MRI: Acquistion of Instrumentation for a Biofuels Research Laboratory

提案：0722802PI: George HuberInstitution: University of Massachusetts， amherst标题：MRI—为生物燃料研究实验室购置仪器该提案寻求为最先进的生物燃料研究实验室购置仪器，包括一个高通量催化反应器（可同时测试多达31种催化剂），一个催化热解反应器，一个4反应器并行发酵系统和分析设备（HPLC和两个gc）。该仪器的配置是根据不同的用户群体精心设计的，他们的兴趣包括多相催化、生物催化、热解、代谢途径分析、农学、动力学建模和计算化学。仪器将由专职技术人员安置在化工部并进行维护。化学工程系为学生培训和仪器维护提供了完善的基础设施。智力优势：该仪器的用户群体本质上是多学科的，包括来自三个学院和五个系的教师：化学工程、机械工程、化学、微生物学和植物、土壤和昆虫科学。这些研究人员的共同需求是了解生物燃料生产中涉及的化学、生物学和反应途径。所要求的设备将用于回答有关反应化学，催化剂结构与反应性，纳米级催化剂设计，发酵途径，生物质原料和代谢工程策略的科学问题。将从该工具中获益的具体项目包括：？通过生物质原料的水相处理生产生物燃料？快热解油的水相处理生物质原料的催化快速热解？改良的纳米材料用于生物燃料生产？酿酒酵母最佳乙醇生产的集成细胞和工艺工程植物发酵梭菌乙醇发酵工艺的优化一体化森林生物精炼厂生产乙醇？更广泛的影响：这个拟议中的实验设施将在几个层面上对马萨诸塞大学阿姆赫斯特分校的当地环境产生强烈影响。它将成为几个研究项目的中心，并使跨学科和及时的合作研究成为可能。拟议中的设备将成为美国领先的生物燃料实验室的基石，增强我们招募和留住优秀研究生和教师的能力。来自弱势群体的研究生将与马萨诸塞大学建立的外展项目合作招募。该基金将增加来自私营部门的资金，我们目前正在与几家公司合作，将一些生物燃料相关技术商业化。所要求的文书将在两个方面对教育产生积极影响。一个集中的设施将供研究生和本科生的多学科教师和学生使用，为将研究与教育结合提供理想的学习环境。初步估计表明，至少有17名研究生和本科生将成为设备的重度使用者，预计还会有更多的学生研究人员在校园内宣传该设备。其次，将催化反应器和发酵设备纳入化学工程系开设的两门高级实验课程。团队将鼓励其他院系开发类似的实验课程实验。拟议的研究和教学活动将促进从植物生物质中开发可再生液体运输燃料，从而缓解国家对化石燃料的依赖所带来的问题（全球变暖、政治不稳定等）。

Proposal: 0722802PI: George HuberInstitution: University of Massachusetts, AmherstTitle: MRI-- Acquisition of Instrumentation for a Biofuels Research LaboratoryThis proposal seeks the acquisition of instrumentation for a state-of-the-art biofuels research laboratory including a high-throughput catalytic reactor (which can simultaneously test up to 31 catalysts), a catalytic pyrolysis reactor, a 4-reactor parallel fermentation system, and analytical equipment (HPLC and two GCs). The configuration of this instrumentation has been carefully designed around a diverse user community whose interests include heterogeneous catalysis, biological catalysis, pyrolysis, metabolic pathway analysis, agronomy, kinetic modeling, and computational chemistry. The instrumentation will be located and maintained in the Chemical Engineering Department by full-time technicians. The Chemical Engineering Department has a well-developed infrastructure for student training and instrument maintenance. Intellectual Merit: The user community for this instrument is inherently multidisciplinary including faculty from three colleges and five departments: Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemistry, Microbiology, and Plant Soil and Insect Science. The common need of these investigators is to understand the chemistry, biology and reaction pathways involved in biofuels production. The requested equipment will be used to answer scientific questions regarding reaction chemistry, catalyst structure vs. reactivity, catalyst design at the nano-level, fermentation pathways, biomass feedstocks, and metabolic engineering strategies. Specific projects that will substantially benefit from this instrumentation include: ? Production of biofuels by aqueous-phase processing of biomass-derived feedstocks ? Aqueous-phase processing of fast pyrolysis oils ? Catalytic fast pyrolysis of biomass-derived feedstocks ? Improved nanomaterials for biofuels production ? Integrated cellular and process engineering for optimal ethanol production from Saccharomyces cerevisiae ? Optimization of Clostrium phytofermentans fermentation for ethanol production ? Ethanol production in an integrated forest biorefinery ? Genetically modified plants for biofuel production: biodiesel production from Crambe Broader Impacts: This proposed experimental facility will have a strong impact on the local environment at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst at several levels. It will serve as a focal point for several research projects and enable collaborative research that is interdisciplinary and timely. The proposed equipment will represent the cornerstone of a leading biofuel laboratory in the United States, enhancing our ability to recruit and retain superior graduate students and faculty. Graduate students from underrepresented groups will be recruited in collaboration with established outreach programs at University of Massachusetts. This facility will increase funding from the private sector, and we are currently working with several companies to commercialize a number of biofuel related technologies. The requested instruments will positively impact education in two ways. A centralized facility will be utilized by a multi-disciplinary group of faculty and students at the graduate and undergraduate levels, providing an ideal learning environment for integrating research with education. The initial estimates indicate that at least 17 graduate and undergraduate students will be heavy equipment users, with additional student researchers expected as they advertise the facility across the campus. Secondly, the catalytic reactor and fermentation equipment will be integrated into two senior-level laboratory courses offered by the Chemical Engineering Department. The team will encourage other departments to develop similar laboratory course experiments. The proposed research and teaching activities will facilitate the development of renewable liquid transportation fuels from plant biomass, thus alleviating problems (global warming, political instability, etc.) caused by national dependence on fossil fuels.