Catalysis For Alternative Energy Generation

The increase of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere and the decrease of the available amount of fossil fuels necessitate finding new alternative and sustainable energy sources in the near future. This book summarizes the role and the possibilities of catalysis in the production of new energy carriers and in the utilization of different energy sources. The main goal of this work is to go beyond those results discussed in recent literature by identifying new developments that may lead to breakthroughs in the production of alternative energy. The book discusses the use of biomass or biomass derived materials as energy sources, hydrogen formation in methanol and ethanol reforming, biodiesel production, and the utilization of biogases. Separate sections also deal with fuel cells, photocatalysis, and solar cells, which are all promising processes for energy production that depend heavily on catalysts.

With its focus on catalysis and addressing two very hot and timely topics with significant implications for our future lives, this will be a white book in the field. The authority behind this practical work is the IDECAT Network of Excellence, and the authors here outline how the use of catalysis will promote the more extensive use of renewable feedstocks in chemical and energy production. They present the latest applications, their applicability and results, making this a ready reference for researchers and engineers working in catalysis, chemistry, and industrial processes wishing to analyze options, outlooks and opportunities in the field.

In recent years, the replacement of non-renewable crude oil by renewable sources has been addressed, particularly in developed countries. Its main driving force has been the increasing demand and limited reserves of fossil fuels, the greenhouse gas effect, and the need of securing energy supplies. Advanced Solid Catalysts for Renewable Energy Production provides emerging research on renewable energy production, catalysts, and environmental effects of increased productivity. While highlighting the challenges for future generations to develop in the sustainable energy age, readers will learn the importance of new approaches not only for synthesizing more active and selective (nano)catalysts, but also, for designing innovative catalytic processes that can eventually meet the growing energy efficiency demand and overcome the environmental issues. This book is an important resource for academicians, university researchers, technology developers, and graduate level students.

This first book to focus on the topic serves as a basis for defining a roadmap for the role of catalysis in energy production. As such, this ready reference for researchers and engineers covers all the hot topics from a broad perspective -- fuel cells, hydrogen production and storage, methane storage and industrial catalysis. With its analysis of new directions and opportunities in the area and its integration of industrial, governmental and academic points of view, this is a real must-have for everyone interested in "greener" energy production.

This book is part of a two-volume work that offers a unique blend of information on realistic evaluations of catalyst-based synthesis processes using green chemistry principles and the environmental sustainability applications of such processes for biomass conversion, refining, and petrochemical production. The volumes provide a comprehensive resource of state-of-the-art technologies and green chemistry methodologies from researchers, academics, and chemical and manufacturing industrial scientists. The work will be of interest to professors, researchers, and practitioners in clean energy catalysis, green chemistry, chemical engineering and manufacturing, and environmental sustainability. This volume focuses on the potentials, recent advances, and future prospects of catalysis for biomass conversion and value-added chemicals production via green catalytic routes. Readers are presented with a mechanistic framework assessing the development of product selective catalytic processes for biomass and biomass-derived feedstock conversion. The book offers a unique combination of contributions from experts working on both lab-scale and industrial catalytic processes and provides insight into the use of various catalytic materials (e.g., mineral acids, heteropolyacid, metal catalysts, zeolites, metal oxides) for clean energy production and environmental sustainability.

Heterogeneous catalysis plays a central role in the global energy paradigm, with practically all energy-related process relying on a catalyst at a certain point. The application of heterogeneous catalysts will be of paramount importance to achieve the transition towards low carbon and sustainable societies. This book provides an overview of the design, limitations and challenges of heterogeneous catalysts for energy applications. In an attempt to cover a broad spectrum of scenarios, the book considers traditional processes linked to fossil fuels such as reforming and hydrocracking, as well as catalysis for sustainable energy applications such as hydrogen production, photocatalysis, biomass upgrading and conversion of CO2 to clean fuels. Novel approaches in catalysts design are covered, including microchannel reactors and structured catalysts, catalytic membranes and ionic liquids. With contributions from leaders in the field, Heterogeneous Catalysis for Energy Applications will be an essential toolkit for chemists, physicists, chemical engineers and industrials working on energy.

This book is part of a two-volume work that offers a unique blend of information on realistic evaluations of catalyst-based synthesis processes using green chemistry principles and the environmental sustainability applications of such processes for biomass conversion, refining, and petrochemical production. The volumes provide a comprehensive resource of state-of-the-art technologies and green chemistry methodologies from researchers, academics, and chemical and manufacturing industrial scientists. The work will be of interest to professors, researchers, and practitioners in clean energy catalysis, green chemistry, chemical engineering and manufacturing, and environmental sustainability. This volume focuses on catalyst synthesis and green chemistry applications for petrochemical and refining processes. While most books on the subject focus on catalyst use for conventional crude, fuel-oriented refineries, this book emphasizes recent transitions to petrochemical refineries with the goal of evaluating how green chemistry applications can produce clean energy through petrochemical industrial means. The majority of the chapters are contributed by industrial researchers and technicians and address various petrochemical processes, including hydrotreating, hydrocracking, flue gas treatment and isomerization catalysts.