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A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE COPROCESSING OF FOSSIL FUELS WITH BIOMASS BY THE HYDROCARB PROCESS
Citation:
Steinberg, M., E. Grohse, AND Y. Tung. A FEASIBILITY STUDY FOR THE COPROCESSING OF FOSSIL FUELS WITH BIOMASS BY THE HYDROCARB PROCESS. U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Washington, D.C., EPA/600/7-91/007 (NTIS DE91-011971), 1991.
Impact/Purpose:
information
Description:
The report describes and gives results of an assessment of a new process concept for the production of carbon and methanol from fossil fuels. The Hydrocarb Process consists of the hydrogasification of carbonaceous material to produce methane, which is subsequently thermally decomposed to carbon black and hydrogen, part of which is recycled to the hydrogasifier. With an oxygen-containing feedstock, the carbon monoxide is converted with hydrogen to methanol in an intermediate step. Background process chemistry data are available for each step of the process. A process simulation model has been developed to perform complete mass and energy balances based on approaching thermodynamic equilibrium compositions. Preliminary process design and analysis indicates economic potential. By coprocessing fossil fuels with biomass to produce hydrogen-rich fuels, it is shown that the carbon dioxide emissions can be reduced substantially compared to direct combustion of fossil fuel. Additional experimental data on the kinetics of hydrogasification of wood and methane decomposition are required before a process demonstration unit can be built.