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Hydrothermal carbonization of wheat straw—prediction of product mass yields and degree of carbonization by severity parameter

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Abstract

The product yields of hydrothermal carbonization of wheat straw as well as the degree of carbonization are quantified as functions of process parameters by using a severity approach. The process severity was calculated from temperature, retention time, and catalyst concentration. Data gained from batch experiments (190–245 °C, 150–570 min) were used to fit the model parameters. By these models, basing on few selected reaction conditions, a wide range of process conditions can be covered and the yields for the solid, solved organic, and gaseous product phase can be predicted. Moreover, the paper delivers model equations for the prediction of the H/C and O/C ratios for the solid product phase. Such model equations can be used for process optimization and for valid LCA calculations.

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Acknowledgments

We thank Dr. Joachim Schulze and Dr. Martin Brüchert from Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis INT in Euskirchen, Germany, for the support of this work and all reviewers for their valuable comments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Institute of Agricultural Engineering, Conversion Technology and LCA of Renewable Resources, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

    Kay Suwelack, Dominik Wüst, Meret Zeller & Andrea Kruse

  2. Fraunhofer Institute for Technological Trend Analysis INT, Euskirchen, Germany

    Kay Suwelack

  3. Institute of Catalysis Research and Technology, Karlsruhe Institute of Technology, Karlsruhe, Germany

    Andrea Kruse

  4. State Institute of Agricultural Engineering and Bioenergy, University of Hohenheim, Stuttgart, Germany

    Johannes Krümpel

Authors
  1. Kay Suwelack
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  2. Dominik Wüst
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  3. Meret Zeller
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  4. Andrea Kruse
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  5. Johannes Krümpel
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Correspondence to Kay Suwelack.

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Suwelack, K., Wüst, D., Zeller, M. et al. Hydrothermal carbonization of wheat straw—prediction of product mass yields and degree of carbonization by severity parameter. Biomass Conv. Bioref. 6, 347–354 (2016). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-015-0192-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s13399-015-0192-4

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