Assessment of Conversion Technologies for Bioalcohol Fuel ...

Development Status–The completed development steps or the plans and schedule
for further research and development of Envirolene have not been announced by
Standard Alcohol Company or New Energies LLC.
Future Development Plans–Standard Alcohol Company indicates that its work with
higher mixed alcohol synthesis remains private. They indicate that, at some point,
they may choose to release information or otherwise participate in specific forums of
public disclosure. The firm has declined interviews with government agencies and
does not lecture at biofuels conferences concerning their patented and patent-pending
gas to liquids technology or formula developments. They have privately formed a
licensing authority and continue to pursue licensing their patents to publicly traded
firms, electric utilities, Indian tribes or foreign governments.
SVG GmbH, Spreetal, Germany
Organizational Background–The Sustec Schwarze Pumpe GmbH (SVZ GmbH)
company is a located in Spreetal, Germany. In 2005 SVZ GmbH became a part of the
Sustec Group, Switzerland. According to the company web site the Schwarze Pumpe
site will be developed into a center for industrial application and demonstration of
innovative coal and waste gasification technologies. The company’s original
development of coal gasification technology has expanded to include conversion of
various biomass waste materials to methanol.
Technology Characteristics–The Company has experimented with three
gasification processes since the original plant was built in 1982. The first system is a
solid bed gasification process used for coal and solid waste. This first plant was
designed to use low-grade coal. The gasifier operates at a pressure of 25 bars and a
temperature of 800 to 1300°C. The company indicates that under pressure, the
system uses steam and oxygen as gasification agents. The waste enters the gasifier
through an airlock system. The gasifier produces syngas and ash in the form of slag.
The syngas then goes through a gas clean-up step before it can be used for electricity
or fuels production.
In order to remain operational, the company modified the gasification technology to
handle liquid wastes. The second gasifier developed by SVZ GmbH was the
Endrainet flow gasification system. The contaminated oils, tars and slurries are driven
by steam over a burner system in the reactor that operates at 1600 to 1800°C. The
system produces a syngas and all organic pollutants are captured in the slag.
The third gasification system developed by SVZ GmbH was the British Gas-Lurgi
(BGL) gasifier developed by British gas and Lurgi. The system is designed to operate
on a feedstock of mixed waste with coal. The feedstock enters the system via an
airlock system. The gasifier operates at a temperature of 1600°C and 25 bars.
Similarly to the other gasifiers, the BGL system utilizes steam and oxygen as the
gasification agents. The main products of the gasifier are syngas and a liquid slag.
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