Deployable Process Demonstration Unit J. Richard Hess and Colleen Shelton-Davis Idaho National Laboratory 2011 Feedstock Platform Review 7 April 2011 – Annapolis, MD

miles miles miles Goal Statement – Addressing Feedstock Logistics Barriers and Costs via a Depot Supply System Existing Supply Systems ($) Commodity Supply Systems ($ + Vol. + Specs) Nearer-term Platform Focus (through 2012) Longer-term Platform Focus (2013+) Access to a niche or limited feedstock resource Access to a broader resource Based on a dry supply system design (field-dried feedstocks) Allows higher- moisture feedstocks into supply system Designed for a specific feedstock type (dry corn stover) Design addresses multiple feedstock types Advanced Uniform 2 Program Goals

Goal – Also Address Conventional Feedstock Supply System Issues Conventional Bale/Log Existing Supply Systems Depot Supply Systems Nearer-term Platform Focus (through 2012) Longer-term Platform Focus (2013+) Access to a niche or limited feedstock resource Access to a broader resource Based on a dry supply system design (field-dried feedstocks) Allows higher- moisture feedstocks into supply system Designed for a specific feedstock type (dry corn stover) Design addresses multiple feedstock types 3

Quad Chart Overview October 1, 2009 September 30, 2015 Percent complete – 60% Ft-K. Biomass Physical State Alteration Total project funding to date – $11.65M Funding received in FY09 – $4.0M Funding for FY10 – $4.0M Timeline Budget Barriers Interactions/ collaborations/customers Multiple Industrial entities Project management Work managed through contracts, CRADAs, and Work for Others agreements. Partners 4

Project Overview History: Lab-scale and isolated/fixed unit process equipment Cannot test new logistics preprocessing concepts Cannot produce sufficient quantities of products for study and evaluation PDU Objective: Design and Construct an RD&D preprocessing system that is modular/portable/reconfigurable with extensive instrumentation capabilities for Evaluation, optimization, and testing of integrated preprocessing concepts at prototype scale Creation/production of large quantities (multiple ton amounts) of advanced uniform-format biomass products for evaluation and testing Performance verification of preprocessing concepts at biorefineries (hours and tons) 5

Process Demonstration Unit – Developing & Studying Process Intermediates Lab-scale process development systems feed into PDU design criteria Baseline stabilization and densification system that meets design criteria FY09 milestone for system design (complete) FY10 milestone for fabrication, installation, operation (complete) Conceptual equipment that meets MYPP cost and energy goals FY11 Thermal treatment unit operational (designed, fabricated, installation in progress) Interim goals are baseline PDU operational for project work (complete), thermal treatment unit designed (complete), separator developed (in progress) residence time dryer operational (design in progress) Approach – Design and Fabrication Design Requirements Modular/Multifunctional Deployable (Portable) Reconfigurable Data Collection Process Development & Verification Scale 6

Technical Accomplishments – Making “Immovable” Equipment Portable Baseline PDU equipment are typically permanent installations on concrete, level pads. Feedstock PDU is installed on skids, in cargo containers, collapsible, sectioned, and includes leveling legs so components can be transported on standard trucks and set up on relatively uneven surfaces. Portable rotary dryer on connectable skids fits on three semi-trucks. Successful deployment in the field drying herbaceous material for a customer. Portable pellet mill and boiler in two cargo containers with removable sides for joining; adjustable legs for leveling. 7

Technical Accomplishments – Reconfiguring ‘Fixed’ Operating Systems Milling Module Hammer mill may be replaced with other types of mills. Accepts a variety of bale formats, input of bulk feed material into the system, and component fractionation equipment. Grinding and Fractionation Module Handling Module Enclosed to prevent losses for accurate material balance determinations. Designed for multiple materials and easy reconfiguration. All PDU modules can be reconfigured to develop, verify, and produce numerous biomass preprocessed intermediates for conversion testing 8

Technical Progress – Uniform Format: Without the PDU, Progress Stopped with Pellet Meal Predicted Performance 10-ft Bin Diameter 2-ft Opening Advanced Material Corn Stover Flow Rate (lb/min) Feed Density (lb/ft 3 ) Bin Density (lb/ft 3 ) Compressibility (%) Permeability (ft/sec) Springback (%) Hausner Index Cohesion (kPa) Angle of Repose39.2°35.3° Flowability Factor 5.8 easy flowing 1.2 very cohesive ¼ minus Stover Stover Pellet Meal Truck Load of Barley Straw Pellet Meal Other Preprocessed Products: Fractionated (Stover Fiber) Thermal Treated Various Densification Formats Blended Indicate desired direction of change or 9

Technical Results – Unit Operations Power Consumption Laboratory data on grinding, milling, and pelletization PropertiesGrindingMillingPelletizationTotal Process Bulk density (lb/kg) Power (KWh/t) Power Cost at $0.1/KWh$ $ $ $ PDU data on grinding, milling, and pelletization PropertiesGrindingMillingPelletizationTotal Process Bulk density (lb/kg) Power (KWh/t) Power Cost at $0.1/KWh$2.15$3.86$14.00$20.01 Commercial data on grinding, milling, and pelletization = $145/ton 10

Technical Accomplishments – Data System for Coupling Densification Theory to Processes Key Input Data Streams Power Usage In/Out Temperature In/Out Moisture Weather Engineering Performance Process Performance Feedstock Quality $/ton Densification Module * Sorghum; ** wheat straw Temperature and moisture of material during PDU operation

Technical Results – Unit Operations Material Behavior and Flow PDU data on grinding, milling, and pelletization PropertiesGrindingMillingPelletizationTotal Process Bulk density (lb/kg) Power (KWh/t) Power Cost at $0.1/KWh$2.15$3.86$14.00$20.01 Example unit operations cost/efficiency improvements % Improvement30%---40%31% Delta Cost ($0.1/KWh)$1.50$3.86$8.40$13.76 Verified 30% improvement with fractional deconstruction and pneumatic assist Protein, starch, and lignin softening / plasticizing temperatures play a major role on the densification performance (e.g., expected 40% improvement) 12

Technical Accomplishment – Biomass Resource Library for tracking Samples/Lots Sample Hierarchy 13

Relevance – Depot Supply System Produces Uniform Commodity Spec Products Key RD&D tool for developing biomass into a commodity Complements smaller-scale laboratory equipment Efficiently produce larger quantity “lots” of various preprocess/blended products for conversion performance testing Process characterization, development, and performance verification for any number of feedstock intermediates and products Interface with Industry Equipment OEMs – testing of new concept equipment Biorefineries – Produce feedstock intermediates for hours/tons conversion tests Biomass Producers/Handlers – Process and stabilize larger-scale productions of biomass Enable harvest of unstable biomass Enable landscape-scale biomass production Risk mitigation 14

Success Factors – Development and Characterization of Process Intermediates Note: * = Values to be established based on research and interactive collaborations with other platforms o Stability o Shelf-Life o Chemical/Biological Reactivity o Specifications/Properties (e.g., quality)* o Physical o Chemical o Rheological o Density o Bulk Density o Energy Density o Yield o Tons/acre o Tons/square mile (Landscape-Scale Design, Increases Diversity) Factor Not on the List: Format Constrains: o Cost / Energy o Capacity / Efficiency o Losses (Shrink) o Capital / Utilization 15

Summer 2011 Work – Design and Reconfigure PDU for Thermal Treatment Process Flow Complete fabrication and begin experimentation with the Reconfigurable Thermal Treatment System (RTTS) Test Units Provided by Industry 16

Future Work – Uniform-Format Research Path and PDU deployment Efficiency/Capacity Dry Matter Losses Operational Windows Altering Material Properties Stabilization Densification Conventional Designs PrioritiesUniform-Format Designs Priorities 17

Summary Relevance – Key tool for development of Uniform-Format Approach – Designed for developing/studying process intermediates, not machine/part performance Technical accomplishments – PDU fabricated and functional performance/capabilities verified Success factors and challenges – deployment plans Technology transfer and future work – CRADA agreements to provide Industry access to the PDU tool Progress Since 2009 In 2009, presented plans for designing and fabricating PDU In 2011, Phase 1 of PDU is complete and operating; Phase 2 designs and fabrication in progress. 18

Additional Slides 19

Responses to Previous Reviewers’ Comments Subject – Approach: “…How does drying and densification figure into the deployable PDU? …No engineering information was presented that could be evaluated…” Not a trivial issue and most vendors were not willing to help solve the problem. The dryer was separated into three sections, mounted on skids that can be loaded onto three trucks with a crane or large fork lift for transportation. Once unloaded, they can be connected at the break points and connected to necessary utilities (power, natural gas or propane, and fire suppression water), and it is ready for operation. This has been demonstrated. The pellet mill and boiler were installed in two reinforced cargo containers with removable sides that connect together. Leveling legs allow installation on an uneven surface. Deployment requires a crane for unloading, power, water, and propane or natural gas. Subject – Recommendations: “Biorefineries are key customers/users--are they at the table?” “Good industry partnerships.” “Should look at other collaborators for inputs.” “Connect with industry partners..” A common theme and crucial to purpose of the PDU. INL has some agreements in place with industry, biorefineries, and equipment manufacturers and others agreements that are in development. The desire to test materials and equipment using the PDU is large and the issue appears to be scheduling to meet all the needs rather than finding interested parties. 20

Publications, Presentations, Tours Secretary Steven Chu, Department of Energy Electric Power Research Institute Entergy Corporation NorthWestern Energy Private Companies – Vermeer, POET, Shell Oil, Bliss Government Departments – Department of Energy, Department of Agriculture, Army Corps of Engineers Laboratories – National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Universities – from Idaho, Utah, Tennessee, Minnesota Local Businesses and Government Officials Foreign Visitors – United Kingdom, Sweden 21

Feedstock Conversion Interface Handling & Queuing Harvest & Collection StoragePreprocessingTransportation Equipment Capacity Compositional Impacts Pretreatment Impacts Shrinkage Compositional Impacts Pretreatment Impacts Soluble Sugar Capture Equipment Capacity Equipment Efficiency Material Bulk Density Compositional Impacts Pretreatment Impacts Truck Capacity Loading compaction Loading efficiencies Handling efficiencies Handling compaction Material Bulk Properties Biomass Production: Ag. Resources Forest Resources Biomass Conversion: Biopower Biofuels Biochem Thermochem Feedstock Production Interface Biomass Performance Metrics Physical, Chemical, & Rheological Properties Product Bulk/Energy Density Material Stability Equipment Performance Metrics Equipment Efficiency / Capacity Dry Matter Losses Operational Window Documents Guiding Supply System Logistics Core R&D Scope of Feedstock Supply System R&D 22

Technical Accomplishments – Application of Biomass Differential Deconstruction Theory Miscanthus Particle Size Distribution 0% 5% 10% 15% 20% 25% 30% 35% 40% 45% 1-inch round2-inch square4-inch round6-inch roundno screen Grinder Screen Sizes Mass Retained on Screens (%) Tray 2, 0.75-in Tray 3, 0.50-in Tray 4, 0.25-in Tray 5, 0.16-in Tray 6, 0.08-in Pan, <0.08-in Rind and vascular tissues hold together under impact forces and require shear / torsion forces to effectively size reduce Pith and other tissues rapidly deconstruct upon impact 23

PDU power utilization/monitoring data Operating Data Feedstock Format InBales Material TypeSwitchgrass Feedstock Dry Weight26,346 lbs Average Feedstock Moisture13.2% Average Feedstock Density10.16 lb/ft3 Product Format OutPellets, ¼ inch Total Product Out22,441 lbs Process Time8.67 hours Decomposition Module Power257 KWH Data Recording Interval5 readings/sec Milling Module Power461 KWH Densification Module Power1,674 KWH Total Power2,427 KWH Estimate Cost ($0.0988/KWH) a $ Average Power Rate$18.20/ton DM 24

Depot Preprocessing to Uniform Format Products Thermochemical Biofuels and Heat/Power Market: – Preprocessing and blending for ash, moisture and rheological properties – Commodity has grades same as corn or coal (e.g., #1, 2, 3….) Biochemical Biofuels and Products Market: – Preprocessing and segregation for specific conversion process – Commodity similar to wheat (e.g., blend within species/variety). Petroleum Refinery Market: – Energy density and feedstock stability are key characteristics (e.g., Liquid Format) 25

Relevance – Need for a Uniform-Format Approach Lower productive systems can contribute (i.e. reduce stranded resources, higher resource volumes) Risk of obtaining a stable feedstock supply is virtually eliminated Feedstock supply buffer added to the system Stable supply and price Lower capital financing costs Strategic reserves Consistent feedstock specifications delivered to plant gate Biorefinery citing and sizing can shift from resource draw constraints to infrastructure variables such as water, gas, electricity, labor, transportation systems, tax incentives, product distribution, and product demand. 26

Single Pellet Press Mill Intermediate material energy density increased with degree of torrefaction Hydrophobicity is improved with degree of torrefaction Decreases transportation cost Improves storability of product Increased energy density delivery to TC unit 25 % decrease Humidity Chamber Future Work – Torrefaction and Pelletization Process Development and Product Characterization ORNL data: Shahab Sokhansanj, Personal Communication,

Future Work – Thermal Treatment & Stabilization Processes 28

The particles rearrange and undergo elastic and plastic deformation due to application of temperature and pressure Lignin, protein and starches present in the biomass acts as natural binding agents and help to build solid type bridges. Protein, starch and lignin softening and plasticizing temperatures play a major role on the densification behavior. Densification Theory - Layering of multiple process temperature datasets Layering of multiple process datasets will help to understand the state of the molecular structure of lignin, starch and protein present in the biomass. Figure Location and arrangement of cellulose microfibrils in the plant cell wall 29

The Uniform-Format Research Path 30