Grant: Research Tools and Instruments - Category 1 (<$150,000)

The mega trend for the world chemical industry is to substitute petroleum for renewable resources and coal. Coal is the most abundant source of carbon and many nations, including Canada, use it exclusively for power generation, while others use it to produce liquid fuels and, to a much lesser extent, chemicals (South Africa). Canada has a tremendous store of biomass and petroleum. Economically transforming our biomass, coal and oilsands into highly valued chemicals requires new technology: Catalysis conducted at high pressure and temperature in a fluidized bed is an approach with tremendous potential. The equipment requested in this proposal will allow us to test catalysts and propose innovative technological solutions for emerging processes. The facility will operate at pressures greater than 70 barg and 650oC, which will be unique for academic institutions. The reactor vessel will be to resist corrosive atmospheres and will be 0.04 m in diameter and 1 m tall. As much as 400 g of catalyst will be tested. We will concentrate on three aspects: (a) kinetic studies at elevated pressure (b) feed gas cycling - oxidation/reduction, hydrocarbon feed followed by coke combustion - and, (c) catalyst stability. In the next 5 years, we envision collaborating with major petroleum, chemical and catalyst companies and anticipate that as many as 5 graduate - doctoral and master's - and undergraduate students will work with the equipment. Processes to be studied will include production of substitute natural gas (SNG), methanol-to-gasoline, acrolein from glycerol, and high temperature air separation.