Syngas (CO+H2), to be converted by water gas shift to H2 for reaction over a catalyst with N2 to ammonia via the ubiquitous Haber process (the largest volume chemical synthesis practiced in the world today, does not “remember” whether it came from natural gas, coal, or biomass. Most ammonia, of course, is promptly reacted to urea (with offgas CO2) or ammonium nitrate (via nitric acid) for more convenient storage, shipment, and application.
From: CA...@aol.com
Date: Wed, 28 Feb 2007 10:17:44 -0500
Subject: [TALLOW TREE] Re: Syn gas to ammonia
To: iobb...@googlegroups.com
Neal/Paul: The US military has been looking into ammonia fuel for ICEs (besides for fuel cells) for years and a number of private sector entities have programs going.
Ron
</html
The discussion seems to have taken a turn toward futuristic energy alternatives. This note is an effort to return the focus to feedstock production for biodiesel. For the short term (i.e., the time I have left on Earth), the immediate need and future of bioenergy lies in powering a vehicle fleet similar to that existing today with alternatives to liquid fossil fuels. Appropriate alternatives must be cost competitive while complying with clean air regulations. Biodiesel and ethanol remain current attractive alternatives to liquid fossil fuels.
We will undoubtedly see more electric cars. This is good as there are many fuels that can be used to produce electricity. The technologies for co-gen facilities and for supplementing coal-fired plants with wood chips, for example, are well established except for the economic advantages. Batteries, as mentioned, remain problematic for an electric fleet. While I strongly support gasification over enzymatic conversion of lignocellulose materials, practical synthesis of liquid fuels from syngas via Fischer-Tropsch remains in the distant future. We have several researchers focusing full time on improving this process, though they have not yet given any thought to the water, air and waste standards that must be met before this technology contributes significantly to our energy supply. Storage and handling of lignocellulose (e.g tallow tree clippings) is also problematic. A pile bigger than a large hay bale can generate enough bioheat to ignite and burn when the wind picks up. Storing lignocellulose, even with drying, in a warehouse can result in a costly fire that is difficult to extinguish.
The immediate urgent need is for low cost lipid and starch feedstocks. More biodiesel and ethanol capacity is being built than can be supported with existing feedstocks. If these facilities can be supplied, their output will begin to address global warming and the mid east crisis immediately. --Gary
The immediate urgent need is for low cost lipid and starch feedstocks. More biodiesel and ethanol capacity is being built than can be supported with existing feedstocks. If these facilities can be supplied, their output will begin to address global warming and the mid east crisis immediately. --Gary
Sounds like a outstanding project that will make Ghana and the rest of the world better. You are to be commended for your global vision. Focusing on the needs of those I know personally is one of my shortcomings. --gary
From:
iobb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:iobb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of CA...@aol.com
Sent: Thursday, March 01, 2007
2:38 PM
To: iobb...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [TALLOW TREE] Re: Syn gas
to ammonia
In a message dated 3/1/2007 2:28:21 P.M. Central Standard Time, GBreit...@agcenter.lsu.edu writes:
Gary,
Over the years my company devoted a lot of time and money to the design of a rotary gasification oven employing two oxy-fuel burners. Once again we are looking at this technology to gasify an organic fraction of automobile and industrial shredders residue that has run through our separators to remove metals and all other inorganic material. The separated organics situate at more than 12,000 BTU/lb.
Our problem has always been: what to do with the large amount of hydrogen produced? We then turned our attention to producing ammonia from this hydrogen. This appears to be an exciting option since just about all ammonia in the USA is produced from natural gas. The ammonia infrastructure, with pipelines and storage facilities, is already in place within the USA.
My question to you: is ammonia as a fuel still a futuristic concept? Even though ammonia as a fuel might be a few years away, we could sell it in the meantime as a fertilizer. Ammonia as a fuel can go in so many directions. I talked with Mark Holzapple about this question, and he says that ammonia could be used as a fuel in his StarRotor engine.
But the storage of Tallow tree biomass is a problem. This biomass cannot be processed in a three-month period. It has to be reduced in volume and stored in such a manner that it will not self-ignite. Let me throw out a suggestion.
When green lumber is stored, it does not catch on fire because air is allowed to flow through it. Would it not be possible to compact Tallow tree biomass into relatively small rectangular bales and stack these bales on wooden spacers that would allow air to flow in between the bales? Here we accomplish three things: we prevent combustion, we allow the biomass to shed its moisture over many months, and we reduce its storage volume.
Thanks.
Paul
Paul A. Olivier
ESR International LLC
Louisiana telephone: 1-337-447-4124 (rings Vietnam)
Texas telephone: 1-214-306-8746 (rings Vietnam)
But the storage of Tallow tree biomass is a problem. This biomass cannot be processed in a three-month period. It has to be reduced in volume and stored in such a manner that it will not self-ignite. Let me throw out a suggestion.
When green lumber is stored, it does not catch on fire because air is allowed to flow through it. Would it not be possible to compact Tallow tree biomass into relatively small rectangular bales and stack these bales on wooden spacers that would allow air to flow in between the bales? Here we accomplish three things: we prevent combustion, we allow the biomass to shed its moisture over many months, and we reduce its storage volume.
Paul: your suggestion of producing N fertilizers as an effective means of storing energy and reducing consumption of fossil methane is excellent. A significant reason for the poor energy balance of corn ethanol is due to the high rates of N fertilizer required for this crop. I’ve often wondered why the corn belt did not use gasification of DDG and stover to produce ammonia at their ethanol facilities—anhydrous and aqueous ammonia are still used in the midwest.
I would expect that ammonia as a fuel would be highly corrosive to contemporary engines. Moreover, surely it would result in very large NOx emissions. We can be certain that Big Oil and Coal will demand all alternative energy processes meet the same stringent requirements that they must meet (e.g., the fuss over the slightly elevated NOx of some biodiesels). I’ve never been clear on the fate of organic N released in gasification units but presume it converts to N2.
I suspect that methods to safely store CTT biomass can be devised. Maintaining sufficient aeration certainly is key. A high fraction of green leaf will always be a problem and it may be necessary to harvest after leaf fall. I am most aware of the problems associated with sugarcane bagasse, a high C:N material that is used in various fiber products such as ceiling tile. The industry relies on drying. A leak in the roof has caused a warehouse to burn to the ground. --gary
From:
iobb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:iobb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Paul Olivier
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 8:16
AM
To: iobb...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [TALLOW TREE] Re: Syn gas
to ammonia
Gary,
Over the years my company devoted a lot of time and money to the design of a rotary gasification oven employing two oxy-fuel burners. Once again we are looking at this technology to gasify an organic fraction of automobile and industrial shredders residue that has run through our separators to remove metals and all other inorganic material. The separated organics situate at more than 12,000 BTU/lb.
Our problem has always been: what to do with the large amount of hydrogen produced? We then turned our attention to producing ammonia from this hydrogen. This appears to be an exciting option since just about all ammonia in the USA is produced from natural gas. The ammonia infrastructure, with pipelines and storage facilities, is already in place within the USA.
My question to you: is ammonia as a fuel still a futuristic concept? Even though ammonia as a fuel might be a few years away, we could sell it in the meantime as a fertilizer. Ammonia as a fuel can go in so many directions. I talked with Mark Holzapple about this question, and he says that ammonia could be used as a fuel in his StarRotor engine.
But the storage of Tallow tree biomass is a problem. This biomass cannot be processed in a three-month period. It has to be reduced in volume and stored in such a manner that it will not self-ignite. Let me throw out a suggestion.
When green lumber is stored, it does not catch on fire because air is allowed to flow through it. Would it not be possible to compact Tallow tree biomass into relatively small rectangular bales and stack these bales on wooden spacers that would allow air to flow in between the bales? Here we accomplish three things: we prevent combustion, we allow the biomass to shed its moisture over many months, and we reduce its storage volume.
Thanks.
Neal
AOL now offers free email to everyone. Find out more about
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</html
Paul: Can you imagine a fuel cell that uses ammonia rather than H2 to generate an electric current? --gary
Gary,
That is where a lot of thinking is currently going: powering fuels cells with ammonia.
Thanks.
Paul
Paul A. Olivier
Louisiana telephone: 1-337-447-4124 (rings Vietnam)
See comment in blue.
Paul A. Olivier
From:
iobb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:iobb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf Of Breitenbeck, Gary A.
Sent: Friday, March 02, 2007 10:35
PM
To: iobb...@googlegroups.com
Subject: [TALLOW TREE] Re: Syn gas
to ammonia
Paul: your suggestion of producing N fertilizers as an effective means of storing energy and reducing consumption of fossil methane is excellent. A significant reason for the poor energy balance of corn ethanol is due to the high rates of N fertilizer required for this crop. I’ve often wondered why the corn belt did not use gasification of DDG and stover to produce ammonia at their ethanol facilities—anhydrous and aqueous ammonia are still used in the midwest.
There was a time when ammonia was not produced from natural gas.
I would expect that ammonia as a fuel would be highly corrosive to contemporary engines. Moreover, surely it would result in very large NOx emissions.
I am confused here. I think ammonia is used to reduce NOx emissions.
I do not have time now to search this, but look for example at http://www.chemithon.com/ammonia.html
We can be certain that Big Oil and Coal will demand all alternative energy processes meet the same stringent requirements that they must meet (e.g., the fuss over the slightly elevated NOx of some biodiesels). I’ve never been clear on the fate of organic N released in gasification units but presume it converts to N2.
A lot of gasifiers produce NOx because they use air. In our gasifier we only inject pure oxygen.
I suspect that methods to safely store CTT biomass can be devised. Maintaining sufficient aeration certainly is key. A high fraction of green leaf will always be a problem and it may be necessary to harvest after leaf fall.
Yes, I imagine harvesting after all leaves have fallen.
Sorry, Paul. I thought you were considering combustion of ammonia in internal combustion engines, not its use in a fuel cell. From personal experience, I can testify that ammonia will ignite with tremendous release of energy under high temperature and pressure. And yes, NOx and NH3 are highly reactive under ambient conditions. I was trying to balance the equation NH3 + O2 (air) = H2O + N?O? that would invariable result in a residue of NH4OH left in the engine.--Gary
I am confused here. I think ammonia is used to reduce NOx emissions.
I do not have time now to search this, but look for example at http://www.chemithon.com/ammonia.html
We can be certain that Big Oil and Coal will demand all alternative energy processes meet the same stringent requirements that they must meet (e.g., the fuss over the slightly elevated NOx of some biodiesels). I’ve never been clear on the fate of organic N released in gasification units but presume it converts to N2.
Gary,
That is where a lot of thinking is currently going: powering fuels cells with ammonia.
Thanks.
Paul
Paul A. Olivier
Louisiana telephone: 1-337-447-4124 (rings Vietnam)
Ron: I can’t be easily persuaded that corn does not use more than its fair share of N and energy, nor that it doesn’t cause a disproportionate among of Ag’s pollution. It’s simply not fair to divide all grain by N use and conclude that corn is not an N pig. Corn has one of the highest N requirements and lowest N use efficiencies of any commonly grown row crop. We can make a soybean crop on 0 N/ac, a cotton crop on 60-80 lbs N, wheat on 50-75 lbs, rice or sorghum on 100-120 but profitable corn will require 180-250 lbs of N/ac. The credit for a previous soybean crop is insignificant as most producers ignore the ‘1 lb/bu’ rule and apply the full compliment of N. Frankly, it’s very difficult to show an increase of 25 lbs of residual N after a 25 bu soybean crop. Moreover, corn only feeds heavily early in the season and leaves behind a good amount of residual nitrate which is subject of loss to the environment. --Gary
<BR
Ron: your outrage is understandable. I’ve sat in on a couple of seminars where this subject was addressed by ag economists (Gallagher from Iowa State comes to mind) from the corn states and therefore presumably sympathetic to the cause. Can’t say I really followed the details (the economists’ reputation for unreadable slides was well protected), but by consensus they persuaded me of a small yet positive savings in fossil energy through production of alcohol for fuel. They also showed that alcohol from sugarcane was far more energy efficient (7x vs 1.1-1.4x for corn). Again, I don’t recollect all their arguments but recall processing energy and N fertilizer were players in the equations.
I did surf ammonia as fuel and am surprised I’ve never heard of this clearly sane alternative to H2. The brief review by Fiebleman and Strump was especially informative (http://www.sandia.gov/surface_science/pjf/On_NH3_roles_in_H2_economy.pdf). Low-temp cracking of NH3 to release H2 for fuel cells or to produce a H2 supplement to improve the efficiency of gasoline powered engines both make wonderful sense. NOx is a primary product of direct ammonia combustion though a catalyst has been used to react non-combusted ammonia with NOx. This sounds inefficient and risky. More, there is no way combusting ammonia with O2 in an aluminum cylinder is not going to eat it up high speed. Steel, especially stainless steel, might fair somewhat better but I wouldn’t want such an engine in my car. Unlike H2 which is odorless, ammonia is readily detected by the human nose at a couple of ppm. This is good in that easy leak detection reduces the chances of housewives blowing themselves up, but it does create a bit of a nuisance problem. Anyone who has worked with anhydrous can testify that minor leaks are difficult to prevent when transferring hoses, etc. Ammonia clearly merits our attention.--Gary
<BR
Ron,
I read this article, but it sounded too good to be true.
If this is the case, then why not take our Tallow tree biomass and make ammonia?
I think that it would be possible to solve the biomass storage problem.
We can still make biodiesel from the seed.
Thanks.
Paul
Paul A. Olivier
ESR International LLC
27c Pham Hong Thai, Ward 10
Dalat City
Lam Dong Province
Vietnam
Louisiana telephone: 1-337-447-4124 (rings Vietnam)
Texas telephone: 1-214-306-8746 (rings Vietnam)
Mobile: 090-6458735 (in Vietnam)
Mobile: 84-90-6458735 (outside Vietnam)
New website: http://esrint.com/default.aspx
Old Website: http://www.esrla.com/
<BR
On Mar 1, 12:17 pm, "Breitenbeck, Gary A."
<GBreitenb...@agcenter.lsu.edu> wrote:
> The discussion seems to have taken a turn toward futuristic energy
> alternatives. This note is an effort to return the focus to feedstock
> production for biodiesel. For the short term (i.e., the time I have
> left on Earth), the immediate need and future of bioenergy lies in
> powering a vehicle fleet similar to that existing today with
> alternatives to liquid fossil fuels. Appropriate alternatives must be
> cost competitive while complying with clean air regulations. Biodiesel
> and ethanol remain current attractive alternatives to liquid fossil
> fuels.
None of your assumptions are true. You have a dead-end 20th century
failing lifestyle that you would rather cling to than enter the 21st
century, although we are already 7 years after the 20th century. Your
Levittown suburbia is over. Ecocity is the new prestige address where
everything comes to you (or near enough) and 80% of all commutes are
moot. All three of your big American car companies are on life support
or intensive care. Your American Graffiti small town drag races and
diners are history. It's over. Get used to it. You are choking on
traffic jams right now. Life is hell for more and more people and cars
are not fun anymore. What's good for GM is no longer what's good for
America, and as we found out, never was.
The transportation "fleet" of the future doesn't look like the 1950s.
The last legal gallon of gasoline on Earth will be sold on or before
2048 in 41 years (maybe as short as 10 years), and there will never be
another carbon-fueled vehicle of any kind after that date. How can I
know the exact date? The spreadsheet doesn't lie.
http://hydrogentruth.info/page_04a.html
http://hydrogentruth.info/spreadsheets/scenario_2b.html
http://hydrogentruth.info/spreadsheets/scenario_2b.sxc
http://hydrogentruth.info/spreadsheets/scenario_2b.xls
You may have a lot of interesting ideas, but you speak them out in such an
impolite, harsh and condescending manner that I would kindly ask you not to
participate any further in these discussions. Please find another forum to
vent your anger at this doomed and wretched world.
Gary Breitenbeck is a fine man and a great scientist.
Thanks.
Paul
Paul A. Olivier
ESR International LLC
Louisiana telephone: 1-337-447-4124 (rings Vietnam)
Texas telephone: 1-214-306-8746 (rings Vietnam)
-----Original Message-----
From: iobb...@googlegroups.com [mailto:iobb...@googlegroups.com] On Behalf
Of Lion, Sonoma Co., Cal., USA
Sent: Saturday, March 03, 2007 5:00 PM
To: Chinese Tallow Tree
Subject: [TALLOW TREE] Re: Syn gas to ammonia