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High reducible distorted bimetallic sites with medium size in Ni5Co5-AC promoted the production of cyclohexanol by hydrogenation of anisole and subsequent cleavage of C6H11O–CH3 bond.

The utilization of biochar, prepared from the agricultural biomass, is one of the economic approaches. To assess the ability of biochar as an adsorbent, sugarcane bagasse-derived biochar was utilized for the removal of phenol from aqueous solution. Phenol, an industrial discharge and a ubiquitous organic pollutant, was chosen as the model compound to determine the adsorption capacity of sugarcane bagasse-derived biochar. The sugarcane bagasse was pyrolyzed at 400, 600, and 800 °C under an N2 atmosphere. Among all the three raw biochars, the biochar obtained at 600 °C showed maximum removal efficiency, 74.2%. Based on higher efficiency, SB-600 biochar was further chemically treated with nitric acid (HNO3) and sodium hydroxide (NaOH) to enhance its adsorption capacity. Sugarcane bagasse-derived magnetic biochar was also fabricated using the pre-pyrolysis modification. Maximum removal (96.1%) efficiency was observed in the case of HNO3-treated calcined biochar compared to the other treated biochars. Adsorption parameters of the calcined-acid treated biochar were optimized through response surface methodology. The maximum adsorption capacity of the calcined-acid treated biochar was 41.3 mg/g.

Biomass pyrolysis has recently gained increasing attention as a thermochemical conversion process for obtaining value-added products, thanks to the development of cutting-edge, innovative and cost-effective pyrolysis processes. Over time, new and novel pyrolysis techniques have emerged, and these processes can be tuned to maximize the production of high-quality hydrogen. This review examines recent advancements in biomass pyrolysis by classifying them into conventional, advanced and emerging approaches. A comprehensive overview on the recent advancements in biomass pyrolysis, highlighting the current status for industrial applications is presented. Further, the impact of each technique under different approaches on conversion of biomass for hydrogen production is evaluated. Techniques, such as inline catalytic pyrolysis, microwave pyrolysis, etc., can be employed for the sustainable production of hydrogen. Finally, the techno-economic analysis is presented to understand the viability of pyrolysis at large scale. The outlook highlights discernments into future directions, aimed to overcome the current shortcomings.

Kinetic triplets and thermodynamic parameters of the pyrolysis of Putranjiva roxburghii (PR) and Cassia fistula (CF) non-edible oilseeds were studied using thermogravimetric analyzer. The kinetic parameters were assessed using both model-free [Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (OFW), Starink (STR), Li and Tang (LTA), Friedman (FRM), Vyazovkin (VYZ), Kissinger (KN), Avrami (AVM), and Master plot (MP)] and model-fitting [Coats-Redfern (CR)] methods at four different heating rates (10, 25, 40, and 55 °C/min) somewhere in the range of 10% and 80% conversions. The reaction mechanisms were found to be in good agreement with the experimental thermal analysis data. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS) are also determined by model-free isoconversional method. The kinetic and thermodynamic parameters recommended the appropriateness of PR and CF non-edible oilseeds for pyrolysis process.

It is very requisite to demonstrate the characterization of lignocellulosic biomass for converting into renewable fuels and valuable chemicals. In this work, the physicochemical and thermochemical characterization of some non-edible oil seeds such as Putranjiva (Putranjiva roxburghii), Amaltas (Cassia fistula), and Siris (Albizia lebbeck) were carried out by extractive analysis via Soxhlet solvent extraction, compositional analysis, proximate analysis, elemental (CHNSO) analysis, heating value, bulk density, crystallinity index via XRD, functional groups via FTIR, mineral content via EDX, slagging and fouling indices via XRF, and degradation profile via TGA. It was noticed that all seeds consist of a maximum percentage of extractives such as Putranjiva 50.55%, Amaltas 18.22%, and Siris 22.8%. The results showed that these seeds have a higher cellulose content compared with hemicellulose and lignin. Further, it was confirmed from the Van Krevelen diagram, CHO index, as well as devolatilization index. Also, from the kinetic analysis, the activation energy (Ea) obtained of these seeds was in the order of PR > AL > CF. The chemical features and thermal degradation behaviour reaffirmed that these non-edible oilseeds have good energy potential for reproducibility of biofuel and green chemicals production.

Sustainable and economical wastewater treatment forms a vital step towards long-term sustainability of petrochemical refineries and industries. An affordable solution to this challenge is to employ biowaste as the key consumable active component. This paper describes the synthesis and characterization of activated biochar derived from cow-dung, a readily available raw material in low-resource settings, and its application for adsorption of phenol, one of the major pollutants in industrial wastewater. Adsorption parameters are optimized by using response surface methodology. Phenol adsorption equilibrium and kinetics data are well fitted to Freundlich isotherm (R

Over the years, the transformation of biomass into a plethora of renewable value-added products has been identified as a promising strategy to fulfil high energy demands, lower greenhouse gas emissions, and exploit under-utilized resources. Techno-economic analysis (TEA) and life-cycle assessment (LCA) are essential to scale up this process while lowering the conversion cost. In this study, trade-offs are made between economic, environmental, and technical indicators produced from these methodologies to better evaluate the commercialization potential of biomass pyrolysis. This research emphasizes the necessity of combining LCA and TEA variables to assess the performance of the early-stage technology and associated constraints. The important findings based on the LCA analysis imply that most of the studies reported in literature focussed on the global warming potentials (GWP) under environmental category by considering greenhouse gases (GHGs) as evaluation parameter, neglecting many other important environmental indices. In addition, the upstream and downstream processes play an important role in understanding the life cycle impacts of a biomass based biorefinery. Under upstream conditions, the use of a specific type of feedstock may influence the LCA conclusions and technical priority. Under downstream conditions, the product utilization as fuels in different energy backgrounds is crucial to the overall impact potentials of the pyrolysis systems. In view of the TEA analysis, investigations towards maximizing the yield of valuable co-products would play an important role in the commercialization of pyrolysis process. However, comprehensive research to compare the conventional, advanced, and emerging approaches of biomass pyrolysis from the economic perspective is currently not available in the literature.

The pyrolysis kinetics of Argemone mexicana seed, an extensively found naturalized weed in agricultural fields, was studied via thermogravimetric analysis under N2 atmosphere at heating rates of 10 °C/min, 20 °C/min and 30 °C/min. Five kinetic approaches, viz. Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose (KAS), Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (OFW), Friedman (FRM), Starink (STR) and Vyazovkin (VYZ) methods, and a model-fitting approach (Kennedy and Clarke method) were employed on thermogravimetric information of Argemone mexicana seed to evaluate the kinetic parameters such as activation energy, pre-exponential factor and thermodynamic parameters. Activation energies procured from KAS, OFW, FRM, STR and VYZ methods were 174, 185.08, 212.86, 175.11 and 174.36 kJ/mol, respectively. Furthermore, an appropriate reaction mechanism was identified by the master plot method. The average pre-exponential factor obtained through the Kissinger approach was 8.23E + 22, 1.68E + 22 and 8.05E + 21 s−1 at three different heating rates. The average values of thermodynamic parameters (ΔH, ΔG and ΔS) were 169.28 kJ/mol, 212.64 kJ/mol and − 70.95 J/mol at a lower heating rate of 10 °C/min. Experimental results reveal that kinetic parameters from the five model-free isoconversional methods are in better compliance with similar biomass materials, and Argemone mexicana seed can prove to be a promising alternating source for biofuel production.

Thermogravimetric analysis of two invasive weeds Prosopis juliflora (PJ) and Lantana camara (LC) are carried out by pyrolysis under dynamic conditions (20 to 900 °C) at different heating rates 5, 10, 20 and 40 °C/min. Gross calorific values of PJ and LC are estimated to 18.2 and 18.92 MJ/kg respectively. Activation energy obtained by FRM, M-FRM, KAS, OFW, STR, NL-INT, NL-DIF methods are 157.56, 151.24, 140.86, 143.39, 140.74, 141.19, 157.59 kJ/mol for PJ and 169.98, 167.67, 149.39, 151.51, 149.23, 149.70, 169.98 kJ/mol for LC respectively. Kinetic compensation effects were well fitted with the experimental data, which provided the value of the pre-exponential factor. To identify the appropriate reaction mechanism, the Popescu and Master-plot methods are employed. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔH, and ΔS) are also determined by NL-INT, NL-DIF, and M-FRM methods. Results of kinetic and thermodynamic parameters confirm the suitability of PJ and LC invasive weeds as potential biomasses for pyrolysis process.

Hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) effectively converts biomass to biofuels, thereby limiting the endless reliance on petroleum products derived from fossil fuels. However, the conversion is based on individual feedstock in the HTL process. In order to, further boost the conversion, HTL can be done by blending various feedstock, mainly algal and lignocellulosic biomass. Bibliometric analysis was carried out, and it was observed that there have been very few studies on Co-Hydrothermal Liquefaction (Co-HTL). There still exist several crucial gaps in process optimization when co-reactants are used due to their synergistic effects. The reaction kinetics and mechanism, catalyst screening and by-products application require further studies. Therefore, R&D is necessary to optimize the process to completely utilize the complementarity of the feedstocks under study resulting in better quality of products which require minor/ no upgradation steps.

Pyrolysis kinetics and thermodynamic parameters of two non-edible seeds, Pongamia pinnata (PP) and Sapindus emarginatus (SE), and their blend in the ratio of 1:1 (PS) were studied using the thermogravimetric analyzer. Kinetic triplets were determined using both model-free [Starink (STR), Friedman (FRM), Iterative Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (IT-KAS), Iterative Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (IT-OFW), Vyazovkin (VYZ), and Master plot (MP)] and model fitting Coats-Redfern (CR) methods at three different heating rates 10, 30 and 50 °C/min. Activation energies were 192.66, 179.44, and 163.25 kJ/mol for PP, SE, and PS, respectively. It was found that the blend of the two-biomass (PS) showed promising results with lower activation energy compared to the individual biomass. Thermodynamic parameters (ΔG, ΔS, and ΔH) were obtained using the model-free isoconversional method. The three hidden layers of complex neuron topology are well fitted to the experimental DTG curves by artificial neural network (ANN). The study confirmed that the heating rate had a significant impact on the kinetics and thermodynamic parameters. The reaction mechanism was also in consonance with the experimental data. The study suggests that the PP and SE seeds can be an appropriate feed for pyrolysis, and their blend (PS) can be a viable alternative in optimizing the entire process.

The decline of competence effectuated by the unreplenishable energy etymology due to the plummet of fossil fuels has created an alternate need for renewable energy sources to play a vital role in providing power at a larger scale. Thus, a new system of distribution of energy resources is introduced to tackle the ever-growing demand for power and safety of the environment using renewable energy sources with the traditional ways of transmitting power. Such challenges can be overcome by using hybrid microgrids which helps in detecting and hegemonizing faults more dexterously sanctioning sharing of load and instinctive switching through various algorithms thus improving the system accuracy and adaptability. This exertion incorporates the modeling of an AC hybrid microgrid system analyzed in the is-landed mode. Fuel stack and the photo-voltaic cell are used as renewable energy power sources. It also includes the PID control method to the solution the most encountered problems in a microgrid. The engaged control modus operandi can modulate and regulate the output voltage at an expected and paradigm value. The whole AC hybrid microgrid and its control are simulated in MATLAB/simulink R2020b.

This work deals with co-pyrolysis of polyethylene terephthalate (PET) with Samanea saman seeds (SS) to understand the kinetics and synergistic effects between two different feedstocks. SS and PET were blended in different ratios (1:1, 3:1 and 5:1) and iso-conversional models such as Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Friedman method (FM), Starink (ST), Ozawa-Flynn-Wall method (OFW), and Coats-Redfern method (CR) were used to calculate the kinetic parameters. Results substantiate assumed hypothesis that blending of SS and PET at 3:1 provided higher synergistic effect and RMS value, which in turn indicated maximum formation of hot volatiles during pyrolysis. Kinetic analysis confirmed that individual SS and PET required higher activation energy while blended SS and PET at 3:1 ratio required lower activation energy to start the reaction. The thermodynamic and kinetic analysis confirmed that biomass had complex reaction kinetics which depends on reaction rate as well as its order.