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Alan Zacher

Alan Zacher

Pacific Northwest National Laboratory
PO Box 999
Richland, WA 99352
(509) 372-4545

Biography

Alan joined Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) in 1993. During his career at PNNL, he has been involved in a wide variety of research areas including catalytic and non-catalytic hydrothermal processing, thermochemical biomass conversion, technology development for waste treatment, domestic and international security efforts, Hanford site related research, as well as practical and platform teaching experience. Notably among them is being on the team that developed PGRS, the commercialized industrial process for producing propylene glycol from renewable resources. Over the years, he has been involved in pilot plant design, construction, commissioning, troubleshooting, and modification of fixed facility and mobile systems both on and off site. Alan is currently working in the field thermochemical conversion of biomass to fuels. His current efforts are mainly associated with biomass pyrolysis and/or catalytic upgrading of bio-oil into fungible fuel blend stocks.

Research Interests

  • Biomass conversion to fuels and chemicals
  • Pilot and demonstration plant development

Education and Credentials

  • B.S., Chemical Engineering, Washington State University
  • B.S., Chemistry, Washington State University

Awards and Recognitions

  • Named a Battelle Distinguished Inventor in 2008
  • R&D 100 Award, Propylene Glycol from Renewable Sources (PGRS), Research & Development Magazine, 2010
  • Award for Excellence in Technology Transfer, PGRS, Federal Laboratory Consortium, 2011

PNNL Patents

PNNL Publications

2023

  • Middleton-Smith L.A., A.H. Zacher, S. Blackwell, J. Benemann, and T.J. Lundquist. 2023. "Disposition of Solids from Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Biomass: Current understanding, research gaps, and opportunities." Energy and Fuels 37, no. 22:17301-17309. PNNL-SA-190240. doi:10.1021/acs.energyfuels.3c01828

2021

  • Thorson M.R., D.M. Santosa, R.T. Hallen, I.V. Kutnyakov, M.V. Olarte, M.D. Flake, and G.G. Neuenschwander, et al. 2021. "SCALEABLE HYDROTREATING OF HTL BIOCRUDE TO PRODUCE FUEL BLENDSTOCKS." Energy and Fuels 35, no. 14:11346-11352. PNNL-SA-160510. doi:10.1021/acs.energyfuels.1c00956

2020

  • Bulsink P., F. De Miguel Mercader, L. Sandstrom, B. van de Beld, F. Preto, A.H. Zacher, and A. Oasmaa, et al. 2020. "Results of the International Energy Agency Bioenergy Round Robin on the Analysis of Heteroatoms in Biomass Liquefaction Oils." Energy and Fuels 34, no. 9:11123-11133. PNNL-ACT-SA-10491. doi:10.1021/acs.energyfuels.0c02090

2019

  • Zacher A.H., D.C. Elliott, M.V. Olarte, H. Wang, S.B. Jones, and P.A. Meyer. 2019. "Technology Advancements in Hydroprocessing of Bio-oils." Biomass & Bioenergy 125. PNNL-SA-138596. doi:10.1016/j.biombioe.2019.04.015

2017

  • Li Z., J. Choi, H. Wang, A.W. Lepore, R.M. Connatser, S. Lewis, and H. Meyer, et al. 2017. "Sulfur-Tolerant Molybdenum Carbide Catalysts Enabling Low-Temperature Stabilization of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-Oil." Energy and Fuels 31, no. 9:9585-9594. PNNL-SA-128200. doi:10.1021/acs.energyfuels.7b01707

2016

  • Choi J., A.H. Zacher, H. Wang, M.V. Olarte, B.L. Armstrong, H. Meyer, and I. Soykal, et al. 2016. "Molybdenum carbides, active and in situ regenerable catalysts in hydroprocessing of fast pyrolysis bio-oil." Green Chemistry 30, no. 6:5016-5026. PNNL-SA-116507. doi:10.1021/acs.energyfuels.6b00937
  • Olarte M.V., A.H. Zacher, A.B. Padmaperuma, S.D. Burton, H.M. Job, T.L. Lemmon, and M.S. Swita, et al. 2016. "Stabilization of Softwood-Derived Pyrolysis Oils for Continuous Bio-oil Hydroprocessing." Topics in Catalysis 59, no. 1:55-64. PNNL-SA-111135. doi:10.1007/s11244-015-0505-7
  • Wang H., S. Lee, M.V. Olarte, and A.H. Zacher. 2016. "Bio-oil stabilization by hydrogenation over reduced metal catalysts at low temperatures." ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 4, no. 10:5533-5545. PNNL-SA-118919. doi:10.1021/acssuschemeng.6b01270

2014

  • Elliott D.C., T.R. Hart, G.G. Neuenschwander, L.J. Rotness, G. Roesijadi, A.H. Zacher, and J.K. Magnuson. 2014. "Hydrothermal Processing of Macroalgal Feedstocks in Continuous-Flow Reactors." ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering 2, no. 2:207-215. PNNL-SA-97137. doi:10.1021/sc400251p
  • White J.F., J.E. Holladay, A.H. Zacher, J.G. Frye, and T.A. Werpy. 2014. "Challenges in Catalytic Manufacture of Renewable Pyrrolidinones from Fermentation Derived Succinate." Topics in Catalysis 57, no. 17:1325-1334. PNNL-SA-100403. doi:10.1007/s11244-014-0299-z
  • Zacher A.H., D.C. Elliott, M.V. Olarte, D.M. Santosa, F. Preto, and K. Iisa. 2014. "Pyrolysis of Woody Residue Feedstocks: Upgrading of Bio-Oils from Mountain-Pine-Beetle-Killed Trees and Hog Fuel." Energy and Fuels 28, no. 12:7510-7516. PNNL-SA-104767. doi:10.1021/ef5017945
  • Zacher A.H., M.V. Olarte, D.M. Santosa, D.C. Elliott, and S.B. Jones. 2014. "A Review and Perspective of Recent Bio-Oil Hydrotreating Research." Green Chemistry 16, no. 2:885-896. PNNL-SA-96894. doi:10.1039/c3gc41782d

2013

  • Elliott D.C., T.R. Hart, A.J. Schmidt, G.G. Neuenschwander, L.J. Rotness, M.V. Olarte, and A.H. Zacher, et al. 2013. "Process Development for Hydrothermal Liquefaction of Algae Feedstocks in a Continuous-Flow Reactor." Algal Research 2, no. 4:445-454. PNNL-SA-96121.

2012

  • Elliott D.C., T.R. Hart, G.G. Neuenschwander, L.J. Rotness, M.V. Olarte, A.H. Zacher, and Y. Solantausta. 2012. "Catalytic Hydroprocessing of Fast Pyrolysis Bio-oil from Pine Sawdust." Energy and Fuels 26, no. 6:3891-3896. PNNL-SA-86336. doi:10.1021/ef3004587
  • Elliott D.C., T.R. Hart, G.G. Neuenschwander, L.J. Rotness, M.V. Olarte, and A.H. Zacher. 2012. "Chemical Processing in High-Pressure Aqueous Environments. 9. Process Development for Catalytic Gasification of Algae Feedstocks." Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research 51, no. 33:10768-10777. PNNL-SA-87140. doi:10.1021/ie300933w

2009

  • Elliott D.C., T.R. Hart, G.G. Neuenschwander, L.J. Rotness, and A.H. Zacher. 2009. "Catalytic Hydroprocessing of Biomass Fast Pyrolysis Bio-oil to Produce Hydrocarbon Products." Environmental Progress & Sustainable Energy 28, no. 3:441-449. PNNL-SA-66812.

2007

  • Elliott D.C., G.G. Neuenschwander, T.R. Hart, A.H. Zacher, R.S. Butner, and D.J. Stevens. 2007. Catalytic Hydrothermal Gasification for Eastman's Chemical Production Plant -- Final Report. PNNL-16699. Richland, WA: Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

2005

  • Frye J.G., A.H. Zacher, T.A. Werpy, and Y. Wang. 2005. "Catalytic Preparation of Pyrrolidones from Renewable Resources." In Catalysis of Organic Reactions, edited by John R. Sowa, Jr. 145-154. Boca Raton, Florida:Taylor and Francis. PNNL-SA-50361.
  • Frye J.G., A.H. Zacher, T.A. Werpy, and Y. Wang. 2005. "Catalytic Preparation of Pyrrolidones from Renewable Resources." In Twentieth Conference on the Catalysis of Organic Reactions 2004 : Hilton Head Island, S.C. Chemical industries, edited by John R. Sowa, Jr., 104, 145-154. Boca Raton, Florida:CRC Press. PNNL-SA-39759.
  • Zacher A.H., J.G. Frye, T.A. Werpy, and D.J. Miller. 2005. "Catalytic Hydrogenolysis of 5-Carbon Sugar Alcohols." In Catalysis of Organic Reactions; 20th Conference on Catalysis of Organic Reactions 2004 : Hilton Head Island, S.C. Chemical industries, edited by JR Sowa, Jr., 165-173. Boca Raton, Florida:CRC Press. PNNL-SA-39754.

2004

  • Elliott D.C., G.G. Neuenschwander, T.R. Hart, R.S. Butner, A.H. Zacher, M.H. Engelhard, and J.S. Young, et al. 2004. "Chemical Processing in High-Pressure Aqueous Environments. 7. Process Development for Catalytic Gasification of Wet Biomass Feedstocks." Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research 43, no. 9:1999-2004. PNNL-SA-40279.

2003

  • Elliott D.C., G.G. Neuenschwander, T.R. Hart, A.H. Zacher, and R.S. Butner. 2003. "Low-Temperature Catalytic Gasification of Wet Biomass." In AIChE 2003 Annual Meeting Conference Proceedings, n/a. New York, New York:AIChE. PNNL-SA-39410.

1999

  • Elliott D.C., G.G. Neuenschwander, M.R. Phelps, T.R. Hart, A.H. Zacher, and L.J. Silva. 1999. "Chemical Processing in High-Pressure Aqueous Environments. 6. Demonstration of Catalytic Gasification for Chemical Manufacturing Wastewater Cleanup in Industrial Plants." Industrial and Engineering Chemistry Research 38, no. 3:879-883. PNNL-SA-31604.

Energy and Environment

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