| EPSRC Reference: |
EP/F061374/1 |
| Title: |
COST-EFFECTIVE PRODUCTION OF RENEWABLE LIQUID BIOFUEL AND CHEMICALS THROUGH THE THERMOCHEMICAL LIQUEFACTION OF AQUATIC BIOMASS |
| Principal Investigator: |
Jones, Professor JM |
| Other Investigators: |
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| Researcher Co-Investigators: |
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| Project Partners: |
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| Department: |
Energy Resources Research Unit |
| Organisation: |
University of Leeds |
| Scheme: |
Standard Research |
| Starts: |
01 April 2008 |
Ends: |
30 September 2009 |
Value (£): |
135,848
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| EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications: |
| No relevance to Underpinning Sectors |
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| Related Grants: |
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| Panel History: |
| Panel Date | Panel Name | Outcome |
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18 Jan 2008
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Feasibility Studies for Energy Research II
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Announced
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Summary on Grant Application Form |
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Many new technologies are being investigated currently for their potential to supplement fuels from fossil resources. Hydrothermal liquefaction is one such route for converting solid biomass into a biocrude oil. Potentially the oil has several advantages over solid biomass. It has a much higher energy content and a higher density, and these factors, together with its liquid nature, means that it is easier to transport using existing oil networks. It also has properties more similar to a heavy crude oil and so can be upgraded to more useful liquid fuels, such as bio-diesel. Some valuable chemicals are produced concurrently, which could influence favourably the economics of the process. The process itself involves heating biomass in superheated water. Under these conditions the water is able to react with the biomass and the products are gas, biocrude oil, solid char, and a water phase. Because the process is conducted in water it is not necessary to dry the biomass (an expensive step for other bioenergy technologies), and wet feedstocks, such as algae, are ideal. There is an added advantage here in that it opens the possibility of extending the land area available to grow biomass to costal marine environments. There are still several challanges to address before hydrothermal liquefaction can be proved commercially. The most important is to improve the viscosity of the biocrude so that it can be transported more easily. This work seeks to understand some of the fundamental chemistry of the process and also will explore two novel approaches to improve the biocrude viscosity - firstly, the role of inherent minerals in the process, and secondly, the advantages to be gained from blending feedstocks. These two factors could have a major influence on the bio-crude quality and therefore its commercial realisation
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Key Findings |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Potential use in non-academic contexts |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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Impacts |
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| Description |
This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk |
| Summary |
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| Date Materialised |
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Sectors submitted by the Researcher |
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This information can now be found on Gateway to Research (GtR) http://gtr.rcuk.ac.uk
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| Project URL: |
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| Further Information: |
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| Organisation Website: |
http://www.leeds.ac.uk |