Gas and Liquid Fuel Production from Non-edible/Unutilized Biomass by Catalytic Conversion

Abstract

Conversion of abundantly available, renewable and non-edible lignocellulosic biomass into usable energy, fuels and chemicals is important. However, lignocellulosic biomass has complex hierarchical structure and chemical resistance, so the conversion of non-edible lignocellulosic biomass is not easy. Therefore, many types of biomass conversion technologies were investigated both on the laboratory scale and bench scale. Development of the novel catalyst and reactor for woody biomass conversion at relatively low temperature, and the development of novel catalytic conversion of glycerol to propanediols were carried out on the laboratory scale. In addition, the bench-scale BTL (biomass to liquid fuel) plant for biomass conversion and liquid fuel production was developed and demonstrated. Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis diesel oil and dimethyl ether (DME) were produced from woody biomass by this bench-scale plant operation. Finally, continuous synthesis of DME over 600 h and recovery of approximately 1.1 kg of liquefied bio-DME were achieved. This bio-DME was used in the DME vehicle running test performed by the DME Vehicle Promotion Committee (DMEVPC).