Nature-inspired bio-Syngas Technologies for Olefins Synthesis

与过度使用化石燃料有关的环境和经济问题，以及循环经济和负碳技术的机会，正在为化学工业的根本重组铺平道路。炼油厂正在重新设计，以便将石化工艺与生物基生产和更适合小规模操作的新的热化学技术结合起来。在这种情况下，用于合成可再生中间体（例如由生物质产生的烯烃）的新的（或重组的）方法的发明是至关重要的，因为这些分子是聚合物、燃料和化学工业的基本构件。为了开启能源和制造业向生物替代品的过渡，资源效率、工艺灵活性和集约化至关重要。为了实现这些目标，我们建议采用自然启发解决方案（NIS）方法，作为创新的系统平台，并为变革性技术提供信息。NIS方法将用于设计和优化模块化生物合成气转化方法，以适合分散应用的规模生产“绿色”化学产品，包括生物烯烃。该研究将侧重于吸附增强烯烃合成（SEOS）的新概念，以及关键系统组件（合成反应器-催化剂配置-生命周期分析）的集成设计和性能，以提供有关基础反应机制，工程性能和系统动力学的信息，这些信息将促进未来生物基制造工厂的部署。

Environmental and economic concerns related to the excessive use of fossil fuels, together with opportunities in circular economy and carbon negative technologies are paving the way for a fundamental reorganisation of the chemical industry. Oil refineries are being redesigned to couple petrochemical processes with bio-based productions and new thermo-chemical technologies more suited for small-scale operation. In this context, the invention of new (or restructured) processes for the synthesis of renewable intermediates, such as olefins generated from biomass is of crucial importance, since these molecules are fundamental building blocks for polymers, fuels and chemical industry. In order to unlock the transition to bio-substitutes in energy and manufacturing sectors, resource efficiency, process flexibility and intensification are of critical importance. To achieve these goals, we propose to employ a Nature-Inspired Solution (NIS) methodology, as a systematic platform for innovation and to inform transformative technology. The NIS methodology will be used to design and optimise modular bio-syngas conversion methods to manufacture "green" chemical products, including bio-olefins, at a scale suitable for decentralised applications. The research will focus on the novel concept of Sorption Enhanced Olefin Synthesis (SEOS), and the integrated design and performance of key system components (Synthesis Reactor - Catalysts Configuration - Life Cycle Analysis) to provide information on the underpinning reaction mechanisms, engineering performance and system dynamics that will facilitate deployment of future bio-based manufacturing plants.