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A Comprehensive Analysis of Torrefaction Technologies for Producing Advanced Wood Pellets

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A Comprehensive Analysis of Torrefaction Technologies for Producing Advanced Wood Pellets A Comprehensive Analysis of Torrefaction Technologies for Producing Advanced Wood Pellets January 2021 Report produced for the Council of Western State Foresters Produced by FutureMetrics Principal Author: Laurenz Schmidt Analysis of Torrefaction Technologies - 1 Table of Contents List of Figures .......................................................................................................................... 3 List of Tables ........................................................................................................................... 3 Glossary ................................................................................................................................... 5 Frequently used acronyms and terms ..................................................................................... 5 Executive summary ................................................................................................................. 6 Introduction ............................................................................................................................ 7 Participants ................................................................................................................. 9 Torrefaction Commonalities ..................................................................................... 10 What is Torrefaction? ............................................................................................... 11 Why torrefaction? .................................................................................................... 12 Torrefaction processes.......................................................................................................... 13 Different Torrefaction Reactor types ........................................................................ 16 Energy Density, Water Resistance and Grindability ............................................................. 21 Energy Density after torrefaction ............................................................................. 21 Durability and water resistance of torrefied pellets ................................................. 21 Water-resistance and water uptake after exposure ................................................. 23 Grindability ............................................................................................................... 24 Advanced Fuel Solutions (AFS) ............................................................................................. 25 Airex Energy – CarbonFX process ......................................................................................... 26 Advanced Torrefaction Systems (ATS).................................................................................. 33 BC Biocarbon ......................................................................................................................... 40 Clean Electricity Generation (CEG) ....................................................................................... 47 HM3 (using the ATS TorreCAT gas management system) .................................................... 50 TSI .......................................................................................................................................... 58 Yilkins .................................................................................................................................... 66 Sensitivity Analysis ............................................................................................................... 74 Summary and Conclusions .................................................................................................... 77 Acknowledgment .................................................................................................................. 80 Appendix ............................................................................................................................... 81 Analysis of Torrefaction Technologies - 2 References ................................................................................................................ 81 List of Figures FIGURE 1: BASIC TORREFACTION PROCESS FLOW .............................................................................................................. 11 FIGURE 2: WEIGHT RETENTION VS. TORREFACTION TEMPERATURE [2] ............................................................................. 12 FIGURE 3: LHV O.D. INCREASE VS. MASS LOSS (AWL) BY SPECIES ....................................................................................... 13 FIGURE 4: ROTATING DRUM REACTOR [5] ......................................................................................................................... 16 FIGURE 5: AUGER SCREW-TYPE REACTOR [5] ..................................................................................................................... 17 FIGURE 6: MULTIPLE HEARTH FURNACE [5] ....................................................................................................................... 17 FIGURE 7: FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR, TOROIDAL CONFIGURATION [5] ............................................................................... 18 FIGURE 8: MOVING BED REACTOR (MBR) [5] ..................................................................................................................... 19 FIGURE 9: VIBRATING BELT OR GRATE REACTOR [5] .......................................................................................................... 20 FIGURE 10: MOISTURE UPTAKE @ 30OC/95% RH ............................................................................................................... 23 FIGURE 11: ENERGY CONSUMPTION FOR GRINDING VS. TORREFACTION TEMPERATURE .................................................. 24 FIGURE 12: AIREX PROCESS FLOW AND MASS/ENERGY FLOW DIAGRAM........................................................................... 27 FIGURE 13: AIREX CIF VANCOUVER-TOKYO COST $/GJ ....................................................................................................... 31 FIGURE 14: ATS PROCESS FLOW AND MASS/ENERGY FLOW DIAGRAM .............................................................................. 34 FIGURE 15: ATS CIF VANCOUVER-TOKYO COST $/GJ .......................................................................................................... 38 FIGURE 16: BC BIOCARBON CIF VANCOUVER-TOKYO COST $/GJ ........................................................................................ 45 FIGURE 17: CEG BASIC PROCESS FLOW DIAGRAM.............................................................................................................. 48 FIGURE 18: HM3 PROCESS FLOW BY ATS ........................................................................................................................... 51 FIGURE 19: HM3 CIF VANCOUVER-TOKYO COST $/GJ ........................................................................................................ 56 FIGURE 20: TSI BASIC PROCESS FLOW ................................................................................................................................ 59 FIGURE 21: TSI CIF VANCOUVER-TOKYO COST $/GJ ........................................................................................................... 64 FIGURE 22: YILKINS PROCESS FLOW AND ME BALANCE ..................................................................................................... 67 FIGURE 23: YILKINS CIF VANCOUVER-TOKYO COST $/GJ .................................................................................................... 72 List of Tables TABLE 1: DEVELOPERS OF TORREFACTION TECHNOLOGY 2015 (WITH SOME UPDATES) .................................................... 15 TABLE 2: MOISTURE PENETRATION INDEX (MPI) FOR VARIOUS BINDERS OF BIOMASSES .................................................. 22 TABLE 3: AIREX CAPEX FOR 200KT/Y INPUT EQUIVALENT PLANT ....................................................................................... 28 TABLE 4: AIREX LABOR AND PAYROLL ASSUMPTIONS ........................................................................................................ 29 TABLE 5: AIREX OPERATING COST (W/O FEEDSTOCK) ........................................................................................................ 30 TABLE 6: AIREX GOP COMPARISON TO WHITE PELLETS ..................................................................................................... 31 TABLE 7: AIREX IP .............................................................................................................................................................. 32 TABLE 8: ATS MASS FLOW ................................................................................................................................................. 35 TABLE 9: ATS CAPEX FOR 200KT/Y INPUT EQUIV. PLANT .................................................................................................... 36 TABLE 10: ATS LABOR AND PAYROLL ASSUMPTIONS ......................................................................................................... 37 TABLE 11: ATS OPERATING COST (W/O FEEDSTOCK) ......................................................................................................... 38 TABLE 12: ATS GOP COMPARISON TO WHITE PELLETS ....................................................................................................... 39 TABLE 13: ATS IP ...............................................................................................................................................................
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