Biofuels & Bioenergy

The CatLiq® process is a catalytic hydrothermal liquefaction process that takes place at water supercritical conditions in the range of 230-250 bar and 350-420°C and the obtained biocrude oil is called as “Altaca oil”. “Altaca Oil” is synthesized from aqueous bio-waste such as lignocelluloses, proteins, fats and carbohydrates and their mixtures. In the development phase of the CatLiq® process, after a pilot scale studies, a demonstration plant was scaled up. The upgraded version of the lab pilot plant is currently operational in Gebze-Kocaeli, Turkey, and a series of tests have been conducted to optimize conversion conditions of bio-gasification and sewage sludges. Using delivered data via these tests, the pre-commercial demonstration plant was designed and, the plant is under construction at the Gönen, Balikesir/Turkey. During designing studies, for thermodynamic calculation and process simulation Aspen HYSYS 8.4, and Chemcad 6.1, for heat exchanger designs Aspen HTFS, for piping Bentley, for the stress analysis and materials choise PV Elite, and for fluid dynamic and heat transfer Fluent were used. General requirements were observed for ASME Section 3 Div.2 in the pre-commercial demonstration plant design. The demonstration plant mass flow feeding rate is 15 ton/h, while the mass flow feeding rate of pilot plant is 60 kg/h. It is limited for continuous process due to the fact that the pilot plant has some fluid behaviors as fouling, plug, particle flow. It has been forecast that these limitation will solved at the scale up. The demonstration plant is an energy integrated system with heat recovery of 70%. Each waste heat stream at the plant was investigated in terms of its waste heat quantity (the approximate energy in the waste heat stream), quality (typical exhaust temperatures). Energy content of waste heat streams was considered as a function of mass flow rate, composition, and temperature, and was evaluated based on process energy consumption, typical temperatures, and mass balances. Ultimately, waste heat of any equipment was used for reaction energy of other equipment. Moreover, the plant was scaled up based on Best Available Technology. The plant is based on transforming the waste into a useful material and minimalizing waste production of the process.