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Energy from Forest Biomass
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Energy from Forest Biomass

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 June 2016) | Viewed by 19829

Special Issue Editor

Prof. Dr. Dimitris S. Argyropoulos

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Departments of Forest Biomaterials & Chemistry, North Carolina State University, 2820 Faucette Drive, Rm 3104, Raleigh, NC 27695-8005, USA
Interests: materials; chemicals and energy from forest biomass; organic chemistry of wood components; bio-refining of lignin; cellulose and nano-cellulose based smart materials; NMR spectroscopy and polymer chemistry of biopolymers
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Without a doubt, our society’s concerns over increasing fuel prices, green house gas emissions, and the associated global warming have created a tremendous interest in the science and technologies that promise the sustainable production of energy from domestic resources. In this respect, lignocellulosic biomass (wood) has the unique ability to supply it because carbohydrates and lignin are among the most abundant organic compounds on the planet, representing a vast amount of biomass (in the range of hundreds of billions of tons). Our fossil carbon-based energy economy relies on distinctly hydrophobic hydrocarbon molecules that are devoid of oxygen and functional groups. In contrast to hydrocarbons, carbohydrates are highly functionalized and hydrophilic molecules. As such, our chemical and energy industry needs to redevelop in a major way if it is to use lignocellulosic biomass as its feedstock. These considerations unambiguously dictate the need for practically oriented scientific research and development covering a wide range of applications for “Energy from Forest Biomass”.

This Special Issue is focused at bringing together the global expertise from academia, government, and industry with the aim to disseminate their latest findings and to exchange their ideas for the future in the realm of “Energy from Forest Biomass”. The present Special Issue will attempt to offer the reader a current view of the issues. Contributors should attempt to provide a good review of the literature, creating a sound foundation for the science to be subsequently developed. The editor anticipates that this issue will provide a resource for new ideas, guidance, and a good embarkation point for any future endeavors in the broad area that is defined by its title, “Energy from Forest Biomass”.

Prof. Dr. Dimitris S. Argyropoulos
Guest Editor

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Bioenergy

  • Pre-treatment

  • Novel Pre-treatment Methods

  • Softwood versus Hardwood Digestibility Issues

  • Cellulose

  • Cellulase enzymes

  • Cellulase inhibition

  • Recalcitrance of wood

  • Novel Methods of Analysis for wood

  • Fermentation towards Bioethanol

  • Byproduct Utilization

  • Lignin Utilization

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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6683 KiB  
Article
Application of Scaling-Law and CFD Modeling to Hydrodynamics of Circulating Biomass Fluidized Bed Gasifier
by Mazda Biglari, Hui Liu, Ali Elkamel and Ali Lohi
Energies 2016, 9(7), 504; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9070504 - 30 Jun 2016
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 4686
Abstract
Two modeling approaches, the scaling-law and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) approaches, are presented in this paper. To save on experimental cost of the pilot plant, the scaling-law approach as a low-computational-cost method was adopted and a small scale column operating under ambient temperature [...] Read more.
Two modeling approaches, the scaling-law and CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) approaches, are presented in this paper. To save on experimental cost of the pilot plant, the scaling-law approach as a low-computational-cost method was adopted and a small scale column operating under ambient temperature and pressure was built. A series of laboratory tests and computer simulations were carried out to evaluate the hydrodynamic characteristics of a pilot fluidized-bed biomass gasifier. In the small scale column solids were fluidized. The pressure and other hydrodynamic properties were monitored for the validation of the scaling-law application. In addition to the scaling-law modeling method, the CFD approach was presented to simulate the gas-particle system in the small column. 2D CFD models were developed to simulate the hydrodynamic regime. The simulation results were validated with the experimental data from the small column. It was proved that the CFD model was able to accurately predict the hydrodynamics of the small column. The outcomes of this research present both the scaling law with the lower computational cost and the CFD modeling as a more robust method to suit various needs for the design of fluidized-bed gasifiers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy from Forest Biomass)
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882 KiB  
Article
Adaptive Procurement Guidelines for Automatic Selection of Renewable Forest Energy Sources within a Sustainable Energy Production System
by Teijo Palander and Kalle Kärhä
Energies 2016, 9(3), 155; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9030155 - 3 Mar 2016
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4051
Abstract
An automatic forest-stand selection method was developed that integrates the procurement of profitable energy sources within a sustainable energy production system. We tested the method using a forest harvester simulator. We found that site-specific estimates of forest characteristics are important when predicting the [...] Read more.
An automatic forest-stand selection method was developed that integrates the procurement of profitable energy sources within a sustainable energy production system. We tested the method using a forest harvester simulator. We found that site-specific estimates of forest characteristics are important when predicting the potential of an energy-wood stand as a renewable energy source. Further, tree parameters can be combined with automatic stem measurements from a multiple-tree harvester to predict the energy-wood biomass in the stands. The selection process uses data from profitability studies. The selection process also uses environmental criteria to ensure that sufficient soil organic matter is left behind and to protect the soil against erosion. The integrated system of the harvester automatically adapts the system’s models and stand-selection rules to account for various site-specific stand parameters. Predicting the profitable and environmentally acceptable yield of stand biomass has great potential in sustainable forest resource management, but managers must decide whether the operational procurement guidelines provided by the stand-selection method is acceptable under their local real-world wood procurement conditions. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy from Forest Biomass)
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Review

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1757 KiB  
Review
Recovery and Utilization of Lignin Monomers as Part of the Biorefinery Approach
by Kirsten M. Davis, Marjorie Rover, Robert C. Brown, Xianglan Bai, Zhiyou Wen and Laura R. Jarboe
Energies 2016, 9(10), 808; https://doi.org/10.3390/en9100808 - 10 Oct 2016
Cited by 72 | Viewed by 10520
Abstract
Lignin is a substantial component of lignocellulosic biomass but is under-utilized relative to the cellulose and hemicellulose components. Historically, lignin has been burned as a source of process heat, but this heat is usually in excess of the process energy demands. Current models [...] Read more.
Lignin is a substantial component of lignocellulosic biomass but is under-utilized relative to the cellulose and hemicellulose components. Historically, lignin has been burned as a source of process heat, but this heat is usually in excess of the process energy demands. Current models indicate that development of an economically competitive biorefinery system requires adding value to lignin beyond process heat. This addition of value, also known as lignin valorization, requires economically viable processes for separating the lignin from the other biomass components, depolymerizing the lignin into monomeric subunits, and then upgrading these monomers to a value-added product. The fact that lignin’s biological role is to provide biomass with structural integrity means that this heteropolymer can be difficult to depolymerize. However, there are chemical and biological routes to upgrade lignin from its native form to compounds of industrial value. Here we review the historical background and current technology of (thermo) chemical depolymerization of lignin; the natural ability of microbial enzymes and pathways to utilize lignin, the current prospecting work to find novel microbial routes to lignin degradation, and some applications of these microbial enzymes and pathways; and the current chemical and biological technologies to upgrade lignin-derived monomers. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Energy from Forest Biomass)
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