Bioresource technology
-
Bioresource technology · Aug 2018
Utilization of acetone-butanol-ethanol-water mixture obtained from biomass fermentation as renewable feedstock for hydrogen production via steam reforming: Thermodynamic and energy analyses.
A thermodynamic equilibrium analysis on steam reforming process to utilize acetone-butanol-ethanol-water mixture obtained from biomass fermentation as biorenewable fuel has been performed to produce clean energy carrier H2 via non-stoichiometric approach namely Gibbs free energy minimization method. The effect of process variables such as temperature (573-1473 K), pressure (1-10 atm), and steam/fuel molar feed ratio (FABE = 5.5-12) have been investigated on equilibrium compositions of products, H2, CO, CO2, CH4 and solid carbon. ⋯ Furthermore, the energy requirement per mol of H2 (48.96 kJ), thermal efficiency (69.13%), exergy efficiency (55.09%), exergy destruction (85.36 kJ/mol), and generated entropy (0.29 kJ/mol. K) have been achieved at same operating conditions.
-
Bioresource technology · Nov 2017
Production of biochar from olive mill solid waste for heavy metal removal.
Commercial activated carbon (CAC) and biochar are useful adsorbents for removing heavy metals (HM) from water, but their production is costly. Biochar production from olive solid waste from two olive cultivars (Picual and Souri) and two oil production process (two- or three-phase) and two temperatures (350 and 450°C) was tested. ⋯ These results suggest that surface area cannot be used as a sole predictor of HM removal capacity. FTIR analysis revealed the presence of different functional groups in the different biochar types, which may be related to the differences in absorbing capacities.
-
Bioresource technology · Aug 2015
Removal and recovery of inhibitory volatile fatty acids from mixed acid fermentations by conventional electrodialysis.
Hydrogen production during dark fermentation is inhibited by the co-production of volatile fatty acids (VFAs) such as acetic and n-butyric acid. In this study, the effectiveness of conventional electrodialysis (CED) in reducing VFA concentrations in model solutions and hydrogen fermentation broths is evaluated. ⋯ During 60 min of operation CED removed up to 99% of VFAs from model solutions, sucrose-fed and grass-fed hydrogen fermentation broths, containing up to 1200 mg l(-1) each of acetic acid, propionic acid, i-butyric acid, n-butyric acid, i-valeric acid, and n-valeric acid. CED's ability to remove VFAs from hydrogen fermentation broths suggests that this technology is capable of improving hydrogen yields from dark fermentation.
-
Bioresource technology · Apr 2014
Energy and exergy analysis of an ethanol reforming process for solid oxide fuel cell applications.
The fuel processor in which hydrogen is produced from fuels is an important unit in a fuel cell system. The aim of this study is to apply a thermodynamic concept to identify a suitable reforming process for an ethanol-fueled solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC). ⋯ Effect of key operating parameters on the distribution of reforming products, such as H2, CO, CO2 and CH4, and the possibility of carbon formation in different ethanol reformings are examined as a function of steam-to-ethanol ratio, oxygen-to-ethanol ratio and temperatures at atmospheric pressure. Energy and exergy analysis are performed to identify the best ethanol reforming process for SOFC applications.
-
Bioresource technology · Aug 2010
Belt separation system under slat in fattening pig housing: effect of belt type and extraction frequency.
The efficiency of manure separation by a conveyor belt under a partially slatted floor for fattening pigs was determined for two types of belts, a flat belt with an incline of up to 6 degrees transversely and a concave belt with an incline of up to 1 degrees longitudinally. A 31.20% and 23.75% dry matter content of the solid fraction was obtained for the flat and concave belt, respectively. ⋯ The quantity of residue produced with this system was reduced to 25-40% with respect to a pit system under slat. This could mean a remarkable reduction in costs of storage, transport and application of manure.