Content
- Current fuels landscape / state of art: fuels today (liquid, solid, gaseous, applications, sustainability, fuel properties/standards, emissions), oil refinery vs. biofuels production.
- Introduction to biofuels: common types of biofuels, sustainability and environmental benefits, applications, biofuel properties.
- Biomass chemistry: Components of biomass (lignocellulose, fats and lipids, sugars), key reactions, chemistry of biomass conversion and catalysis.
- Biofuel processes: general overview of production processes, platform chemicals derived from biomass and their transformation into fuels and products.
- Biomass monomer production and pre-treatment: methods, sugar conversion to ethanol, non-sugar monomers derived from lignin and conversion to products, triglyceride upgrading (FAME, HDO). Processes, product properties and applications.
- Gasification: Fundamentals of gasification process (chemistry, reaction pathways), types of reactors, gas conditioning processes and products.
- Production and applications of Synthesis gas/Syngas: Core reactions and pathways for syngas generation, hydrogen production and its significance, methanol process, Fisher-Tropsch synthesis (reactions and products, catalysts, reactors).
- Bio-oils production and upgrading: introduction to biomass pyrolysis and liquefaction, typical products and their properties, reactors and processes, upgrading of bio-oil (hydrotreating and other techniques).
Learning objectives
The student has a comprehensive understanding of common biofuels and applications. The student can describe the chemical structure of biomass, its functional groups and the most typical reactions involved in the production of biofuels. The student understands the significance of current fossil fuel-based fuel and chemical production, as well as process steps and unit operations of the most common processes. The student is capable of outlining the most common methods and processes for biofuel production, highlighting their fundamental differences. The student can identify various renewable raw materials suitable for fuel production, describe their applications, and explain how their properties can be modified to better meet specific end-use requirements. The student possess a general understanding of the properties of various biofuels, their most suitable applications, and their future potential.
Prerequisites
Basic knowledge of chemistry and chemical reactions.
Teaching methods
The course in Moodle is conducted in English and can be completed independently within the course period, without being tied to a specific time or place. The course consists of materials shared in Moodle (articles, lecture slides, recorded lectures, and other online resources), Moodle assignments, and exercises. All materials, as well as the assignments and exercises to be assessed, are completed and submitted in the Moodle workspace.
Learning material and recommended literature
All course-related materials will be distributed via the Moodle workspace.
Evaluation criteria
The final grade is based on the points obtained from exercises and assignments:
- Grade 1: 50-59 points
- Grade 2: 60-69 points
- Grade 3: 70-79 points
- Grade 4: 80-89 points
- Grade 5: 90-100 points
Opettaja/Yhteyshenkilö
Esa Toukoniitty
