IRES track I: International Research Experience in France on Thermal Treatment of Biomass (I-CEMITURE)

可持续技术的发展对于美国后代的福利以及致力于可持续生产工艺和材料的制造商的经济可行性至关重要。为了在国家和国际一级减少人类活动对环境的影响，有必要从当地生物量中开发增值产品。通过在没有氧气的情况下使用受控的热处理（烘焙）可以增强生物质的某些性质。烘焙是将生物质转化为类似煤的材料的热过程，其具有比原始生物质更好的燃料特性。烘焙的生物质更脆，使研磨更容易，能源密集度更低。经过热处理（烘焙）的生物质可以更容易地加工，从而为能源应用提供更均匀的产品。该项目的目标是完善描述生物质热解动力学的数学模型，以更准确地确定不同生物质的最佳处理条件。这样的模型将允许制造商针对特定的生物质来源定制热处理，确保最终产品的最佳性能，并对这些性能的再现性进行控制。该项目将为美国学生提供多样化的背景和有限的研究和国际经验，在尖端技术技能方面的实践培训，同时与法国世界级的木材研究实验室合作。其先进和专业的独特设施使其处于全球木质纤维素材料热处理技术发展的最前沿。美国学生的经验将得到专业发展活动的补充，这些活动将指导他们微调他们的沟通技能（科学写作和演讲），为他们的科学职业生涯制定战略计划，并传播他们的工作成果。最终，参与该项目的人员将获得美利坚合众国经济增长和技术创新所需的知识和技能。 这个IRES（轨道I）项目是一个为期十周的年度计划，其中四名美国学生在法国埃皮纳勒的洛林大学的一个著名实验室进行研究项目，重点研究生物质烘焙动力学。回到美国后，他们在格鲁吉亚南方大学用当地的生物量验证了他们的发现。除了研究部分，该计划还包括一系列专业发展活动，这些活动在过去几年中被PI和co-PI在其部门的夏季本科生研究经验计划中证明是成功的。因此，该项目利用一个既定的，坚实的框架，评估，招聘和参与者的专业发展。该研究计划由四个独立的项目组成，这些项目由一个共同的目标联系在一起。这四个项目是：（1）通过引入与矿物含量、反应气氛和木质纤维素生物质性质相关的模块，改进描述生物质热解的数学模型（硬木对软木），（2）关于矿物质含量对生物质烘焙的影响的数据采集，（3）关于反应气氛对生物质烘焙的影响的数据采集，以及（4）关于生物质性质（硬木与软木）对生物质烘焙的影响的数据获取。在项目（2）、（3）和（4）中获得的数据将用于项目（1）中，以细化和改进数学模型。在资助期内不断修订数学模型后，将获得更好的表达，进一步了解烘焙机制。事实上，描述生物质热解动力学的数学模型将更准确地确定不同生物质的最佳处理条件，允许制造商根据特定生物质源调整热处理，进一步确保最终产品的性能优化，同时提供对过程和性能再现性的更大控制。这可以潜在地消除生物质广泛商业使用的两个主要障碍，即（1）结果的固有可变性和（2）无法控制结果。总的来说，该项目是可持续能源领域的前沿研究和未来美国在该领域的劳动力培训的结合。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的知识价值和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The development of sustainable technologies is crucial for the welfare of future generations in the United States and for the economic viability of manufacturers committed to sustainable production processes and materials. In order to lower the environmental impact of human activities at a national and international scale, there is a need for the development of value-added products from local biomass. It is possible to enhance some properties of biomass through the use of a controlled heat treatment in the absence of oxygen (torrefaction). Torrefaction is a thermal process to convert biomass into a coal-like material, which has better fuel characteristics than the original biomass. Torrefied biomass is more brittle, making grinding easier and less energy intensive. Heat-treated (torrefied) biomass can be more easily processed, leading to more homogeneous products for energy applications. The goal of this project is to refine a mathematical model describing the kinetics of biomass pyrolysis to more accurately determine the best treatment conditions for different biomass. Such a model will allow manufacturers to tailor heat treatment to specific biomass sources, ensuring optimal properties in the final products and providing control over the reproducibility of those properties. This project will provide US students of a diverse background and limited research and international experience, hands-on training in cutting-edge technical skills while partnering with a world-class laboratory for wood research in France. Its advanced and specialized unique facilities put it at the forefront of technology development worldwide for the heat treatment of ligno-cellulosic materials. The US students’ experience will be complemented by professional development activities that will guide them in fine-tuning their communication skills (scientific writing and presentation), making strategic plans for their careers in science, and disseminating the results of their work. Ultimately, participants in this project will gain knowledge and skills necessary for the increased economic growth and technological innovation of the United States of America. This IRES (track I) project is a ten-week annual program in which four US students conduct research projects focused on studying biomass torrefaction kinetics in a renowned laboratory at the University of Lorraine, in Epinal, France. After returning to the US, they validate their findings using local biomass at Georgia Southern University. In addition to the research component, the program includes a series of professional development activities that were proven successful by the PI and co-PI in their department’s summer undergraduate research experience program over the past several years. Therefore, this project utilizes an established, solid framework for the assessment, recruitment, and professional development of the participants. The research plan consists of four separate projects tied together by a common goal. The four proposed projects are (1) Refinement of a mathematical model describing pyrolysis of biomass by incorporation of modules associated to mineral content, reaction atmosphere, and nature of ligno-cellulosic biomass (hardwood vs softwood), (2) Data acquisition on the effect of mineral content on torrefaction of biomass, (3) Data acquisition on the effect of reaction atmosphere on torrefaction of biomass, and (4) Data acquisition on the effect of biomass nature (harwood vs softwood) on torrefaction of biomass. The data acquired in projects (2), (3), and (4) will be used in project (1) for refinement and improvement of the mathematical model. Upon continuous revision of the mathematical model over the course of the funding period, a better expression will be obtained, providing further insight about the torrefaction mechanism. Indeed, a mathematical model describing the kinetics of biomass pyrolysis will more accurately determine the best treatment conditions for different biomass, allowing manufacturers to adjust heat treatment to specific biomass sources, further ensuring property optimization in the final products while providing greater control over the process and properties’ reproducibility. This can potentially eradicate two of the major impediments to widespread commercial use of biomass, namely (1) inherent variability in the results and (2) the inability to control the outcome. Overall, this project is a combination of cutting-edge research in sustainable energy and training of future U.S. workforce in the field.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.