COLLABORATIVE RESEARCH IN ENERGY WITH SOUTH AFRICA: UPGRADING OF LIGHT ALKANES TO FUELS

这项提议涉及与南非在能源方面的合作研究。四个科学家和工程师团队，其中两个来自学术界(纳塔尔大学和加的夫大学)，两个来自工业界(萨索尔和约翰逊·马泰)，正在合作解决与运输燃料有关的特别苛刻的问题。全球社会面临的主要问题之一是以可持续的方式提供能源。尽管对风能和潮汐能等绿色可持续替代能源的投资存在政治驱动因素，但现实情况是，在可预见的未来，大多数能源将以化石燃料为基础。事实上，南非对煤炭的依赖非常严重，这主要是因为南非拥有巨大的可用储量。运输燃料(即汽油和柴油)在整个能源需求中占有极其重要的地位，世界各地对以化石燃料为基础的技术重新产生了兴趣。特别是，化石燃料转化为CO/H2使运输燃料的合成成为可能。根据生产过程的性质，这些燃料是无硫的，因此在欧盟内部，这些燃料在满足对燃料中硫水平的严格控制方面变得越来越重要。然而，南非的大部分运输燃料都是使用这项技术生产的，萨索尔的研究人员被公认为这项技术的世界领先者。尚未成功解决的关键问题之一是该技术产生的一个主要副产品流，即大量生产C7-C10直链烷烃(即&gt；&gt；1百万吨/吨)。这些碳氢化合物不能用作汽油，因为它们的辛烷值太低，目前需要对这种副产品进行升级，以便能够充分利用。这就是这项合作研究提案的目标，我们将使用选择性氧化来研究这些烷烃的升级。这种方法提供了使用多相催化的温和反应条件，还提供了一系列有价值的产品，如烯烃、酮、醛、醇和酸。这些产品既可用作燃料的高价值添加剂，也可用作合成高价值产品的化学中间体。目前，由于尚未确定合适的催化剂，因此不能用氧化来提高这些副产品的质量，这就是这项提议的主旨。目前，这些副产物的提质采用非绿色酸催化，这涉及腐蚀性试剂，并产生大量废物。长链烷烃的氧化是一个重要的技术问题，我们将采用液、气相反应双管齐下的方法解决这个问题，催化剂设计得到基础理论研究的支持，并结合原位光谱和衍射。总体目标是寻找和设计新型的高选择性催化剂。

This proposal concerns collaborative research in energy with South Africa. Four teams of scientists and engineers, two from academia (Universities of Natal and Cardiff) and two from industry (Sasol and Johnson Matthey) are collaborating to solve a particularly demanding problem related to transportation fuels. One of the main problems facing society on a global basis is the provision of energy in a sustainable way. While there is a political driver for investment in green and sustainable alternative energy sources, such as wind and tidal power, the reality is that for the foreseeable future most energy will be based on fossil fuels. Indeed, for South Africa there is a very heavy reliance on coal, due mainly to the vast reserves available. With respect to transportation fuels (i.e. gasoline and diesel), which are of prime importance within the overall energy requirements, there is a renewed interest in fossil fuel- based technology around the world. In particular, the conversion of fossil fuels to CO/H2 permits the synthesis of transportation fuels. By the very nature of the production process these fuels are sulphur-free and hence within the EU these fuels are becoming increasingly important with respect to meeting the stringent controls on sulphur levels in fuels. However, South Africa generates the major portion of its transportation fuels using this technology, and researchers at Sasol are acknowledged as world leaders in this technology. One of the key problems yet to be successfully addressed concerning one of the major by-product streams generated by this technology, namely the manufacture of C7-C10 linear alkanes in significant amounts (i.e. >> 1M tpa). These hydrocarbons cannot be used as gasoline as their octane number is too low and at present there is a need to upgrade this by-product so that it can be fully utilised. This is the objective of this collaborative research proposal and we will investigate the upgrading of these alkanes using selective oxidation. This methodology affords access to mild reaction conditions using heterogeneous catalysis and also gives access to a broad range of valuable products such as alkenes, ketones, aldehydes, alcohols and acids. These products can be used either as high value additives for fuels or as chemical intermediates for the synthesis of high value products. At present oxidation cannot be used to upgrade these by-products as suitable catalysts have yet to be identified, and this is the thrust of this proposal. Currently, non-green acid catalysis is used to upgrade these by-products and this involves corrosive reagents and generates significant waste. The oxidation of long chain alkanes represents a significant technological problem and we will address this using a two pronged approach using liquid and gas phase reactions with catalyst design backed up by fundamental theoretical studies coupled with in situ spectroscopy and diffraction. The overall aim is to identify and design novel high selectivity catalysts.