Biomass Gasification with High Temperature CO2 Capture (GHTC)

Lead Research Organisation: Heriot-Watt University
Department Name: Sch of Engineering and Physical Science

Abstract

Bio-CCS is considered the only large-scale technology that can remove CO2 from the atmosphere and only in Europe, bio-CCS by synthetic biofuels via thermochemical processes could remove 800 Mt of CO2 from the atmosphere every year by 2050, representing a market rich of opportunities, since its development started only recently. This project aims to construct and test a novel integrated GHTC system able to convert biomass wastes from a variety of industries (e.g. breweries, farms etc.) into carbon neutral renewable energy and added value products. The overall output of the project will be the evaluation of the technical and economic feasibility of the integrated system to move the technology from TRL 3-4 to TRL 4. The deliverable from the project will be a portable biomass/coal pyro-gasification system with integrated adsorption CO2 capture system. Key features will include in-situ conversion of CO2 to solid carbonates, a better flexibility of operation, high heat recovery efficiency, facility to transport/install worldwide and easy to maintain compared to typical large scale biomass pyro-gasification and CCS technologies.

Planned Impact

his project will have direct and/or indirect impacts on academic beneficiaries, industry, the general public and the public sector.
Academic beneficiaries for this research will include chemical and mechanical engineers, material scientists with interests in the bio-energy and thermo-chemical conversions, researchers in CCS and also biologists who are involved in the development of energy crops and algae for the production of bio-fuels and bio-chemicals. This includes the SUPERGEN consortia where sustainable biomass gasification represents a major interest. This research will generate valuable data on the integration of high temperature CO2 capture to bio-fuels generation (bio-CCS) and will further enhance multi-disciplinarily approaches to This project will have direct and/or indirect impacts on academic beneficiaries, industry, the general public and the public sector.
Academic beneficiaries for this research will include chemical and mechanical engineers, material scientists with interests in the bio-energy and thermo-chemical conversions, researchers in CCS and also biologists who are involved in the development of energy crops and algae for the production of bio-fuels and bio-chemicals. This includes the SUPERGEN consortia where sustainable biomass gasification represents a major interest. This research will generate valuable data on the integration of high temperature CO2 capture to bio-fuels generation (bio-CCS) and will further enhance multi-disciplinarily approaches to advance the technology state. This impact will be direct.
Direct impact to industry will come to companies in the energy and materials sectors that produce/use energy and commercialise activated carbon and carbonates. Industrial applications include the agricultural sector, brewing sector, and other small scale enterprises where local waste biomass is available. For example, refuse -derive fuel, which is currently exported in other EU countries due to lack of end-use processes may find a competitive local usage thanks to this small scale flexible technology. This project will progress and assess the integration of an adsorption carbon abatment technology to a biomass gasification process, to facilitate commercial engineering development and improve assessments of carbon reduction potential, which will have impacts on companies' return on investment in the technology.
Indirect impact to industry will come through the potential bio-CCS market. Bio-CCS is considered the only large-scale technology that can remove CO2 from the atmosphere and only in Europe, bio-CCS by synthetic biofuels via thermochemical processes could remove 800 Mt of CO2 from the atmosphere every year by 2050, representing a market rich of opportunities. Therefore, this research can contribute towards environmental sustainability, reduction in reliance on imported fuels, reduced use of natural gas/coal with consequent reduction in CO2 emissions. For example, the agricultural sector in the UK is a user of natural gas and electricity, consuming approximately 100kt and 330 kt oil equivalent annually corresponding to 0.5% and 1.7% of the UK natural gas and electricity consumption. About 170 kt CO2 are emitted each year. Also, breweries in UK emit 500 kt CO2/y. Therefore, the reduction of CO2 emissions and the local production of renewable energy can apport a clear benefit to the above sectors. The proposed innovation will enable the final users to produce syngas from their respective organic wastes for effective fuel switching from fossil gas to renewable syngas that will help the involved processing industry relatively resilient to natural gas price fluctuation.
Indirect impact to the public sector will come as a result of our applications to environment and bioenergy. With regards to environment, the development of a neutral carbon fuel will impact public perception and decision making.
 
Description After the conclusion of the project the both the partners (HWU and PyroYield) have been involved in exploitation activity towards the generation of impact. An interesting opportunity arose with the nuclear power sector. We started a collaboration with Canberra Ltd who originally was the preferred partner in the development of a methodology to deal with irradiated graphite fuel rods where the ultimate aim is to convert said graphite by means of pyrolysis to C14 thereon into a carbonate with possible use as a cement/ additive in low yield containment, by using the PyroYield/HWU technology developed by the EPSRC funded project. Despite for a number of years the were no development on this, recently (2020), there has been renewed interest from Mirion Technolgies for building a consortium for pursuing this idea and an Innovate competition that opened in 2021(Innovate UK Smart grant 2021) was selected for seeking funding. The project will involve developing an autonomous and integrated toolkit to sort and segregate mixed radioactive waste generated by nuclear decommissioning activities, which is expected to impact in reducing the level of waste requiring disposal, increase productivity, reduce costs, and improve safety. The project will involve controlled front end microwave heating (Tan Delta Microwaves) of the C14 graphite and materials characterisation (Mirion Technologies) along with Pyro-Yield/Heriot-Watt (bringing the Licence to commercialise the carbon capture and storage element with HW). Mirion Technologies is expected to commercialise the technology after pilot scale trials.
Sector Agriculture, Food and Drink,Energy,Environment
Impact Types Societal

Economic

 
Description Knowledge Exchange Network (KEN)
Amount £20,000 (GBP)
Funding ID PJ0196-H 
Organisation Energy Technology Partnership (ETP) 
Sector Academic/University
Country United Kingdom
Start 12/2017 
End 03/2018
 
Description Bio Energy with CCS research development 
Organisation Pyro Yield Ltd
Country United Kingdom 
Sector Private 
PI Contribution My team contribution included expertise on CO2 capture and expertise on process design and development.
Collaborator Contribution Pyro Yield granted access to their pilot plant biomass conversion facilities and scale-up expertise.
Impact So far, from this collaboration 2 research papers (DOI: 10.1016/j.jechem.2017.06.014; DOI: 10.1016/j.fuproc.2018.01.020) and 1 patent application (Application Number: GB1714113.6) have arisen. Another 2 research publications are expected to be published in 2018 (currently under review).
Start Year 2016
 
Description CARBON CAPTURE AND STORAGE WORKSHOP - CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION: MAKING PROGRESS IN CHALLENGING TIMES 
Form Of Engagement Activity A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach International
Primary Audience Industry/Business
Results and Impact The University of Seville (Spain) in collaboration with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT, USA) held its first workshop in Seville during May 4th - 5th. The meeting, with the support of the Spanish Department of Energy, aimed to analyse the recent milestones achieved in the CCS community along with some of the challenges ahead. The workshop brought together highly recognized European and North-American experts from MIT in USA, the European Commission, the IEAGHG, the Spanish Platform of CO2 emissions (PTECO), the IEA, Cranfield University, CICCS and University of Seville among others. The workshop had over 80 participants from international R&D, academia and companies with interest in low-carbon technologies, and draw the attention to several local and regional media.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2016
URL http://departamento.us.es/diqaus/noticias-y-eventos/carbon-capture-and-storage-workshop/
 
Description Rushlight Summer Showcase 2017 
Form Of Engagement Activity Participation in an activity, workshop or similar
Part Of Official Scheme? No
Geographic Reach National
Primary Audience Professional Practitioners
Results and Impact The showcase event was intended to help project partners showcase their innovative technologies and businesses to a large audience of potential investors, customers and development partners, as well as to engage with other projects in the portfolio, and, if wished, to present briefly on their project or to pitch for investment to the audience. The event was very useful to enlarge our audience and establish contacts with potential partners.
Year(s) Of Engagement Activity 2017
URL http://www.rushlightevents.com/rushlight-show/