Kinetic and Reactor Models for Sugar-to-Glycol Conversion

The sustainable use of forest- and agriculture-based resources to produce clean fuels and value-added chemicals is an opportunity to reduce greenhouse gas emissions generated by non-renewable fossil fuels. Glycol, a valuable industrial chemical, can be derived from sugars that originate from agricultural and forest waste and byproducts using a catalytic process. S2G Biochem, located in Vancouver, is working to develop and demonstrate technology to convert sugars and polyols to glycols. This study is intended to simulate an existing pilot plant unit facility in S2G Biochem using computational methods and then utilize the results to improve the design and performance of a commercial-scale unit.

Faculty Supervisor:

Kevin Smith

Student:

Rahman Gholami Shahrestani

Partner:

S2G BioChem

Discipline:

Engineering - chemical / biological

Sector:

Natural resources

University:

University of British Columbia