Valorization of agricultural waste for biogas based circular economy in India: A research outlook.

Lignin is the second most abundant polymer, which comprises15-30% (dry weight) of total lignocellulosic biomass. Recent studies focused on the effective utilization of lignin biopolymer into a myriad of products such as lignin micro and nanocapsules, biosensors, platform chemicals, pharmaceutical compounds, biopolymers, electrodes in electrochemistry, re-useable adsorbent, resins and biodiesel production through oleaginous microbes. The development of eco-friendly and cost-effective techniques is need-of-the-hour, which can be addressed through the circular economy approach. In this review, the emphasis is laid on integrating bioethanol and biodiesel production and valorizing lignin into various useful products. Besides, prospects of lignin biorefinery coupled with economic policies to be deployed along with the practical implications, have been discussed. Adopting these new pragmatic technologies and policies enables not only the development of inexpensive technologies but also boosts the economic growth of lignocellulosic biorefinery.

Circular economy aspects of lignin: Towards a lignocellulose biorefinery

Contribution to Circular Economy options of mixed agricultural wastes management: Coupling anaerobic digestion with gasification for enhanced energy and material recovery

The term “circular economy” has become more prevalent over the last decade, especially in the areas of sustainability, resource management and productivity. Globally, more national, public and private sector organizations are considering the concept in their daily operations. With growing concerns about the impacts of climate change, there are equally growing debates about curbing the impacts. One such debate is to transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy. This paper reviewed existing literature relevant to Africa's energy transition – whether it is enabled and can be guided by the principles of a circular economy. Various journal articles and business studies published between 2009 and 2019 were reviewed using a Systematic Literature Review Process. The study found that Africa's energy demand is expected to increase significantly, and it will be driven by industrialization and population growth. Most of sub-Saharan Africa's energy supply comes from renewable energy sources, while countries such as Algeria, Nigeria, Morocco, South Africa and Egypt (the Big Five) are still heavily dependent on fossil fuels. The researchers concluded that a circular economy approach can enable greater renewable energy uptake and transitioning. To support and enable a sustainable energy transition, regional finance institutions such as the African Development Bank and governments, can continue to finance more scalable technologies and adopt ‘intentional’ regulations which are guided by circular principles and a just-transition. Although data pertaining to how the transition can be underpinned by circularity is limited, there is great opportunity for more scientific and industry research that can provide further contextualized support.

A review of Africa's transition from fossil fuels to renewable energy using circular economy principles

Integrated biorefinery processes for conversion of lignocellulosic biomass to value added materials: Paving a path towards circular economy

Circular Biogas-Based Economy in a Rural Agricultural Setting

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Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems for City Bus Applications

This study identifies and analyzes the effect that aging time and temperature have on the CO light-off activity of three-way catalyst samples, aged in a static air (oxidizing) atmosphere. The bench aging time (BAT) equation proposed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), which describes aging as dependent upon time at temperature, was used to calculate a range of oven aging times and temperatures based on a RAT-A engine bench aging cycle.



CO light-off tests carried out on cores aged between 800 and 900 °C have shown that it is the aging temperature that has the greatest effect on catalyst deterioration for static aging testing, with aging time having little effect. These results were in contradiction to the BAT equation, an industry norm for the aging of catalysts. This demonstrates that static aging, whilst showing how temperature affects aging, gives little or no time effects. The results have shown that static aging is not representative of actual aging on a vehicle.



Progressive aging conducted at a temperature of 1000 °C was shown to cause a decrease in catalyst activity as the aging time increased. However, even in these extreme conditions, static aging gave a slower rate of aging with time when compared to engine aging as defined by the BAT equation. Overall, static aging in air has been shown to produce a greater increase in aging due to temperature than predicted by the BAT equation, but less aging due to aging time.

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Correlation of static aging effects on automotive catalysts

This study identifies, and analyses, the correlation that exists in the CO light-off performance of full size canned catalytic converters and cored samples taken from the front and rear sections of the same catalyst brick Testing was conducted under laboratory conditions, with full size samples tested using the Catagen Labcat, and testing of cored samples conducted using the Horiba SIGU 2000 From experimental tests alone, there was no clear correlation between the CO light-off activities of full size and cored catalyst samples However, by performing simulations using the QUB global catalyst model, which accounts for the variation of precious metal dispersion and differences in the heat transfer characteristics of the test rigs, correlation was shown to be good

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Luke Blades

Papers

Circular Biogas-Based Economy in a Rural Agricultural Setting

Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems for City Bus Applications

Correlation of static aging effects on automotive catalysts

Correlation of light-off activity for full size and cored catalyst samples

A Mathematical Approach to the Balancing of Mass Transfer and Reaction Kinetics in Dual Kinetic Model for Automotive Catalysis