Showing papers by "Luis A. Rios published in 2020"

Valorization of Palm-Oil Residues: Integrated Production of a Good Quality Bio-coal and Electricity via Torrefaction

Abstract: Energy valorization of empty fruit bunches (EFB), via torrefaction, was investigated to stablish the best process conditions and the energy balance of an integrated plant Differential scanning calorimetry was used, for the first time, as a new and more accurate method to determine the heat involved in the torrefaction process This technique showed that the torrefaction of EFB is an endothermal process A new response variable energy gain (EG) was introduced as an alternative to the customarily used variable energy yield (EY) EG was definitely a better response variable because it makes a compromise between a high mass yield and a high heating values of the solid product On the contrary, EY has a very strong and direct (lineal) correlation with the mass yield that overshadows the effect of the heating value Results show that torrefaction is a promising technology for the sustainable valorization of EFB because it solves the disposal problem and gives a solid and renewable biofuel that can replace coal Besides, an important amount of electricity can be co-produced Energy balances showed that energy self-sufficiency can be achieved by tuning the torrefaction conditions as to obtain a gaseous by-product that is used as fuel to provide the energy required in the drying and torrefaction stages Processing 100 ton/day of EFB (dry basis), at 300 °C and 60 min, produces 37 ton/day of bio-coal (similar to sub-bituminous coal) and 036 MW electricity that can be exported because the process is energy self- sufficient

Evaluación de técnicas de pretratamiento en buchón de agua (Eichhornia crassipes) para la producción de bioetanol

Abstract: espanolSe evaluaron cuatro pretratamientos del Buchon de Agua (Eichhornia crassipes) para su transformacion en azucares y etanol. El Buchon de Agua es una planta acuatica de rapido crecimiento que representa un serio problema de invasiones por lo que se propone su transformacion en etanol, teniendo en cuenta la inminente escasez de combustibles fosiles a nivel mundial. En esta seleccion preliminar el Buchon de Agua exhibio caracteristicas constitutivas de tipo quimico, que lo convierten en una materia prima promisoria para produccion de etanol, obteniendose, rendimientos de 17,15 g/l, 18,10 g/l, 17,73 g/l y 4,53 g/l con los pretratamientos remojo con amoniaco, delignificacion alcalina, pretratamiento con acido diluido y peroxido alcalino, respectivamente. Finalmente, se seleccionaron los pretratamientos con acido diluido y delignificacion alcalina para ser utilizados con mayor profundidad mediante la aplicacion de un diseno experimental, obteniendose un rendimiento de etanol de 190,35 l/ton biomasa seca alimentada para el pretratamiento acido diluido y 197,33 l/ton biomasa seca alimentada para el pretratamiento delignificacion alcalina, a partir de la fraccion solida. EnglishWater Hyacynth (Eichhornia crassipes) is a fast growing aquatic plant that represents a serious problem of invasion, so its transformation into ethanol is proposed as a solution, taking into account the imminent scarcity of fossil fuels worldwide and the panorama of opportunity that is lived in the world due to the legislation on biofuels. For this, four different pretreatments were evaluated taking into account production of sugars and final ethanol yield to select the most promising. In this preliminary selection, the Water Hyacinth exhibited chemical type compositional characteristics that make it a promising raw material for ethanol production, obtaining yields of 17.15 g/l, 18.10 g/l, 17.73 g/l and 4,53 g/l with the pretreatments aqueous ammonia soaking, alkaline delignification, pretreatment with diluted acid and alkaline peroxide, respectively. Finally, the pretreatments with diluted acid and alkaline delignification were selected to be studied more deeply through the application of an experimental design, obtaining an ethanol yield (better design conditions). 190.35 l/ton dry biomass fed to the diluted acid pretreatment and 197.33 l/ton dry biomass fed to the alkaline delignification pretreatment, from the solid fraction.