The BINGO Upgrading process, under development by Dynamotive, involves BioOil hydro-reforming and overcomes the defects of BioOil that retard its acceptance. It involves pyrolysis of biomass to produce a first liquid, BioOil, hydroreforming of BioOil to a first improved liquid that can either be directly utilized in blends with hydrocarbon fuels as an industrial fuel or be further upgraded in a second step to transportation grade liquid hydrocarbon fuels.

The major by-product from biomass pyrolysis is so-called Biochar/Agrichar which has emerging value for soil productivity enhancement and carbon sequestration.

In comparison with the Bioliq process where only the total yield of char and biooil is relevant, Dynamotives’ pyrolysis stage is designed to maximize liquid yields which means the pyrolysis process is somewhat more complex since conditions must be established for rapid heating of biomass particles. However since the water will separate during the reforming stage of BINGO, the moisture content of the biooil is not as crucial, thus minimizing potential biomass drying costs.

BINGO is a two stage process:

Stage 1 (Hydroforming)
The first stage is hydro-reforming of biooil:

• Stabilize it;
• Render it miscible with hydrocarbon liquid;
• Cause phase separation of the water in the BioOil;
• Lower its viscosity;
• Lower its corrosivity and;
• Lower its oxygen content from ~50% in the raw biooil to around 10%.

Once BioOil is put through the Hydroforming process it becomes a product designated UBA. However, UBA still contains ~ 10% oxygen. It is not a pure hydrocarbon and needs further treatment to convert it to motor fuel grade products. The hydro-reforming reaction was carried out in an autoclave.

Stage 2 (Hydrotreating)
The second stage involves a conventional hydrotreatment over a commercial catalyst. Commercial hydrotreating catalysts are available that can steer the product towards diesel/gasoline/jet fuel etc. at somewhat higher severity conditions. Hydrogen consumption will be higher under those conditions UBA was hydrotreated in an autoclave to give a liquid designated UBB.