Renewable Energy Technologies I 701-0962-00L Prof. A.

Wokaun

2009-11-23

Exercise 13 Energy from Biomass (fuel production)

Please, solve 2 of the 3 following exercises! Deadline for delivering the exercise: Thursday, 17.12.2009, 10 a.m., only by e-Mail!
Note: - Every student has to give his own solution including auxiliary calculations! - The procedure for calculating must be understandable and clear (In Excel: Formulas, not only values)! - Please use only the OFFICIAL SOLUTION SHEET and deliver it either after this exercise class or by e-mail! - Please write your FULL NAME on all solution sheets!

Tutors: Marcelo Rechulski (marcelo.rechulski@psi.ch), Martin Rdisli (martin.ruedisueli@psi.ch) Address: Paul Scherrer Institut, Laboratory for Energy and Materials Cycles, OLGA/221, 5232 Villigen PSI.

Part 1 Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis (FT-Synthesis)

Purified syngas (mainly CO and H2) from a biomass gasifier (see Table 1) is fed to a Fischer-Tropsch reactor. The aim of the FT-Synthesis is the conversion of hydrogen and carbon monoxide to hydrocarbons (diesel, gasoline, and wax). The distribution of the products depends on the catalyst and the process operation conditions (temperature, pressure, and residence time).
Table 1
Properties of syngas (input to reactor) Molar mass M composition kg/kmol H2 2.016 CO 28.010 H2O 18.015 CO2 44.010 CH4 16.044 HC (-CH2-) incl. CH4 14.28

Heat of combustion HR
kJ/mol 241.75 282.99 0.00 0.00 802.70 -

Molar flow kmol/h

& n
120.0 160.0 10.0 7.5 6.5 0.0

The overall chemical reaction equation for the exothermic Fischer-Tropsch process is based on hydrogen and described by:

3 5 1 2 CO + H 2 ( CH 2 ) + H 2O + CO2 2 6 6 3

HR = -165 kJ/mol

(1)

Question 1a: Calculate the mass, molar, and enthalpy flows (in- and output) for the FT-Synthesis with 85% conversion of hydrogen.
Note: The methane in the output stream should be counted together with the hydrocarbon mass flow. An average molecular weight is given for the hydrocarbons.

Question 1b: The FT-reactor is isothermal and the released heat is used to produce steam. Calculate the heat Qout and the produced steam mass flow. The enthalpy of evaporation for water is 1812 kJ/kg. Question 1c: After the FT-Synthesis, the hydrocarbons will be separated into different fractions (see Table 2). Calculate the mass and enthalpy flows leaving the separation unit.

Seite 1 von 3

Renewable Energy Technologies I 701-0962-00L Prof. A. Wokaun

Table 2 Mass fraction and heating value

2009-11-23

Hydrocarbons Gas (SNG, LPG) Light gasoline Heavy gasoline Diesel Wax C1-C4 C5-C8 C9-C12 C13-C19 > C20

Mass fraction %wt 13% 20% 19% 23% 25%

Heating value LHV [MJ/kg] 42.60 42.45 42.45 42.66 42.80

Question 1d: Real industrial Fischer-Tropsch plants have a chemical conversion efficiency of up to about 55%. Compare this number to the energetic efficiency (in terms of total energy flows) for the useful products of the whole process in this exercise. The gas fraction (C1-C4) shall not be considered as useful energy for this calculation. The input is 4176 kg/h of dry biomass with a heating value of 18.17 MJ/kg.

Part 2 Methane from Wood

The same syngas, as given in Part 1, is now fed to a methanation reactor. In contrary to the FTsynthesis, the desired product is methane (CH4). The exothermic methanation is described by the following equation:

CO + 3H 2 CH 4 + H 2O

HR = -206.28 kJ/mol

(2)

Question 2a: The methanation reaction (2) requires a H2/CO ratio of 3. When the ratio is lower, it can be adjusted by adding water in the methanation reactor. For simplification, the water is added before the methanation reactor to ensure a H2/CO ratio of 3 in the methanation reactor. Calculate the amount of water that must be added, when the water reacts following the water gas shift (WGS) reaction:

CO + H 2O CO2 + H 2

HR = -41.16kJ/mol

(3)

Note: There is already water in the stream that will also be converted! Assumption: The stream after the water gas shift reaction contains no water (complete conversion of water).

Question 2b: Calculate the mass, molar, and enthalpy flows (in- and output) for the water gas shift and methanation reaction with 85% conversion of hydrogen. The water gas shift and the methanation are carried out in two consecutive steps.

& for the water gas shift and methanation reactor. Both Question 2c: Calculate the released heat Q out reactors are isothermal. Determine the produced steam, when the enthalpy of evaporation for water is 1812 kJ/kg.
Question 2d: Real industrial Methane from Wood plants have a chemical conversion efficiency of up to about 65%. Compare this number to the energetic efficiency (in terms of total energy flows) for the reactor in this exercise. The input is 4176 kg/h dry biomass with a heating value of 18.17 MJ/kg. The heating value of methane is 44.56 MJ/kg.

Seite 2 von 3

Renewable Energy Technologies I 701-0962-00L Prof. A. Wokaun

2009-11-23

Part 3 Biofuels for automotive applications

One of the great opportunities of biofuels is their application in the automotive sector. Particularly, in this sector the replacement of fossil fuels with renewable energy carriers is still a great challenge for the future. Question 3a: Regarding biofuels, a clear distinction between first and second generation biofuels must be made. Name one fuel of each group with the corresponding type of conversion and give some advantages and disadvantages of each group. Question 3b: A natural gas car (compressed natural gas = CNG) consumes 5.5 kgCNG/100 km. How much fresh wood do you have to bring to the Methane from Wood plant (gasification + methanation) to receive enough fuel such that you can drive your car for 20 km? Fresh wood shows a water content (w) of 30%. Dry wood has a heating value of 18.17 MJ/kg. To produce 1 MJ of CNG, you require 0.25 MJ to dry the wood and 0.3 MJ to supply the gasifier with heat. The efficiency of the methanation process step (without gasification) is 85%. Furthermore, calculate the energetic efficiency of the gasifier and of the whole process. Data: LHVCNG LHVwood Methanation hLV = 44.56 MJ/kg = 18.17 MJ/kg = 85% = 2.441 MJ/kg (lower heating value) (lower heating value based on dry wood) (efficiency) (heat of evaporation for water)

Influence of water content:

LHVwet = LHVdry (1 w) h LV w

Seite 3 von 3