Techno Economic Analysis For The Conversion Of Lignocellulosic Biomass To Gasoline Via The Methanol To Gasoline Mtg Process

Biomass is a renewable energy resource that can be converted into liquid fuel suitable for transportation applications. As a widely available biomass form, lignocellulosic biomass can have a major impact on domestic transportation fuel supplies and thus help meet the Energy Independence and Security Act renewable energy goals (U.S. Congress 2007). With gasification technology, biomass can be converted to gasoline via methanol synthesis and methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) technologies. Producing a gasoline product that is infrastructure ready has much potential. Although the MTG technology has been commercially demonstrated with natural gas conversion, combining MTG with biomass gasification has not been shown. Therefore, a techno-economic evaluation for a biomass MTG process based on currently available technology was developed to provide information about benefits and risks of this technology. The economic assumptions used in this report are consistent with previous U.S. Department of Energy Office of Biomass Programs techno-economic assessments. The feedstock is assumed to be wood chips at 2000 metric ton/day (dry basis). Two kinds of gasification technologies were evaluated: an indirectly-heated gasifier and a directly-heated oxygen-blown gasifier. The gasoline selling prices (2008 USD) excluding taxes were estimated to be $3.20/gallon and $3.68/gallon for indirectly-heated gasified and directly-heated. This suggests that a process based on existing technology is economic only when crude prices are above $100/bbl. However, improvements in syngas cleanup combined with consolidated gasoline synthesis can potentially reduce the capital cost. In addition, improved synthesis catalysts and reactor design may allow increased yield.

This report was developed as part of the U.S. Department of Energy's Bioenergy Technologies Office's (BETO's) efforts to enable the development of technologies for the production of infrastructure-compatible, cost-competitive liquid hydrocarbon fuels from lignocellulosic biomass feedstocks. The research funded by BETO is designed to advance the state of technology of biomass feedstock supply and logistics, conversion, and overall system sustainability. It is expected that these research improvements will be made within the 2022 timeframe. As part of their involvement in this research and development effort, the National Renewable Energy Laboratory and the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory investigate the economics of conversion pathways through the development of conceptual biorefinery process models and techno-economic analysis models. This report describes in detail one potential conversion process for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via indirect liquefaction of biomass. The processing steps of this pathway include the conversion of biomass to synthesis gas or syngas via indirect gasification, gas cleanup, catalytic conversion of syngas to methanol intermediate, methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether (DME), and catalytic conversion of DME to high-octane, gasoline-range hydrocarbon blendstock product. The conversion process configuration leverages technologies previously advanced by research funded by BETO and demonstrated in 2012 with the production of mixed alcohols from biomass. Biomass-derived syngas cleanup via reforming of tars and other hydrocarbons is one of the key technology advancements realized as part of this prior research and 2012 demonstrations. The process described in this report evaluates a new technology area for the downstream utilization of clean biomass-derived syngas for the production of high-octane hydrocarbon products through methanol and DME intermediates. In this process, methanol undergoes dehydration to DME, which is subsequently converted via homologation reactions to high-octane, gasoline-range hydrocarbon products.

Integrated Biorefineries: Design, Analysis, and Optimization examines how to create a competitive edge in biorefinery innovation through integration into existing processes and infrastructure. Leading experts from around the world working in design, synthesis, and optimization of integrated biorefineries present the various aspects of this complex process, capturing the state of the art in the advancing bioeconomy. The book defines an integrated biorefinery as a processing facility that transforms biomass into value-added products—from biofuels and biochemicals to food and pharmaceuticals. The chapters cover biorefinery product and process design, supply chains, process analysis, feedstocks, technologies, and policy and environmental analysis. They focus on second-generation feedstocks, including forestry resources, energy crops, agricultural residues, oils, and various waste materials. With the growing interest in sustainability in general and in renewable resources in industrial facilities, biorefineries are likely to play increasingly significant roles and have greater economic, environmental, and societal impact. This book fills an information gap by presenting cutting-edge advances that can effectively guide engineers and decision makers in the synthesis, selection, design, analysis, and optimization of biorefineries.

Waste Biorefineries: Advanced Design Concepts for Integrated Waste to Energy Processes presents a detailed guide to the design of energy-efficient and cost-effective waste-integrated biorefineries. Integrating thermochemical processing of waste with existing waste-to-energy technologies, the book includes the latest developments and technologies. It introduces current waste valorization techniques and examines reasons to modify existing waste-to-energy systems through the integration of new processes. In addition, the book explains the design of novel biorefineries and methods to assess these processes alongside detailed results, including the integration of waste-based CHP plants with waste gasification and the integration of pyrolysis technologies and biogas plants with waste thermochemical processing.Other sections discuss the issues and challenges of commercializing waste-to-energy technologies, including uncertainty in waste thermochemical process designs, the environmental impact of waste-integrated biorefineries, and the role of integrated waste-to-energy management in smart cities and urban energy systems. This book will be an invaluable reference for students, researchers and those in industry who are interested in the design and implementation of waste-to-energy systems, waste biomass-based combined heat and power plants, biogas plants and forest-based industries. Presents advanced and novel waste conversion processes and provides the tools, data and models for waste-to-energy processes and waste biorefineries availability Provides comprehensive uncertainty analysis of waste-to-energy designs and modelling processes Examines the replicability potential of methods for the design of waste biorefineries for different regions and markets with different sets of products

Biomass is a renewable energy resource that can be converted into liquid fuel suitable for transportation applications. As a widely available biomass form, lignocellulosic biomass can have a major impact on domestic transportation fuel supplies and thus help meet the Energy Independence and Security Act renewable energy goals (U.S. Congress 2007). This study performs a techno-economic analysis of the thermo chemical conversion of biomass to ethanol, through methanol and acetic acid, followed by hydrogenation of acetic acid to ethanol. The conversion of syngas to methanol and methanol to acetic acid are well-proven technologies with high conversions and yields. This study was undertaken to determine if this highly selective route to ethanol could provide an already established economically attractive route to ethanol. The feedstock was assumed to be wood chips at 2000 metric ton/day (dry basis). Two types of gasification technologies were evaluated: an indirectly-heated gasifier and a directly-heated oxygen-blown gasifier. Process models were developed and a cost analysis was performed. The carbon monoxide used for acetic acid synthesis from methanol and the hydrogen used for hydrogenation were assumed to be purchased and not derived from the gasifier. Analysis results show that ethanol selling prices are estimated to be $2.79/gallon and $2.81/gallon for the indirectly-heated gasifier and the directly-heated gasifier systems, respectively (1stQ 2008$, 10% ROI). These costs are above the ethanol market price for during the same time period ($1.50 - $2.50/gal). The co-production of acetic acid greatly improves the process economics as shown in the figure below. Here, 20% of the acetic acid is diverted from ethanol production and assumed to be sold as a co-product at the prevailing market prices ($0.40 - $0.60/lb acetic acid), resulting in competitive ethanol production costs.

Industrial Chemical Process Analysis and Design uses chemical engineering principles to explain the transformation of basic raw materials into major chemical products. The book discusses traditional processes to create products like nitric acid, sulphuric acid, ammonia, and methanol, as well as more novel products like bioethanol and biodiesel. Historical perspectives show how current chemical processes have developed over years or even decades to improve their yields, from the discovery of the chemical reaction or physico-chemical principle to the industrial process needed to yield commercial quantities. Starting with an introduction to process design, optimization, and safety, Martin then provides stand-alone chapters—in a case study fashion—for commercially important chemical production processes. Computational software tools like MATLAB®, Excel, and Chemcad are used throughout to aid process analysis. Integrates principles of chemical engineering, unit operations, and chemical reactor engineering to understand process synthesis and analysis Combines traditional computation and modern software tools to compare different solutions for the same problem Includes historical perspectives and traces the improving efficiencies of commercially important chemical production processes Features worked examples and end-of-chapter problems with solutions to show the application of concepts discussed in the text

This collection presents to the reader a broad spectrum of chapters in the various branches of industrial chemistry, which demonstrate key developments in these rapidly changing fields.

Separation and purification processes play a critical role in biorefineries and their optimal selection, design and operation to maximise product yields and improve overall process efficiency. Separations and purifications are necessary for upstream processes as well as in maximising and improving product recovery in downstream processes. These processes account for a significant fraction of the total capital and operating costs and also are highly energy intensive. Consequently, a better understanding of separation and purification processes, current and possible alternative and novel advanced methods is essential for achieving the overall techno-economic feasibility and commercial success of sustainable biorefineries. This book presents a comprehensive overview focused specifically on the present state, future challenges and opportunities for separation and purification methods and technologies in biorefineries. Topics covered include: Equilibrium Separations: Distillation, liquid-liquid extraction and supercritical fluid extraction. Affinity-Based Separations: Adsorption, ion exchange, and simulated moving bed technologies. Membrane Based Separations: Microfiltration, ultrafiltration and diafiltration, nanofiltration, membrane pervaporation, and membrane distillation. Solid-liquid Separations: Conventional filtration and solid-liquid extraction. Hybrid/Integrated Reaction-Separation Systems: Membrane bioreactors, extractive fermentation, reactive distillation and reactive absorption. For each of these processes, the fundamental principles and design aspects are presented, followed by a detailed discussion and specific examples of applications in biorefineries. Each chapter also considers the market needs, industrial challenges, future opportunities, and economic importance of the separation and purification methods. The book concludes with a series of detailed case studies including cellulosic bioethanol production, extraction of algae oil from microalgae, and production of biopolymers. Separation and Purification Technologies in Biorefineries is an essential resource for scientists and engineers, as well as researchers and academics working in the broader conventional and emerging bio-based products industry, including biomaterials, biochemicals, biofuels and bioenergy.

This paper describes in detail one potential conversion process for the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock via indirect liquefaction of biomass. The processing steps of this pathway include the conversion of biomass to synthesis gas via indirect gasification, gas clean-up via reforming of tars and other hydrocarbons, catalytic conversion of syngas to methanol, methanol dehydration to dimethyl ether (DME), and the homologation of DME over a zeolite catalyst to high-octane gasoline-range hydrocarbon products. The current process configuration has similarities to conventional methanol-to-gasoline (MTG) technologies, but there are key distinctions, specifically regarding the product slate, catalysts, and reactor conditions. A techno-economic analysis is performed to investigate the production of high-octane gasoline blendstock. The design features a processing daily capacity of 2000 tonnes (2205 short tons) of dry biomass. The process yields 271 liters of liquid fuel per dry tonne of biomass (65 gal/dry ton), for an annual fuel production rate of 178 million liters (47 MM gal) at 90% on-stream time. The estimated total capital investment for an nth-plant is $438 million. The resulting minimum fuel selling price (MFSP) is $0.86 per liter or $3.25 per gallon in 2011 US dollars. A rigorous sensitivity analysis captures uncertainties in costs and plant performance. Sustainability metrics for the conversion process are quantified and assessed. The potential premium value of the high-octane gasoline blendstock is examined and found to be at least as competitive as fossil-derived blendstocks. A simple blending strategy is proposed to demonstrate the potential for blending the biomass-derived blendstock with petroleum-derived intermediates. Published 2015. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining published by Society of Industrial Chemistry and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

The 2021 state of technology (SOT) assessment for the indirect liquefaction (IDL) of lignocellulosic biomass to high-octane gasoline (HOG) via methanol and dimethyl ether (DME) intermediates details the techno-economic analysis (TEA) results and technical progress of the pathway since the 2020 SOT report. A detailed process description and collection of underlying assumptions is given the 2015 design report. In 2021, research efforts rigorously quantified the selectivity of DME to aromatic compounds. As a result, the overall carbon selectivity to hydrocarbon products was updated based upon new findings. Additionally, research conducted over the past few years resulted in successful lower temperature regeneration of NREL's Cu/BEA catalyst with favorable implications on catalyst longevity. Discussions with an engineering firm resulted in an update to the excess air requirement for process combustors (including the char combustor, tar reformer combustor, and catalyst regenerator) in which excess air was reduced from 20% excess to 10%. The cumulative effect of the above efforts was used to calculate a minimum fuel selling price for the modeled pathway. Sensitivity cases examining federal carbon tax credits from CO2 capture, product selectivity and yield, catalyst lifetime, and other key financial and process parameters were also considered in this assessment.