Fluidization and Spouting and Application to Biomass Processing and Hydrogen Production

此次探索基金申请是为了继续开展喷动和流态化现象的研究计划，并将这些技术应用于环境友好型工艺、清洁能源生产和工艺强化。提出了两个具体的项目：(1)连续槽矩形喷动床(SRSB)反应器，用于木质颗粒生产中生物质的同时干燥、烘干和粉碎；(2)在流态化膜反应器(FBMR)中，生物质气化合成气通过水蒸气重整生产超纯氢，并原位捕获CO2。喷动床已被开发用于许多热能过程，如煤炭、生物质和黑液的干燥、燃烧和气化。生物质是一种近乎碳中性的能源，加拿大资源丰富，使用生物质可以减少温室气体排放，减缓化石燃料消费。然而，它具有非均质性、高水分、低热值、柔韧性和吸湿性等特点，对其利用提出了挑战。2017年，加拿大生产了280万吨木质颗粒，主要出口到欧洲、美国和日本用于取暖和发电。然而，木质颗粒在储存过程中释放出致命的气体(CO、CH4、CO2)和自热，对长途运输构成严重的健康和火灾危险。项目(1)将开发一种紧凑和节能的反应堆，用于生产生物活性大大降低、净热值增加的精制生物质，用于生产安全海运的木质颗粒。氢气预计将成为未来的一种主要能源载体，其实施可能有助于缓解因使用化石燃料而排放的温室气体造成的全球变暖。一种流态化膜反应器(FBMR)重整装置，结合了具有渗透选择性的Ru/Pd膜，用于原位提取纯H2，提高了平衡转化率和氢气收率，通过将重整装置、变换转化器和净化器结合在一个反应器中，实现了过程强化。当生物质与二氧化碳捕获结合在一起时，整个技术就变成了碳负值。项目(2)将开发一种为燃料电池生产超纯氢的强化工艺，以及适合封存的高纯度二氧化碳气流。在接下来的5年里，这两个项目将培养2名博士、2名硕士和5名本科生，以获得在工业或学术环境中就业的高级研究能力。

This Discovery Grant application is to continue the research program on the spouting and fluidization phenomena, and the application of these technologies for environmentally friendly processes, clean energy production, and process intensification. Two specific projects are proposed: (1) A continuous Slot-Rectangular Spouted Bed (SRSB) reactor for simultaneous drying, torrefaction and comminution of biomass for wood pellet production, and (2) Production of ultra-pure hydrogen in a fluidized bed membrane reactor (FBMR) by steam reforming of syngas from biomass gasification, with in-situ CO2 capture. Spouted beds have been developed for many thermal energy processes, such as drying, combustion, and gasification of coal, biomass, and black liquor. Biomass, a nearly carbon-neutral energy resource, is abundant in Canada, and its use can reduce greenhouse gas emissions and decelerate fossil fuel consumption. However, it is characterized by heterogeneity, high moisture content, low calorific value, pliability and hygroscopic nature, all of which challenge its utilization. In 2017, Canada produced 2.8 million tonnes of wood pellets, mostly exported to Europe, USA and Japan for heating and power generation. However, deadly off-gassing (CO, CH4, CO2) and self-heating of wood pellets during storage pose serious health and fire hazards for long-distance transportation. Project (1) will develop a compact and energy efficient reactor for producing torrefied biomass, with strongly reduced biological activity, and increased net calorific value, for making wood pellets which are safe for ocean transportation. Hydrogen is foreseen as a major future energy carrier, whose implementation could help to mitigate global warming due to greenhouse gas emissions from use of fossil fuels. A fluidized bed membrane reactor (FBMR) reformer incorporates perm-selective Ru/Pd membrane for in-situ extracting of pure H2, improving the equilibrium conversion and H2 yield, resulting in process intensification by combining the reformer, shift converter and purifier in one reactor. When biomass is coupled with CO2 capture, the overall technology becomes carbon negative. Project (2) will develop an intensified process for producing ultra-pure hydrogen for fuel cells, as well as high purity stream of CO2 suitable for sequestration. Over the next 5 years, these two projects will train 2 PhD, 2 Master's and 5 undergraduate students to gain advanced research ability for careers in industrial or academic environments.