Liquid fuels from high-diversity grassland perennials

FUEL 164

Bo Zhang, zhan0260@umn.edu, Marc von Keitz, and Kenneth Valentas. BioTechnology Institute, University of Minnesota, 1479 Gortner Avenue, Suite 140, St. Paul, MN 55108
The hydrothermal liquefaction of low-input high-diversity mixtures of native grassland perennials (LIHD), LIHD pre-treated with dilute acid and lignin extracted from LIHD was studied. The liquid yields were optimized using the following treatment variables: heating rate (5-140°C /min), cooling rate (5-66°C /min), reaction temperature (300-450 °C, corresponding to a pressure range of 10-35MPa), residence time (1-30 min), particle sizes and catalysts (1% and 0.1% sulfuric acid, 1% NaOH, solid superacid SO42-/ZrO2-Al2O3 and solid alkali CaO-ZrO2). The liquefaction yields were found to be dependant on the final liquefaction temperature, the length of liquefaction time and the heating rate. The highest liquid yield of 82.1% was achieved within short residence time of 1 minute at 374°C. The major compounds of the liquid products from the various LIHD fractions were identified by GC-MS. High diversity biomass (LIHD) could be a good candidate for the liquefaction process with a fast heating rate.
 

Clean Energy, Fuels and Chemicals from Biomass
1:45 PM-4:35 PM, Tuesday, April 8, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Rm. 239, Oral

Sci-Mix
8:00 PM-10:00 PM, Monday, April 7, 2008 Morial Convention Center -- Hall A, Sci-Mix

Division of Fuel Chemistry

The 235th ACS National Meeting, New Orleans, LA, April 6-10, 2008