Chromatographic characterization of thermally upgraded products from alternative fuels

An overview is presented of the analytical approaches developed by our research group over the last ten years for analysis of alternative fuel, both biomass and fossil. The alternative fuels are analyzed successively by PLC-8 (preparative liquid chromatography–group-type) fractionation and high resolution gas chromatography. Some of the possibilities for fractionation and characterization of alternative fuels are herein exemplified with sugar cane bagasse pyrolysis products.     

Depolymerization Study of Pakistani Lignite Coal Influence of Pre‐treatments on Product Slate

Influence of pretreatments, i.e., demineralization and pre‐soaking in some solvents on the yields of liquefied products obtained from hydro‐depolymerization of Pakistani coal in a pool of hydrogen has been discussed. Results of hydrogenation experiments demonstrated that demineralizing the coal sample prior to liquefaction caused the yields to decrease compared with the virgin coal samples. The contribution of mineral matter of coal has been evaluated by comparing the yields of liquid products of virgin and leached samples. Increase in the yields obtained from the hydrogenation experiments of swollen coal samples was not satisfactorily significant.     

Integrated production of ethanol fuel and protein from Coastal Bermudagrass

The herbaceous crops that may provide fermentable carbohydrates for production of fuels and chemicals also contain 10–20% protein. Protein coproduction with biomass-derived fuels and chemicals has important advantages: (1) food and fuel production can be integrated, and (2) protein is a high-value product that may significantly improve overall process economics. We report the results of an integrated approach to producing protein and fermentable sugars from one herbaceous species, Coastal Bermudagrass (CBG). The ammonia fiber explosion (AFEX) process makes possible over 90% conversion of cellulose and hemicellulose to simple sugars (about 650 mg reducing sugars/g dry CBG) at 5 IU cellulase/g vs < 20% conversion for untreated CBG. The AFEX treatment also improves protein extraction from CBG; over 80% protein recovery is possible from AFEX-treated CBG vs about 30% recovery from untreated CBG.     

Selective determination of oxygenates in complex samples with the O-FID analyzer

A gas-chromatographic analyzer allowing the selective detection of individual oxygenates in complex organic mixtures, such as gasolines, is described. The analyzer is based on the oxygen-specific response flame ionization detection (O-FID) method. The system operates with capillary columns and includes a cracking reactor to convert any oxygenate to carbon monoxide and a special FID equipped with a microreactor for the catalytic hydro-genation of CO and detection as methane. Hydrocarbons give no signal. The selectivity of the method is better than 1:10⁷ and the linear range approaches 10⁵. The analysis of modern fuels containing oxygenated additives, to improve octane ratings, may greatly benefit from the proposed analytical method.     

提高烃类燃料热沉的研究进展

吸热型烃类燃料是一种热安定性好、可以利用其化学热沉的燃料,其热沉能够满足高超音速飞行的需要。本文论述了燃料热安定性、催化脱氢、催化裂解、引发裂解、超临界裂解等对吸热型烃类燃料热沉的影响,重点论述了引发裂解在吸热型烃类燃料中的裂解优势,提出引发裂解在高超音速飞行器上具有诱人的应用前景。     

蒙特卡罗计算中颗粒型燃料的随机分布模型比较

高温气冷堆是新一代反应堆系统的热门候选堆型，已经受到国际上越来越多的关注。为设计和分析这种堆型，因其特有的包覆颗粒燃料引入了双重非均匀性，需要应用随机分布模型。对粗网格模型、细网格随机(FLS)模型、随机顺序添加(RSA)模型、子网格随机(Sub-FLS)模型和Metropolis模型等进行了研究，通过计算分析比较给出了各种模型的优缺点。结果表明:子网格随机模型和连续的RSA模型非常接近参考值，但是连续RSA模型的建模时间随着燃料体积份额的增加连续快速上升。 Key words: coated particle fuels; stochastic transport model; Monte Carlo; random distribution     

Deep extractive desulfurization of diesel fuels by FeCl3/ionic liquids

The extractive desulfurization of dibenzothiophene（DBT）,benzothiophene（BT）,and 4,6-dimethyldi-benzothiophene （4,6-DMDBT） in model oil was carried out using anhydrous FeCl₃ and 1-methyl-3-octylimidazolium chloride system（[Omim|Cl·2FeCl₃）.This new system exhibited high extractive efficiency and the sulfur removal of DBT in model oil(V_IL/V_oil=1/20) could reach 99.4%at room temperature for 30 min,which was obviously superior to single[Omim]Cl as extractant（22.9%）.When the[Omim|CI·2FeCl₃ was used,the S-removal of 4,6-DMDBT and BT could also be up to 99.3%and 96.2%, respectively.Moreover,the ionic liquid could be recycled five times without a significant decrease in extractive ability.     

Lichens as biomonitors for the determination of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Caracas Valley,Venezuela

Biomonitoring of PAH air pollution using lichens was carried out. Sixteen PAHs were studied in 11 locations along the valley of Caracas (Venezuela). The results of this work indicate that 14 of the 16 analysed PAHs were highly accumulated into the lichen thalli of Pyxine coralligera Malme. PAH levels in the samples revealed that the several volatile PAHs (naphthalene, acenaphtylene, acenaphtene, and fluoranthene) have the highest levels in the majority of the studied locations. The fluoranthene/pyrene and phenantrene/antracene ratios suggested that the major sources of PAHs are anthropogenic, mainly associated with gasoline and diesel combustion (pyrolytic) and unburnt oil derivates (petrogenic). The total PAH concentrations obtained in the present study were in the range of 0.24 to 9.08?µg/g, similar to those reported by other works in European and Asian cities.     

Nitro‐Substituted Bishomocubanes: Synthesis,Characterization, and Application as Energetic Materials

Several high‐energy‐density strained polycyclic compounds nitromethyl‐l,3‐bishomocubane (NMBHC), nitromethylene‐1,3‐bishomocubane (NMyBHC), and bis(nitromethyl)‐1,3‐bishomocubane (DNTMBHC), which were synthesized for the first time from bishomocubanone, hold potential for application as standalone fuels in liquid bipropellant systems or as additives in liquid and solid propellant formulations. DFT analysis at the B3LYP/6‐31G(d) level of theory was employed to optimize the geometries of the compounds and to determine their densities, heats of formation, and various thermodynamic properties. The density specific impulse, determined by using equilibrium thermodynamics, demonstrated an improvement of 75 s for NMBHC and NMyBHC over standard hydrocarbons. The specific impulse with ammonium perchlorate showed an improvement of 25–30 s over hydroxy‐terminated polybutadiene. Thermogravimetric analysis revealed that NMBHC, NMyBHC, and DNTMBHC evaporated readily with activation energies of 58.8, 69.2, and 74.5 kJ mol^?1, respectively.     

Toward efficient catalysts for electrochemical CO2 conversion to C2 products

With impressive progress in carbon capture and renewable energy, carbon dioxide (CO₂) conversion into useful chemicals has become a potential tool against climate change. Electrochemical CO₂ conversion into C₂ products (ethylene and ethanol) is an especially economically promising approach and an active research area. Nonetheless, catalyst layer design for CO₂ conversion is challenging because of the complex CO₂-to-C₂ reaction pathways. In this review, we highlight key ideas in catalyst layer design for CO₂ conversion to C₂ in the past few years. We identify three fundamental principles to control catalyst selectivity—local CO₂ and CO concentration, local pH, and intermediate–catalyst interaction. To achieve these goals, we introduce design strategies for both catalytic materials and overall catalyst layer morphology.