Biomass-to-Hydrocarbon Integration for Variable Renewable Supply
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Solution Overview
Problem
Current methods for producing synthetic hydrocarbons from biomass and renewable energy face challenges in efficiently managing energy and carbon balance, leading to suboptimal yields and high costs, particularly due to intermittent renewable energy sources and the need for infrastructure changes.
Innovation Solution
An integrated system utilizing mass and energy balance processes, including electrolysis for hydrogen production, biomass gasification, and hydrocarbon synthesis, with a mass and heat integrator to store and recycle energy and mass, enabling advanced process control and automation, and modular operation for variable energy and biomass supply rates.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Object-generated harmful factors
If intermittent renewable energy sources are used for electrolysis and biomass gasification, then sustainability and net CO2 emission reductions are improved, but system stability and process control become difficult due to variable energy supply rates
Solution Approach 1:
The system performs preliminary actions by storing biomass feedstock and electrical power before they are needed for synthesis. Biomass is stored in a biomass storage unit and electrical power is stored in an electrical power storage unit, allowing the system to prepare materials in advance during periods of abundant renewable energy, then use these stored materials when energy availability fluctuates, maintaining process stability while using intermittent renewable sources
Solution Approach 2:
A mass and heat integrator serves as an intermediary component that couples the electrolysis unit, biomass gasification unit, and hydrocarbon synthesis unit. This integrator manages mass and energy flows between the variable renewable energy sources and the synthesis processes, buffering the impact of intermittency and enabling stable operation through coordinated control of multiple units
2Adaptability or versatility
If mass and energy storage and recycling systems are implemented, then system adaptability and yield are improved, but device complexity and infrastructure requirements increase
Solution Approach 1:
The mass and heat integrator performs multiple functions simultaneously: it stores mass (biomass, syngas), stores energy (thermal energy), recycles unreacted materials back to the synthesis unit, and coordinates operation between different process units. This multi-functionality reduces the need for separate dedicated systems for each function, managing complexity while providing comprehensive adaptability to variable energy and biomass supply rates
Solution Approach 2:
The system merges storage and recycling functions into the mass and heat integrator unit. Rather than having separate storage tanks and recycling systems, the integrator combines these functions in a single coordinated system that manages biomass storage, syngas storage, thermal energy storage, and material recycling together, reducing overall system complexity through functional integration
3Productivity
If advanced process control and automation are implemented to manage variable supply rates, then manufacturing precision and productivity are improved, but device complexity and operational difficulty increase
Solution Approach 1:
The control system implements feedback by continuously monitoring the supply rates of electrical power and biomass, then using this information to adjust the operation of the electrolysis unit, biomass gasification unit, and hydrocarbon synthesis unit. The mass and heat integrator receives feedback on system state and adjusts mass and energy flows accordingly, enabling automatic adaptation to variable renewable energy supply without requiring complex manual control
Solution Approach 2:
The system performs self-service through automated control that manages its own operation based on real-time conditions. The control unit automatically adjusts process parameters, coordinates between units, and manages the mass and heat integrator without external intervention. This self-managing capability improves productivity by responding quickly to supply rate changes while keeping operational complexity manageable through automation rather than manual control
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
This approach enhances the yield and economic performance of synthetic hydrocarbon production, reduces CO2 emissions, and provides a drop-in replacement for fossil fuels with minimal infrastructure changes, achieving significant net CO2 emission reductions by utilizing biomass and renewable energy.
Implementation Method 1
an electrolyzer configured to electrolyze water into electrolyzer hydrogen gas (H2) and electrolyzer oxygen gas (O2)
Implementation Method 2
a biomass thermal decomposer configured to convert the prepared biomass to a synthesis gas
Implementation Method 3
a hydrocarbon synthesizer configured to produce synthetic hydrocarbons from the cleaned synthesis gas and the electrolyzer hydrogen gas
Data Source
AI summary
Certain exemplary embodiments can provide a system, machine, device, manufacture, circuit, composition of matter, and/or user interface adapted for and/or resulting from, and/or a method and/or machine-readable medium comprising machine-implementable instructions for, activities that can include and/or relate to, converting biomass to synthetic hydrocarbons using a biomass thermal decomposer and/or a hydrocarbon synthesizer.