[Bioconversion] Carbon Arc Steam Reforming of biomass

[Peter Singfield]

At 07:27 AM 6/21/2007 +0100, AJH wrote:
>On Wed, 20 Jun 2007 20:36:22 -0600 (CST), Peter Singfield wrote:
>
>>
>>OK -- anyone out there up to speed on this??
>
>Not me Peter but traditionally carbon arc furnaces have required very
>cheap electricity, often from hydro. In UK the domestic demand for
>renewable electricity seems to have made it worthwhile converting at
>least one Direct Current smelter to AC for the grid.
>
>AJH
>

OK -- getting up to speed:

The heating values of producer gas and syngas gas and more --

Producer gas       135 to 175 btu/ft cubed

Coal gas           540 - 700

Natural gas        1047 - 1218

syngas             250 - 320


Carbon arc steam reforming results in syngas product.

In steam reforming the heat of the arc is not "lost" -- but invested --
into the product -- like charging a battery - -except it also converts the
hydrocarbons present to much more gas -- 

In actual trials on waste materials (garbage) they recorded increase --
multiples -- of from 4 to 10 times the energy input as the arc.

I imagine processing woody hydrocarbon biomass would be at the high end to.

The problem is producing the current for sustaining that arc -- there you
can figure 30% --

That is 30% of the syngas product heat value will come out as electric
power for the arc.

OK -- some of the math --

Arc reforming tires should give ten to one ratios ---

6 kilo watt in -- 60 kw heating value of gas out.

It is mentioned that syngas does 35% over all efficiencies in IC engines.

35% * 60 kw = 21 kw -- lose 20% generating -- 16.8 kw "net"

6 kw goes back into the arc -- so 10.8 kw net power for distribution from a
6 kw arc steam reformer.

***************************

Conventional biomass partial combustion gasifiers are touted as good
devices for conversion to electric power.

As I posted -- and well accepted at the gas list -- a major project in
India to bring power to the poor -- a plant that has been operating for ten
years -- the average dual fuel characteristics -- 70% producer gas -- 30%
diesel.

So -- just for the hell of it ---

*****************************************

Well -- but the "gut" -- gonjo math --

Say 350 ml diesel per kwh -- 

6 kw = say -- 2 liters -- say 70,000 btu -- 20 kwh

To produce 60 kwh net of synthesis gas.

That 60 kw will only give back -- realistically in a small sytem -- maybe
30% as electricity.

18 kw!!

So -- one invests sufficient diesel to produce a 6 kw arc and one ends up
with 18 kw "export"

For some of us -- that kind of increase in "milage" is OK ---

As good if not better than what conventional dual fuel producer gasifier
power plants get -- right??

Crunch on this -- 

As for the "hardware" -- all well researched -- all urls have been posted
(to the Gas list) -- even to how to roll your own graphite rods -- and an
example PDF of a 6 kw arc furnace using home rolled rods -- in Nigeria --
by students.

I also presented another url showing the geometry of a small carbon arc
furnace used to arc reform "garbage" in a laboratory setting -- very simple
device indeed.

Hey -- if they can do this -- so can I --

Why bother??

Because good quality syngas has many uses besides dual fueling a diesel --
but that example is demonstrated just to give on an idea in regards to what
"losses" are like.

PDF's

http://www.cdc.gov/niosh/mining/pubs/pdfs/ri9441.pdf

http://www.akamaiuniversity.us/PJST8_1_12.pdf

http://www.p2pays.org/ref/10/09034.pdf

http://www.hatch.ca/non_ferrous/HP0000266.pdf

http://www.osti.gov/bridge/servlets/purl/10143473-0tE0bN/10143473.PDF

http://www.hatch.ca/Technologies/Articles/Improved%20Performance%20of%20Sode
rberg%20Electrodes.pdf

http://www.hi.is/~magnusj/ritverk/infacon8.pdf

OK -- according to Haramon -- this is the "nut's and bolts" list --

So -- what you all waiting for -- eh??

Peter / Belize