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A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Applied Biosciences and Bioengineering".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (28 April 2023) | Viewed by 8242

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Dr. María Francisca Gómez-Rico

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Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alicante, Ap. 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
Interests: sewage sludge; wastewater; waste management; composting; thermal treatments; persistent organic pollutants
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Dr. Nuria Ortuño García

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Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Alicante, Ap. 99, E-03080 Alicante, Spain
Interests: combustion; pyrolysis; biomass; wastes; persistent organic pollutants (POPs); circular economy
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue is dedicated to the biomass energy, coming from materials such as organic waste. This renewable energy is obtained by pyrolysis, thermal decomposition occurring in the absence of oxygen, which allows the obtention of different proportions of products depending on the conditions. The products of biomass pyrolysis include a solid product so-called biochar, a condensable liquid so-called bio-oil and gases comprising methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon dioxide. They are later used to obtain energy or for other purposes. When applied to waste, this contributes to reducing its quantity.

Commercialization of the biomass pyrolysis technology is still challenging. In order to solve this issue, recent studies are focused on the mechanism of pyrolysis, influencing parameters, analysis of products, reactor design, development of new reactors, and catalysts for catalytic pyrolysis.

In this Special Issue, we invite submissions studying recent advances in the field of biomass pyrolysis and reactors, including theoretical and experimental analyses, as well as comprehensive review papers. They will undoubtedly contribute to extend the knowledge and development of the process.

Dr. María Francisca Gómez-Rico
Dr. Nuria Ortuño García
Guest Editors

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Keywords

biomass
thermal degradation
kinetic model
pyrolysis products
fast pyrolysis
flash pyrolysis
catalytic pyrolysis
reactor design

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 2385 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Briquetting Process of Walnut Shells for Pyrolysis and Combustion

by Rafael Font, Estefanía Villar, María Angeles Garrido, Ana Isabel Moreno, María Francisca Gómez-Rico and Nuria Ortuño

Appl. Sci. 2023, 13(10), 6285; https://doi.org/10.3390/app13106285 - 21 May 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2020

Abstract

Walnut shells can be used as fuels in power plants directly or as biochars obtained by pyrolysis or torrefaction. They are an example of clean waste biomass which shows a low ash content and a high Net Calorific Value, making them excellent for energy recovery in industrial and non-industrial applications, such as in bakeries, restaurants, and homes. Their main inconvenience is their low bulk density. Densification is a possible solution that reduces the costs of transportation, handling, and storage. In this work, after the characterization of the walnut shells, briquettes were obtained using a hydraulic piston press briquette machine under different conditions to find the best quality without the need for previous grinding for pelletizing. This method features easy operation and maintenance, and the briquette shape could be adapted as desired. The quality of the briquettes was measured through their density and durability. After fixing a compaction pressure to obtain acceptable briquettes, the factors affecting their quality were studied: operating temperature, moisture content, and the presence of small amounts of walnuts. Good quality briquettes were obtained with a compaction pressure of 66 MPa, with densities around 1040 kg/m³, and durabilities higher than 94% when the process was carried at 140 °C. The greatest increase in durability was observed between briquettes obtained at room temperature and those obtained at 80 °C. The presence of small amounts of walnuts, common after the shelling process, improved the durability. Although water is necessary, briquettes obtained from biomass with only 1% of moisture showed better durabilities. Therefore, walnut shells are suitable for obtaining good quality briquettes according to the specifications of solid biofuels established in the standards, without the need for any pretreatment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Pyrolysis Reactors)

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22 pages, 6596 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of the Decomposition of N-Nitrosonornicotine (NNN) under Inert and Oxidative Atmospheres: Effect of the Addition of SBA-15 and MCM-41

by Javier Asensio, María Isabel Beltrán, Nerea Juárez-Serrano, Deseada Berenguer and Antonio Marcilla

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(19), 9426; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12199426 - 20 Sep 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1643

Abstract

Nowadays, the use of tobacco biomass as an energy source is being valued. Therefore, it is important to know the processes that take place during combustion and pyrolysis, as well as the substances that are formed. In this work, we study the compounds obtained during the decomposition of NNN as a function of temperature under inert and oxidant atmospheres. Moreover, the effect of the addition of SBA-15 and MCM-41 is analyzed. Two different techniques, i.e., TG/FTIR (low heating rates) and EGA Py/GC/MS (high heating rates), are used. At low temperatures NNN is almost unaltered, but it is volatilized and dragged by the carrier gas. When increasing the temperature, decomposition takes place, with pyridines being one of the most abundant compounds observed. The main compound obtained during the pyrolysis are 3- pyridinecarbonitrile, myosmine and nornicotine, which are precursors of NNN. When NNN is mixed with SBA-15, the decomposition of the NNN nitrosamine is favored at low temperatures where the yield in pyridine compounds increases. The catalysts modify the temperature and intensity of the processes, especially under an oxidative atmosphere where the residue is oxidized, showing a third loss of weight. These materials modify the compositions of gases, mainly under an O₂ atmosphere (3-pyridinecarbonitrile and myosmine showed the major effect). SBA-15 with fibrous morphology obtains the best reductions at pyrolysis conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Pyrolysis Reactors)

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15 pages, 3128 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study of Cocoa Pod Husks Thermal Decomposition

by Pablo Londoño-Larrea, Estefania Villamarin-Barriga, Angela N. García and Antonio Marcilla

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(18), 9318; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12189318 - 16 Sep 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2150

Abstract

Thermal decomposition of cocoa pod husks under inert and oxidizing atmospheres was studied. Samples from Cotopaxi, Ecuador were used as raw material. Thermogravimetry based experiments were used to obtain decomposition data vs. temperature. A novel strategy to fit the TG and DTG curves was used giving good fit by considering, in the kinetic model, four biomass fractions following independent reactions. Analytical pyrolysis was used to determine the composition of volatile compounds obtained in slow (150–350, 350–500 °C) and flash pyrolysis (400 °C). The results indicate that in the slow pyrolysis experiments at low temperatures (150–350 °C), the highest area percentages correspond to ketones (7.5%), organic acids (12.5%) and phenolic derivatives (10%), while at increased temperatures (350–500 °C) the higher percentages are clearly focused on phenolic derivatives (12%) and aromatic compounds (10%). Comparing the results of flash pyrolysis at 400 °C (i.e., higher heating rate but lower final temperature), an increase in the yield of ketones and organic acids is observed compared to slow pyrolysis, but the percentage of phenols and aromatics decreases. The results obtained allow deducing the operating conditions to maximize the mass fraction of the different functional groups identified. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Pyrolysis Reactors)

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13 pages, 970 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Revalorization of Posidonia oceanica Waste for the Thermochemical Production of Biochar

by Julia Moltó, Mercedes G. Montalbán, Samuel S. Núñez and Juana D. Jordá

Appl. Sci. 2022, 12(15), 7422; https://doi.org/10.3390/app12157422 - 24 Jul 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1838

Abstract

Every year, many tonnes of Posidonia oceanica are removed from Mediterranean beaches to maintain the quality and pleasure of use of the beaches. Most of this waste ends up in landfills, entailing removal costs. In this work, the Posidonia oceanica material was characterised, and a washing system was developed to obtain biochar. An adequate washing of the starting biomass was shown to play a key role as it led to an over 90% salt content reduction and, therefore, a decrease in conductivity values. The use of biochar as a soil remediator improves soil properties, carbon sequestration, and plant growth. However, not all types of biochars are suitable for this type of application. Therefore, the properties of biochar made from Posidonia oceanica at different temperatures (300, 400, and 500 °C) were studied. All the biochars obtained showed to exceed 10% organic carbon, which is the lower limit to be applied to soils, the maximum percentage having been obtained at 300 °C. In addition, all presented pH values (8.02, 10.32, and 10.38 for the temperatures of 300, 400, and 500 °C, respectively) that were similar to those of other effective biochars for the remediation of acid soils. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Biomass Pyrolysis Reactors)

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