Liquid Biofuels from Wet Algae Paste via Novel Two-Step Processes

PI：Phillip E SavageProposal number：1133439智慧价值光合作用微藻作为生物催化剂将二氧化碳(CO2)转化为富含脂肪的生物质，可作为生产生物柴油的原料。将微藻大规模转化为生物柴油的一个主要障碍是需要干燥藻类并提取油成分。拟议的研究将发展科学和工程知识，通过两步过程将藻类生物质直接转化为自然湿状态的生物柴油，而不需要干燥或提取。第一步是温和的水热碳化处理，将细胞内的脂肪水解成脂肪酸，并将它们结合成易于过滤的固体。第二步是生物柴油的非催化和催化合成，包括湿法水解固体中的脂肪与超临界乙醇的非催化酯化反应或三氟化金属催化的湿法水解固体中的脂肪与亚临界乙醇的酯化反应。将阐明每一步的反应路径和动力学，以评估过程变量(温度、浓度、时间等)如何。影响生物柴油产品的产量。广泛的影响拟议的活动旨在为学生在拟议的研究背景下提供教育机会。本科生，特别是女性和代表性不足的少数族裔，将通过密歇根大学的玛丽安·莎拉·帕克学者计划和暑期研究机会计划招募，与将作为该项目一部分接受培训的博士生合作开展藻类生物柴油研究。可再生能源的概念将被纳入由密歇根大学工程学院开设的一门大二水平的可持续工程课程。

PI: Phillip E SavageProposal Number: 1133439Intellectual MeritPhotosynthetic microalgae have considerable promise as biological catalyst for the conversion of carbon dioxide (CO2) into lipid-rich biomass which can serve as a feedstock for biodiesel production. A major barrier for converting microalgae to biodiesel on a large scale is the need to dry the algae and extract the oil components. The proposed research will develop the scientific and engineering knowledge to convert algal biomass directly to biodiesel in its natural wet state through a two step process without the need for drying or extraction. The first step is a mild hydrothermal carbonization treatment that hydrolyzes the intracellular lipids into fatty acids and coalesces them into easy-to-filter solids. The second step is biodiesel synthesis through noncatalytic and catalytic approaches, including the uncatalyzed esterification of the lipids in the wet hydrolysis solids with supercritical ethanol, or the metal-triflate-catalyzed esterification of the lipids in the wet hydrolysis solids with subcritical ethanol. The reaction pathways and kinetics of each step will be elucidated to assess how the process variables (temperature, concentrations, time, etc.) influence the biodiesel product yields.Broader ImpactsThe proposed activities are designed to provide educational opportunities for students within the context of the proposed research. Undergraduate students, particularly women and underrepresented minorities, will be recruited through the Marian Sarah Parker Scholars Program and Summer Research Opportunity Program at the University of Michigan to conduct research on algal biodiesel in collaboration with the PhD student who will be trained as part of this project. Renewable energy concepts will be incorporated into a sophomore level Sustainable Engineering course offered though the College of Engineering at the University of Michigan.