The kinetics of sorption from a solution onto an adsorbent has been explored theoretically. The general analytical solution was obtained for two cases. It has been shown that at high initial concentration of solute (sorbate) the general equation converts to a pseudo-first-order model and at lower initial concentration of solute it converts to a pseudo-second-order model. In other words, the sorption process obeys pseudo-first-order kinetics at high initial concentration of solute, while it obeys pseudo-second-order kinetics model at lower initial concentration of solute. The theoretical results (derived equations) show that the observed rate constants of pseudo-first-order and pseudo-second-order models are combinations of adsorption and desorption rate constants and also initial concentration of solute. The obtained theoretical equations are used to correlate experimental data for sorption kinetics of some solutes on various sorbents. The predictions of the theory are in excellent agreement with the experimental data.

Kinetic models of sorption: a theoretical analysis.

Hydrothermal technologies are broadly defined as chemical and physical transformations in high-temperature (200–600 °C), high-pressure (5–40 MPa) liquid or supercritical water. This thermochemical means of reforming biomass may have energetic advantages, since, when water is heated at high pressures a phase change to steam is avoided which avoids large enthalpic energy penalties. Biological chemicals undergo a range of reactions, including dehydration and decarboxylation reactions, which are influenced by the temperature, pressure, concentration, and presence of homogeneous or heterogeneous catalysts. Several biomass hydrothermal conversion processes are in development or demonstration. Liquefaction processes are generally lower temperature (200–400 °C) reactions which produce liquid products, often called “bio-oil” or “bio-crude”. Gasification processes generally take place at higher temperatures (400–700 °C) and can produce methane or hydrogen gases in high yields.

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Thermochemical biofuel production in hydrothermal media: A review of sub- and supercritical water technologies

Post-combustion CO2 capture from the flue gas is one of the key technology options to reduce greenhouse gases, because this can be potentially retrofitted to the existing fleet of coal-fired power stations. Adsorption processes using solid sorbents capable of capturing CO2 from flue gas streams have shown many potential advantages, compared to other conventional CO2 capture using aqueous amine solvents. In view of this, in the past few years, several research groups have been involved in the development of new solid sorbents for CO2 capture from flue gas with superior performance and desired economics. A variety of promising sorbents such as activated carbonaceous materials, microporous/mesoporous silica or zeolites, carbonates, and polymeric resins loaded with or without nitrogen functionality for the removal of CO2 from the flue gas streams have been reviewed. Different methods of impregnating functional groups, including grafting techniques and modifying the support materials, have been discussed to en...

Post-Combustion CO2 Capture Using Solid Sorbents: A Review

Hydrothermal carbonization can be defined as combined dehydration and decarboxy lation of a fuel to raise its carbon content with the aim of achieving a higher calorific value. It is realized by applying elevated temperatures (180–220°C) to biomass in a suspension with water under saturated pressure for several hours. With this conversion process, a lignite-like, easy to handle fuel with well-defined properties can be created from biomass residues, even with high moisture content. Thus it may contribute to a wider application of biomass for energetic purposes. Although hydrothermal carbonization has been known for nearly a century, it has received little attention in current biomass conversion research. This review summarizes knowledge about the chemical nature of this process from a process design point of view. Reaction mechanisms of hydrolysis, dehydration, decarboxylation, aromatization, and condensation polymerization are discussed and evaluated to describe important operational parameters qualitatively. The results are used to derive fundamental process design improvements. Copyright © 2010 Society of Chemical Industry and John Wiley & Sons, Ltd

Hydrothermal carbonization of biomass: A summary and discussion of chemical mechanisms for process engineering

The carbonization of biomass residuals to char has strong potential to become an environmentally sound conversion process for the production of a wide variety of products. In addition to its traditional use for the production of charcoal and other energy vectors, pyrolysis can produce products for environmental, catalytic, electronic and agricultural applications. As an alternative to dry pyrolysis, the wet pyrolysis process, also known as hydrothermal carbonization, opens up the field of potential feedstocks for char production to a range of nontraditional renewable and plentiful wet agricultural residues and municipal wastes. Its chemistry offers huge potential to influence product characteristics on demand, and produce designer carbon materials. Future uses of these hydrochars may range from innovative materials to soil amelioration, nutrient conservation via intelligent waste stream management and the increase of carbon stock in degraded soils.

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Hydrothermal carbonization of biomass residuals: a comparative review of the chemistry, processes and applications of wet and dry pyrolysis

Fundamental experiments on the solar-powered adsorption cooling system were carried out with small-scale apparatus simulating ideally a practical unit by employing a combination of silica-gel and water vapor as an example of the adsorbent-adsorbate combinations. A simple model which takes into account both adsorption properties and apparatus characteristics was proposed to interpret our experimental results quantitatively. Then the transitional behavior of heat and mass transfer in continuous adsorption-regeneration experiments was successfully interpreted by the model. The model proposed here is not a complete one and is to be considered as a first-step model for estimating operation with practical equipment. Also, the contribution of the level of regeneration temperature of adsorbents to the cooling performance was quantitatively clarified on the basis of the adsorption equilibrium relation, which is considered useful in choosing a favorable combination of adsorbent and adsorbate for the system.

Fundamental study on solar powered adsorption cooling system

Biological efficiency and nutritional value of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated on spent beer grain.

Gramine-induced growth inhibition, oxidative damage and antioxidant responses in freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa.

Modelling a global biogeochemical nitrogen cycle in terrestrial ecosystems

Kinetic studies on the removal of phosphate by adsorption onto oyster shell powder have been investigated at 24 °C. The results showed that the equilibrium occurred in 10 min and the equilibrium data followed the Freundlich isotherm. Freundlich constants were found to be kf, 1.4 × 10−2, and n, 0.71. The phosphate removal was not influenced by pH over the range 5.0–10.5. Continuous agitation studies at 24 °C and 530 rpm reached equilibrium after 7.7 days, when 24 g dm−3 of oyster shell powder reduced the phosphate concentration from 50 to 7.0 mg dm−3. The Lagergren rate constant for the slow adsorption process was observed to be 3.81 × 10−4 dm3 min−1. Comparison with calcium carbonate, GR grade, showed that oyster shell powder and CaCO3 behave more or less in the same way. Copyright © 2004 Society of Chemical Industry

Akiyoshi Sakoda

Papers

Fundamental study on solar powered adsorption cooling system

Biological efficiency and nutritional value of Pleurotus ostreatus cultivated on spent beer grain.

Gramine-induced growth inhibition, oxidative damage and antioxidant responses in freshwater cyanobacterium Microcystis aeruginosa.

Modelling a global biogeochemical nitrogen cycle in terrestrial ecosystems

Removal of phosphate by adsorption onto oyster shell powder: kinetic studies