(104a) High Pressure Circulating Fluidized Beds for Biomass Conversion to Fuels

High Pressure Circulating Fluidized Beds for Biomass Conversion to Fuels Eloy Flores III, Chemical Engineering Department, Southwest Research Institute, San Antonio, TX and Kyle March, Chemical Engineering, SOUTHWEST RESEARCH INSITUTE, SAN ANTONIO, TX Abstract Text:

SwRI has developed a technology to produce conventional liquid fuels from carbonaceous feedstocks by process intensification of industrial fuel production processes using a high pressure and temperature circulating fluidized bed technology. SwRI has worked with industry to develop new processes to improve the efficiency of or monetize low value petroleum and bio based feedstocks in an effort to reduce carbon dioxide emissions and improve overall economics including projects such as the production of fuels from chicken fat and using supercritical methanol to continuously produce biodiesel. A circulating fluidized bed has the main advantages of being able to continually regenerate catalyst, maximize surface area for catalyst activity and mixing, and reduced temperature gradients. SwRI conducted small scale experiments and is evaluating the overall fundamental technology for scale-up as materials of construction continue to evolve to support higher pressure and temperature systems. The patented technology utilizes a fluid bed for the direct conversion of carbonaceous materials to fuels in one single fluidized bed reactor. The high pressure reactor takes advantage of the higher partial pressures needed for hydrogenation and any benefit of supercritical conditions to work on typically low hydrogen bio derived or hydrogen depleted feedstocks. This presentation will describe the high pressure circulating fluidized bed technology, future applications, and process development data.