Pyrolysis Syngas Process

upgrading methane and carbon dioxide (biogas) produced by anerobic digestion of organic wastes to synthesis gas (Header)

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I. Introduction - The Pyrolysis Syngas Process

The purpose of this article is to discuss the Pyrolysis Syngas Process for upgrading the methane and carbon dioxide (biogas) produced by anerobic digestion of organic wastes to syngas (synthesis gas), a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Syngas may be converted¹ to a wide variety of organic chemicals and hydrocarbons.

II. Summary

A Pyrolysis Syngas Process utilizes anaerobic digestion of organic wastes and the methane and carbon dioxide content is converted to syngas, a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. The syngas is utilized to produce a variety of organic chemicals and hydrocarbons.

III. The Pyrolysis Syngas Process

The process described below may be utilized for conversion of biogas from anaerobic² digestion of organic wastes to synthesis gas by way of pyrolyzing³ the methane content to hydrogen and reducing the carbon dioxide content to carbon monoxide by utilizing the reverse Boudouard Reaction⁴ as shown in Fig. 1.

Reaction 1 is currently practiced and Reactions 2 and 3 are in use.
In standard production, steam reformation is utilized in order to produce a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen called synthesis gas thus consuming large amounts of water and the ratio is adjusted by the water gas shift reaction thus consuming more water and generating large amounts of carbon dioxide. The Pyrolysis Syngas Process does not consume water and does not generate any carbon dioxide since the heat for pyrolysis comes from solar energy.
Synthesis gas may be utilized for production of methanol, formaldehyde, ethanol, ammonia, acetic acid and other organics chemicals as well as for productions of olefins and gasoline with Fischer-Tropsch catalysts.
Conversion Processes can be located at www.ricestrawmarket.org under consulting, energy and chemicals.

IV. Conclusions:

The Pyrolysis Syngas Process should be utilized to upgrade biogas from an anaerobic digestor to synthesis gas for production of organic chemicals.

V. Recommendations:

Design an organic chemicals plant with a Pyrolyzer Reactor and a Reverse Boudouard Reactor for synthesis gas production at an existing anaerobic digestion plant.

R. J. Robinson
Conversion Processes
9700 Elmira Circle
Sacramento, CA 95827-112916
916-363-9705
r.j.robinson@att.net

We thank R. J. Robinson for submitting this specific information to: abc-alternative-energy.de

Solar Energy and Synthesis Gas as the Routes to the Future

Considering solar energy and synthesis gas as the routes to the future, see also:
The Solar Process for Synthesis Gas
The Desalination Process for Water and Electricity

VI. References: Pyrolysis Syngas Process

¹ Manufacturing & Technology International, Inc., Baltimore, MD. Company brochure
Entitled "MTCI/ThermoChem Steam Reforming Technology" p.3, Fig 1 Diagram of syngas conversion processes covered in this report.
² http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anerobic_Digestion
³ http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pyrolysis
⁴ Nagase, Kenzo, Ion Mechanism of metal carbonates with solid carbon in connection with CO2 gasification of coal.
http://sciencelinks.jp/j-est/article20007/00026000700AO27/398
⁵ Abanades, Stephane et al(PROMES-CNRS), Natural gas pyrolysis in double-walled reactor tubes using thermal plasma or concentrated solar radiation as external heating source, Journal of Natural Gas Chemistry, Volume 18, No. 1, March 2009, pages 1-8