Innovation in Small Diameter Utilization

Transcription

1 Innovation in Small Diameter Utilization Bioenergy & Wood Products Conference II Denver, Colorado March 15, 2006 John R. Shelly University of California Cooperative Extension

2 Innovation? Small Diameter?

3

4 Dense Stand of Small Diameter Trees

5 September 2001

6 October 2001

7 February 2002

8 June 2002

9 February 2003

10 August 2005

11 What can we Do with Small Diameter Trees?

12 What can we Do with Small Diameter Trees? Grind it

13 What can we Do with Small Diameter Trees? Grind it Chip it

14 What can we Do with Small Grind it Diameter Trees? Chip it Burn it

15 What can we Do with Small Diameter Trees? Grind it Chip it Burn it Peel it

16 What Can We Do with the Small Diameter Resource? Grind it Chip it Burn it Peel it Saw it

17 What Can We Do with the Small Diameter Resource? Grind it Chip it Burn it Peel it Saw it

18 What Can We Do with the Small Diameter Resource? Grind it Chip it Burn it Peel it Peel it Saw it

19 What Can We Do with the Small Diameter Resource? Grind it Chip it Burn it Peel it Saw it Composite Panels Peel Poles

20 What Can We Do with the Small Diameter Resource? Grind it Chip it Burn it Peel it Saw it Make OSB Peel Poles Make Plastic Composites

21 What Can We Do with the Small Diameter Resource? Grind it Chip it Burn it Peel it Saw it Make OSB Make Plastic Composites Peel Poles Engineered Lumber

22 What Can We Do with the Small Diameter Resource? Grind it Chip it Burn it Peel it Saw it OSB Plastic Composites Engineered lumber Peel Poles Make Organic Chemicals Wood = C + O + H

23 So What s the Problem?

24 So What s the Problem? Resource Availability Processing Cost Product Quality differential shrinkage knots juvenile wood

25 Dimensional change in the tangential direction is twice as great as it is in the radial direction

26 Juvenile Wood Core first 5 to 20 growth rings

27 4.5 inch, 22 years 5.5 inch, 65 years

28 8 inch, 39 years 8 inch, 73 years

29 Juvenile Wood often leads to Warp

30 The Anatomy of a Crook

31

32 Breaking wood down into particles minimizes the impact of inherent property defects (knots, juvenile wood, etc.)

33 Innovation

34 Innovation 1. Improve conventional processes to overcome the inherent property limitations

35 Innovation 1. Improve conventional processes to overcome the inherent property limitations 2. Develop new processes

36 Innovation 1. Improve conventional processes to overcome the inherent property limitations 2. Develop new processes 3. Develop new products

37 Lumber Processing Innovation

38 Lumber Processing Innovation

39 Lumber Processing Innovation

40 Lumber processing Innovation Roundwood Construction

41 Innovation Roundwood Construction Slide provided by USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Lab

42 Connections are Difficult Slide provided by USDA Forest Service, Forest Products Lab

43 It Can Be Done! Verification of design values is necessary to obtain building code approval Photo courtesy of USDA Forest Products Lab

44 Innovation Lumber Processing Roundwood Construction Wood-Plastic Composites

45 Demand for Natural and Wood Fiber-Plastic Composites Thousand Tons Year Adapted from Morton, Quarmley, and Rossi Seventh International Conference on Wood Fiber Plastic Composites. Forest Products Society, Madison, WI

46 Lumber Processing Roundwood Construction Wood Plastic Composites Energy Conversion Innovation

47 California Biomass Energy Facilities Sawmill Cogen Other Biomass Power Plants 30 + MW MW MW 0-10 MW Total Capacity ~ 625 MW Biomass Consumption 4.5 million BDT per year of which 22% is forestbased A 10 MW (megawatt) generator can supply electricity to about 10,000 homes.

48 Densified Solid Wood Fuels Firelogs Fuel Pellets

49 Densified Fuel

50 Lumber Processing Roundwood Construction Wood Plastic Composites Energy Conversion Chemical Production Innovation

51 Lumber Processing Roundwood Construction Wood Plastic Composites Energy Conversion Innovation Chemical Production Softwoods Hardwoods Cellulose % % Hemicellulose Lignin Extractives Ash < 1 < 1

52 Organic Chemicals from Biomass Many Valuable Chemicals can be Made from Wood Pharmaceuticals and Fragrances -- Extraction Charcoal, phenolic oils, methanol -- Pyrolysis Bio-Gases (low BTU, high CO) -- Gasification Levulinic and Lactic acid ( building blocks ) Hydrolysis/Conversion Ethanol -- Hydrolysis/Fermentation or Thermal Reduction/Catalytic Conversion

53 Gasification Process (In excess of 600 o C) Biomass Pyrolysis Producer gas Char & Ash Char Conversion Char & Ash Heat Heat Combustion Ash & Exhaust Gases SO 2 ~ 0.15 lbs per million BTU NO x ~ 0.05 lbs per million BTU CO ~ 0.05 lbs per million BTU Particulates ~ lbs per mill ion BTU

54 Thermal Reduction/Catalytic Conversion Biomass Gasification C, OH tar Producer gas (syngas) heat Catalytic Conversion Bio-diesel Ethanol Methanol

55 Biomass to ETOH Technologies Hydrolysis/Fermentation Concentrated Sulfuric Acid Dilute Sulfuric Acid Dilute Nitric Acid Enzymatic Thermal Reduction/Chemical Conversion Gasification/Catalytic Conversion (Fischer- Tropsch)

56 Hydrolysis/Fermentation Dilute nitric acid hydrolysis Separates the 5 and 6 carbon sugars from the lignin

57 Hydrolysis/Fermentation Dilute nitric acid hydrolysis Separates the 5 and 6 carbon sugars from the lignin

58 Hydrolysis/Fermentation Dilute nitric acid hydrolysis Separates the 5 and 6 carbon sugars from the lignin Yeast Fermentation Converts sugars to alcohol

59 Hydrolysis/Fermentation Dilute nitric acid hydrolysis Separates the 5 and 6 carbon sugars from the lignin Yeast Fermentation Converts sugars to alcohol

60 Challenges for Manufacturing Biomass-Based Products Insure a Long-Term Supply of Biomass Raw Material Overcome Material Property Limitations (biomass is a low quality raw material) Reduce the High Handling and Production Costs Improve Processing Knowledge Develop New Markets or Market Share Encourage Research Funding and Investment Capital

61 Future Small Tree Innovation Improve conventional technology Overcome inherent property limitations More economical Greater energy efficiency

62 Lower the cost of removing the resource from the forest and getting it to the processing plant

63 Future Small Tree Innovation 1. Improve conventional processes 2. Develop new processes 3. Develop new products

64 Future Small Tree Innovation Could it be Nanotechnology? one billionth of a meter New generations of lignocellulosic materials Directed breakdown of carbohydrates and/or lignin Self assembling polymers Harness the potential of trees as photochemical factories