Biodiesel RFP Announcement
 A continuous flow microchannel reactor for the production of biodiesel has been designed, fabricated, and demonstrated at Oregon State University (OSU). Since releasing this news in February of 2006, we have had an incredible amount of interest from individuals and companies working towards the commercialization of biodiesel in a multitude of markets. We have been working diligently to define our needs, as well as meeting with those who seemed to have the best fit with those needs for successful commercialization of this technology.
OSU is now at a point where we need to make a decision on choosing the best partner(s) and therefore has developed a Request for Business Proposals to help with this tough decision. The document attempts to answer many questions by providing details on the technology, the need, and the desired outcome and process we will use to make the right choice(s). If you or your company has an interest in helping this technology become a success, we highly encourage you to review and submit a proposal.
Contact: Brian Wall, OSU Technology Transfer,brian.wall@oregonstate.edu, 1-541-737-9058, http://oregonstate.edu/research/technology/index.htm
OVERVIEW:
As part of the Energy Systems Research Cluster within the College of Engineering at Oregon State University, faculty, students, and industry partners are at the cutting edge of research aimed at improving biodiesel production. The ultimate goal is to help the nation and the world attain energy independence through distributed production of this “green” fuel.
OSU chemical engineering professor Goran Jovanovic has developed a working laboratory model of a tiny chemical reactor for manufacturing biodiesel that is efficient, fast, and portable. In the future, this device could enable farmers to produce a cleaner-burning diesel substitute on their farms using seed crops they grow on their own land.
Because this breakthrough technology has gained international media attention, we’ve designed this website to help you learn more about the technology under development here at Oregon State University, about biodiesel production in general, and how you can get involved in our exciting research.
BACKGROUND:
Current biodiesel production methods involve dissolving a catalyst in alcohol, then agitating the alcohol mixture with vegetable oil in large vats for several hours. The liquid then must sit even longer while a slow separation process occurs, creating biodiesel and glycerin products. This glycerin can be used to make soaps, but first the catalyst in it must be neutralized and removed using a tedious and costly separation process.
The microreactor developed at Oregon State eliminates the mixing, the standing time for separation and potentially the need for a dissolved catalyst.
THE TECHNOLOGY:
The credit card-sized microreactor, which is being developed in association with the Oregon Nanoscience and Microtechnologies Institute (ONAMI), consists of a series of parallel channels, each approximately the size of a human hair, through which vegetable oil and alcohol are pumped simultaneously. At such a small scale the chemical reaction process that converts the oil into biodiesel is very fast.
Although the amount of biodiesel produced from a single microreactor is a trickle, the reactors can be connected and stacked in banks to dramatically increase production. Using microreactors, biodiesel could be produced between 10 and 100 times faster than traditional methods.
CURRENT RESEARCH STATUS:
Jovanovic and colleagues are currently considering methods for coating the microchannels of the reactor with a non-toxic solid catalyst. This would eliminate the need for adding the liquid catalyst and then removing it, making the production process even more simple, which is a key to widespread use. OSU is looking for partners to fund this area of the research.
Research Partnerships:
Oregon State University is looking to partner with a new or existing company in order to commercialize this technology through the Microproducts Breakthrough Institute at ONAMI, Oregon's signature research center focused on growing research and commercialization to accelerate innovation-based economic development.
If you are have a serious interest in helping take this technology to the next level, please contact Brian Wall in the OSU Office of Technology Transfer at brian.wall@oregonstate.edu
Phone: 1-541-737-9058 |
