Producing value-added chemicals from glycerol is imperative for the sustainable future of biodies... more Producing value-added chemicals from glycerol is imperative for the sustainable future of biodiesel. Despite worldwide efforts, the commercial production of acrylic acid from glycerol faces challenges, both technologically and economically. Based on our new technology using CO2 as a reaction medium in a two-step process to catalytically convert glycerol to acrylic acid, we established computer simulation models to analyze the energy efficiency and estimate production costs at different scenarios. The analysis was conducted in conjunction with published data of a typical, intermediate-sized biodiesel facility, aiming at the feasibility of producing acrylic acid on-site in the context of a circular economy. Variable analysis in response to the market value of glycerol, the source and cost of carbon dioxide recycling, and the changes in process scale and conditions are also presented. Results indicates that a cost-effective supply of CO2 to the acrylic acid plant is key to the further ...
Robust, gas-impeding water-conduction nanochannels that can sieve water from small gas molecules ... more Robust, gas-impeding water-conduction nanochannels that can sieve water from small gas molecules such as hydrogen (H2), particularly at high temperature and pressure, are desirable for boosting many important reactions severely restricted by water (the major by-product) both thermodynamically and kinetically. Identifying and constructing such nanochannels into large-area separation membranes without introducing extra defects is challenging. We found that sodium ion (Na+)–gated water-conduction nanochannels could be created by assembling NaA zeolite crystals into a continuous, defect-free separation membrane through a rationally designed method. Highly efficient in situ water removal through water-conduction nanochannels led to a substantial increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion and methanol yield in CO2 hydrogenation for methanol production.
An environmentally benign process for alkyl lactate production from glycerol using solid catalyst... more An environmentally benign process for alkyl lactate production from glycerol using solid catalysts with alcohols and carbon dioxide.
Furfural is a useful solvent and important intermediate chemical for biofuel production. Literatu... more Furfural is a useful solvent and important intermediate chemical for biofuel production. Literatures reported that pyrolysis of biomass treated by metal chlorides had selectivity on chemicals such as furans and levoglucosans and simplified the composition of bio-oils. However, there are few reports for the effects of metal chlorides on biomass torrefaction which is conducted at the low temperature range from 200 to 300 °C in the absence of oxygen. Therefore, the focus of this research was to investigate the effects of MgCl2 loading and reaction conditions on the furfural production by microwave torrefaction of Douglas fir sawdust pellets. The yields of bio-oil and torrefaction gases ranged from 21.73 to 37.04 % and 10.49 to 27.66 % respectively were increased with the increase of MgCl2 loading and reaction temperature and time while the torrefied biomass yields were decreased. Three models were developed to predict the products yields. The GC/MS analysis showed that the concentratio...
2011 Louisville, Kentucky, August 7 - August 10, 2011, 2011
ABSTRACT Microwave pyrolysis of Douglas fir sawdust pellet was investigated to determine the effe... more ABSTRACT Microwave pyrolysis of Douglas fir sawdust pellet was investigated to determine the effects of reaction temperature and time on the yields of bio-oil, biogas, and biochar using a central composition design (CCD) and response surface analysis. The research results indicated that thermochemical conversion reactions can take place rapidly in large-sized biomass pellet by using microwave pyrolysis. The yields of bio-oil and biogas were increased with the reaction temperature and time. The highest yield of bio-oil was 53.9% (wet biomass basis) obtained at 470.7°C and 15min. GC/MS analysis indicated that the bio-oils were mainly composed of phenols, guaiacols, furans, ketones/aldehydes, and organic acids. The phenols and guaiacols accounted for the largest amount of chemicals in the bio-oil, which represented 59.7–78.6% under different conditions. The biogases contained high value chemicals, such as carbon monoxide, methane, and short chain hydrocarbons. A third-order reaction mechanism fits well the microwave pyrolysis of Douglas fir pellet with activation energy of 33.5 kJ/mol and a frequency factor of 3.03 s–1.
2011 Louisville, Kentucky, August 7 - August 10, 2011, 2011
ABSTRACT Microwave assisted catalytic pyrolysis was investigated to convert Douglas fir to bio-oi... more ABSTRACT Microwave assisted catalytic pyrolysis was investigated to convert Douglas fir to bio-oils by ZSM-5 Zeolite catalyst. Central composite experimental design (CCD) was used to optimize the catalytic pyrolysis process. The effects of reaction time, temperature and catalyst to feed ratio on the bio-oil, syngas, and biochar yield were determined. The maximum volatile yield ~ 98% appeared at the reaction time 12 min, reaction temperature 600 °C and catalyst to biomass ratio 4. GC/MS analysis results showed that the bio-oil contained a series of important and useful chemical compounds: phenols, aromatic hydrocarbons, and furan derivatives. Comparison between the bio-oils from microwave pyrolysis with and without catalysts showed that the catalyst increased the content of aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols.
Producing value-added chemicals from glycerol is imperative for the sustainable future of biodies... more Producing value-added chemicals from glycerol is imperative for the sustainable future of biodiesel. Despite worldwide efforts, the commercial production of acrylic acid from glycerol faces challenges, both technologically and economically. Based on our new technology using CO2 as a reaction medium in a two-step process to catalytically convert glycerol to acrylic acid, we established computer simulation models to analyze the energy efficiency and estimate production costs at different scenarios. The analysis was conducted in conjunction with published data of a typical, intermediate-sized biodiesel facility, aiming at the feasibility of producing acrylic acid on-site in the context of a circular economy. Variable analysis in response to the market value of glycerol, the source and cost of carbon dioxide recycling, and the changes in process scale and conditions are also presented. Results indicates that a cost-effective supply of CO2 to the acrylic acid plant is key to the further ...
Robust, gas-impeding water-conduction nanochannels that can sieve water from small gas molecules ... more Robust, gas-impeding water-conduction nanochannels that can sieve water from small gas molecules such as hydrogen (H2), particularly at high temperature and pressure, are desirable for boosting many important reactions severely restricted by water (the major by-product) both thermodynamically and kinetically. Identifying and constructing such nanochannels into large-area separation membranes without introducing extra defects is challenging. We found that sodium ion (Na+)–gated water-conduction nanochannels could be created by assembling NaA zeolite crystals into a continuous, defect-free separation membrane through a rationally designed method. Highly efficient in situ water removal through water-conduction nanochannels led to a substantial increase in carbon dioxide (CO2) conversion and methanol yield in CO2 hydrogenation for methanol production.
An environmentally benign process for alkyl lactate production from glycerol using solid catalyst... more An environmentally benign process for alkyl lactate production from glycerol using solid catalysts with alcohols and carbon dioxide.
Furfural is a useful solvent and important intermediate chemical for biofuel production. Literatu... more Furfural is a useful solvent and important intermediate chemical for biofuel production. Literatures reported that pyrolysis of biomass treated by metal chlorides had selectivity on chemicals such as furans and levoglucosans and simplified the composition of bio-oils. However, there are few reports for the effects of metal chlorides on biomass torrefaction which is conducted at the low temperature range from 200 to 300 °C in the absence of oxygen. Therefore, the focus of this research was to investigate the effects of MgCl2 loading and reaction conditions on the furfural production by microwave torrefaction of Douglas fir sawdust pellets. The yields of bio-oil and torrefaction gases ranged from 21.73 to 37.04 % and 10.49 to 27.66 % respectively were increased with the increase of MgCl2 loading and reaction temperature and time while the torrefied biomass yields were decreased. Three models were developed to predict the products yields. The GC/MS analysis showed that the concentratio...
2011 Louisville, Kentucky, August 7 - August 10, 2011, 2011
ABSTRACT Microwave pyrolysis of Douglas fir sawdust pellet was investigated to determine the effe... more ABSTRACT Microwave pyrolysis of Douglas fir sawdust pellet was investigated to determine the effects of reaction temperature and time on the yields of bio-oil, biogas, and biochar using a central composition design (CCD) and response surface analysis. The research results indicated that thermochemical conversion reactions can take place rapidly in large-sized biomass pellet by using microwave pyrolysis. The yields of bio-oil and biogas were increased with the reaction temperature and time. The highest yield of bio-oil was 53.9% (wet biomass basis) obtained at 470.7°C and 15min. GC/MS analysis indicated that the bio-oils were mainly composed of phenols, guaiacols, furans, ketones/aldehydes, and organic acids. The phenols and guaiacols accounted for the largest amount of chemicals in the bio-oil, which represented 59.7–78.6% under different conditions. The biogases contained high value chemicals, such as carbon monoxide, methane, and short chain hydrocarbons. A third-order reaction mechanism fits well the microwave pyrolysis of Douglas fir pellet with activation energy of 33.5 kJ/mol and a frequency factor of 3.03 s–1.
2011 Louisville, Kentucky, August 7 - August 10, 2011, 2011
ABSTRACT Microwave assisted catalytic pyrolysis was investigated to convert Douglas fir to bio-oi... more ABSTRACT Microwave assisted catalytic pyrolysis was investigated to convert Douglas fir to bio-oils by ZSM-5 Zeolite catalyst. Central composite experimental design (CCD) was used to optimize the catalytic pyrolysis process. The effects of reaction time, temperature and catalyst to feed ratio on the bio-oil, syngas, and biochar yield were determined. The maximum volatile yield ~ 98% appeared at the reaction time 12 min, reaction temperature 600 °C and catalyst to biomass ratio 4. GC/MS analysis results showed that the bio-oil contained a series of important and useful chemical compounds: phenols, aromatic hydrocarbons, and furan derivatives. Comparison between the bio-oils from microwave pyrolysis with and without catalysts showed that the catalyst increased the content of aromatic hydrocarbons and phenols.
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