Exploration of Pathways to Advanced Biofuels and Co-Products

在过去的15年里，NSERC发现资助的研究在我们的实验室已经解开了高温自由基将油和脂肪直接转化为碳氢化合物的理解，而不使用氢或催化剂。这些基本见解支持了加拿大具有工业竞争力的专利新技术的发展。随后的申请拨款投资、应用研究伙伴关系、许可和持续的脂质制烃技术的商业部署，为从可持续的低价值原料中建立低成本的先进生物燃料提供了突破，大大降低了碳强度。尽管我的研究项目为可行的先进生物燃料技术开辟了一条新途径，但仍有未被探索的机会，可以探索开发新的生物喷气燃料和潜在的低云点超级燃料的途径。所要求的资金建立在以前这些成功投资的基础上，增加了两条额外的调查线和基础调查，以及符合加拿大国家优先事项的卫生健康计划培训。第一个新的研究领域将集中在探索我的项目最近发现的含有少量不饱和化合物的油和脂肪之间的新型自由基反应。添加这些化合物的明确目的是诱导产生支链烃的化学反应，而不使用传统的异构化和氢。重点是开发能够满足严格的加拿大生物喷气燃料要求的支链碳氢化合物产品流，以及生产传统催化方法无法生产的极低云点超级燃料。第二项研究将调查微波在高温高压下加热油脂的新用途。这将使独特的化学物质和更快的脂肪和油转化为高价值的燃料，化学品和溶剂使用独特的原型微波系统设计和制造的行业合作伙伴与我的团队在过去的两年参与。大部分活动将集中在对反应基本原理的深入理解，控制变量的操作，以及为反应系统开发预测模型。所采取的方法将侧重于培养5名具有科学和工程背景的高素质研究生，以及2名博士后，在一个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，接触工业研究动态。我的实验室也将提供一个高节奏的研究环境，重点是专业培训，文化意识和敏感性。本课程将着重于专业的沟通技巧，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.