Article
Engineering, Environmental
Deepak Raikwar, Korneel Van Aelst, Thijs Vangeel, Sandra Corderi, Joost Van Aelst, Sander Van den Bosch, Kelly Servaes, Karolien Vanbroekhoven, Kathy Elst, Bert F. Sels
Summary: Unsatisfactory solubility and recalcitrant condensed structures of isolated lignins (technical lignins) severely limit their processability. Understanding the structural and physicochemical properties of isolated lignins is crucial for explaining their performance in solubilization and further depolymerization. This study investigated the solubilization and depolymerization of organosolv lignins from three different sources. Solubility tests were conducted in six organic solvents, and solubilization behavior was described based on structural properties and investigated under different conditions. Strong structural correlations between parent lignin/subfractions and depolymerized lignin oils were derived.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Helene Labauze, Nadja Cachet, Bouchra Benjelloun-Mlayah
Summary: Optimizing the pretreatment conditions for lignocellulosic biomass is crucial for obtaining high purity fractions, especially a lignin polymer that can be easily used for valuable applications. This study used wheat straw as a sample and pretreated it in organic acid-based organosolv medium at mild conditions. The chemical structure and kinetics of lignin were analyzed using various techniques, and the modifications during the organosolv pretreatment were quantified. The extraction kinetics of lignin were successfully assessed using a potential degree of delignification model.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Elodie Melro, Alexander Riddell, Diana Bernin, Ana M. Rosa da Costa, Artur J. M. Valente, Filipe E. E. Antunes, Anabela Romano, Magnus Norgren, Bruno Medronho
Summary: Levulinic acid was used as a green solvent to selectively extract high-quality lignin from pine wood sawdust. The addition of catalytic concentrations of inorganic acids significantly reduced the extraction temperature and time without compromising the purity of the lignin. This environmentally friendly procedure shows promise in replacing traditional less sustainable methodologies.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Lijuan Zhang, Cheolyong Choi, Hiroshi Machida, Koyo Norinaga
Summary: The study proposes an integrated process for valorizing lignin, which involves catalytic hydrogenation and subsequent fast pyrolysis. Hydrogenated lignin shows increased reactivity in thermal decomposition, with higher yields of light olefins and promotion of alkanes, benzene, and toluene formation. This novel and efficient pretreatment method provides valuable insights for future research on lignin valorization.
JOURNAL OF ANALYTICAL AND APPLIED PYROLYSIS
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Nagore Izaguirre, Eduardo Robles, Rodrigo Llano-Ponte, Jalel Labidi, Xabier Erdocia
Summary: This study obtained different lignins using two extraction methods from the same raw material, with the goal of fractionating them to obtain lignin fractions with specific structures and properties. The environmental friendly solvent sequence was designed based on health and safety assessments, and various analytical techniques were used to characterize the obtained fractions. The study showed an effective method for obtaining homogeneous lignins with specific properties depending on the solvent and molecular weight, with different lignin fractions having specific target applications.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2022)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Yuran Zhou, Bin Wen, Bei Liu
Summary: This study investigated the effect of a Pd/C catalytic extraction process on the hydrothermal depolymerization product properties of ethanol organosolv lignin (EOL) in supercritical ethanol. Phenolic products were separated and analyzed by GPC and TG analyses. GC-MS analyses of obtained liquid oil products from depolymerized EOL confirmed the presence of value-added phenolics.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Anindita Das, Kaustubha Mohanty
Summary: In order to achieve a sustainable biorefinery, reducing the recalcitrance of lignocellulosic biomass is crucial. This study investigated an integrated pretreatment method to recover high-quality lignin and cellulose-rich pulp. Optimization studies showed that ultrasound treatment combined with organosolv pretreatment resulted in high lignin yield and purity. Ultrasound treatment enhanced delignification and increased cellulose crystallinity, maintaining the quality of lignin. The extracted lignin contained a significant amount of β-O-4 linkages, which is favorable for downstream valorization.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Materials Science, Paper & Wood
Nur Hanis Abd Latif, Nicolas Brosse, Isabelle Ziegler-Devin, Laurent Chrusiel, Rokiah Hashim, M. Hazwan Hussin
Summary: The effects of alkaline and organosolv pulping on the structural properties of lignin from coconut husk biomass were evaluated. Different functional groups within the lignin samples were characterized and compared using various analyses. It was found that alkaline pulping produced lignin with higher molecular weight and greater solubility.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ngoc Tuan Tran, Youngpyo Ko, Sungsoo Kim, Janghyuk Moon, Jae-Wook Choi, Kwang Ho Kim, Chang Soo Kim, Jeong-Myeong Ha, Heesuk Kim, Keunhong Jeong, Hyunjoo Lee, Chun-Jae Yoo
Summary: In this study, microwave irradiation was used for the phenolation of acid-insoluble Klason lignin. Microwave irradiation significantly reduced the reaction temperature and time without affecting the chemical structure of the phenolated lignin. Increasing the reaction temperature led to lignin decomposition, crosslinking, and phenolation. Increasing the phenol-to-lignin ratio enhanced lignin fragmentation and decreased molecular weight and glass transition temperature of the phenolated lignin. Density functional theory was used to explain the thermal and non-thermal effects of the electromagnetic field on the phenolation of Klason lignin. Phenolation greatly improved the solubility of Klason lignin in tetrahydrofuran and methanol, allowing for its adhesive application on various substrates.
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniela Millan, Felipe Gonzalez-Turen, Josei Perez-Recabarren, Christopher Gonzalez-Ponce, Marcos Caroli Rezende, Andre M. Da Costa Lopes
Summary: In this study, different organic solvents and their aqueous mixtures were used for lignin extraction from Pinus radiata sawdust. The results showed that adding a small amount of water could increase the extraction yield, but the yield decreased as the water content increased. The purity of the extracted lignins was analyzed, and it was found that the solute-solvent interactions had a significant influence on the extraction effectiveness.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Jiapeng Liu, Tao Shen, Fuqi Yuan, Zhenyu Liu, Qingya Liu
Summary: The thermal degradation of enzymatic hydrolysis lignin (EHL) in 9,10-dihydroanthracene (DHA) as a hydrogen donor solvent was studied. The liquid products were analyzed using GC, GPC, 31P NMR, and 2D-HSQC NMR. The yield of monomeric phenols reached 20.2 wt% at 375-400 degrees C, comparable to results obtained with high pressure H2 and catalysts. The reaction pathway involved cleavage of ether and acrylate linkages, removal of aliphatic-OH groups, hydrogenation of Cal = Cal bonds, decarbonylation of Cal = O groups, dealkylation of alkyl substituents, and demethylation of aromatic-methoxy groups.
FUEL PROCESSING TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Chihe Sun, Hongyan Ren, Fubao Sun, Yun Hu, Qiangqiang Liu, Guojie Song, Ali Abdulkhani, Pau Loke Show
Summary: The complex structure of lignocellulosic biomass impedes efficient enzymatic hydrolysis, necessitating pretreatment. Glycerol organosolv (GO) pretreatment has shown promising results in selectively deconstructing biomass and improving enzymatic hydrolysis by modifying dissolved components and reducing fermentation inhibitors.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Xiaoxiao Wei, Yi Liu, Yadan Luo, Zheng Shen, Shuangfei Wang, Mingfu Li, Liming Zhang
Summary: In this study, three lignin fractions were extracted from eucalyptus kraft lignin using different solvents and characterized for their antioxidant activity. The ethyl acetate fraction showed the highest antioxidant activity with high homogeneity and phenolic hydroxyl content. Solvent extraction was found to be an effective way to obtain lignin fractions with high antioxidant activity and potential higher value applications.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF BIOLOGICAL MACROMOLECULES
(2021)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Ke Ye, Ying Liu, Shubin Wu, Junping Zhuang
Summary: This paper reviews the present status, advantages and disadvantages of catalytic hydrogenolysis of lignin from two aspects of the solvent system and catalyst system. Solvents have been found to have a huge impact on the hydrogenolysis process and product distribution of lignin, the repolymerization of active intermediates is the main reason for char formation. It is proposed that the influence of different lignin structures should be fully considered in the catalyst design process, and the mechanism study of the hydrogenolysis process should focus on real lignin rather than model compounds.
INDUSTRIAL CROPS AND PRODUCTS
(2021)
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Estephanie Laura Nottar Escobar, Maria Juliane Suota, Luiz Pereira Ramos, Marcos Lucio Corazza
Summary: This study utilized a combination of green solvents to fractionate sugarcane bagasse into three parts, optimized the reaction conditions through experimental design and kinetic tests, and discovered an efficient method for lignin removal.
BIOMASS & BIOENERGY
(2022)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Cameron Bracken, Nathalie Voisin, Casey D. Burleyson, Allison M. Campbell, Z. Jason Hou, Daniel Broman
Summary: This study presents a methodology and dataset for examining compound wind and solar energy droughts, as well as the first standardized benchmark of energy droughts across the Continental United States (CONUS) for a 2020 infrastructure. The results show that compound wind and solar droughts have distinct spatial and temporal patterns across the CONUS, and the characteristics of energy droughts are regional. The study also finds that compound high load events occur more often during compound wind and solar droughts than expected.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Ning Zhang, Yanghao Yu, Jiawei Wu, Ershun Du, Shuming Zhang, Jinyu Xiao
Summary: This paper provides insights into the optimal configuration of CSP plants with different penetrations of wind power by proposing an unconstrained optimization model. The results suggest that large solar multiples and TES are preferred in order to maximize profit, especially when combined with high penetrations of wind and photovoltaic plants. Additionally, the study demonstrates the economy and feasibility of installing electric heaters (EH) in CSP plants, which show a linear correlation with the penetration of variable energy resources.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
M. Szubel, K. Papis-Fraczek, S. Podlasek
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
J. Silva, J. C. Goncalves, C. Rocha, J. Vilaca, L. M. Madeira
Summary: This study investigated the methanation of CO2 in biogas and compared two different methanation reactors. The results showed that the cooled reactor without CO2 separation achieved a CO2 conversion rate of 91.8%, while the adiabatic reactors achieved conversion rates of 59.6% and 67.2%, resulting in an overall conversion rate of 93.0%. Economic analysis revealed negative net present worth values, indicating the need for government monetary incentives.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yang Liu, Yonglan Xi, Xiaomei Ye, Yingpeng Zhang, Chengcheng Wang, Zhaoyan Jia, Chunhui Cao, Ting Han, Jing Du, Xiangping Kong, Zhongbing Chen
Summary: This study investigated the effect of using nanofiber membrane composites containing Prussian blue-like compound nanoparticles (PNPs) to relieve ammonia nitrogen inhibition of rural organic household waste during high-solid anaerobic digestion and increase methane production. The results showed that adding NMCs with 15% PNPs can lower the concentrations of volatile fatty acids and ammonia nitrogen, and increase methane yield.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhong Ge, Xiaodong Wang, Jian Li, Jian Xu, Jianbin Xie, Zhiyong Xie, Ruiqu Ma
Summary: This study evaluates the thermodynamic, exergy, and economic performance of a double-stage organic flash cycle (DOFC) using ten eco-friendly hydrofluoroolefins. The influences of key parameters on performance are analyzed, and the advantages of DOFC over single-stage type are quantified.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Nicolas Kirchner-Bossi, Fernando Porte-Agel
Summary: This study investigates the optimization of power density in wind farms and its sensitivity to the available area size. A novel genetic algorithm (PDGA) is introduced to optimize power density and turbine layout. The results show that the PDGA-driven solutions significantly reduce the levelized cost of energy (LCOE) compared to the default layout, and exhibit a convex relationship between area and LCOE or power density.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Chunxiao Zhang, Dongdong Li, Lin Wang, Qingpo Yang, Yutao Guo, Wei Zhang, Chao Shen, Jihong Pu
Summary: In this study, a novel reversible liquid-filled energy-saving window that effectively regulates indoor solar radiation heat gain is proposed. Experimental results show that this window can effectively reduce indoor temperature during both summer and winter seasons, while having minimal impact on indoor illuminance.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Alessandro L. Aguiar, Martinho Marta-Almeida, Mauro Cirano, Janini Pereira, Leticia Cotrim da Cunha
Summary: This study analyzed the Brazilian Equatorial Shelf using a high-resolution ocean model and found significant tidal variations in the area. Several hypothetical barrages were proposed with higher annual power generation than existing barrages. The study also evaluated the installation effort of these barrages.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Francesco Superchi, Nathan Giovannini, Antonis Moustakis, George Pechlivanoglou, Alessandro Bianchini
Summary: This study focuses on the optimization of a hybrid power station on the Tilos island in Greece, aiming to increase energy export and revenue by optimizing energy fluxes. Different scenarios are proposed to examine the impact of different agreements with the grid operator on the optimal solution.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Peimaneh Shirazi, Amirmohammad Behzadi, Pouria Ahmadi, Sasan Sadrizadeh
Summary: This research presents two novel energy production/storage/usage systems to reduce energy consumption and environmental effects in buildings. A biomass-fired model and a solar-driven system integrated with photovoltaic thermal (PVT) panels and a heat pump were designed and assessed. The results indicate that the solar-based system has an acceptable energy cost and the PVT-based system with a heat pump is environmentally superior. The biomass-fired system shows excellent efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zihao Qi, Yingling Cai, Yunxiang Cui
Summary: This study aims to investigate the operational characteristics of the solar-ground source heat pump system (SGSHPS) in Shanghai under different operation modes. It concludes that tandem operation mode 1 is the optimal mode for winter operation in terms of energy efficiency.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
L. Bartolucci, S. Cordiner, A. Di Carlo, A. Gallifuoco, P. Mele, V. Mulone
Summary: Spent coffee grounds are a valuable biogenic waste that can be used as a source of biofuels and valuable chemicals through pyrolysis and solvent extraction processes. The study found that heavy organic bio-oil derived from coffee grounds can be used as a carbon-rich biofuel, while solvent extraction can extract xantines and p-benzoquinone, which are important chemicals for various industries. The results highlight the promising potential of solvent extraction in improving the economic viability of coffee grounds pyrolysis-based biorefineries.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Luiza de Queiroz Correa, Diego Bagnis, Pedro Rabelo Melo Franco, Esly Ferreira da Costa Junior, Andrea Oliveira Souza da Costa
Summary: Building-integrated photovoltaics, especially organic solar technology, are important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions in the building sector. This study analyzed the performance of organic panels laminated in glass in a vertical installation in Latin America. Results showed that glass lamination and vertical orientation preserved the panels' performance and led to higher energy generation in winter.
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Zhipei Hu, Shuo Jiang, Zhigao Sun, Jun Li
Summary: This study proposes innovative fin arrangements to enhance the thermal performance of latent heat storage units. Through optimization of fin distribution and prediction of transient melting behaviors, it is found that fin structures significantly influence heat transfer characteristics and melting behaviors.
