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HTC-SZERENCS Ltd.

Executive Summary

Establishment of a biomass factory based on HTC technology

2012.

HTC-Szerencs Ltd.

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HTC-SZERENCS Ltd.

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
HTC-Szerencs Ltd. (founded: 26.10.2010., address: 3900 Szerencss, Nagyvrad t 18/A., Cg.01-09-947967, TAX Number: 22991371-2-41) is a project company. The owners are Hungarian private investors. The aim of this project company is to execute an environmental project. Our project company has been formed after considering the possible solutions for the development presented in the Business Plan and Project Plan. The chosen technology for sewage sludge utilization is the HTC (hydrothermal carbonization) technology. In our opinion this is the most innovative, the most effective and cost efficient and the most profitable way of utilization. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a process similar to peat or coal formation. However, while the natural process takes place on the time scale of some hundred (peat) to millions (black coal) of years, and hence cannot be considered in material or bio-energy exploitation routes, the time scale of HTC process is that from hours to day (s). In the process, sugars and carbohydrates (polysaccharides also) are transformed into black soil, peat, brown coal or other carbonaceous materials. The fact that it can convert sewage sludge, litter, fresh grass, wood,and other plants into coal and water in a short time without secondary hazardous waste makes it suitable for basis of a new branch, that does not load the living environment. The final product is water and pellet, that latter can be sold in increasing amount and for increasing price. (Power stations in general are willing to buy it unpelletted, in loose form, practically in unlimited amount.) This solution probably will not only solve the sewage utilization problems of the areas concerned, but due to the previous analyse seems to be a good and profitable investment too. The managements of the towns, that we choose as a possible location of such an equipment were delighted, for the deposit of sewage is polluting the environment and expensive. Passing sewage to HTC equipment they could cut off its costs and keep their environment clean. Also they have given a letter of intent for buying part of the pellet and usng it for heating municipal buildings, such as schools, kindergardens, health centers etc. The project has a significant effect on development of the settlements and has financial adventages as well. The project is suitable for any parts of the world, where sewage means a problem in Hungary for example 20-30 projects could be planned in the first round. Several countries are interested in this HTC technology: Germany, Austria, Slovakia, Bulgary, Romania, France, Italy, Sweden, Singapore)

The antecedents of the investment/ development:


The modern development of the HTC technology has started in the years of 2000, in the Max Planck Institute in Germany under the direction of Professor Mark Antonietti. On the bases of theese researches ( and the published patent) a reseach development has been started in 2008 in Slovakia with the cooperation of the Slovakian Environmental Institute and the University of Bratislava. This research area is connected to Professor Gabriel Kiss. While the German researchers, developers turned towards nano-carbon production on the bases of this technology, the Slovakian branc started a pioneer project. That is the utilization of sewage/sludge (and all other biologycal decomposable wastes) and turning it to bio-pellet in industrial volume The research development has been completed in 100%, all the tests and studies required are finished (parts of the studies were the bases of a Phd thesis at the University of Bratislava in 2012.) the next step is the construction of an operating factory. The technological and architectural plans are finished, the production technologycal plans are ready the list of suppliers are complete. The know how of the construction of a complete equipment is provided by the Slovakian Environmental Institute (and the University of Bratislava), the different parts of the equipment are imported from several EU countries (industrial pumps Germany,fuel oil, industrial boiler Italy, compressors Czech Republic, reactor+HTC technological equipments Slovakia.) The locality of the factory is Mezzombor, Hungary (right next to the sewage depot of the town Szerencs ) This would be the first HTC based sewage utilization factory in the world The project concerns 147 settlements of 4-5 regions (Szerencs, Encs, Tokaj, Srospatak, Abaj-Hegykz, Storaljajhely regions). The project plan has been introduced on the region meetings, and the local governments were 100% delighted. The area for the project has been designated, and has been qualified as an industrial area, the projectfirm has entered into a precontract for the 1,3 Ha land, the previous architectural plans are ready, the applications for authorizations are presented to the authorities.

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HTC-SZERENCS Ltd.
Financial details of the project:
o o o o o The planned term of the project: 10-14 months (depends on project and location) Employee requirement: 12-15 persons (1 manager, 1 assistant, 3 engeneers, ...workmen) The planned net. sum of the project: 5-5,5 million EUR Expected costs of operation: ~650-900.000,- EUR / year Income from operating the equipment: ~1,7-2,5 million EUR + Tax/year (in case of average 95.000 m3/ year substratum, approximately 17.500 t pellet, ~ 100 EUR/t (Hungary), 140 EUR / t (Germany) average price, depending on the market it is sold (ex.Hungary or Germany) o Clearing of costs: with EU application ~2-4 years, without application ~5-8 years (depending on sales market)

A complete Busines Plan, and Feasibility study is available with a complex Cash Flow table. Agreements and letters of intent of the source materials supplier and the buyer companies of the pellet have been signed.

Main technological details of the project:


Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a process similar to peat or coal formation. However, while the natural process takes place on the time scale of some hundred (peat) to millions (black coal) of years, and hence cannot be considered in material or bio-energy exploitation routes, the time scale of HTC process is that from hours to day (s). In the process, sugars and carbohydrates (polysaccharides also) are transformed into black soil, peat, brown coal or other carbonaceous materials.

1) The HTC process


Carbohydrates, important constituents of both plants and animals, are polyhydroxy aldehydes or ketones or their derivatives. Compounds classified as carbohydrates range from those consisting of a few carbon atoms to gigantic polymeric molecules. Carbohydrates that cannot be broken down into simpler units by hydrolysis reactions are known as monosaccharides. Examples of monosaccharides are glucose and fructose (both C6H12O6). In the HTC process, carbohydrates in a slightly acidic, aqueous solution are mildly heated (180-205C) in closed recipients, forming condensed, coal-like structures. A schematic reaction equation is given in Equation 1. Depending on the extent of the reaction, four to five water units per carbohydrate molecule are eliminated in the final product. [C6H12O6]n n[C6H4O2 + 4H2O] (1) carbohydrate coal + water The elimination of water in presence of water seems counterintuitive, but the reaction is both exothermic in character as well as strongly supported by entropy, due to increase of numbers of molecules and degrees of freedom. For complex biomass, the chemical decomposition cascade of GTC is more complex than for pure glucose. Model examination with glucose and GC-MS examinations of the intermediary states of biomass indicate that main reaction channel of HTC is a very quick partial dehydration of the carbohydrate to hydroxymethylfurfural. The hydroxymethylfurfural subsequently undergoes cycloaddition and polymerization reactions, essentially resulting in structures rich in carbonyl, aliphatic and aromatic hydroxy groups. As mentioned above, four to five water units per saccharide unit are eliminated in the process, depending on the extent of reaction.

2) Advantages with HTC compared to other carbon conversion routes


Once activated, the HTC process is a spontaneous, exothermic process. Because of the high thermodynamic stability of water, it liberate about a third of combustion energy stored in carbohydrate. The carbon efficiency (CE) of HTC is close 100 % for bare dehydration, i.e. practically all of the starting carbon stays bound in the final carbonaceous material. For these value temperatures below 200C and pH value between 5-7 are mandatory. The CEs of fermentation and anaerobic digestion are 66 % and 50 % respectively (Fig.1.).

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HTC-SZERENCS Ltd.

Figure 1. A comparison of different energy exploitation routes for biomass

Basic equipment on the expo in Brn (2008)

Transformation of grass into nano-carbon

3) Characteristic and description of HTC process


o HTC is a bio-remediation process that converts wastes into solids, renewable fuels and specially chemicals o HTC will help to solve the global problems of waste disposal and environmental pollution o HTC is a continuous flow-through process in a controlled environment using water, temperature, pressure and time, with no critical operating parameters How it works? HTC emulates the earths natural geothermal process, whereby organic material is converted into fossil fuel under conditions of extreme heat and pressure over millions of years o HTC mimics the earths system using pipes and by controlling temperature and pressure to reduce the bioremediation process from millions of years to mere hours o HTC breaks down organic polymers (chains of small molecules) into their smallest units, and reforms them into new combinations to produce clean renewable fuels o Energy efficiency o HTC is over 80% energy efficient o HTC has very low heat energy requirements, due to short residence times of the material in process and to holding of water under pressure Environmental efficiency o o o o HTC uses recycled water HTC uses steam naturally generate by feedstock, thereby recapturing the expended energy HTC generates its own energy. HTC produces no secondary hazardous waste stream. Mrs. Jurk Jzsefn manager

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