Integrated Feedstock Supply Systems for Corn Stover Biomass

http://www.biorenew.iastate.edu/research/cross-cutting/integrated-feedstocks.html

Pellet fuel plants

Wood pellet fuel plants are usually designed in 3 to 3.5-ton per hour increments, depending on whether soft, or hardwood raw materials are used. We can design your raw material receiving and in-feed systems as well,  packaging systems and other components, briefly described in photos below; click on photos for related websites.

Bulk Pellet transportation and Boiler

SolaGen Incorporated introduces the new HDF-LI Stoker.

This unit is ideal for shelled corn and biomass pellets under commercial and light industrial applications. Its performance is unsurpassed in its ability to handle high ash content fuels with low ash fusion temperatures. The product line starts with the HDF-LI-0.5 that has a maximum input rating of up to 500,000 Btu/Hr. The stoker can be assembled as a complete system with Bulk Fuel Infeed, Firebox, PLC Controls, Hot Water or Steam Boiler, or Process Heat Exchanger.

Pellets can be stored in standard silos, hauled
in standard rail cars, and quickly delivered in truck
containers. They are made to be safe, reliable and
highly transportable.

Bulk pellet fuel

Bulk pellet fuel distribution, once proved through field prototype testing, can easily be
duplicated by the 60 pellet fuel manufacturers across North America. As there are cost
savings for both the manufacturer and the consumer with bulk pellet fuel distribution, given
an adequate market within a reasonable proximity to the manufacturer, such systems should
spring up naturally. A financial model can be developed which will analyze the economics
of a bulk delivery system, such as how many customers and what volume will make a system
viable in a particular service area.
Fossil fuel suppliers, such as heating oil or propane dealers, may wish to diversify their fuel
offerings by getting into the business of distributing biomass fuel pellets. Agricultural
product distributors are another sector which may wish to enter this business once the
technological impediments to bulk pellet fuel delivery have been eliminated.

Agricultural residues

Agricultural residues such as corn stover, soybean stubble and straw represent a huge,

available and sustainable source of fuel. Their composition is about 70% cellulose and

hemicellulose and 15-20% lignin. Cellulose and hemicellulose can be converted to

ethanol and lignin burned as a boiler fuel for steam/electricity generation. Developing

ways to quickly collect, handle and store biomass economically is required for biomass to

ethanol commercialization, along with improved process technology.

The theoretical amount of ethanol per dry MKg of Ag residue is 500 liters (130

gallons/ton). Mature conversion technology yield is estimated to be near 80%, 415 liters,

108 gallons/ton (Lynd, 1996). For initial processes, an overall 60% yield is generally

used, resulting in 300 liters (80 gallons/ton). The energy content in the lignin can offset

the ethanol processing energy requirements. Corn stover collection

Why move away from Natural Gas

As the world moves forward to manufacture ethanol for its energy needs, or to make its soil yield a greater harvest, the role of natural gas could increase dramatically. Subsequently, the floor for natural gas prices could begin escalating as has been found with many other commodities.

China plans to annually increase grain productive capacity by 0.65 percent within five years – and hopes to decrease planted grain acreage by 0.18 percent. The state planning commissions will be forced to improve yields. Hence, we expect an increased reliance upon nitrogen fertilizers to realistically achieve the country’s target.

But China is faced with a significant problem while maintaining an annualized 7.5-percent GDP growth rate during this time. How will China obtain sufficient natural gas to reach this target?

Earlier this month, a senior adviser to the National Development and Reform Committee [NDRC] announced, “We are seeing difficulties importing gas.” China has been stymied in meeting its annual LNG import target of 20 million tons by 2015. The country has been attempting to reduce its dependence on imported oil by increasing use of natural gas.

Fertilizer prices have more than doubled over the past 15 years, and there is no respite in the near-term. A recent Energy Information Administration outlook forecasts benchmark natural gas prices rising by 9.2 percent in 2007 and increasing another 3.7 percent in 2008. World demand for fertilizers grew by 13 percent between 2001 and 2005, according to The Fertilizer Institute. After China and India, the U.S. is the world’s third largest nitrogen producer.

Some 90 percent of the cost of manufacturing nitrogen fertilizer depends upon the price of natural gas. The more fertilizer produced, the more natural gas is utilized and the higher both eventually cost. And according to widely followed natural gas commentator Phil Flynn of Chicago-based Alaron Trading, “Ethanol plants are going to require natural gas consumption to produce electricity.”

We asked Flynn if the ethanol mania would have any impact on natural gas prices. “Absolutely,” he responded, citing that increased corn planting would require natural gas for the nitrogen-based fertilizers and to power the 130 or more ethanol plants on the books. Flynn pointed out natural gas prices would benefit from the ‘front and back end’ of the ethanol boom.