Production of polyoxymethylene dimethyl ethers (OME) from sustainable feedstocks

加拿大能源和石化行业面临的重大挑战之一是需要大规模、可商业部署的合成可再生液体能源载体的技术。通过该项目，来自各大学、北美国家实验室和森科尔的广泛学科的研究人员联手开发用于生产甲醛基醚(OME)的催化技术，其中3至8个单体单元来自可持续来源，作为可直接混合并可投放市场的下一代燃料载体。该项目采用集新材料发现、表征、化学动力学调整、反应工程和工艺技术于一体的多学科方法，将产生催化速率操纵方面的新知识，寻找方法创建C-O键，将生物质衍生的合成气转化为适合与柴油直接混合的长链醚。这一追求需要同时针对材料化学和反应工程问题，这些问题寻求通过创建高度专业化的催化活性中心并控制它们的接近来指导电子的转移。与强化热量和质量传输的微化学反应工程技术一起，目标是展示一种生产甲醛基醚的连续工艺。在这个多学科研究项目中融入了一个全面的领导力和专业培训模块，通过与行业的直接互动，以及通过与我们的合作者直接互动，有机会在世界级研究机构实际工作，高度重视发展高素质人才(HQP)的技术和领导力能力，这些人员拥有广泛的技能和在多个机构的经验。拥有这些技术和专业能力的人员在加拿大新兴的绿色能源和化工行业非常受欢迎。

One of the Grand Challenges faced by Canadian energy and petrochemical industry is the need of large scale, commercially deployable technology for synthesizing renewable liquid energy carriers. Through this project, researchers from a broad discipline across the Universities, North-American National Laboratories, and Suncor join forces in developing catalytic technology for the production of oxymethylene ethers (OME) with three to eight monomer units from sustainable sources as direct blend-able and market-ready next generation fuel carriers. Adapting a multidisciplinary approach that integrates the discovery of new materials, characterizations, chemical kinetic tuning, reaction engineering, and process technology, the project will generate new knowledge on catalytic rate manipulation, finding ways to create C-O bond linkages which transform biomass derived syngas into long chain ethers, suitable for direct blending with diesel fuel. This pursuit requires targeting both the material chemistry and reaction engineering questions, that seek to direct the transfer of electrons, by creating highly specialized catalytically active sites and controlling their proximity. Together with microchemical reaction engineering technology, which intensifies the heat and mass transport, the goal is to demonstrate a continuous process for the production of oxymethylene ethers. Incorporating in this multidisciplinary research program is a comprehensive leadership and professional training module that places a strong emphasis in developing the technical and leadership competency of highly qualified personnel (HQP), with broad spectrum of skill-sets and experience at multi-institutions, through the direct interaction with industry and opportunity to physically work at world class research institutions through direct interaction with our collaborators. The personnel with these technical and professional competencies are very much sought after in the emerging Canadian green energy and chemical industries.