(684f) Field-Deployable Mobile Biomass Pyrolysis Technology

The utilization of biomass as an energy resource is hindered by low energy density, coupled with relatively large collection areas. Many studies have indicated that for viable use of biomass in the production of energy, fuels or chemicals, the collection area must be within a 25 mile radius. To address this issue, Amaron Energy has developed a mobile biomass pyrolysis technology that is field-deployable, to allow processing of woody biomass, agricultural residues, animal manure or other feedstocks, and produce pyrolysis oil, carbon-rich char and a pyrolysis gas that can be recycled for use in the process. The technology is based on an indirectly-fired rotary kiln design, and has been tested extensively on a wide range of feedstocks using a 0.5 ton/day (tpd) prototype unit. A commercial-scale unit that operates at 20 tpd has been built and installed within a standard 45 ft. shipping container, which can be mounted on a semi-trailer for transporting from site to site. The 20 tpd unit has been tested off-grid in multiple field demonstrations, and the results of different field trials in which woody biomass and poultry manure were processed will be presented, along with detailed characteristics of the corresponding oil and char products.