Réseau MRQ – 20 minutes de science avec Yira Hurtado (LTB)
Ne ratez pas les 20 minutes de science de Yira Hurtado, le jeudi 30 septembre, de 10h à 11h!
La présentation sera en anglais.
Son expérience de recherche est liée à la synthèse, la caractérisation et l’utilisation de nanoparticules pour des applications dans l’industrie du pétrole et du gaz, en mettant l’accent sur les techniques de récupération améliorée du pétrole. Elle poursuit actuellement ses études doctorales en génie chimique à l’Université de Sherbrooke et est membre du Laboratoire des Technologies de la Biomasse (LTB). Dans le cadre de ses travaux de recherche, elle se concentre sur l’obtention de carburants liquides à partir de la biomasse.
Résumé (en anglais)
Biomass to liquid biofuels through Fischer-Tropsch (FT) synthesis.
CO2 emissions have a severe impact on climate change, and the transport sector accounted for almost one-third of total emissions in 2018. It is the most important source of emissions in Quebec while being the second at the Canadian level. So, reducing the carbon intensity of the transport industry and making mobility more sustainable is a worthwhile effort. Synthetic fuels with carbon-neutral emissions are an alternative that could speed up the energy transition, especially if synthetic fuels do not come from fossil energy sources. Gasification of biomass produces synthesis gas (syngas), a mixture of hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Syngas is considered a chemical building block that can be transformed into many things such as methanol, hydrogen, ammonia, and synthetic fuels through Fisher Tropsch synthesis (FTS).
A present, the high costs associated with producing synthetic fuel prevents its widespread manufacturing. Consequently, finding a manufacturing process that allows the production of synthetic fuels without high expenses and using biogenic precursors would mean that combustion engines could become neutral in their carbon emissions. Hence, the main objective of my research is to improve the manufacturing process of synthetic fuels through FTS using a structural catalyst that will enhance temperature control in the process and allows the use of more compact reactors, reducing costs associated with production.
My research is under the umbrella of the Ceresis project, a project funded in Europe by the Horizon 2020 call, the New Frontiers in Research Fund program in Canada, and the FRQNT in Quebec. This call aims to reduce greenhouse gases and replace some of the fossil fuels used massively in Europe, Canada, and Quebec. Within the project, my role is the production of synthetic fuels from syngas obtained from biomass gasification. Our partners will use the latter for the phytoremediation of sites contaminated by industrial, agricultural, or military use in Europe and Brazil.
Curieux et curieuse d’en savoir plus ?
Code secret : 069124
Le Laboratoire des technologies de la biomasse offre un guichet unique en matière de recherche et développement dans le domaine de la valorisation des différentes sources de carbone résiduel et également dans le monde alimentaire.