Grant: Alliance Grants
University of Alberta
$299,500.00
Novel surfactant systems for creating high performance bio-oil and vacuum gas oil emulsions as the next generation refinery feedstocks
FY 2023-24
Summary
Bio-oil (BO), as a renewable energy resource, plays a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by gradually substituting fossil fuels. Co-processing BO with petroleum intermediates such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) in existing refining infrastructures provides a promising pathway to transform low-quality BO into value-added biofuels. Nevertheless, the co-processing technology is still under development and faces three major challenges, including the immiscibility between BO and VGO, and the low thermal stability and high corrosivity of BO. To move forward to large-scale commercialization, it is critical to inject BO and VGO as a single-phase fluid and maximize their interactions, especially during the feeding stage of upgrading. Kemetco Research Inc. has been collaborating with Dr. Jing Liu on developing technology pathways for co-processing pyrolysis BO and fossil fuels through an NSERC Alliance project since May 2021. This new Alliance Missions project expands the scope of the ongoing NSERC Alliance Project to develop high-performance surfactant systems for creating BO/VGO emulsions as the next-generation refinery feedstocks through a network approach, involving a multidisciplinary team comprising researchers in the faculty of engineering at the University of Alberta, and collaborators from the industrial partner, Kemetco and the public sector, CanmetMATERIALS. The goals and expected outcomes of this partnership project are: (1) innovative surfactant systems for mixing BO/VGO emulsions; (2) demonstrated good thermostability, non-toxicity, and low corrosion risk of the developed BO/VGO emulsions as the co-refining feedstocks; (3) filing of 1-2 patents to be licensed to the industry partner; (4) training a diverse group of 9-15 HQPs and publishing 10-15 journal/conference papers. The industry partner will directly benefit from this project through the development of high-value surfactant systems for the co-refining market. Future commercialization of the novel surfactant system in refineries will reduce Canada's dependence on fossil fuels, cut GHG emissions, and contribute to the emerging circular/bioeconomy.
Program
Alliance Grants
Recipient
Location
Alberta, Canada
Recipient Type
Academia
Type
Grant
Source
NSERC's Awards Data
As published
Application id
577149-2022
Name nom
Liu, Jing J
Department département
Chemical and Materials Engineering
Organization id
9
Institution établissement
University of Alberta
Province en
Alberta
Province fr
Alberta
Country en
CANADA
Country fr
CANADA
Fiscal year exercice financier
2023
Competition year année de concours
2022
Award amount
299500
Program id
ALLRP
Program name en
Alliance Grants
Program name fr
Subventions Alliance
Group en
RESEARCH PARTNERSHIPS
Group fr
PARTENARIATS DE RECHERCHE
Committee code
96
Committee name en
RPP Internal Decision Cttee
Committee name fr
Cté de décision interne - PPR
Area of application code
900
Area of application group en
Commercial services
Area of application group fr
Services commerciaux
Area of application en
Commercial services
Area of application fr
Services commerciaux
Research subject code
3701
Research subject group en
Organic chemistry
Research subject group fr
Natural products
Research subject en
Chimie organique
Research subject fr
Produits naturels
Application title
Novel surfactant systems for creating high performance bio-oil and vacuum gas oil emulsions as the next generation refinery feedstocks
Keyword
Anti-corrosion performance; Bio-oil; Co-processing; Emulsification; Greenhouse gas emissions; Immiscibility; Petrochemical refineries; Sustainable bioenergy production; Thermal stability; Vacuum gas oil
Application summary
Bio-oil (BO), as a renewable energy resource, plays a significant role in reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by gradually substituting fossil fuels. Co-processing BO with petroleum intermediates such as vacuum gas oil (VGO) in existing refining infrastructures provides a promising pathway to transform low-quality BO into value-added biofuels. Nevertheless, the co-processing technology is still under development and faces three major challenges, including the immiscibility between BO and VGO, and the low thermal stability and high corrosivity of BO. To move forward to large-scale commercialization, it is critical to inject BO and VGO as a single-phase fluid and maximize their interactions, especially during the feeding stage of upgrading. Kemetco Research Inc. has been collaborating with Dr. Jing Liu on developing technology pathways for co-processing pyrolysis BO and fossil fuels through an NSERC Alliance project since May 2021. This new Alliance Missions project expands the scope of the ongoing NSERC Alliance Project to develop high-performance surfactant systems for creating BO/VGO emulsions as the next-generation refinery feedstocks through a network approach, involving a multidisciplinary team comprising researchers in the faculty of engineering at the University of Alberta, and collaborators from the industrial partner, Kemetco and the public sector, CanmetMATERIALS. The goals and expected outcomes of this partnership project are: (1) innovative surfactant systems for mixing BO/VGO emulsions; (2) demonstrated good thermostability, non-toxicity, and low corrosion risk of the developed BO/VGO emulsions as the co-refining feedstocks; (3) filing of 1-2 patents to be licensed to the industry partner; (4) training a diverse group of 9-15 HQPs and publishing 10-15 journal/conference papers. The industry partner will directly benefit from this project through the development of high-value surfactant systems for the co-refining market. Future commercialization of the novel surfactant system in refineries will reduce Canada's dependence on fossil fuels, cut GHG emissions, and contribute to the emerging circular/bioeconomy.
