Hongwei Wu

Bio: Hongwei Wu is an academic researcher from Colorado School of Mines. The author has contributed to research in topics: Racism & Char. The author has an hindex of 49, co-authored 272 publications receiving 8573 citations. Previous affiliations of Hongwei Wu include General Post Office & Monash University.

Some Recent Advances in Hydrolysis of Biomass in Hot-Compressed Water and Its Comparisons with Other Hydrolysis Methods†

Abstract: Biomass hydrolysis extracts, particularly sugars and other useful derivatives, are important products for further conversion to produce biofuels. The past 2 decades have witnessed significant research and development activities using hot-compressed water for the hydrolysis and conversion of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignocellulosic biomass materials. This paper summarizes the decomposition mechanisms and hydrolysis products of these materials under various conditions in hot-compressed water. Key factors determining hydrolysis behavior in hot-compressed water are also discussed. Comparisons are made between hydrolysis in hot-compressed water and hydrolysis using other technologies, including acid hydrolysis, alkaline hydrolysis, and enzymatic hydrolysis. Advantages, disadvantages, typical operation conditions, products properties, and applicability are summarized. Key research issues on hydrolysis in hot-compressed water are identified, and future research prospects to further improve the technology ar...

Fast pyrolysis of Oil Mallee Woody Biomass : Effect of temperature on the yield and quality of pyrolysis products

Abstract: This paper presents an investigation of the production of crude bio-oil, char, and pyrolytic gases from the fast pyrolysis of mallee woody biomass in Australia. The feedstock was ground, sieved to several narrow particle size ranges, and dried prior to pyrolysis in a novel laboratory-scale fluidized-bed reactor. The effects of pyrolysis temperature (350−600 °C), and biomass particle size (100−600 μm), on the yields and composition of bio-oil, gas, and char are reported. In agreement with previous reports, the pyrolysis temperature has an important impact on the yield and composition of bio-oil, char, and gases. Biomass particle size has a significant effect on the water content of bio-oil. It is interesting to note that the temperature for maximum bio-oil yield, between 450 and 475 °C, resulted in an oil with the highest content of oligomers and, consequently, with the highest viscosity. Such observations suggest that the conventional viewpoint of pyrolyzing biomass at temperatures over 400 °C to maximize...

Biochar as a Fuel: 1. Properties and Grindability of Biochars Produced from the Pyrolysis of Mallee Wood under Slow-Heating Conditions

Abstract: Biomass as a fuel suffers from its bulky, fibrous, high moisture content and low-energy-density nature, leading to key issues including high transport cost and poor biomass grindability. This study investigates the possibility to pretreat biomass to produce biochar as a solid biofuel to address these issues. Biochars were produced from the pyrolysis of centimeter-sized particles of Western Australia (WA) mallee wood in a fixed-bed reactor at 300 to 500 °C and a heating rate of 10 °C/min. The data show that, at pyrolysis temperatures ≥320 °C, biochar as a fuel has similar fuel H/C and O/C ratios compared to Collie coal that is the only coal being mined in WA. Converting biomass to biochar leads to a substantial increase in fuel mass energy density from ∼10 GJ/ton of green biomass to ∼28 GJ/ton of biochars prepared from pyrolysis at 320 °C, in comparison to 26 GJ/ton for Collie coal. However, there is little improvement in fuel volumetric energy density, which is around 7−9 GJ/m3 in comparison to 17 GJ/m3 o...

Phd by thesis

Abstract: Deposits of clastic carbonate-dominated (calciclastic) sedimentary slope systems in the rock record have been identified mostly as linearly-consistent carbonate apron deposits, even though most ancient clastic carbonate slope deposits fit the submarine fan systems better. Calciclastic submarine fans are consequently rarely described and are poorly understood. Subsequently, very little is known especially in mud-dominated calciclastic submarine fan systems. Presented in this study are a sedimentological core and petrographic characterisation of samples from eleven boreholes from the Lower Carboniferous of Bowland Basin (Northwest England) that reveals a >250 m thick calciturbidite complex deposited in a calciclastic submarine fan setting. Seven facies are recognised from core and thin section characterisation and are grouped into three carbonate turbidite sequences. They include: 1) Calciturbidites, comprising mostly of highto low-density, wavy-laminated bioclast-rich facies; 2) low-density densite mudstones which are characterised by planar laminated and unlaminated muddominated facies; and 3) Calcidebrites which are muddy or hyper-concentrated debrisflow deposits occurring as poorly-sorted, chaotic, mud-supported floatstones. These

Hydroxymethylfurfural, A Versatile Platform Chemical Made from Renewable Resources

Abstract: Renewable Resources Robert-Jan van Putten,†,‡ Jan C. van der Waal,† Ed de Jong,*,† Carolus B. Rasrendra,‡,⊥ Hero J. Heeres,*,‡ and Johannes G. de Vries* †Avantium Chemicals, Zekeringstraat 29, 1014 BV Amsterdam, the Netherlands ‡Department of Chemical Engineering, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands Stratingh Institute for Chemistry, University of Groningen, Nijenborgh 4, 9747 AG Groningen, the Netherlands DSM Innovative Synthesis BV, P.O. Box 18, 6160 MD Geleen, the Netherlands Department of Chemical Engineering, Institut Teknologi Bandung, Ganesha 10, Bandung 40132, Indonesia