AEC Mahajan_11-8-9-2010SECURED

Devinder MahajanAEC 2010 New York Hilton New York November 8-9, 2010 Atom Economical Biofuel Production from Biomass Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers * dmahajan@notes.

Devinder Mahajan

AEC 2010

New York Hilton

New York November 8-9, 2010

Atom Economical Biofuel Production

from Biomass

Industry/University Cooperative Research Centers

* dmahajan@notes.cc.sunysb.edu

BNL Stony Brook U.

Our Location

JFK Airport

Acknow ledgments

• National Science Foundation (NSF)

• U.S Department of Energy (US DOE)

• BNL: Program Development

• U.S Department of Agriculture (USDA)

• SBU: Office of Vice President for

Research

• Industry

The Group ( BNL/ SBU)

• Schlumberger Doll Research

• Farmingdale State College

• NC A&T

Biomass Feedstock

“Billion ton” study (USDA/DOE)

• Agriculture: Corn stover, wheat straw, soybean residue, manure,

switchgrass, other energy crops.

• Forest: Forest thinnings, fuelwoods, logging residues, wood processing

and paper mill residues, urban wood wastes.

Biomass: Structural Units

Cellulose: Polymer and cross-linkages among glucose units

Hemicellulose: 5, 6 carbon sugars, sugar acids, acetyl esters- more complicated than cellulose

Lignin: Phenolic polymers- impart strength to plants

Typical composition

Carbohydrates/Sugars: 75%

Lignin: 25%

Source: US DOE

“Biorefinery” Concept

Biomass to Biofuels: Possible Routes

gy

Solid Biomass

(Wood, straw)

Sugar, Starch plants

(sugar beet, cereals)

Fermentation Extraction &

Chemicals

Source: Chemical Engineering, October 2006

Commercial Biofuels- Statistics

• 2010 Jobs Bill: $1/ gallon credit!!!

* Renewable Fuels Standard (RFS)

Biofuels Production: Challenges

• By 2025, 1.25 billion people will go hungry

• ¼ US Production of grain (2009) = Feeding 330 million people

Center for Bioenergy R&D

Partner Universities

• South Dakota School of Mines & Technology

• North Carolina State University

• U of Hawaii

• Stony Brook University

• Kansas State University

I ndustry Members: 25+

Thrust Areas in BioEnergy

BI OGAS SYN GAS BI O- OI L

t o FUELS

 Pipeline qualit y gas fr om biogas

 Transpor t at ion fuels- MeOH, DME,

Renewable diesel

Economical Biomass Processing

50 miles

• Biomass collection

• Process biomass on-site to bio-oil

• Transport bio-oil to a nearby facility

• Produce transportation fuels

USDA Model

Task 1 Bio-oil Samples

USDA Pyrolysis Pilot unit Two samples:

– Corn stover

– Soybean straw

Task 2: Bio-oil Characterization

Physical Property Corn Bio-oil Soy Bio-oil

Batch Unit

Combine new Process Engineering and Process

Chemistry concepts.

Process Chemistry

Liquid Phase Low Temperature (LPLT) concept

- Single-site or Nano catalysis

• Use non- food feedstocks

Future Effort in Biofuels Production

Research Facility

• New York State funded $45 million at SBU.

- Build the Advanced Energy Research & Technology Center (AERTC)

• NSF C-BERD will be housed in this building.

Characterization Facilities

• Center for Functional Nanomaterials (CFN)

- A U.S Department of Energy (US DOE) $85 million facility at BNL

Future: Facilities

Applic a t ion: Long I sla nd's Sm a rt Ene rgy Corridor

Summary

 Bio-oil sample supply is obtained

 Physical properties of bio-oils have been

Key Publications

Guest Editor: D Mahajan

Cle a n Fue ls M e t ha ne H ydra t e s

2007 2005