Federal Project Grant Award Summary

Lawrence Technological University received a $196,850 Engineering Research Initiation (ERI) grant from the National Science Foundation's Division of Chemical, Bioengineering, Environmental, and Transport Systems (CFDA 47.041) awarded March 1, 2026, with completion scheduled for February 29, 2028. The project delivers advanced research products and datasets to improve biomass gasification process design and simulation tools. Specifically, the university will produce three-dimensional reconstructed geometries of biomass char particles using high-resolution micro-computed tomography imaging, quantified shape and pore descriptors (including roughness, elongation, and internal void fraction), and a comprehensive image-to-simulation dataset documenting how particle morphology governs transport phenomena at the pore scale.

The deliverables include pore-resolved computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations analyzing heat exchange, flow patterns, and inter-particle effects for individual and grouped particles, with results benchmarked against idealized geometric assumptions. Additionally, the project will validate simulation predictions through experimental testing of 3D-printed particle geometries in a wind tunnel to compare measured drag and wake behavior. These research outputs and physics-based datasets will support development of more efficient and reliable reactor designs and be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications, presentations, and integration into coursework, while simultaneously providing advanced training for undergraduate and graduate students in imaging, simulation, and data analysis methodologies.