This project pertains to the development and production of renewable carbon (or biocoke) from biomass sources with comparable quality that can replace that sourced from petroleum (petroleum coke or…

This project pertains to the development and production of renewable carbon (or biocoke) from biomass sources with comparable quality that can replace that sourced from petroleum (petroleum coke or petcoke) typically employed as anodes or carbon sources in aluminum and steelmaking processes. For example, petcoke use is a major contributor to the aluminum industry's large carbon footprint with some nearly 270 metric tons of direct CO2 produced during the smelting process; a significant 3% of the world's direct CO2 emissions that could use process decarbonization. The phase i effort will adopt and follow the technology first developed and patented at the USDA-ARS, whereby, biomass sourced from agricultural residues such as corn stover, is thermally liquified in the absence of oxygen (pyrolysis), and the liquid subjected to conventional petrochemical refinery processes such as coking and distillation to produce biocoke precursors (main product) and some valuable CO-product chemicals such as phenol and cresol. The research goal is to improve and seek viable pathways to commercialization in a phase II effort to follow. The successful outcome of this phase i effort will provide specific answers such as BIO-coke yield and quality under operational conditions, distillate recycling, and the efficacy of the solvent used in distillate extraction. These results will provide the necessary data needed for engineering economics of scale and how the chemical CO-products can improve the circular economy of the commercial BIO-coke application.