Slow pyrolysis of lignin rich residue from lignocellulosic biorefining operations

Europe is committed to have a bio-based economy in 2030. It follows that a huge contribution of biorefinery products on the European demand for chemicals, energy, materials and fibers is expected in the near future. To be environmentally and economically sustainable, biorefinery will need to be flexible, versatile, energy and cost efficient [1]. In a lignocellulose based biorefinery, the sugar platform that leads to bioethanol and added-value products through biochemical processes represents a challenging option. After ethanol distillation a lignin reach residue (LRR) is produced and used as energy source. However, it is currently underutilized with about 60% more lignin generated than is needed to meet the internal energy use [2, 3]. The exploitation of this residue for the combined production of biofuels and added value chemicals and materials represents a key factor for the increase of the efficiency of the overall ethanol production chain and its valorization is mandatory for the viability of future biorefinery operations. Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Laser Diagnostics of Hydrodynamics and Gas-Mixing in the Splash Zone of Gas-Fluidized Beds

The hydrodynamic patterns of gas flow associated with bubbles bursting at the surface of gas-fluidized beds have been investigated by means of planar laser induced fluorescence using acetone as diffusive gas tracer. The flow structures generated by the eruption of an isolated bubble have been characterized as a function of bed material size and of bubble injection level

Pyrolysis atmosphere effect on biochar properties and PTEs behaviour

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Fate of lead and other heavy metals during pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass

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Effect of pyrolysis conditions on sewage sludge derived biochars for high value composites applications

The economy of the whole wastewater treatment system is significantly burdened by the increasing amounts of sewage sludge due to the progressive implementation of the Urban Waste Water Treatment Directive 91/271/EEC and by the complexity of the treatments required for guaranteeing a safe handling and a proper end-of-life of the sludge. For this reason, thermal treatments of sewage sludge have been studied in the past for their efficient valorization in terms of energy and/or matter recovery. Among them, pyrolysis represents a viable route aiming at the recycling of resources without production of harmful substances to the humans or the environment. A lot of work has been done on the use of sludge-derived char as a fertilizer and soil conditioner showing its safer application with respect to the untreated sludge. The nutrients were intensified with the temperature rising (except nitrogen) and the bioavailability and the leaching of heavy metals was reduced [1]. However, the physical and chemical characteristics of biochar can be exploited also for the production of high value-added materials. Carbon materials such as nanotubes received a great attention due to their ability to enhance mechanical, electrical and thermal properties of polymer composites [2], but high costs and low reproducibility have discouraged their use. In this study sludge-derived char (SCHAR) is studied as a possible alternative to other high cost carbon fillers. Sewage sludge from a civil wastewater treatment plant was pyrolyzed both in slow [3] and fast [4] pyrolysis conditions at three different temperatures, 500, 600 and 700 °C. A lignocellulosic biomass was also processed in the same experimental conditions for comparing the SCHARs with typical biochars (BCHARs). Please click Additional Files below to see the full abstract

Perspectives in the use of biochars as low-cost CO2 adsorbents

The recognized versatility of biochar in environmental remediation issues opened up an increasing interest in its applications in multidisciplinary areas of science and engineering. Possible biochar applications include carbon sequestration, soil fertility improvement, pollution remediation and agricultural by-product/waste recycling. A proper application in specific environmental areas requires a fulfilled biochar chemico-physical characterization and overall properties. Please click on the file below for full content of the abstract

MILD Combustion and Biofuels: A Minireview

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Biochar addition in the anaerobic digestion of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste for biogas production

The continuous decline of fossil fuel availability and the ever increasing concern about environmental pollution, expressed by scientists, governments and public at large, are stimulating the research on renewable energy production. In this perspective, anaerobic digestion (AD) of the organic fraction of municipal solid waste (OFMSW) is recently meeting with increasing interest. It is a process viable both from an economic and technological standpoints, capable to combine the environmental friendly re-cycle of large amount of OFMSW combined to the production of methane, an excellent fossil-based fuels substitute (Chatterjee and Mazumder, 2016). Please click on the file below for full content of the abstract

Green functionalization of biochar via mechanochemical approach

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POLARITY INVERSION IN ELECTROHYDRODYNAMICS SPRAYING

An experimental study of polarity inversion effects in electrohydrodynamic spraying is developed by characterizing the several atomization regimes that can be observed by varying liquid flow rate and applied voltage. n -Heptane, doped with an antistatic additive, is atomized in a classical needle-to-plate system. The study allows for the determination of two-dimensional maps of the stability regimes occurring by varying the controlling parameters. These maps have been obtained by comparison of results of direct visualization, by means of a digital camera, and Particle Dynamics Analyzer (PDA) measurements of droplet size and velocity components. Results show that occurrence of the regimes is not qualitatively influenced by polarity inversion, but in the negative polarity case any modification on spraying modes needs higher variation in applied voltage, and so the regimes are stable in larger voltage ranges