ClearFuels-Rentech Integrated Biorefinery Pilot Project for Diesel and Jet Fuel Production by Thermochemical Conversion of Woodwaste
(CF-RTK IBR) DOE Workshop on Biomass Indirect
Liquefaction
March 20, 2014
Principal Investigator: Joshua Pearson
Project Description Project Location: 4150 E. 60th Ave. Commerce City, CO
Rentech Corporate HQ: Los Angeles, CA
Thermochemical Conversion of Wood and Bagasse:
DOE Project Added Biomass Handling and Gasification to Rentech’s Gas-to-Liquids Demonstration Facility
5- 16 DTPD of Wood Chips or Pellets or Bagasse − <2 inch feedstock with up to 50% moisture
Biomass Steam Reforming to syngas
Syngas Conversion to Hydrocarbons via Rentech Fischer-Tropsch
Hydrocarbons hydroprocessed to diesel fuel in Product Upgrader (Hydrocracking and Hydrotreating Units)
Up to 420 gallons per day of liquid fuel can be produced at facility
Either Naphtha/Jet Fuel or Naphtha/Diesel produced
75-80% of liquid fuel is Diesel for example
•2
Rentech Site in Colorado
Right 1/3 of Photo Added as Result of DOE Grant
General Overview – Block Flow Diagram
1st Stage SYNGAS
COMP
DGA AMINEZ-3100
HORIZONTAL MEMBRANE
V-3503
PSAZ-3302
SYNGAS POLISHINGV-3404A/B
SULFUR GUARD BED
V-3402
FT UNITR-4201
H2 COMPRESSOR
C-3301
CRUDE FT LIQUID STORAGE
FINAL PRODUCT STORAGE
UOP PROD. UPGRADERZ-5000
FLAREX-9102NG
BFW
STEAM
SYNGAS From SMR
PSA TAILGAS
FT TAILGAS
WAXT-6104
MID DISTILLATE
T-6102
CRUDE NAPHTHA
T-6100NAPHTHA
RENDIESEL
RENJET
SYNGAS
NAPHTHA
RENDIESEL
RENJET
SYNGAS HEATERE-34012nd Stage
SYNGAS COMP
TEGZ-3026
SYNGAS SATURATOR
V-3101
TOUX-9101
BIOMASS
SYNGAS BOOSTER
COMPC-3073
VENTURI SCRUBBERV-2066/68
COS HYDROLYSIS
V-3102A/B
Carbon Bed V-3401
M1/M2 VERTICAL MEMBRANE
Z-3301
STEAM
RO Water
SYNGAS
SYNGAS
CLEARFUEL GASIFIER
H-2062
SMRR-101
ASH CYCLONESV-2063/65
ASH
WASTE HEAT
BOILERE-2164
STEAM
FLUEGASMIXING VESSELV-2060
BFW
NG
FEED HOOPER
T-1405
DRYERK-1202
GRINDERGR-1100
TRUCK UNLOADING
AND CONVEYING
Z-1011, Z1012
WOOD CHIP
WWater
City Water
WWater
WWaterSTACK
EJECTORV-2071
WWater
Process Drain
Process Drain
C-3001
PROCESS WATERT-6103Process
Water to WWTP
STACK
STACK
Engineering Procurement & Construction
Dedication to Project Controls and Project Management
EP&C on time and on budget
Cost Reimbursable Fixed Fee Contracting Strategy
May 5 2011
September 12, 2011
Commissioning Progress
Challenges Biomass Feed Conveyer Grinder Material Compatibility Feed Hopper flow Rotary Valve Seal Syngas line support/insulation Fuel Gas, using FT Tailgas for BMS DCS related Issues Burner Design Cyclone related issues Venturi Scrubber
Resolution
Adequate Time and Budget for Commissioning
•Air Pulsation Device
Feed System
Grinding
Feedstock Format − Hog Fuel
− Pellets
− Chips
− Bagasse
Ground Feedstock Characteristics
Resolution − Start with simple feedstock specifications
− Multi Step Grinding – tighter particle distribution
Feed System
Drying
Particle Size Distribution Variation − % Fines Varies - Bagasse
Integrated Heat Recovery − Startup heat not available
− Reformer Operation (Reduced Rates)
Resolution − Supplemental Heat added (seasonal issues)
− Reduced Rates
− Pre Dried Feedstock
Feed System
Mass Balance & Pressure Boundary − Feed Hopper
− Metering Screw
− Rotary Valve
− Steam Mixing Vessel
Resolution − Air Pulsation Devices
− Used Upstream Weigh Belt
− Steam Eductor
− Redesign
Reformer Scale Up
Incorrect Scale up Parameter Selected – Scale up based on Resonance Time, Critical parameter was heat transfer.
Resolution − Revisited Pilot Unit, Repeated pilot parametric testing
− Enhanced Analytical data collection
− Modification of demonstration Unit
Validate Pilot Plant Data − Financing – Freeze Design Basis – Re-FEED
Gas Cleanup
Analytical Capabilities
NREL
RTK
DCS & PI Historian
Tars
Exchanger Fouling
Cyclones / Scrubber Fouling
Compressor Precipitation
On Spec Gas to Fischer Tropsch
Spec Bio Derived Diesel
Current Technology Status
This gasification technology is unique, due to the beneficial effects of fast or flash pyrolysis of the biomass, produced as a result of fast particle heating rates due to particle/wall contact, which provides for high carbon conversions. In addition, the unique helical coil geometry results in volatiles released from the biomass and char having to pass through a layer of very hot char, which catalyzes volatile decomposition reactions, and results in a low tar content syngas and in particular very low heavy tar contents. Char catalyzed reactions also allow a high H2:CO syngas to be produced in the HEHTR, which is a unique feature of this technology.
The technology does suffer from limitations in scale-up potential due to limited surface area being available for fast particle heating, in the early part of the helical coil(s), and ultimately due to potential for coil deposits building up at high biomass feedrates.
R&D Needs Outstanding
Tar Management
Tar Cracking Technologies − RTK – NIDFB
− Catalytic Filtration (reformation)
Mechanical Challenges of Reactor Design − Rapid Heating / Wall contact
− Metallurgy
Biomass Pressure Boundary − Rotary Valve
− Lock Hopper
− Plug Screw
Intellectual Property - Perception
Lessons re-learned over and over and over again
Department of Energy
National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) for Tar Measurement (TMBMS)
URS for Engineering and Construction Management
Linde HydroChem for design and fabrication of ClearFuels High Efficiency Hydro-Thermal Reformer (HEHTR)
Joshua Pearson – Principal Investigator, Manager of Biorefinery Integration, Rentech
Harold Wright – Senior Vice President and Chief Technology Officer, Rentech
Eric Darmstaedter – President, ClearFuels Technology
Randy Blevins – Director of Engineering, ClearFuels Technology
Mark Robertson – Senior Lead Process Engineer, Rentech
Weibin Jiang – Senior Principal Engineer, Rentech
Mark Still – Process Development Engineer, Rentech
Randy Shearer – Manager Lab Services, Rentech
Josefa Griffith – Senior Analytical Chemist, Rentech
Ernesto Bustamante – Process Development Engineer, Rentech
Matt Greer – Principal Operation Engineer, Rentech
Ray Huang – Manager, Iron Fischer-Tropsch Technology, Rentech
Ute Duvenhage – Data Statistician, Rentech
Eric Elrod – Lead Process Engineer, Rentech
Eric Bemiss – Project Controls Engineer, Rentech
Mark Anselmo – Construction Manager, Rentech
Nick Cozzi – Senior Mechanical Engineer, Rentech
Phil Weathers – Director of Operations, Rentech
Perry Herrick – Operations Manager, Rentech
Rentech Energy Technology Center (RETC) – Analytical and Lab Services
RETC – Operations & Maintenance
ClearFuels-Rentech Integrated Biorefinery Pilot Project for Diesel and Jet Fuel Production by Thermochemical Conversion of Woodwaste
(CF-RTK IBR) DOE Workshop on Biomass Indirect
Liquefaction
Questions
Principal Investigator: Joshua Pearson