CHE5882 Biomass and Biorefineries Report Sample

CHE5882 Biomass and Biorefineries Report

In the last months, the concepts of refinery of the future and catalytic conversion of biomass have emerged in the context of the Industrial Biorefinery:

1) Refinery of the Future

Vogt and Weckhuysen,”The refinery of the future”, Nature, 629, 295-306 (2024).

2) Bio-based Chemicals

YupLee et al., “A comprehensive metabolic map for the production of bio-based chemicals”, Nature Catalysis, Vol 2, 18-33 (2019).

You have been mandated by the CEO of UPM (https://www.upm.com/) to immediately provide an opinion on the science, technical merits and business opportunities of 2 emerging technologies: Refinery of the Future and Catalysis for Bio-Based Chemicals. Choose ONE and provide a technology review:

1) Define the technology: what are the concepts of a Refinery? / Catalysis for Bio-Based

Chemicals What is? What technologies are used? What are the principles? How does it work?

• Be concise and very specific
• You can refer to ONE Key Figure in the article- analyse/discuss
• 1 page - 30%

2) Provide a critical analysis. Analyse specifically how this technology can affect the Industrial Biorefinery. What are the opportunities? What are the challenges?

• Be concise and very specific
• Provide 1 example
• 1page - 40%

3) Provide a business recommendation. What does UPM should do in the next 5 years?

• Be factual and very specific
• 1 page max- 30%

Submitting your Report

To submit your assignment, please use the Case Study #1 submission link on the Moodle site, available under ‘Assessment Information’.

• Have a cover page

• Artificial Intelligence can be used- but must be declared.

• There will be NO extension granted and 10% penalty per day late. This is a 1 week project and 2 weeks are provided.

Solution

Introduction

In this technology review selected paper-based discussion is presented to reflect on the refinery concept. A flow of emerging technology dimensions and its holding future in biomass conversion is discussed critically. The selected paper for this review is on “The refinery of the future.”

1. Defining Technology

Concept of Refinery

In goal of replace fossil fuel-based energy the concept of refinery process for MBA Assignment Expert is formulated. Additionally, a way to close the carbon cycle associated with oil production electrifying the refinery process is performed. It enables the functionality of altering raw material that stimulates refinery from fossil fuel to carbon dioxide.

Technology Used

As per Saeed et al. (2023) in the route of fossil fuel refineries, most of the cases are noticed by use of chemical looping as technology. In this used technology metal oxide particles are passed to react at high pressure to form fossil fuel burning. Additionally, in this process there is no presence of oxygen in the atmosphere for fossil fuel production. The role of this technology as stopgap technology provides the strength for promoting clean electricity. By this a future for alternative production of electricity until solar and wind availability become wider & affordable.

Principles and Its Work

Figure 1: Chemical Looping for Fossil Fuel Free Refinery Process
(Source: Wu, 2022)

The principle used for the refinery process is about as long as the carbon chain is the boiling temperature of the unwanted compound of petroleum will be the same. In general, under a refinery process the involved three basic separation, conversion, and treatment (Haugen et al. 2023). As in the separation process a clear separation is noticed in between liquid and vapors as petroleum components. These components are considered as faction based considering weight and boiling points in considered distillation units. However, in the final step of the refinery by the route of continuous blending and treating all are products comes to the pipeline.

2. Critical Analysis

Technology Affects Industrial Biorefinery

As per Di Giuliano et al. (2022), chemical looping combustion and chemical looping gasification both are considered as the most promising processes. As these processes enable production of low energy as well as low-cost carbon-dioxide capturing. The goal of promoting sustainability these observing technologies are linked post combustion, pre combustion and oxy fuel combustion. In the stage of post combustion, a separating process is used for carbon-dioxide from gas. As the goal of producing pure carbon-dioxide the concept chemical looping is generated which enables strength for downstream separation processes. The maturity of this technology is mainly noticed for operation of kWth- and MWth-scale. The concern for making the proper design for chemical reactors a continuous research effort has been given in the industrial process. In this aspect a rationale of circulation between Additionally, the mostly used carrier for enabling success in chemical looping process include oxygen carrier.

In detail observation of the success comes through chemical looping and the gasification process depends on control of temperature, biomass ratio streaming and biomass ratio to oxygen. The knowledge and proper process functionality directly encourages the success of yielding (Sajjadi et al. 2021). Otherwise, it can affect the purpose of the development process and expecting a positive outcome for a sustainable future. As example, to ensure outcome success while choosing any reactor as for oxygen carrier the metals which allowed high oxidation need to include. Furthermore, mechanical strength and attrition resistance for oxygen carriers likewise while adopting other reactor specifications are needed to manage.

Opportunity and Challenges Determination

As an example of opportunity of chemical looping combustion scope of access opportunity by modified bi products solid like Fe and steel industry practices facilitates carbon dioxide capturing. Another opportunity offered by chemical looping is valorisation for diluted gas such as BFG (Blast furnace gas). As per Singh et al. (2023), use of chemical looping for carbon-dioxide separation and CO production using reverse water gas shift reaction is noticed. These identified opportunities for using chemical looping showcased the strength it has gained by the passing year of research advancement.

On the other hand, challenges that are identified as associated with chemical looping the reactor design knowledge and ability of preparation comes. As the performing success is explored by the synergy between reactor design and carrier (Joshi et al. 2021). A concern always existed for the selection of suitable reactors as it connected with the flow of superiority action of thermodynamics, kinetics. A lack of this connection flow makes the adverse outcome which fails to reach the reactor design purpose. Additionally, the scope for yielding required product nature depends on the design for superior action otherwise it impacts on reaction engineering. However, lack of knowledge for chemical looping reactors directly causes the impact on reaction outcome.

3. Business Recommendation

The need for UPM to allow for more in upcoming 5 years funding and upgradation for international policies are essential to meet up with managing flow for climate change concern. In the stand of power generation climate looping technology enables the achievement of inherent carbon dioxide. UPM needs to push for more work over this. Like that scope for chemical looping combustion by coupling with biomass can work in the form of NET which creates scope for energy efficient advantages (Di Giuliano et al. 2022). On the other hand, compatibility for biomass ashes is also generated for this coupling. So, UPM needs to investigate more over this coupling so that wider sources for energy efficient alternatives can be generated automatically.

The target for reaching with operability for biomass residual and waste is still now in the investigation stage so operation support needs to be provided by UPM. Additionally, technological investigation also needs to be funded by the UPM so that wider potential can be generated for the field of technology. Initiatives for more studies over fuel pretreatments are required to resolve technical issues while performing this causes sources for efficient progression. However, encouragement from industrial plants can enable support for chemical looping combustion growth.

4. Conclusion

The detailed analysis over the selected paper-based observation for the refinery as future indicated about its nature of working dynamics. Technology information and its impact on biorefinery is reviewed. Additionally, it causes challenges and opportunities are identified to recommend suggestions for UPM in the upcoming 5 years.  

References

Di Giuliano, A., Capone, S., Anatone, M. and Gallucci, K., 2022. Chemical looping combustion and gasification: a review and a focus on European research projects. Industrial & Engineering Chemistry Research, 61(39), pp.14403-14432. https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/acs.iecr.2c02677

Haugen, N.E.L., Li, Z., Gouraud, V., Bertholin, S., Li, W., Larring, Y., Luo, K., Szlęk, A., Flach, T.A., Langørgen, Ø. and Liu, X., 2023. Building the world's largest Chemical Looping Combustion (CLC) unit. International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control, 129, p.103975. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1750583623001457

Joshi, A., Shah, V., Mohapatra, P., Kumar, S., Joshi, R.K., Kathe, M., Qin, L., Tong, A. and Fan, L.S., 2021. Chemical looping-A perspective on the next-gen technology for efficient fossil fuel utilization. Advances in Applied Energy, 3, p.100044. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666792421000366

Saeed, M.N., Shahrivar, M., Surywanshi, G.D., Kumar, T.R., Mattisson, T. and Soleimanisalim, A.H., 2023. Production of aviation fuel with negative emissions via chemical looping gasification of biogenic residues: Full chain process modelling and techno-economic analysis. Fuel Processing Technology, 241, p.107585. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0378382022004258

Sajjadi, B., Chen, W.Y., Fan, M., Rony, A., Saxe, J., Leszczynski, J. and Righetti, T.K., 2021. A techno-economic analysis of solar catalytic chemical looping biomass refinery for sustainable production of high purity hydrogen. Energy Conversion and Management, 243, p.114341. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0196890421005173

Singh, V., Buelens, L.C., Poelman, H., Marin, G.B. and Galvita, V.V., 2023. Chemical looping: a technology platform for upcycling low-grade industrial resources. Discover Chemical Engineering, 3(1), p.12. https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s43938-023-00028-3

Vogt, E.T. and Weckhuysen, B.M., 2024. The refinery of the future. Nature, 629(8011), pp.295-306.https://www.nature.com/articles/s41586-024-07322-2

Wu, J., 2022. Microscopic principles of chemical engineering after fossil fuels. Resources Chemicals and Materials, 1(3-4), pp.222-229. https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772443322000368