Located in Chichester, United Kingdom, GSS Energy is a small
startup company that has developed a small pyrolysis unit. Housed in a 40-foot
container, the physical specs of the k500 Mobile Pyrolysis Unit may be small,
but GSS Energy hopes it will be the biggest thing from Britain since the Beatles.
Pyrolysis still falls under the umbrella of gasification
because it heats up the feedstock to convert it to a gas, which is then burned.
Unlike partial oxidation gasifiers, there is no additional air introduced in
the pyrolysis process. The procedure isn’t a new one – it’s been around for
over 100 years and is widely used in the chemical and petroleum industries, but
hasn’t been commonly used for trash disposal. Similar to other gasifiers, the
end result of a pyrolysis unit is a syngas that can be used for a variety of
things including fueling a boiler and making electricity.
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| Courtesy: GSS Energy. |
The k500 Mobile Pyrolysis Unit produces a syngas that can be
used to create electricity in gas reciprocating engines. The gasifier’s only
emissions come from using an external source (i.e. butane) to get the unit to
temperature. GSS Energy reports that at a price of $2.3 million pounds, a
developer processing 4,200 tons per year should recover his initial investment
after approximately three years.
The modular unit can generate roughly 500kW, or ½ MW. Part
of the key to its efficiency is a control system, which can be operated
remotely, and which is continuously adjusting and measuring different features
to ensure maximum efficiency is consistently achieved.
Although there is no demonstration model for the k500, a
smaller unit (k150) was built and is currently operating in Dubai. The units,
which take only five months to build and are fully operational upon delivery,
are built in Thailand and the first k500 should be available by Nov. 2012.
GSS Energy also offers a diesel version of its mobile
pyrolysis unit. It comes with an additional catalytic processor, distillate
unit and storage tanks to convert the syngas to diesel. Currently there are
four of these diesel units in use in Thailand, where the diesel it generates
from plastics is being used in garbage trucks.
Better BTU Take: This is the first pyrolysis gasifier we’ve
reviewed and we like the idea because it creates a higher-BTU syngas. We love
the modular design because it opens up the market to a lot of industrial
applications. Of course, none of this means much until we can actually see a
k500 unit in operation. GSS Energy reports that the reason it doesn’t have a
demonstration unit is because so many people were interested in purchasing
right away that there is already a backlog of orders. We’ll keep you updated
when the product rolls off the line.
Hello,
ReplyDeleteWhere are the Power Plants uisng Synthesis Gas (Syngas) from Biomass?
can you answer the question?
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Keep clear of merchandise that is excessively aromatic. It is only hiding the initial fragrance and is two times as toxic.
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GSS energy offers a diesel version of its mobile shift unit. It comes with a further chemical process processor, liquid unit and storage tanks to convert the syngas to diesel.
ReplyDeletePyrolysis Units
Due to the economic climate over the past few years, we have been trying to sell a K500 in the absence of a demonstration plant. At first we were very optimistic as we received a huge response with the view to closing orders. In total we had interest for up to around 50 units but this ultimately came down to 'kicking the tyres'. The main difference between the K150 and the K500 is the pyrolysis chamber's configuration from a vertical stack with internal screw to a horizontal 7 degree positioned triple rotating chamber. This way we can vary the residence time, temperature and feed rate and thus greatly improve the output.
ReplyDeleteUltimately, despite various 'potential customers' who some went right to the line, we had to fund a demonstration unit in order to sell any units but we only required just one! We have decided to shelve the diesel unit as we simply needed to reduce the footprint and this is ongoing however we have FINALLY made some significant progress. We are based in the UK although the units are made currently in Thailand due to keeping the costs as low as possible (£1.8m including gas rep engine, training, shipping CIF). We were not focussing so much on the unit's application in the UK as the economics simply did not stack up at the time but the landscape has changed.
We have managed to secure the purchase of a unit for a water utility who is looking to avoid landfill costs of around £120 PT (and rising) for screenings and generate electricity which will be used onsite. The model is a simple displacement scenario which will allow the unit to pay for itself within four years using very conservative landfill and energy costs and will provide activated carbon which can also be used on site.
I will post further details on www.gssenergy.com when the new website is ready for launch. The last few years have been a very testing time for trying to raise finance and although we did have an offer for investment, it meant giving up the majority of the company and this was something we simply didn't want to do.
This is a major milestone for GSS as this gives us our first demonstration plant, in the UK, at a fantastic location and within a very relevant environment which is recognised globally.
All the best,
GSS
Have you made any further progress, we would be interested in a system that could take waste plastic and convert it to OIL or even further to diesel but oil would be fine. Like the containerized idea. Please advise and can you send me some info? kbowman1@telus.net thanks.
DeleteI am looking to start a firm in India, for which i think this is the best way so that we can trasport from one place to another and carry out the work. When i tried to look into you company website it says your website is not available. can you please provide me a better info regarding this mobile system and also the prices for purchasing this machinery(I have seen the prices in pound sterling). What would be the cost to India?
ReplyDelete