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a. Selective Catalytic Conversion of Fossil Feedstocks—Grant applications are sought to develop new homogeneous and heterogeneous catalysts and catalytic approaches for the efficient industrial conversion of raw paraffins (and napthenes) to commodity fuel and oxygenated products. Approaches of interest are limited to (1) the selective catalytic conversion of hydrocarbons available from petroleum and coal (or the Fischer-Troepsch wax or oil available from coal gasified in air or oxygen enriched air) to fuel hydrocarbons, and (2) the selective direct catalytic conversion of methane, ethane, propane, butanes, and hydrocarbons available from the naphtha fraction of petroleum to commodity oxygenated compounds using air as the oxidant. These catalytic conversions are the most important commercial industrial processes involving hydrocarbons, and include the most energy intensive processes of all industrial processes. Grant applications should identify the barriers to efficient conversion that will be overcome by the proposed research. It is expected that these barriers can be addressed only though innovation research at the fundamental level of chemical catalysis. As such, there may a long time horizon before discoveries will lead to commercially viable technology. Therefore, it is likewise expected that significant industrial interest will be required to continue the development of the catalytic approach to commercial application in US-based chemical and petroleum processing. Grant applications that seek to develop of new catalysts only, outside of the context of hydrocarbon conversion to commodity fuel and oxygenated chemical products, are not of interest and will be declined.
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contact Charles Russomanno (Charles.Russomanno@ee.doe.gov)
b. Biomass Deconstruction and Catalytic Conversion to Fuels—The efficient conversion of lignocelluloses – as available from dried grasses, wood, vegetable residual, etc. – to commodity fuel products represents one of the most formidable technical challenges of the decade. At the present time, all industrial processes for the conversion of such “biomass” starting material to any liquid fuel involves the expenditure of considerably more energy (in one form or another) than is available in the final fuel product. In fact, the most efficient currently-available conversion methods consume multiples of the energy available in the final fuel product. Therefore, grant applications are sought for new catalytic approaches to overcome the fundamental barriers to the efficient conversion of lignocellulose to fuel. Catalytic approaches of interest (1) may be homogeneous, heterogeneous, enzymatic, or any combination of these; (2) may involve only one significant step in the overall conversion process, provided that the step is known to involve a fundamental kinetic barrier to conversion; and (3) may not be a commercially viable product or process itself, provided that the innovation, in conjunction with other viable technology, would make a significant contribution to the economically viable commercial conversion of lignocellulose to liquid fuel products. Ultimately, the result of the research should be a product or process that would attract significant industrial interest and involvement to carry the innovation to commercialization. Because numerous catalytic approaches are currently under consideration, applicants must demonstrate knowledge of the current state of the art, in order to propose a new, significant, and potentially commercially viable innovation catalytic approach for lignocellulose conversion to a liquid fuel product.
Questions –
contact Charles Russomanno (Charles.Russomanno@ee.doe.gov)
c. Photo- and Electro-Driven Conversion of Carbon Dioxide and Water—The (Gibbs) standard free energy of formation of carbon dioxide and water from the elements in their standard states involve substantial quantities of energy. Consequently, the conversion of carbon dioxide and water to chemical products also will be energy intensive. Accordingly, to approach anything resembling a commercially-viable chemical process, a process must involve the most efficient conversion steps possible. These conversions are catalytic in nature, and the directed photo- or electro-catalyses of carbon dioxide and water to an end product with commercial value are known (at least in theory) to be specific and active enough to approach a commercially viable chemical conversion process. This solicitation seeks innovative photo- or electro-catalytic approaches for the conversion that will lead (in conjunction with other viable processing steps) to commercial electro- or photo-chemical conversions of carbon dioxide and water to ANY final product with more value than the starting materials. Approaches of interest may involve only one step of the conversion, provided that the step is a known barrier to the overall conversion process. Because it is recognized that the research solicited will be part of a long-term effort, grant applications must demonstrate an understanding that the development of commercially viable products or processes will require private investment to bring the innovation to the market.
Questions –
contact Charles Russomanno (Charles.Russomanno@ee.doe.gov)
References:
1. Basic
Research Needs: Catalysis For Energy, Report from the U.S. Department of Energy
Basic Energy Sciences Workshop, August 6-8, 2007, http://www.sc.doe.gov/bes/reports/list.html
2. Sustainability
in the Chemical Industry, Grand Challenges and Research Needs, 2005, National
Research Council, http://books.nap.edu/openbook.php?isbn=0309095719
3. Biomass
Multi-Year Program Plan, March, 2008, Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable