Reliable bio-based refinery intermediates - BioMates

The BioMates technology aims to convert residues and 2nd generation biomass like straw and miscan-thus into high-quality bio-based intermediates (the ""BioMates""), of compatible properties with conventional refinery conversion units, allowing their direct and risk-free integration to any refinery towards the production of hybrid fuels. The BioMates approach encompasses innovative non-food/non-feed biomass conversion technologies, including ablative fast pyrolysis (AFP) and single-stage mild catalytic hydrotreating (mild-HDT) as main processes. In-line-catalysis and staged condensation attached to AFP as well as electrochemical H2-compression in mild-HDT are additional innovative steps that improve the conversion efficiency and product quality of the BioMates approach. BioMates is a Horizon 2020-project, put into practice by eight partners from industry, academia and research centres. First results: Bio-oil production from a mixture of wheat and barley straw in a TRL 4 AFP-plant was performed with a yield of 21 wt.-% to tarry liquid product. Mild-HDT of such bio-oil lead to organic product phases with acid numbers down to 3.0 mg KOH/g for reaction temperatures of up to 360 °C.