IRES track I: International Research Experience in France on Thermal Treatment of Biomass (I-CEMITURE)

IRES 轨道 I：法国生物质热处理国际研究经验 (I-CEMITURE)

• 批准号: 1952402
• 负责人: Rafael Quirino
• 金额: $ 27.98万
• 依托单位: Georgia Southern University Research and Service Foundation, Inc
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2020-09-01 至 2024-08-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1952402&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: IRES; track; International; Research; Experience

The development of sustainable technologies is crucial for the welfare of future generations in the United States and for the economic viability of manufacturers committed to sustainable production processes and materials. In order to lower the environmental impact of human activities at a national and international scale, there is a need for the development of value-added products from local biomass. It is possible to enhance some properties of biomass through the use of a controlled heat treatment in the absence of oxygen (torrefaction). Torrefaction is a thermal process to convert biomass into a coal-like material, which has better fuel characteristics than the original biomass. Torrefied biomass is more brittle, making grinding easier and less energy intensive. Heat-treated (torrefied) biomass can be more easily processed, leading to more homogeneous products for energy applications. The goal of this project is to refine a mathematical model describing the kinetics of biomass pyrolysis to more accurately determine the best treatment conditions for different biomass. Such a model will allow manufacturers to tailor heat treatment to specific biomass sources, ensuring optimal properties in the final products and providing control over the reproducibility of those properties. This project will provide US students of a diverse background and limited research and international experience, hands-on training in cutting-edge technical skills while partnering with a world-class laboratory for wood research in France. Its advanced and specialized unique facilities put it at the forefront of technology development worldwide for the heat treatment of ligno-cellulosic materials. The US students’ experience will be complemented by professional development activities that will guide them in fine-tuning their communication skills (scientific writing and presentation), making strategic plans for their careers in science, and disseminating the results of their work. Ultimately, participants in this project will gain knowledge and skills necessary for the increased economic growth and technological innovation of the United States of America. This IRES (track I) project is a ten-week annual program in which four US students conduct research projects focused on studying biomass torrefaction kinetics in a renowned laboratory at the University of Lorraine, in Epinal, France. After returning to the US, they validate their findings using local biomass at Georgia Southern University. In addition to the research component, the program includes a series of professional development activities that were proven successful by the PI and co-PI in their department’s summer undergraduate research experience program over the past several years. Therefore, this project utilizes an established, solid framework for the assessment, recruitment, and professional development of the participants. The research plan consists of four separate projects tied together by a common goal. The four proposed projects are (1) Refinement of a mathematical model describing pyrolysis of biomass by incorporation of modules associated to mineral content, reaction atmosphere, and nature of ligno-cellulosic biomass (hardwood vs softwood), (2) Data acquisition on the effect of mineral content on torrefaction of biomass, (3) Data acquisition on the effect of reaction atmosphere on torrefaction of biomass, and (4) Data acquisition on the effect of biomass nature (harwood vs softwood) on torrefaction of biomass. The data acquired in projects (2), (3), and (4) will be used in project (1) for refinement and improvement of the mathematical model. Upon continuous revision of the mathematical model over the course of the funding period, a better expression will be obtained, providing further insight about the torrefaction mechanism. Indeed, a mathematical model describing the kinetics of biomass pyrolysis will more accurately determine the best treatment conditions for different biomass, allowing manufacturers to adjust heat treatment to specific biomass sources, further ensuring property optimization in the final products while providing greater control over the process and properties’ reproducibility. This can potentially eradicate two of the major impediments to widespread commercial use of biomass, namely (1) inherent variability in the results and (2) the inability to control the outcome. Overall, this project is a combination of cutting-edge research in sustainable energy and training of future U.S. workforce in the field.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.

可持续技术的发展对美国子孙后代的福祉以及致力于可持续生产工艺和材料的制造商的经济生存能力至关重要。为了在国家和国际范围内降低人类活动对环境的影响，有必要从当地生物质中开发增值产品。通过在无氧条件下进行受控热处理(烘烤)，可以提高生物质的某些性质。热解是一种将生物质转化为类煤物质的热过程，具有比原始生物质更好的燃料特性。精炼生物质更易碎，使研磨变得更容易，能耗更低。经过热处理的生物质可以更容易地加工，从而为能源应用提供更均匀的产品。本项目的目标是完善描述生物质热解动力学的数学模型，以便更准确地确定不同生物质的最佳处理条件。这样的模式将允许制造商针对特定的生物质来源量身定做热处理，确保最终产品的最佳性能，并对这些性能的重现性进行控制。该项目将为具有不同背景和有限研究和国际经验的美国学生提供尖端技术技能的实践培训，同时与法国的世界级木材研究实验室合作。其先进和专业的独特设施使其处于世界范围内木质纤维材料热处理技术开发的前沿。美国学生的经历将得到专业发展活动的补充，这些活动将指导他们微调他们的沟通技能(科学写作和演讲)，为他们的科学职业生涯制定战略计划，并传播他们的工作成果。最终，该项目的参与者将获得美利坚合众国提高经济增长和技术创新所需的知识和技能。IRES(Track I)项目是一个为期十周的年度项目，四名美国学生在法国埃皮纳尔的洛林大学的一个著名实验室开展研究项目，重点研究生物质燃烧动力学。回到美国后，他们利用佐治亚州南方大学的当地生物质验证了他们的发现。除了研究部分，该计划还包括一系列专业发展活动，这些活动在过去几年中被PI和共同PI在他们系的夏季本科生研究体验计划中证明是成功的。因此，该项目利用了一个已建立的、坚实的框架来评估、招募和专业发展参与者。研究计划由四个独立的项目组成，由一个共同的目标联系在一起。拟议的四个项目是：(1)通过加入与矿物含量、反应气氛和木质纤维素生物质性质(硬木和软木)相关的模块来改进描述生物质热解的数学模型；(2)关于矿物含量对生物质热解的影响的数据采集；(3)关于反应气氛对生物质热解的影响的数据采集；以及(4)关于生物质性质(哈伍德和软木)对生物质热解的影响的数据采集。在项目(2)、(3)和(4)中获得的数据将在项目(1)中用于改进和改进数学模型。在整个筹资期间不断修订数学模型后，将获得更好的表达式，为进一步了解灼热机理提供依据。事实上，描述生物质热解动力学的数学模型将更准确地确定不同生物质的最佳处理条件，使制造商能够根据特定的生物质来源调整热处理，进一步确保最终产品的性能优化，同时更好地控制工艺和性能的重现性。这有可能消除生物质广泛商业使用的两个主要障碍，即(1)结果本身的可变性和(2)无法控制结果。总体而言，该项目结合了可持续能源领域的尖端研究和该领域未来美国劳动力的培训。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

项目成果

Influence of the heating rate on the thermodegradation during the mild pyrolysis of the wood

• DOI: 10.1080/17480272.2022.2039289
• 发表时间: 2022-02
• 期刊: Wood Material Science & Engineering
• 影响因子: 2.2
• 作者: A. Pétrissans;Yu-Ying Lin;T. N. Nguyen;Baptiste Colin;R. Quirino;Priscila Rios-Teixeira;Wei-hsin Chen;M. Pétrissans

Catalytic and char-promoting effects of potassium on lignocellulosic biomass torrefaction and pyrolysis

• DOI: 10.1016/j.eti.2023.103193
• 发表时间: 2023-05
• 期刊: Environmental Technology & Innovation
• 作者: L. Richa;Baptiste Colin;A. Pétrissans;Ciera Wallace;Allen Hulette;R. Quirino;Wei-hsin Chen;M. Pétr

Comparative Study of Atmosphere Effect on Wood Torrefaction

• DOI: 10.3390/fib11030027
• 发表时间: 2023-03
• 期刊: Fibers
• 影响因子: 3.9
• 作者: R. Quirino;L. Richa;A. Pétrissans;P. R. Teixeira;George Durrell;Allen Hulette;Baptiste Colin