Work Packages

The activities aim to optimize biomass pyrolysis for the production of biooil for the MILD combustion/reforming process and biochar for nitrogen adsorption. The research to achieve this includes:

• Assessment of the residual biomass sources to feed the pyrolysis process.
• Experimental studies to identify optimal operating conditions for pyrolysis.

The final objective of the WP and the project is to develop a combined pyrolysis/MILD system (together with WP2).

Contact: Christian Brackmann

WP2 focuses on the MILD combustion of gas from the pyrolysis and dry reforming of CO2 with bio-oil, which produces hydrogen-containing syngas. The research to achieve this includes:

• Studies of oxidation of single bio-oil components and biogas oxidation in model reactors.
• Studies of dry reforming with a single bio-oil component in model reactors.
• Development and optimization of kinetic models for bio-oil oxidation and dry reforming.
• Identification of an effective range of operability of bio-oil and biogas in a cyclonic reactor configuration for MILD combustion and reforming.

The final objective of the WP and the project is to develop a combined pyrolysis/MILD system (together with WP1).

Contact: Mara de Joannon

Computational models can provide cost-effective tools for predicting, analyzing, and optimizing processes. The target of WP3 is to develop numerical models of biomass pyrolysis to predict the composition of released bio-oil and gases and biochar properties. The modeling will focus on the effects of variation in biomass feedstock of different chemical and physical properties and on pyrolysis in a CO2-rich  atmosphere. A developed model will enable optimization of the overall process, e.g., the balance between pyrolysis products of bio-oil and biochar.

Contact: Hesameddin Fatehi

This WP aims to develop chemical kinetic models to predict the chemistry of biomass pyrolysis and MILD combustion/dry reforming processes, e.g., the kinetics for oxidation of bio-oil components.

Contact: Peter Glarborg

Biochar is the porous carbon residue material remaining after biomass pyrolysis. We will characterize the porosity and composition of pristine and CO2-activated biochar to evaluate its sorption properties. In particular, the sorption of nitrogen compounds makes the biochar suitable for soil amendment. 

Contact: Frederik Ossler

A Life-Cycle Analysis (LCA) will assess the environmental impacts of the MINICOR process from biomass feedstock through its conversion via pyrolysis, MILD combustion, and dry reforming into the final energy and carbon material products, syngas, and biochar. The analysis will include quantifying energy and greenhouse-gas benefits compared with current decarbonization concepts.

Contact: Nelly Garcia Gonzales