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Evaluating the Impacts of ACP Management on the Energy Performance of Hydrothermal Liquefaction via Nutrient Recovery

Author

Listed:
  • Sarah K. Bauer

    (Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Rowan University, 201 Mullica Hill Road, Glassboro, NJ 08028, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this paper.)

  • Fangwei Cheng

    (Department of Engineering Systems and Environment, University of Virginia, 351 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA
    These authors contributed equally to this paper.)

  • Lisa M. Colosi

    (Department of Engineering Systems and Environment, University of Virginia, 351 McCormick Road, Charlottesville, VA 22904, USA)

Abstract

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) is of interest in producing liquid fuels from organic waste, but the process also creates appreciable quantities of aqueous co-product (ACP) containing high concentrations of regulated wastewater pollutants (e.g., organic carbon, nitrogen (N), and phosphorus (P)). Previous literature has not emphasized characterization, management, or possible valorization of ACP wastewaters. This study aims to evaluate one possible approach to ACP management via recovery of valuable scarce materials. Equilibrium modeling was performed to estimate theoretical yields of struvite (MgNH 4 PO 4 ·6H 2 O) from ACP samples arising from HTL processing of selected waste feedstocks. Experimental analyses were conducted to evaluate the accuracy of theoretical yield estimates. Adjusted yields were then incorporated into a life-cycle energy modeling framework to compute energy return on investment (EROI) for the struvite precipitation process as part of the overall HTL life-cycle. Observed struvite yields and residual P concentrations were consistent with theoretical modeling results; however, residual N concentrations were lower than model estimates because of the volatilization of ammonia gas. EROI calculations reveal that struvite recovery is a net-energy producing process, but that this benefit offers little to no improvement in EROI performance for the overall HTL life-cycle. In contrast, corresponding economic analysis suggests that struvite precipitation may be economically appealing.

Suggested Citation

  • Sarah K. Bauer & Fangwei Cheng & Lisa M. Colosi, 2019. "Evaluating the Impacts of ACP Management on the Energy Performance of Hydrothermal Liquefaction via Nutrient Recovery," Energies, MDPI, vol. 12(4), pages 1-16, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:12:y:2019:i:4:p:729-:d:208234
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Toor, Saqib Sohail & Rosendahl, Lasse & Rudolf, Andreas, 2011. "Hydrothermal liquefaction of biomass: A review of subcritical water technologies," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 36(5), pages 2328-2342.
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    1. Conceição de Maria Sales da Silva & Douglas Alberto Rocha de Castro & Marcelo Costa Santos & Hélio da Silva Almeida & Maja Schultze & Ulf Lüder & Thomas Hoffmann & Nélio Teixeira Machado, 2021. "Process Analysis of Main Organic Compounds Dissolved in Aqueous Phase by Hydrothermal Processing of Açaí ( Euterpe oleraceae , Mart.) Seeds: Influence of Process Temperature, Biomass-to-Water Ratio, a," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-24, September.
    2. Ekaterina Ovsyannikova & Andrea Kruse & Gero C. Becker, 2020. "Feedstock-Dependent Phosphate Recovery in a Pilot-Scale Hydrothermal Liquefaction Bio-Crude Production," Energies, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-21, January.

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