Engineering the Catalytic Properties of HZSM5 by Cobalt Modification and Post-synthetic Hierarchical Porosity Development

Hierarchical zeolites have been identified as special catalytic materials with improved catalytic properties. In this study, hierarchical bifunctional ZSM5 based catalysts were prepared by desilication for controlled mesoporosity development and have been modified by Co doping. Their performance in the catalytic pyrolysis of oak in a lab scale reactor was evaluated. Desilicated counterparts were proven more active in deoxygenation of bio oil, while carbon deposition on the catalysts reduced compared to non-desilicated counterparts. Increased Lewis acidity favors decarboxylation reactions, while higher olefins as well as PAH content indicate easier diffusion within and from the porous network and interactions in the mesopores. The conversion of bulky lignin molecules (alkoxy phenols) is enhanced by the mesopores, while acidity is of secondary importance. Coke deposition inside the pores is more profound in the desilicated catalysts due to larger pore size. Carbon deposition on the catalysts is reduced in the following order: HZSM5 > Co/HZSM5 > Ds-HZSM5 > Co/Ds-HZSM5. GC–MS characterization of the CH2Cl2 soluble coke indicated that for the desilicated counterparts the main coke precursors are the bulky lignin molecules which are partially deoxygenated

CO2 integration in high temperature steam gasification (HTSG) of solid fuels and blends with waste

Aim of the present work is to investigate the viability of modifying the high temperature steam gasification process by adding CO2 in an attempt to tailor value added gas suitable for the energy - chemicals production industry. Such an integrated process investigates the concepts of high temperature steam gasification (HTSG) with aspects from steam gasification under a rich in CO2 atmosphere(CO2HTSG). The present study aimed at investigating the beneficial or detrimental effect of modifying the existing HTSG atmosphere by partially recycling CO2 in lab scale and ideally emerging from a conventional CO2 production process. The effect of the process parameters on the producer gas quality, char and tar yields when gasified non-food woody biomass (WB) of forest origin, swedish coal (SC) and pre-treated plastic waste (PW) studied, as well as their weak blends. Results of the present study indicated synergies when materials of lignocellulosic origin with coal are co-gasified under high temperature/steam conditions, while the modified with CO2 steam gasification environment and at elevated temperature did affect also the quality of the producer gas. This effect depends on the feeding properties and steam gasification conditions, It seems that gasification at elevated temperature with steam-carbon-dioxide decreased the reactivity of chars however blending with biomass at low percentages maximized the H2 and CO2 production. © 2016 ETA-Florence Renewable Energies

Bioenergy production for CO2-mitigation and rural development via valorisation of low value crop residues and their upgrade into energy carriers: A challenge for sunflower and soya residues

The present study concerns the energetic valorization of sunflower and soya residues by air fixed-bed gasification. The main process parameters that have been investigated were the temperature and air equivalence ratio. Experimental results indicated that the high temperature and air had a positive effect in gas yield for both residues by ensuring mild oxidative conditions. Gasification gas composition showed different trends of H 2 /CO ratio for the two residues at low equivalence ratios. The LHV of the produced gas from both residues varied from 6.84 to 12 MJ/Nm 3 . The energy recovery achieved via gasification could reach 0.07 and 0.02 per acre of cultivated area for the sunflower and soya residues, respectively, in terms of tons of oil equivalent. Sunflower shown higher oil production and energy recovery than soya did. The results of the present study indicate the viability of alternative energy production from agricultural biomass by gasification. Such residues could comprise an attractive renewable source of energy for covering additional energy demands in agricultural regions through exploitation in small gasification systems. © 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Effect of biomass leaching on H2 production, ash and tar behavior during high temperature steam gasification (HTSG) process

The effect of biomass water leaching on H 2 production, as well as, prediction of ash thermal behavior and formation of biomass tar during high temperature steam gasification (HTSG) of olive kernel is the main aim of the present work. Within this study raw olive kernel samples (OK 1 , OK 2 ) and a pre-treated one by water leaching (LOK 2 ) were examined with regard to their ash fouling propensity and tar concentration in the gaseous phase. Two temperatures (T = 850 and 950 °C) and a constant steam to biomass ratio (S/B = 1.28) were chosen in order to perform the steam gasification experiments. Results indicated that considering the samples' ash thermal behavior, it seemed that water leaching improved the fusibility behavior of olive kernel; however, it proved that water leaching does not favour tar steam reforming, while at the same time decreases the H 2 yield in gas product under air gasification conditions, due to possible loss of the catalytic effect of ash with water leaching. © 2009

Thermochemical treatment of E-waste from small household appliances using highly pre-heated nitrogen-thermogravimetric investigation and pyrolysis kinetics

The EU directive on waste of electrical and electronic equipment (WEEE) 2002/96/EC has set a goal of recovering 70-80% in terms of materials and energy. Nowadays, thermal cracking (pyrolysis) of such waste streams is receiving renewed attention, due to the energy and material recovery that can be achieved and therefore the sustainable waste management. However, it still lacks the kinetic background which is of great importance for a successful design of thermochemical processes. In this study the kinetic parameters of WEEE (originating from small household appliances) pyrolysis using highly pre-heated nitrogen under six different heating rates (1-2.5 K/s) have been estimated using a combination of model-free and model fitted methods. Even though WEEE is heterogeneous material, similar behavior at each of the six different heating rates applied was observed. The activation energy of the pyrolysis process determined with two different model-free methods gave comparable results. Pre-exponential factor and reaction order were determined using the Coats-Redfern method. The estimated kinetic parameters for the WEEE pyrolysis are: E = 95.54 kJ/mol, A = 1.06 x 108 and n = 3.38.WEEE management Thermochemical treatment Highly pre-heated agent Thermogravimetry Pyrolysis kinetics

Managerial Mindsets Toward Corporate Social Responsibility: The Case of Auto Industry in Iran

Despite a plethora of empirical evidence on the potential role of senior management in the success of corporate social responsibility (CSR) in Western-dominated organizational contexts, little attempt has been made to document the various managerial mindsets toward CSR in organizations in Muslim-dominated countries in the Middle East region. To address this existing lacuna of theoretical and empirical research in CSR management, this paper offers a qualitative case study of CSR in three manufacturing firms operating in Iran’s auto industry. Based on an inductive analysis of the qualitative data, three types of managerial mindset toward CSR are identified: conformist, self-seeker, and satisfier. While it is evident that these different mindsets of Iranian managers seek to serve managerial ends and short-term self-interests, they fall short of core values of Islamic ethics and CSR