International workshop
Torrefaction of biomass
Introduction
Jaap Koppejan
Task leader, IEA Bioenergy Task 32: Biomass Combustion and Cofiring
Martin Junginger
Task leader, IEA Bioenergy Task 40: Sustainable International Bioenergy Trade
Daniella Thrän
Coordinator, SECTOR project
Organised by
Task 32: Biomass Combustion and Cofiring
Task 40: Sustainable International Bioenergy Trade
www.ieabioenergy.com
wwww.sector-project.eu
Torrefaction is like roasting
coffee….
• Heating biomass to 250-350 °C in absence of oxygen
• Drying + removal of part of the volatiles
roasting
Central European Biomass Conference, Graz, 16-18 January 2014
Claims made….
• Brittle instead of tenacious
• Hydrophobic instead of hydrophyllic
• More energy dense
And therefore
• Cheaper in logistics
• Unlocking remote biomass
resources
• Lower capex of plant
modifications for cofiring
Central European Biomass Conference, Graz, 16-18 January 2014
Main technical challenges?
• flexibility in producing different product qualities,
• product quality control,
• heat integration,
• flexibility in using different input materials
• process emissions,
• process upscaling
Central European Biomass Conference, Graz, 16-18 January 2014
Other open questions…
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water uptake (seasonal aspects)
dust & HSE
(co)-milling
capacities of auxiliary equipment
reactivity and ignition behavior
combustion heat release and flame impingement
effect on boiler efficiency and carbon on ash
slagging, fouling, corrosion
effect on emissions and flue gas cleaning
ash quality
Central European Biomass Conference, Graz, 16-18 January 2014
Overview of companies involved
(IEA Bioenergy Task 32 torrefaction review, 2012)
Developer
Technology
Supplier
Location(s)
Agri-Tech Producers LLC (US/SC)
Belt reactor
Unknown
Airex
Airless systems
Atmosclear SA (CH)
Cyclonic Bed
reactor
Unknown
Rotary drum
Kusters Zima Corporation
(US/SC)
Airex
Atmosclear
CDS (UK)
40,000
50,000
Bioenergy Development & Production
Fluidised Bed
Latvia
Latvia, New Zealand,
USA
Nova Scotia, CAN
Bio Energy Development North AB (SWE)
BioLake B.V. (NL)
Rotary drum
Screw
conveyor
Rotary drum
Rotary drum
Moving bed
Ö-vik (SWE)
Eastern Europe
25,000
5,000 –
10,000
20,000
10,000
10,000
Earth Care Products
EBES AG (AT)
ECN (NL)
FoxCoal B.V. (NL)
HM3 Energy
Integro Earth Fuels, LLC (US/NC)
New Biomass Energy
Screw
conveyor
unknown
TurboDryer
Bioenergy Developmt &
Production
Unknown
Unknown
Laval, QC
Earth Care Products
Andritz (AT)
Andritz (AT)
Kansas (USA)
Frohnleiten (AU)
Stenderup (DK)
Unknown
Winschoten (NL)
HM3
Stopped with Wyssmont
(US/NC)
Screw reactor New Biomass Energy
Oregan, US
Roxboro, NC
Production Status and scale
capacity (t/a) Pilot scale: 50 kg/h – 500 kg/h
Demo scale: > 500 kg/h – 2 t/h
Commercial : > 2t/h)
Unknown
Pilot stage
Unknown
?
?
80,000
Quitman, Mississippi,
USA
Unknown
40,000
160,000
Unknown
Pilot stage
Out of business
Out of business
Pilot
Pilot stage
Demonstration / commercial
1 mt/hr pilot plant in commissioning
ECN combines technology with
Andritz
Pilot, company now bankrupt
Pilot building Demo plant
Pilot stage
Existing
Commissioning
Out of business
New Earth Renewable Energy Fuels, Inc
(US/WA)
Renergy/4Energy Invest (BE)
Fixed bed
Unknown
Rotary Drum
Amel (BE) , Ham (Be)
38,000
Project terminated
Renergy/4Energy Invest (BE)
Rotary Drum
Ham (Be)
38,000
Project terminated
River Basin Energy
Fluidised bed
reactor
Microwave
reactor
Stramproy Green Technology
(NL)
Stramproy Green Technology
(NL)
River Basin Energy
Laramie, Wyoming, USA
48,000
Pilot stage
Group’s Vikoma
Terrace, British
Columbia (CA)
110,000
Stramproy Green Technology
(NL)
Thermya (Fr)
Thermya (Fr)
Torftech Inc (UK)
Unknown
Bepex International (US/MN)
Unknown
wyssmont
Steenwijk (NL),
45,000
Rotawave, Ltd. (UK)
Horizon Bioenergy. (NL)
Thermya (FR) / Grupo Lantec (SP)
Thermya (FR) / LMK Energy (Fr)
Topell Energy B.V. (NL)
Torr-Coal B.V. (NL)
Torrefaction Systems Inc. (US)
WPAC (CA)
Wyssmont
Oscillating
belt conveyor
Moving bed
Moving bed
Torbed
Rotary Drum
Unknown
Unknown
turbodryer
Urnieta (SP)
Mazingarbe (Fr)
Duiven (NL)
Dilsen-Stokkem (BE)
Unknown
Unknown
US
Central European Biomass Conference, Graz, 16-18 January 2014
20,000
20,000
60,000
35,000
Unknown
35,000
Unknown
Stopped in BC, announced
partnership with Cate Street capital
(Maine)
Operational again after plant fire in
Feb 2012
Early stage commissioning
Early stage commissioning
Final stage of commissioning
Pilot
Unknown
What has happened in the last 3
years?
What will happen over the next
3 years?
Central European Biomass Conference, Graz, 16-18 January 2014
Agenda for today
14:00
Opening, Jaap Koppejan, IEA Bioenergy Task 32, Enschede, The Netherlands
14:10
IBTC/Task 40 International overall view of developments in the torrefaction sector,
Michael Wild, Internat. Biomass Torrefaction Council, Brussels, Belgium
14:30
Densification of torrefied materials,
Wolfgang Stelte, Danish Technological Institute, Taastrup, Denmark
Characteristics of torrefied products and their dependence on process conditions,
Ute Wolfesberger-Schwabl, OFI Technologie & Innovation GmbH, Austria
14:50
15:10
Advantages and drawbacks for international trade of torrefied products,
Mark Beekes, KEMA Nederland BV, Arnhem, Netherlands
15:30
First experiences from large-scale combustion and co-firing tests with refined biomass Fuels,
Nader Padban, Vattenfall, Stockholm, Sweden
15:50
Coffee break
Chairperson: Martin Junginger, IEA Bioenergy Task 40
16:20
Andritz torrefaction technologies and summary of pilot plant operation in Austria and Denmark,
Klaus Trattner, Andritz AG, Graz, Austria
16:40
River Basin Accelerating the adoption of second generation solid biomass submitted abstract,
Andy Piers, River Basin Energy, Highlands Ranch, CO, USA
17:00
17:20
AREVA's pathway to an industrially-proven torrefaction process,
Natacha Kienlen, Areva, Paris, France
The way forward for technology suppliers, project developers, consumers
18:15
Closing by Chairperson
Central European Biomass Conference, Graz, 16-18 January 2014