Universal model of slow pyrolysis technology producing biochar and heat from standard biomass needed for the techno-economic assessment.

Biochar as a soil amendment and carbon sink becomes in last period one of the vast, interesting product of slow pyrolysis. Simplest and most used industrial process arrangement is a production of biochar and heat at the same time. Proposed mass and heat balance model consist of heat consumers (heat demand side) and heat generation-supply side. Direct burning of all generated uncondensed volatiles from biomass provides heat. Calculation of the mass and heat balance of both sides reveals the internal distribution of masses and energy inside process streams and units. Thermodynamic calculations verified not only the concept but also numerical range of the results. The comparisons with recent published scientific and vendors data prove its general applicability and reliability. The model opens the possibility for process efficiency innovations. Finally, the model was adapted to give more investors favorable results and support techno-economic assessments entirely.

Scale-up research in a dual fluidized bed gasification process.

A successful co-gasification of plastics and biomass was achieved on the 100 kW dual fluidized bed (DFB) gasification pilot plant. The results of a pilot plant experiment were used as a sound basis for scale-up prediction to 750 kW semi-industrial DFB plant. By an eightfold increase of mass and heat flows a rather simplified co-gasification process was predicted. Namely, the losses occurring in gasification plants are expected to be relatively smaller in larger plants. The effect of decreased losses was studied with an equilibrium model. Three different situations were simulated with the following fixed values of losses: 70 kW, 115 kW and 160 kW. The model showed an increase in fuel conversion when losses were reduced.

Influence of olive oil press cakes on Shiitake culinary-medicinal mushroom, lentinus edodes (Berk.) singer (higher basidiomycetes) fruiting bodies production and effect of their crude polysaccharides on CCRF-CEM cell proliferation.

Lentinus edodes (Berk.) Singer fruiting bodies were cultivated on substrates composed of beech sawdust, wheat bran, and calcium sulfate hemihydrate (gypsum), containing different proportions of olive oil press cakes (OOPC). We determined the influence of OOPC on fruiting bodies production and proliferation of CCRF-CEM leukemia cells. A negative influence of OOPC on mycelia growth and maturation was noticed. When growth medium contained 80% OOPC, fruiting bodies ceased forming. To investigate the cytotoxicity on CCRF-CEM cells in vitro, cells were treated with crude polysaccharides extracted from L. edodes fruiting bodies. Also in this case a negative correlation between OOPC content and cytotoxicity was found.

Growth, lipid extraction and thermal degradation of the microalga Chlorella vulgaris.

The microalga Chlorella vulgaris was cultured in a combined medium obtained by mixing standard Jaworski medium with a solution from the modified Solvay process that contained only NaHCO(3) and NH(4)Cl. Cell number, pH and nitrogen content were monitored throughout growth. Lipids were extracted from lyophilised biomass using CHCl(3)-MeOH. A combination of grinding, microwave treatment and sonication proved to give the best lipid extract yield. Freeze-dried algal biomass was also utilised for thermal degradation studies. The degradation exhibited three distinct regions - primary cell structure breakage paralleled by evaporation of water, followed by two predominant exothermic degradation processes. The latter were modelled using nth order apparent kinetics. The activation energies of the degradation processes were determined to be 120-126kJ/mol and 122-132kJ/mol, respectively. The degradation model may be readily applied to an assortment of thermal algal processes, especially those relating to renewable energy.

Potential Solutions for CO2-capturing Technologies in the Slovenian Context.

Human activities have caused an enormous rise of the CO2 concentration in the Earth's atmosphere over the past 200 years. In order to alleviate this problem, the threats to and the concerns of the international community need to be converted into economic opportunities for national economies, which shall develop and utilize technological opportunities rather than simply accepting international obligations to reduce CO2 emissions. In the article we analyze technological possibilities in the Slovenian context as possible opportunities for promoting sustainable development based on regional, renewable resources. Beginning with an analysis of the amine process for CO2 concentration and its possibilities, we continue with CO2 chemistry examples, like the precipitation of calcium carbonate from Ca++ sources like lime or fly ash. Through the concept of product engineering we emphasize the need for a stepwise realization from the laboratory to a pilot plant and then to the industrial scale. The growth of biomass through forestry or algae production can provide an additional CO2 sink. However, for an efficient technical solution and implementation a close working relationship between biologists and engineers is required.

Cultivation and bioactivity assessment of Grifola frondosa fruiting bodies on olive oil press cakes substrates.

Grifola frondosa, a medicinal and edible mushroom, was cultivated on substrates composed of olive oil press cakes with different supplements. Crude extracts were prepared from mature fruiting bodies and tested for their capacity to stimulate splenocyte proliferation. Two wild-growing fruiting bodies were extracted for comparison. Olive oil press cakes reduced the mushroom yield, and the best biological efficiency was obtained on substrates supplemented with wheat bran and without olive oil press cakes. All extracts were capable of inducing splenocyte proliferation and were half as effective as the positive control (6.0 microg/mL phytohaemagglutinin). No correlation between substrate composition and bioactivity could be established. Extracts from wild-growing G. frondosa were superior to cultivated ones in respect to biological activity.