Biochemical and physiochemical processes for resource valorization

资源增值的生化和物理化学过程

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-06060
• 负责人: Rehmann, Lars
• 金额: $ 2.84万
• 依托单位: University of Western Ontario
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2020
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2020-01-01 至 2021-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=718223
• 关键词: Biochemical; physiochemical; processes; resource; valorization

The perspectives for biomass-derived fuels and chemicals are an ever-moving target due to uncertainties in the energy sector and inconsistent environmental policies. Grain-based ethanol and biodiesel derived from waste oils or purpose grown crops are still the predominant commercial products with a renewed interest in methane and hydrogen derived through anaerobic digestion. However, the outlook appears to involve a more diverse product portfolio and flexible conversion processes are able to handle diverse feedstocks. The current main usage for biomass derived bulk chemicals is as energy carriers, largely for the automotive sector. The onset of electric and autonomous vehicles in combination with urbanization might reduce this demand. However, high-density energy carriers will still be needed in the aviation and shipping industry and growing environmental concerns lead to a re-evaluation of the materials used in the packaging sector. Hence, biomass remains a large and attractive source for a broad range of materials and Canada is in the advantageous position of having access to extensive biomass resources not just due to their simple abundance, but also through a highly developed agricultural and forestry sector. Large scale biomass conversion technologies will likely not be realized the same as petrochemical refining and conversion technologies. The economy of scale found in the petrochemical industry cannot be transferred to bioconversion processes simply due to limitation caused by feedstock transportation (no pipelines for corn stover), availability, and homogeneity. Hence biomass conversion facilities will be specialized, medium scale plants, analogous to pulp and paper mills, an area where Canada has vast expertise and existing underutilized assets and infrastructure. Products of interest are chemical building blocks (C4 and larger) that can be further transformed and or polymerized such as succinic acid propanediol, or butanol. Significant scientific and technical breakthroughs are required to achieve competitiveness of biorefineries and the proposed research will attempt to address some of the key challenges. The proposed research has three key objectives: 1. Development of terrestrial and aquatic biomass pretreatment with deep eutectic solvents 2. Synthetic biology vs. synthetic consortia: Development of microbial mixed culture processes as a basis for rational strain development 3. Development of novel highly integrated fermentation processes

由于能源部门的不确定性和不一致的环境政策，生物质衍生燃料和化学品的前景是一个不断变化的目标。从废油或专用作物中提取的谷物乙醇和生物柴油仍然是主要的商业产品，通过厌氧消化产生的甲烷和氢重新引起了人们的兴趣。然而，前景似乎涉及更多样化的产品组合和灵活的转换过程，能够处理不同的原料。