Thermal Processes for Biomass to Energy Conversion

Production of energy from biomassis an attractive alternative to conventional fossil fuels. Use of solid organic wastes to produce biofuel is seen as a promising route from the sustainability point of view. Pyrolysis is one of the possible thermochemical methods to convert solid biomasses to valuable liquid and gas products. In this study, the slow pyrolysis process of poultry litter was investigated using different experimental and analytical techniques. A fixed bed reactor was used for the simulation of the slow pyrolysis process up to a constant temperature (400-800°C) under nitrogen flow. Yields of the different product fractions were determined. Several analytic methods were used to characterise the products. On-line FTIR techniques were used to detect the most significant compounds in the evolved gas. GC-MS results allowed the identification of the most important categories of compounds in the liquid condensate. HCNS composition of the products was revealed by elemental analysis and the fate of nitrogen and sulphur, present in relevant amounts in the original substrate, was studied. The energy transfer from the original biomass substrate to the different product fractions was also investigated. However, the bio-oil obtained from pyrolysis can be used as biofuel only after an upgrading step. A suitable method for upgrading bio-oil is catalytic cracking of the pyrolysis products, which converts high molecular weight compounds of the bio-oil into lower-weight molecules. Therefore, in the following step of the present study in-situ catalytic pyrolysis of poultry litter was studied by zeolites (zsm-5) catalyst. In order to study the effect of influential factors (temperature and catalyst to biomass ratio) on the obtained products, experimental design techniques were used. Overall, the results achieved shed some light on the potential use of the slow pyrolysis process for sanitation and waste-to-energy valorization of poultry litter

Optimization of catalytic upgrading of pyrolysis products

Biofuel production is an attractive alternative to conventional fossil fuel, effectively solving problems like resource depletion and greenhouse gas emission. Use of solid feedstock and organic wastes to produce biofuel is seen as a promising route from the economical and sustainability point of view. Pyrolysis is one of the possible thermochemical methods to convert solid biomasses to valuable liquid and gas products. However, the bio-oil obtained from pyrolysis can be used as biofuel only after an upgrading step. In facts, raw bio-oil contains various oxygenated organic compounds, which make it instable, and has high average molecular weight, high viscosity, and low heating value. A suitable method for upgrading bio-oil is catalytic cracking of the pyrolysis products. Catalytic upgrading converts high molecular weight compounds of the biooil into lower-weight molecules. This work investigated the slow pyrolysis and in-situ catalytic cracking of chicken manure in a lab-scale fixed bed reactor. The application to chicken manure is of upmost practical interest, since the pyrolysis process would provide an environmentally safe manner for solving the current problems about disposal of this waste. The catalyst considered was pellet-extruded zeolites (zsm-5). In order to study the effect of influential factors (temperature and catalyst to biomass ratio) on the obtained products, experimental design techniques were used. The process was investigated in both the absence and presence of the in-situ catalyst. The results were statistically analyzed and the influential factors were optimized with the aim of obtaining products with higher quality and heating value. The results can give a clue on how to compromise between the quality of the two potentially valuable products of pyrolysis process (bio-oil and biogas) and the energy requirement of the process

Waste to energy valorization of poultry litter by slow pyrolysis

The slow pyrolysis process of poultry litter was investigated using different experimental and analytical techniques. A fixed bed reactor was used for the simulation of the slow pyrolysis process up to a constant temperature (400-800 °C) under nitrogen flow. Yields of the different product fractions were determined. On-line FTIR techniques were used to detect the most significant compounds in the evolved gas (carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide and methane). GC-MS results allowed the identification of the more important categories of compounds in the liquid condensate (phenols, fatty acids, sterols, N-containing compounds). The fate of nitrogen and sulphur, present in relevant amounts in the original substrate, was investigated: sulphur remains mostly in char at any investigated temperature, while nitrogen is split among the different products, slightly increasing its transfer to the gas phase only at higher pyrolysis temperatures. The energy transfer from the original biomass substrate to the different product fractions was also investigated. The fraction of biomass energy transferred to non-condensable gases raises with pyrolysis temperature and was estimated to be able to thermally sustain the process at 550 °C. The results obtained shed some light on the potential use of the slow pyrolysis process for sanitation and waste-to-energy valorization of poultry litter

Personality traits of patients with multiple sclerosis and their correlation with anxiety and depression levels: A cross‐sectional case–control study

Abstract Objective Multiple sclerosis is a chronic demyelinating disease of the central nervous system that can cause severe disability and impair the quality of life (QoL). Methods In the current cross‐sectional, case–control study, we investigated personality traits, anxiety and depression levels, in 101 patients in the case group and 202 individuals as a control group. The personality traits of the participants were collected via the Neuroticism‐Extraversion‐Openness Five‐Factor Inventory (NEO‐FFI) questionnaire. We evaluated the level of anxiety and depression based on the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale questionnaire. Results Our study showed in patients with disease duration above 1 year, the rates of agreement (29.78), anxiety (8.83), and depression level (6.39) were significantly higher than the control group (27.19, 6.47, and 4.97, respectively). Although patients with disease duration below 1 year showed a higher level of agreement and conscientiousness (29.65 and 34.35, respectively) than controls (26.6 and 30.86, respectively). The level of anxiety and depression in patients with a disability index above 4.5 was significantly higher than patients with a disability index below 1. Patients with a disability index below 1 showed a higher rate of extraversion and agreement and conscientiousness (31.47, 31.53, and 35.07, respectively) than controls (25.5, 26.23, and 3033, respectively). In addition, patients with a disability index above 4.5 showed a higher level of agreement (35.64), conscientiousness (35.5), anxiety (9.64), and depression (7.5) than controls (25.96, 30.71, 6.96, and 4.71, respectively). Conclusions In conclusion, anxiety and depression levels were much higher among MS patients compared with controls and the severity of these conditions correlate with the score of the disability index. Therefore, a complete comprehension of these conditions by the neurologist could be vital in improving patients’ QoL and increasing compliance and adherence to pharmacological therapy

Imported cases of Chikungunya virus in Iran

International audienceBACKGROUND: Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is a widespread mosquito-borne virus representing a serious challenge to public health. The largest outbreak in the Middle-East was recorded in 2016-2017 in Pakistan. Sistan and Baluchistan Province of Iran shares a wide border with Pakistan; accordingly, introduction of CHIKV from Pakistan to Iran seems to be probable. The current study is aimed at investigating CHIKV infection in Sistan and Baluchistan Province.METHODS: Between April 2017 and June 2018, a total of 159 serum samples of CHIK suspected cases from 10 cities of Sistan and Baluchistan Province were tested by molecular and serological assays. Samples obtained up to 4 days after onset of illness were tested by real time PCR (n = 8). Samples collected 5-10 days after disease onset were subjected to ELISA, as well as real time PCR tests (n = 72). Samples obtained after the 10th day of disease onset were tested by only ELISA (n = 79). Phylogenetic analysis of real time PCR positive samples was carried out by sequencing of a 1014-bp region of Envelope 1 gene (E1 gene). Chi-square and independent t tests were used to evaluate the association between variables and CHIKV infection.RESULTS: In total, 40 (25.1%) out of 159 samples tested positive either by real time PCR or ELISA tests.Out of 151 samples serologically analyzed, 19 (12.6%) and 28 (18.6%) cases were positive for anti-CHIKV IgM and anti-CHIKV IgG antibodies, respectively. Of 80 samples tested by real time PCR, CHIKV RNA was detected in 11 (13.7%) sera, all of them had recent travel history to Pakistan. Additionally, phylogenetic analysis of 5 samples indicated their similarity with recent isolates of Pakistan outbreak 2016-2017 belonging to Indian Ocean sub-lineage of ECSA genotype. A significant correlation between abroad travel history and CHIKV infection was observed (P < 0.001). The most common clinical symptoms included fever, arthralgia/arthritis, myalgia, headache, and chill.CONCLUSIONS: These results present substantial evidence of CHIKV introduction to Iran from Pakistan and emphasize the need for the enhancement of surveillance system and preventive measures