Biomass to Fuel

Introduction

Based on a personal gasifier (care of Dr. Yuyi Lin [1], Mike Koch, et al.):

which generates gas from any cellulosic biomass:

we can take the process further to make liquid fuels.

Extension to Liquid Fuel Production

Utilizing Fischer-Tropsch synthesis, a process proven on a large scale:

(from Wikipedia)

our collaboratory will evaluate the possibilities for optimization for small-scale fuel generation. We mean personal fuel makers - a radical proposition. We are writing a grant proposal for this - and will consider a dual license - free to small producers, and royalty-based for companies with gross sales of a million or more dollars.

Student Projects

Engineering, materials science, and design students are welcome to engage in research on this topic. The questions to be answered are:

• Optimization of gasifier for controlled feed gas production
• Integration of gasifier with proven Fischer-Tropsch technology
• Optimization of efficiency for the above for the small scale (100-1000 gallon per day production

History of Research

This site is worth researching for an overview of research on Fischer-Tropsch synthesis to date.

Pyrolysis Oil, Methane Storage

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrolysis_oil

http://www.bioenergywiki.net/index.php/Pyrolysis_oil

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Methane_clathrate

Business Planning Due Diligence

• Average corn and soybean yields - 140 and 30 bushels per acre - [2]
• 11 lbs of oil per 60 lb bushel of soybeans - [3]
• Iowa soybean yields - 40 bushels/acre - [4]
• Average soybean oil yields per acre - 48 gallons - [5]
  • Wikipedia says 10 gallons in Indiana - [6]
  • This site states 70 gallons - [7]
• Corn alcohol yield per acre - 230 gallongs - [8]
• Soybeans require an average of 12.5 gallons of fuel per acre to grow and harvest them - [9]
• $50/acre switchgrass cost - [10]
• Average switchgrass yield - 4-6 dry tons (central v. southeast) - [11]
• Average wood yield - 3 dry tons - [12]
• Biomass cost = $30/dry ton and $60 for switchgrass and wood - [13]
• 40% charcoal yield from dry wood - [14]
• Experiments show 40-50% charcoal yield - [15]
• 40% charcoal - [16]
• 20-30% charcoal yield in Missouri kiln - [folk.ntnu.no/lekangso/kurs2005/presentations/Day4-6_Bio-Energy/background/Gronli.pdf]
• Charcoal contains 30-60% of energy content of original biomass - [folk.ntnu.no/lekangso/kurs2005/presentations/Day4-6_Bio-Energy/background/Gronli.pdf]
• Max theoretical yield of Fischer Tropsch is 75% - [17]
• FT uses 200 or 300C temperature processes and 30 bar - [18]
• Max FT yield of c5+ liquid fuel - 65% - [www.ecn.nl/docs/library/report/2004/rx04041.pdf]