Solids to Gas

In the gasification step, non-edible feedstocks, such as plant-derived material “biomass,” or inorganic material (plastics, tires, and the like) as well as natural gas or coal, are processed and fed into a gasification system. The feedstocks are subjected to heat, pressure, and steam, and converted to a synthesis gas (syngas), a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gases. This gas is cleaned before entering the second step.

Several technologies exist to convert feedstock into syngas, and Maverick is in discussions to in-license or partner with companies that are commercializing this technology.  Maverick believes it is more economical to use existing technology for this step and will focus its engineering efforts on converting the syngas to mixed-alcohols and other products. 

How it Works
In general, feedstock is preprocessed to reduce the moisture content, if needed, and to grind or chip the feedstock into small chunks approximately 1 inch in diameter. (Conventional feedstocks, such as natural gas or coal won’t require such preprocessing. Moisture content removed in this stage will be utilized in the Olefin Synthesis stage. In the case of landfill or municipal solid waste, non-combustible materials (glass, metal, etc.) are removed to create what is called refuse-derived fuel (RDF).  The preprocessed feedstock or RDF is then fed into a gasification chamber under oxygen-starved conditions.  Note that this is not the same as incineration, as incineration uses oxygen-rich conditions to produce carbon dioxide and water. Gasification uses oxygen-starved conditions to produce syngas, a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen.   After the syngas exits the gasification chamber, a cyclonic chamber is used to separate any ash (inorganic material) from the syngas.  At this point, the syngas includes predominantly carbon monoxide and hydrogen.  The relative ratios of these gases, and the composition of the impurities, depend on several factors, including the feedstock, the rate in which the feedstock is fed into the gasification chamber, and the temperature and pressure in which the gasification chamber is operated.  In general, a ratio of hydrogen (H₂) to carbon monoxide (CO) of 1.5 or greater is desired to produce a higher percentage of hydrogenated products vs. oxygenated products.  As with the gasification technology, there are several technologies available to purify the syngas and to adjust the ratio of (H₂) and CO.

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