Acid-Catalyzed Wet Torrefaction for Enhancing the Heating Value of Barley Straw

Antonios Nazos, Panagiotis Grammelis, Elias Sakellis and Dimitrios Sidiras
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Antonios Nazos: Laboratory of Simulation of Industrial Processes, Department of Industrial Management and Technology, School of Maritime and Industrial Studies, University of Piraeus, 80 Karaoli & Dimitriou, GR 18534 Piraeus, Greece
Panagiotis Grammelis: Chemical Process and Energy Resources Institute (CERTH/CPERI), Centre for Research & Technology Hellas, Athens branch: Egialias 52, GR-15125 Marousi, Athens, Greece
Elias Sakellis: Institute of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology, National Centre for Scientific Research “Demokritos”, GR-15310 Agia Paraskevi Attikis, Athens, Greece
Dimitrios Sidiras: Laboratory of Simulation of Industrial Processes, Department of Industrial Management and Technology, School of Maritime and Industrial Studies, University of Piraeus, 80 Karaoli & Dimitriou, GR 18534 Piraeus, Greece

Energies, 2020, vol. 13, issue 7, 1-16

Abstract: In the present study, the possibility of improving the higher heating value (HHV) of lignocellulosic biomass, especially barley straw, was examined. The research deals with the treatment of barley straw by acid-catalyzed wet torrefaction (ACWT), also called acid hydrolysis, in a batch reactor (autoclave) Parr 4553 3.75 L. In this case, two different simulation approaches were applied: (i) combined severity factor (CSF) and (ii) response surface methodology (RSM) based on Box–Behnken design of experiments (DoE). Sulfuric acid (SA) concentration, temperature and time were the ACWT parameters examined herein. An oxygen bomb calorimeter was used for the HHV measurement. The findings indicated that the composition changes of the straw due to ACWT had a significant effect on the HHV of the pretreated material. In this study, treatment conditions were 10–35 mM SA, 160–200 °C and an isothermal reaction time 0–40 min (preheating period not included in these values). In conclusion, there was a significant increase in the HHV up to 24.3 MJ/kg for the ACWT barley straw, compared to 17.5 MJ/kg for the untreated straw, at optimal conditions of 200 °C for 25 min (isothermal period) and 35 mM SA. This resulted in a 1.39 enhancement factor (EF) and 68% energy yield (EY).

Keywords: acid-catalyzed wet torrefaction; acid hydrolysis; barley straw; combined severity factor; enhancement factor; energy yield; higher heating value; response surface methodology (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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