Design, construction and results of a demo-scale pyrolysis and reforming plant for non-woody residue biomass

A sustainable and integrated approach for the use of residue and waste biomass can be a key contribution for the European energy transformation. The enormous potential of residues from biogas plants for example can be utilised for power generation. For the conversion of biogeneous residues, like digestate, Fraunhofer UMSICHT developed the Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR®). The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming process of bio-residues and wastes offers compared to the state of the art a product spectrum of significant higher quality. With the TCR technology hydrogen rich gas and storable high grade liquid fuels are produced from solid residue biomass, which can be directly used for the production of power. The demo plant was designed for a throughput of 30kg/h and an electrical output of 25 kW. The quality and purity of the pyrolysis products is an important factor for the successful long term operation of the attached CHP-system.