Liquefaction of wood using ultrasound and production of particleboards using adhesive mixtures with added liquefied wood

Les lahko utekočinimo in uporabimo za sintezo različnih polimernih materialov, med drugim tudi za lepila. Glavni cilj naše raziskave je bil uporabiti utekočinjen les za pripravo lepila za iverne plošče ter določiti fizikalne in mehanske lastnosti izdelanih plošč. Določili smo čas želiranja različnih lepilnih mešanic v odvisnosti od deleža utekočinjenega lesa, vrste ter deleža katalizatorja in temperature. Za izdelavo ivernih plošč smo uporabili melamin-formaldehidno lepilo, ki smo mu dodali utekočinjen les in amonijev formiat kot katalizator. Ugotavljali smo vpliv deleža dodanega utekočinjenega lesa, vrste ter deleža katalizatorja in temperature stiskanja. Rezultati so pokazali, da se je čas želiranja z večanjem deleža dodanega utekočinjenega lesa podaljšal, z večanjem deleža katalizatorja in višanjem temperature pa skrajšal. Optimalne lastnosti ivernih plošč smo dosegli pri deležu utekočinjenega lesa 30 %, deležu katalizatorja 3 % in temperaturi stiskanja 180 °C.Wood can be liquefied and used for the synthesis of different polymer materials as well as for the adhesives. The aim of our research was to evaluate the utilization of liquefied wood as a part of an adhesive mixture in particleboard production and to assess physical and mechanical properties of produced particleboards. We determined gelation time for different adhesive mixtures depending on the liquefied wood portion, the type and the amount of the catalyst and temperature. For particleboard production, we used melamine-formaldehyde resin with added liquefied wood and ammonium formate as a catalyst. We examined the influence of liquefied wood portion, the type and the amount of the catalyst and pressing temperature on the particleboard properties. Results showed that gelation time increased with higher liquefied wood portion and decreased as the amount of catalyst and temperature increased. The optimal properties of particleboards were obtained at 30 % portion of liquefied wood, at 3 % amount of the catalyst and at pressing temperature of 180°C

Pyrolysis oil from post-consumer packaging and its ageing: Physical and chemical properties and drop-in performance in a power generating unit

Waste plastics/pyrolysis oil (WPO) obtained from a batch rotary kiln pyrolysis reactor was collected and stored for 60 months in dark at 10 °C, periodically thoroughly characterized for changes in physical and chemical properties and finally tested as the drop-in fuel for power generating units. Changes during storage were manifested through chain length increase from C5-C33 to C5-C43 and distillation curve shift for 150 °C. The changes were attributed to repolymerization reactions and consequently lowered alkene to alkane ratio, occurring at a slow rate during storage. The drop-in performance of aged WPO was evaluated under a wide range of operating parameters in a compression ignition engine based power generating unit. The results were compared with those obtained with conventional diesel fuel at the same injection and gas path parameters. Emission wise, the trends obtained for aged WPO and diesel were differing in the range of 20%, while more than 50% lower CO emissions could be obtained with WPO in optimized operating points, albeit the order of magnitude higher viscosity of aged WPO. With tailored control strategies and careful guidance of in-cylinder thermodynamic conditions it is possible to exploit the increased alkane content of aged WPO. Results provide a comprehensive basis for further development of control strategies, oriented towards stationary power generation applications with high intermittency, where long and mid-term storage of WPO is expected