IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jeners/v16y2023i2p732-d1028773.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

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

Author

Listed:
  • 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)

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.

Suggested Citation

  • Abu-Taher Jamal-Uddin & M. Toufiq Reza & Omid Norouzi & Shakirudeen A. Salaudeen & Animesh Dutta & Richard G. Zytner, 2023. "Recovery and Reuse of Valuable Chemicals Derived from Hydrothermal Carbonization Process Liquid," Energies, MDPI, vol. 16(2), pages 1-15, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:2:p:732-:d:1028773
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/2/732/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/16/2/732/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michela Langone & Daniele Basso, 2020. "Process Waters from Hydrothermal Carbonization of Sludge: Characteristics and Possible Valorization Pathways," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(18), pages 1-33, September.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Daniel Esteban Galvis Sandoval & Alejandra Sophia Lozano Pérez & Carlos Alberto Guerrero Fajardo, 2024. "Pea Pod Valorization: Exploring the Influence of Biomass/Water Ratio, Particle Size, Stirring, and Catalysts on Chemical Platforms and Biochar Production," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(17), pages 1-25, August.
    2. Giuseppe Campo & Alberto Cerutti & Claudio Lastella & Aldo Leo & Deborah Panepinto & Mariachiara Zanetti & Barbara Ruffino, 2021. "Production and Destination of Sewage Sludge in the Piemonte Region (Italy): The Results of a Survey for a Future Sustainable Management," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-13, March.
    3. Thi. Thu-Trang Ho & Ahmad Nadeem & Kangil Choe, 2024. "A Review of Upscaling Hydrothermal Carbonization," Energies, MDPI, vol. 17(8), pages 1-18, April.
    4. Ding, Yan & Li, Debo & Zhang, Xiaowei & Lv, Maochao & Qin, Shiru & Zhao, Peitao & Guo, Chuwen, 2024. "Research on the co-combustion characteristics and kinetics of rice husk hydrochar with anthracite," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    5. Yuchiao Lu & Hanmin Yang & Andrey V. Karasev & Chuan Wang & Pär G. Jönsson, 2022. "Applications of Hydrochar and Charcoal in the Iron and Steelmaking Industry—Part 1: Characterization of Carbonaceous Materials," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(15), pages 1-27, August.
    6. Giovanni Gadaleta & Francesco Todaro & Annamaria Giuliano & Sabino De Gisi & Michele Notarnicola, 2024. "Co-Treatment of Food Waste and Municipal Sewage Sludge: Technical and Environmental Review of Biological and Thermal Technologies," Clean Technol., MDPI, vol. 6(3), pages 1-34, July.
    7. Jiahua Xia & Juan Ji & Zhiqiang Hu & Ting Rao & Ankang Liu & Jingqian Ma & Yongjun Sun, 2022. "Application of Advanced Oxidation Technology in Sludge Conditioning and Dewatering: A Critical Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-14, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jeners:v:16:y:2023:i:2:p:732-:d:1028773. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.