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Biofuels from Algae
Recently there have been a series of investment announcements by UOP, Dow, Chevron, Shell and Exxon in technologies for the production of biofuels from algae.
The high productivity of algae per land area compared to seasonal harvesting of corn and sugar cane is one the advantages cited by proponents of algae. The run up in raw material costs in feedstocks for first generation biofuels in 2008 coupled with the collapse in oil prices in late 2008 have generated interest in the search for economical non-traditional feedstock sources such as algae.
This report will examine the technologies for the production of biofuels from algae and the technical and economic challenges to the implementation of these technologies.
Bio-Based Anionic Surfactants
Commercial surfactants are complicated mixtures of sulfonated or sulfated organic compounds that are difficult to separate into pure, distinct molecular species. The products are classified according to the charge of the surfactant-active ion. Anionic surfactants have negatively charged ions, cationic surfactant ions are positively charged, and amphoteric surfactants include both positive and negatively charged ions.
Of the three classes of surfactants, anionic surfactants command the lion’s share of the largest commodity market segments for surfactant use including laundry and dishwashing applications. The largest volume laundry product is produced from benzene and normal paraffins used to produce linear alkylbenzene which is then sulfonated to produce linear alkylbenzene sullfonates.
The second and third largest volume anionic surfactant products (alpha olefin sulfonates, alcohol ether sulfates) and alcohol sulfates are all ethylene based surfactants.
Forecast growth rates of anionic surfactant products demand are based primarily on the growth of new end uses and potential surfactant product substitution that is expected to occur in end use applications
The two largest volume natural resource based anionic products of interest on a substitution market basis include:
- Methyl ester sulfonates produced from palm oil that can substitute for linear alkylbenze sulfonates
- Alcohol ether sulfates produced from palm oil that can substitute for ethylene based surfactants
In this report, we will investigate the technology options, economics, and advantages /disadvantages for use of major natural based anionic surfactant based products
Sulfur trioxide in air (SO3/air) has become the most prevalent sulfation/sulfonation technology method for production of anionic surfactants today,
Vaporization of merchant liquid SO3 is another commercially practiced technology alternative However, many commercial plant sites are not near a local source of SO3 and thus a sulfur burner is required to produce it, Two integrated plant designs will be presented including:
- Sulfonation and neutralization of methyl esters
- Ethoxylation, sulfation, and neutralization of detergent range linear primary alcohols.
Co-Production of Fuel Alcohols and Electricity via Petroleum Coke Gasification
Recent advances in gasification technologies and synthesis of mixed alcohols are facilitating the efficient application of gasification to refinery residues. The low cost synthesis gas intermediate produced can be applied to the economic production of hydrogen and mixed alcohols. The continuing trend of electric utility deregulation is also enabling some refiners to participate in the merchant electric power market via integrated gasification combined cycle technologies.
This report will evaluate the concept of producing synthetic mixed alcohols which may be suitable for gasoline blending using petroleum coke gasification as feedstock in a refinery setting. We will present overall economics for co-production of fuel alcohols and electricity at a typical Gulf Coast refinery.
Advances in Natural Gas Conversion Technologies
Known for its versatility and clean burning nature, natural gas can be used as a fuel or a chemical feedstock and in the past the development of new natural gas conversion technologies has suffered from the small price differential between the product and natural gas. Lately the role of natural gas in meeting domestic energy and feedstock materials demand has attracted tremendous interests mostly due to 1) its new found abundance in the U.S. 2) low U.S. natural gas prices relative to crude oil, and 3) its cleaner and more efficient combustion compared to coal or petroleum based liquid fuels.
It is projected that natural gas conversion to petrochemicals and fuels will rise substantially in the next 20 years and advances in development of new sustainable routes for natural gas utilization will be strongly promoted by increasing efforts and expertise comprising all the areas of knowledge involved.
In this report, we will update the state of the art in natural gas conversion technologies, and combine the work into an integrated conceptual design featuring multiple licensed process technologies for producing polypropylene from natural gas and present the integrated production economics as they compare to conventional means of producing polypropylene.
Commercial Scale Cogeneration
For the past 30 years, onsite cogeneration has largely been limited to very large electrical users like oil refineries and integrated chemical complexes that also consume large amounts of process steam. However, as the cost of purchased electricity increases and society’s demands for greenhouse gas abatement work their way into higher prices for fossil fuels, chemical plants with more modest energy requirements (> 3 MW, > 50,000 lb/hr process steam) may also discover onsite cogeneration to be economically desirable.
We present in this report the latest generation of modest scale, commercially available gas turbine and diesel electric generators (>3 MW), and the ancillary facilities to recover heat from their exhaust streams in the form of process steam. We then present representative process designs and corresponding economics for modest scale, onsite cogeneration facilities.
Solar Photovoltaic Technology
With rising fuel costs, climate change concerns and a growing demand for electricity, renewable energy resources such as solar power are becoming an increasingly valuable part of the world's energy mix. Photovoltaic production has been doubling every two years, increasing by an average of 48 percent each year since 2002, making it the world’s fastest-growing energy technology. At the end of 2008, cumulative global PV installations reached 15,200 megawatts.
We plan to target conventional photovoltaic solar panels from silicon and compare them with second-generation thin-film solar technology which is made from amorphous silicon or non-silicon materials such as cadmium telluride. Thin film solar cells use layers of semiconductor materials only a few micrometers thick. We will pick 50MW power generation capacity and compare the design and economics of making systems based on these technologies.
Coal to Substitute Natural Gas (Stealth Gas)
Natural gas is the most convenient and cleanest consumer fuel for the following purposes: heating, power generation, and automotive uses. Interest is growing in the potential use of coal to produce substitute natural gas.
In this report we will evaluate the economics of using two different types of coal feedstock in the process of steam-oxygen coal gasification for the production of substitute natural gas. One process will utilize lignite coal and the other will use Illinois #6 coal feedstock. Both of the processes will utilize the TREMP (Topsoe Recycle Energy-efficient Methanation Process) technology.
Advanced Carbon Capture II
Developments in carbon capture and sequestration have advanced rapidly in the past three years. At SRIC we have examined: IGCC, oxycombustion, and post combustion capture using Fluor Economine, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries KS-1 solvent, and the Alstom Chilled Ammonia process.
In this report we propose to examine several new technologies. Powerspan uses an ammonia-based scrubbing system to remove CO2 from flue gases. They also have an ammonia-based system for removing SO2 thereby raising the possibility of removing two for the price of one. The US DOE has announced it will grant Powerspan $100 million to support construction of a large scale demonstration unit.
There are several promising non-scrubbing technologies of merit. We will look at adsorbents in the context of PSA, VSA, and TSA. We will also examine membrane-based systems for CO2 removal. Adsorption and membranes will be reviewed in the light of application to both post-combustion capture and IGCC.
Oxo Alcohols
World production and consumption of oxo chemicals was nearly 10.4 million metric tons in 2008. Global capacity utilization increased to 86% in 2008, up from 84% in 2005 and 79% in 2001 due to stronger demand in most regions, increased production and rationalized capacity. Between 2005 and 2008, world capacity for oxo chemicals grew at an average annual rate of 1.8%. Oxo-alcohols in plasticizers range account for more than 80% of the oxo chemicals consumed globally. Asia and Middle East are the hottest markets today with an average annual growth rate in consumption of 4.2 % and 4.8%, respectively.
Technological refinement in catalysts and process conditions for oxo-alcohol processes has made the process economics better.
Our report will present technology design and economic analysis of the major commercial technologies available in the market today for production of oxo-alcohols used for plasticizers and solvents making. The focus of the report will be on Dow-UCC-Davy’s Low-Pressure Oxo Process based on improved rhodium catalyst & process conditions. The LP OxoSM Process is extensively used to produce normal and iso-butyraldehydes from propylene for subsequent conversion to the plasticizer alcohol, 2-ethylhexanol, or to butanols for solvent uses. Two variants of this technology will be analyzed: one that is based on propylene and the second which is based on normal butene, producing 2-propylheptanol. Additionally, the cobalt based iso-nonanol (produced by hydroformylation of octenes) or isodecanol (produced by hydroformylation of nonenes) technologies will also be examined.
Polymer Nanocomposites
Polymer nanocomposites are a new class of high performance materials. Polymer nanocomposites are either thermoset or thermoplastic containing a small quantity (<10%) of nanometer-size particles. The major types of nano-particles that are used with plastics are nanoclays, carbon nanotubes or nano-graphites, and nano-metals or nano-metal oxides. Nanoclays are the most prevalent nanoparticles used. Nanoclays are smectite-type clays. Addition of small amount of the nanoclays to polymer can potentially improve mechanically properties, barrier properties, and flame-retardation. Polymer nanocomposites with carbon nanotubes or nano-graphites can have improved electrical and thermal conductivity. Nanocomposites with nano-metals or nano-metal oxides can show unique optical and electronic, properties. Since our earlier Process Economics Program report was published, the field of Polymer Nanocomposites has exploded. In 2001, there were about 109 US and European granted patents with the keyword nanocomposite. In 2008, there were over 400 US and European granted patents.
This study updates our early 2001 report on Polymer Nanocomposites. The report will include an overview of the recent technological development in nanocomposites including the status and future direction of polymer nanocomposites.
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