Pillar Lead: Peter Gogolek

Pillar A3

Specific Objectives

• To establish reliable quantification of the supply of biomass in Canada, with database of properties, and models for different collection/transformation/distribution scenarios
• To establish the gasification technologies suitable to feed DRI and the range of syngas composition produced from likely feedstocks
• To establish rigorous descriptions of the effect of process parameters and feedstock properties on the properties of biocarbon produced by slow pyrolysis, and relate these properties to behaviour in industrial equipment
• To establish the properties of bio-oils from fast pyrolysis and the means to use these products in the iron and steel industry
• To establish international standards for pyrogenic biocarbon, mitigating risk for adoption by industry and assisting the development of the supply-side
• To establish the characteristics of economically

Projects Overview

High-Impact Biomass Feedstocks Supply

• Identify feedstocks with high volumes and concentrations
• Survey and reconcile public domain estimates of residues
• Rank according to three categories – woody, agricultural and municipal
• Database of properties
• Evaluation of hub-and-spoke compared to linear conversion supply models

Gasification

• Survey of technologies and syngas compositions suitable for DRI
  • Biosyngas combined with renewable hydrogen to optimize thermal performance
• Identification of mid-scale gasification technologies to displace natural gas as a fuel
  • Updraft and downdraft gasifiers produce fuel gas at 1 – 20 MWth scale
  • Applications in smaller facilities like reheat furnaces
• Production of renewable hydrogen
  • Biosyngas processing to maximize hydrogen production
  • Possibility of CO2 capture for negative carbon emissions
• Electricity generation from product gas
  • Scenario development for electricity generation in engines and turbines using product gas (air-blown) or syngas, or residual gas from hydrogen production

Slow Pyrolysis

• Rotary drum/screw reactor
  • Effect of temperature, residence time of biocarbon properties
  • Effect of feedstock properties on biocarbon properties
  • Possibility of interactions for combinations of feedstocks
• Upgrading vapour by-products
  • Characterize yield and composition of vapour products
    • Variability with feedstock and processing conditions
  • Condense and separate liquids
    • Chemical and physical properties (fuel suitability)
    • Chemical upgrading to liquid transportation fuel
    • Uses as bioproduct – binder, additive
  • Autothermal reforming to high-quality fuel gas
    • Processing conditions
    • Reactor design
    • Use reforming to minimize variability of fuel gas

Fast Pyrolysis

• Processing High-Impact Feedstocks
  • Effect of temperature, residence time of bio-oil properties
  • Effect of feedstock properties on bio-oil properties
• Uses of bio-oil
  • Nozzle design for bio-oil burners for standard combustion applications
  • Combustion behaviour in non-standard conditions (i.e., PCI injection) and design solutions
  • Applications as binder for biocarbon applications
  • Slurry production and properties as gasification feedstock to maximize energy content

Biocarbon Standards

• Participate in ISO TC238 to adopt and develop standards for pyrogenic biocarbon
  • Identify the existing international standards that suit pyrogenic biocarbon
  • Identify gaps in the suite of existing standards and work to develop suitable standards
  • Identify standards most applicable to iron and steel production uses
  • Direct a Canadian mirror committee to ensure the national perspectives for both producers and users are represented internationally
  • Lead, where necessary, the international efforts at development of particular standards

Hydrogen Network

• Modeling, TEA, and LCA of Blue-H2 Production, Purification, and Transportation
  • Determine the lowest cost and lowest environmental impact pathways for blue-H2 production, purification, and transportation
  • Scenario-based supply