Anellotech’s new biomass pre-treatment tech to remove minerals at 20MT/day scale

In New York, Anellotech’s MinFree technology, a patent pending biomass pretreatment process has been demonstrated to significantly reduce the mineral (ash) content of loblolly pine at a 20 metric ton/day scale, according to Anellotech’s press release. Month-long trials converting this MinFree-treated, low-mineral pine into aromatics (BTX) at Anellotech’s Bio-TCat process TCat-8 pilot plant showed extended, economic catalyst life.

MinFree is expected to provide similar results with other woody biomass like eucalyptus and hard woods, and agricultural residues like cotton straw, sugarcane bagasse and corn stover. Anellotech is in discussions with feedstock suppliers and other participants in the supply chain to select the next feedstock for development and commercialization with the MinFree process.

MinFree also has application in the bioenergy sector, according to Anellotech’s press release. The MinFree process removes high levels of mineral elements from agricultural residues which could cause fouling, erosion and corrosion, enabling the use of residues as economical feedstocks in addition to wood pellets.