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Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II

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A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "A4: Bio-Energy".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 July 2024 | Viewed by 12961

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Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Czerski

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Faculty of Energy and Fuels, AGH University of Science and Technology, al. Mickiewicza 30, 30-059 Krakow, Poland
Interests: fuels engineering; pyrolysis and gasification; solid fuels conversion; energy efficiency
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Currently, the use of renewable solid fuels, which include biomass, is of increasing importance. At the same time, the amount and variety of solid waste generated, which should be reused, is growing. Both waste and biomass can be utilized in an efficient and environmentally friendly manner using thermochemical processes such as pyrolysis and gasification. These processes enable the conversion of the mentioned raw materials into useful products, while significantly reducing their negative impact on the environment and the emission of toxic compounds into the atmosphere.

The Special Issue aims to present the results of research on the course of gasification and pyrolysis of biomass and waste, allowing assessment of the raw material used as well as providing information on the mechanism of these processes, intensification and optimization of the gasification and pyrolysis techniques used, and modelling of these processes. Original research articles, as well as review articles, are welcomed.

Prof. Dr. Grzegorz Czerski
Guest Editor

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Keywords

biomass
waste
gasification
pyrolysis

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

Jump to: Review

19 pages, 5009 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gasification of Liquid Hydrocarbon Waste by the Ultra-Superheated Mixture of Steam and Carbon Dioxide: A Thermodynamic Study

by Sergey M. Frolov, Konstantin S. Panin and Viktor A. Smetanyuk

Energies 2024, 17(9), 2126; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17092126 - 29 Apr 2024

Viewed by 293

Abstract

The thermodynamic modeling of waste oil (WO) gasification by a high-temperature gasification agent (GA) composed of an ultra-superheated H₂O/CO₂ mixture is carried out. The GA is assumed to be obtained by the gaseous detonation of fuel–oxidizer–diluent mixture in a pulsed detonation gun (PDG). N-hexadecane is used as a WO surrogate. Methane or the produced syngas (generally a mixture of H₂, CO, CH₄, CO₂, etc.) is used as fuel for the PDG. Oxygen, air, or oxygen-enriched air are used as oxidizers for the PDG. Low-temperature steam is used as a diluent gas. The gasification process is assumed to proceed in a flow-through gasifier at atmospheric pressure. It is shown that the use of the detonation products of the stoichiometric methane–oxygen and methane–air mixtures theoretically leads to the complete conversion of WO into a syngas consisting exclusively of H₂ and CO, or into energy gas with high contents of CH₄ and C₂-C₃ hydrocarbons and an LHV of 36.7 (fuel–oxygen mixture) and 13.6 MJ/kg (fuel–air mixture). The use of the detonation products of the stoichiometric mixture of the produced syngas with oxygen or with oxygen-enriched air also allows theoretically achieving the complete conversion of WO into syngas consisting exclusively of H₂ and CO. About 33% of the produced syngas mixed with oxygen can be theoretically used for PDG self-feeding, thus making the gasification technology very attractive and cost-effective. To self-feed the PDG with the mixture of the produced syngas with air, it is necessary to increase the backpressure in the gasifier and/or enrich the air with oxygen. The addition of low-temperature steam to the fuel–oxygen mixture in the PDG allows controlling the H₂/CO ratio in the produced syngas from 1.3 to 3.4. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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16 pages, 3760 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Studies on the Migration of Sulphur and Chlorine in the Pyrolysis Products of Floor and Furniture Joinery

by Małgorzata Kajda-Szcześniak and Waldemar Ścierski

Energies 2023, 16(21), 7446; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16217446 - 4 Nov 2023

Viewed by 763

Abstract

This article discusses research on the low-temperature pyrolysis of waste floor and furniture joinery as an example of chemical recycling. Pyrolysis was carried out at 425 °C to obtain solid, liquid, and gaseous products. In line with the circular economy concept, the waste was transformed into economical and environmentally friendly raw materials suitable for application. Research results related to the chemical composition and properties of pyrolysis products are shown, with particular emphasis on the migration process of acidic impurities, i.e., sulphur and chlorine. In some processes, the presence of such substances can be a problem. Research has shown the high potential for sulphur and chlorine migration in pyrolysis products. It was shown that for woodwork, the most sulphur was discharged with the pyrolysis gas and the least was immobilised in the oil fraction. For vinyl panels, more than 50% of the sulphur was immobilised in the char. Chlorine was immobilised mainly in the char and pyrolysis gas. A high chlorine content of 12.55% was found in the vinyl panel. At the same time, a high chlorine content was also found in the pyrolysis products of these panels. This value is several times higher than in wood-based waste. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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14 pages, 4611 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrogen Production from Catalytic Pyrolysis of Phenol as Tar Model Compound in Magnetic Field

by Yalong Li, Baofeng Zhao, Haibin Guan, Suxiang Liu, Di Zhu, Angang Song, Huan Li and Laizhi Sun

Energies 2023, 16(10), 4140; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16104140 - 17 May 2023

Viewed by 966

Abstract

Tar conversion during biomass pyrolysis is essential for hydrogen production. In this study, phenol and 10 wt.% Ni/CaO-Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₃ were used as the tar model compound and catalyst, respectively. The purpose of the present investigation was to analyze the influence of varying magnetic field strength (ranging from 0 to 80 mT), reaction temperature (ranging from 550 to 700 °C), and carrier gas velocity (ranging from 20 to 30 mL/min) on the catalytic pyrolysis outcomes obtained from phenol. The findings indicated that the conversion rate of phenol and H₂ output exhibited an increase with an escalation in magnetic field strength and reaction temperature but demonstrated a decrease with an upsurge in the carrier gas velocity. The ideal conditions for achieving the maximum phenol conversion (91%) and H₂ yield (458.5 mL/g) were realized by adjusting the temperature to 650 °C, retaining the carrier gas velocity at 20 mL/min, and elevating the magnetic field intensity to 80 mT. These conditions resulted in a considerable increase in phenol conversion and H₂ yield by 22.2% and 28.2%, respectively, compared with those achieved without magnetism. According to the kinetic calculations, it was indicated that the inclusion of a magnetic force had a beneficial effect on the catalytic efficacy of 10 wt.% CaO-Ca₁₂Al₁₄O₃₃. Additionally, this magnetic field was observed to lower the activation energy required for the production of H₂ when compared with the activation energy required during phenol catalytic pyrolysis. This consequently resulted in an enhancement of the overall efficiency of H₂ production. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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36 pages, 2500 KiB

Open AccessArticle

On the Thermal Stability of a Counter-Current Fixed-Bed Gasifier

by Marco Mancini and Andreas Schwabauer

Energies 2023, 16(9), 3762; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16093762 - 27 Apr 2023

Viewed by 1201

Abstract

In recent years, gasification gained attention again, both as an industrial application and as a research topic. This trend has led to the necessity to understand the process and optimize reactors for various materials and configurations. In this article, the thermal structure of a counter-current reactor is investigated to demonstrate that constraints on the temperature mainly determine the oxidation and the pyrolysis region. A non-dimensional set of equations is written and numerically solved using the method of lines (MOL) with spatial discretization based on a spectral algorithm. The results show that four thermal structures can be identified, two of which are the most common ones found in reactors of practical applications. Two stationary operation positions have been determined, one in the upper and one in the lower part of the reactor. Existence and stability conditions have been discussed based on non-dimensional parameters. The knowledge derived from this analysis was applied to two configurations, one typical of a biomass gasifier and one proposed for waste gasification. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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12 pages, 1833 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Production of Low-Mercury Solid Fuel by Mild Pyrolysis Process

by Tadeusz Dziok

Energies 2023, 16(7), 3046; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16073046 - 27 Mar 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1098

Abstract

Mercury is considered one of the most harmful ecotoxic elements. A main source of its anthropogenic emissions is fuel combustion. For fuels with a high mercury content, costly methods are required to remove mercury from the flue gases. The solution to this problem is to remove mercury from the fuel before combustion. This can be achieved by a mild pyrolysis process. Solid fuel samples with relatively high mercury content were examined. These included waste (refuse-derived fuel, paper, sewage sludge, and rubber), waste wood biomass (hornbeam leaves, pine and spruce bark), and six coal. The mild pyrolysis process was performed at 300 °C in an argon flow of 500 cm³/min. The residence time was 30 min. Proximate and ultimate analysis (including mercury content) was conducted for raw fuels and chars. The process allowed a significant reduction in mercury content from 36 to 97%. Mercury was most easily removed from biomass and waste with the most difficult being from coal. The effectiveness of mercury removal was determined by the type of fuel and its mercury content. The mercury content in the obtained chars was 0.05–3.4 µg Hg/MJ. The use of such chars will meet current EU emission standards and those to be introduced in the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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31 pages, 16465 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

Extensive Experimental Characterization with Kinetic Data for the Gasification Simulation of Solid Biofuels

by Maximilian Robert Heinrich, André Herrmann, Andy Gradel, Marco Klemm and Tobias Plessing

Energies 2023, 16(6), 2888; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062888 - 21 Mar 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1320

Abstract

In this study, biomass–specific gasification data is experimentally collected for numerical simulations of fixed–bed reactors. Since biomass properties vary, it is crucial to have characteristic biomass data. Extensive data is collected to determine an appropriate description of specific biomass behavior, including basic data (e.g., heating value, size, densities, ultimate and total analysis etc.), biomass pyrolysis and heterogeneous gasification reaction data. Heterogeneous reactions were comparatively investigated in the forms of powder, particles, and a fixed–bed. The powder was investigated in depth with CO₂, O₂, and H₂O (gas fraction 5–20 vol.%; temperature CO₂, O₂ and H₂O, respectively, at 730–790 °C, 360–405 °C, 720–780 °C), while particle reactions and fixed–bed reaction were only studied with CO₂. A model description for a fixed–bed batch reactor was applied, modified, and compared to experimental fixed–bed batch reactor results. This study concludes that determining the appropriate characteristic particle size and parameters for the porous structure of specific biomass char is essential for simulation based on preliminary biomass characterization. Therefore, in future investigations, the description for biomass-specific differences between powder, single particles, and bulk of biomass char may be of greater focus, also taking into consideration O₂ and H₂O. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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16 pages, 3127 KiB

Open AccessArticle

An Analysis of the Influence of Low Density Polyethylene, Novolac, and Coal Tar Pitch Additives on the Decrease in Content of Impurities Emitted from Densified Pea Husks during the Process of Their Pyrolysis

by Marcin Bielecki, Valentina Zubkova and Andrzej Strojwas

Energies 2023, 16(6), 2644; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16062644 - 10 Mar 2023

Viewed by 1401

Abstract

The course of pyrolysis of pea husks was studied. It was stated that the compaction of a sample during its pyrolysis causes an almost two-fold increase in the content of hydrocarbons in the composition of volatile products in the temperature range of 350–470 °C. Low density polyethylene (LDPE), novolac, and coal tar pitch (CTP) wastes were added to feedstocks in the amount of 2 wt% in order to decrease the contribution of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons along with oxygen-containing compounds in volatile products. The analysis of the obtained products of pyrolysis was conducted using the techniques of thermogravimetry/Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG/FT-IR), attenuated total reflectance (ATR) and ultraviolet (UV)-spectroscopies, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GCMS), X-ray diffractions (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX). It was determined that pitch took the first place in a series of effectiveness in decreasing the content of harmful compounds in pyrolysis products; novolac was the second. A temperature of 370 °C (CTP) lowers the contribution of compounds with carbonyl groups (by approx. 2.7 times) and the contribution of alcohols, phenols, and esters (by approx. 4.4 times). At a temperature of 465 °C, this additive reduces the contribution of saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons in the composition of volatiles (by approx. 5.8 times) and at a temperature of 520 °C, a more substantial decrease is observed (by approx. 14.3 times). During the pyrolysis in the temperature range of 420–520 °C, LDPE actively emits its own products of decomposition in the form of aliphatic hydrocarbons that negatively affect the environment. The composition of condensed pyrolysis products changes under the influence of additives. In water condensates, the concentration of determined phenols and anhydrosugars increases slightly under the influence of additives. The SEM and XRD investigations proved that inorganics interact with volatile pyrolysis products from the blends of pea husks with additives and change their composition. After the transformation of chemical composition, inorganics catalyse secondary reactions that take place in the pyrolysis products of blends. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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15 pages, 1944 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Study on Steam Co-Gasification of Waste Tire Char and Sewage Sludge

by Grzegorz Czerski, Katarzyna Śpiewak, Dorota Makowska and Barbora Grycova

Energies 2023, 16(5), 2156; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16052156 - 23 Feb 2023

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1628

Abstract

The large and growing volume of tire waste and sewage sludge requires disposal, for which thermochemical processes such as gasification can be used. Co-gasification of these two waste products allows the tire char to be used as a charge stabilizer and the sewage sludge to improve reactivity and efficiency. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effect of the composition of a waste tire char and sewage sludge fuel blend on the gasification process, using steam as the gasification agent. Tests were carried out for tire char, municipal sewage sludge, and blends of the two in ratios of 90:10 and 67:33. An analysis of the materials used was carried out (ultimate and proximate analysis as well as ash composition), and isothermal measurements of steam gasification were taken using the thermal volumetric method for temperatures of 800, 850, and 900 °C at an elevated pressure of 1 MPa. On the basis of the results, the formation curves of the main gasification products (H₂, CO, CO₂, and CH₄) were created, the curves for the degree of carbon conversion were plotted, the reactivity indexes were determined for different degrees of conversion (0.25, 0.5, and 0.75), and the quantity and composition of the resulting gas were analyzed. Using the grain model, the kinetic parameters (activation energy and pre-exponential factor) of the gasification reaction were calculated. The addition of municipal sewage sludge had a positive effect on the reactivity of tire char and increased the efficiency of gasification, because it contained components that act as catalysts in the gasification process. There was a favorable effect from the addition and higher amount of sewage sludge on lowering both the activation energy (49.5 kJ/mol and 89.2 kJ/mol for 90:10 and 67:33 blends, respectively) and the pre-exponential factor. A significant improvement in reactivity, with a high degree of conversion and the best gas composition, was obtained for a 90:10 blend at 900 °C. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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Review

Jump to: Research

39 pages, 2524 KiB

Open AccessReview

Studies on the Thermochemical Conversion of Waste Tyre Rubber—A Review

by Piotr Soprych, Grzegorz Czerski and Przemysław Grzywacz

Energies 2024, 17(1), 14; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17010014 - 19 Dec 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 953

Abstract

Waste from scrap tyres, due to its high volume (17 million Mg per year) and durability resulting from the physical and chemical properties, requires innovative approaches for efficient and environmentally friendly management. In many countries, the landfilling of waste tyres is banned (e.g., EU, USA, UK); however, waste tyres can be a source of valuable materials such as carbon black, pyrolysis oil, hydrogen-rich syngas, tyre char, as well as energy. The purpose of this article is to provide a synthesis of the state of knowledge regarding the thermal conversion of waste tyres by pyrolysis and gasification, taking into account the use of different measurement techniques and reactor types. These technologies are forward-looking and have a high degree of flexibility in terms of product sourcing, depending on the process conditions. The properties of waste from used tyres were analysed, i.e., the composition of the content of individual components and the main chemical substances. The results encompassed ultimate and proximate analyses of rubber from tyres, as well as the physical and chemical parameters of the tyre char obtained through pyrolysis. This article compiles available literature data regarding the impact of process and raw material parameters, such as temperature and time conditions, pressure, particle size, and catalyst addition on the pyrolysis and gasification processes. It also explores the influence of these factors on the yield and properties of the products, including pyrolysis oil, gas, synthesis gas, and tyre char. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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25 pages, 3808 KiB

Open AccessReview

An Extensive Review and Comparison of Modern Biomass Reactors Torrefaction vs. Biomass Pyrolizers—Part 2

by Radoslaw Slezak, Hilal Unyay, Szymon Szufa and Stanislaw Ledakowicz

Energies 2023, 16(5), 2212; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16052212 - 24 Feb 2023

Cited by 13 | Viewed by 2574

Abstract

The depletion of fossil fuels has led to a search for new methods of fuel and chemical production from biomass. One of the methods of converting biomass into valuable products is the process of pyrolysis. This process has been extensively researched in recent years due to the rising prices of energy and chemicals. This work contains basic information on the pyrolysis process concerning the individual components present in the biomass and the types of biomass used in the pyrolysis process. Particular attention was paid to sewage sludge, the management of which is a big challenge. The influence of the most important process parameters (temperature, heating rate, residence time of the solid and vapor, reaction atmosphere) on the pyrolysis products (char, oil, and gas) was presented. The paper presents an overview of the reactors used in the pyrolysis process, from slow to fast pyrolysis, together with their efficiency, advantages, and disadvantages. The analysis of the application of other thermochemical processes for producing the energy used in the process of pyrolysis and in the drying of the biomass was carried out. Two industrial-scale installations for the pyrolysis of sewage sludge were presented. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Pyrolysis and Gasification of Biomass and Waste II)

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