Date & Time: Feb. 5, 2024
 

Commentary: Yukihiko MATSUMURA
Professor, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University

Lecture: Ken FURUTA LIU
B4, School of Engineering, Hiroshima University
“ZnO catalyst supported on carbon nanotube for biodiesel production”

Conventional biodiesel synthesis involves the reaction of methanol and oil using a basic homogeneous catalyst, which causes various troubles including wastewater treatment and soap production. To circumvent these problems, supercritical methanol was employed to achieve transesterification without catalysts. However, its high temperature and pressure resulted in expensive reactors. To solve this problem, the use of heterogeneous catalysts under supercritical methanol conditions has been investigated. In this study, we developed a zinc oxide catalyst supported on a carbon nanotube so that the reactor can be smaller and its cost can be cheaper. Canola oil was used as feedstock, and a stainless-steel continuous reactor was employed. Catalyst characteristics were determined experimentally.

Lecture: Mizuki KODAMA
B4, School of Engineering, Hiroshima University
“Enhancing Glucose Gasification Efficiency with Ru/CNT Catalyst in Supercritical Water”

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) is a promising technology for efficiently converting biomass into useful gases. In our previous study, a catalyst consisting of 0.5 wt% Ru supported on CNTs performed well, achieved complete gasification under 25 MPa and at 600℃. Liquid and gas products were analyzed by total organic carbon (TOC) and gas chromatography (GC), respectively. A model equation for the first -order kinetic reaction was established for the reactions occurring in the entire system, and the reaction characteristics were clarified.

Lecture: Mohammed Ahmed Mohammed ALI
D3, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University
“Carbon nanotube as support for the catalyst in supercritical water gasification”

Biomass gasification transforms wood, farm leftovers, or city waste into syngas, a mix of carbon monoxide, hydrogen, and methane. This process, particularly with supercritical water gasification (SCWG), proves efficient for wet biomass, eliminating the need for pre-drying. Carbon nanotubes (CNT) show promise as catalyst supports in SCWG due to their structure. A study explored Ru/CNT catalyst for SCWG, finding it achieved complete gasification of glucose, a model biomass compound. The slow CNT reaction allowed Ru nanoparticles to remain stable, supporting continuous gasification. The study also investigated homogeneous and heterogeneous reactions, revealing higher rates at 600 °C. Even short residence times achieved complete gasification at this temperature.

Chair: Yukihiko MATSUMURA Professor, Graduate School of Advanced Science and Engineering, Hiroshima University