NATIONAL RENEWABLE ENERGY CENTRE

Biomass Department Activities

David Sanchez dsanchez@cener.com

EURICLIMA project

13th March 2013, Santiago de Chile

Content

1. Introduction: CENER2. Resources and facilities: Biomass Laboratory & CB2G3. Activities & Strategic research lines

1. Introduction: CENER

Vision & Mision

1. Introduction: CENER

Vision

Mission

To be a research centre of excellence in the renewable energies field with international outreach.

To generate knowledge in the renewable energy field and to transfer it to the industry in order to boost sustainable energy development.

Science-Technology –Enterprise System-

1. Introduction: CENER

Basicresearch

Appliedresearch

Technologicaldevelopment

Technologicalservices

Engineering IndustrialProduction

R&D Projects Certification Tests

Activities and Research Areas

1. Introduction: CENER

Activities

Areas

Applied research, technology transfer….

Assessment, approval, accreditation and certification services.

WindBiomassSolar PhotovoltaicSolar ThermalEnergy Grid IntegrationEnergy in Building

CENER in numbers

1. Introduction: CENER

21,2 M€

200

100 M€

The annual 2012 budget is € 21,2 million.

60% self-financing

200 employees

researchers, technical staff and support personnel

Total investments (2002-2012): >€100 million

More than 200 customers in all five continents

Infraestructures

1. Introduction: CENER

HeadquartersSarriguren

Biofuels plantAoiz

Wind Test LaboratorySangüesa

Offices:Sevilla

Experimental Wind Farm

AlaizMicrogrid, Sangüesa

2. Resources & Facilities

• Biomass Laboratory:• Biomass characterisation• Microbiology area• Process area• Analysis:

• Chromatography: HPLC, GC_FID, GC_MS.

• Biomass characterisation

• Biofuel (blends) characterisation

Research Team2. Resources & Facilities

• Solid Biofuels characterisation:• Moisture• Ashes• Volatiles & fixed Carbon• Calorific Value• Elemmental Analysis(CHN).• Particle size distribution• Pelets durability• Apparent Density

Laboratory2. Resources & Facilities

Laboratory2. Resources & Facilities

• Process Development Area

- Reactors

- Bio-reactors

- Ancillary Equip.

CB2G2. Resources & Facilities

The Second generation Biofuel Centre is a Process Development Units (PDUs) to produce 2nd generation biofuels on a pilot scale level as an intermediate step towards the industrial scale-up of these technologies and as a biorefinery test platform. The CB2G constitutes an integrated trial and demonstration platform designed to develop process, equipment and specific components, new biofuels and to apply bio-refinery concepts to biofuels production processes.

Sugar PlatformBiochemical processes

WasteLignin

BIOMASSBioFuelsBioProductsBioPolymersBioMaterials

Synthesis gas platformThermochemical

processesGasification

Synthesis gas preparation

Raw MaterialSugars

Cogeneration (CHP)

Energy and heat

The CB2G is a R&D infrastructure managed by CENER with the collaboration of CIEMAT in the definition, design and scientific and technological management.

CB2G – Process Units: General overview2. Resources & Facilities

• Pretreatment Unit: Capacity: 2MWt - 500 Kg Biomass/h• Chipping for woody biomass.• Chopping for herbaceous biomass • Drying

• Torrefaction• Milling.• Pelletizing • In operation from 2008

• Thermo-Chemical Unit: Gasification unit: Capacity 2 MWt-500 Kg Biomass/h• Gasification Island• Thermal Oxidizer and Flue gases treatment• In operation from Q4 2012

• Biochemical Process Unit: Capacity: Up to 1.500 kg biomass / week• Pretreatment.• Solid / Liquid Fractionation• Biological Processes (Enzymatic Hydrolysis & fermentation). In operation from Q1 2013

CB2G – Process Units2. Resources & Facilities

Chipper & Chopper Drying Unit Milling Units

Pelleting Unit Torrefaction reactor

CB2G – Pretreatment Unit2. Resources & Facilities

Pelletizing unit

CB2G - Gasification Unit2. Resources & Facilities

CB2G – Biochemical Unit2. Resources & Facilities

This unit includes enzymatic hydrolysis and fermentation reactors

3. Activities & Strategic research lines

Biomass Resources Assessment, Production and Sustainable Management:Biomass resources assessment. Supply & logistics studies, GHG & Energy balances, Sustainability studies

Biofuels:Solid Biofuels: Densification & Energetic characterisation Liquid Biofuels: Bioethanol: & Biodiesel : Process Development;

Production Technologies Assessment, Lignocellulosic ethanol pretreatment, Microalgae extraction & valorisation.

Thermal chemical processes:Solid Bioenergy carriers by means of TorrefactionGasification and gas-cleaning technologies.Development of second-generation biofuels via thermo chemical process.

Main Activities3. Activities & Strategic research lines

1. Solid Bioenergy Carriers Development: Torrefaction process Development Alternative Raw Materials Pellets Development

2. Sustainability Studies Development and Application of Sustainability Schemes to Advanced Bioenergy Carriers

3. Bio-alcohols from alternative feed-stocks Optimization of pre-treatment process for lignocellulosic materials Development of anaerobic fermentative processes

4. Microalgae Development of valorisation (extraction and conversion) of microalgae

5. Gasification of biomass process optimization Syngas cleaning process development Analysis of ashes and inorganic compounds behaviour BFB gasification process optimization

Strategic Research Lines3. Activities & Strategic research lines

Continuous stirred horizontal reactor

High flexibility in feedstocks: lignocellulosic feedstocks such herbaceous and woody, considering as well the OFMSW

Particle size: from 6 up to 12 mm

Feed flow: up to 5 kg/h (dry matter)

Temperature: up to 200ºC

Pressure: from 2 bars up to 14,5 bars

Catalyst: acid, alkalis

Residence time at Maximum rate: 5 min

Hot supply: boiler steam

Processes developed: Liquid hot water // Diluted acid hydrolysis // Hydrothermal

Figure: Bench unit under construction

Example of activities: Optimization of pretratament3. Activities & Strategic research lines

Example of activities: Optimization of pretratament3. Activities & Strategic research lines

• Objetivo Biorefinería:

• Aprovechamiento integral de la biomasa lignocelulósica (lignina, celulosa, hemicelulosa, proteínas, productos de degradación…)

• Optimizar la producción de azúcares y convertir éstos en otros bioproductos (alcoholes, hidrocarburos, etc.)

Kamm y Kamm (2004). Biorefinery- Systems. Chemical and Biochemical Engineering Quarterly,

• The core of the process equipment is the torrefaction reactor of special design manufactured by LIST AG (www.list.ch):

• It is a cylindrical horizontal reactor with an agitator shaft and attached elements of special design procuring axial transport characteristic for all kind of biomass, radial product homogenisation inside the reactor and excellent heat transfer conditions.

• Reactor heating is carried out indirectly through the hot reactor walls, the actively heated shaft tube and the actively heated internal shaft elements using thermal oil as heat transfer fluid.

Example of activities: Torrefaction (1)3. Activities & Strategic research lines

• Example: torrefied beech wood pellet (low-medium torrefaction degree, 14-22 % daf basis)

Example of activities: Torrefaction (2)3. Activities & Strategic research lines

Parameter Units Value

Hardgrove grindability index NA 22-26

Bulk Density kg/m3 (ar) 620-680

Pellet durability % 96.2-97.2

Moisture Content % (ar) 3.7-5.6

Higher Heating Value GJ/t (daf) 20.9-21.9

Lower Heating Value GJ/t (daf) 19.6-20.7

C % (daf) 52.0-54.3

H % (daf) ~6.0

N % (daf) 0.12-0.18

Ash Content % (db) 1.6-1.8

Volatile matter content % (db) 75.6-80.5

ENERGREEN project :The evaluation of alternative extraction and biodiesel conversion systems.

Biodiesel production from Chlorella lipid

1. Saponification: Lipids+ ethanol+ KOH

2. Methylation: reaction with acetyl chloride( 5:95) v/v

INSAPONIFIABLE FRACTION

Example of activities: Microalgae3. Activities & Strategic research lines

SAPONIFIABLE FRACTION

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

Thank so much for your attention

The construction of the plant has been financed by the Government of Navarre (Navarre Plan 2012) and by the Spanish Ministry of Science and Innovation (National Programme for Scientific-Technological Infrastructures).

www.cener.com

THANKS FOR YOUR ATTENTION!!