Development of technology pathways for co-processing pyrolysis oils and fossil fuels

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Nowadays, societies around the world are looking for alternative ways they produce and use energy. Bio-oil is a growing form of bioenergy that comprises different forms of renewable energy obtained from biomass. Bio-oils can be co-refined with petroleum fractions in existing refineries for the production of renewable and cleaner fuels compared with refining 100% fossil fuels; this emerging technology is also known as co-processing or co-refining. However, bio-oils are remarkably different from petroleum fuels. Bio-oil is a complex mixture of several hundred organic compounds, and often has undesirable properties. Thorough understanding of bio-oil and its blends with petroleum fractions is a necessary step for researchers to develop and promote new technologies for the successful utilization of bio-oils. Canadian refiners or power industries have serious concerns on the potential of co-processing bio-oils with conventional petroleum feedstocks. Even though there are several advantages of blending with bio-oil fractions, industrial partners will rarely risk running entirely new, chemically different feedstocks without performing sufficient process performance assessments. To ensure the safe operation of co-processing bio-oil containing feedstocks in existing refinery units, the materials technology challenges caused by corrosion need to be identified and addressed; and if applicable, innovative materials technologies will be developed for the new processing environment. To achieve this, Kemetco Research Inc. has engaged Dr. Jing Liu, PI, from the Department of Chemical and Materials Engineering (CME) at University of Alberta (U of A) to develop practical materials technology solutions for supporting Canadian forest and energy industry on the co-processing of bio-oil and petroleum feedstocks using the existing refining infrastructure. The long-term goal of the proposed research is to lay foundation for the emerging bio-oil co-processing process with the purpose of accelerating sustainable development in energy sectors.