This page has only limited features, please log in for full access.
Bio-oil from lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis is a promising feedstock as a precursor for the production of transportation fuels and value-added chemicals. The presence of significant concentrations of oxygen, water, and acids makes it difficult to use bio-oil directly as a transportation fuel without costly upgrading. The acidity of pyrolysis liquids is mainly derived from volatile acids, such as acetic acid, causing chemical instability and corrosion. The extraction of acids from bio-oil can therefore offer strategies for improved applications and economic value. Moreover, acetic acid is a valuable reagent and the building block for several commercially important chemicals. This review presents the results of important research related to the production of bio-oil-derived acetic acid. The discussion is intended to summarize the effect of biomass type and pretreatment method, pyrolysis processing conditions, and separation techniques on acetic acid production via pyrolysis. On this basis, acetic acid characterization techniques are also presented along with an overview of acetic acid applications and economic considerations. © 2021 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Tahereh Sarchami; Neha Batta; Franco Berruti. Production and separation of acetic acid from pyrolysis oil of lignocellulosic biomass: a review. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleTahereh Sarchami, Neha Batta, Franco Berruti. Production and separation of acetic acid from pyrolysis oil of lignocellulosic biomass: a review. Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining. 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTahereh Sarchami; Neha Batta; Franco Berruti. 2021. "Production and separation of acetic acid from pyrolysis oil of lignocellulosic biomass: a review." Biofuels, Bioproducts and Biorefining , no. : 1.
This work analysed the effects of Biochar (BC) addition to the Anaerobic digestion (AD) of wastewater Mixed sludge (MS) in semi-continuous mode. A 3 L digester was operated at 37 °C for 100 days, feeding MS collected every three weeks in the same wastewater treatment plant, and 10 g L−1 of BC. The average performance of MS digestion (biogas 188 NmL d−1, 68% methane) improved in presence of BC (biogas 244 NmL d−1, 69% methane). According to the results of the multiple linear regression analysis performed on the experimental data, the 79% variation of the soluble COD in the MS was the driving factor for the 38% increase of biogas and methane yields. In conclusion, in the considered experimental conditions, the variability of the substrate’s composition was the key factor driving the performances of the AD of MS, independently of the addition of BC.
Marco Chiappero; Franco Berruti; Ondřej Mašek; Silvia Fiore. Semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of mixed wastewater sludge with biochar addition. Bioresource Technology 2021, 340, 125664 .
AMA StyleMarco Chiappero, Franco Berruti, Ondřej Mašek, Silvia Fiore. Semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of mixed wastewater sludge with biochar addition. Bioresource Technology. 2021; 340 ():125664.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarco Chiappero; Franco Berruti; Ondřej Mašek; Silvia Fiore. 2021. "Semi-continuous anaerobic digestion of mixed wastewater sludge with biochar addition." Bioresource Technology 340, no. : 125664.
Due to the rapid increase in the global demand for renewable energy and uneven, seasonal distribution of bulky biomass resources, developing decentralized and mobile biomass thermochemical conversion systems are critical, particularly to accommodate the energy needs of rural residents in developing countries and remote communities. This paper establishes the fundamental concepts of decentralized and mobile thermochemical biomass conversion systems and addresses the necessity and advantages of such systems. This article comprehensively examines the potential of various biomass and non-biomass waste streams for co-processing in such systems and summarizes the latest progress in pretreatment technologies, conversion pathways, product separation and purification, and applications. Moreover, this paper compares the designs and specifications, operation status, drawbacks, and benefits of existing systems from household to industrial-scale. It also summarizes the latest studies on the socioeconomic and environmental impacts of such systems. The key challenges in the future research and development of such systems are discussed, including systems integration and simplifications, interaction mechanism of mixed waste during co-processing, development of cost-effective catalysts, and investigation of biochar applications. Also, our recommendation is to re-visit the direct-combustion technology under a modern technological and environmental perspective. Moreover, it is necessary to promote education and training for the development of dedicated skills to support the operation and maintenance of conversion systems at secondary or higher levels.
Kang Kang; Naomi B. Klinghoffer; Islam ElGhamrawy; Franco Berruti. Thermochemical conversion of agroforestry biomass and solid waste using decentralized and mobile systems for renewable energy and products. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2021, 149, 111372 .
AMA StyleKang Kang, Naomi B. Klinghoffer, Islam ElGhamrawy, Franco Berruti. Thermochemical conversion of agroforestry biomass and solid waste using decentralized and mobile systems for renewable energy and products. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2021; 149 ():111372.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKang Kang; Naomi B. Klinghoffer; Islam ElGhamrawy; Franco Berruti. 2021. "Thermochemical conversion of agroforestry biomass and solid waste using decentralized and mobile systems for renewable energy and products." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 149, no. : 111372.
Plastic production has been rapidly growing across the world and, at the end of their use, many of the plastic products become waste disposed of in landfills or dispersed, causing serious environmental and health issues. From a sustainability point of view, the conversion of plastic waste to fuels or, better yet, to individual monomers, leads to a much greener waste management compared to landfill disposal. In this paper, we systematically review the potential of pyrolysis as an effective thermochemical conversion method for the valorization of plastic waste. Different pyrolysis types, along with the influence of operating conditions, e.g., catalyst types, temperature, vapor residence time, and plastic waste types, on yields, quality, and applications of the cracking plastic products are discussed. The quality of pyrolysis plastic oil, before and after upgrading, is compared to conventional diesel fuel. Plastic oil yields as high as 95 wt.% can be achieved through slow pyrolysis. Plastic oil has a heating value approximately equivalent to that of diesel fuel, i.e., 45 MJ/kg, no sulfur, a very low water and ash content, and an almost neutral pH, making it a promising alternative to conventional petroleum-based fuels. This oil, as-is or after minor modifications, can be readily used in conventional diesel engines. Fast pyrolysis mainly produces wax rather than oil. However, in the presence of a suitable catalyst, waxy products further crack into oil. Wax is an intermediate feedstock and can be used in fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units to produce fuel or other valuable petrochemical products. Flash pyrolysis of plastic waste, performed at high temperatures, i.e., near 1000 °C, and with very short vapor residence times, i.e., less than 250 ms, can recover up to 50 wt.% ethylene monomers from polyethylene waste. Alternatively, pyrolytic conversion of plastic waste to olefins can be performed in two stages, with the conversion of plastic waste to plastic oil, followed by thermal cracking of oil to monomers in a second stage. The conversion of plastic waste to carbon nanotubes, representing a higher-value product than fuel, is also discussed in detail. The results indicate that up to 25 wt.% of waste plastic can be converted into carbon nanotubes.
Sadegh Papari; Hanieh Bamdad; Franco Berruti. Pyrolytic Conversion of Plastic Waste to Value-Added Products and Fuels: A Review. Materials 2021, 14, 2586 .
AMA StyleSadegh Papari, Hanieh Bamdad, Franco Berruti. Pyrolytic Conversion of Plastic Waste to Value-Added Products and Fuels: A Review. Materials. 2021; 14 (10):2586.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSadegh Papari; Hanieh Bamdad; Franco Berruti. 2021. "Pyrolytic Conversion of Plastic Waste to Value-Added Products and Fuels: A Review." Materials 14, no. 10: 2586.
Aqueous pyrolysis condensate (APC) is rich in acetic acid and has been utilized as feedstock for anaerobic digestion to produce biogas. However, various phenolic compounds dissolved in the APC act as inhibitors, negatively affecting the anaerobic digestion. In this work, we have investigated the feasibility of employing pyrolytic biochar as an adsorbent for the selective removal of phenolics from APC. Biochars derived from the pyrolysis of soft wood, rice husks, and sewage sludge and their respective activated forms have been tested as potential adsorbents for the removal of pure phenol from water solutions. The experimental results showed that, among the adsorbents studied, activated soft wood (ASW) biochar has the highest adsorption efficiency and capacity for phenol removal from water. The kinetic and isotherm studies showed that the phenol adsorption data with ASW biochar may be well described by pseudo second‐order equation and Freundlich model. Batch experiments were carried out to investigate the effects of pH, adsorbent loading, contact time, and temperature on phenolics adsorption onto ASW from APC. At optimal adsorption conditions (pH of 6.0, contact time of 30 minutes, adsorbent loading of 9.61, and temperature of 25°C), an adsorption efficiency of 96.9% ± 1.8 and a capacity of 100.78 ± 2.7 mg.g−1 were achieved. Finally, the adsorption efficiency and capacity of ASW for phenolics removal from APC was successfully compared with those of commercial activated carbon, showing comparable results, which indicated the suitability of ASW as an environmentally friendly adsorbent.
Tahereh Sarchami; Neha Batta; Lars Rehmann; Franco Berruti. Removal of phenolics from aqueous pyrolysis condensate by activated biochar. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering 2021, 1 .
AMA StyleTahereh Sarchami, Neha Batta, Lars Rehmann, Franco Berruti. Removal of phenolics from aqueous pyrolysis condensate by activated biochar. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering. 2021; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleTahereh Sarchami; Neha Batta; Lars Rehmann; Franco Berruti. 2021. "Removal of phenolics from aqueous pyrolysis condensate by activated biochar." The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering , no. : 1.
Miscanthus, an invasive crop, has recently gained attention as an emerging energy crop because of certain traits like fast growth, high yield, ability to grow in marginal land, and resistance to extreme weather conditions. In this work, Miscanthus was selected as the feedstock for fast pyrolysis in a mechanically fluidized bed reactor at variable temperatures (400°C, 450°C, and 500°C) and vapour residence times (1.4 seconds, 2.7 seconds, and 5.2 seconds). Fast pyrolysis performed at 450°C with 1.4 seconds of vapour residence time gave the highest yield of bio‐oil (> 50 wt%). Biochar obtained at different pyrolysis temperatures was activated at 900°C for 1.5 hours under CO2 atmosphere to enhance its value as a potential adsorption agent for pollutants. Several physicochemical characterization techniques were used to study the bio‐oils, biochars, and activated biochars obtained from the pyrolysis of Miscanthus. The absorption of methylene blue as a model dye was done to evaluate the performance of activated biochar versus the biochar precursors. Both pyrolysis and physical activation complemented each other as new technologies for energy extraction and material synthesis from Miscanthus. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Arshdeep Singh; Sonil Nanda; Jesus Fabricio Guayaquil‐Sosa; Franco Berruti. Pyrolysis of Miscanthus and characterization of value‐added bio‐oil and biochar products. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering 2020, 1 .
AMA StyleArshdeep Singh, Sonil Nanda, Jesus Fabricio Guayaquil‐Sosa, Franco Berruti. Pyrolysis of Miscanthus and characterization of value‐added bio‐oil and biochar products. The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering. 2020; ():1.
Chicago/Turabian StyleArshdeep Singh; Sonil Nanda; Jesus Fabricio Guayaquil‐Sosa; Franco Berruti. 2020. "Pyrolysis of Miscanthus and characterization of value‐added bio‐oil and biochar products." The Canadian Journal of Chemical Engineering , no. : 1.
The coupling of thermochemical and biological conversion of biomass is a promising strategy to produce chemicals in future integrated biorefineries. Indeed, thermochemical conversion such as pyrolysis is a fast process without any solvent or enzyme for the depolymerisation of biomass. In this work, cellulose was pyrolyzed to produce sugars which have been then fermented by bacteria (Clostridium acetobutylicum) to produce acetone and butanol. This type of bacteria presents an interesting biological platform: it is resilient, easily up-scalable and Clostridium can be genetically engineered to target various other chemicals. Pyrolysis of cellulose was performed in a continuous fluidized bed reactor equipped with a staged condensation system, including a warm electrostatic precipitator. Different bio-oil fractions rich in levoglucosan (LVG) and with different concentrations in inhibitors for the fermentation stage were produced. LVG was found to be non-fermentable by C. acetobutylicum. Therefore, the bio-oil fractions were hydrolysed to obtain fermentable glucose. The mechanisms of acid hydrolysis (with diluted H2SO4) of LVG and cellobiosan have been revealed by high resolution mass spectrometry. The microorganisms were not able to grow with all hydrolysed bio-oil fractions depending on the concentration in inhibitors (aldehydes and organic acids). The fractions rich in LVG (and then glucose) lead to normal bacterial growth and normal fermentation products pattern without the need of detoxification. These results show the importance of a pyrolysis process with a staged condensation as a preliminary step for fermentation. It opens the road to production of various cellulose-derived chemicals by bacteria.
F. Buendia-Kandia; C. Greenhalf; C. Barbiero; E. Guedon; C. Briens; F. Berruti; A. Dufour. Fermentation of cellulose pyrolysis oil by a Clostridial bacterium. Biomass and Bioenergy 2020, 143, 105884 .
AMA StyleF. Buendia-Kandia, C. Greenhalf, C. Barbiero, E. Guedon, C. Briens, F. Berruti, A. Dufour. Fermentation of cellulose pyrolysis oil by a Clostridial bacterium. Biomass and Bioenergy. 2020; 143 ():105884.
Chicago/Turabian StyleF. Buendia-Kandia; C. Greenhalf; C. Barbiero; E. Guedon; C. Briens; F. Berruti; A. Dufour. 2020. "Fermentation of cellulose pyrolysis oil by a Clostridial bacterium." Biomass and Bioenergy 143, no. : 105884.
Plastics are common in our daily lifestyle, notably in the packaging of goods to reducing volume, enhancing transportation efficiency, keeping food fresh and preventing spoilage, manufacturing healthcare products, preserving drugs and insulating electrical components. Nonetheless, massive amounts of non-biodegradable plastic wastes are generated and end up in the environment, notably as microplastics. The worldwide industrial production of plastics has increased by nearly 80% since 2002. Based on the degree of recyclability, plastics are classified into seven major groups: polyethylene terephthalate, high-density polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, low-density polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene and miscellaneous plastics. Recycling technologies can reduce the accumulation of plastic wastes, yet they also pollute the environment, consume energy, labor and capital cost. Here we review waste-to-energy technologies such as pyrolysis, liquefaction and gasification for transforming plastics into clean fuels and chemicals. We focus on thermochemical conversion technologies for the valorization of waste plastics. This technology reduces the diversion of plastics to landfills and oceans, reduces carbon footprints, and has high conversion efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Depending on the conversion method, plastics can be selectively converted either to bio-oil, bio-crude oil, synthesis gas, hydrogen or aromatic char. We discuss the influence of process parameters such as temperature, heating rate, feedstock concentration, reaction time, reactor type and catalysts. Reaction mechanisms, efficiency, merits and demerits of biological and thermochemical plastic conversion processes are also discussed.
Sonil Nanda; Franco Berruti. Thermochemical conversion of plastic waste to fuels: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters 2020, 19, 123 -148.
AMA StyleSonil Nanda, Franco Berruti. Thermochemical conversion of plastic waste to fuels: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters. 2020; 19 (1):123-148.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSonil Nanda; Franco Berruti. 2020. "Thermochemical conversion of plastic waste to fuels: a review." Environmental Chemistry Letters 19, no. 1: 123-148.
The USA, China and India are the top three producers of municipal solid waste. The composition of solid wastes varies with income: low-to-middle-income population generates mainly organic wastes, whereas high-income population produces more waste paper, metals and glasses. Management of municipal solid waste includes recycling, incineration, waste-to-energy conversion, composting or landfilling. Landfilling for solid waste disposal is preferred in many municipalities globally. Landfill sites act as ecological reactors where wastes undergo physical, chemical and biological transformations. Hence, critical factors for sustainable landfilling are landfill liners, the thickness of the soil cover, leachate collection, landfill gas recovery and flaring facilities. Here, we review the impact of landfill conditions such as construction, geometry, weather, temperature, moisture, pH, biodegradable matter and hydrogeological parameters on the generation of landfill gases and leachate. Bioreactor landfills appear as the next-generation sanitary landfills, because they augment solid waste stabilization in a time-efficient manner, as a result of controlled recirculation of leachate and gases. We discuss volume reduction, resource recovery, valorization of dumped wastes, environmental protection and site reclamation toward urban development. We present the classifications and engineered iterations of landfills, operations, mechanisms and mining.
Sonil Nanda; Franco Berruti. Municipal solid waste management and landfilling technologies: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters 2020, 19, 1433 -1456.
AMA StyleSonil Nanda, Franco Berruti. Municipal solid waste management and landfilling technologies: a review. Environmental Chemistry Letters. 2020; 19 (2):1433-1456.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSonil Nanda; Franco Berruti. 2020. "Municipal solid waste management and landfilling technologies: a review." Environmental Chemistry Letters 19, no. 2: 1433-1456.
Population growth, rapid urbanization, industrialization and economic development have led to the magnified municipal solid waste generation at an alarming rate on a global scale. Municipal solid waste seems to be an economically viable and attractive resource to produce green fuels through different waste-to-energy conversion routes. This paper reviews the different waste-to-energy technologies as well as thermochemical and biological conversion technologies for the valorization of municipal solid waste and diversion for recycling. The key waste-to-energy technologies discussed in this review include conventional thermal incineration and the modern hydrothermal incineration. The thermochemical treatments (e.g. pyrolysis, liquefaction and gasification) and biological treatments (e.g. anaerobic digestion and composting) are also elaborated for the transformation of solid wastes to biofuel products. The current status of municipal solid waste management for effective disposal and diversion along with the opportunities and challenges has been comprehensively reviewed. The merits and technical challenges of the waste-to-energy technologies are systematically discussed to promote the diversion of solid wastes from landfill disposal to biorefineries.
Sonil Nanda; Franco Berruti. A technical review of bioenergy and resource recovery from municipal solid waste. Journal of Hazardous Materials 2020, 403, 123970 .
AMA StyleSonil Nanda, Franco Berruti. A technical review of bioenergy and resource recovery from municipal solid waste. Journal of Hazardous Materials. 2020; 403 ():123970.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSonil Nanda; Franco Berruti. 2020. "A technical review of bioenergy and resource recovery from municipal solid waste." Journal of Hazardous Materials 403, no. : 123970.
Anaerobic digestion (AD) could be considered as a mature technology and nowadays it can still play a pivot role because of the urgent need to provide renewable energy sources and efficiently manage the continuously growing amount of organic waste. Biochar (BC) is an extremely versatile material, which could be produced by carbonization of organic materials, including biomass and wastes, consistently with Circular Economy principles, and “tailor-made” for specific applications. The potential BC role as additive in the control of the many well-known critical issues of AD processes has been increasingly explored over the past few years. However, a clear and comprehensive understanding of the connections between BC and AD is still missing. This review paper analyses and discusses significant references (review articles, research papers and international databases and reports), mostly published in the last 10 years. This review is aimed at addressing three key issues related to the better understanding of the BC role in AD processes: 1. Investigation of the influence of BC properties on AD performances and of their ability to counteract its main challenges; 2. Assessment of the optimal BC production chain (i.e. feedstock-pyrolysis-activation) to achieve the desired features; 3. Evaluation of the economic and environmental advantages connected to BC use in AD processes, compared to conventional solutions applied to address AD challenges.
Marco Chiappero; Omid Norouzi; Mingyu Hu; Francesca Demichelis; Franco Berruti; Francesco Di Maria; Ondřej Mašek; Silvia Fiore. Review of biochar role as additive in anaerobic digestion processes. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 2020, 131, 110037 .
AMA StyleMarco Chiappero, Omid Norouzi, Mingyu Hu, Francesca Demichelis, Franco Berruti, Francesco Di Maria, Ondřej Mašek, Silvia Fiore. Review of biochar role as additive in anaerobic digestion processes. Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews. 2020; 131 ():110037.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMarco Chiappero; Omid Norouzi; Mingyu Hu; Francesca Demichelis; Franco Berruti; Francesco Di Maria; Ondřej Mašek; Silvia Fiore. 2020. "Review of biochar role as additive in anaerobic digestion processes." Renewable and Sustainable Energy Reviews 131, no. : 110037.
Biooil produced via biomass pyrolysis includes an aqueous-acidic phase and a dense and rich organic phase. The aqueous phase has a low heating value and is considered a waste stream. In this study fractional condensation was employed to separate the liquid product of birch bark pyrolysis into an aqueous pyrolysis condensate (APC) and a dense biooil fraction. The APC contained high amounts (~100 g/kg) of acidic acid (AA) and was investigated for anaerobic digestion (AD). The AA in the APC could be converted to biogas, however, it contained elevated concentrations of microbial inhibitors (24 g/kg total phenolics). The inhibiting effect could be mitigated by acclimatization of the microbial population, which in turn converted some of the additional organics. The production of methane further improved with the addition of biochar to adsorb some of the inhibitors. The results imply that a waste product can be converted into a potential energy carrier.
Connie Wen; Cesar M. Moreira; Lars Rehmann; Franco Berruti. Feasibility of anaerobic digestion as a treatment for the aqueous pyrolysis condensate (APC) of birch bark. Bioresource Technology 2020, 307, 123199 .
AMA StyleConnie Wen, Cesar M. Moreira, Lars Rehmann, Franco Berruti. Feasibility of anaerobic digestion as a treatment for the aqueous pyrolysis condensate (APC) of birch bark. Bioresource Technology. 2020; 307 ():123199.
Chicago/Turabian StyleConnie Wen; Cesar M. Moreira; Lars Rehmann; Franco Berruti. 2020. "Feasibility of anaerobic digestion as a treatment for the aqueous pyrolysis condensate (APC) of birch bark." Bioresource Technology 307, no. : 123199.
Microwave-assisted pyrolysis is a promising thermochemical technique to convert waste polymers and biomass into raw chemicals and fuels. However, this process involves several issues related to the interactions between materials and microwaves. Consequently, the control of temperature during microwave-assisted pyrolysis is a hard task both for measurement and uniformity during the overall pyrolytic run. In this review, we introduce some of the main theoretical aspects of the microwaves–materials interactions alongside the issues related to microwave pyrolytic processability of materials.
Mattia Bartoli; Marco Frediani; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti; Luca Rosi. An Overview of Temperature Issues in Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis. Processes 2019, 7, 658 .
AMA StyleMattia Bartoli, Marco Frediani, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, Luca Rosi. An Overview of Temperature Issues in Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis. Processes. 2019; 7 (10):658.
Chicago/Turabian StyleMattia Bartoli; Marco Frediani; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti; Luca Rosi. 2019. "An Overview of Temperature Issues in Microwave-Assisted Pyrolysis." Processes 7, no. 10: 658.
The current imbalance of carbon in the atmosphere is stimulating the search for carbon sequestration opportunities and for alternative processes and products with a reduced carbon footprint. Biochar, produced from residual biomass of the bio-ethanol industry (Dry Distillers Grains), was added as filler to a standard concrete, aiming at finding potential solutions for simultaneous carbon sequestration and improved properties and performance of the concrete. The addition of biochar resulted in a linear decrease in concrete density, with a concrete density of 1454 kg/m3 for 15 wt% biochar. The addition of biochar also considerably increased the sound absorption coefficient of concrete across the range of 200–2000 Hz, as it created pore networks within the concrete. The thermal conductivity of the concrete showed the largest reductions with 2 wt% of biochar, reaching lows of 0.192 W/(m·K). Finally, the incorporation of biochar showed a detrimental effect on the compressive strength of the concrete, which would put bio-enhanced concretes in the low-strength concrete classification category.
Douglas Cuthbertson; Umberto Berardi; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti. Biochar from residual biomass as a concrete filler for improved thermal and acoustic properties. Biomass and Bioenergy 2018, 120, 77 -83.
AMA StyleDouglas Cuthbertson, Umberto Berardi, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti. Biochar from residual biomass as a concrete filler for improved thermal and acoustic properties. Biomass and Bioenergy. 2018; 120 ():77-83.
Chicago/Turabian StyleDouglas Cuthbertson; Umberto Berardi; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti. 2018. "Biochar from residual biomass as a concrete filler for improved thermal and acoustic properties." Biomass and Bioenergy 120, no. : 77-83.
In this work three biomasses, two ligneous (rubberwood and eucalyptus) and one herbaceous (Phragmites australis), were fed to three different pyrolysis reactors: the Jiggled Bed Reactor (JBR) and a Mechanically Fluidized Reactor (MFR), working in slow batch pyrolysis mode, and a Bubbling Bed Reactor (BBR) operating as a continuous fast pyrolysis process. The obtained biochars were successively physically activated in the batch JBR. The research had three objectives: 1. Investigate biochar production through two different pyrolysis routes (slow-intermediate batch vs fast-continuous) and three different reactor designs (MFR vs BBR vs JBR); 2. Analyze the efficiency of biochar physical activation processes performed through JBR reactor; 3. Compare activated biochars to evaluate whether an herbaceous feedstock may be effective as ligneous biomasses. The results of the study disclosed a good validation of the performances of the JBR. In detail, the two-step JBR process (bio-char production + activation) resulted in the highest yields. Secondly, it returned analogous values of surface area (385 m2 g−1) and micro-pores area (283 m2 g−1) respectively, compared to the BBR and the MFR. Thirdly, micro-pore volume (0.13 cm3 g−1) and pore size (21 Å) were similar to the values obtained with both the MFR and the BBR. Finally, the overall results demonstrated that Phragmites australis can be employed for the production of biochar and activated carbon, showing a behavior similar to ligneous biomasses.
Silvia Fiore; Franco Berruti; Cedric Briens. Investigation of innovative and conventional pyrolysis of ligneous and herbaceous biomasses for biochar production. Biomass and Bioenergy 2018, 119, 381 -391.
AMA StyleSilvia Fiore, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens. Investigation of innovative and conventional pyrolysis of ligneous and herbaceous biomasses for biochar production. Biomass and Bioenergy. 2018; 119 ():381-391.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSilvia Fiore; Franco Berruti; Cedric Briens. 2018. "Investigation of innovative and conventional pyrolysis of ligneous and herbaceous biomasses for biochar production." Biomass and Bioenergy 119, no. : 381-391.
A challenge in recent years has been the rational use of forest and agriculture residues for the production of bio-fuel, biochemical, and other bioproducts. In this study, potentially useful compounds from pyrolytic lignins were identified by HPLC-MS/MS and untargeted metabolomics. The metabolites identified were 2-(4-allyl-2-methoxyphenoxy)-1-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-1-propanol, benzyl benzoate, fisetinidol, phenyllactic acid, 2-phenylpropionic acid, 6,3′-dimethoxyflavone, and vanillin. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl radical scavenging activity (DPPH), trolox equivalent antioxidant capacity (TEAC), and total phenolics content (TPC) per gram of pyrolytic lignin ranged from 14 to 503 mg ascorbic acid equivalents, 35 to 277 mg trolox equivalents, and 0.42 to 50 mg gallic acid equivalents, respectively. A very significant correlation was observed between the DPPH and TPC (r = 0.8663, p ≤ 0.0001), TEAC and TPC (r = 0.8044, p ≤ 0.0001), and DPPH and TEAC (r = 0.8851, p ≤ 0.0001). The polyphenolic compounds in the pyrolytic lignins which are responsible for radical scavenging activity and antioxidant properties can be readily profiled with HPLC-MS/MS combined with untargeted metabolomics. The results also suggest that DPPH, TEAC, and TPC assays are suitable methods for the measurement of antioxidant activity in a variety of pyrolytic lignins. These data show that the pyrolytic lignins can be considered as promising sources of natural antioxidants and value-added chemicals.
Sohail S. Qazi; Dongbing Li; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti; Mamdouh M. Abou-Zaid. Antioxidant Activity of the Lignins Derived from Fluidized-Bed Fast Pyrolysis. Molecules 2017, 22, 372 .
AMA StyleSohail S. Qazi, Dongbing Li, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, Mamdouh M. Abou-Zaid. Antioxidant Activity of the Lignins Derived from Fluidized-Bed Fast Pyrolysis. Molecules. 2017; 22 (3):372.
Chicago/Turabian StyleSohail S. Qazi; Dongbing Li; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti; Mamdouh M. Abou-Zaid. 2017. "Antioxidant Activity of the Lignins Derived from Fluidized-Bed Fast Pyrolysis." Molecules 22, no. 3: 372.
One of the main obstacles in lignocellulosic ethanol production is the necessity of pretreatment and fractionation of the biomass feedstocks to produce sufficiently pure fermentable carbohydrates. In addition, the by-products (hemicellulose and lignin fraction) are of low value, when compared to dried distillers grains (DDG), the main by-product of corn ethanol. Fast pyrolysis is an alternative thermal conversion technology for processing biomass. It has recently been optimized to produce a stream rich in levoglucosan, a fermentable glucose precursor for biofuel production. Additional product streams might be of value to the petrochemical industry. However, biomass heterogeneity is known to impact the composition of pyrolytic product streams, as a complex mixture of aromatic compounds is recovered with the sugars, interfering with subsequent fermentation. The present study investigates the feasibility of fast pyrolysis to produce fermentable pyrolytic glucose from two abundant lignocellulosic biomass sources in Ontario, switchgrass (potential energy crop) and corn cobs (by-product of corn industry). Demineralization of biomass removes catalytic centers and increases the levoglucosan yield during pyrolysis. The ash content of biomass was significantly decreased by 82–90% in corn cobs when demineralized with acetic or nitric acid, respectively. In switchgrass, a reduction of only 50% for both acids could be achieved. Conversely, levoglucosan production increased 9- and 14-fold in corn cobs when rinsed with acetic and nitric acid, respectively, and increased 11-fold in switchgrass regardless of the acid used. After pyrolysis, different configurations for upgrading the pyrolytic sugars were assessed and the presence of potentially inhibitory compounds was approximated at each step as double integral of the UV spectrum signal of an HPLC assay. The results showed that water extraction followed by acid hydrolysis and solvent extraction was the best upgrading strategy. Ethanol yields achieved based on initial cellulose fraction were 27.8% in switchgrass and 27.0% in corn cobs. This study demonstrates that ethanol production from switchgrass and corn cobs is possible following a combined thermochemical and fermentative biorefinery approach, with ethanol yields comparable to results in conventional pretreatments and fermentation processes. The feedstock-independent fermentation ability can easily be assessed with a simple assay.
Luis Luque; Stijn Oudenhoven; Roel Westerhof; Guus Van Rossum; Franco Berruti; Sascha Kersten; Lars Rehmann. Comparison of ethanol production from corn cobs and switchgrass following a pyrolysis-based biorefinery approach. Biotechnology for Biofuels 2016, 9, 1 -14.
AMA StyleLuis Luque, Stijn Oudenhoven, Roel Westerhof, Guus Van Rossum, Franco Berruti, Sascha Kersten, Lars Rehmann. Comparison of ethanol production from corn cobs and switchgrass following a pyrolysis-based biorefinery approach. Biotechnology for Biofuels. 2016; 9 (1):1-14.
Chicago/Turabian StyleLuis Luque; Stijn Oudenhoven; Roel Westerhof; Guus Van Rossum; Franco Berruti; Sascha Kersten; Lars Rehmann. 2016. "Comparison of ethanol production from corn cobs and switchgrass following a pyrolysis-based biorefinery approach." Biotechnology for Biofuels 9, no. 1: 1-14.
Federica Portoghese; Franco Berruti; Cedric Briens. Continuous on-line measurement of solid moisture content during fluidized bed drying using triboelectric probes. Powder Technology 2008, 181, 169 -177.
AMA StyleFederica Portoghese, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens. Continuous on-line measurement of solid moisture content during fluidized bed drying using triboelectric probes. Powder Technology. 2008; 181 (2):169-177.
Chicago/Turabian StyleFederica Portoghese; Franco Berruti; Cedric Briens. 2008. "Continuous on-line measurement of solid moisture content during fluidized bed drying using triboelectric probes." Powder Technology 181, no. 2: 169-177.
A variety of flow regimes may be observed in dilute phase pneumatic transport of particulates. As the gas flowrate is reduced or the solids flowrate increased, particles may settle on the bottom of the pipe, forming either a stagnant layer or slowly moving dunes. Solids tend to deposit in inclined sections before they deposit in horizontal sections. The change in flow regime resulting from solids segregation leads to such problems as flow instabilities and very long residence times for some particles. Maintaining a consistent operation and product quality requires rapid detection of any changes in flow regime. In many industrial applications, the installation of intrusive sensors is undesirable. The objective of this study was to develop reliable flow regime detection through the on-line analysis of signals from non-invasive acoustic sensors, using various solid particles at pipe inclinations of 0°, 15° and 25° with respect to the horizontal direction. Non-intrusive microphones were used to record acoustic emissions generated by solids flow through a 0.1 m diameter, stainless steel, pneumatic transport pipe, at various solids fluxes and superficial gas velocities. Measurements were recorded on the side and top of the pipe, to record the flow of solids as they hit and are reflected from the pipe walls. To confirm the flow regimes, a section of clear acrylic pipe allowed for visual analysis of the flow. Two flow regimes were observed: dilute phase flow and conveying over settled solids. Cycle or frequency analysis of the acoustic measurements recorded on the side and top of the pipe provided reliable, on-line detection of these flow regimes.
Katherine Albion; Lauren Briens; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti; Garret Book. Flow regime determination in upward inclined pneumatic transport of particulates using non-intrusive acoustic probes. Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification 2007, 46, 520 -531.
AMA StyleKatherine Albion, Lauren Briens, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, Garret Book. Flow regime determination in upward inclined pneumatic transport of particulates using non-intrusive acoustic probes. Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification. 2007; 46 (6):520-531.
Chicago/Turabian StyleKatherine Albion; Lauren Briens; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti; Garret Book. 2007. "Flow regime determination in upward inclined pneumatic transport of particulates using non-intrusive acoustic probes." Chemical Engineering and Processing: Process Intensification 46, no. 6: 520-531.
Gas–solid fluidized beds are used in many industrial applications such as polyethylene production, drying, coating, granulation, fluid catalytic cracking and fluid coking. For some industrial applications, controlling the size distribution of the particles in a fluid bed is extremely important in order to avoid poor fluidization. One method to control the size of the particles in the bed is to use attrition nozzles, which inject high velocity gas jets into the bed creating high shear regions and grinding particles together. The objective of this study was to test different high velocity attrition nozzles and operating conditions in order to determine the effects of fluidization velocity, nozzle size, nozzle geometry, bed material and attrition gas properties on the grinding efficiency. Samples of solids were taken from the bed and analyzed before and after each injection and a grinding efficiency was defined as the new surface area created per mass of attrition gas used. An empirical correlation was also developed to estimate the grinding efficiency, and its predictions were validated using the experimental data. Large diameter nozzles with a Laval nozzle geometry, operating at high upstream pressures and high fluidization velocities, resulted in the highest grinding efficiencies. Gas properties, such as speed of sound and density, had a significant impact on the grinding efficiency.
Jennifer McMillan; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti; Ed Chan. High velocity attrition nozzles in fluidized beds. Powder Technology 2007, 175, 133 -141.
AMA StyleJennifer McMillan, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, Ed Chan. High velocity attrition nozzles in fluidized beds. Powder Technology. 2007; 175 (3):133-141.
Chicago/Turabian StyleJennifer McMillan; Cedric Briens; Franco Berruti; Ed Chan. 2007. "High velocity attrition nozzles in fluidized beds." Powder Technology 175, no. 3: 133-141.