Technologies for the Valorization of Alternative Fossil and Renewable Resources

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The Institute for Chemicals and Fuels from Alternative Resources (ICFAR) has been established at Western University in 2009 to accommodate our expanding research activities dealing with the thermal cracking and upgrading of low value fossil resources (heavy oils extracted from the oil sands) and renewables (residual biomasses, organic wastes and selected crops) into upgraded products, using advanced chemical reactor technologies. The proposed Discovery grant builds upon years of experience in thermal cracking of heavy oils and of residual biomass materials using conventional gas-solid fluidized bed reactors as well as more recent technologies, including mechanically fluidized reactors. Thermal cracking is an intrinsically non-selective process and generates hundreds of chemical species. The main objective of the proposed Discovery grant is to improve the selectivity and enhance the quality and value of the condensable and solid products by a synergistic combination and integration of advanced reactor and separation technologies. The research will aim at the conversion of low value, or negative value resources (residues, organic waste materials, sludges and heavy hydrocarbons) into (a) high value intermediates that can be more readily upgraded and integrated with petroleum fuel streams, and, more importantly, (b) into high value targeted “non-fuel” chemical products, such as pharmaceuticals, flavors, cosmetics, specialty and fine chemicals. The objective will be achieved by tackling projects designed to address selectivity and quality enhancement (i) during the reactions, (ii) during the collection of the primary products, as well as (iii) by post-processing the primary products. The projects will include: catalytic pyrolysis in, or following, a bubbling fluidized bed integrated with a fractional condensation train; non-catalytic batch pyrolysis in a mechanically fluidized reactor operating at progressively increasing temperatures integrated with fractional condensation trains; valorization of liquid fractions by advanced extraction techniques and catalytic transformation processes and of the solid fractions by activation, granulation, or utilization for the production of advanced materials; novel approaches to integration of production and valorization using supercritical fluids for both reaction and fractionation. The research will lead to several beneficial outcomes: reduction of pollution created by residues and wastes, diversion from landfills, valorization of agricultural and forestry co-products, net reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, and integration of renewables into conventional fossil fuels and chemicals. The environmentally friendly production of high quality product from low quality, residual or waste resources will provide economic, environmental and social benefits to all members of society.