Anna Szepannek , Angela Hofmann , Christoph Pfeifer
{"title":"Exothermicity during the pyrolysis of large wood particles","authors":"Anna Szepannek , Angela Hofmann , Christoph Pfeifer","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108250","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108250","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In addition to conventional pyrolysis processes, pyrolytic decomposition also plays a major role in gasification and combustion. In all of these thermochemical conversions, biomass particles of varying sizes are used. Factors such as mass and size of virgin biomass influence exothermicity during pyrolysis of large wood particles. This study introduces a new method for analysing the exothermic behaviour of batches of lignocellulosic feedstock while simultaneously considering multiple influencing factors. As an example, the influence of 1) wood species and 2) pyrolysis temperature (<span><math><msub><mrow><mi>T</mi></mrow><mrow><mtext>set</mtext></mrow></msub></math></span>) is investigated. Wood cubes (side length 3<!--> <!-->cm) of larch (Larix) and spruce (Picea) are allothermically pyrolysed, while centre temperatures are recorded. <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>T</mi></mrow><mrow><mtext>set</mtext></mrow></msub></math></span> is 375<!--> <!-->°C or 450<!--> <!-->°C. Exothermicity parameters are developed to compare influencing factors. CHN and thermogravimetric analyses are applied; size and weight of cubes are measured. Results show exothermic reactions in all experimental sets. Larch exhibits stronger exothermicity than spruce, and higher <span><math><msub><mrow><mi>T</mi></mrow><mrow><mtext>set</mtext></mrow></msub></math></span> leads to more intense but shorter reactions. The maximum temperature reached in the centre depends on both factors. Swelling and shrinking behaviours differ between species: larch swells and cracks, while spruce shrinks without cracking. This method enables systematic comparison of diverse factors influencing pyrolysis behaviour in lignocellulosic materials.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108250"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-15","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144288690","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Daofeng Mei , Francisco García-Labiano , Alberto Abad , Iñaki Adánez-Rubio , Tobias Mattisson
{"title":"Evaluation of ilmenite, manganese ore, LD slag and iron sand oxygen carriers for chemical looping gasification with microalgae","authors":"Daofeng Mei , Francisco García-Labiano , Alberto Abad , Iñaki Adánez-Rubio , Tobias Mattisson","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108266","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108266","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Microalgae could be a sustainable feedstock for production of liquid biofuels. However, as such fuels contain significant fractions of reactive ash species, it is necessary to deploy synthesis routes which can handle such “dirty” fuels. Chemical-looping gasification (CLG) has the potential to convert such feedstocks and generate a concentrated syngas stream, a common precursor for liquid fuel production. Suitable functional oxygen carriers are key for CLG, and herein we report our new work in fluidized-bed tests with four oxygen carriers, namely ilmenite, MnGBhne, LD slag and iron sand. These materials are economically viable natural ores or industrial by-products. The oxygen carrier is reduced to different oxidation degrees (0.2, 0.5, 1) at typical temperatures (850, 900, 950 °C) to define equal material states prior to the gasification. We found that the LD slag and iron sand had the highest gasification rate and fluidized well without agglomeration, thus they are selected as suitable oxygen carriers for the process. Several factors including catalysis, water splitting and water-gas shift are comprehensively discussed with regard to the outstanding performance of LD slag and iron sand. Calcium catalysis is deemed as a key reason for the fast gasification and a mechanism of this is proposed.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108266"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144280353","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
D. Gurtner , M. Kresta , M. Maurer , J. Haselwanter , A. Hofmann , C. Pfeifer
{"title":"Self-sustained physical activation at pilot-scale integrated in a commercial wood gasification plant: A path to renewable activated carbon, PAH removal and electrical efficiency improvement","authors":"D. Gurtner , M. Kresta , M. Maurer , J. Haselwanter , A. Hofmann , C. Pfeifer","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108235","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108235","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A pilot-scale reactor for self-sustained physical activation was integrated into an industrial wood gasification plant (300<!--> <!-->kW<sub>el</sub>) with the aim of upgrading its carbon-rich by-product, gasification char (GC). The resulting products were activated carbon (AC) and a combustible gas, which was used to generate electricity in the plant’s gas engine. Physical activation of GC is frequently endorsed in literature and has great economic potential. However, a significant research gap remains, possibly due to challenges inherent to GC, including a soft skeleton, high degree of graphitisation, ash content, and reduced porosity. Key achievements include: (i) activation product gas with a heating value of 3.2<!--> <!-->MJ/Nm<sup>3</sup>, (ii) maximal theoretical electrical efficiency improvement of the gasification plant by 12.5<!--> <!-->%; (iii) a 150<!--> <!-->% increase in GC porosity, reaching 661<!--> <!-->m<sup>2</sup> <!-->/g; (iv) a 400<!--> <!-->% improvement in organic micropollutant adsorption capacity compared to GC, achieving approximately 2/3 of the capacity of commercial AC; and (v) significant reduction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) content, frequently measuring below broadly recognised threshold values for biochar. This novel co-production of low PAH, high porosity AC and combustible gases represents a promising approach for advancing a carbon negative economy, improving the fuel utilisation rate of gasification plants and producing high value-added products.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108235"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144271914","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Iver Bergh Hvidsten , Kristian Hovde Liland , Oliver Tomic , Jorge Mario Marchetti
{"title":"Modeling of biodiesel production using optimization designs from literature: aiming to reduce the laboratory workload","authors":"Iver Bergh Hvidsten , Kristian Hovde Liland , Oliver Tomic , Jorge Mario Marchetti","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108265","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108265","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study explores non-linear tree-based learning algorithms for modeling biodiesel reactions. A dataset of 3038 reaction samples from 111 published studies was compiled, each optimizing distinct biodiesel reaction systems. Key operational parameters were selected to represent the dataset's diversity. Random forest (RF) and gradient boosting regressor (GBR) models were employed to predict biodiesel yield across the various reaction systems. GBR, with 1000 estimators and a tree depth of 5, achieved the best performance (R<sup>2</sup> = 0.744, RMSE = 10.783). The <em>global</em> GBR model was comprehensively evaluated for accuracy and physical relevance, with proposed applications in component screening and reaction optimization using the DIRECT-l (DIviding RECTangles - locally biased version) algorithm. Additionally, an experimental reaction was optimized via the global model and DIRECT-l, then refined using a retrained <em>local</em> model for improved system-specific predictions. These models offer researchers a data-driven approach to selecting and optimizing biodiesel reactions, reducing laboratory time and improving predictive accuracy for specific systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108265"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144253654","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Valorization of municipal solid waste from Marocco towards hydrogen, methanol, or electricity: An experimental and process simulation study","authors":"Cesare Freda , Aristide Giuliano , Antonio Villone , Giacinto Cornacchia , Enrico Catizzone","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108259","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108259","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Worldwide population growth and improvements in living standards are leading to a significant increase in municipal solid waste production, particularly in developing countries. In these regions, a well-established waste management strategy is often lacking, and alternatives to illegal landfills must be explored. Pyrolysis is a technology that can be used for the valorization of MSW to produce high-value products. However, several aspects require further elucidation for industrial application. This study aims to assess the valorization of unsorted MSW from Morocco, focusing on the production of methanol, hydrogen, or electrical power. To this end, both pyrolysis of MSW and gasification of the residual char were experimentally investigated to generate raw syngas. Computer-aided process simulations were then conducted to evaluate the technical and environmental aspects of converting the resulting syngas mixtures into the desired products: methanol, pure hydrogen, or electricity.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108259"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-11","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144263130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Catalytic pyrolysis of bio-waste in synthesis of value-added products: A systematic review","authors":"Kofoworola Awodun , Yinghe He , Chunfei Wu , Salman Masoudi Soltani","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108258","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108258","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Bio-waste is a natural waste with significant potential to contribute to net zero emissions targets. However, its efficient valorisation remains a global challenge. Various conversion pathways, including biochemical and thermochemical processes, offer opportunities to produce value-added products that can serve as alternative energy sources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Among these, pyrolysis stands out due to its versatility in feedstock compatibility, shorter processing times, and ability to generate a broad spectrum of valuable products with minimal environmental impact. Integration of catalysts into pyrolysis has emerged as a promising strategy for enhancing bio-waste valorisation. This review explores recent advancements and challenges in catalytic pyrolysis of bio-waste, focusing on key process parameters and reactor design. It examines the influence of temperature, heating rate, and reaction time on product characteristics and discusses the latest developments in improving product yield and quality. Catalysts such as zeolites, alkaline earth metals, mesoporous silicas, and biochar are reviewed for their roles in enhancing the pyrolytic process. Environmental benefits include waste reduction, greenhouse gas mitigation, and renewable energy generation, particularly when powered by renewable sources. Challenges such as catalyst deactivation, feedstock variability, and potential environmental risks are addressed, alongside future directions in catalyst design and digital process optimisation.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108258"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144241956","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Amphiphilic nitrogen-doped carbon dots derived from bituminous coal: Enhanced oil-water interfacial activity and nanomaterial dispersibility","authors":"Yu Wu, Hailing Song, Yancheng Zheng, Fuchang You, Shiteng Chang, Shenghua Zhu","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108261","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108261","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Efficient and clean utilization of coal resources is critical to achieving carbon emission reduction and sustainable energy development. In this study, a series of amphiphilic nitrogen-doped coal-based carbon dots (C<sub>12</sub> ∼ C<sub>18</sub>-NCDs) were synthesized from bituminous coal through a green oxidation-depolymerization process mediated by formic acid and hydrogen peroxide, followed by hydrothermal nitrogen doping, alkylation, and sulfonation. The resulting NCDs exhibited tunable amphiphilicity, as confirmed by comprehensive structural and interfacial characterizations. Increasing the alkyl chain length from C12 to C18 significantly reduced the critical micelle concentration (from 802 to 121 mg/L at 25 °C) and lowered the surface tension at CMC (from 28.13 to 25.31 mN/m). Notably, C<sub>18</sub>-NCDs achieved ultra-low oil-water interfacial tension (0.00119 mN/m) under 10 wt% NaCl and exhibited excellent wettability on hydrophobic paraffin surfaces (contact angle: 44.63°). Furthermore, the amphiphilic NCDs demonstrated outstanding dispersibility for multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), effectively suppressing aggregation due to the synergistic effects of π–π stacking interactions, hydrophobic anchoring from alkyl chains, and electrostatic repulsion induced by sulfonate groups. This work presents a scalable and sustainable approach for converting coal into advanced carbon nanomaterials with multifunctional properties, showing promising potential for applications in petroleum interfacial engineering, fuel emulsification, and nanomaterial dispersion.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108261"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144241958","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Stability of non-premixed turbulent methane flames: Numerical simulations of the critical diameter and flame stability limits","authors":"Mina Kazemi, Sile Brennan, Vladimir Molkov","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108249","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108249","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model is developed and validated against experimental data to predict the critical diameter and stability limits of non-premixed turbulent methane flames. The critical diameter defines the orifice size beyond which a stable flame persists at all driving pressures and below this pressure stability is pressure-dependent. Flame stability follows a “peninsula” curve of pressure versus release diameter, with sustained flames above the upper and below the lower pressure limits, while the intermediate region represents a blow-out zone where combustion is not sustained. The critical diameter, at the curve's rightmost point, is crucial for predicting sustained flames. Methane releases have been simulated for conditions in the region of the critical diameter, and for diameters and pressures ranging from 15 to 45 mm and 0.01 to 20 MPa, respectively, corresponding to the upper and lower flame stability limits using the realizable k − ε model and EDC combustion model. The simulations accurately captured blow-out and sustained flames, yielding a critical diameter of 42 mm, consistent with experiments. A methane flame at 5.88 MPa gauge through a 50 mm orifice was also simulated, showing flame length and lift-off distance in agreement with experimental observations. These results confirm the model's reliability in predicting methane flame stability, providing valuable insights for safety and combustion applications. This study presents the first CFD-based reproduction of the full methane flame stability curve, validating model reliability across a wide pressure range and providing a predictive tool for future applications, including the assessment of flame stability in methane‑hydrogen mixtures.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108249"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144222791","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Demin Chen , Baohua Qu , Jinyao Zhang , Qingming Long , Rui Sun
{"title":"Methods and techniques for determining the gas content of coal seams in China: a mini-review","authors":"Demin Chen , Baohua Qu , Jinyao Zhang , Qingming Long , Rui Sun","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108257","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108257","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Coal seam gas content is a critical parameter for characterizing coal reservoirs, offering essential insights for gas disaster prevention and coalbed methane resource exploitation. This mini-review systematically examines coal pore structures, methane occurrence mechanisms, adsorption-desorption dynamics, and factors affecting gas desorption in granular coal. Focusing on China's context, it evaluates current methods and technologies for gas content determination. The direct method, relying on in-situ sealed sampling and coal-crushing techniques, remains the predominant approach, with advancements in truth-preserving sampling enhancing accuracy. Indirect prediction models, integrating geological and desorption data, have emerged but face limitations due to China's heterogeneous coal seams, as most models are validated only in localized mining areas. Challenges persist in model portability and applicability across diverse geological settings. The review identifies key gaps, including insufficient theoretical underpinnings of gas transport mechanisms and technical constraints in high-precision in-situ measurements. Future directions emphasize advancing theoretical frameworks, refining indirect models through multi-regional validation, and developing portable, real-time in-situ technologies to improve reliability and scalability. Measurement techniques for coal seam gas content are evolving toward greater diversity, prioritizing enhanced theoretical frameworks and high-precision in-situ technologies as pivotal future advancements.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108257"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144213440","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Elnaz Fekri , Mir Saeed Seyed Dorraji , Morteza Vahedpour
{"title":"Enhanced artificial nitrogen fixation into ammonia via CNT-modified BiFeO3-TiO₂ heterojunction","authors":"Elnaz Fekri , Mir Saeed Seyed Dorraji , Morteza Vahedpour","doi":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108256","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.fuproc.2025.108256","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Photocatalytic ammonia synthesis from nitrogen and water is a promising avenue for energy development due to its potential for sustainable production. In this study, the BiFeO<sub>3</sub>-TiO<sub>2</sub>-CNT nanocomposite, produced via a facile sol-gel and hydrothermal method (with and without CNTs), effectively converts N<sub>2</sub> into ammonia, a modern, sustainable and H-based fuel. The optimized composite, BFO-10 %TiO₂-CNT, exhibited a remarkable ammonia production rate of 150.8 μmol/g·h under ambient conditions, exceeding the performance of other ratios. CNT inclusion enhanced the photocatalytic performance. The superiority of BiFeO<sub>3</sub>-TiO<sub>2</sub>-CNT nanocomposite solar energy materials was explained in terms of CNT's ability to increase the photocatalyst surface area and effective interaction with N<sub>2</sub> molecules and the positive effect on photon absorption. The BiFeO<sub>3</sub>–10 %TiO<sub>2</sub>-CNT nanocomposite showed significantly better photocatalytic performance than other combinations. This optimized composite produced more NH<sub>3</sub> than BiFeO<sub>3</sub> or TiO<sub>2</sub> alone. A proposed charge transfer mechanism explains the enhanced N<sub>2</sub> fixation into ammonia solar fuel.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":326,"journal":{"name":"Fuel Processing Technology","volume":"275 ","pages":"Article 108256"},"PeriodicalIF":7.2,"publicationDate":"2025-06-05","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144213441","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}