Biomass Pretreatment Using Factory Effluents for Bio-oil Quality

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Solution Overview

Problem

Current biomass pretreatment methods for bio-oil production are inefficient in removing inorganic impurities, leading to low-quality bio-oil with reduced calorific value and increased corrosion risks, and are often economically unviable due to high chemical input demands or equipment investment requirements.

Innovation Solution

An integrated process that utilizes effluents from existing factory units as solvents for leaching biomass to remove metals and impurities, reducing alkali and alkaline earth metal concentrations, thereby enhancing bio-oil quality and yield, and integrates this pretreatment with bio-oil production facilities to minimize energy and financial costs.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Manufacturing precision

If conventional pretreatment methods using acids and bases are used to remove inorganic impurities, then the removal efficiency of metals is improved, but the chemical input costs and economic viability deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveremoval efficiency of inorganic impuritiesVSAvoideconomic viability

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSEase of manufacture

Solution Approach 1:

The process uses effluents from existing factory units (self-generated waste streams) as leaching agents for biomass pretreatment, eliminating the need for external chemical purchases. The effluents are reused productively, turning a waste disposal cost into a value-added process input, thereby improving economic viability while maintaining impurity removal efficiency

Inventive Principle:

Principle #25Self-service

Solution Approach 2:

Instead of discarding effluents from existing factory units, the process recovers their potential by using them as leaching agents. This transforms waste streams into useful chemicals for biomass pretreatment, reducing both chemical input costs and waste treatment costs simultaneously

Inventive Principle:

Principle #34Discarding and recovering

2Manufacturing precision

If mechanical fractionation equipment is used to remove inorganic impurities, then the pretreatment capability is improved, but the equipment investment costs deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improveremoval efficiency of mineral impuritiesVSAvoidequipment investment

Core Design Contradiction:

Manufacturing precisionVSDevice complexity

Solution Approach 1:

The process replaces mechanical fractionation equipment with a chemical leaching system using effluents. Instead of investing in complex mechanical classifiers and fractionators, the process uses readily available effluents to chemically extract inorganic impurities, significantly reducing equipment investment while achieving effective impurity removal

Inventive Principle:

Principle #28Mechanics substitution (Replace mechanical system)

3Quantity of substance

If alkali metals and alkaline earth metals are present in biomass feedstock, then the biomass availability is improved, but the bio-oil quality and yield deteriorate

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebiomass availabilityVSAvoidbio-oil quality

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSManufacturing precision

Solution Approach 1:

The process performs preliminary leaching of biomass with effluents before pyrolysis to remove alkali and alkaline earth metals. This preliminary action prevents these metals from interfering with the subsequent pyrolysis process, ensuring high bio-oil quality and yield while allowing the use of biomass with naturally occurring metal content

Inventive Principle:

Principle #10Preliminary action

4Quantity of substance

If water content in bio-oil is high, then the bio-oil production volume is improved, but the calorific value deteriorates

Engineering Contradiction:

Improvebio-oil production volumeVSAvoidcalorific value

Core Design Contradiction:

Quantity of substanceVSUse of energy by moving object

Solution Approach 1:

The process extracts and removes water and inorganic impurities from biomass through effluent leaching before pyrolysis. This preliminary extraction prevents water from diluting the bio-oil, thereby maintaining high calorific value while still achieving productive bio-oil yields

Inventive Principle:

Principle #2Taking out (Extraction)

Applied Scientific Principles

This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.

Function Achieved in This Case

The process effectively reduces inorganic impurities in biomass, resulting in higher-quality bio-oil with increased yield and reduced water content, suitable for various industrial applications, while being economically viable and environmentally friendly by utilizing waste effluents as solvents.

Implementation Method 1

utilizes effluents from existing factory units as solvents for leaching biomass to remove metals and impurities

Methodology Applied

Scientific EffectLeaching: Solvation

Data Source

PatentUS11827860B2Integrated process for the pre-treatment of biomass and production of bio-oil

Publication Date: 2023.11.28 ENSYN RENEWABLES INC

AI summary

The present invention aims to provide an integrated process for the pre-treatment of biomass and its use as a feedstock in a process for the production of biochemicals and biofuels, said integrated process preferably allowing the obtaining of quality bio-oil from a biomass such as wood, forest residues, and residues from the sugar-alcohol and energy cane industry.