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Effective Biorefineries through the Co-production of Chemicals and Biofuels

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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 (31 August 2019) | Viewed by 42255

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Christopher J. Chuck

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Bath, Bath BA2 7AY, UK
Interests: bioprocessing; biorefineries; yeast; algae; thermochemical conversion

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Sustainable liquid biofuels remain a key component of all future energy scenarios aimed at reducing anthropogenic climate change; however, the overall cost of these second and third generation biofuels remains prohibitively high. The poor economics, coupled with uncertainty over government support and extended payback periods for biomass facilities, has limited industrial development in this area. Seemingly, the only realisable production method is to incorporate biofuel production with other higher value chemicals in an integrated biorefinery concept. These alternative products can take the form of natural polymers, animal, or human foodstuffs, fertilisers, monomers for bioplastics, value chemicals or advanced bio-materials. To this end, we invite submissions of novel research across the chemical, engineering, and biological sciences demonstrating the co-production of liquid fuels with alternative products from a range of terrestrial or marine biomass. For example, topics covering the chemical or biological processing of biomass, either as a pre-treatment stage or to produce a range of products would be of interest as would the downstream separations and purification steps necessary to this field. Submissions detailing extended systems analysis such as supply chain modelling, technoeconomic analysis, or lifecycle assessment would be especially welcome.

Dr. Christopher J. Chuck
Guest Editor

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Keywords

Biorefineries
Biodiesel
Bioplastics
Bioprocessing
Advanced biofuels
Hydrothermal liquefaction
Pyrolysis
Thermochemical
Technoeconomic

Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

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14 pages, 236 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest: Commercialization Challenges for the Renewable Aviation Fuel Industry

by Brian J. Stanton and Richard R. Gustafson

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(21), 4644; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9214644 - 1 Nov 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2537

Abstract

A bioenergy summit was organized by Advanced Hardwood Biofuels Northwest (AHB) to debate the barriers to the commercialization of a hybrid poplar biofuels industry for the alternative jet fuels market from the perspective of five years of AHB research and development and two recent surveys of the North American cellulosic biofuels industry. The summit showed that: (1) Growing and converting poplar feedstock to aviation fuels is technically sound, (2) an adequate land base encompassing 6.03 and 12.86 million respective hectares of croplands and rangelands is potentially available for poplar feedstock production, (3) biofuel production is accompanied by a global warming potential that meets the threshold 60% reduction mandated for advanced renewable fuels but (4) the main obstruction to achieving a workable poplar aviation fuels market is making the price competitive with conventional jet fuels. Returns on investment into biomass farms and biorefineries are therefore insufficient to attract private-sector capital the fact notwithstanding that the demand for a reliable and sustainable supply of environmentally well-graded biofuels for civilian and military aviation is clear. Eleven key findings and recommendations are presented as a guide to a strategic plan for a renewed pathway to poplar alternative jet fuels production based upon co-products, refinery co-location with existing industries, monetization of ecosystem services, public-private financing, and researching more efficient and lower-costs conversion methods such as consolidated bioprocessing. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effective Biorefineries through the Co-production of Chemicals and Biofuels)

14 pages, 580 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Analysis of Seaweeds from South West England as a Biorefinery Feedstock

by Tracey A. Beacham, Isobel S. Cole, Louisa S. DeDross, Sofia Raikova, Christopher J. Chuck, John Macdonald, Leopoldo Herrera, Tariq Ali, Ruth L. Airs, Andrew Landels and Michael J. Allen

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(20), 4456; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9204456 - 21 Oct 2019

Cited by 14 | Viewed by 3552

Abstract

Seaweeds contain many varied and commercially valuable components, from individual pigments and metabolites through to whole biomass, and yet they remain an under cultivated and underutilised commodity. Currently, commercial exploitation of seaweeds is predominantly limited to whole biomass consumption or single product extracts for the food industry. The development of a seaweed biorefinery, based around multiple products and services, could provide an important opportunity to exploit new and currently underexplored markets. Here, we assessed the native and invasive seaweeds on the South West coast of the UK to determine their characteristics and potential for exploitation through a biorefinery pipeline, looking at multiple components including pigments, carbohydrates, lipids, proteins and other metabolites. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effective Biorefineries through the Co-production of Chemicals and Biofuels)

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10 pages, 1154 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Life Cycle Assessment on a Biorefinery Approach to Pyrolysis Oil for Wood Modification Treatment

by Jurjen Spekreijse, Tobias Weide, Simon P.W. Hageman, Patrick Reumerman, Christof Wetter, Elmar Brügging and Martijn Vis

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(20), 4233; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9204233 - 10 Oct 2019

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 4612

Abstract

The use of pyrolysis-based wood conservation is a good alternative for the use of fossil-based creosotes. In this life cycle assessment (LCA) the environmental impact of a biorefinery approach of pyrolysis oil from forestry residues or maize digestate and its application as wood modification treatment is determined. The damage to ecosystems, damage to human health and the increased resource scarcity is studied using an attributional LCA and a sensitivity and uncertainty analysis. Based on data from an existing pyrolysis plant, it is shown that pyrolysis oil from maize digestate has a significantly higher environmental impact than pyrolysis oil from forestry residues. This is due to a lower energetic yield and a higher ash content in the feedstock. The biorefinery approach of using pyrolytic sugars as wood modification treatment shows significantly lower environmental impacts than the fossil-based creosotes, regardless of the selected end of life scenario, due to a lower toxicity and by a reduction of 82% of greenhouse gases. This shows that in addition to energy production, pyrolysis oil can be applied as biobased chemicals and materials, developing a sustainable platform based on pyrolysis oil. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effective Biorefineries through the Co-production of Chemicals and Biofuels)

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15 pages, 1845 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Elemental Composition of Biochar Obtained from Agricultural Waste for Soil Amendment and Carbon Sequestration

by Saowanee Wijitkosum and Preamsuda Jiwnok

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(19), 3980; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9193980 - 23 Sep 2019

Cited by 72 | Viewed by 18715

Abstract

For an agricultural country such as Thailand, converting agricultural waste into biochar offers a potential solution to manage massive quantities of crop residues following harvest. This research studied the structure and chemical composition of biochar obtained from cassava rhizomes, cassava stems and corncobs, produced using a patented locally-manufactured biochar kiln using low-cost appropriate technology designed to be fabricated locally by farmers. The research found that cassava stems yielded the highest number of Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) surface area in the biochar product, while chemical analysis indicated that corncobs yielded the highest amount of C (81.35%). The amount of H in the corncob biochar was also the highest (2.42%). The study also showed biochar produced by slow pyrolysis was of a high quality, with stable C and low H/C ratio. Biochar’s high BET surface area and total pore volume makes it suitable for soil amendment, contributing to reduced soil density, higher soil moisture and aeration and reduced leaching of plant nutrients from the rhizosphere. Biochar also provides a conducive habitat for beneficial soil microorganisms. The findings indicate that soil incorporation of biochar produced from agricultural crop residues can enhance food security and mitigate the contribution of the agricultural sector to climate change impacts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effective Biorefineries through the Co-production of Chemicals and Biofuels)

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21 pages, 6767 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

The Optimized Production of 5-(Hydroxymethyl)furfural and Related Products from Spent Coffee Grounds

by André Prates Pereira, Timothy J. Woodman, Paraj Brahmbhatt and Christopher J. Chuck

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(16), 3369; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9163369 - 15 Aug 2019

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 3226

Abstract

The increasing consumption of coffee worldwide has led to higher amounts of spent coffee grounds (SCG) being produced which are generally disposed of in landfill or used as compost. However, the wide range of molecules present in SCG such as saccharides, lignin, lipids and proteins give this biomass source a large chemical functionality. In this work, SCG were fractionated to separate the components into three separate portions for further valorization; these were hemicellulose-enriched fractions (HEF), lignin-enriched fraction (LEF) and cellulose-enriched fraction (CEF). HEF was effectively used in the growth of the oleaginous yeast Metschnikowia pulcherrima, additionally, the C₆ sugars present in this fraction suggests that it can be used in the production of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMF). The LEF had a considerable high heating value (HHV) and would be suitable as a biofuel component for combustion. CEF was efficiently used in the production of HMF as 0.35 g of this product were obtained from 10 g of SCG. Such results demonstrate that SCG can be effectively used in the production of HMF within a biorefinery concept. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effective Biorefineries through the Co-production of Chemicals and Biofuels)

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15 pages, 6668 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Effect of Impregnation with Maltodextrin and 1,3-Dimethylol-4,5-Dihydroxyethyleneurea on the Conventional Drying Characteristics of Poplar Wood

by Mingzhen Cai, Zongying Fu, Yingchun Cai, Yue Zhang, Jun Cai and Cong Xu

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(3), 473; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9030473 - 30 Jan 2019

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3332

Abstract

The drying characteristics of poplar wood (Populus adenopoda Maxim) under three treatments were investigated with the aim of improving the drying quality of the impregnated wood. Untreated materials, impregnated materials with 10% initial moisture content (MC), and impregnated materials with 20% initial MC—denoted as T1, T2, and T3, respectively—were examined during conventional drying. Relative to that of T1, the average drying rate of T2 was reduced by 46%, and that of T3 was reduced by 37%. The anti-swelling efficiency of T2 sharply increased, whereas that of T3 only slightly increased in width and thickness. The drying defects of T2 were markedly less than those of T1 and T3, attributed to the reduced residual stress and fixation of the modifier. Scanning electron microscopy indicated that large amounts of modifiers were deposited inside the cell cavity of T2, whereas small amounts of modifiers were deposited in the cell cavity of T3. The impregnation treatment generally reduced the average drying rate and MC uniformity and delayed the decrease in residual stress; however, it reduced the number of defects in the wood and considerably improved the dimensional stability of the wood. Meanwhile, impregnation treatment with increased initial MC could potentially lead to more drying defects and increase production cost. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effective Biorefineries through the Co-production of Chemicals and Biofuels)

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Other

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15 pages, 556 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperOpinion

The Microalgae Biorefinery: A Perspective on the Current Status and Future Opportunities Using Genetic Modification

by Gino Schiano di Visconte, Andrew Spicer, Christopher J. Chuck and Michael J. Allen

Appl. Sci. 2019, 9(22), 4793; https://doi.org/10.3390/app9224793 - 9 Nov 2019

Cited by 55 | Viewed by 5697

Abstract

There is clear scientific evidence that emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG), arising from fossil fuel combustion and land-use change as a result of human activities, are perturbing the Earth’s climate. Microalgae-derived biofuels have been chased since the 1980s without success but, lately, a new biorefinery concept is receiving increasing attention. Here, we discuss the possible solutions to the many problems that make this process unrealised to date, considering also the possibility of including genetically modified (GM) organisms to improve the productivity and process economics. Currently, unless coupled to a service or higher value product production, biofuels derived from microalgae fail to achieve economic reality. However, provided sufficient development of new technologies, potentially including new or improved organisms to lower both production and processing costs, as well as looking at the utility of distributed versus centralised production models, algae biofuels could achieve an impact, off-setting our heavy reliance on petroleum-based liquid fuels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Effective Biorefineries through the Co-production of Chemicals and Biofuels)

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