scholarly journals Upgrading the fuel properties of hydrochar by co-hydrothermal carbonisation of dairy manure and Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi): product characterisation, thermal behaviour, kinetics and thermodynamic properties

Author(s):  
Mohammed Aliyu ◽  
Kazunori Iwabuchi ◽  
Takanori Itoh

AbstractThis study investigated co-hydrothermal carbonisation (co-HTC) of dairy manure (DM) and wood shavings from Larix kaempferi, commonly known as the Japanese larch (JL) to enhance the fuel properties of the resulting hydrochar. The JL was mixed with the DM at 25, 50 and 75 wt.% ratios. Co-HTC was conducted at 260 °C for 20 min. The resulting hydrochars were characterised based on the physicochemical properties and the thermal behaviour. Results showed that the hydrochar solid biofuel properties improved as the ratio of JL was increased. The produced hydrochars were in the region of lignite and closed to the region of the coal with increased fixed carbon, carbon contents and lowered H/C and O/C ratios. Hydrochar with ash content of 7.2 ± 0.5% was obtained at 75 wt.% JL. In addition, the HHV of hydrochar increased remarkably to 26.4 ± 0.02 MJ/kg as the mass ratio of the JL was increased. The surface morphology of the hydrochars were altered and became distinct while the specific surface area (SSA) and the total pore volume (TPV) of the hydrochars increased at increasing the mass ratio of the JL. The surface functional groups were also altered by the co-HTC process. A decline in the combustion performance was observed after the HTC process but improved at 75 wt.% JL after the co-HTC process. The kinetic analysis also revealed that the activation energy decreased after the HTC process but increased to a higher value at 50 wt.% JL after the co-HTC process. Therefore, hydrochar production by co-HTC of DM and JL has proved to be an effective and promising solid biofuel source. Graphical abstract

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (8) ◽  
pp. 884
Author(s):  
Shufen Chen ◽  
Wataru Ishizuka ◽  
Toshihiko Hara ◽  
Susumu Goto

Research Highlights: The complete chloroplast genome for eight individuals of Japanese larch, including from the isolated population at the northern limit of the range (Manokami larch), revealed that Japanese larch forms a monophyletic group, within which Manokami larch can be phylogenetically placed in Japanese larch. We detected intraspecific variation for possible candidate cpDNA markers in Japanese larch. Background and Objectives: The natural distribution of Japanese larch is limited to the mountainous range in the central part of Honshu Island, Japan, with an isolated northern limit population (Manokami larch). In this study, we determined the phylogenetic position of Manokami larch within Japanese larch, characterized the chloroplast genome of Japanese larch, detected intraspecific variation, and determined candidate cpDNA markers. Materials and Methods: The complete genome sequence was determined for eight individuals, including Manokami larch, in this study. The genetic position of the northern limit population was evaluated using phylogenetic analysis. The chloroplast genome of Japanese larch was characterized by comparison with eight individuals. Furthermore, intraspecific variations were extracted to find candidate cpDNA markers. Results: The phylogenetic tree showed that Japanese larch forms a monophyletic group, within which Manokami larch can be phylogenetically placed, based on the complete chloroplast genome, with a bootstrap value of 100%. The value of nucleotide diversity (π) was calculated at 0.00004, based on SNP sites for Japanese larch, suggesting that sequences had low variation. However, we found three hyper-polymorphic regions within the cpDNA. Finally, we detected 31 intraspecific variations, including 19 single nucleotide polymorphisms, 8 simple sequence repeats, and 4 insertions or deletions. Conclusions: Using a distant genotype in a northern limit population (Manokami larch), we detected sufficient intraspecific variation for the possible candidates of cpDNA markers in Japanese larch.


Author(s):  
Seung-Hun Son ◽  
Jae-Kang Lee ◽  
Hyun-Su Hwang ◽  
Tae-Kyung Eom ◽  
Shin-Jae Rhim

Forests ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 524
Author(s):  
Junhua Xu ◽  
Shuangbao Zhang ◽  
Guofang Wu ◽  
Yingchun Gong ◽  
Haiqing Ren

With the increasing popularity of cross-laminated timber (CLT) constructions around the world, there have been attempts to produce CLT using local wood species in different countries, such as Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi (Lamb.) Carr.) in China. Thus, the need to investigate the connection performance also increases to support the design and construction of CLT buildings using local wood species. In this study, the withdrawal properties of three different types of self-tapping screws (STS), with a diameter of 6 mm, 8 mm, and 11 mm, were tested with Japanese larch CLT. The results revealed that the withdrawal strength of STS increased with increasing density and effective length, but decreased with an increasing diameter. With a density increment of 0.05 g/cm3, the withdrawal strength increased by an average of 9.4%. With an effective length increment of 24 mm, the withdrawal strength increased by an average of 1.4%. An empirical regression model was adopted to predict the withdrawal strength of Japanese larch CLT based on the results, which can be used for potential engineering design of CLT connections using STS.


2021 ◽  
Vol 67 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ryuya Takanashi ◽  
Yoshinori Ohashi ◽  
Wataru Ishihara ◽  
Kazushige Matsumoto

AbstractCross-laminated timber (CLT) has been used extensively in timber construction. CLT panels are typically used in roofs and floors that carry a continuous load, and it is important to examine the long-term loading capacity of CLT. However, studies that focus on the long-term loading capacity of CLT are limited. To this end, we conducted long-term out-of-plane bending tests on seven-layer CLT made from Japanese larch (Larix kaempferi) under constant environmental conditions, investigated creep performance and duration of load, and experimentally analyzed creep rupture behavior. The mean estimated relative creep after 50 years was 1.49. The sample showed a satisfactory resistance to creep as a building material. The duration of load of most of the specimens in this study was shorter than the conventional value of small clear wood specimens. Specimens had a lower duration of load capacity than solid lumber. According to the results of survival analysis, a loading level of 70% or more caused the initial failure of specimens. Creep rupture of most of the specimens occurred at less deflection than displacement at failure in the short-term loading test. Additional studies focusing on the effects of finger joints, transverse layers, and width of a specimen on creep rupture behavior are suggested.


2017 ◽  
Vol 14 (7) ◽  
pp. 1341-1349 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nova D. Doyog ◽  
Young Jin Lee ◽  
Sun Joo Lee ◽  
Jin Taek Kang ◽  
Sung Yong Kim

2018 ◽  
Vol 41 (5) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael de Avila Delucis ◽  
Patrícia Soares Bilhalva dos Santos ◽  
Rafael Beltrame ◽  
Darci Alberto Gatto

ABSTRACT Power plants have been using forestry biomasses to produce thermal and electrical energies. However, these industries lack of reliable parameters about their raw material in order to consolidate their position in this market. The present study aimed to characterize forestry wastes from pine (Pinus elliottii) plantations leftover of wood logs processing units. Wood, bark and a mixture of both of them were characterized by prompt (total moisture, hygroscopic moisture, ashes, volatile matter and fixed carbon contents), elementary (S, C, H, N and [O + Halogens] contents), and via wet (holocellulose, lignin and extractives contents) chemical analyses. Indeed, basic density and fuel properties (gross and net calorific values) were also determined. Compared to the wood, the bark presented higher extractives content, which affected the ashes content. Regarding the energetic properties, the bark showed the highest properties, but a detrimental character from an environmental standpoint. The wood-bark mixture presented intermediate properties between these two forestry wastes, but with more approximation to the wood.


Agriculture ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 9 (6) ◽  
pp. 114 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wen-Tien Tsai ◽  
Chien-Hung Hsu ◽  
Yu-Quan Lin

The use of biochar in the horticulture and crop fields is a recent method to improve soil fertility due to its porous features and rich nutrients. In the present study, dairy manure (DM) was used as a biomass precursor in the preparation of highly porous biochar (DM-BC) produced at specific conditions. Based on N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observations, the resulting biochar featured its microporous/mesoporous textures with a BET surface area of about 300 m2/g and total pore volume of 0.185 cm3/g, which could be a low-cost biosorbent for the effective removal of methylene blue (MB) from the aqueous solution. As observed by the energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), the primary inorganic nutrients on the surface of DM-BC included calcium (Ca), magnesium (Mg), potassium (K), phosphorus (P), silicon (Si), sulfur (S), sodium (Na) and aluminum (Al). Furthermore, the resulting biochar was investigated in duplicate for its biosorption performance of cationic compound (i.e., methylene blue, MB) from the aqueous solution with various initial MB concentrations and DM-BC dosages at 25 °C. The findings showed that the biosorption kinetic parameters fitted by the pseudo-second order rate model with high correlations were consistent with its porous features. These experimental results suggested that the porous DM-based biochar could be reused as a biosorbent, biofertilizer, or soil amendments due to the high porosity and the abundance in nutrient minerals.


Energies ◽  
2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 3398 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nikola Bilandžija ◽  
Tajana Krička ◽  
Ana Matin ◽  
Josip Leto ◽  
Mateja Grubor

Biomass obtained from cultivated energy crops is one of the raw materials with the highest potential in renewable energy production. Although such biomass can be used in production of lignocellulose bioethanol, it is currently mostly used as solid fuel for generating heat and/or electric energy via combustion processes. Calorific values, proximate and ultimate analysis, cell structure and micro- and macro-elements data are considered as basic parameters in the valorization of fuel properties during biomass combustion processes. Energy crops are cultivated with the aim to produce the largest possible quantity of biomass with minimal agro-technical inputs. One of these crops is Sida hermaphrodita (L.) Rusby. Given the fact that the chemical composition of biomass is influenced by a number of agro-ecological and agro-technical factors, the aim of this work was to determine the fuel properties of Sida hermaphrodita biomass obtained from three different harvest seasons (autumn, winter and spring) and cultivated in the area of the Republic of Croatia. On the basis of these investigations it was possible to conclude that harvest delaying towards spring season had a positive impact on suitability of using biomass of Sida hermaphrodita in the combustion process, which primarily means significant lowering the contents of moisture (18.64%), ash (1.94%), and nitrogen (0.65%), but also means increasing the contents of fixed carbon (6.21%) and lignin (25.45%).


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