Merrow Scientific Biomass To Liquids

www.merrowscientific.com

Merrow Scientific

Biomass to Liquids Research


Merrow Scientific

Merrow Scientific?• UK laboratory instrumentation supplier

– www.merrowscientific.com

• Exclusive UK representative for a number of overseas manufacturers. Including:

• Autoclave Engineers (USA)– www.autoclaveengineers.com

• Rubotherm (Germany)– www.rubotherm.com

• BEL (Japan)– http://www.nippon-bel.co.jp/index_e.html


Merrow Scientific

Laboratory Instrumentation• Lab stirred reactors• Fixed bed/tubular reactors• Multi- reactor systems• Gravimetric sorption analysis instruments• TGA and high pressure TGA• Surface area and porosity analysers• Chemisorption instruments• And more……


Merrow Scientific

Applications• High pressure chemistry• Gas storage/sorption• Fischer Tropsch (syngas conversion)• Gasification (coal, biomass to gas)• Surface area measurement• Catalyst characterisation• Materials testing/corrosion testing• Etc……


Merrow Scientific

Presentation Focus

• Laboratory systems for Biomass (and Coal) to Liquids Research, including:

• Rubotherm gravimetric system for gasification research (Biomass to Gas)

• Autoclave Engineers systems for Fischer Tropsch conversion of syngas to hydrocarbons (Gas to Liquids)


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Biomass to GasProduction of syngas via the

gasification process

Using Rubotherm High Pressure TGA System


Merrow Scientific

Rubotherm?• Spin out from Ruhr University (Bochum,

Germany) Thermodynamics Dept nearly 20 years ago to become laboratory instrument manufacturer

• Had requirement for high pressure gravimetric sorption equipment not available at that time anywhere, so developed own

• Conventional instruments limited to approximately 20bar, Rubotherm have been up to 2000bar


Merrow Scientific

Gravimetric Sorption

• Measuring mass change of sample when subjected to gases and/or vapours being dosed over it under a certain environment (temperature and pressure)


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Magnetic Suspension Balance

• Rubotherm’s unique and patented gravimetric system uses a coupling and control system between high precision balance and sample


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Unique Benefits

• Precision microgram balance separate from sample – so can measure mass change accurately while subjecting sample to high pressures (<2000bar), high temperatures (<1550degC), corrosive environments

• Re-zero and calibrate balance during measurement – avoid balance drift – maximise accuracy and long term resolution

• Measure gas density near sample


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Wide range of designs

Designed to meet researcher’s exact requirements


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Applications• Gas storage (e.g. H2,

Methane, CO2)• Degradation (e.g. polymers

in sour gas)• Gasification • Corrosion Testing• Catalyst Characterisation• Filter Material Analysis


Merrow Scientific

New Range - DynTherm• Gravimetric analysis under high temperature

and raised pressures:• 900degC @ 100bar• 1100degC @ 50bar• 1200degC @ 40bar


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Biomass/Coal Gasification

• Sample suspended in sample container in controlled environment

• React material at high temperatures with a controlled amount of oxygen and steam (and also CO2 – recent research in Columbia Uni, NY) or other gases

• This leads to formation of Synthesis Gas (Syngas) a mixture of H2 and CO


Merrow Scientific

Studying Gasification

• Rubotherm DynTherm – high temperatures and effect of raised pressures on efficiency of process and also H2:CO ratio produced

• Flow different rates of steam, oxygen and CO2• Different process conditions and ramping can be

set to study reaction• Sample mass change measured during gasification

– external GC/MS can also be connected


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Control and monitor wide range of parameters

•Gas flows

•Temperature

•Pressure…

Measure:

•Mass change of sample

•Gas evolved (using external GC/MS)


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Merrow Scientific

Gas to Liquid HydrocarbonsProduction of synthetic fuels via the

Fischer Tropsch reaction

Using Autoclave Engineers Reactor Systems


Merrow Scientific

Autoclave Engineers?

• Over 60 years as world leader in high pressure equipment

• Fully meet highest PED grades

• Wide range of fixed bed and stirred reactors and pressure vessels

• Represented in the UK by Merrow Scientific


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Fischer Tropsch

• Catalysed chemical reaction converting syngas to liquid hydrocarbons

• Aim is to produce synthetic petroleum substitute

• Developed in the 1920s in Germany for coal to liquids, further developed by Sasol (South Africa)

• Current interest as an alternative to oil based fuels


Merrow Scientific

Reactors for FT Research

• A number of options available, including:– Oven based fixed bed reactors – Slurry stirred reactors

• Vary and monitor all critical parameters and measure reaction and process


Merrow Scientific

Oven Based Reactors• For FT catalyst evaluation

and process understanding• Custom configured to suit

exact research requirements• BenchTopReactionSystem• Oven based environment to

maintain constant temperature (avoid cold spots and potential condensation problems)

• Wide range of pressures and temperatures possible


Merrow Scientific

Oven Based Reactors• 3 major sections:

– Feed section• Guard beds (for filtering)

• Feed gases and mixtures

• Mixer/Vaporisers for combining feeds

– Heated process system• Fixed bed (or even stirred)

reactor

• Easy diversion of feeds

• Sample (GC, MS, GLS)

– Control Module


Merrow Scientific

Slurry Reactors

• Catalyst suspended in process or specialist catalyst basket

• Stirred reactor – independent or integrated into BTRS system

• Wide range of designs available and pressures and temperatures


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Multi-Reactor

• The previous systems can be designed to contain multi reactor systems (fixed bed and stirred reactors) to allow detailed combinatorial catalyst research to be carried out.


Merrow Scientific

Complete Biomass to Liquids Research

• Wide range of systems for complete Biomass to Liquids research:– Rubotherm systems for gasification studies

(Biomass to Gas)– Autoclave Engineers systems for FT research

(Gas to Liquids)


Merrow Scientific

• For further detailed information or any questions please contact us:– www.merrowscientific.com– [email protected] – And also visit our blog for latest research

news:www.merrowscientific.com/blog

Merrow Scientific Biomass To Liquids

Technology

rubotherm gravimetric

gasification research

high precision balance

high pressure tga surface

high pressures

patented gravimetric

hydrocarbons gas

gas production of syngas