Simple, Novel Technology

Biomass to Aromatics^TM is based on basic science research by Prof. George Huber's research lab at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. A basic schematic of this process is shown below. The biomass(i.e. wood waste, corn stover, sugar cane bagasse, etc.) is first dried and ground before injection into a fluidized bed reactor in the presence of an inexpensive zeolite catalyst. In this one brief step, biomass is rapidly heated without oxygen and the resulting gases are immediately catalytically converted into aromatic hydrocarbons. The resulting BTX mixture can be sold to petrochemical companies for processing in existing separation units, or distilled by Anellotech and sold directly into the market.  Other than the reactor, regenerator and the catalyst, the process equipment is standard items, simplifying and focusing development. 

Patents

The technology is covered under filed patent applications owned by the University of Massachusetts. Anellotech holds the global exclusive license to these applications and the resulting patents.

Major Competitive Advantages

Compared to cleantech competitors' complicated multi-step biological or thermochemical processes for making bioethanol or algae, Anellotech's single fluidized bed reactor process offers several advantages:

• Lower capital cost
• Higher value producst for which distribution systems already exist
• It's a simpler process
• Employs low cost catalyst and operates at low pressure