Multifunctional Catalyst Characterization System for Supporting Catalytic Natural Gas Valorization Program

本提案中要求的Autochem 2950化学吸附分析仪将为催化剂制备和表征提供高度自动化的平台，包括脉冲化学吸附、BET（Brunauer、Emmett和Teller）表面积、程序升温还原（TPR）、解吸（TPD）、氧化（TPO）和反应（TPRxn）。此外，这种仪器将作为一个独立的微活性反应器系统，以加速催化剂筛选过程，从而减少催化剂的开发时间和成本。其独特的宽操作环境，温度范围从-100到1100 oC，压力高达1000 psia，可以适应我们实验室中可能进行的大多数反应。 所需的设备将主要用于支持一项研究计划，该计划旨在开发一系列催化剂系统和相关工艺，这些系统和工艺可以有效地利用丰富的天然气，将加拿大广泛使用的低成本碳源（包括非常规重质原油、轻质原油和有机城市、农业和林业固体废物）升级为各种有价值的产品，如合成原油，多用途液体化学品、用于液体化学品或燃料生产的合成气流，以及用作污染物清除的吸附剂和发电燃料的高质量生物炭。 该方案正在进行的研究旨在优化加拿大碳氢化合物资源的利用，同时减少对环境的影响。丰富的天然气和重质原油资源，加上对运输用液体燃料和日常消费品生产用化学中间体的需求，是上述研究项目的关键动力。此外，通过使用天然气进行升级是一个相对较新的研究领域。在这一领域的进步应该把加拿大放在最前沿，并产生相当大的经济效益，特别是在加拿大急需的研究领域，由于可用性/需求问题。所要求的文书还应有助于对来自业界和学术界的许多专家进行尖端研究方面的培训。参与HQP可以接触到一个独特的多学科环境，并获得宝贵的实践经验，这肯定会有利于他们在加拿大和海外的化学工程，材料科学与工程，机械工程和电气工程领域的学术界或工业界就业。因此，该研究项目的成果不仅将通过更有效和更清洁地利用加拿大丰富的低成本碳资源和天然气资源，进一步巩固加拿大在能源研究和创新方面的领先地位，而且还将使加拿大成为一个更好的居住地，考虑到潜在的经济，环境，以及这项研究可能给加拿大带来的社会效益。

The Autochem 2950 chemisorption analyzer requested in this proposal will provide a highly automated platform for catalyst preparation and characterizations including pulse chemisorption, BET (Brunauer, Emmett and Teller) surface area, temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), desorption (TPD), oxidation (TPO), and reaction (TPRxn). In addition, such instrument will act as a stand-alone micro-activity reactor system to acclerate catalyst screening process, leading to reduced catalyst development timeframe and cost. Its unique wide operation environment with temperature ranging from -100 to 1100 oC and pressure up to 1000 psia can accommodate majority of the reactions potentially conducted in our laboratories. The required equipment will be primarily employed to support a research program aiming to develop a series of catalyst systems and associated processes which can efficiently utilize the abundant natural gas for upgrading low cost carbon sources widely available in Canada including unconventional heavy crude, light crude, and organic municipal, agricultural, and forestry solid wastes to various valuable products such as synthetic crude oil, versatile liquid chemicals, syngas stream for liquid chemical or fuel production, and high-quality bio-char useful as sorbent for pollutants cleanup and fuel for power generation. The researches being undertaken in this program targets at optimizing the utilization of Canada's hydrocarbon resources, while reducing the accompanying environmental impact. The abundance of natural gas and heavy crude oil resources coupled with the demand on liquid fuel for transportation and chemical intermediates for daily consumables production are key motivators for the mentioned research project. Moreover, upgrading through the use of natural gas is a relatively new field of research. Advances in this field should put Canada at the forefront and generate considerable economic benefit, especially in a field of study much needed for Canada, due to availability/demand issues. The requested instrument should also contribute to the training of many experts from both industry and academia in cutting-edge research. The engaged HQP can be exposed to an unique multidisciplinary environment and gain precious hands-on experiences, which will definitely benefit them being employed in academia or industry in Canada and overseas in the fields of chemical engineering, material science and engineering, mechanical engineering, and electrical engineering. The outcomes derived from this research program will thus not only further solidify the leading position of Canada in energy research and innovation through more efficient and cleaner utilization of low cost carbon resources and natural gas which are abundant natural resources in Canada, but also make Canada an even better place to live by taking into consideration the potential economic, environmental, and social benefits this proposed study could bring to Canada.