(Last update: March 2022)
Summary:
Waste management of biomass has become a critical issue in terms of global warming and contamination of Earth resources. The slash and burn of maize wastes or the uncontrolled burning of forestry wastes that potentiate wildfires, smog and greenhouse gases are urgent problems of the present society that need efficient and fast solutions. Another problem is the proper digestate handling from biogas plants. This biomass has a very high water content, which reduces dramatically the energetic efficiency of incineration plants when burned. Also, the amount produced is too high to use it as organic fertilizer. A biorefinery is proposed in this project that will take advantage of these low-cost materials to produce high-quality activated carbon (AC).
AC is used in many applications that require high surface areas. Low-grade activated carbon (LGAC) is used as adsorbent of impurities in liquid or gaseous media and as carbon molecular sieve to recover methane (CH4) from biogas. High-grade activated carbons (HGAC) can replace expensive nanomaterials in energy storage systems like super-capacitors. This project will concentrate on these three applications.
The AC production will occur in two stages: carbonization and activation. For the first one, maize/forest residues will be pyrolyzed and the biogas produced from anaerobic digestion will be pretreated by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The activation process will depend on the preferred type of AC: physical activation for LGAC and chemical activation for HGAC. The energy demand of the biorefinery will be partially covered from electricity produced from burning the pyrolysis gases and the methane from the biogas upgrading process.
The production of LGACs and HGACs from biomass residues in a self-sustainable biorefinery is an ecological way to produce high-quality and technologically relevant material without impairing the food production or polluting the environment.
Dissertations (Master's, PhD and ERASMUS):
12. PhD Dissertation - Elena Surra - BioCH4 from the Anaerobic co-Digestion of the Organic Fraction of Municipal Solid Waste and Maize Cob Wastes - Doctoral Programme of Energy and Bioenergy, FCT/UNL, Lisbon, Portugal, 2015/2019.
11. Hélio Filipe Araújo Pereira, Produção de biogás a partir da codigestão anaeróbia entre FORSU e Resíduos da Cultura do Milho, Master's Dissertation in Engineering of Renewable Energies (2018), FCT/UNL, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/61685.
10. Ana Torres Vera, Hybrid Ionic Liquids/Metal Organic Frameworks, Spanish (Madrid) Erasmus Dissertation Project, FCT/UNL, 2018.
9. Beatriz Quaresma Chaves Alves de Moura, Hybrid Ionic Liquids/Metal Organic Frameworks for CO2/CH4 separations, Master's Dissertation in Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry (2018), FCT/UNL, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/49844.
8. Tiago J. Ferreira, Hybrid Ionic Liquids/Metal Organic Frameworks for CO2/CH4 Separation, Master's Dissertation in Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry (2017), FCT/UNL, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/24510.
7. Pedro J.C.Vieira Melo, 3D Printed Adsorbent Materials - A tool for climate change mitigation?, Master´s Dissertation in Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry (2017), FCT/UNL, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/24748.
6. Miguel Filipe da Costa Nogueira, Novos Eco-Adsorventes para o Pré-Condicionamento do Biogás, Master’s Dissertation in Engineering of Renewable Energies (2017), FCT/UNL, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/27881.
5. Olga E. Sulim, Formulation of New 3D Printed Porous Media for Gas Adsorption Application, Master's Dissertation in Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry (2016), FCT/UNL, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/29111.
4. Christine L. Antunes, Adsorbent Particle Design for Application in Gas Adsorption Processes, Master's Dissertation in Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry (2016), FCT/UNL, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/35809.
3. Aiala Urbegain Garate, Adsorbent Particle Design for Application in Gas Adsorption Processes, Spanish (Basque Country) Erasmus Dissertation Project, FCT/UNL, 2016.
2. André Filipe Lopes Portela, Caraterização de novos Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) como meio para purificação do Biogás – Aplicações em adsorção e permeação, Master's Dissertation in Chemical Engineering and Biochemistry (2016), FCT/UNL, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/80558.
1. Suzanna Engrácio Lancinha, Master's Dissertation in Engineering of Renewable Energies - Produção de Biogás como Fonte Renovável de Energia a partir de Resíduos da Cultura do Milho (2016), FCT/UNL, http://hdl.handle.net/10362/23423.
Peer-reviewed Articles and Book Chapters:
13. Elena Surra, Rui P.P.L. Ribeiro, Tiago Santos, Maria Bernardo, José P.B. Mota, Nuno Lapa, Isabel A.A.C. Esteves, “Evaluation of activated carbons produced from Maize Cob Waste for adsorption-based CO2 separation and biogas upgrading”. Journal of Environmental Chemical Engineering, V.10, Issue 1, 107065 (2022), DOI: 10.1016/j.jece.2021.107065.
12. Surra, Elena and Esteves, Isabel A.A.C. and Lapa, Nuno, "Life Cycle Analysis of a Biorefinery for Activated Carbon and Biomethane Production", Biomass and Bioenergy, 149, 106080 (2021), DOI: 10.1016/j.biombioe.2021.106080.
11. (preprint) Surra, Elena and Esteves, Isabel A.A.C. and Lapa, Nuno, "Life Cycle Analysis of a Biorefinery for Activated Carbon and Biomethane Production". Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=3751277 (2021). Pre-print paper of publication in Biomass and Bioenergy (2021).
10. Maria Bernardo, Nuno Lapa, Isabel Fonseca and Isabel A.A.C. Esteves, “Biomass Valorization for the Production of Porous Carbons and their Application in Biogas Upgrading and CO2 Capture - A Mini-Review”, Frontiers in Energy Research – Bioenergy and Biofuels, Special Issue Advanced Biofuel Production and Cascading Bioenergy Systems (https://www.frontiersin.org/research-topics/11533/advanced-biofuel-production-and-cascading-bioenergy-systems), just accepted (2021), DOI: 10.3389/fenrg.2021.625188.
9. Maria Bernardo, Catalina Rodriguez Correa, Yvonne Ringelspacher, Gero C. Beckerb, Nuno Lapa, Isabel Fonseca, Isabel A. A. C. Esteves, Andrea Kruse, Porous Carbons derived from Hydrothermally Treated Biogas Digestate, Waste Management, 105: 170-179 (2020), DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2020.02.011.
8. Elena Surra, Maria Bernardo, Nuno Lapa, Isabel A.A.C. Esteves, Isabel Fonseca, José P.B. Mota, “Biomethane Production through Anaerobic co-Digestion with Maize Cob Waste based on a Bio-Refinery Concept: A Review”, Journal of Environmental Management, 249, Article number 109351 (2019), DOI: 10.1016/j.jenvman.2019.109351.
7. Surra, E., Costa Nogueira, M., Bernardo, M., Lapa, N., Esteves, I., Fonseca, I., “New adsorbents from maize cob wastes and anaerobic digestate for H2S removal from biogas”, Waste Management, 94, 136-145 (2019), DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2019.05.048.
6. Rui P.P.L. Ribeiro, Christine L. Antunes, Aiala U. Garate, André F. Portela, Marta G. Plaza, José P.B. Mota, Isabel A.A.C. Esteves, “Binderless shaped metal-organic framework particles: Impact on carbon dioxide adsorption”, Microporous and Mesoporous Materials, 275, February 2019, 111-121 (2019), DOI: 10.1016/j.micromeso.2018.08.002.
5. Elena Surra, Maria Bernardo, Nuno Lapa, Isabel A.A.C. Esteves, Isabel Fonseca, José Paulo Mota, “Enhanced Biogas Production through Anaerobic co-Digestion of OFMSW with Maize Cob Waste Pre-Treated with Hydrogen Peroxide”, CHEMICAL ENGINEERING TRANSACTIONS, 65 (2018), AIDIC Pub, ISBN 978-88-95608- 62-4; ISSN 2283-9216; DOI:10.3303/CET1865021.
4. Elena Surra, Maria Bernardo, Nuno Lapa, Isabel Esteves, Isabel Fonseca, José Paulo Mota, “Maize cob waste pre-treatments to enhance biogas production through co-anaerobic digestion with OFMSW”, Waste Management, 72, 193-205 (2018), DOI: 10.1016/j.wasman.2017.11.004.
3. N. Lapa, E. Surra, I.A.A.C. Esteves, R.P.P.L Ribeiro, J.P.B. Mota, Production of Biogas and BioH2 – Biochemical Methods, Chapter 15 in Biofuels Production and Processing Technology, Eds. M.R. Riazi, David Chiaramonti, CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, October 11th, 2017, 690 Pages - 200 B/W Illustrations, ISBN 9781498778930 - CAT# K29842.
2. Catalina Rodriguez Correa, Maria Bernardo, Rui P.P.L. Ribeiro, Isabel A.A.C. Esteves, Andrea Kruse, “Evaluation of hydrothermal carbonization as a preliminary step for the production of functional materials from biogas digestate”, Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 124, 461–474 (2017), DOI: 10.1016/j.jaap.2017.02.014.
1. I.A.A.C. Esteves, G.M.R.P.L. Sousa, R.J.S. Silva, R.P.P.L. Ribeiro, M.F.J. Eusébio and J.P.B. Mota, “A Sensitive Method Approach for Chromatographic Analysis of Gas Streams in Separation Processes Based on Columns Packed with an Adsorbent Material”, Advances in Materials Science and Engineering, Volume 2016 (2016), Article ID 3216267, 9 pages, DOI: 10.1155/2016/3216267.
Communications:
12. E. Surra, M. Nogueira, M. Bernardo, I. Fonseca, I.A.A.C. Esteves, N. Lapa, New eco-sorbents for hydrogen sulphide removal from biogas, poster paper P-IM14, session of Innovative Materials and Applications, 13th INT. CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (CHEMPOR 2018), 2-4th October 2018, Aveiro, Portugal.
11. E. Surra, M. Bernardo, N. Lapa, I.A.A.C. Esteves, I. Fonseca, J.P.B. Mota, Pre-treatment of maize cob waste with hydrogen peroxide for biogas enhancement, poster paper P-BS03, session of Biorefinery and Sustainability, 13th INT. CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING CONFERENCE (CHEMPOR 2018), 2-4th October 2018, Aveiro, Portugal.
10. Catalina Rodriguez Correa, Maria Bernardo, Rui P.P.L. Ribeiro, Isabel A.A.C. Esteves, Andrea Kruse, Study of the Utilization of Biogas Digestate as Substrate for Functional Materials, poster paper, 41st Iberian Adsorption Meeting (41 RIA), 5-7th Sept. 2018, Gijón, Asturias, Spain.
9. Surra E., Bernardo M., Lapa N., Esteves I., Fonseca I., Mota J.P., Enhanced Biogas Production through Anaerobic Co-Digestion of OFMSW With Maize Cob Waste Pre-Treated with Hydrogen Peroxide, oral paper, International Conference in Biomass (ICONBM 2018), June 17-22th 2018, Bologne, Italy.
8. Elena Surra, Miguel Nogueira, Maria Bernardo, Nuno Lapa, Isabel Esteves, Isabel Fonseca, José Paulo Mota, New eco-adsorbents for biogas pre-conditioning, oral paper, 3rd Green & Sustainable Chemistry Conference (GREN 2018), May 13-16th 2018, Berlin, Germany.
7. Elena Surra, Vânia Mendes, Mário Eusébio, José Paulo Mota, Isabel Esteves, Nuno Lapa, Avaliação da sustentabilidade da co-digestão anaeróbia da Fração Orgânica de Resíduos Sólidos Urbanos com Carolo de Milho, oral paper, Conferência Internacional do Ambiente e Direitos Humanos (CIALP 2018), May 8-10th 2018, Aveiro, Portugal.
6. Isabel Esteves, Elena Surra, Maria Bernardo, Rui Ribeiro, José Paulo Mota, Nuno Lapa, Isabel Fonseca, BIOMASS WASTES VALORISATION – BIOGAS UPGRADING TO BIOMETHANE - Outlook and Main Results, invited oral communication, Bio-FESS international meeting, 27-29th Abril 2017, Bogotá, Colombia.
5. Isabel Esteves, ADSORPTION PATHWAYS TOWARDS A LOW-CARBON ECONOMY, POTENTIAL MITIGATION OF GREENHOUSE GASES AND RENEWABLE ENERGY RESOURCES ADVANCE, invited oral communication, Seminar “Biorefinery for the Production of Low and High Grade Activated Carbon from forestry wastes, maize residues and biogas digestate (BioFESS) - ERANet LAC”. University of Los Andes, 27-29th Abril 2017, Bogotá, Colombia.
4. Maria Bernardo, Isabel Esteves, Rui Ribeiro, André Portela, Elena Surra, José Paulo Mota, Nuno Lapa, Isabel Fonseca, CORN COB DERIVED-CARBONS AS ADSORBENTS FOR BIOGAS UPGRADING TO BIOMETHANE, poster paper, RGC 2017 – 1ª Reunião do Grupo de Carbono, 12-13th June 2017, Biblioteca Municipal Almeida Garret, Porto, Portugal.
3. Elena Surra, Suzanna Lancinha, Maria Bernardo, Isabel Fonseca, Rui Ribeiro, José Paulo Mota, Isabel Esteves, Nuno Lapa, BIOREFINERY TO PRODUCE ACTIVATED CARBON FROM BIOMASS – AN APPROACH FOR A BIOGAS REFINING PROCESS, poster paper 116, Separations Technology IX: New Frontiers in Media, Techniques, and Technologies, March 5-10th 2017, Grand Real Santa Eulalia Hotel Albufeira, Portugal.
2. Elena Surra, Suzanna Lancinha, Maria Bernardo, Isabel Fonseca, Rui Ribeiro, José Paulo Mota, Nuno Lapa, Isabel Esteves, “A NEW BIOREFINERY CONCEPT TO VALORIZE MAIZE RESIDUES AND THE ORGANIC FRACTION OF MUNICIPAL SOLID WASTES”, oral paper, 22nd International Sustainable Development Research Society Conference (ISDRS 2016), 13– 15th July 2016, School of Science and Technology, Universidade Nova de Lisboa, Lisbon, Portugal.
1. Catalina Rodriguez Correa, Kay Uwe Suwelacka, Isabel A. A. C. Esteves, Andrea Kruse, “Assessment of the Technical Feasibility of Activated Carbon Production from Hydrochar”, poster, 21st International Symposium on Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis (Pyro2016), 9-12th May 2016, Nancy, France.