Reaction Engineering for a New Era of Green Chemical Processes

鉴于当今的环境挑战，化学反应工程正在获得新的相关性，因为它可以提供产生清洁能源和实施绿色化学过程的工具。反应工程被称为开发独特的解决方案，用于(A)二氧化碳捕获，(B)从替代资源生产氢气，以及(C)用于有机污染物的光催化转化和新冠肺炎等病毒灭活的空气处理。拟议的研究将利用申请人专利技术提供的原型，例如(A)CREC立管模拟器-Mark II，(B)用于水和空气处理以及制氢的光-CREC光催化反应器，以及(C)CREC-GS OptiProbe。这些独特的设备可用于建立：(A)催化剂性能，(B)动力学速率模型，(C)气固反应器流体动力学，和(D)光子利用效率。将通过使用基于统计的动力学和参数估计来开展研究。这些研究将引入(A)本征动力学、(B)吸附和(C)粒内扩散的速率方程。该提案的具体短期研究目标可概括为：(A)主题1：建立使用高效氧载体的化学循环燃烧的成核和基于原子核的动力学；(B)主题2：与热能结合的光催化制氢；(C)主题3：测定热力学和量子效率，用于有机污染物的光催化转化和病毒灭活；(D)主题4：开发动力学和反应堆模型，以便通过使用环境友好型催化剂将生物质废物转化为绿色燃料，和(E)主题5：开发用于微藻培养和二氧化碳捕获的新型光反应堆。这项研究的长期目标是创造和应用创新技术，以保护环境，增进加拿大人乃至世界人民的福祉。这些目标本质上是性别和种族包容的，通过实现这些目标，这项研究的目的是对自然和人类产生有益的全球影响。申请者将带领一个性别平衡、种族和文化多元化的HQP团队领导这个项目，这将对EDI的精神和NDG的范围做出重大贡献。

In light of today's environmental challenges, chemical reaction engineering is gaining a renewed relevance, given that it can provide the tools to generate clean energy and to implement green chemical processes. Reaction engineering is called to develop unique solutions for (a) CO2 capture, (b) hydrogen production from alternative resources, and (c) air treatment for the photocatalytic conversion of organic pollutants and the inactivation of viruses such as COVID-19. The proposed research will take advantage of the prototypes available from the applicant's patented technologies such as (a) the CREC Riser Simulator-Mark II, (b) the Photo-CREC Photocatalytic reactors for water and air treatment and hydrogen production, and (c) the CREC-GS Optiprobes. These unique devices can be used to establish: (a) catalyst performance, (b) kinetic rate models, (c) gas-solid reactor fluid dynamics, and (d) photon utilization efficiency. Studies will be developed by using statistically based kinetics and parameter estimation. These studies will lead to rate equations by incorporating (a) intrinsic kinetics, (b) adsorption, and (c) intraparticle diffusion. The specific short term research objectives of this proposal can be summarized as (a) Theme 1: the establishment of nucleation and nuclei-based kinetics for chemical looping combustion, using highly efficient oxygen carriers, (b) Theme 2: the photocatalytic production of hydrogen integrated with eolic energy, (c) Theme 3 : the determination of thermodynamics and quantum efficiencies, for the photocatalytic conversion of organic pollutants and for virus inactivation, (d) Theme 4: the development of kinetics and reactor models, for the conversion of biomass waste into green fuels, by using environmentally friendly catalysts, and (e) Theme 5: the development of new photoreactors for microalgae culture and CO2 Capture. The long-term goal of this research is to create and apply innovative technologies, for the protection of the environment and the enhancement of the well-being of the Canadian and ultimately, the world population. These objectives are intrinsically gender and race inclusive and by achieving them, this research is aiming to have a beneficial global impact on nature and humankind. The applicant will be leading this program with a gender balanced, ethnic and culturally diverse HQP team, which will significantly contribute to the EDI ethos and the scope of the NDG.