TITLE: Liquefaction Methods of Solid Fuels and Their Applications in Finland.

INST.  AUTHOR: Ministry of Trade and Industry, Helsinki (Finland). Energy Dept.

LANGUAGE: Finnish

PUB.  TYPE: Technical Report

PUB.  COUNTRY: Finland

SOURCE: Department of Energy [DEE],  1984,  66p.

NTIS ORDER NO.: DE86750269/INW

ABSTRACT:

Finland's self-sufficiency in liquid fuels and certain chemicals can be increased by producing these liquids from indigenous solid fuels. Research on the liquefaction of indigenous fuels has at present two aims: the first, a short-term objective, is to prove the technical feasibility of peat and/or wood conversion at the commercial scale, and the second, a long-term objective, is to participate in the development of new, more efficient conversion processes. In this study the production of ammonia, methanol, ethanol and liquid fuels was primarily considered. The amounts of raw materials available meet the requirements of the large production units discussed in this work. Methods of biomass liquefaction were reviewed, emphasizing their stage of development and potential. The processes based on synthesis gas are closest to commercialization, but especially certain pyrolysis and high pressure hydrogenation methods (direct liquefaction) under development seem to be promising due to their high efficiency. Pyrolysis processes are simple (and investments small compared to the other processes), whilst the products of direct liquefaction processes are superior with regard to upgrading. The most economic method of producing gasoline from peat or wood is to convert the methanol produced from these materials to gasoline via a Methanol-to-Gasoline process. It is expensive to produce diesel oil by the Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. The development of a direct peat liquefaction process may lead to a more favourable alternative than those mentioned above. Ethanol produced by acid hydrolysis is not competitive in Finland.  All substitute products are at present more expensive than the conventional fuels. (ERA citation 11:012885)

REPORT  NUMBER: KTM/E-D-57