Apr 19 2006
The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST) has succeeded in the continuous synthesis at the laboratory scale of diesel fuel from woody biomass through gasification, purification using activated carbon, and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
This new process removes the need for a cooling process, heat recovery, and compression of gas, which makes it attractive for application in compact and portable plants making use of widely available woody biomass.
To reduce the emission of carbon dioxide, it is imperative to actively promote the use of renewable energy sources such as biomass. The level of carbon fixation by solar energy is especially high in the case of woody biomass, so it is important to find economically sound technologies that allow the use of the highly available biomass composed of unused wood, timber cuts, construction waste, etc.
In addition, liquid fuel from biomass is useful for reduction of SPM (suspended particulate matters) and sulfur oxide, contributing to environmental conservation.
Concerning the synthesis of liquid fuel by way of gasification, liquid fuel production from natural gas containing methane as the main component (GTL) has developed into a promising fuel manufacturing technology. However, it is necessary to further develop the technology in order to match the costs to those for diesel production from petroleum.
In addition, biomass resources such as wood materials are usually found dispersed in mountainous regions and are difficult to collect, raising the production costs. Accordingly, it becomes necessary to design a system for application in compact and portable plants which is available on-site.
Key Points
- The first successful continuous synthesis of diesel fuel through gasification from wood in Japan.
- Simpler and more efficient processes than traditional ones, which can be used in compact and portable plants.
- Reduces emission of carbon dioxide, contributing to global warming prevention.
http://www.aist.go.jp