CAREER: Sustainable Energy Conversion of Solid Wastes with Integrated In-Situ Carbon Sequestration

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This award is funded under the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Public Law 111-5).0846846ParkThis CAREER award is for research on creating an energy conversion system that converts the now landfilled petrochemical portion (plastics) of municipal solid wastes (MSW) to value added liquid fuel. The research includes carbon dioxide capture and storage. Until now, these technologies have been developed independently of one another, which has resulted in complex and economically challenged large scale designs. The research will combine carbon mineral sequestration with a MSW-to-Liquid process to achieve process intensification and synergistic net reduction in carbon emissions. The overarching concept is the shift of the water-gas shift (WGS) reaction equilibrium via constant removal of carbon dioxide. This approach will be investigated by injecting engineered mesopored Mg-bearing sorbent into the WGS reactor. One of the direct impacts of this study will be technology for carbon mineral sequestration, benefitting various carbon dioxide generating industries, such as the energy, chemical, and petrochemical industries. The PI will participate in developing national-scale outreach programs for K-12, undergraduate, and graduate students as a member of both the Societal Impact Operating Council and the Research and New Technology Committee of the AIChE. Additionally, the PI will continue to expand the participation of high school students in the activities of her laboratory.