Fermentations of pectin-rich biomass with recombinant bacteria to produce fuel ethanol

Pectin-rich residues from sugar beet processing contain significant carbohydrates and insignificant amounts of lignin. Beet pulp was evaluated for conversion toethanol using recombinant bacteria as biocatalysts. Hydrolysis of pectin-rich residues followed by ethanolic fermentations by yeasts has not been productive because galacturonic acid and arabinose are not ferm entable toethanol by these organisms. The three recombinant bacteria evaluated in this study, Escherichia coli strain KO11, Klebsiella oxytoca strain P2, and Erwinia chrysanthemi EC 16 pLOI 555, ferment carbohydrates in beet pulp with varying efficiencies. E. coli KO11 is able to convert pure galactu ronic acid to ethanol with minimal acetate production. Using an enzyme loading of 10.5 filter paper un its of cellulase, 120.4 polygalactu ronase units of pectinase, and 6.4 g of cellobiase (per gram of dry wt sugar beet pulp), with substrate addition after 24 h of fermentation, 40 g of ethanol/L was produced. Other recombinants exhibited lower ethanol yields with increases in acetate and succinate production.     

熔融盐对生物质粗燃气的组分调整实验研究

在固定床装置中进行了熔融盐对生物质粗燃气组分调整实验,考察了反应温度、静液高度和表观气速对熔融盐中出口气体组分、NaOH消耗率、熔融盐饱和吸收时间的影响。结果表明,400!600℃下,熔融盐中NaOH消耗率随温度的升高由59%升至83%,且单位质量熔融盐处理粗合成气量随温度的升高由0.42 m3/kg升至0.48 m3/kg;气体中CO转化率和出口气体平均H2/CO体积比均随反应温度、静液高度的提高而升高,随表观气速的增加而降低。     

Selective fast pyrolysis of biomass impregnated with ZnCl2 to produce furfural: Analytical Py-GC/MS study

For 20 years ending in the 1990s the city of Barcelona discharged the products from a large primary sewage treatment plant directly into the Mediterranean Sea via underwater conduits. About ca. 3 million m³ of relict sewage sludge, rich in organic matter and heavy metals, has spread over an elongated area offshore, due to successive ruptures of the conduits. The use of the discharge pipes ceased, but the sludge deposit remains in place for the time being.To understand the history and present state of the sludge deposit in advance of future remediation, a program of geophysical mapping, sampling, and analytical work was undertaken. Rock Eval pyrolysis, although created for use in petroleum prospecting, can also be applied to environmental contamination studies. It offers a simple means to effectively delineate the sludge deposit, with the S₂ parameter and the hydrogen and oxygen indices particularly useful. On the molecular level, the sludge flash pyrolysis products notably include relatively abundant C₂₇ and C₂₉ sterenes and steranes, likely produced from the pyrolysis of fecal and other steroids, including coprostanol, in the sewage sludge. Linear alkylbenzenes and trialkylamines, derived from surfactant residues in the sludge, are also detected. The indoles detected are likely the pyrolysis products of proteins, while the alkylnitriles and alkylamides in the pyrolyzate likely derive from bacterial biomass. Principal components analysis aided the interpretation of the large geochemical dataset and a geographic information system enabled the three-dimensional visualization of the results in their geospatial context. The distinctive pyrolysis products and the trace elements would be geochemical markers useful in planning and assessing a future remediation program. The recognition of a distinctive sewage pyrolysis–GC/MS signature in this deposit would facilitate the use of this method in the detection of sewage-contaminated sediments in urban waterways worldwide.     

整体式催化剂催化重整净化生物质粗燃气性能研究

采用分步浸渍法制备了以Ni为活性组分的整体式催化剂,以萘为生物质焦油的模型化合物,考察了整体式催化剂催化重整生物质粗燃气的性能,通过元素分析、热重分析等方法对催化剂的表面积炭进行了研究。结果表明,在整体式催化剂作用下,108h的连续反应中,CH4的平均转化率达到92%,最高达到93.8%。合成气H2/CO的摩尔比保持0.95左右,最高达到1.15,适合液体燃料合成。CO2 的平均转化率为80%,最高达到88%。实验中添加萘模拟生物质焦油的成分,经检测焦油全部转化为H2、CO及微量轻质组分。反应连续进行108h,未发现反应器压降变化和CH4与焦油转化率的下降,表明整体式催化剂具有较好的活性和抗积炭性能。     

催化热解生物质制取富氢气体的研究

在实验室自制的固定床反应器上, 考察了秸秆和锯屑的热解行为, 研究了热解产物分布特别是富氢气体的体积分数和产率, 着重研究了（5种金属氧化物和2种碳酸盐催化剂）的催化效果。结果表明,温度从500 ℃提高到850 ℃, 秸秆和锯屑的热解气产率分别从29.0%提高到40.6%, 35.0％提高到46.5%, 而对应的富氢气体的体积分数分别从41.2％提高到48.2%, 40.6％提高到47.0%；在5种金属氧化物中，Cr2O3显示了最好的催化效果，在750 ℃时对应的热解气产率与不使用催化剂相比提高了10％，富氢气体的体积分数提高了13％；催化剂（CaCO3和Na2CO3）占生物质的质量分数对热解气和富氢气体产率有明显的影响，当质量分数从0增加到30％时， 热解气和富氢气体产率增加较明显，而后其值的增加可以忽略， 因此推荐使用的催化剂质量分数为30％。     

生物质焦油模拟物重整制取富氢气体实验研究

以流化床作为反应器,进行生物质焦油模拟物(苯)催化重整制取富氢气体的实验研究,主要探究实验温度(780℃~900℃)、水蒸气/焦油模拟物质量比S/T (3.0~6.0)、床高(5.0cm~20.0cm)和床料(催化剂)对焦油模拟物重整制取富氢气体过程的影响。实验结果表明,焦油模拟物重整制取富氢气体的理想操作工况分别是温度为860℃~900℃,S/T 值为5.0,床层高度为15.0cm~20.0cm;通过比较,在上述理想操作条件下,合成的碱土金属催化剂(20CaAl)具有较好的催化活性,而其改性后的SCaFeNiAl催化剂具有更好的活性。在SCaFeNiAl作用下,焦油模拟物重整过程的活化能为58.87kJ/mol,指前因子为1.36×10⁷h^-1,且获得较好的实验效果,H₂体积分数为67.28%,H₂产率为303.50g/kg-tar,焦油模拟物转化率为95.93%,总气体产率为5.05m³/kg-tar。     

镍基整体式催化剂上生物质粗燃气重整调变的特性研究

采用浸渍法制备了Ni基整体式催化剂,考察了不同条件(温度、时间、空速、水蒸气添加等)对催化剂上生物质粗燃气重整反应性能的影响。结果表明,催化剂在较低温度下(≤500 ℃)只具有CO加氢反应活性,随着反应温度的升高粗燃气重整反应逐渐进行,在800 ℃以上,CH₄和C₂转化率均高达95 %以上,CO₂转化率达到92%,但随着反应空速和水蒸气添加量的增加,CH₄和CO₂等转化率呈现缓慢降低的趋势。此外,通过改变水蒸气添加量可对合成气中H₂/CO体积比在0.85~4.00进行较好调节。结合XRD表征发现,Ni基整体式催化剂中Ni°的生成可较好地促进重整反应的进行。     

An amino acid based system for CO2 capture and catalytic utilization to produce formates

Herein, we report a novel amino acid based reaction system for CO₂ capture and utilization (CCU) to produce formates in the presence of the naturally occurring amino acid l-lysine. Utilizing a specific ruthenium-based catalyst system, hydrogenation of absorbed carbon dioxide occurs with high activity and excellent productivity. Noteworthy, following the CCU concept, CO₂ can be captured from ambient air in the form of carbamates and converted directly to formates in one-pot (TON > 50 000). This protocol opens new potential for transforming captured CO₂ from ambient air to C1-related products.

A novel amino acid based reaction system for CO₂ capture and utilization (CCU) to produce formates is presented applying a ruthenium-based catalyst. Noteworthy, CO₂ can be captured from ambient air and converted to formates in one-pot (TON > 50 000).     

An aspen simulation of fuel production by hydrolysis of woody biomass

An integrated process, in which woody biomass was converted to fuel, was simulated using the ASPEN simulator. For purposes of simulation, the process was divided into four sections, biomass refining, hydrolysis, bioreaction, and fuel separation. Detailed attention was paid to the hydrolysis process and the bioreactor, while a general simulation of the front-end biomass refining process and fuel separation step at the end of the process is included. A simulation of the biomass and active microbial system required the definition of nonconventional streams. The emphasis in this study was upon the effect of varying acid recycle in the two-step hydrolysis process. As the recycle ratio increases the operating cost of the overall process passes through a minimum. Suggestions for the refinement and extension of this approach are discussed. Its advantages in establishing the cost of proposed technologies, assessing areas where research and development are required and evaluating schemes for enhancing energy efficiency were all evaluated.     

The lignol approach to biorefining of woody biomass to produce ethanol and chemicals

Processes that produce only ethanol from lignocellulosics display poor economics. This is generally overcome by constructing large facilities having satisfactory economies of scale, thus making financing onerous and hindering the development of suitable technologies. Lignol Innovations has developed a biorefining technology that employs an ethanol-based organosolv step to separate lignin, hemicellulose components, and extractives from the cellulosic fraction of woody biomass. The resultant cellulosic fraction is highly susceptible to enzymatic hydrolysis, generating very high yields of glucose (>90% in 12–24h) with typical enzyme loadings of 10–20 FPU (filter paper units)/g. This glucose is readily converted to ethanol, or possibly other sugar platform chemicals, either by sequential or simultaneous saccharification and fermentation. The liquor from the organosolv step is processed by well-established unit operations to recover lignin, furfural, xylose, acetic acid, and a lipophylic extractives fraction. The process ethanol is recovered and recycled back to the process. The resulting recycled process water is of a very high quality, low BOD₅, and suitable for overall system process closure. Significant benefits can be attained in greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions, as per the Kyoto Protocol. Revenues from the multiple products, particularly the lignin, ethanol and xylose fractions, ensure excellent economics for the process even in plants as small as 100 mtpd (metric tonnes per day) dry woody biomass input—a scale suitable for processing wood residues produced by a single large sawmill.     

泡沫金属微反应器内富氢重整气中CO选择性甲烷化

在微反应器中,用泡沫金属镍为载体负载4Ni-2Ru/ZrO2双金属催化剂,用于选择性甲烷化去除富氢重整气中的CO。考察了催化剂负载方法、焙烧温度和空速等对CO选择性甲烷化的影响,借助X射线衍射(XRD)、程序升温还原(H2-TPR)等手段对催化剂制备方法与催化性能的关系进行了探讨。结果表明,直接将4Ni-2Ru/ZrO2催化剂涂布在泡沫镍片上,350℃下焙烧,反应温度为260℃,空速为2 000 h-1~6 000 h-1,可将富氢转化气中CO降至30×10-6以下,其中空速为5 000 h-1,可将CO出口浓度降至7×10-6,CO2的转化率低于1.5%。反应温度在260℃~300℃,CO的转化率在99.6%以上,CO出口浓度在50×10-6以下。     

A catalytic gas diffusion layer for improving the efficiency of a direct methanol fuel cell

The efficiency of a single direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) with Pt–Ru decorated carbon nanotubes directly grown on carbon cloth (Pt–Ru/CNTs/CC) as a catalytic gas diffusion layer (GDL) at the anode was evaluated by polarization analysis. Pt–Ru nanoparticles were electrodeposited on dense carbon nanotubes directly grown on carbon cloth in ethylene glycol containing sulfuric acid solutions. The presence of relatively well dispersed Pt–Ru nanoparticles (4–6 nm) on the surfaces of CNTs was confirmed by transmission electron microscopy. Two more GDLs, one with dense CNTs but without the presence of Pt–Ru nanoparticles and the other with neither CNTs nor catalysts, were also prepared for comparison purpose. For quantitatively evaluating the performance of the catalytic GDL, three identical membrane–electrode-assemblies were prepared and laminated with different GDLs before they were used to construct DMFCs for performance test. It was found via polarization analyses the catalytic GDL was able to promote the peak specific power density of the DMFC by 27% at ambient temperature.     

An investigation of catalytic activity in mixed metal oxide nanophase materials

We present preliminary evidence for catalytic activity by unsupported mixed metal oxide nanocrystalline materials. The results of this study show that a nanophase form of Li-MgO has begun to exhibit catalytic activity by 300 °C. This is at least 200 degrees below the temperature at which conventional Li-MgO catalysts exhibit comparable activity. Furthermore, at higher temperatures, the same nanophase composition shows enhanced activities and somewhat improved hydrocarbon selectivities over conventional Li-MgO catalysts.     

解耦双回路气化系统中生物质催化水蒸气气化制富氢气体

为强化生物质气化过程中焦油转化和氢气富集,提出了一种新型解耦双回路气化系统(DDLG) 。该气化系统将气化过程解耦为燃料气化、焦油重整和半焦燃烧三个子过程,分别发生于三个独立的反应器,即气化反应器、重整反应器和燃烧反应器。其中,气化反应器和重整反应器并行布置,分别与燃烧反应器相连,形成两个平行的且可独立控制的双循环回路。以松木屑为原料及兼作为原位焦油重整催化剂的煅烧橄榄石为循环固体热载体,考察了反应条件对 DDLG 中松木屑气化性能的影响。结果表明,重整反应器从气化反应器中解耦,并辅以橄榄石催化剂,可实现焦油高效转化脱除。如气化反应器700℃、重整反应器 850℃和水蒸气与原料中碳的质量比(S/C) 1.2 反应条件下,产品气中焦油含量降低至13.9g /m~3,气体产率和H_2分别达到1.0m~3 /kg,和38.8%。     

Heat-transference of toner masks onto conductive substrates: A rapid and easy way to produce microelectrode ensembles

A novel and simple method for fabrication of microelectrode ensembles is reported. This procedure is based on the heat-transference of toner masks onto conductive substrates such as gold, platinum, and glassy carbon. The percentage of printed toner masks was controlled by using a suitable graphic software. The heat transference of 100% black toner mask onto a conductive substrate isolated electrically its whole surface, in such a way no electrochemical response was established using the modified substrate. However, when the same substrates were coated with 99% black toner mask, few naked micro-areas of the conductive material were identified. Such modified substrate presented typical electrochemical behavior of microelectrode ensembles, which evinced the presence of exposed micro-areas of substrate to the bulk solution. Different percentages of coverage were evaluated and the microelectrode ensembles were characterized by cyclic voltammetry with good agreement with the established theory. Stripping voltammetry of metals was also performed demonstrating the successful application of these new ensembles in accordance with characteristics normally presented by microelectrodes. The main advantages of this new procedure are the simplicity, low-cost of equipments (LaserJet printer and thermal press equipment), and the high speed of production of microelectrode arrays on different substrates.     

Co/Ce0.5Zr0.5O2催化剂的制备及甲烷部分氧化制合成气

利用共沉淀法制备了具有介孔结构的Ce_0.5Zr_0.5O₂固溶体载体,然后浸渍不同质量分数(10%、20%、30%)的活性组分钴,制备了系列Co/Ce_0.5Zr_0.5O₂催化剂。利用N₂物理吸附(BET)、X射线粉末衍射(XRD)、H₂-程序升温还原(H₂-TPR)、扫描电子显微镜(SEM) 、透射电子显微镜(TEM) 、 程序升温氧化(TPO)和热重(TG)等手段对制备和反应后的催化剂进行了表征,研究了它们对甲烷部分氧化制合成气反应的催化性能。研究结果表明,铈锆固溶体负载的钴比较容易被还原,该系列催化剂具有较高的活性和对H₂及CO的选择性,且随Co含量的增加,催化剂的活性和对H₂和CO的选择性得到提高的同时,也增强了催化剂的抗积炭性能。     

Method to affect catalytic properties of low-temperature transition metal oxides

A method to affect the catalytic properties of low-temperature oxide catalysts by their synthesis through hydroxide compounds of the required composition and structure is suggested.

---

.