Process Design and Economics for the Conversion of Lignocellulosic Biomass to Hydrocarbon Fuels: Fast Pyrolysis and Hydrotreating Bio-Oil Pathway

This report describes a proposed thermochemical process for converting biomass into liquid transportation fuels via fast pyrolysis followed by hydroprocessing of the condensed pyrolysis oil. As such, the analysis does not reflect the current state of commercially-available technology but includes advancements that are likely, and targeted to be achieved by 2017. The purpose of this study is to quantify the economic impact of individual conversion targets to allow a focused effort towards achieving cost reductions

Low-Temperature Electrochemical Upgrading of Bio-oils Using Polymer Electrolyte Membranes

While bio-oil-derived fuels hold much promise as a replacement for petroleum, transformation of the highly oxygenated mixture has proven challenging. In particular, bio-oils are reactive and difficult to upgrade through catalytic pyrolysis. To reach a stabilized product capable of deep deoxygenation at elevated pressure and temperature, conversion or separation of reactive groups is required. This paper describes an electrochemical process for stabilization and upgrading of bio-oils prior to hydrotreating at high pressure and temperature. This electrolytic process uses a three-compartment cell designed to hydrogenate reactive carbonyl components while separating small acid molecules, such as acetic and formic acids, which act as catalysts for condensation reactions and consume hydrogen gas to produce low-value gases in hydrotreating. To avoid conductivity issues, electrodes are appended to anion- and cation-exchange membranes. The cell was tested using a mixed acetic acid and formic acid surrogate fed to the cathode compartment, where the decrease in the concentration followed the applied charge to the cell. Experiments performed using pine pyrolysis oil demonstrated a significant reduction in the total acid number (TAN), an increase in pH from 2.6 to over 4, and a modest reduction of the carbonyl concentration. Analysis showed the reduction in TAN was primarily due to removal of carboxylic compounds. Experiments observed a decrease in the reactive carbonyl (aldehydes and ketones) concentration that followed applied charge. The results with the newly devised reactor show promise for the electrochemical route for upgrading bio-oils, but significant improvements in TAN removal and carbonyl conversion are needed. Given the distributed nature of biomass, an electrochemical process paired with pyrolysis could be used to densify and stabilize an oil product near the source. The densified liquid could then be shipped to centralized refineries for final upgrading to fuel and/or chemical products

A Combined Experimental and Theoretical Study on the Activity and Selectivity of the Electrocatalytic Hydrogenation of Aldehydes

A detailed mechanistic study of the electrochemical hydrogenation of aldehydes is presented toward the goal of identifying how organic molecules in solution behave at the interface with charged surfaces and what is the best manner to convert them. Specifically, this study focuses on designing an electrocatalytic route for ambient-temperature postpyrolysis treatment of bio-oil. Aldehyde reductions are needed to convert biomass into fuels or chemicals. A combined experimental and computational approach is taken toward catalyst design to provide testable hypotheses regarding catalyst composition, activity, and selectivity. Electrochemical hydrogenation mechanisms for benzaldehyde and pentanal reduction are found to proceed by a coupled proton–electron transfer process. Initial results show that Au, Ag, Cu, and C catalysts exhibit the highest conversion to alcohol products. These catalysts are suitable because they show high cathodic onset potentials for H₂ formation and low cathodic onset potentials for organic reduction. Conversion of aromatic aldehydes is found to be appreciably higher than that of aliphatic aldehydes. Classical molecular dynamics simulations of solvent and substrate mixtures in an electrolytic cell were performed to assess how species concentrations vary at the solid/liquid interface and in the bulk as a function of applied voltage. Results show that an increase in surface charge in the electrolytic cell decreases organic and increases water mole fractions at the solid/liquid interface. In this current study, charged cathodic surfaces result in carbonyl orientations at the surface that do not favor electron transfer. Repulsion of organic substrates to the bulk must be compensated by strong adhesion to the electrode surface. Implications on catalyst choice and process design are discussed