Biomedical Engineering Reference
In-Depth Information
The common major steps in the production of bio-oil from biomass are
as follows:
1. Receipt of biomass feedstock at the plant and storage.
2. Drying and sizing.
3. Reaction (e.g., pyrolysis, gasification, fermentation, and hydrolysis).
4. Separation of products into solids, vapor (liquid), and gases.
5. Collection of the vapor and its condensation into liquid.
6. Upgrading of the liquid to transport fuel or extraction of chemicals
from it.
11.4 CONVERSION OF SYNGAS INTO CHEMICALS
As mentioned earlier, syngas is an important building block for a host
of hydrocarbons. Commercially it finds use in two major areas: (1) alcohols
(e.g., methanol and higher alcohols) and (2) chemicals (e.g., glycerol, fuma-
ric acid, and ammonia). The following section briefly describes the produc-
tion of some of these products.
11.4.1 Methanol Production
Methanol (CH 3 OH) is an important feedstock for the production of transport
fuels and many chemicals. The production of gasoline from methanol is an
established commercial process. Methanol is produced through the synthesis
of syngas (CO and H 2 ) in the presence of catalysts ( Figure 11.2 ) (Higman
and van der Burgt, 2008, p. 266):
Catalyst
CO
2H 2 !
CH 3 OH
91 kJ
=
mol
(11.4)
1
2
Methanol synthesis is an exothermic reaction influenced by both tempera-
ture and pressure. The equilibrium concentration of methanol in this reaction
increases with pressure (in the 50
300 atm range) but decreases with
PURGE GAS
C
F
E
D
B
A
CRUDE
METHANOL
SYNGAS
FIGURE 11.2 Methanol production.
 
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