SBIR Phase I: A Controlled Cavitation Reactor for Fischer-Tropsch Synthesis

这个小企业创新研究（SBIR）第一阶段项目提供了一种全新的方法，将生物质转化为替代汽油的混合酒精生物燃料。这种新方法使用了一种称为可控空化反应器（CCR）的独特反应器。具体来说，CCR通过在非反应性液体中使用小气泡来提供均匀的热源；因此，有利于传热和反应物与悬浮固体催化剂的相互作用。这些改进将提高反应的生产率，同时减少能量投入；因此，降低了运营成本。本项目的智力优势在于通过CCR演示了三相（气固液）催化反应，以更少的能源和更低的资本成本生产更多所需的产品。这项研究的更广泛的商业影响是，Maverick生物燃料公司正在商业化一项将生物质转化为混合酒精生物燃料的技术，这种技术可以很容易地与汽油混合。这一过程需要将木材、作物残茬和城市固体废物（送往垃圾填埋场的垃圾）等原料转化为合成气。然后用CCR对合成气进行反应，生产混合酒精生物燃料。总的来说，这种将生物质转化为生物燃料的方法产生了高产量的与汽油相容的醇。由于生物燃料商业化的主要障碍是高昂的资本成本，这个项目的成功可以改变这种经济平衡。此外，这一概念在生产表面活性剂和其他高价值化学品方面具有更广泛的商业应用。

This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project offers a completely new and novel approach to convert biomass to a gasoline-replacing mixed alcohol biofuel. The new approach uses a unique reactor called a controlled cavitation reactor (CCR). Specifically, the CCR provides a uniform source of heat by use of small bubbles in a non-reactive liquid; thus, facilitating heat transfer and the interaction of the reactants with the suspended solid catalyst. These improvements will improve the productivity of the reaction while decreasing the energy inputs; thus, decreasing the operating costs. The intellectual merit of this project is the demonstration of the three-phase (gas-solid-liquid) catalytic reactions by CCR to produce more of the desired product with less energy and lower capital cost.The broader commercial impacts of this research are that Maverick Biofuels is commercializing a technology to convert biomass to a mixed alcohol bio-fuel that can be easily blended with gasoline. This process requires that the feedstocks such as timber, crop residues and municipal solid waste (garbage going to the landfill) be converted to synthesis gas. The synthesis gas is then reacted using the CCR to produce a mixed-alcohol biofuel. Overall, this method for converting biomass to biofuel results in high yields of gasoline-compatible alcohols. Since a major deterrent to the commercialization of biofuels is the high capital costs, success in this project can change that economic equation. In addition, this concept has broader commercial application in the production of surfactants and other high value chemicals.