Catalytic production of biomass derived liquid transportation fuel additives

该项目涉及来自贝尔法斯特女王大学催化、反应工程和过程强化的多学科研究团队。在这里，我们的目标是开发综合工艺，将废弃生物质原料催化升级为有价值的燃料添加剂和生物燃料。通过采用新的QUCaT催化剂技术，我们将以糖和农业废弃物为原料，优化生产燃料添加剂，如2-甲基呋喃(MF)、2-甲基四氢呋喃(MTHF)、戊二醇(PDOS)和烷基乙酰丙酸酯。该项目涉及与北爱尔兰的两个工业合作伙伴的合作。生产的燃料添加剂随后将被混合到我们的工业合作伙伴生产的生物柴油中。项目组将研究可再生生物燃料添加剂的燃烧特性。这项拟议的研究可能会改变游戏规则，因为它具有几个优点，如新的催化剂技术、更好的能源效率、更高的选择性和使用连续流动技术的强化过程。该项目的成果将导致开发具有更好的燃料性能、更高的能量密度和更低的排放的新的生物燃料混合物。生物燃料混合物的生产不仅具有商业化的潜力，还将影响英国2020年生物燃料实施计划，以实现交通燃料的生物能源目标。这项工作符合生物能源的主题，并将使基于生物精炼概念的整个行业受益，以实现可持续发展。

This project involves multidisciplinary research team from catalysis, reaction engineering and process intensification from Queen's University Belfast. Herein, we aim to develop integrated processes for catalytic upgradation of waste biomass feedstocks into valuable fuel additives and bio-fuels. By using novel QUCaT catalyst technology, we will optimise the production of fuel-additives, such as 2-methyl furan (MF), 2-methyl tetrahydrofuran (MTHF), pentanediols (PDOs) and alkyl levulinates, using sugars and waste agricultural residues as feedstock. This project involves collaboration with two industrial partners based in Northern Ireland. The fuel-additives produced will be subsequently blended into bio-diesel produced by our industrial collaborator. The project team will study the combustion properties of the renewable bio-fuel additives. The proposed research could be a potential game-changer due to several advantages such as novel catalyst technology, better energy efficiency, increased selectivities and intensified processes using continuous flow technology. The outcomes of the project will lead to development of new biofuel blends with superior fuel properties, higher energy density and lower emissions. The production of biofuel blends not only have the potential for commercialization but will also impact UK bio-fuels implementation plan 2020 to meet the bio-energy targets for transportation fuels. This work fits with the theme of bioenergy and will benefit the entire sector based on the bio-refinery concept to achieve sustainability.