MICROALGAESAF - Biofuels production through microalgae biomass pyrolysis and bio-oil upgrading

该项目旨在开发可持续的催化剂，通过改进加氢脱氧(HDO)热解获得的生物油，从微藻生物质中生产用于航空和运输的生物燃料，并评估整个过程的环境影响。脂类生物燃料比其他生物燃料具有更高的能量密度，可以更容易地提供相当于传统汽油、柴油和喷气燃料的可再生能源。热解和生物油升级是利用微藻生物质生产生物燃料的有前途的工艺，这些生物质可以与现有发动机通勤。将使用：(1)生物炭在微波辅助热解中作为能量感受器来增加生物油的分数，以及(2)钼酸盐作为PGM HDO催化剂的低成本替代品，在氢气存在的情况下将生物油中的含氧化合物转化为烃类，以测试新的催化工艺。航空业是温室气体排放的主要贡献者，因此需要从化石燃料过渡到可再生燃料，以在2030年实现净零目标。为了支持在更大范围内用量化数据研究新技术，将进行生命周期评估(LCA)。该项目将在卡迪夫大学进行，乔纳森·K·巴特利博士担任导师，他是卡迪夫化学学院催化研究所(CCI)的物理化学高级讲师。为了成为一名独立研究员，这位候选人作为研究员设定了三个目标：(1)实用技能培训，(2)提高监督技能，(3)申请拨款。为了实现第一个目标，研究人员将有机会在CCI接受各种设备培训，学习多相催化领域的新技术和发展技能。此外，应聘者将参加LCA课程，稍后将提供工作坊。最后，将鼓励研究人员支持和共同监督学生，并计划申请地平线欧洲公司的R&I资金。

This project aims to develop sustainable catalysts to produce biofuels for aviation and transportation from microalgae biomass by upgrading the bio-oil obtained from pyrolysis using hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) and to assess the environmental impact of the entire process. Lipid-derived biofuels have a higher energy density than other biofuels and could more easily provide renewable energy equivalent to conventional gasoline, diesel, and jet fuel. Pyrolysis and bio-oil upgrading are promising processes to produce biofuels from microalgal biomass that are commutable with current engines. Novel catalytic processes will be tested using: (1) biochar that acts as energy susceptor in microwave-assisted pyrolysis to increase the bio-oil fraction and (2) molybdates as low cost alternatives to PGM HDO catalysts to convert oxygenated compounds in bio-oil to hydrocarbons in the presence of hydrogen. Aviation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas emissions, hence the need to transition from fossil fuels to renewable fuels to meet net-zero targets by 2030. To support the study of new technologies with quantitative data on a larger scale, life cycle assessment (LCA) will be conducted. This project will be carried out at Cardiff University with Dr. Jonathan K. Bartley as supervisor, who is a Senior Lecturer in Physical Chemistry in the Cardiff Catalysis Institute (CCI), School of Chemistry. Aiming to become an independent researcher, the candidate has set three objectives as a fellow: (1) practical skills training, (2) improving supervision skills, and (3) applying for grant funding. To reach the first goal, the researcher will have access to a variety of equipment training at CCI, to learn new techniques and develop skills in the field of heterogeneous catalysis. In addition, the candidate will attend a LCA course to later provide a workshop. Lastly, the researcher will be encouraged to support and co-supervise students and plans to apply for R&I funding by Horizon Europe.