Tar Reforming The Topsoe Approach - Bioenergi

Biomass gasification and tar reforming:
the Topsoe approach
Poul E. Højlund Nielsen, R&D Division
HALDOR TOPSØE A/S

Biomass gasification activities
• Tar reforming
– Sponsored by EUDP
• Possible Gasolution project
– Sponsored by Energinet.dk
• Biomass based SNG production
• Biomass based gasoline production
– DOE demonstration

CO 2 abatement
by increased use of biomass and waste
• Reduced consumption of fossil fuel
• Increased demand for flexible power production
• Continued demand for liquid fuels
• Availability of low-quality fuels and conversion of
these

Gasification
Biomass
Natural gas
Coal
Waste
CO
CO 2
H 2
Syngas
Hydrogen
Methanol
DME
Gasoline
SNG
Power
Ammonia

Biomass gasifiers

Tar reforming
• Biomass gasification (except black
liquor) is usually based on fluidised bed
– Carbona, FW, Repotech etc
BIOMASS
GASIFIER
TAR REFORMER
– The outlet temperature is restricted by ash
stickiness
• Tar formation (C 6+ ), ~500 ppm 1 %
• Energy loss, fouling, waste water treatment
etc.
• Tar reforming layouts
– Dusty tar reformer
ASH
• Monoliths operating with dust in the gas
– Clean tar reformer
• Hot gas filtration and pellet type catalyst

Tar reforming
• 1. Increased gas production
• 2. Convert heavy polyaromatic components
to an extent that allows the syngas to cool
for further processing without fouling or
precipitation
• 3. Utilise the high temperature levels from
gasification for increased efficiency

Tar reforming layouts
• Dusty Clean tar tar reformer
–– Chemicals, Combined SNG heat and gasoline power etc. applications
– Higher catalyst load
• Low pressure drop
– Clean syngas
• Course clean up
• Avoiding dust accumulation is the major
challenge
– Can design to preserve or convert
methane

”Dirty” vs. ”clean” tar reforming:
coated monolith vs. catalyst pellets
Monolith, coated w/ catalyst
Catalyst pellet, bulk catalyst
* Low ∆P: can handle dusty environments.
* Low density of active material.
* Higher ∆P: dust sensitive.
* High density of active material.

The “magic” tar reformer
• Removes the tar by hydrogenation
• Equilibrates all catalytic reactions except
2CO = C + CO 2
CH 4 = C + 2 H 2

The “magic” tar reformer
• 2 easy reactions
H 2 O + CO ⇄ H 2 + CO 2
H 2 O + COS ⇄ H 2 S + CO 2
• Always (almost) in equilibrium

The “magic” tar reformer
• 4 difficult reactions
CH 4 + H 2 O ⇄ CO + 3H 2
C n H 2n + H 2 → nCH 4
Tar + H 2 → mCH 4
2NH 3 ⇄ N 2 + 3H 2
• Requires catalytic activity and heat for CH 4 conversion in
presence of dust/ash !!

Conversion (%)
Current activities
• Monoliths for Skive Fjernvarme CHP, 20 MW
– 3rd delivery, 3-4m 3 /load
• Clean reformer piloting at GTI, ~4 MW
• Laboratory tests on model gas
Methane Naphthalene Toluene Tar (C6+) --> C1
100
90
80
70
60
50
40
30
20
10
0
0 20 40 60 80 100
Time (hrs)
Gas Composition (balance He):
CH 4 (%) = 5.9
CO (%) = 15.6
CO 2 (%) = 22.3
H 2 (%) = 24.9
H 2 O (%) = 28.0
NH 3 (%) = 0.25
H 2 S (ppm) = 50
Toluene (ppm) = 1430
Naphtalene (ppm) = 350

Technical status
• Dirty reformer (dust containing gas)
– GTI pilot test: High conversion of tars and
ammonia (1200 Nm 3 /h pilot, 72 monoliths
– Skive Fjernvarme (600 monoliths)
• Stable operation and no signs of tar or
ammonia slip at high load.

Clean tar reforming
• Hot gas filtration followed by pellet bed
tar reforming
– Increased robustness and operability
BIOMASS
GASIFIER
HOT GAS FILTER
– Can meet SNG, BTL requirements
• Commercial projects, cooperation with
Carbona
CLEAN
TAR REFORMER
– EON Bi2G, prefeed. (300 MW) SNG
• Convert tars, conserve methane
ASH
– UPM Kymmene, prefeed (300 MW), BTL
• Convert tars and methane
• Chicago piloting, 5 MW
– Test financed by EON and UPM
– Proof of concept & design basis

Clean tar reforming
• Gas Technology Institute, USA, ~4 MW.
– One week GTI run #10 finished in October, testing three newly
developed catalysts. Demonstrating high tar conversion and both
high and low (Bio2G) methane conversion.
– TIGAS, biomass to gasoline, 3 x ~30 day runs starting in the
autumn of 2012.

Bio SNG
• GOBIGAS
– EON, 20 MW small commercial unit, under
construction, Gothenburg, Sweden
• EON, Bio2G 300 MW, Prefeed, Sweden
• Learned
– Simplified SNG layout for biomass
gasification feed gas
– Tar reforming economy
• Opex: ~Cost neutral
– Increased gas production
• Competitive compared to washes (bio
diesel, olga etc)

GASIFIER
TAR REFORMER
Wood to Gasoline Demonstration Project
Green Gasoline From Wood Using Carbona Gasification and Topsoe TIGAS Processes
BIOMASS
BIOMASS
GASIFIER
TAR REFORMER
2 atm (Air)
Gas MeOH/DME
/ Gasoline
Cleaning
Synthesis
Synthesis
http://www.energy.gov/news2009/releases.htm
ASH
OXYGEN
23 bbl/d

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