Development of a high-temperature, high-pressure, continuous microplant for super high speed reactions.

2006 Fiscal Year Final Research Report Summary

• Project/Area Number: 17360372
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (B)
• Allocation Type: Single-year Grants
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Properties in chemical engineering process/Transfer operation/Unit operation
• Research Institution: Tohoku University
• Principal Investigator: SMITH Richard Lee jr. Tohoku University, Graduate School of Environmental Studies, Professor, 大学院環境科学研究科, 教授 (60261583)
• Co-Investigator(Kenkyū-buntansha): INOMATA Hiroshi Tohoku University, Graduate School of Engineering, Professor, 大学院工学研究科, 教授 (10168479) ; WATANABE Masaru Tohoku University, Graduate School of Engineering, Associate Professor, 大学院工学研究科, 助教授 (40312607) ; SATO Takafumi Utsunomiya University, Engineering Department, Research Acciefont, 工学部, 助手 (60375524) ; SATAO Yoshiyuki Tohoku University, Graduate School of Engineering, Associate Professor, 大学院工学研究科, 助教授 (50243598)
• Project Period (FY): 2005 – 2006
• Keywords: Supercritical water / Micro reactor vessel / Thermal image / Equipment development / Biomass

Research Abstract

This is the final report for the project, Development of a high-temperature, high-pressure, continuous microplant for super high speed reactions. In this project, our goal was to develop a conceptual microplant reactor system that could be used to bypass many of the current technological limitations of using high-temperature, high-pressure water such as safety, plugging with solids, and corrosion. To do this, we used the concept of a batch microreactor, that would be used in a continuous manner like that of a printing press. In this way, the use of hydrostatic pressing would allow safe application of pressure, and ideally, chemical heating by mixing two or more substances together, would allow achievement of supercritical conditions and thus high-speed reactions. By performing high-temperature, high-pressure reactions in this manner, it is possible to solve known technological problems. First, reaction of cellulose mixtures were studied. Then, a gel was evaluated for transporting the c ellulose mixtures including its reactivity.. Next, chemical heating was studied with thermal methods including thermographic imaging. Finally, reactivity of high concentration mixtures was studied.
In this project, we could make progress toward the topic and made the following accomplishments: (i) patent for describing the apparatus (Japanese, English), (ii) study of cellulose hydrolysis reaction at high-pressures (> 600 MPa) in a batch microreactor, (iii) evaluation of a gel suitable for transporting the cellulose into the microreactor and its reaction characteristics, (iv) experiments and evaluation of a method for chemically heating the mixture in a microreactor to reaction condition, and (v) various presentations on aspects of the project. Aspects of the work that will require future study include: use of catalysts, choice of substrate for transporting materials, separation methods for product materials, and throughput and process control. In conclusion, the system designed is practical and can be used to process materials at high-temperatures and high-pressures with great safety and with highly-reliable operation.