PYROLYTIC CONVERSION OF WASTE BIO-MASS TO JET FUEL

Abstract

Using the fast pyrolysis technique, 29 million-MT/yr of guayule bagasse left from bio-rubber extraction plant is converted to bio-oil. In fast pyrolysis, the guayule is treated at 400-580 C for short time; then, it is quickly cooled to 175 C. Then, the bio-oil enters a series of packed-bed reactors for upgrading. The upgrading process (Hydrodeoxygenation) reduces the oxygen mass fraction in bio-oil from 0.52 to 0.14 under extreme conditions (400 C and 200atm) using Pt/Al2O3 catalyst and hydrogen gas. Finally, the upgraded bio-oil goes to fractionation/distillation to be separated into bio-fuels where the main focus is jet-fuel. As a result, 30 million-gallons/yr of jet fuel are produced. Also, the process is cost effective with total capital investment of 350 million and 96 million production cost while the total revenue per year is 174 million. In addition, the production environmental impact is reduced by 325,000 MT-CO2/year because of the steam reforming process. The gas and liquid side streams of hydrodeoxygenation and fractionation have a small percentage of light hydrocarbons and hydrogen gas where it is inefficient to recover them. Therefore, using steam reforming process, the light hydrocarbons and H2 gas are recovered as 99% pure hydrogen, so the whole plant will yield 542,000 MT-CO2/year.