Catalytic Conversion of Energy Resources into High Value-Added Products


Book Description

Developing active, selective and energy-efficient heterogeneous catalysts is of paramount importance for the production of high value-added products from energy resources in a more sustainable manner. In this Special Issue of Energies, we provide a showcase of the latest progress in the development of cleaner, more efficient processes for the conversion of these feedstocks into valuable fuels, chemicals and energy. Most of the works collected are focused on the conversion of biomass which clearly reflects the paramount importance that the biorefinery concept will play in the years to come.




Thermochemical and Catalytic Conversion Technologies for Future Biorefineries


Book Description

This book is an attempt to provide an account of biomass recalcitrance and available physical and chemical methods for biomass pretreatment and hydrolysis. Its focuses on understanding the critical role of enzymes in the development of integrated biorefinery. The book also presents an overview of the utilization of waste biomass as a support system for enzyme immobilization for easy recovery and reuse for multiple cycles. strategies where enzymes can be used. The book also attempts to understand how enzymes can play a vital role in waste valorization for energy and biomaterial production. Further, the book will present an overview of how advanced technologies such as omics and in-silico approaches can help in understanding the chemistry affecting recalcitrance and the mechanism of enzyme catalysts in their bioconversion. An understanding of the life cycle assessment of waste biomass biorefinery will be needed before its implementation. The book will serve as additional reading material for undergraduate and graduate students of energy studies, chemical engineering, applied biotechnology, and environmental sciences. This book is of interest to academicians, scientists, environmentalists, and policymakers.




Catalytic Conversions of Synthesis Gas and Alcohols to Chemicals


Book Description

Most of the papers contained in this volume are based on pres entations made at the symposium on Catalytic Conversions of Synthesis Gas and Alcohols to Chemicals, which was held at the 17th Middle At lantic Regional Meeting of the American Chemical Society, April 6-8, 1983, in the setting of the Pocono Hershey Resort, White Haven, PA. I thank Dr. Ned D. Heindel, General Chairman, and Dr. Natalie Foster, Program Chairman, both of Lehigh University, for the invitation to organize the symposium. Financial support was received from Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. for the organization of the symposium, and acknowledgement is made to Air Products and Chemicals, Inc. and to the Donors of the Petroleum Research Fund, administered by the American Chemical Society, for partial support of the conduct of the symposium. The theme of this volume is the recent progress made in devel oping and understanding viable catalytic syntheses of chemicals di rectly from synthesis gas (CO + H2) or indirectly via alcohols. An aim of the symposium and of this volume is to provide a meaningful blend of applied and basic science and of the chemistry and engineer ing of processes that are, or hold promise to be, economically and industrially feasible. The topics demonstrate the increasing impor tance of synthesis gas as a versatile feedstock and emphasize the central role that alcohols, such as methanol, can playas chemical intermediates.




Sustainable Catalytic Conversion of Biomass for the Production of Biofuels and Bioproducts


Book Description

Biomass is widely considered as a potential alternative to dwindling fossil fuel reserves. There is a large variety of biomass sources (oleaginous, lignocellulosic, algae, etc.), with many possible conversion routes and products. Currently, biomass is not just viewed as a source of biofuels, but also as an interesting feedstock for the production of bio-based chemicals that could largely replace petrochemicals. In this context, the search for new sustainable and efficient alternatives to fossil sources is gaining increasing relevance within the chemical industry. There, the role of catalysis is often critical for the development of clean and sustainable processes, aiming to produce commodity chemicals or liquid fuels with a high efficiency and atom economy. This book gathers works at the cutting edge of investigation in the application of catalysis, for the sustainable conversion of biomass into biofuels and bio-based chemicals.




Natural Gas Conversion V


Book Description

On January 1988, the ascertained and economically accessible reserves of Natural Gas (NG) amounted to over 144,000 billion cubic meters worldwide, corresponding to 124 billion tons of oil equivalents (comparable with the liquid oil reserves, which are estimated to be 138 billion TOE). It is hypothesized that the volume of NG reserve will continue to grow at the same rate of the last decade. Forecasts on production indicate a potential increase from about 2,000 billion cubic meters in 1990 to not more than 3,300 billion cubic meters in 2010, even in a high economic development scenario. NG consumption represents only one half of oil: 1.9 billion TOE/y as compared to 3.5 of oil. Consequently, in the future gas will exceed oil as a carbon atom source. In the future the potential for getting energetic vectors or petrochemicals from NG will continue to grow.The topics covered in Natural Gas Conversion V reflect the large global R&D effort to look for new and economic ways of NG exploitation. These range from the direct conversion of methane and light paraffins to the indirect conversion through synthesis gas to fuels and chemicals. Particularly underlined and visible are the technologies already commercially viable.These proceedings prove that mature and technologically feasible processes for natural gas conversion are already available and that new and improved catalytic approaches are currently developing, the validity and feasibility of which will soon be documented. This is an exciting area of modern catalysis, which will certainly open novel and rewarding perspectives for the chemical, energy and petrochemical industries.




A Study on Catalytic Conversion of Non-Food Biomass into Chemicals


Book Description

The topic of this thesis is catalytic conversion of non-food, abundant, and renewable biomass such as cellulose and chitin to chemicals. In biorefinery, chemical transformation of polymers to valuable compounds has attracted worldwide interest for building sustainable societies. First, the current situation of this hot research area has been summarized well in the general introduction of the thesis, which helps readers to become familiar with this topic. Next, the author explains high-yielding production of glucose from cellulose by using an alkali-activated carbon as a catalyst, resulting in a yield of glucose as high as 88%, which is one of the highest yields ever reported. The characterization of carbon materials has indicated that weak acid sites on the catalyst promote the reaction, which is markedly different from reported catalytic systems that require strong acids. In addition, the first catalytic transformation of chitin with retention of N-acetyl groups has been developed. The combination of mechanocatalytic hydrolysis and thermal solvolysis enables the production of N-acetylated monomers in good yields of up to 70%. The catalytic systems demonstrated in this thesis are unique in the fields of both chemistry and chemical engineering, and their high efficiencies can contribute to green and sustainable chemistry in the future. Meanwhile, mechanistic studies based on characterization, thermodynamics, kinetics, and model reactions have also been performed to reveal the roles of catalysts during the reactions. The results will be helpful for readers to design and develop new catalysts and reaction systems.




Aqueous-phase Catalytic Conversions of Renewable Feedstocks for Sustainable Biorefineries


Book Description

Today, there is growing interest in aqueous-phase catalytic conversions for the valorization of renewable biomass-based feedstocks for biorefineries to produce, in a sustainable way, biofuels, chemicals, power, energy, materials, pharmaceuticals and food. This is because of the highly polar nature of water which makes it an ideal medium to convert polar biomass-based lignocellulose (cellulose, hemicellulose, lignin), with high oxygen content, and their upgraded products such as hydrophilic carbohydrates, platform chemicals and their derivatives. Another reason which makes water the solvent of choice is that water itself is involved either as a reagent or as a byproduct even in large amounts in typical conversions for the valorization of biomass. The obtained intermediates further react in the aqueous medium, often without any separation and purification, to manufacture more valuable products. This results in substantial energy savings, lower emissions and economic benefits. Furthermore, water could act as a catalyst in conversions of biomass-based feedstocks such as in liquefaction reactions under subcritical conditions. Moreover, novel types of catalytic reactivity have been observed in the aqueous solvent, not only with water-soluble transition metal catalytic complexes, but also with conventional heterogeneous catalysts and catalytic nanoparticles in a broad spectrum of different reactions such as, inter alia, aldol condensations and hydrogenation reactions. For example, in the aqueous-phase hydrogenation of the biomass-based key platform chemical levulinic acid into γ-valerolactone and beyond, employing heterogeneous catalysts and nanoparticles the presence of water has a beneficial effect and accelerates the reaction rates, whereas in organic solvents much lower activities were observed. This promotional effect of water in the hydrogenation of levulinic acid was proved by many experimental and theoretical studies using a broad spectrum of different types of catalytic systems.




Catalysis


Book Description

Catalysts are required for a variety of applications and researchers are increasingly challenged to find cost effective and environmentally benign catalysts to use. This volume looks at modern approaches to catalysis and reviews the extensive literature including direct methane conversion, nanocomposite catalysts for transformation of biofuels into syngas and hydrogen, and catalytic wet air oxidation technology for industrial wastewater treatment. Appealing broadly to researchers in academia and industry, it will be of great benefit to any researcher wanting a succinct reference on developments in this area now and looking to the future.




The Chemistry of Catalytic Hydrocarbon Conversions


Book Description

The Chemistry of Catalytic Hydrocarbon Conversions covers the various chemical aspects of catalytic conversions of hydrocarbons. This book is composed of eight chapters that include catalytic synthesis of hydrocarbons from carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methanol. The opening chapters examine various acid- and base-catalyzed reactions, such as isomerization, polymerization, oligomerization, alkylation, catalytic cracking, reforming, hydrocracking, and hydrogenation. The subsequent chapters are devoted to specific catalytic reactions, including heterogeneous hydrogenation, dehydrogenation, aromatization, and oxidation. Other chapters describe the homogeneous catalysis by transition metal organometallic catalysts and the metathesis of unsaturated hydrocarbons. The concluding chapter deals with the synthesis of liquid hydrocarbon fuels from carbon monoxide, hydrogen, methanol, and dimethyl ether. This book is of great benefit to petroleum chemists, engineers, and researchers.




Advancements in Catalytic Conversion of Biomass into Biofuels and Chemicals


Book Description

Numerous efforts have been devoted to using biomass as a feedstock for the production of bio-based materials, biochemicals, and biofuels that reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on conventional fossil resources. Conversion strategies for the production of platform chemicals, building blocks, fine chemicals, and biofuels include a wide range of processes such as chemical and mechanical pretreatment for improved carbohydrate production, fractionation of biomass into carbohydrates and lignin and their further conversions, microbial and enzymatic conversion of biomass into valuable products, and direct catalytic conversion of biomass or its components into chemicals and fuels. This Special Issue introduces recent innovative research results in the area of bioenergy and value-added chemicals from various feedstocks through chemical and biological catalytic processes.