Activated Carbon by Co-pyrolysis and Steam Activation from Particle Board and Melamine Formaldehyde Resin: Production, Adsorption Properties and Techno Economic Evaluation

One of the top strategic objectives and research areas in Europe is recovering wood from processing and end of life products. However, there are still several "contaminated" wood products that are not or only partly reused/recycled. Particle board waste which is contaminated with aminoplasts is one of these products. In addition, a considerable amount of aminoplast waste resinis produced for the production of particle board that cannot be re-used or recycled. The chemical properties of these wastes (high nitrogen content of 5.9 wt% and 54.1 wt% for particle board and melamine formaldehyde respectively) make them ideal precursors for the production of nitrogenised activated carbon. The profitability of the produced activated carbon is investigated by calculating the net present value, the minimum selling price and performing a Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis. Encouraging results for a profitable production are obtained even though the current assumptions start from a rather pessimistic scenario

Biochar characterization of raw versus spent common ivy: Inorganic nutrient behavior

Hedera sp., common Ivy, a lignocellulosic evergreen vine, is commonly seen in gardens and yards all over the globe. It is an excellent candidate to be applied in vertical green walls to improve ecosystems in future green cities (e.g. fine particulate matter adsorption). These green walls need to be trimmed regularly, thus leaving a major residue stream which could be promising as biomass feedstock for biochar fertilizer production. However, common Ivy contains valuable compounds (e.g. etheric oils and triterpene saponins) increasing the process’ added value. These should preferably be extracted prior to thermal conversion. The aim of this study is therefore to investigate the influence of extraction methods on the final properties of common ivy’s biochar using conventional pyrolysis. Investigated extraction methods include a Soxhlet ethanol extraction and a steam distillation, to obtain respectively a triterpene saponin and volatile oil extract. The influence of these extractions on the biochar properties was studied by comparing the thermal conversion and biochar properties of spent, extracted, biomass with raw biomass. Studied properties include biochar yield, elemental composition (CHNO), amount of inorganic nutrients, specific surface area, and presence of harmful heavy metals. The guidelines of the European Biochar Certificate are used to evaluate said properties. Furthermore, the pyrolysis process parameters, temperature and heating rate, were optimized to improve said biochar properties for application as fertilizer. Tested pyrolysis temperatures were 400, 550 and 700 °C. Results show that biochar yield from raw ivy was inversely proportional with pyrolysis temperature ranging from 29.6 ± 0.6% at 400 °C, 25.4% ± 0.03 at 550 °C and 23.0 ± 0.06 % at 700 °C. It was found that steam distillation lowers the amount of heavy metals in the material, whilst the inorganic nutrients are retained, thus enhancing the biochar’s potential as fertilizer. Furthermore, nitrogen content remained constant, around 2%, before and after pyrolysis both for raw and spent ivy, these results indicate that high-quality biochars were produced. To further understand biochar’s chemical behavior in soils, structural properties and morphology are being investigated further, specific surface area via BET, general pore structure using SEM, surface functional groups with FT-IR and, aromaticity with CP/MAS 13C NMR results will be presented accordingly

Flash pyrolyse van afval- en restproducten van de bierbrouwindustrie

Abstract Flash pyrolyse van afval- en restproducten afkomstig van de bierbrouwindustrie Kenny Vanreppelen De bierbrouwindustrie is een grote producent van organische afval- en reststromen zoals draf, gist en waterzuiveringsslib. Draf wordt momenteel aangewend als grondstof in de veevoederindustrie. De afvalproducten (gist en waterzuiveringsslib) worden gemengd en gebruikt als bodemverbeteraar, maar dalende marktprijzen maken alternatieve valorisatiemethoden mogelijk opportuun. In deze thesis wordt flash pyrolyse van deze biomassa\u27s als alternatieve verwerkingsmethode onderzocht. Flash pyrolyse is een thermisch afbraakproces dat plaatsvindt in zuurstofdeficiënte atmosfeer waar de biomassa zeer snel opgewarmd wordt tot een bepaalde, relatief lage en constante werktemperatuur, gesitueerd rond de 300 à 550°C, met kraking van de molecuulketens als gevolg. Het proces resulteert in een gas, een vloeistof en een koolrest met een minerale asfractie. De valorisatiemogelijkheden van de geproduceerde pyrolyseproducten zijn divers, ze kunnen gebruikt worden als energiebron en/of als bron voor chemicaliën. Tijdens het onderzoek worden de biomassa\u27s voorafgaandelijk geanalyseerd met behulp van TGA, componentanalyse, elementanalyse en calorimetrie. De samenstelling en eigenschappen van de vloeibare fractie worden nagegaan met behulp van analysemethoden zoals GC-MS, HPLC en GPC. Waterbepaling gebeurt via azeotrope destillatie of Karl–Fischer titratie afhankelijk van de bio-olie en het watergehalte. Calorimetrie wordt uitgevoerd alsook de massabalansen worden opgesteld. De pyrolyse van het waterzuiveringsslib blijkt praktisch niet haalbaar door het kleine gehalte aan organisch materiaal en de zeer fijne verdeling van de minerale asfractie. De vloeibare fracties bekomen uit gist (300, 350 en 450°C) en draf (325, 350, 450 en 550°C) geven bij de verschillende pyrolysetemperaturen een tweefasige vloeistof, waarbij de apolaire viskeuze fase (~27MJ/kg) een kleinere dichtheid heeft dan de polaire waterige fase (~12MJ/kg). De vloeibare fase van gist is licht alkalisch (pH ~8), deze van draf zurig (pH ~4). De pyrolyse van draf geeft de grootste opbrengst aan watervrije bio-olie. De maximale energierecuperatie van de vloeibare fractie van draf is 56%, bij gist is dat 27%. De overige energie is in de koolrest en in het gas gesitueerd. De viskeuze fase bekomen door pyrolyse van draf bestaat voornamelijk uit carbonzuren en fenolen, de vloeibare fase uit water, carbonzuren, alcoholen, ketonen en stikstofverbindingen. Bij gist is dat voor de viskeuze fase squaleen (2,6,10,15,19,23-hexamethyl-2,6,10,14,18,22-tetracosahexaene), stikstofverbindingen en alcoholen en voor de vloeibare fase water, alcoholen, carbonzuren en stikstofverbindingen

Combining Monte Carlo simulations and experimental design for incorporating risk and uncertainty in investment decisions for cleantech: a fast pyrolysis case study

The value of phytoextracting crops (plants cultivated for soil remediation) depends on the pro tability of the sequential investment in a conversion technology aimed at the economic valorization of the plants. However, the net present value (NPV) of an investment in such an innovative technology is risky due to technical and economic uncertainties. Therefore, decision makers want to dispose of information about the probability of a positive NPV, the largest possible loss, and the crucial economic and technical parameters in uencing the NPV. This paper maps the total uncertainty in the NPV of an investment in fast pyrolysis for the production of combined heat and power from willow cultivated for phytoextraction in the Belgian Campine. The probability of a positive NPV has been calculated by performing Monte Carlo simulations. Informa- tion about possible losses has been provided by means of experimental design. Both methods are then combined in order to identify the key economic and technical parameters in uencing the project’s pro tability. It appears that the case study has a chance of 87% of generating a positive NPV with an expected value of 3 million euro (MEUR), while worst-case scenarios predict possible losses of 7 MEUR. The amount of arable land, the biomass yield, the purchase price of the crop, the policy support, and the product yield of fast pyrolysis are identi ed as the most in uential parameters. It is concluded that both methods, i.e., Monte Carlo simulations and experimental design, provide decision makers with complementary information with regard to economic risk

Bio-based poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)/thermoplastic starch composites as a host matrix for biochar fillers

Biochar is an excellent, but less-used candidate to serve as an alternative filler in poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB)-based composites. Increasing amounts of biochar between 20 and 50 wt% were incorporated in PHB/char and PHB/thermoplastic starch (TPS)/char composites and its effects on the microstructure, crystallization and thermal properties were investigated. PHB shows a significant reduction in molecular weight after processing and the increasing amounts of biochar decreases this even stronger. From thermogravimetric analysis, it was clear that the onset degradation temperature of the PHB/char composites (255 °C) is only slightly influenced by the biochar particles up to 40 wt%. Contrastingly, this temperature reduces to 245 °C when 50 wt% of biochar is added. Additional data confirm that morphology and crystallization kinetics are enhanced up to 40 wt% of biochar, while even higher percentages of filler clearly have an opposite effect. Finally, this work reveals the ability of TPS to work as an excellent intermediator between biochar and PHB at biochar concentrations up to 20 wt%, where degradation and resulting reduction in molecular weight remains limited as compared to that of the PHB/char sample. Furthermore, like biochar, TPS acts as a nucleation agent in the composites and removes the influence of the biochar on the thermal stability of the composites

A Colorimetric Method for the Determination of the Exhaustion Level of Granular Activated Carbons Used in Rum Production

Spectrophotometric measurement applied on saturated granular activated carbon (GAC) is not yet explored. A colorimetric method in the visible range has been developed in order to determine the exhaustion level of GAC used in rum production. Aqueous ammonia solution has been used as an indicative agent to determine the extraction rate of taste compounds within the rum production process and the exhaustion degree of the GAC. The colorimetric results showed excellent correlation with the iodine number and the contact pH. The proposed colorimetric method opens possibilities for rum producers to improve the management and economical use of the activated carbon at the industrial scale

Poly (lactic acid) bio-composites containing biochar particles: effects of fillers and plasticizer on crystallization and thermal properties

Biochar has emerged as a filler material for bio-degradable composites with favorable thermal and mechanical properties. Therefore, biochar is used in poly (lactic acid) (PLA) and PLA/thermoplastic starch (TPS) based composites. The crystallization and thermo-analytical properties of these blends with increasing amounts (20 to 50 wt%) of biochar are investigated. In the thermogravimetric analysis, the PLA/char composites’ onset degradation temperature and temperature of maximum weight loss decrease with increasing biochar concentrations (320 to 275 °C and 380 to 350 °C, respectively). Contrastingly, in the PLA/TPS/char composites, the impact of the biochar is shielded by the TPS. The unaltered glass transition demonstrates that biochar does not act as a plasticizer in any of the composites, while TPS does. Biochar acts as a nucleation agent, but hinders further crystal growth at high concentrations, as confirmed by isothermal crystallization and infrared spectroscopy. The TPS smoothens the PLA/biochar interface, leading to an obstructed nucleation effect of biochar, proven by differential scanning calorimetry, infrared spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. This work demonstrates the shielding effect TPS has on biochar and can help to understand further and optimize the production and biodegradability of these composites

An Experimentally Validated Selection Protocol for Biochar as a Sustainable Component in Green Roofs

Green roofs contribute to more sustainable cities, but current commercial substrates suffer from important limitations. If carefully selected, biochar could serve as a viable option for a more sustainable green roof substrate. We propose a protocol to select an optimal biochar for green roof substrate amendment. Coffee husks, medium-density fiberboard, palm date fronds, and a mixture of waste wood, tree bark, and olive stone kernels are selected as residues for biochar production to develop a selection protocol. The residues are pyrolyzed at 350, 450, 500, and 550 °C in a lab-scale reactor. A pyrolysis temperature of 450 °C is selected for upscaling and is based on biochar yield, pH, salinity, and elemental composition. From evaluating the biochar characteristics after upscaling, it can be concluded that the biochar’s carbonization degree is mainly controlled by pyrolysis temperature, while yield, pH, and salinity are more dependent on the biomass properties. Ultimately, our procedure evaluates the presence of important contaminants, the biochar’s water holding capacity, salinity, pH, and carbonization degree. To validate the developed protocol, plant coverage experiments on green roofs are performed, which are quantified using a novel digital image processing method, demonstrating its efficient use to facilitate future biochar selection in substrates