Exploration of Pathways to Advanced Biofuels and Co-Products

在过去的15年里，我们实验室由NSERC Discovery资助的研究已经揭开了人们对高温下油脂直接转化为碳氢化合物的理解，而不需要使用氢或催化剂。这些基本的见解支持了一种具有工业竞争力的专利加拿大新颖技术的发展。随后的应用赠款投资和应用研究伙伴关系、许可以及正在进行的将脂肪转化为碳氢化合物的技术的商业部署，在从可持续的低价值原料建立低成本先进生物燃料方面取得了突破，大大降低了碳强度。尽管我的研究计划已经创造了一条通往可行的先进生物燃料技术的新途径，但仍有机会探索开发新的生物喷气燃料和潜在的低浊点超级燃料的已确定途径。所申请的资金建立在这些先前成功投资的基础上，增加了两条额外的调查和基本调查路线，并根据加拿大的国家优先事项培训了HQP。第一个新的研究领域将集中在探索新的自由基反应，这是我的项目最近发现的，在油和脂肪与小的不饱和化合物之间的反应。添加这些化合物的明确目的是诱导产生支化烃的化学作用，而不使用传统的异构化和氢气。重点将是开发能够满足加拿大严格的生物喷气燃料要求的支链碳氢化合物产品流，以及生产用传统催化方法不可能产生的极低浊点超级燃料。第二项调查将调查微波在高温和高压下加热脂肪和油的新用途。这将使独特的化学作用和更快地将脂肪和油转化为高价值的燃料、化学品和溶剂，使用由一个行业合作伙伴设计和制造的独特的原型微波系统，我的团队在过去两年的参与下。大多数活动将侧重于加深对反应基本原理的理解，控制变量的操作，以及开发反应系统的预测模型。采取的方法将侧重于培训5名具有科学和工程背景的不同的高素质研究生以及2名博士后研究员，他们处于基本的多学科环境中，通过参加会议、行业合作伙伴接触和研讨会来接触工业研究动态。我的实验室还将提供一个高节奏的研究环境，重点放在专业培训、文化意识和敏感性上。该课程将强调专业沟通技能，包括口头陈述、书面披露、小组会议以及个人指导。

Over the past 15 years, NSERC Discovery funded research in our laboratory has unlocked understanding of the high temperature free-radical conversion of oils and fats directly into hydrocarbons without the use of hydrogen or catalysts. These fundamental insights have supported the development of a patented industrially-competitive Canadian novel technology. Subsequent applied grant investments and applied research partnerships, licensing, and ongoing commercial deployment of a Lipid-to-Hydrocarbon technology has provided a breakthrough in establishing low cost advanced biofuels from sustainable low value feedstocks with substantially reduced carbon intensity. Although my research program has created a new pathway to a viable advanced biofuel technology, there remains unexplored opportunity to pursue identified pathways to develop new biojet fuels and potentially super fuels with very low cloud points. The requested funding builds upon these previous successful investments adding two additional lines of inquiry and fundamental investigation and the training of HQP aligned with Canada's national priorities. The first new area of investigation will focus on exploring novel free-radical reactions, recently discovered by my program, between oils and fats with small unsaturated compounds. The compounds are added with the express purpose of inducing chemistries that produce branched hydrocarbons without the use of traditional isomerization and hydrogen. The focus will be on developing product streams of branched hydrocarbons capable of meeting stringent Canadian biojet fuel requirements as well as producing very low cloud point super fuels not possible with traditional catalytic approaches. A second line of inquiry will investigate the novel use of microwaves for the heating of fats and oils at high temperatures AND pressures. This will enable unique chemistries and more rapid conversion of fats and oils to high value fuels, chemicals and solvents using a UNIQUE prototype microwave system designed and fabricated by an industry partner with my groups participation over the past 2 years. The majority of the activities will focus on gaining deeper understanding of reaction fundamentals, manipulation of controlling variables, and on developing predictive models for the reaction systems. The approach taken will be to focus on the training of 5 diverse highly qualified graduate students with a mix of scientific and engineering backgrounds along with 2 postdoctoral fellows in a fundamental multidisciplinary environment with exposure to industrial research dynamics through participation in conferences, industry partner exposure and workshops. My lab will also provide a high-paced research environment with a focus on professional training, cultural awareness and sensitivities. This will be provided with an emphasis on professional communication skills including oral presentations, written disclosures, and group meetings as well as individual mentorship.