** AWARDS ISSUED PRIOR TO JANUARY 20, 2025, WERE FUNDED UNDER PREVIOUS ADMINISTRATIONS AND MAY NOT REFLECT THE PRIORITIES AND POLICIES OF THE CURRENT ADMINISTRATION.** HYDROTHERMAL LIQUEFACTION (HTL) IS A PROMISING APPROACH TO THE VALORIZATION OF WASTE ENERGY TO VALUE-ADDED BIOPRODUCTS, INCLUDING FUEL, ASPHALT PAVEMENT BINDERS, AND FERTILIZER. WHILE HTL CAN PRODUCE AMPLE YIELDS OF OIL, THE INITIAL BIOCRUDE IS CAUSTIC, VISCOUS, AND HIGH IN UNDESIRABLE HETEROATOMS. THEREFORE, WE PROPOSE THE ACQUISITION OF A CONTINUOUS CATALYTIC HYDROTREATING REACTOR TO INCREASE THE EFFICIENCY OF THE UPGRADING PROCESS TO PRODUCE SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION FUELS. OUR CURRENT BATCH HYDROTREATING REACTOR ONLY HAS THE CAPACITY TO PROCESS 10-20 ML OF BIOCRUDE PER DAY, CREATING A SIGNIFICANT BOTTLENECK IN DOWNSTREAM RESEARCH AND PRODUCTION. THE PROPOSED CONTINUOUS HYDROTREATING REACTOR WILL BE ABLE TO INCREASE OUR TIME ON STREAM THROUGH CONTINUOUS OPERATION, WITH POTENTIAL TO PROCESS UP TO 800 ML OF BIOCRUDE EACH DAY. FURTHERMORE, THE CONTINUOUS REACTOR CONFIGURATION WILL PREVENT CATALYST DEACTIVATION AND IMPROVED PRODUCT SEPARATION. OVERALL, THIS PROJECT WILL ALLOW STREAMLINED BIOREFINERY PROCESSING OF HTL BIOCRUDE TO ENHANCE CIRCULARITY OF FOOD, AGRICULTURE, ENERGY, AND TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS.THIS INSTRUMENT WILL BE USED IN THE BIOBASED FUEL ADDITIVE PORTION OF OUR CURRENT BPP PROJECT. HTL BIOCRUDE FROM FOOD WASTE AND AGRICULTURAL WASTE WILL BE PROCESSED THROUGH THE CONTINUOUS HYDROTREATING REACTOR UNDER HIGH PRESSURE (H2) AND TEMPERATURE TO HYDROGENATE, DENITROGENATE, AND DEOXYGENATE THE OIL. HETEROGENEOUS CATALYSTS WILL BE USED IN THE PACKED BED TO CATALYZE THE THERMOCATALYTIC REACTION. THE PACKED BED DESIGN IN THE CONTINUOUS REACTOR WILL PREVENT CATALYST PLUGGING AND DEACTIVATION, FURTHERING THE LIFETIME OF CATALYSTS AND IMPROVING THE TECHNOECONOMIC FEASIBILITY OF THE PROCESS. AFTERWARDS, IN-SITU PHASE SEPARATION WILL ISOLATE THE UPGRADED BIOCRUDE OIL TO USE AS BIOBASED FUEL ADDITIVE FOR RENEWABLE DIESEL AND JET FUEL.ACQUISITION OF THIS CONTINUOUS HYDROTREATING REACTOR WILL SIGNIFICANTLY IMPROVE UPGRADING CAPACITY, FUEL QUALITY, AND CATALYST LIFETIME. MEASURABLE OUTCOMES WILL BE REFLECTED IN THE INCREASED REMOVAL OF NITROGEN, SULFUR, AND OXYGEN FROM THE BIOCRUDE, CORRESPONDING WITH INCREASED HYDROCARBON CONTENT. OTHER FUEL PROPERTIES, SUCH AS HIGHER HEATING VALUE (HHV), VISCOSITY, ACIDITY, AND CHEMICAL COMPOSITION ARE ALSO EXPECTED TO MEASURABLE IMPROVE. IMPROVED PHYSICOCHEMICAL FUEL PROPERTIES WILL HELP INCREASE CARBON RECOVERY, ENERGY EFFICIENCY, AND REDUCE GHG EMISSIONS. RADIAL MIXING AND UNIFORM HEATING IN THE CONTINUOUS REACTOR VS. CURRENT BATCH REACTOR WILL IMPROVE PRODUCT CONSISTENCY AND YIELD. MORESO, THIS INSTRUMENT WILL EXPAND UIUC'S CAPACITY TO PRODUCE RENEWABLE DROP-IN FUEL AND INCREASE OUR COMPETITIVENESS FOR BIOBASED PRODUCTS.THIS EQUIPMENT WILL PROMOTE CIRCULAR BIOECONOMY, SUSTAINABILITY ON CAMPUS, AND BENEFIT THE LOCAL COMMUNITY. THIS PROJECT INVOLVED YOUNG SCIENTISTS AND ENGINEERS THROUGH EDUCATION OF UNDERGRADUATE AND GRADUATE STUDENTS ON WASTE-TO-ENERGY SYSTEMS, AS WELL AS PARTICIPATION IN UIUC'S STUDENT,SUSTAINABILITY COMMITTEE. FURTHERMORE, THIS EQUIPMENT WILL CONTRIBUTE TO A TRANSFORMATIVE PROCESS THAT ENABLES ZERO-WASTE OF FOOD AND AGRICULTURAL WASTE INTO COST-COMPETITIVE BIOPRODUCTS.