Technology platform
Central to the INEOS Bio technology platform is a highly selective, highly efficient, proprietary biochemical conversion of synthesis gas* to ethanol. The inspired use of a bacterial biocatalyst is the essential key to unlocking the value chains from a variety of low-cost, waste carbon materials through synthesis gas to:
1 Clean renewable advanced biofuel
2 Valuable chemical intermediates such as ethylene for polyethylene manufacture
A process of continuous innovation has transformed a simple concept into a world leading commercial technology. Our proprietary biocatalyst far out-performs any known, conventional catalyst for the transformation of synthesis gas to fuels.
1 Feed Handling
The INEOS Bio process is feed flexible. Organic materials are economically dried using heat from the process before being fed into the gasifier. The process is fully compatible with high recycling rates.
2 Gasification
Organic material is gasified with oxygen at high temperature under controlled conditions to produce synthesis gas, or syngas, a mixture of principally carbon monoxide and hydrogen. Syngas has valuable chemical energy.
3 Energy Recovery
The hot syngas is cooled and cleaned before being introduced to the fermenter. The heat recovered from the hot syngas is used to generate renewable power for use in the process.
4 Fermentation
The cool, clean syngas is introduced to our patented bacteria, which convert it selectively to ethanol. The bacteria biocatalyst is far more effective than all known conventional catalysts for syngas conversion to fuels.
5 Bacteria
Our naturally-occurring bacteria are at the heart of our process. The bacteria are found in nature where they have evolved to efficiently convert carbon monoxide and hydrogen to ethanol. They are maintained in a healthy state with the help of small amounts of essential nutrients to achieve a high yield of ethanol.
6 Ethanol Purification
Most of the water is removed from the ethanol to produce hydrous ethanol, which is around 96% ethanol in 4% water. The water is returned to the fermenter.
7 Ethanol Drying
Finally, the ethanol product is refined to produce anhydrous ethanol (>99.7% ethanol), which can be used as a clean, green transport fuel or as a renewable chemical intermediate for the production of a variety of plastics.
8 INEOS Bio Ethanol use
The INEOS Bio Ethanol delivers 90% Greenhouse gas savings compared to burning petrol (gasoline) in a car and it is potentially cheaper than petrol. The INEOS Bio Ethanol process can convert wastes generated locally into clean, renewable, cost-competitive transport fuel for use locally.
*Synthesis gas, or syngas, is a gas containing principally carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen (H2)