System aspects of biomass gasification with methanol synthesis - Process concepts and energy analysis
Journal article, 2012

A systematic analysis of interrelations between different process steps in the biomass gasification and methanol synthesis chain was made. The energy performance of the system is assessed by reviewing previous studies and analysing a case study. Implications of technology choices and process integration opportunities are in focus. The case study analyses the impact on the energy balance of process-integrated drying compared to import of dried biomass, effects on electricity production due to heat pump integration or district heating (DH) delivery, effect on methanol yield of hydrogen addition and the impacts of adding an methanol-to-olefins (MTO) process. The biomass drying has significant impact on the overall energy balance, the cooling demand increases by 60% for the case study installation when process-integrated drying is not applied for drying the biomass. There is a trade-off between methanol yield, electricity and DH production potential of the system. Heat pumping can increase the electricity yield of the system. Hydrogen addition replacing the water gas shift can increase the methanol yield, in our case study by ∼35%, but in a stand-alone case the electricity demand makes such a system unrealistic. Adding an MTO unit to the system has limited impact on the energy balance.

Process integration

Energy balance

Biomass gasification

Methanol synthesis

Author

Kristina Holmgren

Industrial Energy Systems and Technologies

Thore Berntsson

Industrial Energy Systems and Technologies

Eva Ingeborg Elisabeth Andersson

CIT Industriell Energi AB

Tomas Rydberg

IVL Swedish Environmental Research Institute

Energy

0360-5442 (ISSN)

Vol. 45 1 817-828

Driving Forces

Sustainable development

Areas of Advance

Energy

Subject Categories

Other Chemical Engineering

DOI

10.1016/j.energy.2012.07.009

More information

Latest update

9/6/2018 1