Energy efficient approaches for sustainable fuels

令人震惊的温室气体排放水平和极端天气事件的灾难性后果引发了重大的科学研发努力。这项研究是通过重新思考一些能源密集型工业操作来减少碳足迹的努力的一部分。它基于过程强化原则，因此所获得的知识和技术发展可以导致高效、清洁和可持续的制造过程。该研究计划的目标是通过提供节能方法来生产绿色燃料，并帮助实现连续加工，从而强化化学过程。在这一总体目标下开展的第一个项目涉及通过用非热等离子体源取代传统的加热（约900°C）来强化干重整工艺，该等离子体源应允许在300°C下操作。该项目的主要新奇与设计的混合反应器有关，该反应器提供了可互换等离子体源和等离子体与材料表面之间相互作用的在线监测的可能性。结合原位分析技术所获得的知识对于催化反应过程的工业化的基本理解和放大都是重要的。第二个要实现的项目涉及质子交换膜燃料电池（PEMFC）的富氢流的CO净化。甲烷重整产生的富氢气体的CO优先氧化法是目前为质子交换膜燃料电池（PEMFC）提供清洁氢气最有效、最有前途的方法。根据加拿大政府的政策，拟议研究的结果将成为加拿大能源效率和能源过渡战略基础设施的一部分，使替代燃料生产和替代能源载体辅助加工等新技术得以应用。

The alarming greenhouse gas emissions levels and the disastrous consequences of extreme weather events triggered significant scientific R&D endeavours. This research is part of the efforts made for carbon footprint reduction by rethinking some of the most energy -intensive industrial operations. it is based on process intensification principles, so the gained knowledge and technological development could lead to efficient, cleaner, and sustainable manufacturing processes. the objective of this research program is to intensify chemical processes by providing energy-efficient approaches to produce green fuels and help move towards continuous processing. The first project to be conducted under this general objective concerns the intensification of dry reforming process by replacing traditional heating (around 900°C) with nonthermal plasma source, that should allow operations at 300°C. The main novelty of this project is related to the designed hybrid-reactor that gives the possibility for interchangeable plasma sources and an in-line monitoring of the interactions between the plasma and the material surface. The gained knowledge from the incorporated in situ analysis techniques is important for both fundamental understanding and scale-up for the industrialization of the catalytic reaction process. The second project to be realized concerns the CO clean-up for H2-rich streams for proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC). the CO preferential oxidation methof for hydrogen-rich gaz produed for methane reforming, is currently the most effective and promising way to provide clean hydrogen for PEMFC. In accordance with Canadian Government policies, the results of the proposed research will be part of the Canadian strategic infrastructure for energetic efficiency and energy transition, by enabling application of new technologies such as alternate fuels production and alternative- energy-vectors assisted processing.