Gasifiers, Past, Present and Future

Tom MilesTR Miles, Technical Consultants Inc.

Portland, Oregonwww.trmiles.com

Harvesting Clean Energy,

Portland Oregon January 29, 2008

T R Miles Technical Consultants, Inc.

• Design and develop energy and environmental processes.

• IndustriesBiomass energyPollution controlMaterials handlingFeed, Food and Fuels

FOUR GENERATIONS IN BIOMASS AND ENERGY

Past ‐ Small Scale Gasification CHP Systems

•Origins: Engines in WWII

•Adapted to Stationary Power in 1970’s

•Publically funded demonstration projects‐many attempts, few successes

•Research Development and Demonstration Programs  Stimulate New Interest

–US Department of Energy

–US Forest Service

BIOMAX15

www.vedbil.se 

Ngen Eco5 5 kW Pellet Gasifier, Colorado  www.ngenpower.com

WOOD PELLET GASIFIERS 5 kWe

www.gocpc.com

Community Power CorporationPre‐commercial 5 kW for USFS Small Modular Biopower Program 

Fluidyne (NZ) Micro Class Gasifier Gas out 12 m3/h ~ 3‐5 kWe

www.fluidynenz.250x.com

4 kW Ankur Gasifier in Rural Cambodia

ANKUR SCIENTIFIC  ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES LTD www.ankurscientific.com

EERC Gasification Development and Demonstration for BERC/USFS/Mt. Wachusett Community College

• Operational Tests• Environmental Tests

ARUNA Electrical Works (P) Ltd.  Tamilnadu, India 10‐100 kWe www.arunabiomass.com

50% Cost Savings

FLUIDYNE (NZ) Gasifierswww.fluidynenz.250x.com

10 kW Pioneer Class 35 kW  Pacific Class

Wood Block Fuel

100 kWe Atlantic ClassInnovation Technologies/Fluidynewww.innovation‐tech.co.uk

Crorey Biomass Gasification

25 kWe heat and power 

400,000 Btuh Heat

www.croreybiomass.com

Mt. Wachusett Community College Heating Plant Demonstration Gasifier

50 KWe Gasifier Uses Existing Boiler Fuel Handling System

8,000 pph Boiler

50 kWe Community Power Corporation Gasifier‐Generator

Rob RizzoDirector of Facilities Administration

Mount Wachusett Community CollegeRRizzo@mwcc.mass.edu

http://www.mwcc.mass.edu/renewable

Baghouse‐Gasifier‐Chip Screen‐Dryer Engine‐Generator

SOLID WOOD CHIPS CONVERT TO GAS AS THEY FLOW DOWN THROUGH VERTICAL REACTOR AT RIGHT

HOT GAS EXITS TO BOTTOM LEFT COOLED IN HEAT EXCHANGER ASH DISCHARGED AT BOTTOM RIGHT

Schmitt Enertec 300 kWe CHP 

ESP

Dryer and Fuel Bin

Chipper at Sawmill

Pudhas Energy

Gasifier

Tallon Lumber 300 kWe CHPConnecticut Clean Energy Fund

www.biomass‐uk.com

Supplied with Laimet chipper. www.laimet.net/eng/chippers.html

www.condens.fi

Condens Oy Novel Power PlantKokemaki, Finland flue gas

gasengines

gas scrubber

gasfilter

gascooler

humidifier

airpreheater

tar reformer 

Novel gasifier

ash bin

fuel screen

fuel conveyor

burning air

boiler

flue gas

gasificationair

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Biofuel Generation ‐ Biorefining

Biomass 1st Gen 2nd Gen 3rd Gen

Vegetable OilsFermentable StocksStarch/Sugars

BiodieselsEthanol

Hydrogen

Lignocelluloses Dimethyl Ether**MethanolEthanolFischer Tropsch DieselSynthetic Natural gas

Hydrogen

Processes Biological/enzymatic Thermo/Catalytic Thermo/Catalytic

Development Stage Commercial/Demo Pilot/Demo/Commercial Pilot

Courtesy Unifield Engineering

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Biomass Gasifiers

• Fuel Gas & SNG Production– Fuel gas = Mixture of CH4, CO2, CO, H20– Fluid Bed & CFB operating at <1,000 deg C– Air-blown low pressure gasifiers– Air-blown pressurized gasifiers– Relatively minor gas cleaning/processing for fuel gas– Complete gas cleaning/processing for SNG catalyst to CH4

• Syngas Production for Liquids– Syngas = Mixture of CO and H2, only– Oxygen-blown pressurized gasifiers with reformer– Multi-stage gasifiers operating at >1,300 deg C– Complete gas cleaning/processing for MeOH catalysts

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Air‐blown Low‐pressure Gasifiers No gas cleaning

Pilot Dem Com Examples of Plants Suppliers

X X X Lahti/cocomb in boilerRuien/cocomb/boilerCorenso/plastics/boiler

Foster Wheeler

Gertruidenberg/cocomb/boiler Lurgi

Zeltweg/cocomb/boiler* Austrian Energy

Greve in Chianti/boiler TPS

BFC Gas & Electric Energy Products of Idaho

* No longer in operation

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TPS ‐ Greve, Italy

• 1992 – TPS two 15 MWth CFB

• 100 tpd RDF pellets 60% paper 40% plastic

• 6.7 MWe• 4500 hrs• No gas cleaning• $26 million (20 million Euro)• Owners and others in gas

cleaning project for gas engines that never materialized?)

• Project stopped in 2004 from fuel supply restrictions.

Nexterra, Canada 

Nexterra Gasifiers and Boiler at Hefley Plywood, Tolko, BC (2006)

www.nexterra.ca

1. Wood Fuel Bin2. Gasification Hearth3. Ash removal4. Gas exit 

Catalyst Energy (1986‐1992) 

• BFB Gasifier (Energy Products of Idaho), 60,000 pph boiler  6 MWe Turbine

• Purchased sawmill chips shavings, sawdust, bark

• Fuel sizing, drying and gasification

• Modifications to fuel feed, distributor, media, burner and emissions control

• Reduced pilot fuel use• 1990‐92 96% availability 4.8 

MWe (boiler max)

BFC Gas & Electric (1998‐2008)

• 6 MWe BFB gasifier from Catalyst Energy• Modifications to fuel preparation, fuel feed, 

distributor, media, additives and emissions control.• Partial oxidation for NOx control• Enclosed flare• ESP and baghouse

Gasification of Agricultural and Industrial Residues

• Fuels: Mixed waste paper, GMO seed corn, urban wood • Fuel sizing, blending (no dryer)• Highly variable production

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Air‐blown Low‐pressure. GasifiersGas cleaning 

Pilot Dem Com Examples of Plants Suppliers

X FW/Karhula, Lahti Slip-Stream Foster Wheeler

TPS/Studsvik TPS

Amer Lurgi

* No longer in operation

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Air‐blown Pressurized Gasifiers Pilot Dem Com Examples of Plants Suppliers

X X Varnamo IGCC* Foster Wheeler

X Tampere pilot plant Carbona

* No longer in operation

Oxygen‐blown Pressurized Gasifiers Pilot Dem Com Examples of Plants Suppliers

X X (x) HTW in Oulu – syn gas* UHDE/Reinbraun

X Hawaii/Renugas* GTI

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Steam Gasifiers with Indirect Heating Pilot Dem Com Examples of Plants Suppliers

X X Vermont-boiler* Battelle/FERCO/SilvagasTaylor Engineering

X X Gussing gas engine Repotec

* No longer in operation

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Gussing, Repotec 2 MWe + HW

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Gussing Development Program

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Multi‐stage Gasifiers Pilot Dem Com Examples of Plants Suppliers

X Carbo V pilot Freiberg Choren

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Pyrolysis/Torrefaction 

Pilot Dem Com Examples of Plants Suppliers

X Torrefaction 300 deg CBio-coal production coupled with Dry Grinding

Fast Pyrolysis 500 degCLiquifaction coupled with grinding/slurry

ECN

FZK Future Energy

• Advantages

– Gas quality

– 100 tpd scale

– Refuse fuels

– Gas cleanup

• Challenges

– Fuel Feeding

– Gas Cooling

– Gas Cleaning

IET – Integrated Environmental Technologies

http://www.inentec.com/

39http://www.inentec.com/

IET – Integrated Environmental Technologies

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Clean Syngas for Liquids Synthesis

• Typical Gas Cleaning/Processing– Gas Cooling – Quench or radiant– Water-Gas Shift Reaction– Rectisol (Methanol refrigeration)– Methanol Catalyst Beds– Wastewater Treatment– Flare– Sulfur/solids disposal– Process scale is a consideration

Conclusions

• Gasifiers of the PAST are being improved for use in small scale Combined Heat and Power.

• Gasifiers of the PRESENT are publicly funded technologies in development to make syngas. Limited use of fuel gas for power. 

• Gasifiers of the FUTURE will have extensive gas cleanup systems to produce syngas for synthesis to liquid fuels.   

T R Miles, Technical Consultants, Inc.

Portland, Oregon, USA

tmiles@trmiles.com

www.trmiles.com

Gasification Discussion Listhttp://gasifiers.bioenergylists.org