Ze-gen
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| Company type | Private |
|---|---|
| Industry | Waste-to-Energy, Gasification |
| Founded | 2004 |
| Founder | William Davis |
| Headquarters | Boston, Massachusetts , USA |
Number of employees | 28 (2009) |
| Website | www.ze-gen.com |
Ze-gen, Inc. is a renewable energy company developing advanced gasification technology to convert waste into synthesis gas. Founded in 2004, Ze-gen is a venture-backed company based in Boston, Massachusetts.
The company aims to develop technological solutions to reduce landfills and find beneficial use for waste material by converting waste to energy and nutrients using advanced gasification.
Technology
Ze-gen’s liquid metal gasification (LMG) process results in the complete conversion of complex hydrocarbons to syngas (a mixture of carbon monoxide and hydrogen gas) and of inorganic materials into vitrified slag and liquid metal. An oxygen-limited liquid metal bath is at the core of the LMG technology. The elevated temperature and anoxic conditions in the gasifier creates a reducing environment (limited free oxygen) where reaction kinetics strongly favor the formation of only the combustible gases such as CO, H2, and small amounts of CH
4. Dilutive gases such as CO2 and (H
2O) and pollutants such as nitrogen oxides (NOx) and sulfur dioxide (SO2) are strongly disfavored.
The LMG process begins with the hydrocarbon-rich solid waste being fed into the crucible of liquid metal. Upon injection into the metal bath, the feed immediately begins to dissociate into elemental carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Any oxygen present in the feed is released and moisture (H
2O) is converted to hydrogen (H2) and oxygen (1/2O2). This then results in the partial oxidation of the remaining carbon to carbon monoxide. The resulting gases collect together and are siphoned off for energy use. The inorganic constituents that are generally lighter than liquid metal congregate as the slag layer atop the liquid metal bath. The metal and metal oxides present in the feed accumulate in the liquid metal bath.
By maintaining a proprietary level of feedstock moisture content (dependent on the blended ultimate analysis) supplemented with some limited external oxygen feed, the Ze-gen gasifier is able to maintain optimum gasification conditions within the bath without significant use of electrical or thermal energy.
The syngas produced can be used for several different end-use applications. These include burner tip applications, conventional power generation, and gas to liquid conversion for the production of renewable fuels.
Pilot Facility
Ze-gen’s demonstration facility is collocated with a processing facility owned by New Bedford Waste Services, LLC in New Bedford, Massachusetts.[1] The facility was built to test the key parameters of the gasification process in order to more fully understand the chemistry of the system and the operating parameters. The plant became operation in November 2007, and Ze-gen achieved target synthesis gas quality in June 2008. [2] The data and analysis collected during the Phase I testing informed modifications and upgrades in the facility. Phase II testing will begin at the end of August 2009.
Competitors
The traditional waste handling sectors, such as landfills and waste-to-energy facilities, compete with Ze-gen facilities for municipal waste streams.
Other gasification competitors include:
- Energy Products of Idaho(EPI)in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, USA
- Rentech (SilvaGas) in Los Angeles, California
- Diversified Energy / Alchemix in Carefree, Arizona
Notes and references
- ^ "Ze-gen Opens $9.8M N.B. Facility, Secures $4.5M in Series A Funding". The New England Business Bulletin. 2007-06-08. Retrieved 2009-17-09.
{{cite news}}: Check date values in:|accessdate=and|date=(help) - ^ "Ze-gen Reports Consistent High-Quality Syngas Production". Biomass Magazine. 2008-06-27. Retrieved 2009-08-17.
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