery: Fuels and chemicals Both terrestrial (lignocellulose) and aquatic (seaweed) biomass Fractionation into cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin Conversion into marketable products, e.g. via pyrolysis biomass air
The value chain 9 High T platform Combustion Gasification Pyrolysis Low T platform Pre-treatment /hydrolysis Fermentation Separation in fractions Secondary conversions Biobased Heat and Power Biobased Transportation fuels Biobased Chemicals Biobased Performance materials
Biomass for fuels, chemicals, power and heat Focus on thermochemical processing Feedstock Pretreatment Conversion Separation Product Synthesis Availability Harvesting Characterization Property databases Drying Comminution Torrefaction TORWASH Fractionation Combustion Gasification Pyrolysis (Bio)chemical conversions Gas cleaning Tar removal Gas conditioning Separation Purification Integration in a biorefinery Biofuels (incl. Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG)) Biochemicals & -materials Power & Heat» Higher efficiencies, higher availability, lower environmental impact, higher public acceptance, lower CAPEX/OPEX, new applications Feasibility studies, techno-economic evaluations, LCA, sustainability assessments
Biorefinery: products based platforms Syngas Platform Biogas Platform C6 sugar platform* C6/C5 sugar platform Plant-based Oil Platform* Algae Oil Platform Organic Solutions Platform Lignin Platform Pyrolysis Oil Platform * Currently the dominant platforms for biobased chemicals
IEA-BioEnergy Task 42 Biorefinery Biorefinery is the sustainable processing of biomass into a spectrum of marketable products and energy
Biorefinery IEA-T42 classification G. Jungmeier, Classification and assessment of biorefinery concepts, IEA-T42, ICPS conf. Leipzig, 2010 An overview of: current platforms products Feedstocks, conversion processes
Pyrolysis principle Pyrolysis principle and main products Thermal degradation of biomass in the absence of O 2 Gas, char and liquid ( pyrolysis oil ). Pyrolysis gas Combustible gas (typically ~10 MJ/kg) Pyrolysis char C-rich combustible solid (30 MJ/kg) Pyrolysis oil Complex mixture of biomass-derived water and thermal degradation fragments HHV ~ 19 MJ/kg In general, pyrolysis oil is acidic and relatively unstable. It cannot be mixed with mineral oils. Upgrading is needed! E.g. by the use of catalysts.
Pyrolysis tecnologies Mode Conditions Liquid Solid Gas Slow Torrefaction Slow Carbonisation Intermediate Fast Reactor temperature ~290 C, heating rate up to 1 C/sec, solids residence time ~30 min Reactor temperature 400-500 C, heating rate up to 1 C/sec, long solid residence hrs days Reactor temperature 400-500 C, heating rate range 1 1000 C/sec, hot vapour residence ~10-30 s Reactor temperature 500 C, very high heating rates > 1000 C/sec, short hot vapour residence ~1 s 0-5% 72-77% solid 23% 32% 33% char 35% 50% 25% char 25% 75% 12% char 13% Adapted from: Bridgwater AV. Biomass pyrolysis. In: Bridgwater AV, Hofbauer H, van Loo S. (Eds.). Thermal biomass conversion. CPL Press, 37 78, 423 429, (2009).
Pyrolysis reactor types
Uses for biomass pyrolysis products Pyrolysis gas Combustion for generation of process heat Pyrolysis char Combustion for process heat Charcoal for cooking (BBQ) Biochar for soil improvement Feedstock for active carbon Pyrolysis oil Liquid fuel for stationary and mobile applications Feedstock for chemicals and performance materials
Role of pyrolysis oil Liquid form of biomass: higher energy content on a volume basis (20 versus 4 GJ/m 3 ) easier to transport cleaner than pure biomass (a.o. less ash)
Pyrolysis facilities at ECN NEW! Bubbling fluidised bed (BFB) WOB Multifunctional unit for pyrolysis, gasification, combustion, 1 kg/hr, T up to 1100 C, continuous operation intermediate fast pyrolysis Entrained flow (EF) BFB (CFB) PYRENA Multifunctional unit, 5 kg/hr, T up to 900 C, continuous fast pyrolysis Auger moving bed (Pyromaat) Multifunctional unit, 3 kg/hr, T up to 600 C, continuous slow intermediate pyrolysis Analytical pyrolysis - GCMS High throughput screening, 350 1000 C, mg scale, batch operation
Fast pyrolysis experiments Pyrolysis and sampling conditions Feedstock intake 3 kg/hr 530 C, 1 atm, N 2 fluidization gas Overall hot vapour residence time 2-3 sec Pyrolysis oil collection via 4 C condenser, ESP and -30 C freeze condenser After collection samples are back-mixed (ultrathurrax)
Biochar and bio-oil from common bamboo
Market situation biomass pyrolysis products low volume - high value market 10000 /t specialty chemicals for food, fragrance and pharmaceuticals bio-plastics Lignocellulosic biomass e.g. forestry residues and agro-residues bio-resins for woodadhesives additives for flooring material activated carbon, carbon-fibres and carbon-black fuel-additives bio-bitumen for green asphalt bio-char for soil improvement bio-fuel for CHP high volume - low value market 100 /t Primary pyrolysis products
Feedback on pitches Do s and dont s Feedstock choice Product choice; market situation? Feedstock transport from source to processing plant Conversion technology choice; side-streams? Conversion technology scale Need for product upgrading & purification? Product transport requirements Questions, discussion
Thank you for your attention! Questions and more information: dewild@ecn.nl; vanhal@ecn.nl ECN Westerduinweg 3 P.O. Box 1 1755 LE Petten 1755 ZG Petten The Netherlands The Netherlands T +31 224 56 49 49 F +31 224 56 44 80 info@ecn.nl www.ecn.nl