The Effect of Adhesive Additives on Silica Gel Water Sorption Properties.

Adsorption chillers are characterized by low electricity consumption, lack of moving parts, and high reliability. The disadvantage of these chillers is their large weight due to low adsorbent sorption capacity. Therefore, the attention is turned to finding a sorbent with a high water sorption capacity and enhanced thermal conductivity to increase chiller efficiency. The article discusses the impact of selected adhesives used for the production of an adsorption bed in order to improve heat exchange on its surface. Experiments with silica gel with three commercial types of glue on metal plates representing heat exchanger were performed. The structure of samples was observed under a microscope to determine the coverage of adsorbent by glue. To determine the kinetics of the free adsorption, the amounts of moisture adsorbed and the desorption dynamics the prepared samples of coated bed on metal plates were moisturized and dried in a moisture analyzer. Samples made of silica gel mixed with the adhesive 2-hydroxyethyl cellulose, show high adsorption capacity, low dynamic adsorption, and medium dynamic desorption. Samples containing adhesive poly(vinyl alcohol) adsorb less moisture, but free adsorption and desorption were more dynamic. Samples containing the adhesive hydroxyethyl cellulose show lower moisture capacity, relatively dynamic adsorption, and lower dynamic desorption.

Experimental study of biomass waste gasification: Impact of atmosphere and catalysts presence on quality of syngas production.

The presented research results the gasification process of biomass waste (brewery spend grain, wheat straw, hay, pine sawdust). Experimental investigations focused on determining the influence of gasification agent (CO2, steam, and steam and CO2 mixture) and the presence of a solid catalyst (MgO∙CaO, TiO2, CuO and SrO). Investigations were performed towards syngas production. A wide range of analyses and instrumental methods were used to determine the properties of gasification process products, including: GC, TGA, FTIR, SEM, BET. The main component of syngas obtained produced in atmosphere CO2 and steam mixture was hydrogen. The H2 concentration increased from 20% up to 44% in case of brewery spend grain. The presence of the catalyst in the gasification process favoured the tar cracking reaction. The amount of tar was reduced by more than 17% in case of brewery spend grain. As well as syngas composition was enriched with CH4, H2 and CO concentration.