Biorefining

Initiative for Renewable Energy and the Environment awards $4.85 million to seven breakthrough projects including our project titled "Catalytic Reforming of Liquids and Gases from Thermochemical Conversion of Biomass."

Liquid fuels account for more than 45% of the total energy use in the U.S. Liquid fuels have high energy densities, are easy to transport, store, and handle, and are distributed through established infrastructure. Therefore biomass derived liquid fuels have a great potential to replace petroleum-based liquid fuels. Pyrolysis is the most common thermochemical process to convert solid biomass to bio-oils. Use of as produced bio-oils is impractical because of their poor combustion properties, low heating value, and high storage instability. The goal of the research is to develop processes to turn liquids and gases from thermochemical conversion of biomass to high quality hydrocarbon liquid fuels.  Our research will be focused on the understanding and development of several innovative conversion and upgrading/reforming processes that (1) convert solid biomass to bio-crude and syngas using catalytic pyrolysis  and gasification , (2) upgrade bio-crude to high quality liquid and (3) catalytically reform syngas to liquid fuels. The mechanistic studies will be conducted in Ruan and Ye’s labs with in situ pyrolysis analyzers and other advanced instruments.

This collaborative project involves U of MN investigators Roger Ruan, Lanny Schmidt, and Paul Chen, and U of TN Philip Ye.