The document discusses the OLGA tar removal technology for gasification processes. It describes the OLGA technology, its development through three steps to enable efficient production of heat/power, sustainable fuels and chemicals, and its flexibility for different gasification systems. OLGA has proven highly effective at removing tar while also controlling dioxin emissions. It remains an important technology for treating syngas from biomass and waste gasification.

1. OLGA
Flexible tar removal for high efficient production of
clean heat & power as well as sustainable fuels & chemicals
www.ecn.nl

2. Content of the paper
Environmental progress & sustainable energy / October 2009 / Volume 28 / Number 3
• The tar problem
• The OLGA technology
• The development
Step 1: Demonstration of high-efficient production of clean heat and power
Step 2: Developing high-efficient production of sustainable fuels & chemicals
Step 3: Demonstrating the flexibility of the OLGA tar removal technology
• Commercial gasification projects
• Conclusions and outlook
• References
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3. Content of the presentation
• The tar problem
• The OLGA technology
• The development
Step 1: Demonstration of high-efficient production of clean heat and power
Step 2: Developing high-efficient production of sustainable fuels & chemicals
Step 3: Demonstrating the flexibility of the OLGA tar removal technology
• Commercial gasification projects
• Conclusions and outlook
• References
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4. Excluded from the presentation
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5. The OLGA technology: philosophy
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6. The OLGA technology: principle
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7. Step 1: Heat and power
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8. Step 1: Heat and power
Dioxins
‘Dioxins’ is a common name for
a group of 210 compoundsisomers of
polychlorinated-dibenzo-para-dioxins
and -dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs)
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9. Step 1: Heat and power
4 6
O
3 7
2 8
Cl O Cl
1 9
polychlorinated-dibenzo-para-dioxins
and -dibenzofurans (PCDD/Fs)
4 6
O
3 7
2 8
Cl Cl
1 9
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10. Step 1: Heat and power Viktor Yushchenko (Ukraine)
• dioxins are toxic at low concentrations
(already at 0.000000001 g/m3)
• I-TEQ = International Toxicity Equivalent
= measure for dioxins toxicity
• European emission limit (flue) =
0.1 ng I-TEQ/mn3 (at 6% O2 in flue gas)
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11. Step 1: Heat and power
• carbon source
– residual carbon on ash
– gas-phase Products of Incomplete Combustion (PICs, TAR)
– (fly) ash/char-adsorbed PICs
• elevated temperature
– 700-900°C gas-phase reactions
– 250-400°C catalytic reactions (surface = wall/ash catalysed)
• chlorine source
– organic/inorganic chlorides
– free Cl2 (e.g. Deacon’s reaction from HCl)
Only a (proper) combination of all three factors yields dioxins...
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12. Step 1: Heat and power
10 Presented concentrations = raw producer gas
9
75 Gasifier = air-blown, direct
PCDD/Fs concentration [ng I-TEQ/m3]
8
7
6 Chlorine/ash-rich fuels = increased levels
5
High conversion temperature = low levels
4
3
2
1
0
RDF A 725°C RDF B 725 °C sewage sludge RDF A 820°C sewage sludge clean wood
750°C 850°C pellets 850°C
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13. Step 1: Heat and power
0.45
0.4
PCDD/Fs concentration [ng I-TEQ/m3]
0.35 Fuel = clean wood pellets
0.3
0.25
0.2
0.15
0.1
0.05
0
raw prod. gas (upstream OLGA) clean prod. gas (downstream OLGA)
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14. Step 1: Heat and power
0.5
1.9
0.45
PCDD concentration [ng I-TEQ/m3]
0.4
0.35
0.3
0.25
0.2 EU emission limit (flue gas):
0.15 0.1 ng I-TEQ/mn3 [@ 6% O2]
0.1
0.05
0
boiler (no OLGA) boiler (with OLGA) gas engine (with gas turbine (with
OLGA) OLGA)
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15. Step 2: Sustainable fuels & chemicals
Fischer-Tropsch diesel
Substitute Natural Gas (SNG)
Chemicals
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16. Step 2: Sustainable fuels & chemicals
Component Downstream MILENA Downstream OLGA
CO vol% 30.1 30.6
H2 vol% 32.0 32.5
CO2 vol% 19.2 19.4
O2 vol% 0.0 0.0
CH4 vol% 12.2 12.4
N2+Ar vol% 0.1 0.1
C2H2 vol% 0.2 0.2
C2H4 vol% 3.9 3.9
C2H6 vol% 0.2 0.2
C6H6 vol% 1.0 0.5
C7H8 vol% 0.1 0.0
Tar g/mn3 52.1 0.2
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17. Step 3: Flexibility
Lab
WOB BFB at ECN
MILENA Indirect at ECN
Pilot
BIVKIN CFB at ECN
MILENA Indirect at ECN
Commercial
PRMe Fixed Bed at Moissannes
BIVKIN CFB in Portugal
MILENA Indirect at HVC
Note that existing lab and pilot
OLGA at ECN hardly changed!
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18. Step 3: Flexibility
RDF
High chlorine content together
with high amounts of PE/PP/PB/PS
Formation of a unusual thermoplast
inbetween 150 and 200°C
Upstream chlorine removal applied
OLGA operation without problems
Chicken manure (new project)
High ash content
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19. Step 3: Flexibility polar tar
non-polar tar
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20. Step 3: Flexibility
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21. Conclusions & outlook
The OLGA technology development started in 2001 and OLGA was
launched to the market by Dahlman in 2007
OLGA always showed to be a very efficient, flexible and reliable gas
cleaning technology. This accounts not only for tar removal, but also for
(dioxin) emission control
Although OLGA can be considered as proven technology for many
applications and downstream different gasifiers, for some applications
(e.g. low temperature gasification or bad feedstock) some additional
testing work on lab and pilot scale at ECN is advised and can be
performed though to ensure successful commercial operation
ECN continues its work on the sustainable production of fuels and
chemicals, with OLGA having shown to be successful as well as
efficient cleaning upstream processes for FT-diesel or SNG production
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22. References
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23. References
catalytic cracking
plasma
RPS and ESP
gasreip A to C
OLGA
the tar problem
solved though
remaining an
enduring challenge
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24. Contact information
Robin Zwart
e: zwart@ecn.nl PO Box 1
t: +31 224 56 4574 NL 1755 ZG Petten
w: www.ecn.nl the Netherlands
publications: www.ecn.nl/publications
fuel composition database: www.phyllis.nl
tar dew point calculator: www.thersites.nl
IEA bioenergy/gasification: www.ieatask33.org
Milena indirect gasifier: www.milenatechnology.com
OLGA tar removal: www.olgatechnology.com
SNG: www.biosng.com and www.biocng.com
Dahlman: www.dahlman.nl and www.renewableenergy.nl
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