Dr. Thangavelu JayabalanINERIS

DME SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY WORKSHOP

LANDESVERTRETUNG NRWBERLIN

24 MAY 2019

FLEXIBLE DME PRODUCTION FROM BIOMASS: FLEDGED PROJECT UPDATE

The FLEDGED project will deliver a process for Bio-based dimethyl Ether (DME) production from biomass gasification, validated in industrially relevant environment (TRL5).

Flexible sorption enhanced gasification (SEG) process

Sorption enhanced DME synthesis (SEDMES) process

• Process intensification• Efficiency improvements• Environmental impact reduction• Cost reductions• Process flexibility

NOVEL FLEDGED PROCESS

SEG process

Biomass

airTar/PM removal

H2S separation

SE-DME synthesis

DMEDME separation

Optional CO recycle (smaller for given yield)

FLEDGED process: SEG + SEDMES

Steam

The FLEDGED project

2

Gasification process

BiomassTar/PM removal

WGS unit

CO2separation

H2S separation

MeOHsynthesis

DME synthesis

DMEMeOHseparation

MeOH DME separation

MeOH recycleH2/CO/CO2 recycle

SEG process

Biomass

airTar/PM removal

H2S separation

SE-DME synthesis

DMEDME separation

Optional CO recycle (smaller for given yield)

Biomass to DME by FLEDGED process

Biomass to DME with conventional process

ASU

air

Air (if ind. gas)

O2

Steam

Steam

Process intensification

3

Solid material with Ca-based sorbent is circulated between the gasifier-carbonator and the combustor-calciner to:• produce a N2-free syngas with no need of pure oxygen production and external heating of the reactor;• absorb CO2 in the gasifier and adjust C/H content in the syngas.

Sorption Enhanced Gasification

Gasifier-carbonator

600-700°C

Combustor-calciner

800-900°CBiomass

Steam

Syngas(N2-free syngas)

CaO

CaCO3 + char

Solid circulation

Air

Biomass (if needed)

Flue gas(N2, CO2 > 90%db)

Limestone

Bed material

4

Process flexibility: integration with intermittent RES

If integrated with an electrolysis unit providing renewable hydrogen, SEG process parameters can be adjusted to produce syngas suitable for SEDMES process.

Contribution to electric grid stability by power-to-liquid conversion

Gasifier DME synthesis

Electrolyser

DMESyngas with adjusted composition (M<2)

Biomass

H2

O2

Combustor

Biomass (if needed)

Flue gas to stackair

steam

water

Target syngas composition (M=2)

Circulating solids

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Main facilities for SEG demonstration

Flexible SEG process will be demonstrated in the TRL5 200 kW dual fluidized bed facility at IFK, University of Stuttgart.

20 kW USTUTT dual fluidized bed facility

Bio-mass

V-252

Gas analysis

to fan

H2O

M

M

cone valve

Lower loop seal

Upper loop seal

Com

bust

or/C

alci

ner (

CFB

)

Gas

ifier

/Car

bona

tor

(TFB

)

Air

Gas analysis

to flare

Cyclones

Filter

Cyclones

Filter

Gas analysis

Gas analysis

Fuel

75 kW CSIC-ICB bubbling fluidized bed gasifier

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SEG process flexibility: tailored syngas module

Influence of the gasification temperature on syngas module ‘M’

𝑀𝑀 =𝐻𝐻2 − 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶2𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶 + 𝐶𝐶𝐶𝐶2

M < 2 (Power to DME) M = 2 (DME)

Tgasif > 760°C: P-t-DME possible

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Facilities for SEDMES development

TRL5 multi-column PSA rig at ECN-TNOHigh throughput test-rig (Spider setup) and

Single column PSA test-rig (SEWGS-1 setup) at ECN-TNO

Facilities for testing and synthesis of SEDMES catalysts at CSIC-ICP

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Steam separation enhanced DME synthesis

Methanol synthesisCO2+3H2 ⇌ CH3OH+H2O

Methanol dehydration2CH3OH ⇌ CH3OCH3+H2O

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Equilibrium with in situ water removal

275 °C25 bar(a)

54 mol% H215 mol% CO7.7 mol% CO2

0

5

10

15

20

25

30

35

40

0.001 0.01 0.1 1

Com

posi

tion

/ m

ol%

Steam slip / mol%

DME

CH3OH

CO

CO2

Composition 3

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Example: 4-step TPSA cycle design1. Adsorption2. Depressurisation (blowdown)3. Temperature swing & purge4. Repressurisation

Sorption enhanced DME synthesis: the cycle in practice

Adso

rptio

n

Depr

essu

risat

ion

Tem

pera

ture

swin

g &

pur

ge.

Repr

essu

risat

ion

11

0%

20%

40%

60%

80%

100%

0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1

X(%

)

CO2/(CO2+CO)

Sorption enhanced DME synthesis process

275 °C inlet25 bar(a)4 columnsCatalyst + sorbent(Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 + LTA)

DME reactor

SEDMES reactors

SEP DME

H2O

Purge

240 °C inlet25 bar(a)One reactor (tubular)Direct DME catalyst(Cu/ZnO/Al2O3 + H-ZSM5)

H2O

Syngas

Direct DME

SEDMES

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Sorption enhanced DME synthesis

Conventional production of DME– Low DME yield– CO2 production– Complex separation

Sorption enhanced DME synthesis– Increased CO/CO2 flexibility– Increased DME yield– Decreased CO2 content

Outlook– Regeneration strategy:

From TPSA to PSA

– System designTradeoff DME selectivity versus productivity

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Other activities for FLEDGED process developmentModelling and process integration• Process simulation and optimization of full-scale FLEDGED plants• Modelling of SEG dual fluidized bed reactors• Modelling of DME reactor and synthesis process

Technology scale-up and economic analysis• Economic analysis of full scale SEG+SEDMES plants• Scale up study of SEG process• Scale up study of SEDMES process

Risk and Sustainability Analysis• Environmental Life Cycle Assessment• Process safety Analysis• Socio-Economic Analysis

Exploitation• Short-term technical exploitation: design of a TRL 6-7 demo plant at ECOH• Short-medium term commercial exploitation at small scale• Medium-long term commercial exploitation at large scale• Commercial exploitation of the SEG and SEDMES sub-processes

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Risk & Sustainability Analysis

Environmental LCA Socio Economic AnalysisProcess Safety Analysis

Risk & Sustainability Analysis

Cross cutting activity aims at promoting a sustainable & safedevelopment of the FLEDGED technologyInputs for stakeholders to support key decisions to develop FLEDGEDtechnologies.

2 partners & 4 different teams with multidisciplinary competences addressing thesustainability and safety aspects.

Final results are expected from this task by June 2020

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Life Cycle Assessment

Assessment of environmental impacts associated with all the stages of a product's life from raw material extraction to use/end-of-life;

The functional unit (FU) for which the LCA study is performed and the results are presented is 1 km driven.

In this preliminary life cycle assessment only the baseline FLEDGED scenario is assessed. The system boundary of the FLEDGED LCA is shown below:

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Sorption enhanced gasification followed by a sorption enhanced DME synthesis. The raw material used is wood pellets.

Life Cycle Assessment

-308

152

156

50

37

1

-12

-400

-300

-200

-100

0

100

200

300

Biomass production andtransport

FLEDGED process DME distribution DME useg

CO2-

eq/k

m d

riven

From biogenic sources From fossil sources From avoided electricity production

The climate change impact from biogenic sources is negligible because nearly all the biogeniccarbon is emitted in the same form as it captured into biomass through photosynthesis.

Biomass production and transport and production of auxiliary materials for FLEDGED process(inert gases and calcium carbonate) are the main sources of climate change impact from fossilfuels.

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Life Cycle Assessment

88

190210 220

300

0

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

FLEDGED DME Natural gas Diesel LPG Gasoline

g CO

2-eq

/km

driv

en

FLEDGED DME is in terms of climate change impact more advantageous than the conventional fossil fuels (58% less impact than diesel, 71% less than gasoline).

Comparisons will be further made with other biofuels and configurations of DME process (configurations and feedstocks).

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• Assessment of technological risks related to the FLEDGED value chains.• Promoting safety at the early stages of development through Inherently

Safer Design.

Special focus on- Intensification & flexibility of process,- Storage & logistics,- Comparison and selection of process configurations,- Scale-up.

Process Safety Analysis

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Process Safety Analysis – Preliminary Results

DTA/TGA pre-screening of self heating of solids

20-liters sphere apparatus for explosibility characterization

Isothermal Oven Tests

Dust explosion and self heating characteristics of feedstocks • Municipal solid wastes • Lignocellulosic feedstocks (straw and wood)• Refuse derived fuel 0

2468

1012141618

2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2016 2017

Fire

acc

iden

ts in

ope

n st

orag

e

http://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/

Krisgstin et al, Recent Health and Safety Incident Trends Related to the Storage ofWoody Biomass: A Need for Improved Monitoring Strategies, Forests 2018, 9, 538

Assessment of risks related to biomass pre-treatment, transfer and storage

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Process Safety Analysis – Preliminary Results

Feedstocks – sensitive to self heating & dustexplosions• Strong correlation on the physical and chemical

properties of the biomass : particle size distribution,humidity, compaction, etc.

• Storage height dimensions vary from 5m to 15mdepending on the biomass.

- Characterisation of feedstocks, effective management ofstockpiles, technical and organisational practices arerequired.

• The biomass feedstocks mainly belong to explosionclass St1. Experimental results have shown strongexplosion characteristics St-2 for fines.

Dust Explosion Classification

Dust explosion index Kst

(bar.m/sec)

Qualification

St-0 0 No explosion

St-1 0-200 Weak to moderate explosion

St-2 201-300 Strong explosion

St-3 >300 Very strong explosion

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Aims and scope• identify the advantages and disadvantages of the FLEDGED technology

• focus on the FLEDGED process for DME based fuel production

• focus on the use of DME based fuels

• provide, where possible, monetary estimates of induced environmental and health impacts (based on LCA)

• model the air quality & health impacts in Europe of DME use scenarios (replacing diesel by DME in the transport sector)

• compare benefits (= avoided impacts) to costs

Socio-Economic Analysis (SEA) in FLEDGED

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SEA – Modelling air quality & health impacts of DME use scenarios

Impacts of emissions on air quality and health are estimated using the “Impact Pathway Approach”

Emissions

Dispersion

Exposure

Impact

Damage

Pollutant emissions: NOx, SO2, NMVOC … from road transport sectors but also from other sectors and biogenic emissions

Emission scenario information comes from transport or integrated models (e.g. COPERT, GAINS…) or is based on expert information

Exposure calculated as population-weighted concentrations: Population x pollutant concentration at grid level and aggregated at country level

The Alpha-Risk-Poll (ARP) model quantifies health impacts (mortality, morbidity) at country level through the application of concentration-response functions

ARP also calculates the monetary equivalent of the health impacts (= damage)

Pollutant concentrations: CHIMERE (a CTM model) is used to simulate transport, chemical transformation and deposition of pollutants in the atmosphere

Benefits (avoided health damage) due to DME replacing diesel use are compared to costs for adapting vehicles

Analysis carried out for reference and DME use scenarios

Changes in results = benefits (or disbenefits)

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SEA - Information requirements for DME use scenarios

Emission factors• for Heavy duty vehicles & light duty vehicles & cars• for pure DME use and for blending (with information of percentage of DME in blend)• exhaust and evaporative emissions• for emissions of CO2, CO, NOx including the NO2 fraction, PM10, PM2.5, VOCNM (ideally with information on

VOC speciation)• if possible according to Euro standards and depending on the speed of the vehicle• information on whether such emission factors are measured following the NEDC (New European Driving Cycle)

and the RDE (Real Driving Emissions) or are estimates onlyMarket expectations about the potential spread of DME as transport fuel• shares of diesel replaced by DME per vehicle type and target year• quantities of DME used in road transport per vehicle type and target yearCosts for the conversion from diesel vehicle to DME-fueled vehicle• retrofitted versus new vehicle• blending versus pure DME use

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SEA - Information requirements for DME use scenarios

If you are willing to share information with us, please

• I am available for discussions during the meeting

• or send an e-mail to Simone.schucht@ineris.fr and Elsa.real@ineris.fr

Thank you

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The consortium

Politecnico di Milano (POLIMI)

Quantis

University of Stuttgart (USTUTT)

Sumitomo SHI FW

Lappeenranta University(LUT)

Econward Tech (ECON)

Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas

L'Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques

Frames RenewableEnergy Solutions B.V.(FRES)

ECN part of TNO

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This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement No 727600

Find out more: www.fledged.euContact us: info@fledged.euFollow us: @FledgedProject

Fledged H2020 Project

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