Transcript Sustainable Engineering , Process Engineering and

A System Approach to Sustainability
and the
Ethanol Challenge
Said S.E.H. Elnashaie
Quentin Berg University Chair Professor of Engineering
Pennsylvania State University at Harrisburg, USA
Presentation at The Rachel Carson Forum on Future of the
Environment, DEP, Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, July 20, 2006
A PRELUDE
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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has set a
goal of (June 2006, Roadmap for Developing Cleaner Fuels.Research Aiming at making Cellulosic Ethanol a Practical
Alternative to gasoline. Based on 2005 Workshop):
 displacing 30% of 2004 gasoline demand with
biofuels, primarily ethanol, by 2030.
 This will require a rapid expansion of the U.S. fuel
ethanol from about 4 billion gallons/year of corn grain
ethanol to about 60 billion gallons/year per year from a
variety of plant and waste materials ( biomass,
switchgrass, corn stover , etc)
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Main Topics
1. The multidisciplinary nature of sustainable development. The
system and the subsystems.
2. Sustainable economy, biomass efficient utilization and bioethanol:
The matrix of biofuels and the critical position of bioethanol.
Critical evaluation of the different routes to bioethanol from biomass
Bioethanol from Corn . Positive or negative net energy?
Some USA Bioethanol facts
International Bioethanol production
3.The success story of the Brazilian bioethanol.
4.The success story of the “chaotic fermenter” for bioethanol.
5.Ethanol/bioethanol in Pennsylvania. The coal gasification/syngas
6.The biorefinery as one of the main tools for sustainability.
7.Importance of intensive multidisciplinary research. Sequential debottlenecking and the optimal next steps.
8.Ethical/moral, socio-economical and political factors.
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1- The Multidisciplinary Nature of Sustainable Development.
The system and the subsystems.
System approach is the best to organize knowledge and
exchange it.
It depends on defining every system through its boundary,
main processes within this boundary, exchange with the
environment through this boundary and its subsystems/
elements
Depends upon thermodynamics and information theory.
Applicable to all kinds of systems which makes it most suitable
for multidisciplinary investigations.
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Sustainable Development. Multidisciplinary by Its Very Nature
Main Components of Sustainable
Development:
1- Political: e.g.: Legislations
and strategic decisions…..
2-Economical: e.g.: Investment
in novel new technologies……
3-Social: e.g.: Consumption
Trends, acceptance of novel
clean technologies and products...
4-Technological: e.g.: Novel
efficient clean technologies, clean fuels,
efficient utilization of renewable
feedstocks, new environmentally
friendly products, In-process
Modification for MPMP, efficient
waste treatment…….
________________________________
Ethical and Moral Factors ( Don Brown’s
Book: American Heat, 2003)
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Social
Factors
economics
Sustainable
Development
Technology
Politics
6
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Change of
Consumption
Trends
Renewable Energy
The
Producing
Consuming
Society
NonRenewable
Energy
(NRE)
Waste
Ecology
Credit
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Society , Renewable, Non-renewable Energies, Waste, Technologies and Consumption
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Sustainable Engineering Subset of Sustainable Development
As Engineers we Focus on Technology within the Frame Work of Other Components
DOE Extensive Hydrogen Research
Support to Hydrogen Economy by President
Technology
Sustainable Engineering
+
Other Engineering/Science
Disciplines
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Socioeconomics
Politics
Sustainable Development
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Classical Components of SD/SE and the Critical Links
Renewable Raw Materials and Sensible Consumption
AIChE and Sustainable Engineering:
1-Novel chem.engng. applications
UK Chem. Engrs. Inst. Components
to satisfy needs of sustainable society.
of Sustainable Development (triple
2-Joining sustainability discussions.
bottom line) :
3-Be a bridge between chem. Engng.
1-Environmental Component
community/industry/government, etc.
2-Economical Component
4-Providing education and outreach
( Generation of Wealth)
on role of chemical engineering in
3-Social Component
creating a sustainable future.
The American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE):
1-sustainable planning, design, construction and operations.
2-Sustainable Materials
3-Sustainable Communities , transportation and Smart Growth
4-Sustainability Practices in Industry.
5-Changing the Way We Do Business Globally
6-Integration of Sustainability into Engineering Education
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2- Sustainable
economy and the role
of biomass efficient
utilization
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Not Hydrogen Economy
But
Renewable Economy
1. An Economy where the basic
building blocks to produce:
energy as well as industrial
and consumer goods ,utilize
renewable resources.
2. Achieves Sustainable
Development (SD)
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Biomass and Bioenergy
We are Looking to a Day
When a Ton of Biomass Will
Be Traded Like a Barrel of
Imported Oil is Today
WHERE ARE WE TODAY 2006?
Dan W. Reicher
Assistant Secretary of Energy
2000
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The matrix of biofuels and the critical position of bioethanol
Bio= the process and/or the feedstock
Membrane Separation, PSA
Biohydrogen
FT
Syngas
Biodiesel
Bio, thermal, catalytic
FT
Gasification/fast PyrolysisReforming
Sugars
Fermentation
Hydrolysis
Bioethanol
Dry/Wet Milling
Biomass
Starch: Corn
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Biohydrogen and Biodiesel.
Optimal Biofuel and Production Route are Location Sensitive.
Advanced Catalytic Membrane Gasification (one Step)
Gasification(2 steps)
Biomass ++
Syngas
Biomass and/or
Carbohydrates
Fast Pyrolysis (3 steps)
Steam Reforming
Separation
in-situ / ex-situ

Bio-oil
Bio-Diesel
FT
Biological
Catalyst/biocatalyst
Vegetable
Oil & Waste
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Oil
+
Alcohol
Biohydrgen
FT
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Direct Biohydrogen
Catalytic Gasification with Hydrogen Membranes(1)
Biohydrogen
Biomass ++
Biological Treatment (2)+ X
(1)
(2)
X
Elnashaie and co-workers
Bruce Logan (Penn State), and co-workers
Most Desired Field of Research Among Students at UBC 2005/2006
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Critical evaluation of the different routes to
bioethanol from biomass
Acid Hydrolysis
Biomass
Lignocellulosic
Waste
Cellulose and
Hemi-Cellulose
Enzymatic
Hydrolysis
SSF
Lignin to Variety of
Chemicals or fuel
Also possible to sugars
for fermentation
Sugars
Fermentation
Mutated Microorganisms
Bioethanol
SSF=Simultaneous Saccrification/Fermentation
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Bioethanol from Corn . Positive or negative net energy?
• Net Energy Ratio (NER) of a Fuel=
(Energy of Fuel-Energy Consumed to
Produce the Fuel)(+/-) Energy consumed to
produce the fuel/ (Energy Consumed to
Produce the Fuel)= {Y (+/-)X}/X
(+/-) it is + when Y is positive and – when Y
is negative.
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Examples:
(1): One researcher gave: Total energy use for producing
ethanol=A= 78,081.00 Btu/gal, considered energy of
ethanol (B)= 83,961.00 Btu/gal, thus Y= +5,880.0. and the
above sign is + and NER = (5,880.0 + 78,081)/78,081= 1.1
• Meaning: if we consume 100.0 kJ to produce an amount
of ethanol this ethanol will contain 110 kJ of Energy
( 2): Another researcher gave: Total energy use for
producing ethanol=A= 131,017Btu/gal, considered energy
of ethanol (B)= 76,000 Btu/gal, thus Y= -55,017.00 and
the above sign is - and NER = (-55,017.00 –
131,017)/131,017= -1.42
• Meaning: if we consume 100.0 kJ to produce an amount
of ethanol this ethanol will contain 58kJ of Energy ( But
May be of Higher Quality)
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Estimates and Disputes about NER
• DOE gives NER for ethanol 1.34 and expect itto increase up to
2.0-2.5
• Professor Pimentel (Cornell Univ.): NER= -1.44( 2001), - 1.29
(2003)
• Professors Pimental and Patzek (Cornell/UC-Berkely): NER=
-1.29 ( 2005)
• Differences:
1- Energies included
2-Levels of technologies
3-Energy estimation techniques
4-Including/not including solar energy as consumed
5- Including/not including energy in capital cost and estimation
techniques.
6- Including/not including energy credits for by-products.
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Energy Ratio: ER
• Energy Ratio (ER) of a Fuel = (Energy of Fuel)/
(Energy Consumed to Produce the Fuel)
For example 1 it will be the same: 1.1 ;
For example 2 it will be : 0.58
___________________________________________________________
USDA, ER&NER and Other Sources
Examples from USDA( supporting Ethanol from corn):
Fuel
Gasoline
Diesel
Electricity
Ethanol
ER
0.8
0.8
0.4
1.6
NER
-1.2
-1.2
-1.6
+1.6
Fuel
NG
LPG
Coal
ER NER
0.9
-1.1
0.95 -1.05
0.95 - 1.05
Other Sources
Ethanol from Corn:
Ethanol from Cellulosic Waste:
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ER
1.25-1.35
1.8
NER
1.25- 1.35
1.8
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Argonne National Laboratory Estimates
for Reductions in Greenhouse Gas
Emissions
• %Reduction in Greenhouse Gas
Emission/Vehicle Mile Traveled
E10
E85
Corn-based Ethanol
2
24-26
Cellulosic Ethanol
8-10
68-91
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Improvements and Intensive
Multidisciplinary Research
• Bioethanol Production today compared with 1980s:
1- Requires 50% less energy .
2- Ethanol yields increased by more than 22% ( from
2.2 gallons/bushel to 2.7 gallons/ bushel) .
3- Capital cost decreased from $ 2/gallon/year to
$1.5/gallon/year
More Intensive Improvements Using Multidisciplinary
Research is Needed and is Possible
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Ethanol Simple Facts
• Ethanol meets the Kyoto requirements
• Ethanol has octane rating of 111
• Henry Ford 100 years ago praised
alcohols as the fuels of the future.
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Some USA Bioethanol Facts
• Most Bioethanol in USA is produced from corn which
may be not the best raw material.
• Dominating process now is dry mill ( 70%)
• Production in 1980, 200 million gallons/year, in 2000, 2
billion gallons /year, 1000% increase in 20 years.
• Example: Chippewa Valley Ethanol Company (CVEC)
increased production from 15 million gallon/year in
1996 to 20 million gallon/year, 33% increase in 4 years.
• Largest plant is New Energy plant in Indiana: 85 million
gallons/year
• 12 additional ethanol plants on 2002
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Important Statistics
• A study in Minnesota shows:
every $1 state support to ethanol production gives
back to state $12-13
• Statistics for typical 15 million gallons/year plant:
28 full time jobs, payroll of $ 1.0 million per year,
$300,000/year local and state taxes, $22 million gross
revenues per year, 80% of the dollars are spent
within a 75 miles radius, total economic impact of $
30.0 millions/year.
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California. Sacramento Valley

Solving the problem of black cloud due to rice straw burning

Bioethanol from rice straw by SSF (Simultaneous Saccharification and
Fermentation ). Consists of enzymatic conversion of the cellulose and
hemicelluloses to sugar using enzyme followed by fermentation of sugar to
ethanol in the same reactor.

Using genetically engineered E.coli bacterium developed by the University of
Florida
turning 300,000 tons of dry rice straw into 23 million gallons of ethanol
annually.


Arkenol established a commercial facility in Sacramento, California, to
convert rice straw to ethanol, using the concentrated acid hydrolysis process,
followed by fermentation
Other Projects:


BC International developed two such projects: the Collins Pine Ethanol
Project, a 23 million gallon per year plant using forest thinning and wood
wastes as feedstock
Gridley Ethanol Project, a 20 million gallon per year ethanol plant using rice
straw as its primary feedstock.
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American Coalition for Ethanol, ACE.
Ethanol. org
ACE Vision of Ethanol's Production:
1- drives economic development
2- adds value to agriculture
3- moves our nation toward energy independence
•This year the U.S. ethanol industry will grow to provide more than
5 billion gallons of clean burning, renewable fuel to our country's
supply.
http://www.ethanol.org/EthanolHandbook2006.pdf.pdf
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Some Very Recent USA
Bioethanol News.
 July 2006
 Before the crisis in
Lebanon
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Ethanol prices hit record. Friday, July 07, 2006

Ethanol prices on July 5 extended a three-month rally to record
levels as increased demand for the gasoline additive outpaced
production, Bloomberg News reported July 6.

Competition for ethanol between refiners and fuel companies
soared after the additive was phased in as the primary blending
component in cleaner-burning gasoline, and the use of a rival
additive, methyl tertiary butyl ether, known at MTBE, was
reduced.

U.S. ethanol averaged a record $3.9757 a gallon on July 5, up
4.1 percent from June 30, according to data compiled by
Bloomberg. That average, based on ethanol traded in Des
Moines and 29 other Midwest locations, was more than double
$1.5929 a year ago.
This was before the crisis in Lebanon
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Kroger to offer E85 in Columbus, Cincinnati, Dayton
Monday, July 10, 2006

Kroger announced July 6 that it will offer corn-based ethanol E85 fuels at gas stations, first
in Columbus, then in Cincinnati and Dayton.

The program is announced in partnership with General Motors Corp., one of the
manufacturers of cars outfitted to burn E85 and the state of Ohio

Critics of using ethanol gasoline point to its high price, that a gallon of gasoline is 10 to 15
percent more efficient than ethanol and that the corn used to make it could be used to feed
hungry people around the world.

Support of using E85 gasoline in recent months has increased, however supporters warn
that it is not the "magic" solution to eliminating U.S. dependency on foreign oil. Using
biodiesel, propane gas and natural gas should also be figured into the mix.

Ohio State Sen. Eric Kearney, D-North Avondale, proposed legislation more than a week ago
that would create incentives for the processing of ethanol within Ohio. Kearney said he
believes his bill, which will be introduced when the legislature reconvenes in November, will
have wide support. "What Kroger and GM are doing marries well with what I am doing,"
Kearney said. "I am just glad and really happy that they are embracing this.“

General Motors Corp., Ford Motor Co., and DaimlerChrysler AG's Chrysler Group have
produced 5 million flex-fuel vehicles capable of running on E85. The automakers plan to
build 1 million flex-fuel cars this year. Their commitment would lead to the production of 2
million flex-fuel vehicles annually by 2010.
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International Bioethanol Facts
 EU plans to increase % of biofuels from 2% now to 6%
by 2010. Bioethanol is a major component of this biofuel
 60 new bioethanol plants in EU by 2010, each producing
100,000 tons/year(~30 million gallons/year)
 Germany has the capacity of 240 million gallons/year
 Brazil produces 4.8 billion gallons/year. Expected to rise
on 2010 to 6.6 billion gallons /year
 USA in 2004 producing 3.2 billion gallons/years
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3.The success story of bioethanol in Brazil( 180 millions)
Brazil is the world's largest producer of ethanol and is independent of
exported oil.
It produces 4.8 billion gallons/year, or 38 percent of the worldwide total.
Brazil uses sugar cane as the raw material, raising fears among
environmentalists regarding forests and biodiversity
It is expected to produce 6.6 billion gallons/ year on 2010( 30% will be for
export,~ 2.2 billion gallons/year).
This will require expanding the current area of sugar cane cultivation from
the present 5 millions to 7.5 millions hectares.
In 2004 it exported about 0.6 billion gallons three times the amount in 2003.
Brazil's ethanol has the lowest production cost internationally.
In 1980, ethanol productivity was ~ 925 gallons/hectare, on 2004 it became ~
1850 gallons/hectare
Brazil still Seeks Clean Energy - in the Garbage, ethanol from cellulosic
waste and methane from landfills.
Carbon credits are an important incentive for city governments in Brazil to
fulfill their ”constitutional obligation” to properly dispose of garbage, and
develop clean energy.
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4. The success story of the “chaotic
fermenter” for bioethanol
1.
2.
Said S.E.H.Elnashaie and Parag Garhyan, Chaotic Fermentation of Ethanol,
US Full Patent #10/978,293 filled on 10/29/2004.Published 4th August 2005
See a summary of the many mathematical and experimental papers in:
Said Elnashaie and Parag Garhyan, “Bioethanol Production-Sloving the Efficiency
Bottleneck” The Chemical Engineer(tce), 755, May Issue, pp.30-32, 2004
Invention is product of PhD work of my student: Dr.Parag Garhyan( Now
researcher with Lilly in Indianapolis). He won the award of the best PhD in
Auburn University, 2004.
Patent bought on March 2006 by investors
Investors formed a company, INFINOL, on this patent
Basic idea is:
Operate fermenter dynamically( periodic/chaotic) at high feed sugar
concentration.
Use pervaporation membranes to prevent inhibitory effect of ethanol and
stabilize the fermenter.
Much More improvements are still possible.
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5-Ethanol/bioethanol in Pennsylvania
Example of Pennsylvania Pioneering Biofuel Initiative
Worley & Obetz, Inc., Highspire, PA
On the fall of 2004 became the first energy company
in Pennsylvania to provide BioHeating Oil to all its
heating oil customers. Now expanded and currently
provide E85 and Biodiesel blended fuels.
AmeriGreen™ E85: Used in thousands of cars. It is
85 percent ethanol and just 15 percent gasoline
AmeriGreen™ BioDiesel: used in many diesel engine
with no modifications.
AmeriGreen™ BioHeating Oil: for any heating
system using heating oil. All available in many
places throughout PA ( Lancaster, York, Dauphin,
Berks,etc)
A filling station in Middletown near the fire station
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On Oct. 28, 2005, the Governor opened the East Coast’s
first, state-of-the-art biofuels injection facility in
Middletown, PA.
It replaces 3.2 million gallons of foreign oil with
domestically produced biodiesel.
It will also keep about $6 million worth of energy dollars in
the commonwealth by reducing the state’s need to
purchase imported fuels.
Biofuel is the future and PA is taking good steps forward.
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Ethanol from Coal
Pennsylvania is very rich in coal
Synthetic
Ethanol
FT
Coal
Gasification
Syngas
FT
Synthetic
Diesel
Bio-route
e.g.: Anaerobic Bacterium
Clostridium ljungdahlii
Bioethanol
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Pennsylvania and Diesel from Coal
In Sept. 2005, Pennsylvania governor Edward
Rendell announced a venture with Waste
Management and Processors Inc. using technology
licensed from Shell and Sasol to build an FT plant
that will convert so-called waste coal (leftovers from
the mining process) into low-sulfur diesel fuel at a
site outside of Mahanoy City, northwest of
Philadelphia.
The state of Pennsylvania has committed to buy a
significant percentage of the plant's output and,
together with the U.S. Dept. of Energy, has offered
over $140 million in tax incentives.
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6-The biorefinery as one of the main tools for
sustainability.
Fuel is a major part of economy, but it is not
all the economy.
A biorefinery integrates biomass conversion
processes to produce: fuels, power, and
chemicals from biomass.
The biorefinery concept is analogous to
today's petroleum refineries/petrochemical
complexes, which produce multiple fuels and
other products from petroleum.
Industrial biorefineries are the most
promising route to the creation of a new
domestic sustainable bio-based industry.
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Example of the Simple PureVision Biorefinery
Biorefineries refines biomass (wood, agricultural and paper wastes, energy crops, etc.) into:
sugars, bio-plastics, ethanol, acetic acid and other chemicals.
This is carbon-neutral, eliminating fossil fuel inputs while providing green products.
VERY LIMITED, e.g.: IT DOES NOT UTILIZE SYNGAS AND FT
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World's First "Biorefinery"
Golden Valley, MN, August 25, 2003
Biorefining, Inc. started its first commercial
application of their patented "Biorefining
Process." The project incorporating this
process is a $22 million joint-ventured
production facility with Ace Ethanol, LLC.
The new "biorefinery" generates valueadded co-products from the further
fractionation of the corn fiber in distiller's
grain.
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7.Importance of intensive multidisciplinary research.
Sequential de-bottlenecking and the optimal next steps.
The biggest improvements will be through intensive
multidisciplinary research to efficiently achieve :
1-Change of raw material to cellulosic waste,
2-Efficient fermentation of difficult sugars using
mutated microorganisms.
3-Unconventional operation (dynamic, chaotic).
4-Membrane fermenters.
5-Immobilization of microorganisms
5-Immobilized packed bed fermenters, etc
6-Efficient Ethanol production through Syngas followed
by FT.
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Competing Raw Materials and Processes. All Need Intensive
Multidisciplinary Research. Compare Optimums
1-Pyrolysis+Steam Reforming
(better)
Or
2-Gasification
Corn
Dry/Wet Milling
NG
Biomass
Hydrolysis
Steam
Reforming
Bioreactor
landfills
SSF
Sugars
Syngas
Fermentation
FT
Ethanol
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Gasification
Coal
Biomass
Multidisciplinary Research, e.g. :
Fermentation Research: Microorganisms +
Bioreactor Configurations + Immobilization
+Membranes + Mode of Operation, etc
Steam Reforming& Gasification Research :
Bubbling Fluidized Beds, CFB, Autothermicity, etc
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8. Ethical/moral, socio-economical
and political factors.
Ethical/moral:
Is sustainability profitable or is it a moral/ethical
obligation?
Does moral/ethical obligations change with the
change of the philosophy we believe in?
How much is moral/ethical obligations related to
religion, i.e.: can we have good moral/ethical
obligations without religion. How does this apply
to sustainability?
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Socio-economical:
Is there a contradiction between sustainability and profitability? and if there is, is it
solvable within a profitability based society? Is Innovation an answer?
Is sustainability more critically dependent on the production or consumption domains?
Can they be separated?
Can we achieve sustainability with the present mode of consumption in the US?
How will be the situation if the US mode and size of consumption prevailed in the
entire planet? will biofuels and bioproducts be able to sustain this mode of
consumption internationally?
Are biofuels/bioproducts enough to achieve sustainability?
How much does the future of bioethanol and other biofuels depend upon the
decisions of large oil companies? Is this a socio-economical or political question?
Will sustainable economy leads to a different socio-economical systems?
Will sustainable development affect international relations, decreasing international
tensions and wars?
Is sustainable development compatible or contradictory to global development?
How much it will localize great parts of production/consumption and affect
international trade?
Are the present definitions of sustainable development sufficient/suitable?
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Political:
What level of public awareness is needed to adopt sustainable polices
and what are the best techniques to achieve that? Is this political or
socio-economical question?
Does world politics and large corporate businesses affect adaptation
of biofuels?
Does biofuels adaptation affect world policies, specially in places like
the ME?
How much the future of bioethanol and other biofuels depends upon
the political and military situation in the ME?
What degree of national and international equality is needed to
succeed in developing sustainable economy?
Is the US refusal of the Kyoto agreement: scientific, economical,
political, ethical……?
Is the recent interest in bioethanol, biodiesel, biohydrogen: scientific,
economical, political, ethical,….?
For politicians what is the correlation between adopting sustainable
policies and popularity/winning elections?
How much does bioethanol adaptation depend upon the political
decision of subsidizing it?
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General
Is nuclear energy an option?
Is the main bottleneck: scientific/technological,
economical or political? Or all of them non-linearly
interacting?
Is there a contradiction between sustainable
development and the second law of
thermodynamics?
Will sustainable development decrease the
possibilities of bifurcation, chaos and self
organizational criticality?
Will it lead the world toward a stable stationary nonequilibrium state? Or an equilibrium state?
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Thank You
I will Be Happy to
Answer Any Questions
and Discuss Any Topics
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