Renewable Alkanes by Aqueous-Phase Reforming of Biomass-Derived Oxygenates

摘要

Research is being conducted world-wide to develop new technologies for the generation of energy from renewable resources. In this respect, it has recently been stated that "biomass is the only practical source of renewable liquid fuel". Current technologies to produce liquid fuels from biomass are typically multistep and energy-intensive processes, including the production of ethanol by fermentation of biomass derived glucose, bio-oils by pyrolysis or high pressure liquefaction of biomass, polyols from hydro-genolysis of biomass derived sorbitol, and biodiesel from vegetable oils.M Biomass can also be gasified to produce CO and H_2 (synthesis gas), which can be further processed to produce methanol or liquid alkanes by Fischer-Tropsch synthesis. In addition, liquid hydrocarbons can be formed from biomass-derived carbohydrates over zeolite catalysts at temperatures from 570 to 920 K, accompanied by formation of carbonaceous residues on the catalyst.