Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Fuels
Abstract:
Lignocellulosic biomass (LCB) is composed of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin; all of which have potential to be turned into biofuel. Canada is one of the world’s highest producers of wood-related products; around half of that resides in British Columbia. Thus, British Columbia is one of the largest producers of wood waste LCB. This combined with government grants available for recycling the wood waste incentives this plant location. The plant capacity is targeted at 40000 tonnes of input wood waste per year, operating at 5000kg feed/h and producing a yearly output of 26000 tonnes of bio-oil. A combined process pathway consisting of pyrolysis and torrefaction was chosen as it has high yields and efficiency while maintaining a simple process pathway. Further upgrading will be completed via distillation to convert the LCB to desired chemical products. Wood waste is first ground and dried before being torrefied, breaking down the complex chemical structure of LCB. Pretreated LCB then undergoes pyrolysis in a recirculating fluidized bed connected to a combustion unit where the bio-char provides heat for the pyrolysis reactions. The vaporized bio-oil exits the pyrolysis unit and is sent to a cyclone demister to filter out bio-char and sand particles. The bio-oil from the pyrolysis unit is condensed and the water is separated. The bio-oil fraction is distilled before the final product is stored in a tank and distributed.
Students:
- Andrew Gallagher
- Tanner Behrend
- Brandon Folia
- Matthew Serafin
