Michigan, Chemrec and NewPage Partner to Explore Black Liquor Gasification to Fuels Project
23 August 2007
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| Block flow diagram of the Chemrec BLG Motor Fuel (BLGMF) process at its development plant (DP-3) site. The pulp mill line is to the left of the dotted red line; the BLGMF flow is to the right. Click to enlarge. |
Sweden-based Chemrec AB and Ohio-based NewPage Corporation have formed a partnership to explore possible development of a plant that would produce renewable biomass-based fuels at the NewPage paper mill in Escanaba, Michigan.
The plant would employ Chemrec’s black liquor gasification (BLG) technology, which converts the black liquor waste stream from the paper pulping process into synthesis gas. The synthesis gas can then be processed into a variety of fuels—likely dimethyl ether (DME) and methanol (MeOH), although fuels such as Fischer-Tropsch diesel (FTD), Synthetic Natural Gas (SNG), or hydrogen (H2) are also possible.
The partners estimate that the Escanaba mill could produce up to 13 million gallons of liquid biofuel per year.
The BLG plant would be closely integrated with the paper mill to optimize energy efficiency and enhance the pulp production capacity of the mill. Several European and US studies have shown the BLG technology to provide a highly efficient and environmentally sound route for converting biomass to liquid biofuels. The technology does not require high-grade wood or woodchips.
The basic Chemrec approach is to replace (or supplement, in smaller installations) a pulp mill recovery boiler with a high-temperature gasifier. The syngas can be used for power generation, or, with additional processing units, converted to fuels.
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| Volvo well-to-wheels study. Click to enlarge. |
Earlier this year, Volvo Technology Transfer AB invested in Chemrec AB as part of the Volvo Group’s drive to help speed up the development of renewable fuels for the heavy vehicle industry. (Earlier post.) A well-to-wheels study by Volvo found that BLG is among the most energy-efficient production routes to renewable fuels, with concomitant high reduction in CO2 emissions. (See chart at right.)
We continuously search for ways to improve operations while at the same time improving our efficient use of renewable resources such as wood and wood waste. Liquid biofuel production using the BLG technology holds promise to improve efficiencies at our mills as well as becoming a source of valuable fuels and chemicals extracted from renewable sources.
—Mark A. Suwyn, NewPage Corporation Chairman and CEO
Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm made the announcement in Sweden following a reception with company and government leaders to celebrate the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between the two companies. The governor and Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) President and CEO James C. Epolito are on the third day of an investment mission to Sweden and Germany.
Earlier this year, the MEDC and NextEnergy, Michigan’s alternative energy accelerator located in Detroit, established a cellulosic biofuels working group to help craft strategy for the promotion of this industry in Michigan.
(A hat-tip to Anders!)
Resources:
Pretty good news - great to see waste->fuel technology getting developed. And cleaning up the nasty black liquor free of charge.
Wonder how the economics look. That's only ~850 bbl/d, but at $65/bbl, that converts to $20 million of income per year, assuming the liquid fuel has the same energy content as crude (i.e. that's not methanol).
Posted by: Engineer | 23 August 2007 at 01:55 PM
Up until know the paper mills used the black liquor in-house so it's puzzling to know how they have some to spare. Maybe it's a first step towards phasing out paper production and getting into BTL. I'd guess that paper isn't worth $70 per barrel equivalent which I think is about 50c per kg.
Posted by: Aussie | 23 August 2007 at 02:17 PM
Currently a mill uses every bit of the black liquor. It is burned in a recover boiler. They are only about 25% efficient at converting the Black liquor heating value to electricity. However most of the heating value (90+) is used for the generation of heat (steam) which is used in the mill.
So if they use all of this energy for bio-fuels they will need to makeup with coal/Nat Gas/or burning other bio-mass residue like bark. The original idea behind gasification was to produce a syn-gas to use in a combined cycle (gas turbine-->hot gases-->steam plant) to increase electrical generation.
Posted by: PulpMillMan | 23 August 2007 at 03:32 PM
That said,
If a pulp mill is recovery boiler limited (i.e. the boiler can't handle any more black liquor). Then it may make sense to add a gasifier as a supplement to a recovery boiler (500 million +).
This would allow a pulp mill to get incremental pulp tonnage increase for a decreased up-front capital expenditure.
Posted by: PulpMillMan | 23 August 2007 at 03:39 PM
(500 million +)---> sorry meant 100+ million.
Posted by: PulpMillMan | 23 August 2007 at 04:02 PM
You can use the mechanical process instead of the chemical one. Then you need far less biomass (and black liquor) substituting it for electricity.
Posted by: Starvid | 23 August 2007 at 06:57 PM
As energy for the mills themselves shifts to wind and solar and/or the efficiency is boosted, it will make sense to shift the byproducts over to convenient biofuels for PHEVs on long-drive days, etc.
At $3+/gallon for gas to sell against they have lots of incentive to get efficient now that they never had before.
Posted by: P Schager | 23 August 2007 at 11:47 PM
For the moment, heat is very cheap (since they just burn their own waste). So there is no incentive to develop more efficient heat-recovery systems.
When the black liquor whill be converted to biofuel, it will be economical to become more heat-efficient.
Probably, the necessary heat inmput to the paperproduction will dramatically fall once a new market for the black liquor is found.
Posted by: | 24 August 2007 at 04:56 AM
I don't know how much energy is actually required to break down wood pulp and separate the lignin, but it seems likely at first blush that the heat required to bring the pulp up to temperature could be largely recovered to heat the incoming stream. This would substitute capital hardware for energy, and allow more of the fuel supply to be used to make other things. Electricity or biofuels, both of them are likely to pay nicely.
Posted by: Engineer-Poet | 24 August 2007 at 11:31 AM
Up until know the paper mills used the black liquor in-house so it's puzzling to know how they have some to spare. Maybe it's a first step towards phasing out paper production and getting into BTL.
I am sure you can make biofuels out of black liquor and still have plenty of heat to spare. If you look at the flow diagram it shows "LP steam and hot water" recovered from "raw gas cooling".
Also of relevance: A well-to-wheels study by Volvo found that BLG is among the most energy-efficient production routes to renewable fuels, with concomitant high reduction in CO2 emissions.
They won't be doing this wasn't win-win.
Posted by: Engineer | 24 August 2007 at 12:00 PM
A shift from using waste paper products for energy to power the mills to making fuel out of it is very likely as oil prices raise to make the conversion profitable. Alternative forms of energy will be needed to replace the waste paper products, perhaps solar/wind/water
Posted by: | 25 August 2007 at 07:49 PM
100+ new ways to conserve-convert-recover energy will be found and use if or when the price is right. $100+ per barrel would certainly help.
Much higher oil price may (indirectly) save the planet.
Posted by: | 27 August 2007 at 01:20 PM