Recovery and Reuse of Valuable Chemicals Derived from Hydrothermal Carbonization Process Liquid

Abu-Taher Jamal-Uddin, M. Toufiq Reza, Omid Norouzi, Shakirudeen A. Salaudeen, Animesh Dutta and Richard G. Zytner ()
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Abu-Taher Jamal-Uddin: School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
M. Toufiq Reza: Department of Biomedical and Chemical Engineering and Sciences, Florida Institute of Technology, Melbourne, FL 32901, USA
Omid Norouzi: School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
Shakirudeen A. Salaudeen: Department of Mechanical Engineering, McMaster University, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8, Canada
Animesh Dutta: School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada
Richard G. Zytner: School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, Canada

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 2, 1-15

Abstract: Recovery and reuse of valuable chemicals from hydrothermal carbonization process liquid (HTC-PL) from tomato plant biomass (TPB) was conducted. Different HTC-PLs were characterized with FTIR and Py-GC-MS analyses revealing the presence of low molecular weight linear, cyclic, and aromatics compounds in the HTC-PL. Separation of these valuable chemicals by fractional distillation resulted in eutectic constrains. Solvent extraction separation followed by solvent recovery and reuse provided encouraging results. The non-polar portion of HTC-PLs were extracted by using n-hexane (C 6 H 14 ), and diethyl ether (C 2 H 5 ) 2 O solvents with 8.5 and 4.3% recoveries, respectively. Characterization by FTIR and Py-GC-MS revealed petrol fuel like materials in the extracts of C 6 H 14 and (C 2 H 5 ) 2 O, irrespective of higher boiling components. Blends of both non-polar extracts were flame tested revealing good burning characteristics with minimal smoke and residue. Bench scale spirit lamp tests showed the blend would be very useful for greenhouse winter heating. The polar extracts using methylene chloride (CH 2 Cl 2 ) resulted in about 55% recovery. Py-GC-MS analysis revealed acetic acid and 5-Hydroxymethyl furfural (5HMF) majors in the extract along with related derivatives. 5HMF is a valued chemical and demonstrated to be a useful building block for many industrial applications, and flatform chemical for various synthesis. Other identified minor components of HTC-PL were vanillin, divinyl terephthalate, and syringol. After the extractions of polar and non-polar components in three steps, the HTC-PL residue was applied as nutrient source after maintaining pH (5.6) and concentration (TOC, 100–200 mg/L) to typical greenhouse plants. Plant growth was encouraging. The paper discusses all the potential valued reuse applications of HTC-PL in greenhouses without discharges, which contributes to environmental protection and economic benefits.

Keywords: greenhouse waste; HTC process water; solvent extraction; fractional distillation; petrol fuel; flatform chemicals (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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