Converting Waste Agricultural Biomass into a Resource - UNEP

Carbo-V ® Process 85
Germany, Commercial
Crop
Residue
Process
Equipment
Main Product
Solid biomass and other feed materials
Biomass waste
Carbo-V ® Process, using multi-stage gasification
process
Multi-stage gasifier
Syngas
Biomass
Biomass is an infinite resource. Throughout history people have used it as
food or fodder or as a fuel to generate heat. High-energy biomass containing
carbon is made from CO 2 , water and small amounts of plant nutrients with
sunlight acting as the driving force.
Technology
The globally patented Carbo-V ® Process lies at the heart of CHOREN
technology. Using this multi-stage gasification process, it is possible to
convert solid biomass and other feed materials containing carbon into
combustion or synthesis gas.
Energy
The gas that is produced is either directly converted into electricity and heat in
gas engines or is re-synthesized using what is known as Fischer-Tropsch
synthesis – a catalytic process for liquefying gas – to form a synthetic biofuel
known as SunDiesel.
Technology
The Carbo-V ® Process is a three-stage gasification process involving the
following sub-processes:
low temperature gasification,
high temperature gasification and
endothermic entrained bed gasification.
During the first stage of the process, the biomass (with a water content of 15 –
20 %) is continually carbonized through partial oxidation (low temperature
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