FMSG: Eco: Distributed Eco-Manufacturing Using Radio Frequency Heating of Nanomaterials

分布式化学制造旨在利用滞留资源，实现灵活和移动生产，并减少与传统集中式制造相关的环境足迹。分布式化学品制造可以通过电气化（即“电力到化学品”模式）实现，由于低碳或可再生电力能源有望取代传统的化石燃料加热过程，因此引起了人们的兴趣。在这个未来制造种子基金（FMSG）项目中，研究人员将开发一种基于电力而不是化石燃料的新的化学品制造工艺。这种方法的关键是使用纳米材料，这种材料在电磁产生的射频（RF）场的作用下会迅速升温；这为化学反应堆提供了一种全新的传热方式。研究生和本科生将参与该项目，并接受实验室规模（反应堆设计）和工业规模（技术经济分析）的培训。本科研究人员将由工业界的合作者指导。此外，一个教师研究经验项目将与西德克萨斯州的高中和大学教师合作，为劳动力培训开发学习模块，特别是与页岩气资源的有效利用有关的模块，以确保美国的能源安全，同时最大限度地减少碳排放。射频感受器材料，特别是碳纳米材料，在射频场中表现出快速的加热响应。研究人员最近展示了一种能够为催化甲醇重整提供热能的混合感受器/催化剂。这个概念将扩展到一个有希望的候选反应，丙烷脱氢（PDH）。具体的研究目标是：(1)构建和研究射频感应/催化剂混合填充床与外部射频应用器耦合的PDH反应器。将开发速率表达式，并使用实验和计算模型（与行业合作伙伴协商）分析热生成和热/质传递。(2)将在大规模可持续性和过程模型集成中分析实验室规模的数据，以评估制造技术的经济/环境影响。利用射频场进行体积加热的能力可以解决“电力到化学品”生态制造计划的主要科学障碍。通过专注于工业相关的传热有限吸热催化丙烷脱氢（PDH）过程，并积极与陶氏化学合作，预计具体的技术影响将带来可再生电力在分布式化学制造中的应用的转型变化。该未来制造奖由民用、机械和制造创新部门以及电气、通信和网络系统部门支持。该奖项反映了美国国家科学基金会的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

Distributed chemical manufacturing aims to utilize stranded resources, enable flexible and mobile production, and reduce the environmental footprints associated with conventional centralized manufacturing. Distributed chemical manufacture can be enabled by electrification (i.e., a “Power-to-Chemicals” paradigm), which has garnered interest due to the promise of low carbon or renewable electrical energy sources replacing conventional fossil fuel heating processes. In this Future Manufacturing Seed Grant (FMSG) project, the investigators will develop a new chemicals manufacturing process based on electrical power, rather than fossil fuels. The key to this approach is the use of nanomaterials that rapidly heat up in response to electromagnetically generated radio-frequency (RF) fields; this allows for a completely new way to deliver heat in chemical reactors. Graduate and undergraduate students will participate in this project and receive training at both the labscale (reactor design) and industry scale (techno-economic analysis). The undergraduate researchers will be be mentored by collaborators in industry. In addition, a Research-Experience-for-Teachers will engage high-school and college instructors from West Texas to develop learning modules for workforce training, particularly as related to efficient utilization of shale gas resources to ensure U.S. energy security while minimizing carbon emissions.RF susceptor materials, particularly carbon nanomaterials, show a rapid heating response when exposed to RF fields. The investigators recently demonstrated a hybrid susceptor/catalyst capable of providing thermal energy for catalytic methanol reforming. This concept will be extended to a promising candidate reaction, propane dehydrogenation (PDH). Specific research objectives are: (1) construct and investigate PDH reactors with RF susceptor/catalyst hybrid packed beds coupled with external RF applicators. Rate expressions will be developed, and heat generation and heat/mass transfer will be analyzed using experimentation and computational models (in consultation with industry partners), and (2) lab-scale data will be analyzed in large-scale sustainability and process model integration to assess the economic/environmental impact of the manufacturing techniques. The ability to volumetrically heat using RF fields could address the chief scientific obstacles to the “Power-to-Chemicals” eco-manufacturing initiative. By focusing upon the industrially relevant heat-transfer limited endothermic catalytic process of propane dehydrogenation (PDH), and actively collaborating with Dow Chemical, the specific technical impact is anticipated to bring a transformational change in the application of renewable electrical power to distributed chemical manufacturing.This Future Manufacturing award was supported by the Division of Civil, Mechanical, and Manufacturing Innovation and the Division of Electrical, Communications and Cyber Systems.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.