The use of Ethanol or Methanol in Micro CHP's

Micro-generation with fuel CellsWorkshop HIRC 24 June 2008Workshop HIRC 24 June 2008

By Martin MøllerDONG EnergyGroup R&D

Energy Carrier and Energy Converter

•A Fuel cell is an energy converter that convert chemical energy into heat and electricity

•The chemical energy is delivered by an energy carrier

•The energy carrier can be Hydrogen, Methane, Methanol, Ethanol, Ammonia etc.Methanol, Ethanol, Ammonia etc.

How do we produce, store and transport our o do e p oduce, sto e a d t a spo t ouenergy carrier ??

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The Choice of Energy Carrier, some examples

Hydrogen• No CO2 emitted from end user, no need for reformation• Difficult to Store and transport

Hydrogen• No CO2 emitted from end user, no need for reformation• Difficult to Store and transport

Methane• Easy to transport, widely available, existing infrastructure • Need to be reformed, CO2 emitted from end-user

Methane• Easy to transport, widely available, existing infrastructure • Need to be reformed, CO2 emitted from end-user

Methanol• Easy to produce, store and transport, widely available • Need to be reformed, CO2 emitted from end-user

Methanol• Easy to produce, store and transport, widely available • Need to be reformed, CO2 emitted from end-user

Ethanol• Easy to produce, store and transport, not a poison for humans • Difficult to reform, CO2 emitted from end user

Ethanol• Easy to produce, store and transport, not a poison for humans • Difficult to reform, CO2 emitted from end user

Ammonia• No CO2 emitted from end-user, Easy to produce and store• Difficult to reform, poisonous

Ammonia• No CO2 emitted from end-user, Easy to produce and store• Difficult to reform, poisonous

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System Efficiencies for SOFC Power Plants

Case El Eff. %

CogenEff %% Eff %

100 % methane 55.5 83.6

Methanol 53 3 84 6Methanol 53.3 84.6

DME 53.0 82.5

E h l 54 4 73 4Ethanol 54.4 73.4

Diesel CPO O2/C 0 35

40.7 85.4 O2/C = 0.35

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Methanol as Energy Carrier

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Flexible Methanol and Power Production from Various Feedstock's

Power BlockAir Separation Unit

(ASU)

Fuels:-Biomass-Waste

Oxygen

Max Power Production

-Coal-Refinery Residues

Pressurized

GasificationGas Clean Up/

CO Shift

Max Power Production

Max Synfuel Production

Fuel Preparation(Liquefaction)

Synthesis unit

(Gasoline, Methanol, Diesel)

CO2 Capture(Optional)

Slag

Max Synfuel Production

(Gasoline, Methanol, Diesel)

Storage/EOR

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The Future Cost of Methanol from Mega Plants

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Methanol Produced from stranded Natural gas, a "Future" Energy Carrier

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Ethanol as Energy Carrier

Boiling Point: 78.4 oC

Freezing Point: -114.3 oCg

Molecular Weight: 46.07 g/mol

Higher Heating Value: 29.8 MJ/kg

Lower Heating Value: 26.7 MJ/kg

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1G Ethanol From Corn a simple and mature process, but…….

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Transition to cellulosic ethanol2: The process

Mech.treatment

Hydro-thermal

treatment

Enzymatichydrolysis

Fermen-tation

Stripping/destill.

Water/solubles/

solidsseparation

Starch

How do we make the transitionCellulose How do we make the transition to cellulosic ethanol?

Focused development 2: The process

- Reduces technological risk

Mech.treatment

Hydro-thermal

treatment

Enzymatichydrolysis

Fermen-tation

Stripping/destill.

Water/solubles/

solidsseparation

Starch

Existing technology can be used

Cellulose

Fermen-tation

Stripping/destill.

Water/solubles/

solidsseparation

Hydro-thermal

treatment

Enzymatic Liquefac-

tionMech.

treatment

Inbicon Core TechnologyAlready in use by DONG Energy

20‐30 tonnes/hr

DONG Energy and cellulosic ethanol1: Background

+10 years experience with biomass y pfor combined heat and power production

1 1 million tonnes biomass and 0 71.1 million tonnes biomass and 0.7 million tonnes household waste utilised in 2007

In 2002-2006 coordinator of EU-project: Co-production Biofuels

Now:‐further development and commercialization of cellulosic technology in subsidiary Inbicon 

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y

‐ Engineering staff of +500 located right next to Inbicon 

Thermal pre-treatment2: The process

Wheat straw (5 – 10cm) Pre‐treated wheat strawWheat straw (5  10cm) Pre treated wheat straw

Thermal pre-treatment:• Continuous processContinuous process

• High dry matter (35-40%)

• No chemicals used

Pilot scale: 25 t/d continuous pre-treatment

2: The process

treatment

London 01 February 2008

3 years of operation

"Lab" scale: 2.5 t/d continuous pre-treatment

2: The process

treatment

London 01 February 2008

4 years of operation

Enzymatic liquefaction2: The process

Enzymatic liquefaction:• Continuous process

• High dry matter (25-30%)

• Works on various enzymes 3.5 FPU

B ilt d t t d t 11 3 l• Built and tested up to 11m3 scale

Evolution, The Natural Biomass roadmap

IntelligensStill in Lab

Demonstration Plant under Construction

Heat Heat & Power Heat, Power & Chemicals

The Inbicon Core Technology will be compatible with the future Demands

The various fractions of biomass, has to be accessible for further conversion

Methane for power and heat production

Production of hydrogen, gasoline, diesel, Plastics, fertilizers, power and heat

Production of ethanolProduction of ethanol, enzymes, lactic acid, acetic

acid, amino acids

Production of free sugars:

Hydro thermal Enzymatic

gGlucose, Fructose, Xylose,

Arabinose, Lactose, Sucrose, Starch

thermaltreatment

EnzymaticHydrolysis

Inbicon 100 t/day straw to ethanol

plant under constructionplant under construction

Demonstration Plant, 4t/hr of straw

Tonnes/ year

Tonnes DM/year

GJ/year

Input Straw 30 000 25 000 432 000GJInput Straw 30,000 25,000 432,000GJ

Output Ethanol BiofuelAnimal feed

4,3004,30011,100

4,2003,9007,210

114,800GJ73,100 (2900 tonnes coal)112,500GJ

DONG Energy/Inbicon is ready to supply future RES-FC units with 2G ethanol

Acknowledgement

Intelligent Energy Europe has supported this work

under contract EIE/05/214/SI2.420237

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