RTI International and Süd-Chemie to Investigate Effects of Coal-Biomass Syngas Contaminants on Fuels Production
22 September 2008
RTI International will partner with Süd-Chemie, Inc. to investigate the effects of a select group of contaminants present in synthesis gas—derived from gasification of a coal/biomass mixture on catalysts—used in subsequent reaction process operations to make fuels. Selected contaminants include hydrogen sulfide, ammonia, sodium chloride, potassium chloride, arsine, hydrogen selenide and mercury.
The partners received a two-year, $1.2 million contract from the Department of Energy for the work.
The project is one of six new DOE awards focusing on the alternate hydrogen production pathway, with research to be conducted specifically on the production of liquid hydrocarbon fuels from coal/biomass mixtures in the coal-biomass-to-liquid process.
Coal-biomass-to-liquid technologies present a great opportunity for the production of transportation fuels from domestic energy sources, thereby reducing our dependence on foreign oil. Our project will identify contaminants that must be removed from coal/biomass-derived synthesis gas for efficient production of liquid transportation fuels.
—Dr. Jason Trembly, project’s principal investigator at RTI
RTI is a leading, independent, non-profit research and development organization located in Research Triangle Park (RTP), North Carolina.
There are not a lot of contaminants in biomass that the cyclones and ceramic filters do not eliminate. There is a lot of silica in rice straw, but that is handled as well.
Posted by: sjc | 23 September 2008 at 12:54 PM