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Characteristics of hydrochar and hydrothermal liquid products from hydrothermal carbonization of corncob

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Abstract

Corncob (CC) was converted to renewable fuel resource by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). HTC was performed by varying process temperature (160–200 °C), residence time (1–3 h), and biomass to water ratio (BTW) (1:5 to 1:15). The properties of hydrochar were significantly enhanced where the fixed carbon and carbon content of hydrochar increased at about 24.9 and 83.7% from original contents in CC, respectively. The calorific values and yield of hydrochar were between 19.3–23.5 MJ/kg and 50.1–58.6%. The optimal condition for the production of hydrochar as solid fuel was determined at 200 °C, 3 h residence time, and BTW of 1:5 with maximum energy yield of 68.74%. In addition, hydrothermal liquid was characterized where volatile fatty acid, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, and hydroxymethylfurfural were the most abundant compositions with their highest yields of 17.3, 11.5, 7.9, and 5.1%, respectively. Process temperature was the most influencing variable on product properties and characteristics. The results suggested that corncob has high potential as a source for solid fuel and valuable platform chemicals.

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Acknowledgements

The research project was supported by Mahidol University and Nanomaterial for Energy and Catalyst Laboratory, National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA). The study was supported for publication by the China Medical Board (CMB), Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand. Financial assistance for this research was also provided by the Center of Excellent on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Bangkok, Thailand.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Sanitary Engineering, Faculty of Public Health, Mahidol University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Kamonwat Nakason & Bunyarit Panyapinyopol

  2. Center of Excellence on Environmental Health and Toxicology (EHT), Bangkok, Thailand

    Kamonwat Nakason & Bunyarit Panyapinyopol

  3. Department of Environmental Science, Faculty of Science, Chulalongkorn University, Bangkok, Thailand

    Vorapot Kanokkantapong

  4. The Joint Graduate School of Energy and Environment, King Mongkut’s University of Technology Thonburi, Bangkok, Thailand

    Nawin Viriya-empikul

  5. National Nanotechnology Center (NANOTEC), National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Khlong Luang, Pathumthani, Thailand

    Wasawat Kraithong

  6. Department of Chemical Engineering, School of Energy Science and Engineering, Vidyasirimedhi Institute of Science and Technology, Rayong, Thailand

    Prasert Pavasant

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  1. Kamonwat Nakason
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Correspondence to Bunyarit Panyapinyopol.

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Nakason, K., Panyapinyopol, B., Kanokkantapong, V. et al. Characteristics of hydrochar and hydrothermal liquid products from hydrothermal carbonization of corncob. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 8, 199–210 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-017-0279-1

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