Process
The process Rural Energy Marketing is planning on using in plants that they develop is a derivative of the Fischer-Tropsch process known as the Pearson Technology Process. This means that, instead of using fermentation to make ethanol from the corn stalks, there will be a chemical conversion (not using chemicals) from heat and pressure.
THE PEARSON
TECHNOLOGY PROCESS
The complete Pearson technology process involves the following steps; transportation
of the selected biomass to the processing site, drying, grinding, feeding
into the reformer (gasifier), cleaning of the gas, compression and heat transfer,
catalytic conversion, condensation, drying and storage. A general description
of the process is shown in the diagram below:
The biomass is dried and ground to the correct size. It is transported to the gasifier where the material is heated in an oxygen-starved environment to produce synthesis gas or “syngas” (primarily CO and H2). The heat is recovered as steam for use in the system; the gas is cleaned of undesirable components. The remaining gas enters the catalytic converter where it is converted to a crude alcohol mix. The gaseous crude alcohol mix is condensed, ethanol is removed from the crude mix by distillation and the other alcohols produced are recycled to increase yields of the desired products.
For more information about Fischer-Tropsch visit:
Fischer-Tropsch Process at Wikipedia.com
