Alternative Fuels and Feedstocks

Our research in the field of alternative fuels spans coal cleaning and gasification to methanol and dimethylether(DME) synthesis from syngas, followed by its subsequent conversion to value-added chemicals, as well as liquid transportation fuels. The process technology involving methanol, DME, and synthetic gasoline/diesel is also adaptable to biomass syngas. The C1-chemistry expertise has been applied to efficient hydrogen generation technology and bioethanol conversion technology, in addition to the processing and utilization of biomass and crop oils.

Coal Cleaning research encompasses desulfurization of coal, mercury removal, carbon dioxide gasification, and production/utilization of coal byproducts.

Lee's group has been involved in a number of pre-combustion coal cleaning process development projects sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Ohio Coal Development Office (OCDO), Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), Babcock and Wilcox (B&W), and Midwest Ore Processing Company (MOPC). These processes include MOPC's perchloroethylene (PCE) coal refining process, Organodesulfurization of coal by synergistic supercritical fluid mixtures, B&W's Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Seed recovery and regeneration process, and Heavy media coal cleaning process. Even though none of these processes are currently in industrial operation, the MOPC's PCE coal refining process had been demonstrated using a 100 tons/day pilot-scale plant located in Plainville, IN. Further, the novel idea of using synergistic supercritical fluid mixture has inspired development of many invaluable chemical process technologies including the Goodyear's spent rubber devulcanization process.

Our contributions in the area of methanol synthesis from CO-rich as well as H2-rich syngas have been quite comprehensive. Funding for this research began from the early 1980s by EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) for methanol synthesis and continued for more than a decade. Recent funding for novel hydrogen generation process development has been provided by the U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Transportation, National University Transportation Center, AirForce Research Lab (AFRL), Radian, Inc., and DRS Technical Services, Inc.

Through the past 30 years, salient features of our process research include:

Methanol synthesis
Methanol synthesis catalyst regeneration
Methanol synthesis utilizing nonconventional feedstocks such as CO₂-rich syngas
Single-step dimethyl ether synthesis
Dimethyl ether to gasoline
Dimethyl ether to lower olefins
Dimethyl ether to higher ethers and alcohols
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis
Hydrogen generation from diesel reforming
Hydrogen generation from JP-8 reforming
Hydrogen generation from bioethanol reforming
Hydrogen generation from lignocellulosic feedstocks
Hydrogen generation from crude glycerin
High-temperature hydrogen generation technology
Biomass gasification
Biomass-to-liquid conversion
Tar Conversion
Processing/conversion of crop oils for jet fuels and other transportation fuels
Transportation fuels from waste materials
Oil shale pyrolysis and processing of tar sands
Waterless fracking technology
Treatment of fracking flowback water
Enhanced oil & gas recovery
Shale oil upgrading
Shale gas conversion

Dr. Lee has authored the following books which comprehensively cover the technical aspects of alternative fuels and feedstocks.

S. Lee, Author, "Methanol Synthesis Technology", CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, ISBN-0-8493-4610-X, 1990.

S. Lee, Author, "Oil Shale Technology", CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, ISBN-0-8493-4615-0, 1991.

S. Lee, Author, "Methane and Its Derivatives", Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, NY, ISBN-0-8247-9754-X, 1997.

S. Lee, Author, "Alternative Fuels", Taylor & Francis, Washington, D.C., ISBN-1-56032-361-2, 1997.

S. Lee, J. G. Speight, and S. K. Loyalka, "Handbook of Alternative Fuel technologies", CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, ISBN 0-8247-4069-6, 2007.

S. Lee and Y.T. Shah, "Biofuels and Bioenergy: Processes and Technologies," CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2012.

Authoritative reviews on a variety of issues of processing of conventional and alternative fuels by worldwide scholars are also presented in the Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing (2006) by Taylor & Francis Inc. Dr. Lee is the Editor of this encyclopedia. Currently, 5 large volumes with over 350 chapters are available both in print and on-line. More up-to-date topical entries of scientific and technological significance are constantly added as quarterly on-line updates.

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	HOME Dr. Lee's Biography Alternative Fuels Alternative Fuels Coal Gasification Hydrogen Methanol Dimethyl Ether Biofuels Biomass Conversion Jet Fuels Oil Shale / Shale Gas Supercritical Fluid Technology SCF Technology Fuel Reforming Low Temperature Powder Coating Graft Copolymerization Processing Infusion Extraction Polymerization Devulcanization Depolymerization Chem/Bio Counterterrorism Destruction of Toxins Polymerization & Polymer Processing Polymerization & Polymer Processing Fluoropolymerization Polymerization with MWD Control Graft Copolymers Microporous Films Polymer Blends and Composites Polymer Clay Nanocomposites Biobased Polymers Water Treatment and Purification Chlorine Dioxide Technology Clean and Alternative Fossil Fuel Technologies Clean Coal Oil Shale and Shale Gas Fuels Analysis Specialty Technologies Analysis and Characterization Publications & Patents Encyclopeida Books U.S. Patents The Group Dr. Lee Research Group Group Alumni SEAM Photo Gallery In The News Virtual Lab Tour Site Map		Our research in the field of alternative fuels spans coal cleaning and gasification to methanol and dimethylether(DME) synthesis from syngas, followed by its subsequent conversion to value-added chemicals, as well as liquid transportation fuels. The process technology involving methanol, DME, and synthetic gasoline/diesel is also adaptable to biomass syngas. The C1-chemistry expertise has been applied to efficient hydrogen generation technology and bioethanol conversion technology, in addition to the processing and utilization of biomass and crop oils. Coal Cleaning research encompasses desulfurization of coal, mercury removal, carbon dioxide gasification, and production/utilization of coal byproducts. Lee's group has been involved in a number of pre-combustion coal cleaning process development projects sponsored by the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI), Ohio Coal Development Office (OCDO), Department of Energy (U.S. DOE), Babcock and Wilcox (B&W), and Midwest Ore Processing Company (MOPC). These processes include MOPC's perchloroethylene (PCE) coal refining process, Organodesulfurization of coal by synergistic supercritical fluid mixtures, B&W's Magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) Seed recovery and regeneration process, and Heavy media coal cleaning process. Even though none of these processes are currently in industrial operation, the MOPC's PCE coal refining process had been demonstrated using a 100 tons/day pilot-scale plant located in Plainville, IN. Further, the novel idea of using synergistic supercritical fluid mixture has inspired development of many invaluable chemical process technologies including the Goodyear's spent rubber devulcanization process. Our contributions in the area of methanol synthesis from CO-rich as well as H2-rich syngas have been quite comprehensive. Funding for this research began from the early 1980s by EPRI (Electric Power Research Institute) for methanol synthesis and continued for more than a decade. Recent funding for novel hydrogen generation process development has been provided by the U.S. Army, U.S. Department of Transportation, National University Transportation Center, AirForce Research Lab (AFRL), Radian, Inc., and DRS Technical Services, Inc. Through the past 30 years, salient features of our process research include: Methanol synthesis Methanol synthesis catalyst regeneration Methanol synthesis utilizing nonconventional feedstocks such as CO₂-rich syngas Single-step dimethyl ether synthesis Dimethyl ether to gasoline Dimethyl ether to lower olefins Dimethyl ether to higher ethers and alcohols Fischer-Tropsch synthesis Hydrogen generation from diesel reforming Hydrogen generation from JP-8 reforming Hydrogen generation from bioethanol reforming Hydrogen generation from lignocellulosic feedstocks Hydrogen generation from crude glycerin High-temperature hydrogen generation technology Biomass gasification Biomass-to-liquid conversion Tar Conversion Processing/conversion of crop oils for jet fuels and other transportation fuels Transportation fuels from waste materials Oil shale pyrolysis and processing of tar sands Waterless fracking technology Treatment of fracking flowback water Enhanced oil & gas recovery Shale oil upgrading Shale gas conversion Dr. Lee has authored the following books which comprehensively cover the technical aspects of alternative fuels and feedstocks. S. Lee, Author, "Methanol Synthesis Technology", CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, ISBN-0-8493-4610-X, 1990. S. Lee, Author, "Oil Shale Technology", CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, ISBN-0-8493-4615-0, 1991. S. Lee, Author, "Methane and Its Derivatives", Marcel Dekker, Inc., New York, NY, ISBN-0-8247-9754-X, 1997. S. Lee, Author, "Alternative Fuels", Taylor & Francis, Washington, D.C., ISBN-1-56032-361-2, 1997. S. Lee, J. G. Speight, and S. K. Loyalka, "Handbook of Alternative Fuel technologies", CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, ISBN 0-8247-4069-6, 2007. S. Lee and Y.T. Shah, "Biofuels and Bioenergy: Processes and Technologies," CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, 2012. Authoritative reviews on a variety of issues of processing of conventional and alternative fuels by worldwide scholars are also presented in the Encyclopedia of Chemical Processing (2006) by Taylor & Francis Inc. Dr. Lee is the Editor of this encyclopedia. Currently, 5 large volumes with over 350 chapters are available both in print and on-line. More up-to-date topical entries of scientific and technological significance are constantly added as quarterly on-line updates. Home