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Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy

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A special issue of Bioengineering (ISSN 2306-5354).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2020) | Viewed by 78690

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Jaya Shankar Tumuluru

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Guest Editor

United States Department of Agriculture, Southwestern Cotton Ginning Research Laboratory, USDA-ARS, Las Cruces, NM 88005, USA
Interests: biomass logistics; biomass preprocessing and pretreatment and size reduction and densification technologies; thermal pretreatment technologies; techno-economic analysis; data science; modeling and optimization of the processes; byproduct utilization; cotton ginning
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Biomass physical properties and chemical compostion impact biofuels production. Particle size, density, chemical composition of biomass are important specifications for both biochemical and thermochemical conversion pathways. Also these properties influence the feeding, handling, storage and transportation.

Size reduction, densification and torrefaction impact the biomass physical and chemical properties and make them suitable for biofuels production. Size reduction of biomass using grinding equipment helps to meet the desired specifications in terms of particle size. Densification ensures the biomass has a uniform format with consistent physical properties such as size and shape, density, and durability, which significantly influence storage, transportation and handling characteristics. A variety of densification systems, such as (i) pellet mill; (ii) cuber; (iii) screw extruder; (iv) briquette press; (v) roller press; (vi) tablet press; and (vii) agglomerator, are available for bioenergy applications. Torrefaction, which is a thermal pretreatment method, makes biomass brittle making it easier to grind (better particle size and shape), changes the chemical composition (removing the moisture and low-energy content of volatiles), and increases the net energy content of the biomass.

The emphasis of this Special Issue is to examine the advances in biomass size reduction, densification and torrefaction technologies and their impact on physical, chemical and energy properties for biofuels production.

Dr. Jaya Shankar Tumuluru
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Biomass; Physical properties; Flow properties; Chemical composition; Size reduction; Densification; Torrefaction; Thermo-chemical conversion; Biochemical conversion

Published Papers (11 papers)

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Research

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11 pages, 736 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

The Process of Producing Bioethanol from Delignified Cellulose Isolated from Plants of the Miscanthus Genus

by Olga Kriger, Ekaterina Budenkova, Olga Babich, Stanislav Suhih, Nikolay Patyukov, Yakov Masyutin, Vyacheslav Dolganuk and Evgeny Chupakhin

Bioengineering 2020, 7(2), 61; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering7020061 - 21 Jun 2020

Cited by 12 | Viewed by 3570

Abstract

Plants of the Miscanthus genus (Miscanthus Anderss.) have a unique index of biomass production in relation to the occupied area. Miscanthus plants can be attributed to promising second-generation raw materials for the production of bioethanol and biofuel. Miscanthus plants are characterized by a high cellulose content. Herein, we report the results of a study on the obtained delignified cellulose with subsequent processing into bioethanol using microbial communities. In the course of the study, the optimal conditions for the delignification of the initial plant material for cellulose were selected. Ethanol with a high degree of conversion was successfully obtained from the isolated delignified cellulose. The article describes the pilot technological scheme for the conversion of Miscanthus plant biomass to bioethanol involving the delignification stages, followed by the conversion of the resulting cellulose into bioethanol by a consortium of microorganisms. As a result of the study, it was found that delignification using trifluoroacetic acid leads to the production of cellulose of high purity. Bioethanol with a yield of 3.1% to 3.4% in terms of the initial amount of biomass was successfully obtained by a microorganism consortium of Saccharomyces cerevisiae M Y-4242/Pachysolen tannophilus Y-3269, and Scheffersomyces stipitis Y-3264. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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9 pages, 1007 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Purification and Valorization of Waste Cotton Seed Oil as an Alternative Feedstock for Biodiesel Production

by Djomdi, M. T. Leku, D. Djoulde, C. Delattre and P. Michaud

Bioengineering 2020, 7(2), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering7020041 - 30 Apr 2020

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 4260

Abstract

This article is focused on the production of biodiesel from the waste cotton seed oil (WCSO), after purification, as an alternative to fossil fuels. Waste oil was collected from Sodecoton, a factory producing cotton seed oil in the Far North Cameroon. The WCSO was subjected to purification using activated coal, followed by transesterification under basic conditions (potassium hydroxide (KOH)), using methanol and ethanol. Some physico–chemical properties of biodiesel, such as absorbance of waste and purified oil, density, viscosity, water content, acid value, and its energy content were determined. The result of treating the WCSO with activated coal indicated that purification efficiency of activated coal increased with the contact time and the mass of the absorbent. Absorbance results directly proved that activated coal removed unwanted components. In the same way, activated coal concentration and exposure time influenced the level of free fatty acids of WCSO. The yield of methyl ester was 97%, while that of ethyl ester was 98%. The specific gravity at 25 °C was 0.945 ± 0.0601. An evaluation of the lower calorific value (PCI) was done in order to study the energy content of biodiesel. This was found to be a value of 37.02 ± 3.05 MJ/kg for methyl ester and 36.92 ± 7.20 MJ/kg for ethyl ester. WCSO constitutes feedstock for high volume, good quality, and sustainable production of biodiesel, as well as a realistic means of eliminating the pollution resulting from the indiscriminate disposal of waste oils from both household and industrial users. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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15 pages, 4016 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Fine Comminution of Pine Bark: How Does Mechanical Loading Influence Particles Properties and Milling Efficiency?

by Karine Rajaonarivony, Xavier Rouau, Komlanvi Lampoh, Jean-Yves Delenne and Claire Mayer-Laigle

Bioengineering 2019, 6(4), 102; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering6040102 - 06 Nov 2019

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 6037

Abstract

The use of lignocellulosic plant biomass as an alternative to fossil feedstocks for chemistry, energy and materials often involves an intense dry comminution step, for which the energy consumed can vary significantly according to the process parameters, the particle size targeted, and the properties of the biomass. Here we studied the fine milling of maritime pine bark in an impact-mill configuration and in an attrition-mill configuration. The properties of the resulting powders (particle size distribution, particle shape, specific surface area, agglomeration level) obtained in each configuration were compared in relation to process energy consumption. Results evidenced that the agglomeration phenomena drive milling efficiency and limit the possibilities for reaching ultrafine particles. Interestingly, impact loading proved more effective at breaking down coarse particles but tended to generate high agglomeration levels, whereas attrition milling led to less agglomeration and thus to finer particles. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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17 pages, 4525 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An “In-Situ Binding” Approach to Produce Torrefied Biomass Briquettes

by Osama Bu Aamiri, Rajeeva Thilakaratne, Jaya Shankar Tumuluru and Jagannadh Satyavolu

Bioengineering 2019, 6(4), 87; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering6040087 - 20 Sep 2019

Cited by 10 | Viewed by 6398

Abstract

Biomass-derived coal or “biocoal” produced using a torrefaction process presents a carbon-neutral option of coal for power generation. While torrefaction delivers a carbon content and hydrophobicity comparable to coal, it lowers its density and creates material handling, storage, and transportation challenges. Densification into briquettes would help mitigate these challenges. However, the torrefied biomass is difficult to densify and may require the use of binders, which are expensive and can be incompatible with respect to material and emissions. A cost-effective approach to utilize lignin in-situ of the biomass to promote binding during densification was demonstrated using a pilot-scale briquetter unit during this study. Lignin, a cross-linked polymer, tends to break down and lose its binding ability under high-temperature conditions of torrefaction. In this paper, we investigated the use of a lightly torrefied material as a binder―LTM (biomass torrefied in the transition region of non-reactive and reactive temperature ranges of torrefaction). When mixed with torrefied biomass and densified together under suitable moisture and temperature conditions, the lignin is shown to mobilize and provide binding to the briquettes. The results showed that briquettes produced using LTM as binder and 10% to 11% moisture provided in-situ binding, improved density and durability, and produced hydrophobic briquettes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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16 pages, 2308 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Acacia Holosericea: An Invasive Species for Bio-char, Bio-oil, and Biogas Production

by Md Sumon Reza, Ashfaq Ahmed, Wahyu Caesarendra, Muhammad S. Abu Bakar, Shahriar Shams, R. Saidur, Navid Aslfattahi and Abul K. Azad

Bioengineering 2019, 6(2), 33; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering6020033 - 16 Apr 2019

Cited by 60 | Viewed by 10125

Abstract

To evaluate the possibilities for biofuel and bioenergy production Acacia Holosericea, which is an invasive plant available in Brunei Darussalam, was investigated. Proximate analysis of Acacia Holosericea shows that the moisture content, volatile matters, fixed carbon, and ash contents were 9.56%, 65.12%, 21.21%, and 3.91%, respectively. Ultimate analysis shows carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen as 44.03%, 5.67%, and 0.25%, respectively. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) results have shown that maximum weight loss occurred for this biomass at 357 °C for pyrolysis and 287 °C for combustion conditions. Low moisture content (<10%), high hydrogen content, and higher heating value (about 18.13 MJ/kg) makes this species a potential biomass. The production of bio-char, bio-oil, and biogas from Acacia Holosericea was found 34.45%, 32.56%, 33.09% for 500 °C with a heating rate 5 °C/min and 25.81%, 37.61%, 36.58% with a heating rate 10 °C/min, respectively, in this research. From Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy it was shown that a strong C–H, C–O, and C=C bond exists in the bio-char of the sample. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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21 pages, 7358 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Biomass Grinding Process Optimization Using Response Surface Methodology and a Hybrid Genetic Algorithm

by Jaya Shankar Tumuluru and Dean J. Heikkila

Bioengineering 2019, 6(1), 12; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering6010012 - 25 Jan 2019

Cited by 32 | Viewed by 8073

Abstract

Biomass could be a key source of renewable energy. Agricultural waste products, such as corn stover, provide a convenient means to replace fossil fuels, such as coal, and a large amount of feedstock is currently available for energy consumption in the U.S. This study has two main objectives: (1) to understand the impact of corn stover moisture content and grinder speed on grind physical properties; and (2) develop response surface models and optimize these models using a hybrid genetic algorithm. The response surface models developed were used to draw surface plots to understand the interaction effects of the corn stover grind moisture content and grinder speed on the grind physical properties and specific energy consumption. The surface plots indicated that a higher corn stover grind moisture content and grinder speed had a positive effect on the bulk and tapped density. The final grind moisture content was highly influenced by the initial moisture content of the corn stover grind. Optimization of the response surface models using the hybrid genetic algorithm indicated that moisture content in the range of 17 to 19% (w.b.) and a grinder speed of 47 to 49 Hz maximized the bulk and tapped density and minimized the geomantic mean particle length. The specific energy consumption was minimized when the grinder speed was about 20 Hz and the corn stover grind moisture content was about 10% (w.b.). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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4305 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Microwave-Assisted Alkali Pre-Treatment, Densification and Enzymatic Saccharification of Canola Straw and Oat Hull

by Obiora S. Agu, Lope G. Tabil and Tim Dumonceaux

Bioengineering 2017, 4(2), 25; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering4020025 - 26 Mar 2017

Cited by 30 | Viewed by 7578

Abstract

The effects of microwave-assisted alkali pre-treatment on pellets’ characteristics and enzymatic saccharification for bioethanol production using lignocellulosic biomass of canola straw and oat hull were investigated. The ground canola straw and oat hull were immersed in distilled water, sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide solutions at two concentrations (0.75% and 1.5% w/v) and exposed to microwave radiation at power level 713 W and three residence times (6, 12 and 18 min). Bulk and particle densities of ground biomass samples were determined. Alkaline-microwave pre-treated and untreated samples were subjected to single pelleting test in an Instron universal machine, pre-set to a load of 4000 N. The measured parameters, pellet density, tensile strength and dimensional stability were evaluated and the results showed that the microwave-assisted alkali pre-treated pellets had a significantly higher density and tensile strength compared to samples that were untreated or pre-treated by microwave alone. The chemical composition analysis showed that microwave-assisted alkali pre-treatment was able to disrupt and break down the lignocellulosic structure of the samples, creating an area of cellulose accessible to cellulase reactivity. The best enzymatic saccharification results gave a high glucose yield of 110.05 mg/g dry sample for canola straw ground in a 1.6 mm screen hammer mill and pre-treated with 1.5% NaOH for 18 min, and a 99.10 mg/g dry sample for oat hull ground in a 1.6 mm screen hammer mill and pre-treated with 0.75% NaOH for 18 min microwave-assisted alkali pre-treatments. The effects of pre-treatment results were supported by SEM analysis. Overall, it was found that microwave-assisted alkali pre-treatment of canola straw and oat hull at a short residence time enhanced glucose yield. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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3004 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Influence of Torrefaction on the Conversion Efficiency of the Gasification Process of Sugarcane Bagasse

by Anthony Anukam, Sampson Mamphweli, Omobola Okoh and Prashant Reddy

Bioengineering 2017, 4(1), 22; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering4010022 - 10 Mar 2017

Cited by 23 | Viewed by 7973

Abstract

Sugarcane bagasse was torrefied to improve its quality in terms of properties prior to gasification. Torrefaction was undertaken at 300 °C in an inert atmosphere of N₂ at 10 °C·min⁻¹ heating rate. A residence time of 5 min allowed for rapid reaction of the material during torrefaction. Torrefied and untorrefied bagasse were characterized to compare their suitability as feedstocks for gasification. The results showed that torrefied bagasse had lower O–C and H–C atomic ratios of about 0.5 and 0.84 as compared to that of untorrefied bagasse with 0.82 and 1.55, respectively. A calorific value of about 20.29 MJ·kg⁻¹ was also measured for torrefied bagasse, which is around 13% higher than that for untorrefied bagasse with a value of ca. 17.9 MJ·kg⁻¹. This confirms the former as a much more suitable feedstock for gasification than the latter since efficiency of gasification is a function of feedstock calorific value. SEM results also revealed a fibrous structure and pith in the micrographs of both torrefied and untorrefied bagasse, indicating the carbonaceous nature of both materials, with torrefied bagasse exhibiting a more permeable structure with larger surface area, which are among the features that favour gasification. The gasification process of torrefied bagasse relied on computer simulation to establish the impact of torrefaction on gasification efficiency. Optimum efficiency was achieved with torrefied bagasse because of its slightly modified properties. Conversion efficiency of the gasification process of torrefied bagasse increased from 50% to approximately 60% after computer simulation, whereas that of untorrefied bagasse remained constant at 50%, even as the gasification time increased. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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1583 KiB

Open AccessArticle

HHV Predicting Correlations for Torrefied Biomass Using Proximate and Ultimate Analyses

by Daya Ram Nhuchhen and Muhammad T. Afzal

Bioengineering 2017, 4(1), 7; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering4010007 - 24 Jan 2017

Cited by 110 | Viewed by 9234

Abstract

Many correlations are available in the literature to predict the higher heating value (HHV) of raw biomass using the proximate and ultimate analyses. Studies on biomass torrefaction are growing tremendously, which suggest that the fuel characteristics, such as HHV, proximate analysis and ultimate analysis, have changed significantly after torrefaction. Such changes may cause high estimation errors if the existing HHV correlations were to be used in predicting the HHV of torrefied biomass. No study has been carried out so far to verify this. Therefore, this study seeks answers to the question: “Can the existing correlations be used to determine the HHV of the torrefied biomass”? To answer this, the existing HHV predicting correlations were tested using torrefied biomass data points. Estimation errors were found to be significantly high for the existing HHV correlations, and thus, they are not suitable for predicting the HHV of the torrefied biomass. New correlations were then developed using data points of torrefied biomass. The ranges of reported data for HHV, volatile matter (VM), fixed carbon (FC), ash (ASH), carbon (C), hydrogen (H) and oxygen (O) contents were 14.90 MJ/kg–33.30 MJ/kg, 13.30%–88.57%, 11.25%–82.74%, 0.08%–47.62%, 35.08%–86.28%, 0.53%–7.46% and 4.31%–44.70%, respectively. Correlations with the minimum mean absolute errors and having all components of proximate and ultimate analyses were selected for future use. The selected new correlations have a good accuracy of prediction when they are validated using another set of data (26 samples). Thus, these new and more accurate correlations can be useful in modeling different thermochemical processes, including combustion, pyrolysis and gasification processes of torrefied biomass. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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Review

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17 pages, 2396 KiB

Open AccessReview

Comminution of Dry Lignocellulosic Biomass: Part II. Technologies, Improvement of Milling Performances, and Security Issues

by Claire Mayer-Laigle, Rova Karine Rajaonarivony, Nicolas Blanc and Xavier Rouau

Bioengineering 2018, 5(3), 50; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering5030050 - 22 Jun 2018

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 7286

Abstract

Lignocellulosic feedstocks present a growing interest in many industrial processes as they are an ecological alternative to petroleum-based products. Generally, the size of plant raw materials needs to be reduced by milling step(s), to increase density, facilitate transport and storage, and to increase reactivity. However, this unit operation can prove to be important in term of investments, functioning costs, and energy consumption if the process is not fully adapted to the histological structure of the plant material, possibly challenging the profitability of the whole chain of the biomass conversion. In this paper, the different technologies that can be used for the milling of lignocellulosic biomass were reviewed and different avenues are suggested to improve the milling performances thanks to thermal pretreatments. Based on examples on wheat straw milling, the main points to take into consideration in the choice of a milling technologies have been highlighted in regards to the specifications of ground powder. A specific focus on the hazards associated to the milling and the manipulation of fine biomass particles is also realized at the end of the paper from the perspective of industrial applications. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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14 pages, 3906 KiB

Open AccessReview

Comminution of Dry Lignocellulosic Biomass, a Review: Part I. From Fundamental Mechanisms to Milling Behaviour

by Claire Mayer-Laigle, Nicolas Blanc, Rova Karine Rajaonarivony and Xavier Rouau

Bioengineering 2018, 5(2), 41; https://doi.org/10.3390/bioengineering5020041 - 02 Jun 2018

Cited by 43 | Viewed by 6837

Abstract

The comminution of lignocellulosic biomass is a key operation for many applications as bio-based materials, bio-energy or green chemistry. The grinder used can have a significant impact on the properties of the ground powders, of those of the end-products and on the energy consumption. Since several years, the milling of lignocellulosic biomass has been the subject of numerous studies most often focused on specific materials and/or applications but there is still a lack of generic knowledge about the relation between the histological structure of the raw materials, the milling technologies and the physical and chemical properties of the powders. This review aims to point out the main process parameters and plant raw material properties that influence the milling operation and their consequences on the properties of ground powders and on the energy consumption during the comminution. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advances in Biomass Preprocessing and Pretreatments and Valorization to Energy)

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