Södra puts into operation a biomethanol plant at its pulp mill in Mönsterås

By -

Type of post: NEWS.

Södra has built a plant for commercial biomethanol production at its pulp mill in Mönsterås (Sweden). Over the next few days, a first pilot delivery will go to Emmelev A/S, a customer that will be using biomethanol in its biodiesel production.
Press release: “Södra first in the world with fossil-free biomethanol”, 20/2/2020.
Related posts: “Andritz to supply a biomethanol plant for a project of Södra in Mönsterås”, 21/5/2018.

Figure 1. Södra biomethanol plant at Mönsterås mill

Södra decided to invest in a biomethanol production facility in 2017 to produce 5,000 tons per year of this chemical. The plant has been supplied by Andritz. In the chemical wood pulping process of Södra’s mill, methanol is formed as a by-product that contains many impurities. This raw methanol is purified to a merchantable biomethanol which is chemically identical to fossil-based methanol.

Emmelev is a Danish family-owned agricultural company that has developed large-scale biodiesel production from local canola. The biomethanol sent by Södra will be used to substitute fossil methanol. The biodiesel will be 100% renewable and based on locally sourced raw materials. Biodiesel produced from Danish canola and Swedish forests can secure fuel supplies for heavy road transport, as well as buses and construction machinery.

This initiative shows that Södra is working towards a circular economy and it is fully in line with its own strategy for fossil-free transportation by 2030. The investment is also broadening Södra’s product portfolio with a new bioproduct. Demand for biobased products is favourable and the Swedish company has a long experience in delivering other bioproducts to the fuel and chemical industries.

Popular Posts

Biofuels from algae

By -
Image
In my opinion, the production of biofuels and biobased chemicals from algae is one of the most fascinating topics in the sector of the biorefineries and it will be one of the niches of opportunity with highest potential in the medium and the long terms. This post pretend to be a very basic approach to the topic Algae-to-Biofuels through three general key points. Algae 1,2,3,4,5 Algae include a wide variety of photosynthetic organisms capable of transforming light, water and specific nutrients into products that can be used with commercial and industrial purposes. We can say that algae are sunlight-driven factories with potential to convert CO 2 into biofuels, high-value biochemical, food and feed. There are four algae cultivation technologies currently in use for commercial algae cultivation and proposed for algal biofuel production: extensive or open ponds, intensive or raceway ponds, closed photobioreactors in many designs and closed fermenter systems. Algal biof
Read more

Hidrotratamiento (HVO) – Conceptos, materias primas y especificaciones

By -
Image
English version Sección: BIOCOMBUSTIBLES AVANZADOS Serie: HVO - Hidrotratamiento (HVO) – Conceptos, materias primas y especificaciones - Hidrotratamiento(HVO) – Ventajas sobre el biodiesel convencional y propiedades - Biorrefinerías de Aceites Vegetales Hidrotatados (HVO) – El auge del diésel renovable - Entradas: HVO                El acrónimo HVO significa en inglés “ Hydrotreated Vegetable Oils ” (“Aceites Vegetales Hidrotratados”) o ” Hydrogenated Vegetable Oils ” (“Aceites Vegetales Hidrogenados”). Clave del proceso: Tratamiento con hidrógeno. En el proceso de producción de HVO, el hidrógeno se usa para eliminar el oxígeno de los triglicéridos produciendo una mezcla de parafinas lineales, CO 2 y agua. Posteriormente, el producto de la primera etapa se isomeriza, siempre en presencia de hidrógeno, para ramificar las cadenas lineales con el propósito de mejorar las propiedades de flujo en frío de los productos finales. Por tanto, los HVO son
Read more

Etanol celulósico – Lo básico: Conceptos y materias primas

By -
Image
English version Sección: BIOCOMBUSTIBLES AVANZADOS Serie: Etanol celulósico - Lo básico: Concepto y materias primas - Lo básico: Ruta de conversión –Bioquímica - Lo básico: Ruta de conversión –Termoquímica - Cellulosic ethanol biorefineries at commercial scale Entradas: ETANOL CELULÓSICO 1. Conceptos generales El etanol (también conocido como alcohol etílico, alcohol para beber o simplemente alcohol) es un líquido volátil, inflamable e incoloro con la fórmula molecular C 2 H 6 O (también se puede escribir como CH 3 CH 2 OH y C 2 H 5 OH) y a menudo se abrevia como EtOH. La Asociación Europea de Etanol Renovable (ePURE) afirma que el mercado del etanol se puede dividir en tres segmentos: (1) Combustible : etanol utilizado como aditivo en la gasolina o como combustible alternativo. (2) Potable : etanol utilizado para producir bebidas espirituosas, como aditivo alimentario, para la extracción de aromas, para la conservación de alimentos y
Read more

Biobased adipic acid

By -
Image
Versión en Español Type of post: Fact sheet. Series: Biobased chemicals – Organic acids. Publication date: 25/05/2021. Last update: 25/05/2021. Description - C6 aliphatic dicarboxylic acid. - White crystalline powder. - Other names: hexanedioic acid; 1,4-butanedicarbocylic acid. Applications - Monomer for the production of nylon 6,6. - Monomer for the production of polyurethane. - Manufacture of plasticizers and lubricants. - Gelling and acidulant agent (food grade). Conventional petrochemical route - Oxidation of cyclohexane to produce KA oil (cyclohexanone and cyclohexanol) / Nitric acid oxidation of KA oil. During the final reaction, the highly potent GHG nitrous oxide (N2O, 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide) is formed. It has been estimated that replacing the current petrochemical-based process with one employing renewable precursors will reduce greenhouse gas emissions by up to 95%, depending on the process used (1). Main biobased routes - [Muconic acid via] Fermentatio
Read more

Fast pyrolysis plants

By -
Image
Versión en Español Type of post: OVERVIEW. Posts: PYROLYSIS OIL PLATFORM . Fast pyrolysis Process Rapid thermal decomposition of organic compounds in the absence of oxygen to produce liquids, char and gas. Temperature Around 500ºC. Residence time 0.5 - 2 s Typical yields distribution - Oil: 60-70%. - Char: 12-15%. - Gas: 13-25%. Bio-oil characteristics - Low viscosity, dark-brown fluid. - Carboxylic acids: 4-6 w%. - Aldehydes, ketones, furans, pyrans, monomeric phenols: 15-20 w%. - Sugars: 25-35 w%. - Water: 20-30 w%. - Pyrolytic lignin, extractives, solids (including ash), polymerisation products: 20-25 w%. Bio-oil applications - Heating fuel. - Production of advanced biofuels. - Production of food ingredients. - Production of bitumen and coatings. Figure 1. Pyrolysis oil (taken
Read more