Optimized synthesis of granular fuel and granular activated carbon from sawdust hydrochar without binder

TY - JOUR

T1 - Optimized synthesis of granular fuel and granular activated carbon from sawdust hydrochar without binder

AU - Yu, Fengbo

AU - Zhu, Xiangdong

AU - Jin, Wenjie

AU - Fan, Jiajun

AU - Clark, James H.

AU - Zhang, Shicheng

N1 - © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. This is an author-produced version of the published paper. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher’s self-archiving policy.

PY - 2020/12/10

Y1 - 2020/12/10

N2 - In this study, a facile and eco-friendly method for synthesis of granular fuel and granular activated carbon was developed. The approach needs not to add a harmful binder due to inherent characteristics of sawdust hydrochar and has not been previously reported. Granular fuel was prepared from densification of sawdust hydrochar acquired from hydrothermal carbonization. Sawdust hydrochar was also pelletized and activated with FeCl3 and ZnCl2 to obtain granular activated carbon. The effects of the temperature used for the hydrothermal carbonization process on the characteristics of granular fuel and granular activated carbon were investigated. The results showed that at the optimal temperature of 230 °C, the high heat value, energy density, and equilibrium moisture content of granular fuel were 23.53 MJ/kg, 35.87 GJ/m3, and 0.73%. Equilibrium moisture content was improved about 7 times compared to sawdust. In addition, the hydrothermal carbonization temperature was negatively correlated with the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and the iodine adsorption value of granular activated carbon. The compression strength of granular activated carbon was excellent (up to 8.8 MPa), which was high enough to use in adsorption bed. For optimal granular fuel and granular activated carbon properties, the best temperature was found to be 230 °C, and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and the iodine adsorption value of granular activated carbon were 641 m2/g and 626 mg/g. As the environmental problems acquire increasingly attentions, the granular fuel and granular activated carbon could be promising and eco-friendly materials for future applications.

AB - In this study, a facile and eco-friendly method for synthesis of granular fuel and granular activated carbon was developed. The approach needs not to add a harmful binder due to inherent characteristics of sawdust hydrochar and has not been previously reported. Granular fuel was prepared from densification of sawdust hydrochar acquired from hydrothermal carbonization. Sawdust hydrochar was also pelletized and activated with FeCl3 and ZnCl2 to obtain granular activated carbon. The effects of the temperature used for the hydrothermal carbonization process on the characteristics of granular fuel and granular activated carbon were investigated. The results showed that at the optimal temperature of 230 °C, the high heat value, energy density, and equilibrium moisture content of granular fuel were 23.53 MJ/kg, 35.87 GJ/m3, and 0.73%. Equilibrium moisture content was improved about 7 times compared to sawdust. In addition, the hydrothermal carbonization temperature was negatively correlated with the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and the iodine adsorption value of granular activated carbon. The compression strength of granular activated carbon was excellent (up to 8.8 MPa), which was high enough to use in adsorption bed. For optimal granular fuel and granular activated carbon properties, the best temperature was found to be 230 °C, and the Brunauer-Emmett-Teller surface area and the iodine adsorption value of granular activated carbon were 641 m2/g and 626 mg/g. As the environmental problems acquire increasingly attentions, the granular fuel and granular activated carbon could be promising and eco-friendly materials for future applications.

KW - Densification

KW - Granular activated carbon

KW - Granular fuel

KW - Hydrothermal carbonization

KW - Sawdust

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85089105619&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122711

DO - 10.1016/j.jclepro.2020.122711

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:85089105619

SN - 0959-6526

VL - 276

JO - Journal of Cleaner Production

JF - Journal of Cleaner Production

M1 - 122711

ER -