Dr. Maurice Bergougnou, P.Eng

Through research in fluidization engineering over three decades, Dr. Maurice Bergougnou has made significant contributions to biomass and biofuel technology. In the late 1970s and early 1980s, Bergougnou developed ultrapyrolysis, a method of quickly and efficiently vaporizing carbon-based material, then cooling it quickly to liquefy into biofuel. The vaporizing process uses jet impact reactor technology, an area in which Bergougnou was well versed from previous research. In the late 1980s, two of his former Ph.D. students set up an Ottawa-based company to market the process. The company has sold ultrapyrolysis plants to industry in the U.S. and Europe, making Canada's presence known in this emerging field. In fact, ultrapyrolysis is considered years ahead of any other biofuel technology research in the world. In 1995, Engineer Bergougnou received the knighthood of France's Order of Academic Palms to recognize his contributions to fluidization engineering and the strengthening of Franco-Canadian cooperation in research and teaching.