Search results for "fuel"

Formation of high added value chemicals by photocatalytic treatment of biomass

2020

The depletion of fossil fuel requires the search for alternative renewable feedstock and environmentally friendly methods for the production of high value-added compounds and fuels. In this context, the efficient use of biomass has emerged as a significant research field as it represents an alternative green and renewable carbon source. Various technologies have been explored for this purpose and heterogeneous photocatalysis represents a valid alternative to the catalytic methods since it can be carried out under mild experimental conditions without the addition of harmful oxidizing agents. Different biomass components have been used as the starting materials, and many valuable chemicals h…

The influence of sludge retention time on mixed culture microbial fuel cell start-ups

2017

Abstract In this work, the start-ups of air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFCs) seeds with conventional activated sludge cultivated at different solid retention times (SRTs) are compared. A clear influence of the SRT of the inoculum was observed, corresponding to an SRT of 10 days to the higher current density exerted, about 0.2 A m −2 . This observation points out that, in this type of electrochemical device, it is recommended to use high SRT seeds. The work also points out that in order to promote an efficient start-up, it is not only necessary to use high SRT seeds, but also to feed a high COD concentration. When feeding 10,000 ppm COD and keeping SRT of 10 d differences of current densi…

Potential applications of Salinity Gradient Power-Heat Engines for recovering low-temperature waste heat in cogeneration plants

2021

Abstract Salinity Gradient Power-Heat Engine is an innovative technology able to convert very low-temperature heat into electricity. Energy and economic benefits could be achieved by integrating this technology into cogeneration plants, where the exploitation of waste heat available during the operation could increase the revenues arising from “High-Efficiency” labels. For the first time, this paper proposes two potential applications in this field, and three illustrative case studies are purposely investigated. In the first case study, a salinity gradient-heat engine converts the waste heat available from a cogeneration plant serving an industrial process. In the second case study, a salin…

Electrochemical Processes and Apparatuses for the Abatement of Acid Orange 7 in Water

2014

We have studied the electrochemical treatment of aqu eous solutions contaminated by Acid Orange 7 (AO7) by electro-Fenton process (EF). The main object ive was to evaluate how the electrochemical route affects the performances of the d egradation process. EF process was carried out in a number of very different reactors: conventional bench scale electrochem ical cell, microfluidic electrochemical reactor, microbial fuel cell and stack for reverse electrodialysis processes. The utilisation of micro devices allowed to work without the addition of a supporting elec trolyte and improved the performances of EF. Microbial fuel cell did not need the supply of electric energy bu t our device requir…

Electrochemical Processe s and Apparatuses for the Abatement of Acid Orange 7 in Water

2014

We have studied the electrochemical treatment of aqu eous solutions contaminated by Acid Orange 7 (AO7) by electro-Fenton process (EF). The main object ive was to evaluate how the electrochemical route affects the performances of the d egradation process. EF process was carried out in a number of very different reactors: conventional bench scale electrochem ical cell, microfluidic electrochemical reactor, microbial fuel cell and stack for reverse electrodialysis processes. The utilisation of micro devices allowed to work without the addition of a supporting elec trolyte and improved the performances of EF. Microbial fuel cell did not need the supply of electric energy bu t our device requir…

Optimization of the performance of an air–cathode MFC by changing solid retention time

2017

BACKGROUND This work is focused on the optimization of the performances of air-cathode microbial fuel cells (MFC) by changing the solid retention time (SRT) of the suspended biomass culture. RESULTS Five MFCs inoculated with activated sludge obtained from a municipal wastewater treatment plant were fed with a highly-concentrated acetate solution (10 000 ppm COD) and operated over two-month tests in order to determine how SRT may influence the performances of the bio-electrogenic cells. The MFC operated at SRTs of 2.5 days was found to outperform the other cells, operated at SRT of 1.4, 5.0, 7.4 and 10.0 days. In order to evaluate the possibility of using SRT as a manipulated parameter for t…

Effect of Microplastics in Hydrothermal Liquefaction (HTL) of Real Municipal Sludge (RMS)

2022

The work herein was focused to study the effect of the microplastics on the yield and quality of biocrude (BC) produced by hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) of real municipal sludge (RMS). HTL experiments with RMS containing 3 % w/w microplastics were conducted at 325 °C and 30 min both in the absence and in the presence of CoMo/Al2O3, NiMo/Al2O3 and activated carbon felt (ACF) as heterogeneous catalysts. A white wax was isolated from BC with a yield of 5, 8 and 6 % w/w daf when CoMo/Al2O3, NiMo/Al2O3 and ACF were used respectively. GC-MS analyses demonstrated that oleamide was present in the wax while FT-IR analyses showed the presence of chlorinated organic compounds, affecting negatively t…

HYDROTHERMAL LIQUEFACTION OF WASTE BIOMASS FOR THE PRODUCTION OF FUELS

2021

Towards a business model for second-life batteries: Barriers, opportunities, uncertainties, and technologies

2023

Electric vehicles (EVs) and the recent pandemic outbreak give cities a new trend to primarily private and shared mobility with low noise and less air pollution. Crucial factors for the widespread of EVs are the electrical charging infrastructure, driving range, and the reduction of the cost of battery packets. For this reason, there is a massive effort from manufacturers, governments, and the scientific community to reduce battery costs and boost sustainable electrical production and distribution. Battery reuse is an alternative to reduce batteries’ costs and environmental impacts. Second-life batteries can be used in a wide variety of secondary applications. Second-life batteries can be co…

Sampling procedure in a willow plantation for chemical elements important for biomass combustion quality

2015

Willow (Salix spp.) is expected to contribute significantly to the woody bioenergy system in the future, so more information on how to sample the quality of the willow biomass is needed. The objectives of this study were to investigate the spatial variation of elements within shoots of a willow clone ‘Tordis’, and to reveal the relationship between sampling position, shoot diameters, and distribution of elements. Five Tordis willow shoots were cut into 10–50 cm sections from base to top. The ash content and concentration of twelve elements (Al, Ca, Cd, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, Si, and Zn) in each section were determined. The results showed large spatial variation in the distribution of mos…