Battelle Columbus Laboratory Research Articles

Development of net energy ratio and emission factor for biohydrogen production pathways

This study investigates the energy and environmental aspects of producing biohydrogen for bitumen upgrading from a life cycle perspective. Three technologies are studied for biohydrogen production; these include the Battelle Columbus Laboratory (BCL) gasifier, the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) gasifier, and fast pyrolysis. Three different biomass feedstocks are considered including forest residue (FR), whole forest (WF), and agricultural residue (AR). The fast pyrolysis pathway includes two cases: truck transport of bio-oil and pipeline transport of bio-oil. The net energy ratios (NERs) for nine biohydrogen pathways lie in the range of 1.3–9.3. The maximum NER (9.3) is for the FR-based pathway using GTI technology. The GHG emissions lie in the range of 1.20–8.1kgCO2eq/kg H2. The lowest limit corresponds to the FR-based biohydrogen production pathway using GTI technology. This study also analyzes the intensities for acid rain precursor and ground level ozone precursor.

Efficiency evaluation of a biomass gasification-based hydrogen production

Hydrogen is likely to be an important energy carrier in the future, but one of the most significant challenges in hydrogen energy systems is its production. This study focuses on biomass-based hydrogen production and considers a plant intended for sustainable hydrogen production from oil palm shell using a gasification process followed by steam-methane reforming and shift reactions. The system gasifier in this investigation is modeled after the indirectly heated Battelle Columbus Laboratory (BCL) gasifier, and the analysis utilizes the Gibbs free energy minimization approach and chemical equilibrium considerations. This system and its modifications are simulated and analyzed thermodynamically using Aspen Plus (version 11.1). The assessment involves the examination of several different factors and comparisons. The measures of merit considered include energy, exergy and cold gas efficiencies. The results are expected to be useful for the design, optimization and improvement of hydrogen production and related processes.

Biohydrogen production from forest and agricultural residues for upgrading of bitumen from oil sands

Abstract In this study, forest residues (limbs, tops, and branches) and straw (from wheat and barley) are considered for producing biohydrogen in Western Canada for upgrading of bitumen from oil sands. Two types of gasifiers, namely, the Battelle Columbus Laboratory (BCL) gasifier and the Gas Technology Institute (GTI) gasifier are considered for biohydrogen production. Production costs of biohydrogen from forest and agricultural residues from a BCL gasification plant with a capacity of 2000 dry tonnes/day are $1.17 and $1.29/kg of H 2 , respectively. For large-scale biohydrogen plant, GTI gasification is the optimum technology. The delivered-biohydrogen costs are $2.19 and $2.31/kg of H 2 at a plant capacity of 2000 dry tonnes/day from forest and agricultural residues, respectively. Optimum capacity for biohydrogen plant is 3000 dry tonnes/day for both residues in a BCL gasifier. In a GTI gasifier, although the theoretical optimum sizes are higher than 3000 dry tonnes/day for both feedstocks, the cost of production of biohydrogen is flat above a plant size of 3000 dry tonnes/day. Hence, a plant at the size of 3000 dry tonnes/day could be built to minimize risk. Carbon credits of $119 and $124/tonne of CO 2 equivalent are required for biohydrogen from forest and agricultural residues, respectively.

Thermodynamic analysis of hydrogen production from biomass gasification

An investigation is reported of the thermodynamic performance of the gasification process followed by the steam-methane reforming (SMR) and shift reactions for producing hydrogen from oil palm shell, one of the most common biomass resources. Energy and exergy efficiencies are determined for each component in this system. A process simulation tool is used for assessing the indirectly heated Battelle Columbus Laboratory (BCL) gasifier, which is included with the decomposition reactor to produce syngas for producing hydrogen. A simplified model is presented here for biomass gasification based on chemical equilibrium considerations, with the Gibbs free energy minimization approach. The gasifier with the decomposition reactor is observed to be one of the most critical components of a biomass gasification system, and is modeled to control the produced syngas yield. Also various thermodynamic efficiencies, namely energy, exergy and cold gas efficiencies are evaluated which may be useful for the design, optimization and modification of hydrogen production and other related processes.

Pipe break testing of primary loop piping similar to the Department of Energy's new production reactor-heavy water reactor

This paper provides information about and results from specific tests completed at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL) in support of the Department of Energy's (DOE's) new production reactor-heavy water reactor (NPR-HWR) program. The paper also provides detailed analytical studies completed by Battelle Columbus Laboratory. All of this information is presented in a demonstration that the primary piping of the NPR-HWR, with its relatively moderate temperature and pressure should not suffer an instantaneous double-ended guillotine break (DEGB) under design basis loadings and conditions. The first ORNL test series obtained pipe crack extension data representative of large dynamic loads applied to a flawed stainless steel 316LN pipe weldment. The results of that testing were reviewed by a special Piping Integrity Review Group (PIRG) established by DOE. Members of this group are identified in this paper. The PIRG review comments were such as to necessitate a second series of tests. This paper provides results of that second series of pipe tests. An aged section of 304 stainless steel pipe, obtained from the C-reactor at Savannah River, was subjected to large fully reversed cyclic bending loads. An initial flaw size was based on leakage flow testing at prototypic NPR-HWR pressure and temperature. The detectable leakage flaw was cycled in bending at large loads for 40 cycles. The members of the PIRG assessed these results together with analytic work by Battelle and stated that, provided the caveats cited in this paper are in force, the following conclusion is applicable: • For DOE low-pressure (≤1·72 MPa), low-temperature (100°C) reactors with austenitic stainless steel piping, the DEGB should not be a design basis condition.

Catalytic conditioning of synthesis gas produced by biomass gasification

The catalytic steam reforming of aromatic hydrocarbons in a background of synthesis gas was investigated for two catalysts. A proprietary non-nickel based catalyst, designated DN-34, and a commercial nickel steam reforming catalyst ICI 46-1 were tested. Statistically designed experiments were used to examine the effects of temperature, space velocity and percent of steam in the feed on catalyst performance. All experiments were performed in a plug-flow micro-reactor interfaced with a molecular beam mass spectrometer. The catalyst DN-34 was also tested in slip-stream fluidized bed reactors attached to a 9 tonne day −1 indirectly heated biomass gasifier at Battelle Columbus Laboratory. DN-34 was found to be effective for destroying a variety of aromatic hydrocarbons found in biomass gasifier tar in both the micro-reactor and gasifier-scale experiments. DN-34 also exhibited significant water-gas shift activity but was unsatisfactory for methane destruction. ICI 46-1 exhibited excellent methane steam reforming activity. A process is suggested that uses DN-34 to steam reform tar and perform the water-gas shift, followed by a second reactor with ICI 46-1 to reform methane. Differences and similarities with other dual-bed processes described in the literature are discussed.

Measurements of VOCs from the TAMS Network

Target volatile organic compounds (VOCs) were measured at a network of urban air monitoring locations in Boston, Chicago, Houston, and the Seattle/Tacoma area. Following a pilot-scale field evaluation of available techniques for determining concentrations of VOCs in ambient air, a technique based on evacuated stainless steel canisters was selected to collect whole air samples. Twenty-four-hour integrated samples were collected every twelfth day at ten sites over a 2-year study period. Battelle Columbus Laboratory (BCL) analyzed the samples for 25 target VOCs using cryogenic focusing, gas chromatographic separation and mass selective detection with flame ionization detection as backup. Duplicate canister samplers were operated each sampling period at one of the ten sites in the Toxic Air Monitoring System (TAMS) network to estimate overall method precision. In addition, every 10th analysis was repeated by BCL to obtain a measure of analytical precision. Finally, each sampling period a clean evacuated canis...

United States Nuclear Regulatory Commission Research Program on molten core debris interactions in the reactor cavity

The NRC's Research Program on Core-Debris/Cavity Interactions comprises two principal elements: (1) an analytical effort focused primarily on development of computer codes needed to predict the potential consequences of risk-significant severe-accident scenarios; and (2) an experimental component to provide insights into the relevant phenomenological processes and to develop the experimental data base necessary for validation of the codes. The analytical activities at Sandia National Laboratories (SNL) focus primarily on refinement and validation of the CORCON and VANESA codes. Two major experimental activities are also based at SNL: (1) the large-scale SURC tests address the thermal-hydraulic phenomena in the cavity as well as aerosol release associated with prototypical core-melt materials in various types of concrete crucibles, while (2) the WITCH and GHOST experiments are concerned with aerosol generation and radionuclide release phenomena. A program of small-scale special-effects tests at Brookhaven National Laboratory (BNL) is coupled to a concomitant model-development and code-validation activity. In addition, measurements are being made at Battelle Columbus Laboratory (BCL) to augment the thermochemical data base needed in the VANESA code to permit refined radiological source-term predictions. The current scope and status of this research is reviewed.