Periodic Reporting for period 1 - HYDROGAS (Catalytic Reforming of Glycerol to Hydrogen and Biopropane in Hydrothermal Media)
Reporting period: 2021-12-01 to 2023-02-28
This 15 months Fellowship, entitled “Catalytic Reforming of Glycerol to Hydrogen and Biopropane in Hydrothermal Media” (HYDROGAS) was to train a talented researcher through a research project focused on the development of novel process to make viable the use of the glycerol co-product derived during the use of vegetable oils (and lipids) for the production of various liquid hydrocarbon biofuels. This innovative HYDROGAS project aimed to investigate for the first time the potential of a novel two-pronged catalytic approach to produce hydrogen and biopropane from catalytic reforming of glycerol in hydrothermal media. The two-stage approach would enable deriving all the hydrogen requirements for the vegetable oil-to-hydrocarbons routes by using glycerol as a hydrogen-source. Especially, this project contributed to a positive process economics for the HEFA bio-jet fuel production process. The sharing and exchange of skills between the researcher, the host, the supervisor, the students and international research groups was be a very important knowledge dissemination pathway, supported through training, publications in journals of high impact factor, participation in international conferences and others. The Fellow received access to an innovative project experience at the host: Sustainable Chemicals Laboratory in the European Bioenergy Research Institute (EBRI), Aston University, UK (Dr. Jude Onwudili), and at academic secondment partner: University of Zaragoza, Spain (Prof Lucia Garcia). In addition, a high-level techno-economic assessment of the process was supported by Prof Patricia Thornley (EBRI). HYDROGAS aimed to investigate the development of a new methodology to produce renewable biopropane for a large-scale deployment in substitution for petroleum-based LPG that can contribute to lowering carbon emissions. The obtained products (hydrogen and biopropane), were used as criteria to economically evaluate the process from beginning to end, and the research team was highly qualified for the success of the innovation project. The HYDROGAS project permeated the whole fellowship and was a valuable and challenging mixture of scientific research and training for the Fellow.
The HYDROGAS project focused on the catalytic reforming of glycerol in hydrothermal media to produce hydrogen and biopropane. This is an important area of research, as the production of renewable fuels from renewable feedstock’s is crucial for decarbonising the world's energy system and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Glycerol, a byproduct of vegetable oil-to-fuels technologies, is produced in large quantities and has the potential to be utilized to make value-added products. The project aimed to investigate the potential of a novel two-stage catalytic process to produce hydrogen and biopropane from glycerol, and it was executed successfully within the listed objectives. The Research Fellow (Dr Carine Alves Tondo) who conducted the research gained unique and valuable experiences for their professional career. The supervision and infrastructure support provided by Dr. Jude Onwudili and EBRI at Aston University were instrumental in achieving positive and important results. Overall, the HYDROGAS project has contributed to the ongoing efforts to develop sustainable and renewable sources of energy and feedstocks for the chemical industry.
The overarching ambition of this MSCA fellowship project was to develop a multi-step process, involving; (1) the hydrolysis of vegetable oils/fats in hydrothermal media; (2) separation of hydrolysis products into fatty acids and aqueous glycerol; and (3) separate catalytic conversion of the two streams into liquid hydrocarbons and propane, respectively. The HYDROGAS proposal focused on the conversion of the glycerol stream into hydrogen and biopropane. It is envisaged that using the large quantities of crude glycerol to make hydrogen and biopropane will reduce the cost of the HEFA-based hydrocarbons, enabling it to compete favorably with conventional kerosene. To contribute to this effort, HYDROGAS proposes to evaluate 5 objectives:
Objective 1 (OBJ1): Catalysts syntheses and characterization (Aston);
Objective 1 (OBJ2): Catalytic activity measurements for glycerol conversion to hydrogen (Aston);
Objective 3 (OBJ3): Catalytic activity measurements for glycerol conversion to biopropane (Aston);
Objective 4 (OBJ4): Catalytic testing of glycerol conversions in a continuous reactor (Zaragoza);
Objective 5 (OBJ5): Determination of thermodynamic model/high-level techno-economic analysis (Aston).
The overarching ambition of this MSCA fellowship project was to develop a multi-step process, involving; (1) the hydrolysis of vegetable oils/fats in hydrothermal media; (2) separation of hydrolysis products into fatty acids and aqueous glycerol; and (3) separate catalytic conversion of the two streams into liquid hydrocarbons and propane, respectively. The HYDROGAS proposal focused on the conversion of the glycerol stream into hydrogen and biopropane. It is envisaged that using the large quantities of crude glycerol to make hydrogen and biopropane will reduce the cost of the HEFA-based hydrocarbons, enabling it to compete favorably with conventional kerosene. To contribute to this effort, HYDROGAS proposes to evaluate 5 objectives:
Objective 1 (OBJ1): Catalysts syntheses and characterization (Aston);
Objective 1 (OBJ2): Catalytic activity measurements for glycerol conversion to hydrogen (Aston);
Objective 3 (OBJ3): Catalytic activity measurements for glycerol conversion to biopropane (Aston);
Objective 4 (OBJ4): Catalytic testing of glycerol conversions in a continuous reactor (Zaragoza);
Objective 5 (OBJ5): Determination of thermodynamic model/high-level techno-economic analysis (Aston).
HYDROGAS has had a significant impact on the development of the Fellow, as well as on the host institutions involved in the project. The project set ambitious goals that required the expertise and cooperation of multiple experts, and the successful implementation of the project has undoubtedly contributed to the Fellow's professional development and skill set. Moreover, the production of a new technology via the catalytic reforming of crude glycerol to produce hydrogen and biopropane represents a major achievement for the host institutions involved in the project. This technology has the potential to provide a sustainable alternative to LPG, which is a fossil fuel and a significant contributor to greenhouse gas emissions. By producing hydrogen and biopropane from crude glycerol, a waste product from biodiesel production, the HYDROGAS project has demonstrated the potential for a circular economy approach that maximizes resource utilization and minimizes waste. The project's impact is not limited to the development of the technology itself. The project's multidisciplinary approach, involving experts from different fields and institutions, has fostered collaboration and knowledge exchange, which can lead to future research and development initiatives. The project's focus on IP protection also highlights the importance of protecting the intellectual property generated through research and development, which can provide economic benefits and drive innovation. In summary, the impact of HYDROGAS extends beyond the production of a new technology. The project has contributed to the professional development of the Fellow and fostered collaboration and knowledge exchange among experts from different fields and institutions. The technology developed through the project has the potential to provide a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels, and the project's focus on IP protection highlights the importance of protecting intellectual property in driving innovation and economic growth.