This paper describes an ongoing development of a pilot­scale biorefinery based on three facilities for the production of second generation biofuels. The project aims at assessing the feasibility of different technologies to derive biofuels from non food crops, as well as testing non conventional feedstock for the production of biofuels on a pilot scale. The three facilities are: 1) 200 kWth Gasification facility for the production of syngas equipped both with a traditional wet syngas clean­up system and an ancillary tar cracking line; 2) an oil processing plant (nominal size 30 kg/hr) 3) a bio­ethanol production plant. The main goals are: 1) characterization of the clean­up systems and evaluation of the optimal conditions for the production of syngas, derived from gasification of lignin­cellulosic biomass, ready for combustion in an IC­engine as well as a Fischer & Tropsch synthesis reactor; 2) testing of non­edible oilseeds and exhaust oils for the production of biodiesel 3) optimization of process conditions for the production of bio­ethanol from ligno­cellulosic feedstock. Products, by­products and heat recovery can be integrated among the three facilities and also with a parallel line of biomass combustion. The feasibility of the integrated system is studied with a process model developed in AspenPlus.

Proceedings of the 18th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, 3-7 May 2010, Lyon, France, pp. 1822-1828