- Biomass | Biomass feed stocks for renewable energy generation | Biomass technologies
Location: Diefenbaker
Chair
Roger Ruan
University of Minnesota, USA
Session Introduction
Roger Ruan
University of Minnesota, USA
Title: Microwave assisted fast catalytic pyrolysis and gasification of biomass for biofuels and bioenergy production
Biography:
Roger Ruan is the Director of Center for Biorefining and Professor of Bioproducts and Biosystems Engineering Department at University of Minnesota, and Fellow of ASABE. He has published over 400 papers in referred journals, books, and book chapters, and over 300 meeting papers and other reports, and holds many patents. He is also a top-cited author in the area of agricultural and biological sciences. He has served as guest editor and/or editorial board member of Bioresource Technology, etc. and an Editor-in-Chief and chairman of the board for International Journal of Agricultural and Biological Engineering.
Abstract:
Various biomass, such as crop residues, food wastes, and municipal wastes are a potential feedstock for the production of renewable energy and fuels. Gasification and pyrolysis are efficient ways for conversion and utilization of these wastes. Fluidized bed processes that are the most common methods employed in fast pyrolysis and gasification have some significant issues include a complex and expensive system and process, high ash particles in products due to violent agitation, the low energy density of syngas due to the dilution by carrying gases, etc. In this presentation, we will present our improvement and new development of a fast microwave assisted downdraft catalytic pyrolysis and gasification processes and system using the novel microwave heating mechanism in which microwave susceptors and catalysts are used to significantly improve the heating characteristics, and the yield and quality of the products. Solid feedstocks are directly fed onto the hot microwave absorbents efficiently and efficiently maintained at desirable temperatures, resulting in higher temperature rise rate of the feedstock and therefore much more efficient absorption of the microwave energy also, and in turn fast gasification and pyrolysis. A separated packed-bed catalysis for the volatiles was also developed to improve the quality and yield of the pyrolytic and gasification products. Results and discussion on the effects of key process variables such as microwave susceptor type, particle size, and loading, microwave power input and control, feedstock loading method, raw material and catalyst temperatures, and the ratio of raw material and catalyst loading on product yields and quality, and energy consumption will be presented.
Rafal Strzalka
Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Title: Flexible bioenergy system integration into energy supply systems of urban areas
Biography:
Rafal Strzalka has been working at the Stuttgart University of Applied Sciences since 2002. As part of his work, he was involved in numerous national and European projects. Since 2013, he has been coordinating the research activities of the university in the field of energetic use of biomass as a project manager. The core competencies of him includes the optimization of energy production processes, the comprehensive analysis of biomass energy infrastructure and specialized, simulation-based efficiency enhancement measures for biomass-fired energy generation systems.
Abstract:
Bioenergy is nowadays by far the most important renewable energy source. In order to achieve high sustainability of bioenergy utilization under the increasing requirements of future-oriented energy supply, the performance of biomass plants has to be increased and used “smarter” as before. The highest efficiency of the utilization of biomass potentials is currently achieved in decentralized systems, as they can be characterized by relatively high conversion efficiencies, high flexibility, and reasonable investment costs. Due to their system characteristics, decentralized bioenergy plants are operated in a heat-driven mode, which leads to problems to achieve the designed conversion efficiency if an urban area with fluctuating heat demand serves as the heat sink. Resulting from this difficult operating conditions of bioenergy plants, the aim of the study is the development of innovative system applications that will enable optimal integration of bioenergy plants with the objective of optimal exploitation of their system potential in the context of future-oriented energy supply. In the case of decentralized bioenergy plants, the available options for the application of effective process control technology are limited due to the scaling effects. This usually leads to fluctuations of the process parameters and consequently to significant losses in system efficiency. To solve this problem, an optimization concept developed in the context of the presented study, consisting of new hardware components for combustion air management and fuel parameters control will be described in the paper. The presented approach includes also the implementation of model-based improvement of the system control, which will lead to a significant increase in the system stability and process efficiency. In order to achieve optimal integration of modern bioenergy plants within sustainable energy supply systems, the infrastructure requirements of the supply areas must also be taken into account. For this purpose, a 3D CityGML model of the building infrastructure was developed by using a GIS system. The simulation platform created in this way was extended by a heat network model. This platform can be used to predict the evolution of heat demand of the supplied urban area, which will make the operation of bioenergy plants more efficient. Furthermore, this platform can be applied to remedy infrastructure deficits, which can additionally increase supply efficiency. The comprehensive system application presented in the study, consisting of new hardware components, model-based system optimization, and an infrastructure integration platform, can be universally used to improve the operation of existing and new planned bioenergy plants. With respect of a large number of bioenergy plants as the most important producer of regenerative energy, the utilization potential of this effective system application can be estimated as very high.
Peter A Jackman
Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox PLLC, USA
Title: Lessons from IPRs involving biomass-related patents
Biography:
Peter Jackman is a Director in both the Biotechnology and Cleantech Industry Groups at the Washington, DC-based intellectual property law firm Sterne, Kessler, Goldstein & Fox. He helps to protect industrial biotechnologies including biomass, biofuel, biochemical, bioprocessing, and genetic engineering technologies, leveraging his BS in biology and MS in microbiology. He frequently lectures and publishes on patent issues surrounding green technologies. He is a contributing author of Patent Office Litigation, Second Edition, published in 2017, and further served on the BIO International Convention and the BIO World Congress on Industrial Biotechnology Program Committees. His practice includes counseling clients in global patent portfolio procurement and management strategies, technology transfer, invalidity, non-infringement, freedom-to-operate and patentability opinions, and due diligence investigations. He also assists clients in reexamination and Inter Partes Review proceedings at the USPTO.
Abstract:
Modern agriculture is being transformed by a confluence of advancing technologies. Agricultural biology, cell biology, genome and proteome research, gene sequencing, and gene editing technology like CRISPR is reshaping agriculture to face the challenges of an expanding global population, climate change, and a finite natural resource base. Patents provide the infrastructure to protect innovation and enable technology progress in the area of agriculture, particularly biomass. According to data obtained from the US Patent and Trademark Office, patenting in agricultural technologies has increased steadily over the past few decades. For many years, the only way to challenge the validity of a patent was through protracted and expensive district court litigation. Inter parts review was introduced by the America Invents Act on September 16, 2012, and designed as an efficient alternative to district court litigation to challenge patent validity. Since its debut, IPRs have enjoyed widespread adoption across many industries. As of March 2018, more than 7,500 petitions have been filed. Although the total number and frequency of IPR petitions filed related to the biomass industry are relatively low compared to other industries, the data are interesting. To date, about 30 IPRs have been filed attacking plant utility patents. Given the IPR filing rate in the biotech industry, it is reasonable to believe that more patents in this sector will be challenged in the future. Patent owners who believe that their patents may be challenged in an IPR proceeding should consider adjusting their patent prosecution strategies accordingly. This presentation will provide an analysis of recent IPR filings related to the plant industry and discusses action steps based on lessons learned from these proceedings to further strengthen patent portfolios in view of IPRs.
Biography:
Cristian Panaite is a Managing Director at Forstpan, a company which provides consulting services for wood trade business, including acquisition strategies, budget planning, and legal advisory, timber harvesting management, and personal training. He’s professional experience is based on his work in main multinational companies present on Romanian wood market (Romanel Wood Industry, Kastamonu Romania SA, Kronospan) in different positions, from junior buyer to wood purchase manager. Holds a Bachelor Degree in Forestry and a Master Degree in Business Administration.
Abstract:
The bioeconomy has two main drivers: climate protection, especially by reducing the emission of greenhouse gases (GHG); and the foreseeable shift from fossil-based to renewable feedstocks. Biomass is widely accepted as the only sustainable alternative to fossil carbon sources and the starting point for developing production processes that can be characterized as having a low, or even zero carbon footprints. The bioeconomy development faces a number of hurdles. Although the processing and transformation of agricultural and silvicultural biomass to chemicals and fuels is established, the feedstock base of these industries is still dominated by fossil carbon sources. However, the transition into the bioeconomy is also an opportunity to build new cross-sectorial value chains. A bioeconomy involves three elements: biotechnological knowledge, renewable biomass, and integration across the application. The emerging “bioeconomy” reflects the dramatic increase in companies using renewable resources to develop new products and processes. The social benefits of the bioeconomy are compelling: expanded energy availability, better food security, mitigation of climate change, and more. Evaluated at 2 trillion Euro and employer for 21.5 mil people, the existing European bioeconomy market is a strong foundation for further expansion and development. Its potential growth is based on sustainable management and availability of primary biomass and various side streams. The present biomass supply in EU is estimated at 314 MtOE and the biomass potential is between 375 to 429 MtOE depending on the sustainability criteria applied.
- Advanced Biofuels | Production of Biofuels
Location: Diefenbaker
Chair
Elsa Weiss-Hortala
IMT Mines Albi, France
