Anellotech’s MinFree technology—a patent-pending biomass pretreatment process—has been demonstrated to reduce significantly the mineral (ash) content of loblolly pine at a 20 metric ton/day scale. Month-long trials converting this MinFree-treated, low-mineral pine into aromatics (BTX) at Anellotech’s Bio-TCat process TCat-8 pilot plant showed extended, economic catalyst life.

MinFree is expected to provide similar results with other woody biomass like eucalyptus and hard woods, and agricultural residues like cotton straw, sugarcane bagasse and corn stover. Anellotech is in discussions with feedstock suppliers and other participants in the supply chain to select the next feedstock for development and commercialization with the MinFree process.

We have successfully validated loblolly pine and with our partner Axens have begun engineering work for a commercial plant. We now want to move forward to develop the next feedstock(s) for use in the Bio-TCat process. We look forward to working with other feedstock growers as partners to assess and commercialize abundant feedstocks for conversion to valuable chemicals and fuels.

—David Sudolsky, Anellotech’s President & CEO

MinFree also has application in the bioenergy sector. The MinFree process removes high levels of mineral elements from agricultural residues which could cause fouling, erosion and corrosion, enabling the use of residues as economical feedstocks in addition to wood pellets.

Anellotech’s Bio-TCat technology is an efficient thermal catalytic process for converting biomass into BTX aromatics (a mixture of benzene, toluene and xylene) which are chemically identical to petroleum-based counterparts. Bio-TCat technology can also produce renewable AnelloMate fuel blendstocks which can be used to lower the GHG emissions of producing gasoline, jet fuel, diesel, and low-sulphur marine fuels.

The Bio-TCat process is being demonstrated with loblolly pine feedstocks at Anellotech’s TCat-8 pilot plant in Silsbee, Texas which is currently producing aromatics from loblolly pine and generating data to be used for scale-up and commercial plant design by Anellotech and its R&D, engineering and licensing partners IFPEN and Axens.