Utilization of Pipeline for Simultaneous Transportation and Processing of Biomass

生物质的利用是国际减缓温室气体努力的一个组成部分，目前还处于非常早期的阶段。生物质设施是示范和“实际”项目的结合，通常规模较小，使用卡车运输来运送原料。根据运输距离的不同，运输成本可能高达原材料成本的50%。越来越明显的是，规模经济要求未来的生物精炼厂达到接近石化设施的规模；在过去的几年里，包括在欧洲和美国的关键工作中，大规模的动力已经强烈地出现。大型生物精炼厂每天可能需要多达2万吨的生物质；利用管道运输和处理大量生物质正成为降低成本和道路拥堵的一种有吸引力的选择。

Biomass utilization, a component of international effort on greenhouse gas (GHG) mitigation, is in its very early stages. Biomass facilities are a mix of demonstration and "real" projects, and are typically on smaller scale, using truck transportation to deliver the feedstock. Depending on the distance traveled, transport costs could be as high as 50% of the cost of raw material. It is becoming evident that the economies of scale require the future biorefineries to be of a size approaching petrochemical facilities; the drive for larger scale has emerged strongly in the last few years, including critical work in Europe and the United States. Large biorefineries could require as much as 20,000 tonnes of biomass per day; transporting and processing bulk volumes of biomass using pipeline is becoming an attractive option to reduce cost and road congestion.