Wet torrefaction of biomass waste into high quality hydrochar and value-added liquid products using different zeolite catalysts

• DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2024.120509
• Publication Date: 2024-04-17T12:41:27Z
• Authors: Andrii Kostyniuk; Blaž Likozar
• Keywords: Torrefaction; Levulinic acid; Mordenite; Heat of combustion

Wet torrefaction (WT) is an effective pretreatment method of biomass waste for producing hydrochar and valuable liquid products. In this study, a groundbreaking chemocatalytic approach introduced, employing various zeolite catalysts (H-ZSM-5, H-Beta, H-Y, H-USY, H-Mordenite) in batch reactor under nitrogen atmosphere. This enables the simultaneous one-pot production levulinic acid (LA) and/or bio-ethanol during WT process wood cellulose pulp residue (WCPR), ultimately yielding high-quality solid fuel. The involves at 220 260 °C, H2O/WCPR =10, time 15, 30 60 min. study identifies that °C 15 min, as optimal temperature time, production, achieving selectivity 59.0% with H-Y catalyst, while highest amount (75.6%) was detected presence H-USY after addition, it found formation relatively high LA (62.0%) min but using H-ZSM-5 catalyst. For WT+Mordenite sample (220 min), carbon content 71.5% achieved, resulting higher heating value (HHV) 27.3 MJ/kg, enhancement factor 1.36, enrichment 1.48, sequence element removal prioritized DO > DH DC weight loss 68%. Finally, reaction mechanism proposed to elucidate products WCPR participation catalysts. main pathway involving direct conversion into hydroxyacetone, followed by subsequent generation ethanol through C–C cleavage hydroxyacetone formed via well-known route which includes hydrolysis form glucose, 5-HMF transformation LA.