Tulsa Institute of Alternative Energy

1. Tulsa Institute of Alternative Energy Daniel W. Crunkleton (Chemical Engineering) John Henshaw (Mechanical Engineering) Sanwu Wang (Physics) Jagan Mahadevan (Petroleum Engineering) Tyler Johannes (Chemical Engineering) Research Council Meeting University of Tulsa Tulsa, OK April 23, 2010

2. “Smarter Energy – Smarter Engineering” Institute Mission “The Tulsa Institute of Alternative Energy is a multi-disciplinary collaboration of faculty, students, and administrators interesting in advancing the University of Tulsa’s research and educational footprint in the next-generation of alternative energy technologies, especially as it relates to domestically-sustainable fuels and power systems.”

3. Progress • Algae Fuels • $1.50 million in funding (Sapphire Energy/DOE)  • DOE 2010 appropriation: $729,000 • Requested 2010-2011 appropriation: $2.4 million • 4 new PhD students in Fall 2010 • Successfully engineered 1-2 gene pathways in algae • NSF/EPSCoR: “Genetic Engineering of Microalgae for Pentose Utilization”, $30,000 • Quantum Mechanical Modeling • $332,757 in funding (DOE, Center for Interfacial Reaction Engineering, recommended by panel, awaiting DOE’s approval) • $300,000 under review (DARPA, Atomic-Scale Control of Silicon Carbide High-Power/High-Temperature Mocroelectronics) • $711,400 submitted (NSF/MRI, Acquisition of Dense-memory Supercomputing Cluster for Interdisciplinary Research and Education) • 1 M.S. student graduating in May 2010 • 1-2 new graduate students in Fall 2010

4. Short-Term Goals (2 yrs) • Research • Continue DOE funding for 2 additional years • Successfully engineer 3-4 gene pathways in algae • Participate in DOE EPSCoRfunding • Education • 2 PhD graduates in algae fuels • 1 PhD graduate in Quantum mechanical modeling • Expansion of SENEA • Course Development

5. Long-Term Goals (3-5 years) • Research: Combined Institute Proposals • NSF/MRI: Major Research Instrumentation • NSF/IGERT: Integrative Graduate Education and Research Traineeship • Education: Educational Opportunities • Internationalization • Alternative Energy/Sustainable Energy Certificate (perhaps collaborating w/ Energy Policy Institute)

6. Student Impact • Algae Fuels • Daichuan Chen (PhD, Chemical Engineering) • SamenehNoor-Mohammadahi (PhD, Chemical Engineering) • Nikhil Yellesawarapu(MS, Chemical Engineering) – INSTITUTE FUNDED • AzadehPouimir (MS, Chemical Engineering) • 5 TURC Students • Quantum Mechanical Modeling of SOFC • Ying Li (PhD, Petroleum Engineering) – INSTITUTE FUNDED • Xin Liu (MS, Physics) • 2 undergraduate students (Physics, Mechanical Engineering) • Wind (SENEA Project) • Jesse French (Ph.D., 2010, Mechanical Engineering). Begins faculty appointment at LeTourneau University in Fall 2010. • 3 Goldwater Scholars • 1 Udall Recipient

7. Publications • Algae Fuels • Noah I. Tracy, Daichuan Chen, Daniel W. Crunkleton, Geoffrey L. Price, “Hydrogenated Monoterpenes as Diesel Fuel Additives,” Fuel 88 (11) (2009), 2238-2240. • Noah I. Tracy, Daniel W. Crunkleton, and Geoffrey L. Price, “Conversion of Squalene to Gasoline,” Under Review, Biomass & Bioenergy. • Noah I. Tracy, Daniel W. Crunkleton, Geoffrey L. Price, “Gasoline Production from Phytol,” Under Review, Energy & Fuels. • Daichuan Chen, Noah I. Tracy, Daniel W. Crunkleton, and Geoffrey L. Price, “Comparison of canola oil conversion over MFI, BEA, and FAU,” Under review, Applied Catalysis A. • Samaneh Noor, Azadeh Pourmir, and Tyler Johannes, “Assembly of Biosynthetic Pathways in Microalgae” Manuscript in preparation. • Quantum Mechanical Modeling of SOFC • Y. Li, J. Mahadevan, S. Wang, “Atomic-scale understanding of the catalytic role of the Cu surface on the dissociation of CH4,” under preparation • H.L. Dang, Y.G. Shen, S. Wang, “Spontaneous phase transition of nano-sized boron nitride thin films: a quantum size effect,” under preparation • Y. Liu, M. Halfmoon, S. Wang, “Passivation of the SiC-SiO2 interface by hydrogen and fluorine,” under preparation. • SENEA/Wind • J.J. French, C.T. Clancy, A.L. Johnston, M.A. Holland, J.M. Henshaw, “Design and fabrication of the energy generating components for the Sustainable Shepherd’s Residence in Northeastern China,” Proceedings of ASME Energy Sustainability 2009, Paper #ES2009-90074. • A.L. Johnson, J.J. French, J.M. Henshaw, “On the design of a vertical axis wind turbine for use in rural communities,” Proceedings of ASME Design Engineering Technical Conference 2009, Paper #DETC2009-86484.

8. Institute-Related Service • SENEA (Sustainable Energy for Northeast Asia) • Numerous trips to China • Projects in Haiti and Belize under preparation • Hydrogen Powered Golf Cart • Used by Pres. Upham for campus tours • HPeV Project HPeV project Human-powered electric vehicle built for rural regions of the world not connected to a petroleum-based energy system.  Two riders pedal, and can deploy a small electric motor when needed to carry heavy loads (on back of vehicle), climb hills, etc.

9. Summary of Board Meeting • To be held June 2010

10. Value-Added Benefits of Institute • Research Funding • $375,000 indirect costs  • Requested 2010-2011 Congressional Appropriation: $2.4 million • $1.3 million under review to DOE/NSF/DARPA • Royalties: • International Patent Application ($20,000 per year in royalties to TU for 20 years) • WO/2009039015: “Methods of Refining Biologically Derived Hydrocarbon Feedstocks” • Student impact • 4 PhD graduates in next 2 years • 2 MS graduates in next 2 years • Undergraduate research

11. QUESTIONS?