Large Scale Biomass Gasification and the Co-Production of Biochar and Bioenergy

For over 16 years ICM has been developing a unique and highly efficient gasification and biochar production platform.  The basis for the ICM design was originally developed in the late 1970s and demonstrated at a feedstock input capacity of up to 240 ton/day.  In 2008 ICM began collaborating with the original technology developer, and between 2009 and 2012 ICM built and operated a demonstration facility with a nominal input capacity of 150 tons/day.  That first facility was dedicated to demonstrating feedstock flexibility and a robust mechanical design.  Between 2016-2019 ICM build and operated a second small scale R&D demonstration gasifier (15-20 ton/day) that was largely dedicated to biochar yield optimization studies and the co-gasification of biosolids and woody biomass.  In 2018 ICM began design and construction of their first fully integrated, large scale industrial gasification & CHP system using two Model-300 gasifiers.  The project was installed and successfully commissioned in 2020 at a greenfield agro-industrial facility located in Colwich, Kansas.  The purpose of the dual M-300 CHP installation is to replace approximately 70% of the plant’s natural gas usage and reduce the plant’s carbon intensity.  This presentation will discuss a general overview of how ICM’s Gasification and Biochar Production Technology works, key technical aspects of the technology, the potential benefits it can bring to industrial applications, current projects in development and future R&D efforts to develop and co-produce biochar, bioenergy and commodity chemicals & transportation fuels (via producer gas fermentation processes).