Chemrec black liquor gasifier reaches 10,000 operating hours producing green syngas

BLUE FUEL ENERGY.COM: Readers of this website and the blog in particular are familiar with our support of the BioDME project in Sweden. Here is the latest update from Chemrec:

“The Chemrec development plant in Piteå, Sweden has now reached 10,000 accumulated operating hours. Chemrec’s plant is the only gasification plant world-wide producing high-quality synthesis gas based on 100 % renewable feedstock. The syngas will be used to produce second generation green motor fuels.

The development plant, DP-1, has a capacity of 20 metric tons of solids per day, is oxygen-blown and has an operating pressure of 30 bar(g). It gasifies black liquor, a by-product in the kraft process, using the Chemrec entrained-flow, high temperature technology. This technology is unique in that it is from a renewable feedstock and in a single step achieves full char conversion to produce a gas which is very low in methane and tars -- essential characteristics of synthesis gas -- for production of synthetic motor fuels or chemicals.

The results achieved in DP-1 are being used in the current scale-up of the technology to full commercial size gasifier units for 500 metric tons of solids per day. The full-scale technology has in several independent evaluations been shown to provide uniquely high greenhouse gas emission reductions and energy efficiency while providing an opportunity for very substantial second-generation biofuels production.

In a separate activity, the BioDME project, Chemrec together with partners is adding a technical demonstration plant for production of dimethyl ether, DME, to the DP-1 facility. The DME, a high-performance second-generation diesel fuel, will be used in fleet trials with heavy trucks by AB Volvo.

Chemrec AB is a Swedish company providing technology for black liquor gasification which integrated in pulp mills provides the opportunity to produce large quantities of renewable motor fuels or electricity from biomass. The technology has the potential to globally provide motor fuels equivalent to over 45 billion litres/year of gasoline (12 billion gallons/year). Chemrec's owners are VantagePoint Venture Partners, Volvo Technology Transfer, Environmental Technologies Fund and Nykomb Synergetics.”