Integrated intermediate catalytic pyrolysis of wheat husk

Lignocellulosic biomass is the most abundant renewable resource in existence and is the only source of renewable fixed carbon. Biofuels produced from this source are promising because they do not contribute to extra CO2 emissions and they reduce our dependence on fossil fuels. Presently, wheat husk has a distinctive potential as a renewable source of biomass, due to its global availability, which is advantageous for producing liquid and gaseous fuels by thermochemical processes. The Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR) process is excellent for generating energy vectors (solid char, liquid bio-oil and permanent gases) from agricultural wastes, such as wheat husk. These valorised energy vectors can be applied as transportation fuels and used in combined heat and power (CHP) plants. The aim of this work is to study the conversion of wheat husk into fuels, using TCR technology in a 2 kg/h continuous pilot scale reactor. Findings show that from 100 wt% of the feedstock, 29.6 wt% was converted into synthesis gas, 21.7 wt% to char, 5.8 wt% into organic bio-oil, 32.8 wt% into aqueous phase liquids and the remaining was attributed to losses (10.1 wt%). The organic bio-oil contains a higher heating value (HHV) of 26 MJ/kg, which represents a notable increase compared to the original feedstock (17.8 MJ/kg). Phenol was found to be the most abundant compound within the oil, with a relative abundance of 30.88% measured by GC–MS. Oleic acid (7.41%) was the most abundant long chain hydrocarbon detected. The total acid number of the oil (TAN) was (29.9 mg KOH/g) and viscosity measured (145.2 cSt). In order to use wheat husk oil as a direct engine fuel, it is necessary to carry out upgrading via hydro-processing; or blend with fossil crude oil for further refining. Overall, TCR is a promising future route for the valorisation of wheat husk to produce renewable energy vectors

Ga/HZSM-5 Catalysed Acetic Acid Ketonisation for Upgrading of Biomass Pyrolysis Vapours

Pyrolysis bio-oils contain significant amounts of carboxylic acids which limit their utility as biofuels. Ketonisation of carboxylic acids within biomass pyrolysis vapours is a potential route to upgrade the energy content and stability of the resulting bio-oil condensate, but requires active, selective and coke-resistant solid acid catalysts. Here we explore the vapour phase ketonisation of acetic acid over Ga-doped HZSM-5. Weak Lewis acid sites were identified as the active species responsible for acetic acid ketonisation to acetone at 350 ◦C and 400 ◦C. Turnover frequencies were proportional to Ga loading, reaching ~6 min −1 at 400 ◦C for 10Ga/HZSM-5. Selectivity to the desired acetone product correlated with the weak:strong acid site ratio, being favoured over weak Lewis acid sites and reaching 30% for 10Ga/HZSM-5. Strong Brønsted acidity promoted competing unselective reactions and carbon laydown. 10Ga/HZSM-5 exhibited good stability for over 5 h on-stream acetic acid ketonisation

Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR)–An important link between waste management and renewable fuels as part of the energy transition

The significant progress in energy demands and limited fossil fuel sources, together with environmental concerns, have enforced the study of green, renewable, and sustainable energy sources. Biomass and its residues can be converted into valued fuels and chemicals through advanced thermal conversion technologies. Pyrolysis has been used for a long time for charcoal formation, while intermediate and fast pyrolysis technologies have become of considerable interest in recent years. This substantial interest is because these processes provide different bio-products (synthesis gas, bio-oil and biochar), which can be used directly in numerous applications or as a sustainable energy carrier. This paper investigates an overview of the fundamentals of Thermo-Catalytic Reforming (TCR) technology which is a novel intermediate pyrolysis process combined with a post catalytic reforming unit. This study also identifies the TCR process's features and advantages compared to other pyrolysis technologies, followed by a technical scale unit and the transfer of intermediates in final products. Finally, the treatment of effluents, heat management and implementation of such technologies are discussed. This paper shows how a continuous pyrolysis/reforming plant has been developed and established based on targeted reactor design and in conjunction with preventing major effluent streams, which could have a major impact on the technology's commercial success. Along with two major European projects (To-Syn-Fuel and GreenFlexJET), the TCR technology shall help to overcome the dependency on fossil crude oil and fuels

Thermo-catalytic reforming (TCR) of waste solid grade laminate

Thermo-catalytic reforming (TCR) is defined as intermediate pyrolysis at moderate temperatures and heating rates with subsequent reforming at elevated temperatures using biochar as a catalyst. TCR experiments were carried out to pyrolyze and subsequently reform Solid Grade Laminate (SGL) waste. SGL is a Kraft paper-derived product and as it is widely used in many applications, high volumes of waste laminate must be disposed of at end of life. To assess TCR for SGL waste treatment, the characterisation of the initial feedstock was accomplished, and it concluded that SGL is suitable to be processed via TCR. The main energy carrier products (char, oil and syngas) were generated by TCR in a 2 kg/h pilot-scale reactor under a pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C and reforming temperature of 650 °C, respectively. The mass balance analysis demonstrated that 50 wt% of the initial feedstock was comprehensively converted to syngas, 28 wt% to char and 22 wt% to a liquid fraction containing both water (17 wt%) and organics (5 wt%). The oil showed good properties as its HHV reached a value of 32.72 MJ/kg, with low oxygen and sulphur contents. However further processing is required for the fuels to be within suitable limits for use as drop-in fuels for vehicles. The syngas was found to be rich in hydrogen especially when pyrolysis temperature reaches its maximum. Lastly, char revealed a calorific value of 25.94 MJ/kg and was of a stable form of carbon, exhibiting potential as a feedstock for gasification or as a carbon capture and storage medium. TCR of SGL represents novelty as this feedstock has not been tested before in a pyrolysis/reforming system and it is a promising route in an optic of circularity. In waste valorisation, TCR oil has a great opportunity to be used as a fuel or blended with other conventional fuels, thus supporting the shift towards more sustainable mobility

Food and market waste – a pathway to sustainable fuels and waste valorization

Food and market waste (FMW) is one of the most abundant unrecycled products which poses waste management issues and negative environmental impacts. Thermo-catalytic reforming (TCR) is a pyrolysis based technology which can convert a wide range of biomass wastes into energy vectors bio-oil, syngas, and char. This paper investigates the conversion potential of FMW into sustainable biofuels. The FMW was processed using a laboratory scale 2 kg/h TCR reactor. The process produced 7 wt % organic bio-oil, 53 wt % permanent gas, and 22 wt % char. The bio-oil higher heating value (HHV) was found to be 36.72 MJ/kg, comparable to biodiesel, and contained a low oxygen content (<5%) due to cracking of higher molecular weight organics. Naphthalene was detected to be the most abundant aromatic compound within the oil, with relative abundance of 12.95% measured by GC-MS. The total acid number of the oil (TAN) and viscosity were 11.7 mg KOH/g and 6.3 cSt, respectively. The gross calorific value of the produced biochar was 23.64 MJ/kg, while the permanent gas showed a higher heating value of approximately 17 MJ/Nm3. Methane (CH4) was found to be the largest fraction in the permanent gases reaching over 23%. This resulted either due to the partial methanation of biosyngas over the catalytically active FMW biochar or the hydrogenation of coke deposited on the biochar in the post reforming stage

Identifying Factors Affecting of Cooperation Management between Charities and the Teaching Hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences

Objectives: One of the most important issues in the provision of health services in every country is providing the necessary resources for presenting these services. Cooperation between charity organizations and public hospitals is especially important as it can increase charity participation, facilitate public participation in the treatment area and develop hospital units. This study aimed was to identify factors affecting cooperation Management and designing a model of cooperation management between charities and the university hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences. Methods: This descriptive-analytical, cross-sectional and applied study was conducted in hospitals of Shahid Beheshti University of Medical Sciences in 2019. The statistical population consisted of 411 people including managers, chiefs and deputies, contracting hospital experts and social workers, managers and lawyers of the university, trustees and managers and charity experts. The research sample consisted of 330 people who were selected through the stratified random sampling method. Data was collected using a researcher-made questionnaire. The SPSS 18 and AMOS software were used to analyze the data. Results: The most effective contract pattern determinant had a path coefficient of 1.177, while the least effective current consumption expenditure determinant had a path coefficient of 0.530. Conclusion: The following steps are ways in which costs related to an inpatient department are guaranteed to be covered by a charity during the term of the contract: defining the criteria for selecting a charity to operate in a hospital, choosing a cooperative method and a contract template, determining the share of capital and current costs, and selecting the department type in the contract. &nbsp