1. Biomass Conversion Technologies Priscilla Ho November 21, 2006 CHE 384

2. What is Biomass? All living and recently living organisms, animal/plant waste, industrial and municipal waste Categories Biofuels Biopower Bioproducts Biorefineries

3. Conversion Technologies

4. Biochemical Conversion Plant matter – hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin Pretreatment Hydrolysis Sugar Fermentation

5. Thermochemical Conversion Gasification, Pyrolysis, Direct Hydrothermal Liquefaction Carbon monoxide and Syngas (Hydrogen)

6. Pyrolysis Absence of oxygen Thermal degradation Liquid pyrolysis oil

7. Anaerobic Digestion Biogas Platform - Methane Decomposition - microorganisms Anaerobic Digesters Four Main Processes Uses wastes and turns into valuable compost

8. Transesterification “Biodiesel” Platform Takes vegetable oil, animal fat, or grease into biodiesel – fatty acid methyl ester Base catalyzed of the oil with alcohol, direct acid catalyzed, and conversion of the oil to fatty acids and then to alkyl esters with acid catalysts

9. Energy Crops Specific purpose of producing energy DOE – switchgrass, willow, poplar Selective breeding, genetic engineering

10. Biomass Today Construction of large-scale Biorefineries Improved Catalysis Technology High Selectivity Less Energy Intensive Conditions Reduction of Unit Operations Combined Government and Industry Efforts

11. Questions?

12. References Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Biomass Program: Biomass Basics, November 2006, http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass.http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Biomass Research, November 2006, http://www.nrel.gov/biomass.http://www.nrel.gov/biomass Energy Information Administration, Biomass, August 2005, http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/biomass/biomass.h tml. http://www.eia.doe.gov/cneaf/solar.renewables/page/biomass/biomass.h tml Dutton, Gail. Industry Takes Another Look at Biomass: New Policy Encourage Growth of Technology, Genetic Engineering News v. 21, n. 5. March 1, 2001. http://www.mindfully.org/GE/Look-At-Biomass- Growth.htmhttp://www.mindfully.org/GE/Look-At-Biomass- Growth.htm