Techno-Economic Assessment of Production of Olefins Via Thermochemical Conversion

of Biomass (BioMTO Process)

Pedro Haro C. Reyes Valle, A.L. Villanueva Perales, P. Ollero, J. Caraballo, J.A. Garca

Redondo, R. Arjona

Bioenergy Group (BEGUS)

Escuela de Ingenieros, University of Seville

7th June 2011, Berlin

19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Main Research Lines

Bioenergy Group (BEGUS)

Biomass/waste gasification in fluidized bed

Biofuels production (BTL) via the thermochemical route (gasification and catalytic synthesis)

19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Overview

Introduction

Biomass to Olefins Routes

Process Design & Modeling

Process Economics

Results & Discussion

Conclusions

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Introduction

Olefins: ethylene/propylene

A large-volume product in petrochemical industry

Feedstocks: crude oil, natural and associated gas

Market demand is increasing year by year

Aim of this work

Assess olefins production from biomass rather than fossil fuels

Focus on ethylene (main olefin)

19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Introduction

Two platforms:

Van Haveren al. (2008) preditions:

High potencial (biorefinery scenario)

Medium term for ethylene

Long term for propylene

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Biochemical Platform Thermochemical Platform

Biomass to Olefins Routes

Biochemical Platform

Dehydration of (bio)ethanol Ethylene

Commercial technology

Isolated locations

Severe operating conditions

Only ethylene

Dimerization/Metathesis route Propylene

Bioethanol as feedstock

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Biomass to Olefins Routes

Thermochemical Platform

Biomass gasification and catalytic synthesis

Several possible alternatives

Focused on both ethylene and propylene production MTO (methanol to olefins) process

Focused on propylene production MTP (methanol to propylene) process

Focused on a variety of refinery products Vegetable oil cracking (scale-limited)

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Process Design & Modeling

Selected process for the assessment:

BioMTO

2140 dry tonnes/day of poplar chips (500 MWHHV)

High ethylene production mode

Energy self-sufficient and electrical energy neutral plant

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Biomass gasification

Syngas cleaning &

conditioning

MeOH synthesis

MeOH cracking (MTO)

Cryogenic distillation

Process Design & Modeling

Gasifier: indirectly heated CFB (Batelle Columbus Laboratory)

Raw syngas conditioning by SMR and CO2 capture

Liquid Phase Methanol synthesis reactor (CCT project)

Heat and power integration due to syngas extraction to combine cycle

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Biomass gasification

Syngas cleaning &

conditioning

MeOH synthesis

Water Air Oil HP steam LP steam

Biomass Milling Dryer Gasification

bed

Combustor

Sand Sand &

Char

Ash

Flue gas

Flue gas

Cleaning

Cyclon

Particles

HRSG OLGA

-Dust

-Alkali

-Tars

Scrubber

Air &Tars

-NH3

-HCl

HRSG

LP steam

SMR LPMEOH

Raw

Methanol

LO-CAT

CO2, S

CW

Guard Bed

S

Combustor

MP

Steam

C

O

2

Ai

r CW

G-L Separation

Pur

ge

H2O Removal

Purge

to combine

cycle

Process Design & Modeling

Raw MeOH stream diluted with steam (2:1 molar)

FCC reactor (450/730C) at atmospheric pressure

Ni-SAPO-34 catalyst (high ethylene yield)

Simplified product separation (neither DME nor Acetylene)

Two final product streams: ethylene and propylene

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MeOH cracking (MTO)

Cryogenic distillation

Quench Tower FCC

(Methanol cracking & Regenerator)

H2O Tail gas

Raw

Methanol

CO2 removal/ Dryer

CO2 H2O

De-ethanizer

De-Methanizer

De-Propanaizer

C2 - Splitter

C3 - Splitter

Ethylene

Propylene

Process Economics

Economic Assumptions

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Parameter Value Rate of return 10% Equity 100% Plant life 20 years Depreciation (Linear)

10 years

Salvage value 0 MM$ Construction period

1 year

Income tax 30% Working capital 1-month

operating costs

Land 6% of TIC Year 2010

Common assumptions on Biomass Thermochemical Conversion Processes

Economic data for whole process (except MTO area) was taken from a previous work Economic data for MTO area was taken from Chen et al. (2004)

Results & Discussion

Material & Energy Results (2140 d.t./day)

82,400 tonne/year (small-capacity plant)

9,279 kg/h of ethylene

576 kg/h of propylene

Plant designed to fulfill the energy self-sufficient and electrical energy neutral criterion

Mass efficiency is 115 kg olefins/dry tonne of biomass

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High ethylene production mode

Results & Discussion

Economic Results

Highly dependent on:

Biomass price (assumed 66 $/dry tonne)

Energy self-sufficient and electrical energy neutral criterion

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Results & Discussion

Ethylene price was calculated by:

Fixing a propylene market price of 920/tonne (October 2010)

Imposing a rate of return of 10%

Imposing energy self-sufficient criterion

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M (2010) Minimun value Total Plant Investment 421 Operating costs 90 Minimun Ethylene Selling Price 1,687

Results & Discussion

Comparison with present olefins market

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400

500

600

700

800

900

1,000

1,100

1,200

1,300

Mar-09 Oct-09 May-10 Nov-10 Jun-11

/t

on

ne

Ethylene

Propylene

This work was concluded in the end of 2010

At present, olefins market prices have significantly increased, but are still below calculated ethylene price

How much penalizes the energy self-sufficient criterion our process?

With this criterion (there is neither heat nor power input to the plant)

Without this criterion (electric power -from the grid-)

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1,205 /tonne of ethylene

1,687 /tonne of ethylene

Conclusions

This techno-economic assessment shows olefins can be produced from biomass at near competitive selling price

Other production modes could also be easily evaluated (with our assessment tool), such as 2:1 ethylene to propylene, high propylene mode, etc.

The energy self-sufficient and electrical energy neutral criterion highly penalizes the economics

19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition

Techno-Economic Assessment of Production of Olefins Via Thermochemical Conversion

of Biomass (BioMTO Process)

19th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition