Hydrothermal Carbonisation as Treatment for Effective Moisture Removal from Digestate—Mechanical Dewatering, Flashing-Off, and Condensates’ Processing

Halina Pawlak-Kruczek (), Agnieszka Urbanowska (), Lukasz Niedzwiecki, Michał Czerep, Marcin Baranowski, Christian Aragon-Briceño, Małgorzata Kabsch-Korbutowicz, Amit Arora, Przemysław Seruga, Mateusz Wnukowski, Jakub Mularski, Eddy Bramer, Gerrit Brem and Artur Pożarlik
Additional contact information
Halina Pawlak-Kruczek: Department of Energy Conversion Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Agnieszka Urbanowska: Department of Environment Protection Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Lukasz Niedzwiecki: Department of Energy Conversion Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Michał Czerep: Department of Energy Conversion Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Marcin Baranowski: Department of Energy Conversion Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Christian Aragon-Briceño: Department of Thermal and Fluid Engineering, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
Małgorzata Kabsch-Korbutowicz: Department of Environment Protection Engineering, Faculty of Environmental Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Amit Arora: Department of Chemical Engineering, Shaheed Bhagat Singh State University, Ferozepur 152004, India
Przemysław Seruga: Zaklad Gospodarowania Odpadami Gac Sp. z o.o, Gac 90, 55-200 Olawa, Poland
Mateusz Wnukowski: Department of Energy Conversion Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Jakub Mularski: Department of Energy Conversion Engineering, Faculty of Mechanical and Power Engineering, Wrocław University of Science and Technology, Wyb. Wyspiańskiego 27, 50-370 Wrocław, Poland
Eddy Bramer: Department of Thermal and Fluid Engineering, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
Gerrit Brem: Department of Thermal and Fluid Engineering, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands
Artur Pożarlik: Department of Thermal and Fluid Engineering, University of Twente, Drienerlolaan 5, 7522 NB Enschede, The Netherlands

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 13, 1-9

Abstract: One of the processes that can serve to valorise low-quality biomass and organic waste is hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). It is a thermochemical process that transpires in the presence of water and uses heat to convert wet feedstocks into hydrochar (the solid product of hydrothermal carbonization). In the present experimental study, an improvement consisting of an increased hydrophobic character of HTC-treated biomass is demonstrated through the presentation of enhanced mechanical dewatering at different pressures due to HTC valorisation. As part of this work’s scope, flashing-off of low-quality steam is additionally explored, allowing for the recovery of the physical enthalpy of hot hydrochar slurry. The flashing-off vapours, apart from steam, contain condensable hydrocarbons. Accordingly, a membrane system that purifies such effluent and the subsequent recovery of chemical energy from the retentate are taken into account. Moreover, the biomethane potential is calculated for the condensates, presenting the possibility for the chemical energy recovery of the condensates.

Keywords: digestate; hydrothermal carbonisation; nanofiltration; mechanical dewatering (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: 2023
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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