Project Number: 6657-13630-003-05
Project Type: Specific Cooperative Agreement

Start Date: Jun 15, 2007
End Date: Jun 30, 2009

Objective:
The objective of this work is to identify and evaluate existing catalysts for production of biofuels (mixed alcohols and hydrocarbons) from animal-wastes-generated and/or biomass-generated synthesis gas by thermochemical pathway.

Approach:
A series of catalysts will be screened for their activity for mixed alcohols and hydrocarbon synthesis from synthesis gas derived from animal-waste, biomass, or other feedstocks. The composition of synthesis gas generated from different animal-waste and biomass locations will be determined by analyzing exit gases from thermogravametric and mass spectrograph experiments. The catalyst evaluation procedure is as follows. A mixed stream of calibrated gases resembling the product gas composition from gasifying/pyrolyzing animal wastes and/or biomass will be used as simulated feed. These gases will be introduced into a 300 mL high-pressure vessel (Parr Model 4766) at desired pressure (2-15 MPa) while the reactor temperature (100-300oC) will be maintained with a temperature controller on the batch unit. A series of batch runs will include evaluation of optimum catalyst size, reaction time, temperature and pressure. The effects of sulfur on catalyst performance will also be investigated. The scope of work also includes performance evaluation of available proprietary catalysts such as modified MoS2 catalyst.