A Membrane Strategy for Increasing Hydrocarbon Yield in Biomass-to-Liquids Processes

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By Green Car Congress on 04/04/2010 – 7:30 am PDT

Researchers from the Karlsruher Institut für Technologie (KIT) in Germany have shown that hydrocarbon yield and energy efficiency can be increased in a Fischer-Tropsch (FT) biomass-to-liquids (BTL) process through the use of a hydrophilic membrane enabling the in situ removal of water from the catalyst bed. The work, described in a paper published 30 March in the ACS journal Energy & Fuels, provides a foundation for further optimization of such membranes for use in BTL processes.

FT synthesis uses syngas (primarily H2 and CO) generated from coal, natural gas, or biomass. For biomass, synthesis gas production occurs via oxygen/steam gasification or partial oxidation reactions. The resulting synthesis gas is then cleaned and adjusted to synthesis requirements.

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