Engineering Commons^™

Production Of Engineered Carbons From Secondary Waste Streams For Environmental Applications, Ghazaleh Chegini

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Pyrolysis and activation were used in this thesis to produce biochar and activated carbon from industrial digestate and hydrochar materials. In the first part of thesis, digestate derived biochars were obtained by varying the pyrolysis heating rate (10, 80, 100, 200, >1000 °C·min^-1) and temperature (300 to 600 °C) to modify their soil-related characteristics (i.e., nutrient leachability, carbon stability, and heavy metal adsorptive capacity). The biochar produced at a temperature of 500 °C and heating rate of 10 °C·min^-1 was also activated under using CO₂ at 800 °C with different holding times (0.5-2 h). Results indicated …

Ultrasound-Assisted Post-Pyrolysis Magnetization Of Microporous Biochar For Effective Removal Of Heavy Metals, Ronish Shrestha

Honors Theses

Low cost and efficient adsorption of heavy metals from wastewater and thorough removal of adsorbent after water treatment have become the two essential needs for the commercial use of any adsorbent. Biochar (BC), the solid byproduct of pyrolysis with microporous carbonaceous structure, has been increasingly recognized as an efficient adsorbent for a vast number of pollutants. Magnetization, though eases the separation and reuse of BC, significantly reduces its adsorption capacity to a comparatively much higher extent. In this study, a hybrid post-pyrolysis magnetization was developed which sustained and even significantly increased the adsorption capacity of biochar. The process included i) …

Removal Of Fluoride From Mine Water Via Adsorption For Land-Applied Soil Amendment, Michelle Dopp, Kevin Le, Ethan Phan, Mary Johnson, Jacqueline Payne, Adrian Damian, Courtney Golman

Chemical Engineering Undergraduate Honors Theses

The Moo Pig Sooie’s researched, designed, and economically analyzed a full-scale adsorption column system to be applied in mining processes that leave high amounts of fluoride in their effluent. This system was designed to remove fluoride from water saturated with calcium sulfate, as calcium sulfate is present in high amounts in certain mining processes. Currently, high density sludge (HDS) is commonly employed to reduce fluoride concentrations, but due to solubility limits the sludge treatment cannot lower fluoride below 10 mg/L (ppm). The current enforceable EPA standard for discharged water is at 4 mg/L (ppm), although mining companies anticipate that this …

Rotating Heater Pyrolyzer (Rhp): A New Pyrolysis Technology For Biochar Production, Ariel Porat

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Biochar provides an effective and inexpensive carbon sequestration technology to combat climate change. It is formed through a process known as pyrolysis; where biomass is thermally decomposed in the absence of oxygen. In this study, a new pyrolysis reactor called the Rotating Heater Pyrolyzer (RHP) was designed and built for biochar production. RHP derived biochar properties were compared to biochars produced with a standard batch pyrolysis reactor (Pyrolytic Shaker Reactor (PSR)) to determine RHP performance. Using several biochar characterization techniques, the soil amendment potential of two solid anaerobic digestate feedstocks were investigated. Woodchip RHP derived biochar processed between 2-3 hrs …

The Production Of Pyrolytic Biochar For Addition In Value-Added Composite Material, Douglas Matthew Cuthbertson

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Pyrolytic biochar has recently gained attention for its potential value as a carbon sequestering by-product that can be used in industrial applications. While biochar is typically targeted for soil amendment applications, higher value applications such as addition in consumer products and building materials needs to be investigated.

In this study, biochar is produced from three different Canadian feedstocks using three different pyrolysis methods. The biochar is characterized to determine the effects that feedstock selection and pyrolysis conditions has on biochar properties. The biochar is also incorporated into concrete at varying concentrations to create a lightweight and sustainable material. The effect …

Effects Of Co-Product Uses On Environmental And Economic Sustainability Of Hydrocarbon Biofuel From One- And Two-Step Pyrolysis Of Poplar, Daniel G. Kulas

Dissertations, Master's Theses and Master's Reports

This study investigated the environmental and economic sustainability of liquid hydrocarbon biofuel production via fast pyrolysis of poplar biomass through two pathways: a one-step pathway that converted poplar via fast pyrolysis only, and a twostep pathway that includes a torrefaction step prior to fast pyrolysis. Optimization of these fast pyrolysis-based biofuel processes were investigated through heat integration and alternative uses of the co-product biochar, which can be sold as an energy source to displace coal, soil amendment or processed into activated carbon. The impacts of optimization on the cost of hydrocarbon biofuel production as well as the environmental impacts were …

Granulation Of Biochar For Soil Amendment, Breanna H. M. Bowden-Green

Electronic Thesis and Dissertation Repository

Biochar has shown potential as a soil amendment, but is a fine powder that is difficult to handle and would be blown away if applied to soils without modifications. Wet drum granulation of cornstalk biochar using binder solutions of hydroxypropyl methylcellulose was initially investigated, establishing that biochar could be granulated into a form that would be easier to handle and apply effectively to the soil. Biochars from three different feedstocks were then tested along with three binder solutions. The biochar granules were free flowing and relatively strong with a significant yield between a size range of 1 to 4 mm. …