Analysis of Hydrothermal Solid Fuel Characteristics Using Waste Wood and Verification of Scalability through a Pilot Plant

Abstract

Increases in energy demand and waste are a major cause of natural resource depletion and environmental pollution, and technology capable of processing waste to convert it into energy is required to mitigate this issue. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is an example of this technology that can convert waste into energy, and various studies have been conducted using it for fuel conversion. This study focused on the production of a solid fuel equivalent to coal for power generation through HTC processes using waste wood. Unlike previous work, which consists only of laboratory-scale HTC experiments, we confirmed scalability through pilot-scale HTC experiments. Overall, it was possible to convert waste wood into HTC solid fuel with a calorific value of over 27,000 kJ/kg through the pilot plant HTC process. Additionally, heavy metal and hazardous substance analyses proved that it can be used as a biosolid fuel.

A Review of Upscaling Hydrothermal Carbonization

“…The optimal conditions for decomposing corn stover in this study were achieving a BWR of 1:10 in 4 h. In many studies, the use of catalysts in the HTC process demonstrated the ability to increase the heating value (HHV) of hydrochar and decrease the reaction time and temperature [34][35][36][37][38]. Shin et al [39] produced biocoal products from wood waste and conducted a comparative study with and without catalysts in HTC process at lab and pilot scales. The pilot plant was a binary reactor system designed by Kinava Co. and presented in the previous research reported by Mackintosh et al [40].…”

Special Issue on “Biomass Conversion and Organic Waste Utilization”

“…The analysis indicated that an EFB splitting ratio of less than 40% for pellet production was economically feasible. In the study of Shin et al [9], biofuel with a calorific value equivalent to that of coal for power generation was produced in a pilot plant through waste wood HTC. The outcomes show that it was possible to convert waste wood into solid fuel with a calorific value of over 27,000 kJ/kg through the HTC process of the pilot plant.…”