Hydrocarbon Fuels: Modern Catalytic Technologies for Converting Biomass to Fuels
by Dion Vlachos (Elizabeth Inez Kelley Professor, University of Delaware / Energy Frontier Research Center (EFRC)) Vlachos’ research focuses on the development of heterogeneous catalysts to facilitate the thermochemical conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to fuels. The presentation describes research conducted at the University of Massachusetts on catalytic fast pyrolysis, which has the potential to generate fuels in a single step from cellulose at very high temperatures. Current work includes controlling gas chemistry to reduce coke formation and examine kinetics and heat transfer effects. If successful, suitable catalysts will be characterized that allow direct pyrolysis into aromatics, which are valuable as fuels, or can be hydrogenated to more traditional hydrocarbons. Additionally, Vlachos explores catalytic partial oxidation (CPOX), which works at even higher temperatures and shorter catalyst contact times to produce synthesis gas. CPOX is faster than catalytic fast pyrolysis, and also avoids the volatile organic compounds by further decomposition.
This presentation includes detailed reaction mechanisms, graphics, and experimental results for catalytic fast pyrolysis, along with pictures and results from preliminary CPOX research. READ MORE
