Emerging potential of spent coffee ground valorization for fuel pellet production in a biorefinery

A. E. Atabani (), Eyas Mahmoud, Muhammed Aslam, Salman Raza Naqvi, Dagmar Juchelková, Shashi Kant Bhatia, Irfan Anjum Badruddin, T. M. Yunus Khan, Anh Tuan Hoang and Petr Palacky
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A. E. Atabani: Erciyes University
Eyas Mahmoud: United Arab Emirates University
Muhammed Aslam: COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore Campus
Salman Raza Naqvi: National University of Sciences and Technology
Dagmar Juchelková: VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava
Shashi Kant Bhatia: Konkuk University
Irfan Anjum Badruddin: King Khalid University
T. M. Yunus Khan: King Khalid University
Anh Tuan Hoang: HUTECH University
Petr Palacky: VŠB-Technical University of Ostrava

Environment, Development and Sustainability: A Multidisciplinary Approach to the Theory and Practice of Sustainable Development, 2023, vol. 25, issue 8, No 10, 7585-7623

Abstract: Abstract The global market for fuel pellets (FPs) has been steadily growing because of a shift to coal substitutes. However, sustainability and the availability of biomass are the main issues. Various kinds of bio-wastes can be valorized through cutting-edge technologies. In the coffee industry, a valuable organic waste called spent coffee grounds (SCGs) is generated in bulk. SCG can be divided into two components, namely spent coffee ground oil and defatted spent coffee grounds (DSCG). SCG and DSCG can be used to produce FPs with excellent higher heating values. This review highlights that burning FPs composed of 100% SCG is not feasible due to the high emission of NOx. Moreover, the combustion is accompanied by a rapid temperature drop due to incomplete combustion which leads to lower boiler combustion efficiencies and increased carbon monoxide emissions. This was because of the low pellet strength and bulk density of the FP. Mixing SCG with other biomass offers improved boiler efficiency and emissions. Some of the reported optimized FPs include 75% SCG + 20% coffee silverskin, 30% SCG + 70% pine sawdust, 90% SCG + 10% crude glycerol, 32% SCG + 23% coal fines + 11% sawdust + 18% mielie husks + 10% waste paper + 6% paper pulp, and 50% SCG + 50% pine sawdust. This review noted the absence of combustion and emissions analyses of DSCG and the need for their future assessment. Valorization of DSCG offers a good pathway to improve the economics of an SCG-based biorefinery where the extracted SCGO can be valorized in other applications. The combustion and emissions of DSCG were not previously reported in detail. Therefore, future investigation of DSCG in boilers is essential to assess the potential of this industry and improve its economics. Graphical abstract

Keywords: Spent coffee grounds; Defatted spent coffee grounds; Fuel pellets; Calorific value; Valorization; Biorefinery; Circular bioeconomy; United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2023
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DOI: 10.1007/s10668-022-02361-z

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