Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
R. Sivaranjanee, P. Senthil Kumar, Gayathri Rangasamy
Summary: Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a thermochemical conversion method that can directly convert wet biomass into energy and chemicals without pre-drying. HTC has been used to solve practical issues and produce desired carbonaceous products from various waste materials. This study provides an in-depth description of HTC, highlighting the recent findings on its technical mechanisms and practical advantages. The process parameters, such as temperature, water content, pH, and retention time, play a crucial role in determining the characteristics of the final products. The study also offers recommendations to fully utilize the potential of HTC and explore additional applications for hydrochar in the future.
Article
Agricultural Engineering
Matteo Pecchi, Marco Baratieri, Jillian L. Goldfarb, Alex R. Maag
Summary: Hydrothermal carbonization is a thermochemical process that converts wet waste biomass into hydrochar, a renewable solid fuel. The nature of the feedstock and choice of solvent can affect the amount and composition of primary and secondary char phases. Ethanol can extract liquid fuel precursors from lipid-rich feedstocks, while acetone and dichloromethane can remove oily secondary char and maximize primary char yield for substrates rich in carbohydrates, proteins, and lignocellulose.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Wanchana Sisuthog, Lalita Attanatho, Chaiyan Chaiya
Summary: This study investigated the feasibility of using empty fruit bunches (EFBs) as a feedstock for producing promising carbonaceous materials via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The results showed that high-quality hydrochar with a carbon content of 70% and a fixed carbon of 35% could be produced under the reaction conditions of 240 degrees C for 2 h. This demonstrates an effective method for preparing materials with high carbon content from moisture-rich agricultural wastes.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Jibril Abdulsalam, Ramadimetja Lizah Setsepu, Abiodun Ismail Lawal, Moshood Onifade, Samson Oluwaseyi Bada
Summary: Biomass resources are being increasingly recognized for their potential in addressing environmental concerns, ensuring energy efficiency, and promoting long-term fuel sustainability. This study focused on the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of woody biomass, aiming to optimize the process conditions using response surface methodology (RSM) and genetic algorithm (GA). The optimized hydrochar blends, when mixed with coal discard, demonstrated an increased calorific value, making them a viable alternative energy source.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Yanling Zhao, Guangchao Jia, Yili Shang, Peitao Zhao, Xin Cui, Qingjie Guo
Summary: The hydrothermal carbonization of wastes from the recycled paper industry can produce alternative biofuel with improved fuel properties. Chlorine behavior during the process affects the properties of the hydrochar, increasing carbon content, density, and heating value.
PROCESS SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION
(2022)
Article
Energy & Fuels
Eunhye Song, Seyong Park, Seongkuk Han, Eusil Lee, Ho Kim
Summary: The characteristics of hydrochar derived from cattle manure and lignocellulosic biomass through hydrothermal carbonization were analyzed. The effects of hydrothermal carbonization at different temperatures were evaluated. The results showed that the fractions of fixed carbon, carbon elements, and higher heating values of hydrochar increased with the increase of reaction temperature.
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Hannes Bauer, Johannes Khinast
Summary: Twin-screw extruders are known for their good mixing performance, but the actual mixing mechanism remains largely unexplored due to the complexity of the screw geometry. This study uses Lagrangian Coherent Structures to understand laminar mixing in various elements of twin-screw extruders and offers a novel viewpoint for geometry optimization.
CHEMICAL ENGINEERING SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Reut Yahav Spitzer, Yonas Zeslase Belete, Hunter A. Johnson, Sofiya Kolusheva, Vivian Mau, Amit Gross
Summary: This study examines the application of a severity coalification model to predict the properties of hydrochar derived from human excreta. The severity factor was used as a parameter to describe the 'strength' of thermal reactions. The results show that many properties of hydrochar can be determined based on the severity factor.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Rene A. Garrido, Camila Lagos, Carolina Luna, Jaime Sanchez, Georgina Diaz
Summary: This study aims to explore the potential of using grape pomace and walnut shells treated with hydrothermal carbonization as an alternative low-cost and efficient carbonous matrix. By developing multifunctional carbon materials through thermal decomposition processes, it contributes to increasing the sustainability of biomass applications and has a positive economic impact.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhiming Zhang, Xuan Xuan, Junyao Wang, Xuelei Zhao, Jiantao Yang, Yong Zhao, Jianqiang Qian, Tengfei Wang
Summary: This review focuses on the nitrogen fate during the hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of N-containing biowaste. The impact of critical factors such as N/O, N/C, N/H, solid ratio, initial N in feedstock, hydrothermal temperature, and residence time on the nitrogen content in hydrochar is analyzed. The distribution and conversion of nitrogen species in both hydrochar and liquid phase are discussed. Furthermore, the chemical forms of nitrogen in hydrochar and its role in the hydrochar formation mechanism are elaborated. Challenges and perspectives for the formation and regulation of nitrogen in biowaste during HTC are also presented.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Hongcai Su, Xuanyou Zhou, Rendong Zheng, Zhihao Zhou, Yan Zhang, Gaojun Zhu, Caimeng Yu, Dwi Hantoko, Mi Yan
Summary: This study aims to convert oil extracted food waste into hydrochar as potential solid fuel via hydrothermal carbonization process. The hydrochar produced has higher high heating value and fuel ratio, increased carbon content, stable combustion process, and high removal rates of sodium and potassium. Hydrothermal carbonization is considered a promising alternative for treatment and energy conversion of OEFW.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Review
Agricultural Engineering
Daniel Lachos-Perez, Paulo Cesar Torres-Mayanga, Ederson R. Abaide, Giovani L. Zabot, Fernanda De Castilhos
Summary: Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) and Hydrothermal Carbonization (HTC) are environmentally friendly and technologically innovative thermochemical processes that show significant differences in operation parameters, technical issues, and main products. Environmental and techno-economic assessments can evaluate the environmental sustainability and economic implications of these techniques. Perspectives and challenges are explored, along with integration approaches for hydrothermal valorization pathways and biorefining.
BIORESOURCE TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
R. Sivaranjanee, P. Senthil Kumar, Gayathri Rangasamy
Summary: Water contamination is a major environmental concern, and there is growing interest in using biochar produced from slow pyrolysis of biomass to remove contaminants from wastewater. Hydrochars, produced through hydrothermal processes, have shown promise as adsorbents for wastewater treatment due to their high efficiency and ability to regenerate. This review focuses on the formation, activation, identification, and applications of biochar and hydrochar, highlighting their distinct physiochemical properties and potential uses in pollution remediation, soil improvement, greenhouse gas emission, and carbon sequestration.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Khadija Metyouy, Ruben Gonzalez, Xiomar Gomez, Judith Gonzalez-Arias, E. Judith Martinez, Tarik Chafik, Marta E. Sanchez, Jorge Cara-Jimenez
Summary: In this study, the valorization of vegetable and fruit waste was evaluated through hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and anaerobic digestion (AD), focusing on product characterization and energy requirements. HTC at higher temperatures and longer residence times yielded hydrochars with higher carbon contents and energy densification ratios. AD experiments showed that batch and semi-continuous reactions both produced methane, with batch experiments yielding a methane yield of 300 L CH4/kg VS and semi-continuous experiments estimating an average specific methane production of 213±32 L CH4/kg VS. Energy requirements were assessed through mass and energy balances, and it was concluded that AD was a more suitable process with a positive energy net balance, while HTC had a negative energy net balance, requiring 1.29 MJ/kg of fresh food waste. A combined HTC-AD treatment could be an efficient method to maximize the energy efficiency and value of the waste.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL CHEMICAL ENGINEERING
(2023)
Article
Green & Sustainable Science & Technology
Yulin Hu, Rhea Gallant, Shakirudeen Salaudeen, Aitazaz A. Farooque, Sophia He
Summary: This study successfully transformed spent coffee grounds into valuable hydrochar solid fuel through hydrothermal carbonization, with high energy recovery and higher heating value. The hydrochar can be applied to domestic heating or large-scale co-firing plants.
Article
Thermodynamics
Pengcheng Zhao, Jingang Wang, Liming Sun, Yun Li, Haiting Xia, Wei He
Summary: The production of green hydrogen through water electrolysis is crucial for renewable energy utilization and decarbonization. This research explores the optimal electrode configuration and system design of compactly-assembled industrial electrolyzer. The findings provide valuable insights for industrial application of water electrolysis equipment.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
V. Baiju, P. Abhishek, S. Harikrishnan
Summary: Thermally driven adsorption desalination systems (ADS) have gained attention as an eco-friendly solution for water scarcity. However, they face challenges related to low water productivity and scalability. To overcome these challenges, integrating ADS with other desalination technologies can create a small-scale hybrid system. This study proposes integrating ADS with a Thermo Electric Dehumidification (TED) unit to enhance its performance.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
C. X. He, Y. H. Liu, X. Y. Huang, S. B. Wan, Q. Chen, J. Sun, T. S. Zhao
Summary: A decentralized centroid multi-path RC network model is constructed to improve the temperature prediction accuracy compared to traditional RC models. By incorporating multiple heat flow paths and decentralizing thermal capacity, a more accurate prediction is achieved.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Chaoying Li, Meng Wang, Nana Li, Di Gu, Chao Yan, Dandan Yuan, Hong Jiang, Baohui Wang, Xirui Wang
Summary: There is an urgent need to shift away from heavy dependence on fossil fuels and embrace renewable energy sources, particularly in the energy-intensive oil refining process. This study presents an innovative concept called the Solar Oil Refinery, which applies solar energy in oil refining. A solar multi-energies-driven hybrid chemical oil refining system that utilizes solar pyrolysis and electrolysis has been developed, significantly improving solar utilization efficiency, cracking rate, and hydrogen yield.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Chao Ma, Guanghui Wang, Dingbiao Wang, Xu Peng, Yushen Yang, Xinxin Liu, Chongrui Yang, Jiaheng Chen
Summary: This study proposes a bio-inspired fish-tail wind rotor to improve the wind power efficiency of the traditional Savonius rotor. Through transient simulations and orthogonal experiments, the key factors affecting the performance are identified. A response surface model is constructed to optimize the power coefficient, resulting in an improvement of 9.4% and 6.6% compared to the Savonius rotor.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Sina Bahmanziari, Abbas-Ali Zamani
Summary: This paper proposes a new framework for improving electrical energy harvesting from piezoelectric smart tiles through a combination of magnetic plucking, mechanical impact, and mechanical vibration force mechanisms. Experimental results demonstrate a significant increase in energy yield and average energy harvesting time compared to other mechanisms.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Nanjiang Dong, Tao Zhang, Rui Wang
Summary: This study establishes a multiobjective mixed-variable configuration optimization model for a comprehensive combined cooling, heating, and power energy system, and proposes an efficient generating operator to optimize this model. The experimental results show that the proposed algorithm performs better than other state-of-the-art algorithms.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Ahmed E. Mansy, Eman A. El Desouky, Tarek H. Taha, M. A. Abu-Saied, Hamada El-Gendi, Ranya A. Amer, Zhen-Yu Tian
Summary: This study aims to convert office paper waste into bioethanol through a sustainable pathway. The results show that physiochemical and enzymatic hydrolysis of the waste can yield a high glucose concentration. The optimal conditions were determined using the Box-Behnken design, and a blended membrane was used for ethanol purification.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Sven Klute, Marcus Budt, Mathias van Beek, Christian Doetsch
Summary: Heat pumps are crucial for decarbonizing heat supply, and steam generating heat pumps have the potential to decarbonize the industrial sector. This paper presents the current state, technical and economic data, and modeling principles of steam generating heat pumps.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Le Zhang, To-Hung Tsui, Yen Wah Tong, Pruk Aggarangsi, Ronghou Liu
Summary: This study investigates the effectiveness of a current-carrying-coil-based magnetic field in promoting anaerobic digestion of chicken manure. The results show that the applied magnetic field increases methane yield, decreases carbon dioxide production, and reduces the concentration of ammonia nitrogen. Microbial community analysis reveals the enrichment of certain methanogenic genera and enhanced metabolic pathways. Pilot-scale experiments confirm the technical effectiveness of the magnetic field assistance in enhancing anaerobic digestion of chicken manure.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Bo Chen, Ruiqing Ma, Yang Zhou, Rui Ma, Wentao Jiang, Fan Yang
Summary: This paper presents an advanced energy management strategy for fuel cell hybrid electric heavy-duty vehicles, focusing on speed planning and energy allocation. By utilizing predictive co-optimization control, this strategy ensures safe inter-vehicle distance and minimizes energy demand. Simulation results demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed method in reducing fuel cell degradation cost and overall operation cost.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Fabio Fatigati, Roberto Cipollone
Summary: Organic Rankine Cycle-based microcogeneration systems that use solar sources to generate electricity and hot water can help reduce CO2 emissions in residential energy-intensive sectors. The adoption of a recuperative heat exchanger in these systems improves efficiency, reduces thermal power requirements, and saves on electricity costs.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Lipeng He, Renwen Liu, Xuejin Liu, Xiaotian Zheng, Limin Zhang, Jieqiong Lin
Summary: This research proposes a piezoelectric-electromagnetic hybrid energy harvester (PEHEH) for low-frequency wave motion and self-sensing wave environment monitoring. The PEHEH shows promising power output and the ability to self-power and self-sense the wave environment.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Shangling Chu, Yang Liu, Zipeng Xu, Heng Zhang, Haiping Chen, Dan Gao
Summary: This paper studies a distributed energy system integrated with solar and natural gas, analyzes the impact of different parameters on its energy utilization and emissions reduction, and obtains the optimal solution through an optimization algorithm. The results show that compared to traditional separation production systems, this integrated system achieves higher energy utilization and greater reduction in carbon emissions.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)
Article
Thermodynamics
Qingpu Li, Yaqi Ding, Guangming Chen, Yongmei Xuan, Neng Gao, Nian Li, Xinyue Hao
Summary: This paper proposes and studies a piston-type thermally-driven pump with a structure similar to a linear compressor, aiming to eliminate the high-quality energy consumption of existing pumps and replace mechanical pumps. The coupling mechanism of working fluid flow and element dimension is analyzed based on force analysis, and experimental data analysis is used to determine the pump operation stroke. Theoretical simulation is conducted to analyze the correlation mechanism of the piston assembly. The research shows that the thermally-driven pump can greatly reduce power consumption and has potential for industrial applications.
ENERGY CONVERSION AND MANAGEMENT
(2024)