Transportation biofuels : novel pathways for the production of ethanol, biogas and biodiesel

203 Pages·2010·60.519 MB·English

by  Alwin Hoogendoorn, Han van Kasteren

Transportation Biofuels
Novel Pathways for the Production of Ethanol, Biogas and Biodiesel
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Transportation Biofuels
Novel Pathways for the Production of
Ethanol, Biogas and Biodiesel
Edited by
Alwin Hoogendoorn
Ingenia Consultants and Engineers B.V., Eindhoven, The Netherlands
Han van Kasteren
Eindhoven University of Technology, Eindhoven, The Netherlands
RSCGreenChemistryNo.9
ISBN: 978-1-84973-043-3
ISSN: 1757-7039
AcataloguerecordforthisbookisavailablefromtheBritishLibrary
rAlwinHoogendoornandHanvanKasteren2011
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Preface
With this book the authors intend to provide insight into three new promis-
ing and innovative pathways for the biological production of the main trans-
portation biofuels: biodiesel, ethanol and methane. The pathways described
are nonconventional and provide higher product yields, less stringent feed-
stock specifications, lower chemical additive demand, lower waste production
and much better energy balances when compared to the more traditional
production methods especially for biodiesel and ethanol.
It is the result of a seven-year journey in the field of biofuel research and
developmentandoriginatedfromtheprincipleof‘‘makingbetteruseofwaste
streams and resources’’. Han van Kasteren from Eindhoven University of
Technology (TU/e) and Alwin Hoogendoorn from Ingenia Consultants and
Engineers found each other in this common aim. Combining the research
experience from the TU/e and the practical experience from Ingenia appeared
to be a success formula for increasing the know how and application of new
processes for biofuels. Since the use of biofuels is increasingly more accepted
andgrowing,theeffortsseemtohavepaidoff.Stillmuchhastobedonesince
biofuel production is still in its infancy and there is a lot of room for
improvement in order to become the dominant transportation fuel. At the
turning point from infancy to adulthood it is time for a moment to give gui-
dance and look ahead to the developments of new promising pathways for
biofuels. This turning point, in addition to a world oil production that is
struggling to meet demand, has been the main driver for the authors to write
thisbookandtheyhopethereaderfindsmuchwisdomandinsightsinthisbook
for a bright biofuel future.
Alwin Hoogendoorn
Han van Kasteren
Eindhoven
RSCGreenChemistryNo.9
TransportationBiofuels:NovelPathwaysfortheProductionofEthanol,BiogasandBiodiesel
ByAlwinHoogendoornandHanvanKasteren
rAlwinHoogendoornandHanvanKasteren2011
PublishedbytheRoyalSocietyofChemistry,www.rsc.org
v

Contents
About the Authors xi
Acknowledgements xii
Chapter 1 Introduction 1
Chapter 2 Biological Conversion of Syngas into Ethanol 3
2.1 First Generation of Ethanol Production 3
2.2 Introduction of Biological Conversion of Syngas into
Ethanol 4
2.3 Clostridium Ljungdahlii and other Strains 6
2.3.1 Introduction 6
2.3.2 InitialGrowthExperiments(MediumSelection) 9
2.4 Conceptual Design: Gasification and
Syngas Cleaning 12
2.4.1 Gasification Techniques 12
2.4.2 Syngas Purification 15
2.5 Bioreactor Design 20
2.5.1 Reactor Types 20
2.5.2 Monolith Bioreactor Mass Transfer and
Energy Consumption 23
2.6 Design of Continuous Bioreactor Setup 28
2.6.1 Introduction 28
2.6.2 Design of the Continuous Bioreactor System 28
2.6.3 Analytical Methods 30
2.7 Experimental Results 31
2.7.1 InitialCellAttachmenttotheMonolithColumn 31
2.7.2 Biofilm Formation in the Monolith Column 32
RSCGreenChemistryNo.9
TransportationBiofuels:NovelPathwaysfortheProductionofEthanol,BiogasandBiodiesel
ByAlwinHoogendoornandHanvanKasteren
rAlwinHoogendoornandHanvanKasteren2011
PublishedbytheRoyalSocietyofChemistry,www.rsc.org
vii
viii Contents
2.7.3 Biofilm Test with Glucose as the Main
C-Source 34
2.7.4 CO Conversion in the Monolith Column 34
2.7.5 CO Conversion into Ethanol by Lowering
pH in the Monolith Column 37
2.7.6 Designed Medium Test 41
2.7.7 Biofilm Test with CO as the only C-Source 43
2.7.8 Product Concentration Boost by Lowering
the Dilution Rate 45
2.7.9 CO Conversion in Closed Bottles (Batch
System) 45
2.7.10 Gas-to-Liquid Mass-Transfer CoefficientTest 48
2.8 Ethanol Distillation and Dehydration 51
2.8.1 Ethanol Distillation 51
2.8.2 Ethanol Dehydration 53
2.8.3 Energy-Efficient Distilling and Dehydration
Options 58
2.9 Ethanol as a Transportation Biofuel 64
2.9.1 Anhydrous Ethanol in Low-Percentage
Petrol Blends 65
2.9.2 Anhydrous Ethanol in High-Percentage
Blends (E85) 65
2.10 Discussion 66
2.10.1 Experimental Results 66
2.10.2 Gasifier and Syngas Cleaning 68
2.10.3 Reactor Design 68
2.10.4 Energy-Efficient Distilling 68
Chapter 3 Biological Conversion of Syngas into Methane 73
3.1 Introduction 73
3.1.1 Objectives and Introduction 73
3.1.2 Current Drawbacks for the Catalytic Pathway
Towards Methane 74
3.2 Selection of Bacteria Strains 75
3.2.1 Methanogenic Bacteria 75
3.2.2 Acetate-Producing Bacteria 77
3.2.3 Water-Gas Shift Bacteria 80
3.3 Metabolism and Reaction Pathways 81
3.3.1 Similarities with Anaerobic Digestion Systems 81
3.3.2 Metabolism 83
3.3.3 The Indirect Acetate Pathway 85
3.3.4 Directly Methane-Producing Tricultures 88
3.3.5 Bacteria Cultivation and Medium Preparation 90
3.4 Selection of Bioreactors 91
3.4.1 Common Bioreactor Types 92
Contents ix
3.4.2 Selection of Bioreactors for the Intended
Process 94
3.5 Syngas Cleaning and Product-Gas Purification 97
3.5.1 Syngas Composition and Cleaning 97
3.5.2 Product-Gas Purification into SNG 102
3.5.3 Typical SNG Quality Demands 107
3.6 Technical Feasibility 111
3.6.1 General Assumptions 111
3.6.2 Theoretical Reaction Schemes for two
Gasifier Types 112
3.6.3 Process Design for the Indirect Acetate
Pathway 115
3.6.4 Process Design for the Direct Triculture
Pathway 116
3.6.5 Mass Balance and Process Energy
Efficiency 118
3.6.6 Comparison of the Biological and the
Catalytical Pathway Towards SNG 120
3.7 Economical Analysis 123
3.7.1 Value of SNG 123
3.7.2 Cash-FlowCalculationsfortheBiologicaland
Catalytical Pathway 123
3.7.3 Impact of Fuel Purchasing Price 124
3.8 Discussion 125
3.8.1 Bacteria 125
3.8.2 Process-Design Options 125
3.8.3 Energy Efficiency 126
3.8.4 Economical Analysis 127
Chapter 4 Enzymatic Biodiesel 131
4.1 First-Generation Biodiesel Production 131
4.2 Suitable Feedstock for Biodiesel Processes 134
4.3 Introduction into Enzymatic Biodiesel Production 137
4.4 Lipase-Catalysed Production of Biodiesel Fuel 138
4.4.1 Types of Lipase 138
4.4.2 Lipase-Catalysed Preparation of Biodiesel
from Jatropha Oil in a Solvent-Free System 141
4.4.3 Lipase-Catalysed Biodiesel Production from
Soybean Oil 141
4.4.4 Conversion of Degummed Soybean Oil to
Biodiesel Fuel 142
4.4.5 Lipase-Catalysed Transesterification of
Rapeseed Oils 142
4.4.6 Lipase-Catalysed Alcoholysis of Sunflower
Oil 143