Biomass Conversion

Technologies
Priscilla Ho
November 21, 2006
CHE 384

What is Biomass?
All living and recently living
organisms, animal/plant waste,
industrial and municipal waste
Categories

Biofuels
Biopower
Bioproducts

Biorefineries

Conversion Technologies
Biochemical Platform
(Sugar)

Biomass
Feedstock

Biogas Platform
(Anaerobic Digestion)
Thermochemical
Platform
Pyrolysis
Gasification
Carbon Rich Chains
Platform (Biodiesel)

Combined
Heat & Power,
Fuels,
Chemicals,
and Materials

Biochemical Conversion

Plant matter hemicellulose, cellulose, lignin

Pretreatment
Hydrolysis
Sugar Fermentation

Thermochemical Conversion

Gasification,
Pyrolysis, Direct
Hydrothermal
Liquefaction
Carbon monoxide
and Syngas
(Hydrogen)

Pyrolysis

Absence of oxygen

Thermal
degradation

Liquid pyrolysis oil

Anaerobic Digestion

Biogas Platform Methane

Decomposition microorganisms
Anaerobic Digesters
Four Main
Processes
Uses wastes and
turns into valuable
compost

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

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

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

Questions?

References

Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy, Biomass Program: Biomass

Basics, November 2006, http://www.eere.energy.gov/biomass.
National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Biomass Research, November
2006, http://www.nrel.gov/biomass.
Energy Information Administration, Biomass, August 2005,
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-BiomassGrowth.htm