Goran Jovanovic MBI ONAMI

Microreactor Technologies for Production of
Advanced Liquid Biofuels
Goran Jovanovic
Oregon State University
School of Chemical, Biological, and Environmental Engineering
Sweet Spot of Microtechnology
In Affiliation With:
MBI
Microproducts Breakthrough Institute
ONAMI
Oregon Nanoscience And Microtechnologies Institute
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Microtechnology
The study, development, and application of
devices whose operation is based on the
scale of 1-100 microns.
(A human hair is approximately
100 microns thick.
Image source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thestarshine/69591402/
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Nature’s Microtechnology
Nature has selected the micro scale for the
realization of many biological processes.
Leaf
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Alveoli
Kidney
What is Microtechnology Good For?
•  Production of information
lab-on-chip
•  Production of services
pacemaker
kidney dialyzer
•  Production of energy and bulk material
chemicals
fuel upgrade
biofuels
nanoparticles
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•  Microreactors for Biodiesel Production
•  Microreactors for Production H2O2
•  Microreactor for Desulphurization of Fuels
•  Microseparators for Liquid-Liquid Extraction
•  Microreactors for Production of Veins and Arteries
•  Microscale-Based Blood Oxygenation
•  Microreactor for Destruction of Toxic Waste
•  Microtechnology-Based Water Desalination
•  Microsensor for Detection of Human Pathogens in Food and Water
•  Microtechnology-Based Hydrogen Storage
•  Microtechnology-Based Gas-to-Liquid FT Process
5
Hydrogenation of bio-oils
H2
H2
H2
H2
H2
H2
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Transesterification of bio-oils
CH3OH
CH3OH
CH3OH
k1
k3
k2
⎯
⎯
→
⎯
⎯⎯
→ Glycerol
⎯
⎯
→
TG ←⎯
DG
MG
⎯
←
⎯
←
⎯
⎯
k−1
k−3
k−2
Biodiesel
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Biodiesel
Biodiesel
Micro-Scale Reactors
First MECS micro-reactor, OSU 1999
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Microreactors
Plate
Gasket
Flow separator
Quartz window
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Teflon spacer
Microreactors
Experimental Setup
Stock solution of methanol with
dissolved NaOH in 10 ml syringe
ON/OFF
Syringe Pump
Microreactor
Soybean Oil in
60 ml syringe
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Biodiesel
Phase
Glycerol
Phase
Various Views - Biodiesel Microreactor
Biodiesel
Heating Fluid
Methanol
Crude Oil
Glycerol
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Single Stage Biodiesel Microreactor
Oil Inlet Manifold
Reaction Channels
Oil/Glycerol Phase
Separation Chamber
Methanol Inlets
Glycerol
Outlet
Oil/Biodiesel Phase Outlet to Second Stage
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Two Stage Biodiesel Microreactor
Second Stage
First Stage
Oil Inlet
Second Stage
Product Glycerol Stream
Heating Fluid
Inlet/Outlet
Second Stage
Product Biodiesel Outlet
Second Stage
Methanol Inlet
First State
Methanol Inlet
Biodiesel
Heating Fluid
First Stage
Methanol
Crude Oil
Glycerol
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First Stage
Product Glycerol Stream
Exploded View - Biodiesel Microreactor
Second Stage
Methanol Inlet/Manifold
Heating Fluid
Inlet/Outlet
Second Stage
Second Stage
Product Biodiesel Outlet
Second Stage
Product Glycerol Outlet
Second Stage
Oil Phase Manifold
First Stage
Oil Phase Outlet
First Stage
Second Stage Reaction Channels
Second State
Separation Chamber
First State
Separation Chamber
First Stage
Product Glycerol Outlet
Fluid Driven
Thermal Plate
First Stage Reaction Channels
First Stage
Methanol Inlet/Manifold
Biodiesel
Oil Inlet/Manifold Heating Fluid
Methanol
Crude Oil
Glycerol
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Micro-Reactor Design
The plate is 267mm X 187mm in
size and made from 0.5mm thick
(316) stainless steel.
The overall channel length is
16,740mm
Major design consideration was to preserve the gas-liquid segmented flow in the
microchannels. The solution chosen was to implement a single, long
microchannel on a horizontal plane that wraps back and forth on a single plate (It
could be used as a device with multiple, parallel channels).
d1
d2
Catalyst
Reactant-H2
Phase 1
Reaction
Reactant TG
and intermediates
1 dN TG
−
Rate:
Sc dt
= k ′′C H 2 CTG
at wall
d4
d3
at wall
⎡ mol ⎤
⎢ m2 s ⎥
⎣ cat ⎦
Fluid input hole
Hole for clamp
bolt
Alignment hole (for
bonding)
Catalyst deposition
hole
Installed Micro-Reactor Assembly
Thermal
Input
tube
insulation
Output
tube
Hydrothermal Treatment of Plate Microreactor in Heated Enclosure
Ci
CTGo
Triglycerides
Diglycerides
Fatty Acids
Monoglycerides
Alkanes
Residence Time [min]
Integrated and
Parallel processing
2m
Groups of Laminae
create one
“Block-Stage”
1m
Advantages of Microtechnology
•  Advantages arising from Fundamental Phenomena;
•  Advantages arising from Parallel Architecture;
•  Advantages arising from Commercial Applications;
•  Advantages in the area of Safety and Security.
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Fundamental Advantages of Microtechnology
•  Intensification of Heat and Mass Transport
- Small scale - Short time of mass and heat transport (τ =l2/D)
•  Reduced Size
- 10-100 times reduction in hardware volume over conventional technology;
- 5-50 times reduction in hardware mass;
- Shifts size-energy trade-offs toward higher efficiency;
- Able to integrate heat exchanges with reactors and separators
simplifying processes.
•  Large surface to volume ratio (105-108 m2/m3)
•  Changes chemical product distribution
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Fundamental Advantages of Microtechnology
•  Low Pressure Drop
Reduces power for pumps, fans, and blowers;
•  Gravity independence
Gravity effect diminish to surface and hydrodynamics forces as size of
channels decreases;
•  High Degree of Reaction Control
Minimizing unwanted environmental and side reactions;
Minimize unwanted reversible reactions;
Enables processing of very energetic reactants;
Intensification of chemical kinetics (the last frontier in mass transport)
•  Extremely High Quench Rates
Small reactant volumes mean less mass or energy required to quench;
Extremely rapid heat transport enables fast thermal discharge.
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Advantages of Microtechnology-Parallel Architecture
•  Fast screening of materials, catalyst and processes
•  Flexibility in capacity and in design
- Provides for deployment at wide range of scales;
- Facilitates gradual expansion of capacity as scale of operations
grows by adding more modules;
•  Operating robustness and controllability
- Enhances reliability, allowing problems to be isolated and repaired.
•  Mass Production of Microscale Components
- Microlamination process enables mass production;
- Bonded stacks can contain multiple processes;
- Multiple processes in a single device reduces field assembly and
testing.
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Commercial Advantages of Microtechnology
•  Lower capital investment;
•  Lower operating cost;
•  Faster transfer of research to commercial production;
•  Earlier start of production at lower cost
- Reduces life-cycle costs through early testing at implementation scale;
•  Easier scale up (numbering -up) to production capacity;
•  Distributed technology implementation (distributed production);
•  Integration of micro-technologies with other systems;
•  Lower cost of transportation of material and energy;
•  Replacing batch with continuous processes.
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Safety and Security Advantages
•  Small channel inhibits flame/explosion front propagation;
•  Small volumes translate to low energy content stored;
•  Smaller volume less hazardous materials in the process.
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Sweet Spot of Microtechnology
Large surface
to volume ratio
Flexibility in
capacity and
design
Sweet
Spot
Distributed
production
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Integration with
other systems
People. Ideas. Innovation.
Thank you for your attention!
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