Novel reactors for thermochemical conversion of biomass residues to biofuel: June 25, 2020

Join Dr. Tony Bi from the Clean Energy Research Centre and University of British Columbia for this special bioenergy research presentation. Register here.

Abstract:

The research on bioenergy at the University of British Columbia can be dated back to 1980/1990s with the focus on biological conversion and combustion of biomass residues for bioethanol and heat/power generation. Dr. Tony Bi’s current bioenergy research at UBC’s Clean Energy Research Centre has been focused on thermochemical conversion of biomass residues to gas (e.g. renewable natural gas), liquid (e.g. biojet) and solid (e.g. torrefied pellets and biochar) biofuels, and integrated assessment of bioenergy systems.

This talk will give an overview on the development of a novel pulsating fluidized bed reactor for biomass torrefaction, a dual fluidized bed reactor for steam/oxygen gasification of biomass for syngas and renewable natural gas production, and a microwave-assisted fluidized bed reactor for catalytic pyrolysis of biomass to high-quality bio-oil and biochar. The economic and environmental impacts and benefits of those bioenergy conversion pathways will also be discussed based on life cycle analysis and techno-economic analysis.

Bio:

Dr. Tony Bi is the Methanex professor in the Clean Energy Research Centre and the Department of Chemical and Biological Engineering at the University of British Columbia. He is a Fellow of Canadian Academy of Engineering and Engineering Canada. He is the Director of UBC Clean Energy Research Centre (www.cerc.ubc.ca), and manager of the Fluidization Research Centre (www.frc.engineering.ubc.ca/).

His current clean energy research has been focused on development of fluidized bed reactors for biomass gasification, torrefaction, and catalytic pyrolysis, life cycle analysis and integrated assessments of bioenergy systems. He has published 400 peer-reviewed papers with an H-Index of 61. He was the recipient of a UBC Killam Senior Research Fellowship (2011), AIChE Particle Technology Forum Lectureship Award (2012), Teaching Excellence Award of UBC Chemical and Biological Engineering Department (2014) and CSChE Industrial Practice Award (2020).

You can view a PDF copy of Dr. Tony Bi’s presentation here.

Posted in Past Events.