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Plastic from biomass
FOCUS pyrolysis technology, which has been licensed to New York-based Anellotech Inc, is designed to convert nonfood lignocellulosic biomass such as wood, agricultural residues, and energy crops into various biobased compounds comparable to their petrochemical counterparts. The firm is refining the process for launching in the petrochemical sector. Original Source: Biorefining Magazine, May/Jun 2012 (Website: http://biorefiningmagazine.com) © BBI International 2012
Polishing perspectives: new biodiesel production technologies are likely to require different fuel polishing procedures
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Plastic from biomass Researchers at the Catalysis Centre for Energy Innovation (CCEI) of Delaware University have developed a process for turning biomass into p-xylene. The process involves a zeolite-based catalyst for turning biomasss glucose into p-xylene in a 3-stage process in a high temperature reactor. The process is economical giving yields of 75% but can be further improved. Original Source: macplas e-news, 23 May 2012, (105) (Website: http://www.macplas.it/) © Promaplast srl 2012
NREL catalyst brings drop-in fuels closer
Biodiesel produced via new technologies such as enzymatic processing are likely to require unique polishing methods. There are several companies working on enzymatic processing. Biodiesel Experts International LLC is working with Israeli enzyme company TransBiodiesel Ltd to produce its enzyme products at commercial-scale levels. The process of reducing free fatty acid requires running feedstock blended with about 12-13% methanol by weight through columns that are filled with enzymes. Novozymes is also developing enzymes for biodiesel production. The enzymes produced by Novozymes were used by North Carolina-based Piedmont Biofuels LLC to develop its FAeSTER (fatty acid esterification) enzymatic biodiesel process. The patent-pending, continuous esterification process involves the use of either immobilized or liquid enzymes to manufacture biodiesel. Filtration, one of the most common polishing procedures used at conventional biodiesel plants, is used to eliminate sterol glucosides and other impurities that can be easily filtered out. However, filtration may not necessarily be suitable for a plant that aims to meet the new ASTM D6751 standard for No 1B fuel since it would have to attain very low levels of monoglycerides. In the end, the type of polishing method that is needed for a particular plant will depend on the plant’s design and which fuel standard it is aiming to meet.
The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed a fluidizable tar reforming catalyst that can be used in the production of dropin fuels through thermochemical processes like gasification and pyrolysis. The catalyst is produced by combining a nickel, magnesium, and potassium salt solution with a support structure made by CoorsTek. NREL sought the help of CoorsTek to further refine the catalyst support so the catalyst would work in the fluidized bed of a gasification reactor. Rentech Inc, a developer of synthetic fuel technologies, has licensed NREL’s catalyst, which eliminates tars to prepare the thermochemically derived biomass syngas for fuel synthesis.
Original Source: Biodiesel Magazine, May/Jun 2012 (Website: http://www.biodieselmagazine.com) © BBI International 2012
Original Source: Plastics Today News, 7 May 2012 (Website: http://www.plasticstoday.com/) © UBM Canon 2012
JULY 2012
Original Source: Renewable Energy News, 25 Apr 2012 (Website: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/) © RenewableEnergyWorld 2012
University researchers develop plastics from biomass A new method of producing plastic bottles from biomass is claimed to have been developed by a team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Delaware. The process involves the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass such as grasses or trees into sugars to produce p-xylene. The resulting p-xylene can be directly incorporated into existing PET processes for manufacturing plastic products.
PATENTS Synthesis of liquid fuels from oxygenates This essentially describes aqueous phase reforming which makes hydrocarbons from sugars in aqueous systems. The process originated in the University of Wisconsin. A blockbuster patent with 92 pages, 56 examples, 152 patent references, and 37 literature references. Many different catalyst compositions are exemplified. US Patent 8,017,818, Virent Energy Systems Inc, Madison, WI, USA, 13 Sep 2011
Bioethanol made without cooking The final version of the BPX enzymic process for converting starch to ethanol without cooking. The highprotein by-product can be used as an animal feed. Developed by the Broin Companies in Iowa, now Poet Research Inc, from 2000. US Patent Application 2011 0111085, Poet Research Inc, Sioux Falls, SD, USA, 12 May 2011
Production of biobutanol Describes the Butamax process for making isobutanol, for use as a diesel fuel, from sugars. The process depends on a novel yeast which has been genetically engineered to maximise the production of butanols. A related patent (US 8,188,250, 29 May) describes the actual enzyme responsible. US Patent 8,178,328, Butamax Advanced Fuels LLC, Wilmington, DE, USA, 15 May 2012
GM algae for making fuel oils Some species of the alga Prototheca (Chlorella) are very efficient in making fuel oils from carbohydrates. This patent describes the genetic modification of such an alga to enhance this, and the fermentation process in which it is used. US Patent 8,187,860, Solazyme Inc, South San Fransico, CA, USA, 29 May 2012
Enzyme speeds CO2 absorption Preferred CO2-absorbing liquids are alkanolamines, but other amines and
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Polishing perspectives: new biodiesel production technologies are likely to require different fuel polishing procedures
ON
C ATA LY S T S
Plastic from biomass Researchers at the Catalysis Centre for Energy Innovation (CCEI) of Delaware University have developed a process for turning biomass into p-xylene. The process involves a zeolite-based catalyst for turning biomasss glucose into p-xylene in a 3-stage process in a high temperature reactor. The process is economical giving yields of 75% but can be further improved. Original Source: macplas e-news, 23 May 2012, (105) (Website: http://www.macplas.it/) © Promaplast srl 2012
NREL catalyst brings drop-in fuels closer
Biodiesel produced via new technologies such as enzymatic processing are likely to require unique polishing methods. There are several companies working on enzymatic processing. Biodiesel Experts International LLC is working with Israeli enzyme company TransBiodiesel Ltd to produce its enzyme products at commercial-scale levels. The process of reducing free fatty acid requires running feedstock blended with about 12-13% methanol by weight through columns that are filled with enzymes. Novozymes is also developing enzymes for biodiesel production. The enzymes produced by Novozymes were used by North Carolina-based Piedmont Biofuels LLC to develop its FAeSTER (fatty acid esterification) enzymatic biodiesel process. The patent-pending, continuous esterification process involves the use of either immobilized or liquid enzymes to manufacture biodiesel. Filtration, one of the most common polishing procedures used at conventional biodiesel plants, is used to eliminate sterol glucosides and other impurities that can be easily filtered out. However, filtration may not necessarily be suitable for a plant that aims to meet the new ASTM D6751 standard for No 1B fuel since it would have to attain very low levels of monoglycerides. In the end, the type of polishing method that is needed for a particular plant will depend on the plant’s design and which fuel standard it is aiming to meet.
The US Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has developed a fluidizable tar reforming catalyst that can be used in the production of dropin fuels through thermochemical processes like gasification and pyrolysis. The catalyst is produced by combining a nickel, magnesium, and potassium salt solution with a support structure made by CoorsTek. NREL sought the help of CoorsTek to further refine the catalyst support so the catalyst would work in the fluidized bed of a gasification reactor. Rentech Inc, a developer of synthetic fuel technologies, has licensed NREL’s catalyst, which eliminates tars to prepare the thermochemically derived biomass syngas for fuel synthesis.
Original Source: Biodiesel Magazine, May/Jun 2012 (Website: http://www.biodieselmagazine.com) © BBI International 2012
Original Source: Plastics Today News, 7 May 2012 (Website: http://www.plasticstoday.com/) © UBM Canon 2012
JULY 2012
Original Source: Renewable Energy News, 25 Apr 2012 (Website: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/) © RenewableEnergyWorld 2012
University researchers develop plastics from biomass A new method of producing plastic bottles from biomass is claimed to have been developed by a team of researchers from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and the University of Delaware. The process involves the conversion of lignocellulosic biomass such as grasses or trees into sugars to produce p-xylene. The resulting p-xylene can be directly incorporated into existing PET processes for manufacturing plastic products.
PATENTS Synthesis of liquid fuels from oxygenates This essentially describes aqueous phase reforming which makes hydrocarbons from sugars in aqueous systems. The process originated in the University of Wisconsin. A blockbuster patent with 92 pages, 56 examples, 152 patent references, and 37 literature references. Many different catalyst compositions are exemplified. US Patent 8,017,818, Virent Energy Systems Inc, Madison, WI, USA, 13 Sep 2011
Bioethanol made without cooking The final version of the BPX enzymic process for converting starch to ethanol without cooking. The highprotein by-product can be used as an animal feed. Developed by the Broin Companies in Iowa, now Poet Research Inc, from 2000. US Patent Application 2011 0111085, Poet Research Inc, Sioux Falls, SD, USA, 12 May 2011
Production of biobutanol Describes the Butamax process for making isobutanol, for use as a diesel fuel, from sugars. The process depends on a novel yeast which has been genetically engineered to maximise the production of butanols. A related patent (US 8,188,250, 29 May) describes the actual enzyme responsible. US Patent 8,178,328, Butamax Advanced Fuels LLC, Wilmington, DE, USA, 15 May 2012
GM algae for making fuel oils Some species of the alga Prototheca (Chlorella) are very efficient in making fuel oils from carbohydrates. This patent describes the genetic modification of such an alga to enhance this, and the fermentation process in which it is used. US Patent 8,187,860, Solazyme Inc, South San Fransico, CA, USA, 29 May 2012
Enzyme speeds CO2 absorption Preferred CO2-absorbing liquids are alkanolamines, but other amines and
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