Biomass Gasification
at Oak Ridge National Laboratory
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Overview
 Project Drivers/Benefits
 Project Implementation
 Gasification vs. Combustion
 Q&A
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ORNL Project Drivers
 US Federal Government is largest user of energy in the
United States
 DOE is second largest energy consumer of all civilian
federal agencies
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ORNL Project Drivers
 President issued Executive Order (EO)
13423, “Strengthening Federal Environmental, Energy and
Transportation Management.”
 Transformational Energy Action Management (TEAM)
Initiative announced as the DOE’s plan of action to meet the
goals of Executive Order 13423.
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ORNL Project Drivers
The TEAM Initiative requires all of
DOE's national facilities to:
1.Reduce their energy intensity by 30% and water intensity
by 16% by the end of fiscal year 2015.
2.Maximize the installation of on-site renewable energy
generation and acquire at least 7.5% of all energy from
renewable sources by the end of fiscal year 2010.
3.Develop best practice models for the use of third party
financing for energy saving projects.
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Oak Ridge National Laboratory
 ORNL is the DOE’s largest science and energy laboratory
 Staff of more than 4,200 plus 3,000 guest researchers
 Host site of Office of Science: Bioenergy Science Center
 Large old central heating plant, large fossil fuel consumer,
large greenhouse gas generator
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Site Solution
 In August, JCI and DOE signed an agreement to provide
$89 MM worth of Energy Conservation Measures (ECMs) to
ORNL
 Measures range from the anchor Biomass Gasification
System to an educational program advising staff to
turndown the thermostat and wear sweaters
 Biomass gasification system was chosen by ORNL because
of:
– JCI and Nexterra experience with the technology, viewed as a low
risk project
– Technology well understood by the research group at the lab, who
saw opportunities to use a full scale plant for research
– Ultra low emissions
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US DOE Oak Ridge National Laboratory
 Biomass Gasification
system to replace existing
natural gas plant
 60,000 lbs/hr steam
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ORNL: Biomass Gasification Benefits
 Shut down 4 fossil fuel fired boilers (WWII vintage marine
steam boilers)
 Stabilize fuel costs and reduce by $3-4 MM/year
 Lowers GHG emissions by 23,000 tons per year
 Reduces reliance on fossil fuel – uses locally procured
biomass
 Adding a valuable research tool for ORNL Bioenergy
Science Center
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Typical Installation of a
Biomass Gasification System
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Dockside Green – Victoria, BC, Canada
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LEED™ Platinum Development
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Overview of Project Scope/Activities
 Integration engineering (services, other project scope)
 Demolition of existing obsolete or interfering infrastructure
 Site preparation
 Foundations
 Equipment deliveries
 Mechanical installation
 Refractory
 Electrical installation
 Commissioning
 Training
 Start-up
 Performance testing
 Handover
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Project Implementation: Inside the Fence
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Foundations
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Equipment Delivery
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Rigging
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Gasifier & Oxidizer
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Fuel Feed and Ash Removal Systems
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Heat Exchangers
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Site Overview
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West Elevation
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Project Implementation
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Project Implementation
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Project Implementation
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Gasification Technology
 Very rugged simple technology
 Clean burning syngas yields
exceptionally low emissions
 Consumes wide range of locally
available fuels without pretreatment
(like drying, pulverizing or
pelletization)
 Versatile applications for the syngas
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Comparing Gasification to Combustion
Combustion
500 F
Syngas
2000 F
Flue Gas
Overfire
air
Fuel drops on
pile, agitates
surface
Combustion
temperature
uncontrolled
Gasification
low velocity
High velocity
Fuel from
under pile,
quiescent
Underfire Air
Underfire Air
Combustion
temperature
controlled
 2000°F Flue Gas
 500°F Syngas
 2.5 lbs/mmbtu particulate
 0.1 lbs/mmbtu particulate
 Complete combustion produces dirty
hot flue gas
 Partial combustion produces syngas
for remote combustion
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Gasifier

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IC Engine Solution
Modular biomass cogeneration
Efficiency: 55-60% (cogen) vs. 20% for steam
Economically viable at 2 – 10 MW
Targeted at institutional/industrial on-site cogen market
Nexterra proprietary syngas conditioning technology
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Industrial Strength….
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…for Institutional, Urban Heat & Power
7 MMBtu/hr System – Victoria, BC
72 MMBtu/hr System – Columbia, SC
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US DOE Oak Ridge National Labs Tennessee
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Confidential – Not for distribution
Thank you
For more information see our website
www.nexterra.ca
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