In its first year and a half, the CARBIOW project has already produced four scientific publications, drafted by Andrii Kostyniuk and Blaž Likozar, representatives of one of our partners: the Slovenian Kemijski Institut-National Institute of Chemistry (NIC). This good rate of scientific publications shows that the project has now fully entered the dissemination phase.
NIC’s basic and applied research are oriented towards fields which are of long-term importance to both Slovenia and the world: materials research, life sciences, biotechnology, chemical engineering, structural and theoretical chemistry, analytical chemistry and environmental protection; through which the institute is in line with the needs of the domestic and foreign pharmaceutical, chemical, automotive and nanobiotechnological industries.
Let’s take a closer look at these four publications, focusing on their relevance and the role that innovation plays in the CARBIOW project:
Title: Wet torrefaction of biomass waste into value-added liquid product (5-HMF) and high-quality solid fuel (hydrochar) in a nitrogen atmosphere
Journal: Renewable Energy
This article explores the wet torrefaction (WT) of biomass waste, specifically wood cellulose pulp residue (WCPR), which aligns closely with our project’s focus on sustainable energy solutions and waste management. The research provides comprehensive insights into optimizing WT conditions to produce high-quality hydrochar and valuable chemical products like 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF). These findings can be directly applied to enhance the CARBIOW project’s methodologies, potentially leading to more efficient and sustainable processes for converting biomass waste into valuable resources. The journal Renewable Energy focus on innovative and renewable energy solutions and aligns perfectly with the objectives of this study on the wet torrefaction of biomass waste.
“This innovation plays a critical role in CARBIOW project by introducing an optimized WT process that can convert biomass waste into high-quality hydrochar and valuable liquid products. The optimized conditions: 220°C, 30 min reaction time, and an H2O/WCPR ratio of 10 allow for the production of 5-HMF with high selectivity and hydrochar with significant carbon content. Incorporating this innovative WT process into our project can improve our waste conversion efficiency, reduce environmental impact, and produce valuable by-products that can be used in various industrial applications”, states Dr. Andrii Kostyniuk, Research Assistant Professor at Kemijski Institut, and one of the authors of the articles.
This research opens up new possibilities by demonstrating a viable method for transforming biomass waste into valuable products:
“The optimized WT conditions enable the production of hydrochar with high carbon content and energy yield, which can be used as a solid fuel. Additionally, the process produces 5-HMF, a valuable platform chemical, without the need for a catalyst. This opens up opportunities for further research into the scalability of this process, its application to other types of biomass, and the development of new industrial applications for the products generated. It also suggests potential economic benefits through the creation of high-value products from waste materials”, he explains.
Title: Catalytic wet torrefaction of biomass waste into bio-ethanol, levulinic acid, and high-quality solid fuel
Journal: Chemical Engineering Journal
The article presents a groundbreaking chemocatalytic method for converting biomass waste into valuable products such as bio-ethanol, levulinic acid (LA), and high-quality solid fuel through wet torrefaction (WT). This innovative approach addresses critical challenges in sustainable fuel and chemical production from renewable cellulosic biomass. The findings from this research are directly applicable to the CARBIOW project, which aims to develop efficient and sustainable methods for biomass conversion. The comprehensive analysis of WT parameters and their impact on product yields and quality provides valuable insights that can significantly enhance our project’s methodologies and outcomes. The Chemical Engineering Journal is a leading publication in the field of chemical engineering and sustainable process development.
“This innovation plays a crucial role in our project by introducing a novel catalytic WT process that efficiently produces bio-ethanol and LA from wood cellulose pulp residue (WCPR). The use of an H-ZSM-5 catalyst under optimal conditions (e.g., 180 °C and 15 min for ethanol production) demonstrates the potential for high selectivity and efficiency in converting biomass waste into valuable products. Integrating this catalytic WT process into our project can improve the sustainability and economic viability of our biomass conversion efforts. The high carbon content and energy value of the resulting hydrochar also offer promising applications as a solid fuel, further enhancing the overall utility and impact of the process”, he says.
This research opens up several new possibilities, including:
- Enhanced biomass conversion efficiency. The catalytic WT method enables efficient and selective production of bio-ethanol and LA, providing new pathways for converting biomass into high-value chemicals and fuels.
- Industrial applications. The high-quality hydrochar produced can be utilized as a solid fuel in various industrial applications, contributing to renewable energy solutions.
- Economic and environmental benefits. The ability to produce valuable chemicals and fuels from biomass waste can reduce dependence on fossil resources, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and create new revenue streams from waste materials.
- Scalability and versatility. The optimized conditions for bio-ethanol and LA production can be adapted for different types of biomass, expanding the scope and impact of the research.
Title: Wet torrefaction of biomass waste into levulinic acid and high-quality hydrochar using H-beta zeolite catalyst
Journal: Journal of Cleaner Production
This article explores the wet torrefaction (WT) process of biomass waste, specifically wood cellulose pulp residue (WCPR), using an H-Beta zeolite catalyst. This aligns closely with the CARBIOW project’s objectives of developing sustainable methods for converting biomass waste into valuable products. The study’s findings on the impact of WT conditions and catalyst use on hydrochar properties and liquid product distribution provide critical insights that can enhance our understanding and optimization of biomass conversion processes. The relevance is further underscored by the detailed analysis of hydrochar properties and the identification of optimal conditions for producing high-value products like levulinic acid. The Journal of Cleaner Production is a leading publication focused on sustainable production and environmental management.
“This innovation plays a crucial role in our project by introducing an effective catalytic WT process that enhances the conversion of biomass waste into high-quality hydrochar and levulinic acid. The use of the H-Beta zeolite catalyst under optimized conditions (260 °C and 30 minutes) demonstrates significant improvements in product selectivity and quality. Integrating this catalytic WT process into our project can significantly improve the efficiency and sustainability of our biomass conversion efforts. The high carbon content and energy value of the resulting hydrochar also offer promising applications as a solid fuel, further enhancing the overall impact of our project”, explains Dr. Andrii Kostyniuk.
This research opens up several new possibilities. It enhances biomass conversion by enabling more efficient and selective production of levulinic acid and high-quality hydrochar through the catalytic WT method, providing new pathways for converting biomass into valuable chemicals and fuels. The high-quality hydrochar produced can be used as a solid fuel or in other industrial applications, contributing to renewable energy solutions and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. Additionally, the ability to produce valuable products from biomass waste can reduce waste disposal costs, generate new revenue streams, and lower greenhouse gas emissions. The optimized conditions for WT can be applied to different types of biomass, expanding the scope and applicability of the research to various feedstocks and industrial settings.
Title: Wet torrefaction of biomass waste into high-quality hydrochar and value-added liquid products using different zeolite catalysts
Journal: Renewable Energy
This article presents a novel and highly efficient method for transforming biomass waste into valuable products. Wet torrefaction (WT) is highlighted as a significant pretreatment process that can convert biomass waste into hydrochar and valuable liquid products, such as levulinic acid (LA) and bio-ethanol. The use of different zeolite catalysts enhances the efficiency and selectivity of the process, making it a promising approach for sustainable energy production and waste management. The Renewable Energy journal focuses on research related to renewable energy sources, technologies, and applications, which aligns perfectly with the study’s focus on converting biomass waste into renewable energy products.
“This innovation plays a critical role in advancing biomass waste conversion technologies. By employing various zeolite catalysts, the study demonstrates the ability to optimize the production of high-quality hydrochar and value-added liquid products. This chemocatalytic approach not only improves the efficiency of biomass conversion but also offers a flexible method to tailor the output based on the desired product, such as bio-ethanol or levulinic acid. This innovation thus contributes significantly to the project’s goals of enhancing biomass utilization and producing sustainable energy and chemicals”, he states.
This research opens up several new possibilities, including:
- Enhanced biomass waste utilization: the ability to efficiently convert biomass waste into high-quality hydrochar and valuable liquid products can significantly improve waste management and resource utilization.
- Selective production of biofuels and chemicals: the study provides a pathway to selectively produce bio-ethanol and levulinic acid, which are important biofuels and chemical intermediates, respectively.
- Optimization of catalytic processes: The research highlights the potential for optimizing catalytic processes in biomass conversion, which can lead to more efficient and cost-effective production methods.
- Sustainable energy production: by producing high-quality solid fuel and liquid products, this research supports the development of sustainable and renewable energy sources.