Advances in Hydrotreating for Integrated Biofuel Production

Advances in Hydrotreating for Integrated Biofuel Production covers the recent advances in the upgrading of biomass-obtained products into liquid fuels (also known as biofuels) by hydrotreating processes. By including introductory information, the book covers in detail the identification of hydrotreating processes such as thermocatalytic reactions in the presence of heterogeneous catalysts and hydrogen. Required materials for the development of the process are investigated with consideration of the characteristics of biomass, bio-oil production, upgrading alternatives, hydrotreating alternatives, hydrotreating of different biomass-based materials, hydrodeoxygenation of separated bio-oil compounds, classification of the hydrotreating catalysts, life cycle assessment, and hydrogen production routes. Information regarding the further development of the process is collected to encourage further progress toward a scalable process for biofuel production and the development of a large-scale hydrotreating strategy.

• Includes detailed descriptions of hydrotreating catalysts
• Discusses the technical requirements for developing hydrotreating process
• Illustrates the necessity and importance of biomass resources

Prof. Mohammad Reza Rahimpour is a professor in Chemical Engineering at Shiraz University, Iran. He received his Ph.D. in Chemical Engineering from Shiraz University joint with University of Sydney, Australia 1988. He started his independent career as Assistant Professor in September 1998 at Shiraz University. Prof. M.R. Rahimpour, was a Research Associate at University of California, Davis from 2012 till 2017. During his stay in University of California, he developed different reaction networks and catalytic processes such as thermal and plasma reactors for upgrading of lignin bio-oil to biofuel with collaboration of UCDAVIS. He has been a Chair of Department of Chemical Engineering at Shiraz University from 2005 till 2009 and from 2015 till 2020. Prof. M.R. Rahimpour leads a research group in fuel processing technology focused on the catalytic conversion of fossil fuels such as natural gas, and renewable fuels such as bio-oils derived from lignin to valuable energy sources. He provides young distinguished scholars with perfect educational opportunities in both experimental methods and theoretical tools in developing countries to investigate in-depth research in the various field of chemical engineering including carbon capture, chemical looping, membrane separation, storage and utilization technologies, novel technologies for natural gas conversion and improving the energy efficiency in the production and use of natural gas industries.

Ali Bakhtyari has a Ph.D. in chemical engineering and currently works as a research associate at Shiraz University. His MSc degree was in advanced chemical engineering and the thesis was on adsorptive gas separation. During his Ph.D. career, he published numerous papers and book chapters on different aspects of chemical reaction engineering. The publications cover numerical simulations, catalyst synthesis and characterization, and multifunctional reactors. Simulation, modification, and enhancement of the chemical reactors related to the production of energy carriers such as methanol, dimethyl ether, and hydrogen are of his expertise. Then, his Ph.D. dissertation was on the catalytic hydrotreatment and upgrading of biomass-derived compounds to fuel-grade products and chemicals. Both experimental and theoretical investigations of the conventional and bio-based energy sources are the current and future standpoints of his research career. However, his research activities in the phase equilibria have extended his research area up to biorefinery. Thermodynamic modeling of physical properties and phase equilibria are of his research interests. He has had hitherto contributions in a large number of scientific publications in the aforementioned subjects.

Dr. Mohammad Amin Makarem is a research associate at Taylor's University, Malaysia. He former worked at Shiraz University. His research interests are gas separation and purification, nanofluids, microfluidics, catalyst synthesis, reactor design and green energy. In gas separation, his focus is on experimental and theoretical investigation and optimization of pressure swing adsorption process, and in the gas purification field, he is working on novel technologies such as microchannels. Recently, he has investigated methods of synthesizing bio-template nanomaterials and catalysts. Besides, he has collaborated in writing and editing various books and book-chapters for famous publishers such as Elsevier, Springer and Wiley, as well as guest editing journals special issues.