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CO2 Reduction and H2 Promotion Techniques in Energies

A special issue of Energies (ISSN 1996-1073). This special issue belongs to the section "B: Energy and Environment".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 15032

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Interests: energy and environmental application; coal/biomass gasification/pyrolysis and CFD simulation; DFT; algae cultivation
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Guest Editor
Institute of Energy Engineering, China Jiliang University, Hangzhou 310000, China
Interests: energy and environmental; hydrogen production; synthesis of low-carbon fuel
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Guest Editor
Key Laboratory for Green & Advanced Civil Engineering Materials and Application Technology of Hunan Province, College of Civil Engineering, Hunan University, Changsha 410082, China
Interests: CO2 capture; CO2 sequestration; wastewater treatment; water treatment

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Hydrogen is an important energy carrier in the coming decades, which can be used in combustion devices or fuel cells producing no pollutions, especially without CO2 emission. Hydrogen can be generated from electricity, thermochemical water splitting cycles, or hydrocarbons such as gas, oil, coal, and biomass. This Special Issue invites papers using a wide range of techniques for hydrogen production and CO2 capture and storage. The main source of CO2 is sustainable energy sources such as coal and biomass combustions. For CO2 reduction, gasification and pyrolysis techniques were used to capture and store CO2 emission. However, researchers still face certain limitations, such as the huge energy demands of CO2 capture, which leads to the high cost of these operations. Additionally, different techniques are still needed for CO2 reduction and enhancing hydrogen production. This Special Issue invites papers covering not only gasification and pyrolysis techniques but also CO2 capture and storage and controllable solutions for air pollutants. Papers focusing on socio- and economic analysis of the whole IGCC system and how biomass and coal can be used as clean energy for sustainable energy are welcome, as are papers using a wide range of techniques for CO2 reduction and H2 promotion in energies.

Dr. Sunel Kumar
Dr. Dingkun Yuan
Dr. Bairq Zain Ali Saleh
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • hydrogen
  • CO2 capture and storage
  • gasification and pyrolysis
  • coal and biomass
  • ammonia conversion
  • Bunsen reaction
  • life cycle assessment
  • air pollutant
  • Ansys and Aspen plus simulation
  • tube furnace and drop tube furnace
  • waste to energy

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Published Papers (7 papers)

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Research

14 pages, 5846 KiB  
Article
Experimental Investigation of the Effects of Inorganic Components on the Supercritical Water Gasification of Semi-Coke
by Panpan Sun, Zhaobin Lv, Chuanjiang Sun, Hui Jin, Long He, Tong Ren and Zening Cheng
Energies 2024, 17(5), 1193; https://doi.org/10.3390/en17051193 - 2 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1005
Abstract
Inorganic components in coal play a significant role during the supercritical water gasification (SCWG) process. This study comprehensively investigated the effect of major mineral components (SiO2, Al2O3, and CaO) on the SCWG of semi-coke with/without K2 [...] Read more.
Inorganic components in coal play a significant role during the supercritical water gasification (SCWG) process. This study comprehensively investigated the effect of major mineral components (SiO2, Al2O3, and CaO) on the SCWG of semi-coke with/without K2CO3. The inhibition/promotion mechanism and conversion of mineral chemical components were explored. The results showed that, without K2CO3, CaO promoted gasification because CaO’s adsorption of CO2 contributed to the fixed carbon steam reforming reaction and the catalysis of highly dispersed calcite. When K2CO3 was added, SiO2 and CaO were prone to sintering and agglomeration due to the formation of low-melting-point minerals, which hindered further gasification of fine carbon particles. Al2O3 prevented the aggregation of slags, increased the probability of fine carbon particles contacting SCW and K2CO3, and promoted complete gasification. This study’s results may provide theoretical guidance for the directional control of minerals in coal during SCWG, and complete gasification of solid-phase carbon can be achieved by properly adjusting the mineral components. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CO2 Reduction and H2 Promotion Techniques in Energies)
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27 pages, 7978 KiB  
Article
Numerical and Experimental Study of Heat Transfer in Pyrolysis Reactor Heat Exchange Channels with Different Hemispherical Protrusion Geometries
by Oleg A. Kolenchukov, Kirill A. Bashmur, Sergei O. Kurashkin, Elena V. Tsygankova, Natalia A. Shepeta, Roman B. Sergienko, Praskovya L. Pavlova and Roman A. Vaganov
Energies 2023, 16(16), 6086; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16166086 - 21 Aug 2023
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1683
Abstract
One of the most effective technologies for recycling organic waste is its thermal destruction by pyrolysis methods to produce valuable products such as hydrogen and mixtures containing hydrogen. Increasing the thermal power of the flow helps to reduce the formation of secondary reactions, [...] Read more.
One of the most effective technologies for recycling organic waste is its thermal destruction by pyrolysis methods to produce valuable products such as hydrogen and mixtures containing hydrogen. Increasing the thermal power of the flow helps to reduce the formation of secondary reactions, making the non-condensable hydrocarbon gas in the pyrolysis process cleaner, which simplifies further technology for the production of hydrogen and hydrogen-containing mixtures. In addition, the economic viability of pyrolysis depends on the energy costs required to decompose the organic feedstock. Using passive intensifiers in the form of discrete rough surfaces in heat exchanging channels is a widely used method of increasing heat transfer. This paper presents the results of numerical and experimental studies of heat transfer and hydraulic resistance in a channel with and without hemispherical protrusions applied to the heat transfer surface. The investigations were carried out for a reactor channel 150 mm long and 31 mm in diameter, with a constant pitch of the protrusions along the channels of 20 mm and protrusion heights h of 1 to 4 mm for 419 ≤ Re ≤ 2795. Compared to a smooth channel, a channel with protrusions increases heat transfer by an average of 2.23 times. By comparing the heat exchange parameters and the hydraulic resistance of the heat exchange channels, it was determined that h = 2 mm and 838 < Re < 1223 is the combination of parameters providing the best energetic mode of reactor operation. In general, an increase in h and coolant flow rate resulted in an uneven increase in heat transfer intensity. However, as h increases, the dead zone effect behind the protrusions increases and the rough channel working area decreases. Furthermore, increasing Re > 1223 is not advisable due to the increased cost of maintaining high coolant velocity and the reduced heat transfer capacity of the channel. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CO2 Reduction and H2 Promotion Techniques in Energies)
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13 pages, 2976 KiB  
Article
Optimum Conditions for Enhanced Biohydrogen Production from a Mixture of Food Waste and Sewage Sludge with Alkali Pretreatment
by Joo-Youn Nam
Energies 2023, 16(7), 3281; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16073281 - 6 Apr 2023
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1959
Abstract
Given the increasing demand for hydrogen, owing to its environmentally friendly nature, it is important to explore efficient methods for hydrogen production. This study investigates dark-fermentative hydrogen production by the co-digestion of food waste and sewage sludge. Both wastes were subjected to alkali [...] Read more.
Given the increasing demand for hydrogen, owing to its environmentally friendly nature, it is important to explore efficient methods for hydrogen production. This study investigates dark-fermentative hydrogen production by the co-digestion of food waste and sewage sludge. Both wastes were subjected to alkali pretreatment (at pH 13) to enhance biodegradability. Batch tests were conducted to enhance hydrogen production from food waste and sewage sludge under various volatile solid (VS) concentrations of 1.5–5% and food waste to sewage sludge mixing ratios of 0:100–100:0. We found that alkali pretreatment was effective in increasing hydrogen yields. The maximum specific hydrogen production rate of 163.8 mL H2/g volatile suspended solid/h was obtained at a VS concentration of 5.0% and food waste composition of 62.5%. Additionally, VS concentration of 2.8% and food waste composition of 100% yielded a maximum hydrogen production potential of 152.1 mL H2/g VS. Our findings indicate that food waste and sewage sludge with alkali pretreatment are potential substrates to produce biohydrogen. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CO2 Reduction and H2 Promotion Techniques in Energies)
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11 pages, 1555 KiB  
Article
Enhanced Methane Production from Pretreatment of Waste Activated Sludge by Economically Feasible Biocatalysts
by Tae-Hoon Kim, Dayeong Song, Jung-Sup Lee and Yeo-Myeong Yun
Energies 2023, 16(1), 552; https://doi.org/10.3390/en16010552 - 3 Jan 2023
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1813
Abstract
Crude hydrolytic extracellular enzymes (CHEEs) generated by a mixed culture of microorganisms during fermentation have a high potential as economically feasible biocatalysts for the hydrolysis of complex organic wastes. This study investigates the feasibility of CHEEs as substitutes for commercial enzymes based on [...] Read more.
Crude hydrolytic extracellular enzymes (CHEEs) generated by a mixed culture of microorganisms during fermentation have a high potential as economically feasible biocatalysts for the hydrolysis of complex organic wastes. This study investigates the feasibility of CHEEs as substitutes for commercial enzymes based on a series of anaerobic batch tests for CH4 production fed by pretreated waste activated sludge (WAS). The results showed that cellulase presented the highest CH4 yield of 99.1 mL·CH4/g·COD of WAS among the samples pretreated with single commercial enzymes, with a yield 34% higher than that of the control sample. A higher diversity of commercial enzymes used in the pretreatment led to higher CH4 production from WAS. The sample pretreated with a mixture of four commercial enzymes (amylase + protease + cellulase + lipase, APCL) presented a CH4 yield of 216.0 mL·CH4/g·COD of WAS. The WAS prepared with CHEEs resulted in a CH4 yield of 211.9 mL·CH4/g·COD of WAS, which is comparable to the performance of the sample pretreated with APCL. The results of the batch tests using pretreated WAS for different APCL concentrations showed that the CH4 yield of WAS pretreated with CHEEs was comparable to the CH4 yield of 0.34 g·APCL/g·COD of WAS. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CO2 Reduction and H2 Promotion Techniques in Energies)
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15 pages, 4900 KiB  
Article
Numerical Analysis for Coal Gasification Performance in a Lab-Scale Gasifier: Effects of the Wall Temperature and Oxygen/Coal Ratio
by Sunel Kumar, Zhihua Wang, Yong He, Yanqun Zhu and Kefa Cen
Energies 2022, 15(22), 8645; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228645 - 17 Nov 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1902
Abstract
The optimization of multiple factors for gasification performance using a 3D CFD model with advanced sub-models for single-stage drop tube coal gasification was compared with experimental results. A single-stage down-drop gasifier with multiple coal injectors and a single oxygen injector at the top [...] Read more.
The optimization of multiple factors for gasification performance using a 3D CFD model with advanced sub-models for single-stage drop tube coal gasification was compared with experimental results. A single-stage down-drop gasifier with multiple coal injectors and a single oxygen injector at the top of the gasifier was investigated at different temperatures and O2/coal ratios. A finite rate/eddy dissipation (FR/ED) model was employed to define the chemical reactions. Kinetic data for the various reactions were taken from previous work. The realizable k–ε turbulent model and Euler–Lagrangian framework were adopted to solve the turbulence equations and solid–gas interaction. First, various preliminary reactions were simulated to validate the reaction model with experimental data. Furthermore, various cases were simulated at various O/C ratios and wall temperatures to analyze the syngas species, temperature profile in the whole gasifier, exit temperature, carbon conversion, turbulent intensity, and velocity profile. The maximum CO was found to be 75.06% with an oxygen/coal ratio of 0.9 at 1800 °C. The minimum and maximum carbon conversions were found to be 97.5% and 99.8% at O/C 0.9 at 1200 °C and O/C 1.1 at 1800 °C, respectively. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CO2 Reduction and H2 Promotion Techniques in Energies)
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16 pages, 2442 KiB  
Article
Experimental Study of Oil Non-Condensable Gas Pyrolysis in a Stirred-Tank Reactor for Catalysis of Hydrogen and Hydrogen-Containing Mixtures Production
by Oleg A. Kolenchukov, Kirill A. Bashmur, Vladimir V. Bukhtoyarov, Sergei O. Kurashkin, Vadim S. Tynchenko, Elena V. Tsygankova, Roman B. Sergienko and Vladislav V. Kukartsev
Energies 2022, 15(22), 8346; https://doi.org/10.3390/en15228346 - 8 Nov 2022
Cited by 36 | Viewed by 1930
Abstract
The present study is focused on improving the technology for deep oil sludge processing by pyrolysis methods, considered to be the most promising technology for their environmentally friendly utilization, in which a significant yield of fuel products is expected. The technology developed by [...] Read more.
The present study is focused on improving the technology for deep oil sludge processing by pyrolysis methods, considered to be the most promising technology for their environmentally friendly utilization, in which a significant yield of fuel products is expected. The technology developed by the authors of this study is a two-stage process. The first stage, pyrolysis of oil sludge, was investigated in previous papers. A significant yield of non-condensable gases was obtained. This paper presents a study of the second stage of complex deep processing technology—pyrolysis of non-condensable gases (purified propane) using a stirrer with the help of the developed experimental setup. The expected benefit of using the stirrer is improved heat transfer due to circumferential and radial-axial circulation of the gas flow. The effect of a stirrer on the yield of final target decomposition products—H2-containing mixtures and H2 generated during non-catalytic (medium-temperature) and catalytic pyrolysis of non-condensable gases obtained by pyrolysis of oil sludge are estimated. Ni catalyst was used for catalytic pyrolysis. The study shows that the application of the stirrer leads to increasing in H2-containing mixtures and H2 concentrations. In particular, during the whole reaction time (10 h), the average H2 concentration in pyrolysis gas during catalytic pyrolysis increased by ~5.3%. In this case, the optimum reaction time to produce H2 was 4 h. The peak H2 concentration in the pyrolysis gas at reaction temperature 590 ± 10 °C was: 66.5 vol. % with the stirrer versus 62 vol. % without the stirrer with an error of ±0.4 %. A further increase in reaction time is cost-effective in order to obtain H2-containing mixtures. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CO2 Reduction and H2 Promotion Techniques in Energies)
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12 pages, 2142 KiB  
Article
Catalytic and Sulfur-Tolerant Performance of Bimetallic Ni–Ru Catalysts on HI Decomposition in the Sulfur-Iodine Cycle for Hydrogen Production
by Lijian Wang, Kang Zhang, Yi Qiu, Huiyun Chen, Jie Wang and Zhihua Wang
Energies 2021, 14(24), 8539; https://doi.org/10.3390/en14248539 - 17 Dec 2021
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2464
Abstract
The sulfur-iodine (SI) cycle holds great promise as an alternative large-scale process for converting water into hydrogen without CO2 emissions. A major issue regarding the long-term stability and activity of the catalysts is their poor sulfur deactivation resistance in the HI feeding [...] Read more.
The sulfur-iodine (SI) cycle holds great promise as an alternative large-scale process for converting water into hydrogen without CO2 emissions. A major issue regarding the long-term stability and activity of the catalysts is their poor sulfur deactivation resistance in the HI feeding process. In this work, the effect of Ru addition for enhancing the activity and sulfur resistance of SiO2-supported Ni catalysts in the HI decomposition reaction has been investigated. The presence of H2SO4 molecules in the HI results in severe sulfur deactivation of the Ru-free Ni/SiO2 catalysts by blocking the active sites. However, Ni–Ru/SiO2 catalysts show higher catalytic activity without sulfur-poisoning by 25% and exhibit more superior catalytic performance than the Ru-free catalyst. The addition of Ru to the Ni/SiO2 catalyst promotes the stability and activity of the catalysts. The experimental trends in activity and sulfur tolerance are consistent with the theoretical modeling, with the catalytic activities existing in the order Ni/SiO2 < Ni–Ru/SiO2. The effect of Ru on the improvement in sulfur resistance over Ni-based catalysts is attributed to electronic factors, as evidenced by theory modeling analysis and detailed characterizations. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue CO2 Reduction and H2 Promotion Techniques in Energies)
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