Modular, Compact Fischer-Tropsch Technology 13 October, 2008 Jeff S. McDaniel 1 Agenda Velocys Introduction Modular FT Technology Conventional FT Technology FT Demonstration Status Modular Hydrocracking Technology 2 2
Velocys Incorporated Battelle Memorial Institute spin-out company in 2001 Commercializing microchannel process technology 82 U.S. Patents Over $100 million of funding from industrial partners 60+ employees 3 Modular Fischer-Tropsch Microchannel reactor architecture Excellent performance
Microchannel Technology Conventional ~ 25-150 mm Microchannel Characteristic dimension ~ 0.1-1.0 mm 5 Impact of Technology Velocys Technology systems outperform conventional reactors Accelerates chemical processes by 10 1,000 fold Enables smaller, more productive reactors Allows use of new, novel, more active catalysts Controls reactions at optimal conditions 6
Microchannel Fischer-Tropsch Reactor Concept Microchannel Reactor Water CO + 2 H 2 0.1 5.0 mm 0.1 5.0 mm Water/Steam -(CH 2 )n- + H 2 O Close integration of the exothermic Fischer-Tropsch synthesis and steam generation 7 Commercial FT Reactor Assembly 8 M 1.5 M Capacity = 300 500 barrels/day 8
2 nd Generation Demo Reactor Capacity: ~8 liters/day Same fundamental design as commercial unit Test Reactor 9 Key Performance Results Pressure: 350 psi Temperature: 210-225 C Diluent Level: 4-18% 3,500+ hours of operation Contact time: 210-290 milliseconds CO Conversion: >70% CH 4 Selectivity: 8-12% Alpha: ~0.90 Productivity: 28 40+ BPD/full-scale reactor 10
FT Pilot Reactor Demonstrated Capacity 100% 370 90% 350 80% 330 70% 310 Conversion, Selectivity (%) 60% 50% 40% CO Conversion CH4 Selectivity Temperature 28 bpd/ reactor 36 bpd/ reactor 44 bpd/ reactor 290 270 250 Temperature ( C) 30% 230 20% 210 10% 190 0% 170 0 200 400 600 800 1000 1200 1400 1600 1800 Time on stream (hr) Demonstrated capacity of of 40+ BPD/reactor 11 Catalyst Regeneration 80 370 70 350 330 Conversion, Selectivity (%) 60 50 40 30 20 CO Conversion CH 4 Selectivity Temperature Regeneration 310 290 270 250 230 210 Temperature ( C) 10 190 0 170 0 500 1000 2000 2500 Time-on-Stream (hr) Activity recovered with in-situ regeneration 12
Conventional FT Technology Two established FT technologies Both optimized for large-scale facilities FT Technology Today Slurry Bed Vapor product Vapor Zone Liquid product Slurry Bubble Zone (small catalyst particles) Catalyst/ Wax Separator Boiler Feed Water Catalyst Return - Syngas FT Reactor during shipping Capacity = 15,000 bpd Weight = 2,200 tons Height = 60 m Outer Diameter = 10m Slurry bubble FT Reactors among the largest in the world 14 Slurry bubble FT Reactors among the largest in the world 14
FT Technology Today Fixed Bed Key Reactor Stats: Weight: 1,200 tonnes Capacity: 5,800 bpd Diameter: 7m Height: 20m Reactor tubes: 29,000 Tube length: 12m Tube diameter: 2.5cm Fixed bed FT FT Reactors are also massive 15 Catalyst Productivity Comparison Catalyst Productivity (kg/m 3 /hr) 1600 1400 1200 1000 800 600 400 200 0 Fixed Bed Slurry Bed Velocys Velocys FT FT reactors enable 10x catalyst productivity increase 16
Reactor Productivity Comparison 14 12 360 bpd Microchannel Reactor Assembly Reactor Productivity (bpd/tonne - reactor weight) 10 8 6 4 2 Shell - Bintulu Shell - Pearl Sasol - Oryx 0 0 2,000 4,000 6,000 8,000 10,000 12,000 Scale of Single Reactor (bpd) Microchannel FT FT matches capacity requirements of of BTL and WTL applications 17 FT Reactor Comparison Technology Characteristics Pore diffusion Fixed Bed (Shell) Slurry (Sasol) Micro- Channel (Velocys) Velocys Advantage Small catalyst particles (~300 µ) Catalyst loading in process channel Fixed bed enables high catalyst loading Gas-liquid mass transfer Isothermal behavior Avoid CO mass transfer limitation through wax High heat transfer performance Catalyst exchange Catalyst exchange Catalyst attrition Slurry reactors enable simpler catalyst change-out Catalyst held stationary Need for liquid-solid separation Scale-up Reactor costs - BTL Catalyst maintained in reactor Numbering-up approach Able to scale down cost effectively Ref Reactors for FT Synthesis, Guettel et al, Chem. Eng. Tech., 2008 18
Demonstration Status Key obstacles have been overcome First field demonstration in spring 2009 Fouling: Potential Issue with Microchannels Solids at 15 ppm, 80% initial vapor quality Significant performance degradation over 2000 hours Vaporizer after 2,000 hours operation 20
Fouling: Demonstrated Success for >1 Year Delta P (psig) Solids at 1ppm, 30% vapor quality 2 200 1.8 180 1.6 160 1.4 140 1.2 120 Delta P 1 100 0.8 Steam Quality Outlet Air Temp (C) 80 0.6 60 0.4 40 0.2 20 0 0 0:00:00 2400:00:00 4800:00:00 7200:00:00 9600:00:00 Time (hh:mm:ss) Temperature (C), % Steam No performance degradation over 9600 hours Vaporizer after 9,600 hours operation 21 Catalyst: Demonstrated Success Aspect Loading Regeneration Unloading Primary Challenge Evenly distributing and packing catalyst particles in microchannels Achieving long, steady runs Removing wax which blocks catalyst sites Removing wax build-up Removing catalyst after extended operation Status Demonstrated. Successfully loaded multiple devices and identified commercial vendors Demonstrated. Current Recent device at 1,500+ ~1,800 hours Multiple regenerations demonstrated in earlier devices Demonstrated. Process developed and demonstrated on multiple devices 22
Reducing development risk by Numbering-up vs Scaling-up Velocys devices minimize time and cost to commercialization Critical dimensions remain constant in Velocys Technology Scale up Number up 23 U.S. Air Force Demonstration Project Assured Aerospace Fuels Research Facility Wright Patterson Air Force Base (Dayton, OH) Phase I - Under construction - Steam reformer + Fischer Tropsch + Hydrocracker - ~100 liters/day of FT capacity Extensive fuel evaluation program Velocys supplying microchannel FT reactor system Velocys participating in in key U.S. Air Force fuel demonstration 24
FT Reactor Field Demonstration Skid FT Reactor Assembly Coolant surge Tank Wax Separator Vapor Liquid Separator 4 m 2.5 m Control Panel Electrical Controls Flash Drums Coolant Pumps (2) Coolant Water Filters ZnO Bed 6 m Product Drums 25 FT Reactor Field Demonstration Skid FT FT Demonstration Unit under Construction 26
Air Force Project Schedule Current Status: Project initiated in late April Construction of reactor and testing skid by February Initial Test: Operate on slip stream at Gas Technology Institute Timing: March May 2009 Long-Term Test Begin upon completed construction of new testing facility at Wright Patterson Air Force Base Timing: December 2009 May 2010 27 Microchannel Hydrocracking Technology Initial evaluations successful Help enable BTL applications
Synthetic Fuel Process Coal, Biomass or Waste Steam Velocys technology demonstrated at the pilot scale Fischer Gasification CO / H 2 FT Products Tropsch Hydro- Cracking H 2 O Gas Recycle JP8 or Diesel Fuel 29 Synthetic Fuel Process Coal, Biomass or Waste Steam Market need for modular hydrocracking technology for < 5,000 bbl/day facilities Fischer Gasification CO / H 2 FT Products Tropsch Hydro- Cracking H 2 O Gas Recycle Velocys Microchannel Technology JP8 or Diesel Fuel Velocys developing modular hydrocracking technology 30
Microreactor Hydroprocessing Opportunity Uniform and controlled contact between oil and hydrogen Very high catalyst productivity Optimize hydrogen utilization to lower operating cost 31 Initial Results Feedstock: wax cut from Velocys FT reactor Hydrocracking with very high productivity LHSV 10-40 hr -1 High conversion, >90% single pass Very low C1 and C2 yield Wax Feedstock Light Product Heavy Product 32
Summary Microchannel technology greatly improves FT synthesis Velocys FT and hydrocracking technologies unlocks BTL opportunities 33 Contact Information Jeff McDaniel Business Development Mgr. mcdaniel@velocys.com Velocys Inc 7950 Corporate Blvd. Plain City, OHIO 43064 USA Phone: 614/733-3300 Web: www.velocys.com 34
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