Upgrading biomass feeds normally results in signficant weight losses. * To upgrade sugars to fuel, remove excess oxygen * Removed oxygen “pulls” Hydrogen (H) and Carbon (C) with in in form of H2O and CO2 * Maximum Yields depend on starting feeds and ending products, but not path chosen . Example of Balance Reaction Sugar…

A Focus on Yields and Raw Material Costs. * Most biofuel and commodity chemical companies profit margins depend highly on the margin between one commodity feed stock and one commodity product. * First focus on Maximum Theoretical Yields & resulting Minimum Product cost. (Raw Material Cost ($/lb))/(Theoretical Yield)=(Minimum Product Cost ($/lb)) *Later focus on energy,…

A systematic approach to analysis. 1-Does process make commercial sense or pass a “smell test”?? 2-Does process show that: what material goes in…..comes out? 3-Does process show that: you get less chemical energy out than goes in? 4-Are there any Business Model Disconnects? 5-Gibbs Free Energy Balances. 6-Detailed energy balances for Unit Operations. 7-Does design…

Does this investment pass the “Smell Test”??? *** Biomass is converted to a syngas (CO + H2) then reacted to make a fuel. The syngas made has the right amount of Carbon Monoxide (CO) to make a claimed amount of fuel, but is low on Hydrogen (H2), so the water shift reaction is used to…

Does this investment pass the “Smell Test”? *** A process converts 2 lbs of sugar into biofuels. (it also adds in 1 lb of methane.) Do you invest? ***Equivalent Analogy: I offer to buy both of us lunch an McDonalds. (While there, I pull $12 out of your wallet that “helps” pay for lunch.) Analysis:…

Does this investment pass a “Smell Test”? *** A process converts CO2 to a liquid fuel for cars by a new company. It also co-feeds to the reactor “a little bit” of methane. *** Equivalent Analogy: I have a process that converts 10 pounds of gravel to 8 pounds of gasoline…….wow……impressive……. The process also co-feeds…