Products: Fuels, Chemicals, and Power

One of the biggest advantages of thermochemical conversion technologies is that these can produce many fuels and chemicals—many of which can supplement the demand currently met by petroleum industry. Fuels include hydrocarbons such as gasoline, diesel, jet, charcoal, alcohols and fuel additives. Recently, hydrocarbon fuels and higher alcohols have become preferred forms of biofuels because these are more compatible with petroleum infrastructure and have higher energy density than ethanol. Several demonstrations for hydrocarbon production through thermochemical conversion processes are currently underway (Regalbuto 2009). Chemicals include hydrogen, ammonia-based fertilizer, alcohols such as methanol, ethanol and butanol, acetone, activated carbon, fine chemicals, lubricants, food additives and resins (Balat et al. 2009a, b; Brown et al. 2012). Electrical power can be produced using intermediates, i. e., syngas and bio-oil using internal combustion engines such as reciprocating engines and gas turbines, steam-based external combustion engine, or fuels cells such as solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC). Heat production can be done in conjunction with electrical power production or separately through direct combustion.