Conversion of Biomass to Biofuel Additive Ethyl Levulinate

行业合作伙伴Les Enterprises HDJS Gascon Letée.在安大略省阿尔弗雷德经营着一家大型生物质回收设施，主要面向化肥市场。随着消费品开发商对生物基化学品的兴趣与日俱增，HDJS的目标是评估其生物质原料是否适合生产高价值燃料添加剂乙酰丙酸乙酯。这种添加剂已被证明可以降低种子油基生物柴油的工作温度，提高其在较冷气候下的利用率。在这个项目中，Pi Baker在生物质转化和催化方面的专业知识将与渥太华大学催化研究与创新中心(CCRI)的世界级设施相结合，以培训来自La CitéCollege的三名学生。该项目利用了最近关于氯甲基呋喃作为催化合成乙酰丙酸乙酯中间体的适宜性的研究结果。关于HDJS纸浆厂生物量的初步工作将评估其是否适合获得经济上可行的数量的乙酰丙酸乙酯，以便立即用作生物柴油添加剂。

Industry partner, Les Enterprises HDJS Gascon Ltée., operates a large biomass recycling facility in Alfred,Ontario targeted primarily at the fertilizer market. With consumer product developers' growing interest inbio-based chemicals, HDJS aims to assess the suitability of its biomass feedstock for the production ofhigh-value fuel additive, ethyl levulinate. This additive has been demonstrated to lower the workingtemperature of seed oil-derived biodiesel, improving its utility for colder climates. In this project, PI Baker'sexpertise in biomass conversion and cataysis will be combined with the world class facilities at the Universityof Ottawa's Centre for Catalysis Research and Innovation (CCRI) to train three students from La Cité college.The project takes advantage of recent findings on the suitability of chloromethylfurfural as an intermediate forthe catalyzed formation of ethyl levulinate. Initial work on the HDJS pulp mill biomass will assess itssuitability for obtaining economically viable quantities of ethyl levulinate for immediate use as a biodieseladditive.