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| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Jonathan Humphreys | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Integrated Biorefineries
| Topic 2: Strategic opportunities for decarbonization of the chemicals industry through biocatalysts | Jonathan is an expert in genetic engineering of anaerobic bacteria with a demonstrated track record of successful strain development of both acetogenic bacteria and solventogenic clostridia for novel bioproducts. Alongside strain engineering skills, Jonathan has expertise in anerobic metabolism, especially of acetogenic bacteria that can utilize waste gas. Jonathan also has experience running syngas bioreactor fermentations of anaerobic strains to produce products of interest at laboratory scale. Jonathan has a demonstrated publication record in peer reviewed journals in relevant fields to this project. |
| CO |
| | Pow.Bio | Magdalena K Stoeva | |
Small Business
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Integrated Biorefineries
| 2 | Pow.bio is a precision fermentation foundry specializing in continuous manufacturing and optimization. We also offer traditional batch, fed batch, and process optimization services, and have scaled more than 20 projects from shake flasks/bench scale bioreactors into pilot scale 30-300 L bioreactors across a range of processes and hosts for many different clients.
Pow.bio is an expert in continuous fermentation and has developed a continuous optimization platform that will be used to optimize the conditions for producing partners’ products. Continuous optimization is much more efficient than traditional fed-batch optimization, with increased data density and significantly less tank time. Continuous optimization multiplexes in time, effectively running many experimental conditions in a short amount of time by perturbing the continuous system in steady state and quantifying the changes once the system re-establishes a new steady state (which only takes a few hours compare to fed-batch which takes 2-3 days).
Pow.bio’s continuous platform can also be used for manufacturing and increases volumetric productivity by 2-5x while reducing cost of production by 5-10x. Pow.bio has scaled the platform to pilot scale and has designed the platform to be host and product agnostic having demonstrated increased productivity for several hosts and products ranging from small molecules to proteins. As the cost of goods is a major barrier for the commercialization of many bio-products. Pow.bio continuous fermentation is a revolutionary bio-manufacturing platform to meet BETO’s goal of renewable fuels and formation of a robust bioeconomy in the United States. |
| CA |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Daniel Dupis | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Biomass Processing
| Topic Area 1 | The NREL research gasifier is a large bench-scale gasification system. It includes a 0-3 kg/h loss-in-weight feed hopper, a 4” gasifier capable of reaching 950°C, a char and ash removal, a reformer with 7 kg of a steam-methane reforming/water-gas shift catalyst, a wet scrubber with tailored degrees of CO2 and H2S removal, and a syngas bottling capability to pressurize syngas to 2,000 psig in standard-size DOT compliant gas cylinders. Inlet gases include a customized mix of steam, air, nitrogen, and tracer (argon). Analytical capabilities include a continuous online NDIR/TCD measuring H2, CO, CO2, CH4, and O2 and a GC for detailed analysis of pre- and post-reformed syngas. Our interest lies in Topic Area 1, related to novel technologies and process intensification to make cost-effective SAF since we have the unique capability to generate authentic biomass and MSW-derived syngas for testing these process technologies. We are also open to considering other concepts to utilize this system’s capabilities. |
| CO |
| | Caravel Bio | Trevor Nicks | |
Small Business
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Biomass Processing
| Cell-Free Biocatalysts & Bioprocess Development | Caravel Bio is developing microbial spore-display as a platform for stabilizing and recycling enzymes in cell-free systems. Industrial enzyme immobilization most often uses materials science approaches to stabilize and recycle enzymes. By leveraging genetically-encoded support structures (spores), we are unlocking all the potential of directed evolution, high-throughput selection, and machine learning in the field of enzyme immobilization and cell-free catalysis.
We have demonstrated the utility of spore-display for stabilizing enzymes capable of acting on both monomeric and polymeric substrates. Our expertise is in the synthetic biology of spore-display of enzymes itself. We are interested in research partners that may have complementary experience working with complex enzymatic substrates (lignocellulose), scaled bioprocessing, or other areas of relevant expertise. |
| MA |
| | Velocys | Karl Kharas | |
Small Business
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Integrated Biorefineries
| | Velocys is a sustainable fuels technology company. Velocys licenses an innovative Fischer-Tropsch (FT) technology for producing low carbon, synthetic aviation fuel (SAF) from municipal solid waste, residual woody biomass and other low carbon resources. It is developing SAF projects in the UK (Altalto) and the US (Bayou Fuels). See www.velocys.com for company overview.
Velocys has almost 20 years' experience in the development and implementation of our FT technology, culminating in a biorefinery in Oklahoma USA, backed by a team with decades of previous experience in FT. We have extended our capabilities to the design and optimization of all aspects of biorefineries from renewable feedstock to fuels. Velocys technology has been tested in six demonstration plants including one integrated with a woody biomass gasifier in 2020 in Japan which produced enough SAF for a flight. Velocys developed and commissioned a small commercial facility -- ENVIA Energy's biorefinery in Oklahoma, USA, which converted a mixture of landfill gas and pipeline gas to produce part-renewable waxes, diesel and naphtha. This facility validated Velocys' commercial-scale FT reactor design and demonstrates our expertise in designing, commissioning, and operating such systems. Velocys is currently developing the Altalto biorefinery in Immingham, England to convert municipal solid waste to SAF and the Bayou Fuels biorefinery in Natchez, Mississippi, USA, using woody biomass as the feedstock.
Given this background, Velocys has extensive experience with testing and demonstrating Fischer-Tropsch reactors with synthesis gas derived from gasifiers and deep knowledge of the requirements for reactor systems that convert syngas into fuels and chemicals. Velocys operates a FT technology center near Columbus, Ohio which includes lab-scale testing facilities. In addition, Velocys own an about 1 barrel/day FT demonstration unit which is skid-based and can be operated with a gasification-produced syngas. |
| OH |
| | Princeton University | Jonathan Conway | |
Academic
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Biomass Processing
| Topic Area 2 | The Conway Lab is in the Chemical & Biological Engineering department at Princeton University. Our focus is characterizing and engineering plant-microbe interactions of many types including between the plant microbiome and living plants, and lignocellulosic biomass degraders and dead plant biomass. We are skilled at engineering non-model bacteria including genetic tool development, biochemical characterization, and metabolic engineering. We also have extensive experience characterizing and engineering cellulase and hemicellulase enzymes. Past and ongoing work relevant to this FOA is focused on engineering extremely thermophilic lignocellulosic bacteria, their sugar transporters, and their cellulase and hemicellulase enzymes. |
| NJ |
| | National Energy Technology Laboratory | Pranjali Muley | |
Federal Government
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Biomass Processing
| Syngas Cleanup | NETL's Center for Microwave Chemistry is a state-of-the-art facility that enables opportunities for substantial reductions in carbon emissions through reduced energy requirements, minimal direct emissions, and increased process selectivity. As we explore the unique properties of microwave-assisted catalysis (μWave) process intensification. NETL focusing on gasification, syngas cleanup, tar reforming, ammonia synthesis, hydrogen generation, polymer and plastic conversion, and synthetic fuels conversion.
With respect to the FOA, NETL is looking to collaborate with institutions interested in pursuing this exciting field for their syngas cleanup and conversion applications to enhance syngas quality, reduce emissions, and associated costs. |
| WV |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Jeff Linger | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Biomass Processing
| | Our research group at NREL specializes in engineering diverse non-model microbes, including bacteria, yeast, fungi, and algae, for the production of various biochemical products. Additionally, we have unsurpassed capabilities in fermentation engineering with very challenging systems.
We have extensive experience in utilizing most fractions of diverse waste feedstocks and can ferment at scale, ranging from < 1 L to 150 L. Our team has developed in situ product recovery systems for the recovery of organic acids at both bench and pilot scale and are developing advanced anaerobic digestion methods.
Additionally, we have expertise in catalytic upgrading of biochemical intermediates. We also have extensive experience in technoeconomic and life cycle assessment, ensuring that projects are not only technically sound but also economically feasible.
Our team is always eager to collaborate and believes that our skills and experience can add significant value to any project. |
| CO |
| | Sandia National Laboratories | Hemant Choudhary, Michael Kent, Ryan Davis | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Integrated Biorefineries
| Topic 2: Strategic opportunities for decarbonization of the chemicals industry through biocatalysts | Background
SNL has developed various chemical, biological, and integrated technologies for the manipulation of abundant biopolymers (e.g., lignin) through several stand-alone or collaborative projects including Co-Optima, JBEI, ABF, among others.
Interest
SNL is committed to DOE’s SAF Grand Challenge and Industrial Decarbonization efforts. Accordingly, SNL’s interests towards the realization of sustainable biomanufacturing and bioeconomy includes producing SAF and other chemicals from underutilized natural abundant resources or domestic/agricultural/industrial residues. SNL has developed chemical and biochemical technologies to convert these residues into bioavailable intermediates, and subsequent downstream conversion of these intermediates into platform molecules.
Capabilities
SNL has developed the following lignin conversion technologies that can accelerate the decarbonization of the chemicals industry through biocatalysts, for instance,
1. Enzyme-mediated detoxification of stream obtained after reductive catalytic fraction of lignin into selective bioavailable and industrially-relevant platform molecules/intermediates including vanillin, syringic acid, etc.
2. Mild catalytic conversion of lignin into bioavailable carboxylic acids with carbon numbers in the range 1-4 or in the range 6-9.
3. Conversion of lignin into bioavailable alcohol- and carboxylic acid-containing compounds with carbon numbers >4 using Fenton chemistry.
Additionally, SNL has infrastructure and experts to isolate, purify, as well as characterize lignin degrading enzymes. |
| CA |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Nancy Dowe | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Biomass Processing
| Topic 2: Strategic opportunities for decarbonization of the chemicals industry through biocatalysts | Nancy Dowe
Senior Research Scientist – Biosciences Center, Bioenergy Science and Technology Directorate, NREL
Research Focus
Nancy has over 30 years of experience working with a wide variety of fermentation processes and microorganisms to produce specialty chemicals and fuels. She specializes in using biomass sugars in the processes and scaling fermentations from bench to pilot. Nancy is currently involved with two BETO funded scale-up projects to demonstrate lignocellulosic ethanol to jet fuel and commercial scale production of 2,3-butanediol for low carbon chemicals. Nancy has several projects in the area of power-to-gas to develop biomethanation technology for long-term renewable energy storage and recycling carbon dioxide. One is a BETO-funded scale-up project to bring a pilot-scale biomethanation system to a dairy digester in Maine to produce renewable natural gas from waste carbon dioxide and renewable hydrogen. Nancy was also involved in the first BETO funded validation activities to assess project performance funded under BETO’s Funding Opportunity Announcements (FOAs). Validation of FOAs have become a standard practice for BETO.
Prior to NREL, Nancy worked at Zeagen (formerly Coors Biotech, Inc.) developing fermentation processes to produce specialty chemicals for animal feed; specifically, riboflavin production from yeast, xanthophyll from heterotrophic algae, astaxanthin from yeast, and beta-carotene from fungi. The riboflavin process was at commercial scale and her work focused on down scaling oxygen mass transfer and nutrient optimization. Nancy also spent two years at Colorado State University working in their Bioprocessing Center where she focused on developing mammalian and insect cell culture processes at pilot scale for small start-up companies and university research projects.
Nancy conducts her research in NREL’s bench-scale fermentation laboratory which includes thirty-six 500 mL bench scale fermentors and has access NREL's fermentation pilot plant (100L, 1000L, and 9000L vessels). She is also developing online near-infra red analysis for fermentation process control. Nancy also works at NREL’s Energy Systems and Integration Facility where the 20L mobile pressurized gas bioreactor with water electrolysis and the 700L pressurized gas fermentor with 1MW-scale water electrolysis is located. |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Mark Still | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Integrated Biorefineries
| | Our pilot-scale systems are capable of testing multiple biomass-to-fuels and chemical pathways including gasification, fast pyrolysis, catalytic fast pyrolysis, and vapor phase upgrading. Our systems are flexible, allowing for modifications based on new technologies and research areas.
Davison Circulating Riser
The Vapor Phase Upgrading Lab houses two reactor systems: a fluidized bed reactor for the fast pyrolysis (500°C, 20–45 psig, 1–2 seconds residence time) of biomass and a Davison circulating riser (DCR) for performing vapor phase upgrading reactions of pyrolysis vapors. The scale of operations on the pyrolyzer is nominally 2 kg/hour, with nitrogen employed for fluidization (0.5 biomass:N2). Pyrolysis vapor feed rates up to 1 kg/hour (including nitrogen) to the DCR are typically employed to provide short residence times (~1 second) in the DCR. The DCR (500°C–650°C, 20–45 psig, 1–10 seconds residence time) circulates a 2 kg charge of catalyst through a steam stripper and a regenerator (for coke removal) that allows up to 10 to 12 hours of continuous operation per day. Weight hourly space velocity between 10 (typical for pyrolysis vapors) and >100 (vacuum gas oil) enable a wide range of experimental conditions for catalyst evaluation. The lab also houses a Xytel attrition testing unit (to determine if novel catalysts are suitable for circulation in the DCR), fixed gas detection, and an overhead crane.
There are also several laboratory-scale systems and supporting labs
• Bench-scale Biomass Conversion System – 2 Inch Fluidized Bed Reactor (2FBR)
• Continuous Hydrotreater (CHT)
• Fuel Synthesis Catalysis Lab (FSCL)
• NREL Research Gasifier (NRG)
• Biomass Catalyst Characterization Lab (BCCL)
Catalyst Scale-up Lab (CSUL) |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Mark Still | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
|
Integrated Biorefineries
| | Our pilot-scale systems are capable of testing multiple biomass-to-fuels and chemical pathways including gasification, fast pyrolysis, catalytic fast pyrolysis, and vapor phase upgrading. Our systems are flexible, allowing for modifications based on new technologies and research areas.
Thermal and Catalytic Process Development Unit
The Thermal and Catalytic Process Development Unit (TCPDU) is used to test biomass pyrolysis technologies at the pilot scale. The TCPDU can be configured for fast pyrolysis and catalytic pyrolysis. An entrained flow reactor is used to generate the pyrolysis vapors, cyclones to collect char and ash, and a spray condensation train to collect the final products. A recirculating regenerating reactor can be used to catalytically upgrade the pyrolysis vapors. Online analytical capabilities include molecular beam mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, thermal conductivity detection, and nondispersive infrared. Partners can use the TCPDU to test catalysts or bring in their own unit operations to attach to the TCPDU to test their pyrolysis technologies.
The TCPDU is also used to test biomass gasification technologies at the pilot scale. In the gasification configuration, the TCPDU is comprised of a fluid bed reactor for initial volatilization of biomass, a thermal cracker to complete gasification, cyclones for char and ash collection, and a gas scrubbing system. Three different reforming reactors are available and can be used independently or in parallel: fluid bed, packed bed, and recirculating regenerating reactor. Online analytical capabilities include molecular beam mass spectrometry, gas chromatography, thermal conductivity detection, and nondispersive infrared. Partners can use the TCPDU to test catalysts or bring in their own skid to attach to the TCPDU to test syngas upgrading technologies.
There are also several laboratory-scale systems and supporting labs
• Bench-scale Biomass Conversion System – 2 Inch Fluidized Bed Reactor (2FBR)
• Continuous Hydrotreater (CHT)
• Fuel Synthesis Catalysis Lab (FSCL)
• NREL Research Gasifier (NRG)
• Biomass Catalyst Characterization Lab (BCCL)
Catalyst Scale-up Lab (CSUL) |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Mike Guarnieri | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Biomass Processing
| | NREL’s Pretreatment & Biological Conversion (PBC) Platform has an array of capabilities for available developing, integrating, and scaling biotechnologies to produce sustainable fuels, chemical intermediates, and materials. These processes focus on deconstruction of terrestrial and waste lignocellulosic feedstocks to produce carbohydrate and lignin streams, followed by subsequent transformation via biological and chemical upgrading approaches. In addition to conventional lignocellulosic feedstocks, the Platform has capabilities to develop bioconversion technologies and processing capabilities for a wide range of gaseous and waste substrates.
The PBC Platform has an array of molecular biology capabilities for microbial metabolic engineering, phenotypic and morphological analysis of bacteria, yeast, fungi, and algae, and analysis of cell growth rates and productivity. Analytical equipment in the laboratories includes more than two dozen HPLC for analyzing soluble metabolites. An array of gas chromatographs (GC) with mass spectrometer (MS) detectors are used to characterize volatile analytes and in-line micro-GC capabilities allow for direct analysis of gas consumption and evolution in bioreactors. An array of fermentation capabilities is available, including 0.2-20L bench-scale reactors suitable for both liquid and gaseous substrate fermentation. The Platform also has ready access to pilot-scale facilities for feedstock processing and pretreatment, high solids saccharification, centrifugation, and filtration. Two complete 1-metric ton/day pilot-scale trains are installed to allow for acidic, alkaline, and steam pretreatments and feed directly to a train of four 9,000-liter fermenters with pre-seed and seed fermentation tanks. All fermenters are equipped for control of pH, DO, temperature, foam control, acid and base addition, agitation control, air/inert gas sparge and overlays, and continuous GC-MS head space analysis for both anaerobic and aerobic operation.
The PBC Platform is actively investigating terrestrial and gaseous feedstock characterization, processing, and bioconversion to diverse fuel and chemical intermediates. This includes microbial strain development, C1 gas (electro)bioconversion (e.g., syngas and carbon dioxide fermentation) and production of fuels, biopolymer intermediates, and performance advantaged bioproducts. Downstream product separations and chemical catalytic upgrading is also of interest. |
| CO |
| | Auburn University | Sushil Adhikari | |
Academic
|
Infrastructure
| 1 | Auburn University has invested heavily in bioenergy and bioproducts research infrastructure. These facilities allow our faculty and students to answer critical questions and develop technologies to accelerate deployment of a regional biorefining industry. An initial $6 million infrastructure building phase created bioenergy laboratories in Auburn’s Research Park through renovation of the Forest Products Laboratory. Laboratories focus on biomass fractionation, biomass gasification and gas conditioning, catalytic fuel synthesis, biomass gasification and power generation; and bioproduct analysis. Recent construction resulted in new labs for biomass feedstock processing, biomaterials characterization, and biochemical conversion. These laboratories are housed in the new Center for Advanced Science, Innovation, and Commerce and in the Biological Engineering Research Laboratory. Additional facilities for biomass processing and analysis; biomass pretreatment and biochemical conversion; Fischer-Tropsch conversion, catalyst development, process integration and optimization; and biofuel testing exist in collaborating units that include the Forest Products Development Center, Biosystems Engineering, Chemical Engineering Department, National Center for Asphalt Technology, and USDA Forest Service.
Details on research capabilities can be found at https://eng.auburn.edu/center-for-bioenergy-and-bioproducts/research/research-capabilities.html |
| AL |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Mark Still | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Integrated Biorefineries
| | Experience Summary
Mark has 17 years of engineering experience developing, designing, and operating processes related to advanced materials and alternative fuels. Areas of expertise include process development and scale-up, fluidization, syngas generation, syngas conversion, and pilot operations.
Key Projects
Lead engineer for biofuel synthesis operations during successful demonstration of a DOE sponsored, integrated bio-refinery that produced diesel fuel from wood chips using gasification and Fischer-Tropsch synthesis.
Performed successful R&D of a novel system for Fischer-Tropsch catalyst separation and oversaw design, installation, and implementation of a pilot-scale system.
Provided a process design package for a demonstration scale biomass to liquids plant including gasification, reforming, and fuel synthesis.
Invented, developed, and patented transparent infrared absorbing nanoparticles for use in PET reheat applications.
Employment History
Process Engineer, NREL, 2022-Present
Senior Project Engineer, Hazen Research Inc., 2013-2014 and 2019–2022
Principal Engineer, RES Kaidi, 2015–2019
Research Engineer, Sundrop Fuels Inc., 2014–2015
Lead Process Engineer, Rentech Inc., 2009-2013
Materials Engineer, NanoProducts Corp., 2005-2009
Patents
1. “Catalyst for low temperature slurry bed Fischer-Tropsch synthesis,” U.S. Patent No. 9,669,390 (2017)
2. “Transparent, colorless infrared radiation absorbing compositions comprising nanoparticles,” U.S. Patent No. 8,324,300 (2012) |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | MIn Zhang | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Biomass Processing
| | Design and metabolic engineering microorganisms for conversion of renewable carbon and waste feedstocks for chemicals and SAF production. Efficient biocatalyst development, utilization of lignin cellulosic feedstocks, low carbon intensity processes with low GHG emissions. |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Min Zhang | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Biomass Processing
| | Min is a senior researcher in NREL’s Bioscience Center. She has been leading projects in metabolic engineering of microorganisms (Bacteria and Yeasts) for efficient conversion lignocellulosic biomass sugars to fuels and chemicals. The earlier work in metabolic engineering of pentose metabolism in Zymomonas mobilis under DOE’s Biofuels Program won a 1995 R&D 100 Award (Single Fermenter Cellulosic Biocatalyst) and was published in Science magazine. Min has led several CRADA projects with National Corn Association and National Corn Grower’s Association, Arkenol, DuPont for further development of robust industrial microorganisms for biomass conversion for ethanol production. More recently, she led a project enabling the engineered microorganism to produce chemical at yield, productivity and high titer and currently working with an industry partner to scale up the fermentation process.
NREL has state-of-the-art facilities for research & development. Sufficient laboratory space (approx. 2,000 ft2) is available for metabolic engineering efforts with the cutting-edge equipment for fermentation, molecular biology, and metabolic engineering. The lab houses incubators, incubator shakers, -20 and -86oC freezers, benchtop and large-scale freezing and ultra-speed centrifuges, laminate hoods, heat blocks, water purification dispensing system, DNA and protein electrophoresis and pulse field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) systems, microscope with CCD camera, Gene Pulser electroporator, gel imaging system, UV/Vis spectrophotometers, NanodropTM 2000 spectrophotometer, microplate reader, automated pipetting system, YSI bioanalytical system, Agilent 2100 Bioanalyzer, Bioscreen C growth analyzers, PCR systems, and real-time PCR detection system, flow cytometry and mass spectrometry with fluorescence microscope, fluorescence activated cell sorter (FACS), imaging flow cytometer, as well as mass spectrometer, quadrupole mass spectrometer, and ion trap mass spectrometer. NREL also has a dedicated laboratory for mass spectrometry with GC, HPLC and GC/MS, Quadrupole mass spectrometer, and GCxGC system. NREL has a wide range of fermenters from 250 mL through 10 L including batch, fed-batch, continuous setups and capable conducting liquid and gas fomentation. NREL has pilot-scale capabilities to conduct DMR-EH to produce hydrolysates at 100 L scale.
Design and metabolic engineering microorganisms for conversion of renewable carbon and waste feedstocks for chemicals and SAF |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Calvin Mukarakate | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
|
Integrated Biorefineries
| | Calvin Mukarakate is a Senior Researcher and Manager for the Science of Technology Scale-up Group in the Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale-up Center at NREL. He has extensive experience in catalytic conversion of complex feed streams (biomass, plastics, etc.,) into fuels and high-value chemicals. He has over 70 publications and multiple patents in biomass conversion R&D and is currently a Technical Advisory Committee member for the Thermal and Catalytic Sciences for Biofuels and Biobased Products symposia. He is also an organizer and chair of the Biomass and Biofuel symposia for American Chemical Society’s division of Energy and Fuels. Calvin has a Ph.D. in physical chemistry from Marquette University (Milwaukee Wisconsin) and a BSc Honors degree in mining engineering from the University of Zimbabwe.
Focal areas of interest:
• Strategic opportunities for decarbonization of the chemicals industry through biocatalysts
Relevant capabilities and Interests:
• Catalytic conversion of biomass or biopolymers (e.g., lignin or sugars) to produce renewable chemicals
• Chemical recycling of waste plastics by catalytic conversion into monomers (simple olefins and BTX)
• Partial oxidation of lignin into phenols and acids
• Upcycling waste plastics by partial oxidation into diacids (e.g., phthalic acid, benzoic acid) and anhydrides (e.g., maleic anhydrides and phthalic anhydride)
• Thermal deconstruction of biomass and waste plastics into liquid intermediates for downstream upgrading with biocatalysts, enzymes, etc.
• Principal Investigator for Industry and government funded projects |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Dan Schell | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
|
Integrated Biorefineries
| | Daniel J. Schell is manager of the Technology Scale Up and Piloting Operations Group in the Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale Up Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). He currently manages a multidisciplinary team of engineers and technicians responsible for pilot plant maintenance, upgrades, and operations. Mr. Schell has over 35 years of research experience in bio-based conversion of lignocellulosic biomass and has extensive expertise in integrated biomass biochemical-based conversion operations at the bench and pilot scale. He also manages numerous projects for industrial clients investigating various aspects of lignocellulosic biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals. He received a B.S. degree in Engineering Physics and M.S. degrees in Chemical Engineering and Engineering and Technology Management, both from the Colorado School of Mines.
His research interests include:
• Integrated biomass processing and scale up
• High solids biomass conversion
• Microbial bioconversion process development
• Separation processes
• Techno-economic analysis
• Measurement uncertainty.
One of the Group’s facilities is an integrated 0.5-1.0 tonne/d biochemical-based pilot plant for converting biomass-to-sugars followed by microbial conversion of the sugars to a variety of bioproducts or intermediate chemicals (https://www.nrel.gov/bioenergy/ibrf.html). In this facility, NREL engineers and scientists focus on all aspects of the efficiency and cost reduction for biochemical conversion processes to produce renewable fuels and biochemicals. Our focus is to understand the key process interactions affecting conversion of lignocellulosic biomass at industrially relevant process conditions to promote commercialization of this technology.
The facility can receive and store lignocellulosic biomass in supersacks (~ 1 m3) or 55-gal drums with a storage capacity of about 5,000 dry kg. Raw biomass is processed to sugars using pretreatment technologies and enzymatic hydrolysis. The sugars are converted to a variety of products using GRAS and engineered microorganisms. The pilot plant houses the following unit operations, feed milling and conveying, pretreatment (any aqueous phase-based process at 20 to 40 dry kg/h), high-solids enzymatic hydrolysis (4,000-L reactors), solids removal and sugar stream clarification by cross flow filtration, and sugar conversion in assorted bioreactor systems (two 160-L, two 1,500-L, and four 9,000-L units). The unit op |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Fredrick Baddour | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
|
Biomass Processing
| | Frederick Baddour is a senior scientist in the Catalytic Carbon Transformation and Scale-up Center at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL). Dr. Baddour has over 10 years of experience in inorganic synthesis, surface chemistry manipulation, and the design, synthesis, and characterization of nanomaterials. In his tenure at NREL, Frederick has focused on the design and technology maturation of catalysts for biomass upgrading, electrochemical/thermochemical CO2 utilization, and syngas conversion. Frederick designed and operates the catalyst manufacturing laboratory at NREL that focuses on the translation of high-performance laboratory-developed catalysts to industrially relevant formed materials. NREL’s Catalyst Scale-up Laboratory can be utilized to manufacture and modify engineered catalysts for evaluation at scales spanning grams to kilograms, and has a suite of equipment for wet and dry mixing (e.g., orbital mixers, high intensity/shear mixers), wet impregnation (e.g., 1g – 10 kg rotary drums, solution nebulizers), catalyst carrier extrusion (e.g., 1” single screw extruder > 5 kg/h with customizable die configurations), and thermal treatments (e.g., high volume muffle furnaces, drying ovens, and a semi-continuous rotary calcination furnace with inert or reactive gas atmosphere capabilities). This catalyst manufacturing capability is closely coupled with CatCost, a tool Dr. Baddour developed to estimate the cost of manufacturing pre-commercial catalysts, to ensure cost effective operation, utilization of industry-standard unit operations, and support scale-up decision making. In addition, Frederick has comprehensive experience with materials characterization with in situ and ex situ capabilities that span a range of physical and chemical techniques. Most pertinent to the catalyst synthesis and characterization effort are an X-ray diffraction for structural analysis, and vibrational spectroscopies to identify both catalyst structural features and surface intermediates.
Keywords: Catalytic Syngas Conversion; catalyst synthesis; catalyst testing; catalyst manufacturing; catalyst characterization; X-ray diffraction; IR spectroscopy; UV-vis spectroscopy; solid-state NMR; catalyst tableting; catalyst extrusion; wet impregnation; cost analysis; electron microscopy; Raman spectroscopy; thermal processing; |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Mike Resch | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
|
Integrated Biorefineries
| Topic 2: Strategic opportunities for decarbonization of the chemicals industry through biocatalysts | Our CO2 Reduction and Upgrading lab has capabilities to convert CO2 into fuels and chemicals via electrolysis and gas fermentation. CO2 electrolysis capabilities include equipment to run from scales 5 cm2 to 5 cell stacks of 1000 cm2 systems capable of converting ml to 30 L/min of CO2 for 100s of hours. The electrolyzer stacks are configured to integrate with a 1000L ethanol fermentation take to demonstrate the utilization of biorefinery CO2. On-stream GC and HPLC analysis provide us with 100% carbon mass balance. We can also test typical flue gas contaminants such as volatile organic and sulfur containing species. We also have advanced imaging capabilities to analyze electrode assemblies pre- and post-tests. Our gas fermentation capabilities range from the 5mL serum vials to 5L CSTR reactors and can be run in batch mode or in constant feed configuration. Our system has been designed to feed mixtures of formate, CO, CO2, H2 and other carrier gases, these systems are also integrated with a micro GC to measure 100% carbon mass balance. We also employ state of the art molecular biology tools for omics analysis and metabolic engineering in anerobic and aerobic microbes. |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Daniel Ruddy | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Biomass Processing
| | Dr. Daniel Ruddy is a senior scientist at the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) in Golden, Colorado. He is Deputy Director for EERE/BETO-funded Chemical Catalysis for Bioenergy Consortium, and also serves as the business development lead for NREL’s carbon management program. Dan received his bachelor of science degree in chemistry from Lafayette College in 2003 and his doctorate in chemistry from the University of California, Berkeley in 2008. He is the principal investigator for NREL research projects focusing on the catalytic conversion of syngas, methanol, and carbon dioxide to fuels and chemicals.
Interests and capabilities: Integrating the synthesis, characterization, and performance testing of novel catalytic materials to enable advanced renewable fuels production through novel process chemistry. Areas of expertise include:
• Inorganic molecular and materials synthesis and characterization
• Molecular precursor approaches to nano- and meso-scale materials
• Compositional and morphological control of materials
• Surface chemistry
• Catalysis science
o Heterogeneous catalyst design, synthesis, and characterization
o Zeolite synthesis and modification
• Thermocatalysis, electrocatalysis and photocatalysis
• In-situ and operando characterization techniques |
| CO |
| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Tao Dong | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Sustainability
| | NREL has invented fully biobased non-isocyanate polyurethane technology (NIPU), which utilizes biobased fatty acid and amino acid monomers to replace traditional polyurethane products across a range of applications. This cutting-edge approach is capable of using CO2 as a feedstock, which helps to sequester additional CO2 into the final NIPU products. The CO2 used can be sourced from flue gas, syngas, or fermentative offgas.
We have established a strong understanding of the relationship between NIPU structure and performance. Our team has also successfully patented NIPU polymers that demonstrate comparable performance to conventional incumbents. Our patent portfolio covers novel production methods for monomers, polymers, and associated processing techniques. Our NIPU invention was awarded R&D 100 as a market disruptor in 2020. We are now seeking partnerships with industrial players across various market sectors to advance the technology for commercialization.
Our capabilities range from developing and producing monomers for formulation and testing on a gram to 10-kilogram scale for prototyping purposes. We are excited to explore new avenues for collaboration and application with potential partners. |
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| | The National Renewable Energy Laboratory | Gregg Beckham | |
Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC)
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Biomass Processing
| Topic 2: Strategic opportunities for decarbonization of the chemicals industry through biocatalysts | For the development of biocatalysts relevant to lignin valorization, NREL has pioneered the concept of “biological funneling”, wherein an aromatic-catabolic microbe is able to convert a mixture of bio-available aromatic compounds into a single, target product (1-3). We primarily use Pseudomonas putida KT2440 as a biocatalyst. In terms of metabolic engineering, we have worked to “expand the funnel” of aromatic compounds that are bio-available (4), to overcome bottlenecks (5), and to improve the toxicity tolerance of P. putida to substrates, intermediates, products, and supplementary carbon sources using tools such as randomly barcoded transposon insertion sequencing (RB-TnSeq). In parallel, we have developed multiple bioprocess innovations that have been able to achieve the highest titers and rates accessible from lignin-derived aromatic compounds presented to date, up to 24 g/L and 0.66 g/L/hr of muconic acid (6).
In parallel, NREL researchers have developed strategies for the oxidative depolymerization of lignin to cleave recalcitrant carbon–carbon bonds, which has enabled a much higher yield of bio-available aromatic compounds, which has been enabled through autoxidation catalysis (7,8). We have developed counter-current chromatography methods (9) and membrane-based methods (10) to separate oligomers of lignin (which are not typically readily bio-available) from aromatic monomers.
Related to lignin analytics, which is a major challenge in biorefining, NREL has a comprehensive analytical characterization facility to characterize lignin in polymeric, oligomeric, and monomeric forms through NMR spectroscopy, LC/MS-MS, GC/FID-MS, and other methods. We can also provide bespoke model compound syntheses to study isolated compounds.
Lastly, NREL has core capabilities in techno-economic analysis and life cycle assessment that are critical for lignin valorization studies (11 ,12).
References:
1. JG Linger et al., PNAS 2014
2. GT Beckham et al. Curr. Opin. Biotech. 2016
3. CW Johnson et al. Joule 2019
4. S Notonier et al. Metabolic Eng. 2021
5. E Kuatsjah et al. Metabolic Eng. 2022
6. AZ Werner et al. in preparation
7. KP Sullivan et al., Science 2022
8. NX Gu et al., in review
9. H Choi et al., Sep. Pur. Technol. 2021
10. PO Saboe et al., Green Chem. 2022
11. A Corona et al., Green Chem. 2018
12. R Davis et al., NREL Design Report 2013, 2018 |
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| | University of North Dakota Energy & Environmental Research Center (UNDEERC) | Dr. Michael Swanson | |
Academic
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Biomass Processing
| Biomass gasiifcation with syngas cleanup | The University of North Dakota (UND) Energy & Environmental Research Center (EERC) has over a 60-year history of working on gasification and support technologies. The EERC maintains numerous in-house demonstration facilities capable of gasifying coal, biomass, and other solid or liquid feedstocks designed to support this wide range of fuels and operating conditions while being highly reconfigurable. The EERC, a research facility that operates as a business unit of UND, employs a multidisciplinary staff of more than 280 and has 254,000 square feet of state-of-the-art laboratories, technology demonstration facilities, and offices. EERC capabilities include biomass feedstock processing, direct gasification, both hot- and cold-syngas cleanup, syngas conversion to hydrogen, Fischer–Tropsch liquids, ethanol/methanol, renewable natural gas, and combined heat and power. The EERC also can conduct precombustion capture technology demonstrations and fuel cell testing, with advanced analytical capabilities. Gasification technologies on-site include fluid-bed, downdraft fixed (moving)-bed, and entrained-flow gasification systems. Gasification systems range in scale from 8 to about 500 pounds per hour throughput. Operating pressures range from near ambient for downdraft gasification to 1000 psig for a small integrated fluid-bed system, 150 psig for larger pilot-scale fluid-bed gasifiers, and 300 psig for entrained-flow gasification. Relevant gas cleanup capabilities include bench-scale hot-gas candle filters for particulate removal, warm- and cold-gas cleanup trains, fixed-bed reactor/sorbent contactors, a gas-sweetening absorption system (GSAS), fixed- and circulating-bed sulfur reactor gas cleanup, water–gas shift (WGS) catalyst test vessels (including sour, high-temperature, and low-temperature), regenerable sulfur sorbents, nonregenerable guard-bed sorbents, trace metal sorbents, and tar-cracking catalysts. Previously tested biomass feedstocks include wood, corn stover, switchgrass, municipal solid waste (MSW), railroad ties, construction and demolition debris, turkey litter, algae, and aquatic plants. Custom versatile feeding equipment has been developed for reliably feeding various low-density, fibrous biomass feedstocks to these pressurized gasification systems. Dr. Michael Swanson has participated in over 100 gasification/syngas cleanup projects over 31 years, including nine projects feeding or cofeeding biomass to gasifiers. |
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