Understanding sustainable catalytic processes on complex melts to produce chemicals and power

了解复杂熔体生产化学品和电力的可持续催化过程

• 批准号: RGPIN-2020-05980
• 负责人: Upham, David
• 金额: $ 2.04万
• 依托单位: University of British Columbia
• 依托单位国家: 加拿大
• 项目类别: Discovery Grants Program - Individual
• 财政年份: 2022
• 资助国家: 加拿大
• 起止时间: 2022-01-01 至 2023-12-31
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nserc-crsng.gc.ca/ase-oro/Details-Detailles_eng.asp?id=746785
• 关键词: Understanding; sustainable; catalytic; processes; complex

Progress and Literature As a signatory to the 2015 Paris Agreement1, Canada is committed to preventing the release of 52 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). However, Canadian per capita CO2 emissions are still among the highest of any country, largely driven by high industrial and transportation emissions2. Canada also has more than 300 years' worth of natural gas3 and the economic impact and feasibility challenges of leaving those assets stranded in a carbon-free world are significant. New technologies are urgently required to produce CO2-free fuels and chemicals, thereby reducing industrial and transportation emissions. The development of novel catalysts will enable processes to achieve this requirement. Specifically, (1) the pyrolysis of methane produces CO2-free hydrogen, and (2) the CO2-reforming of methane produces syngas from a greenhouse gas which can be converted to chemicals, diesel, or gasoline; however, both processes have historically been limited by catalyst carbon fouling. Recently, I reported that molten metals and molten salts could be used in bubble columns to overcome carbon fouling. Carbon floated to the surface to be continuously removed and unique electronic properties were reported. Application to other reactions has not been reported and more research on the reaction mechanisms is required for further development. Objectives and Methodology My long-term research objective is to engineer new catalysts to produce CO2-free fuels and chemicals including hydrogen, syngas, and diesel fuel to combat Canada's high per capita CO2 footprint. I have 3 short-term objectives over the 5-year term. 1: Study mechanisms in controlled reaction environments on molten catalytic surfaces 2: Use liquid catalysts to control the reaction environment for CO2-reforming 3: Understand catalyst surface coverage using in-situ spectroscopy Two exciting strategies will be used: (1) eliminate the production of CO2 in new processes, and (2) convert stoichiometric quantities of CO2 into useful products. With the former, solid carbon will be produced instead, which is more readily stored in perpetuity than gaseous CO2. Methane pyrolysis will be studied in which solid carbon is produced from low cost natural gas, biogas, flare gas, or landfill gas along with CO2-free hydrogen. CO2-reforming will also be examined. HQP In order to realize these approaches, I will train and mentor 3 PhD students and 12 undergraduate students over 5 years in the development of new catalysts. I intend to train a diverse group of HQP and will be conscious of using equitable and inclusive recruitment and mentoring practices. Impact The commercial implementation of the processes in this program will result in clean fuels and chemicals for transportation, industrial and residential heating, and other commercial applications, ultimately to affordably reduce Canada's CO2 production.

作为2015年《巴黎协定》的签署国，加拿大致力于防止520亿吨二氧化碳的排放。然而，加拿大的人均二氧化碳排放量仍然是所有国家中最高的，这主要是由工业和运输的高排放量造成的。加拿大还拥有可供开采300多年的天然气，将这些资产搁置在无碳世界的经济影响和可行性挑战是巨大的。迫切需要新技术来生产无二氧化碳的燃料和化学品，从而减少工业和运输排放。新型催化剂的开发将使工艺达到这一要求。具体来说，(1)甲烷热解产生不含二氧化碳的氢气，(2)甲烷的二氧化碳重整产生合成气，合成气是一种可以转化为化学品、柴油或汽油的温室气体；然而，这两种工艺在历史上都受到催化剂碳污染的限制。最近，我报道了熔融金属和熔盐可以在气泡塔中使用，以克服碳污染。碳漂浮到表面连续去除，并报道了独特的电子性能。应用于其他反应尚未见报道，需要对反应机理进行更多的研究以进一步发展。我的长期研究目标是设计新的催化剂来生产无二氧化碳的燃料和化学品，包括氢、合成气和柴油，以对抗加拿大的高人均二氧化碳足迹。我在5年内有3个短期目标。1：在熔融催化表面受控反应环境下的机理研究2：使用液体催化剂控制CO2重整的反应环境3：利用原位光谱法了解催化剂表面覆盖将采用两种令人兴奋的策略：(1)在新工艺中消除CO2的产生，(2)将化学计量量的CO2转化为有用的产物。前者会产生固态碳，而固态碳比气态二氧化碳更容易永久储存。将研究甲烷热解，其中固体碳是由低成本的天然气、沼气、火炬气或垃圾填埋气以及无二氧化碳的氢气产生的。二氧化碳重整也将被研究。HQP为了实现这些方法，我将在5年内培训和指导3名博士生和12名本科生开发新的催化剂。我打算培训一个多元化的HQP团队，并将意识到使用公平和包容的招聘和指导实践。影响本项目过程的商业实施将产生用于交通、工业和住宅供暖以及其他商业应用的清洁燃料和化学品，最终以可负担得起的价格减少加拿大的二氧化碳排放量。