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Innovative Hydrothermal Systems to Valorize Agricultural Residuals for Sustainable Crop Production and Environmental System

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A special issue of Agronomy (ISSN 2073-4395).

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 September 2024 | Viewed by 4401

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Changyoon Jeong

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Guest Editor

Soil and Water Quality Management, Red River Research Station, LSU AgCenter, Bossier City, LA 71112, USA
Interests: nonpoint source pollution; greenhouse gas emission; biochar/hydrochar
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Prof. Dr. Nicole Berge

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Guest Editor

Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of South Carolina, 300 Main Street, Columbia, SC 29208, USA
Interests: improving our understanding of how physical, chemical, and biological processes can be manipulated to promote sustainable waste treatment techniques that lead to carbon sequestration, energy generation, and/or value-added product production

Prof. Dr. Sunyoung Bae

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Guest Editor

Department of Chemistry, Seoul Women's University, 621, Hwarang-ro, Nowon-gu, Seoul 01797, Republic of Korea
Interests: hydrothermal carbonization; biomass conversion; development of analytical methods for trace analysis; hydrochar applications

Dr. Kyoung S. Ro

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Guest Editor

Coastal Plains Soil, Water, and Plant Research Center, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, 2611 West Lucas Street, Florence, SC 29501, USA
Interests: fugitive gas emission; biofuels; hydrothermal carbonization; biochar/hydrochar
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Dr. Judy Ann Libra

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Guest Editor

Leibniz-Institut für Agrartechnik und Bioökonomie e.V. (ATB), Potsdam, Germany
Interests: thermochemical conversion technologies; applications of biochar and hydrochar; cascading use of agricultural residues

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Current global challenges in agriculture include sustainably producing crops and livestock while mitigating greenhouse gas emissions, recycling nutrients, and increasing soil fertility. A key strategy to meet these challenges is the propagation of thermochemical conversion technologies for the cascading use of agricultural residues to return carbon and nutrients to soils for long-term storage and mitigation of environmental pollution. Considerable research indicates that hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) technologies are an excellent selection for serving these goals. The HTC technologies have the potential to replenish nutrients, restore soil health, improve water quality, and increase agricultural production through the utilization of agricultural, municipal, and industrial byproducts. However, there is a lack of guidance on using the HTC derived from different feedstocks, conversion temperature, heating rate, and residence time for achieving both carbon sequestration and crop yield improvement. Although research related to HTC technologies has been increasing yearly, most HTC research has not been organized comprehensively to cover a wide range of conditions. The aim of the Special Issue will cover the fundamental and application research on the various feedstocks and processing conditions and demonstrate the field application of HTC products to document the beneficial effect of HTC technologies on soil carbon sequestration, improvement of crop production, and mitigation of environmental pollution.

Dr. Changyoon Jeong
Prof. Dr. Nicole Berge
Prof. Dr. Sunyoung Bae
Dr. Kyoung S. Ro
Dr. Judy Ann Libra
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Agronomy is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

hydrothermal carbonization
carbon sequestration
environmental pollution
sustainable agriculture
greenhouse gas emission
water quality
recycling biomass
carbon-based materials

Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

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26 pages, 2365 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Business and Market Analysis of Hydrothermal Carbonization Process: Roadmap toward Implementation

by Gianluigi Farru, Fabiano Bisinella Scheufele, Daniela Moloeznik Paniagua, Fritz Keller, Changyoon Jeong and Daniele Basso

Agronomy 2024, 14(3), 541; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy14030541 - 07 Mar 2024

Viewed by 907

Abstract

This study assesses the status of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) technology and identifies barriers hindering its commercial viability. Conducting a global survey among HTC companies (with a total of 24 surveys sent), the research evaluates the current landscape, challenges, and future prospects of large-scale HTC operations. Furthermore, it presents a detailed global inventory of existing HTC facilities, illustrating geographical distribution and trends in application. Most of the companies are located in Europe, followed by Asia and North America. With substantial participation from HTC companies, exceeding 62% in the survey (15 companies), the study provides a comprehensive overview of diverse companies, their business models, regulatory challenges, and the overall state of HTC technology. The majority of companies in this study, approximately 80%, offer services in the field of waste management. This paper also explores the potential of HTC in transforming waste management practices, carbon sequestration methodologies, and the development of new materials. Employing a thorough SWOT analysis, the paper advocates for a broader adoption of HTC, emphasizing its transformative capacity in fostering sustainable management of urban, industrial, and agricultural residues, promoting circular economy principles, mitigating climate change, and offering a robust foundation for informed decision-making and sustainable development strategies. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Hydrothermal Systems to Valorize Agricultural Residuals for Sustainable Crop Production and Environmental System)

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23 pages, 2295 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Enhancing Fuel Properties of Napier Grass via Carbonization: A Comparison of Vapothermal and Hydrothermal Carbonization Treatments

by Daniela Moloeznik Paniagua, Judy A. Libra, Vera Susanne Rotter, Kyoung S. Ro, Marcus Fischer and Julia Linden

Agronomy 2023, 13(12), 2881; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy13122881 - 23 Nov 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1094

Abstract

Napier grass is a herbaceous biomass that can be used as biofuel; however, its high ash, potassium, sulfur and chlorine content may cause problems when combusted. Napier grass was submitted to vapothermal carbonization (VTC) and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) processes at 190 and 220 °C to compare their ability to enhance its fuel properties. The different water distribution between phases in the two processes was verified: up to 14.5% of the water vaporized to steam in the VTC ran at 220 °C, while over 99% of the water remained in the liquid state and in contact with the solids during all HTC runs. Both processes improved the calorific value of the Napier grass (up to 20.6% for VTC220 and up to 29.8% for HTC220) due to the higher C content in the chars. Both processes reduced the sulfur content, removing up to 15.3% of it with VTC190 and 28.5% of it with HTC190 compared to that of Napier grass. In contrast, the two processes had different effects on the ash and chlorine content. While HTC removed both ash and Cl from the Napier grass, VTC concentrated it in the chars (ash: 5.6%wt. Napier grass, 3.3%wt. HTC chars, 7.1%wt. VTC; chlorine: 1.08%wt. Napier grass, 0.19%wt. HTC chars, 1.24%wt. VTC). Only the HTC process leached high percentages of Cl (up to 80%), S (up to 70%), sodium (Na, up to 80%) and potassium (K, up to 90%) into the process water. This may prevent fouling and slagging problems when burning HTC char. The biofuel qualities of the raw Napier grass, VTC, and HTC chars were evaluated using two standards: the international standard for solid biofuels, EN ISO 17225, and the Korean regulation for biomass solid recovered fuels (Bio-SRF). Napier grass and VTC chars presented problems regarding Cl content thresholds for both EN ISO 17225 and Bio-SRF. Both VTC and HTC chars along with the Napier grass fulfilled the requirements for heavy metals (Pb, Ni, Cr, and Cd) except for copper. The choice of process in practical applications will depend on the goal; HTC improves fuel quality and VTC has higher high solid, carbon and energy yields. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Hydrothermal Systems to Valorize Agricultural Residuals for Sustainable Crop Production and Environmental System)

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Review

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39 pages, 1403 KiB

Open AccessReview

Research Needs and Pathways to Advance Hydrothermal Carbonization Technology

by Chau Huyen Dang, Giovanna Cappai, Jae-Wook Chung, Changyoon Jeong, Beatrice Kulli, Filippo Marchelli, Kyoung S. Ro and Silvia Román

Agronomy 2024, 14(2), 247; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy14020247 - 24 Jan 2024

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1056

Abstract

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a proven cost-effective and energy-efficient method for waste management and value-added product recovery. There are, however, several issues that require further improvement or research. Identifying the strengths and weaknesses of HTC in comparison to traditional pyrolysis is crucial for scientists to choose between them or use both (complementary) to achieve specific product properties. Additionally, sharing information on diverse modeling approaches and scales is crucial to enhance the robustness and universality of HTC process models. In addition, the study on the applicability of hydrochars on target applications such as soil amendment is crucial to give back nutrients to soils and face the dependence on finite specific feedstocks in this field. Also, proper management of the process by-products, especially process water, must be addressed to improve the carbon and hydric footprint of the process. Reviewing the suitability of HTC to treat specific challenging wastes, whose strength is not related to their calorific value but to their nutrient composition (i.e., manures), is also an appealing topic for HTC research. This paper aims to tackle the above-mentioned issues through an updated review and discussion of research gaps that require further investigation. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Hydrothermal Systems to Valorize Agricultural Residuals for Sustainable Crop Production and Environmental System)

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18 pages, 2710 KiB

Open AccessReview

Life Cycle Assessment of Hydrothermal Carbonization: A Review of Product Valorization Pathways

by Andrea Ogunleye, Joseph Flora and Nicole Berge

Agronomy 2024, 14(2), 243; https://0-doi-org.brum.beds.ac.uk/10.3390/agronomy14020243 - 24 Jan 2024

Viewed by 832

Abstract

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) has the potential to be a sustainable and environmentally beneficial approach for organic waste treatment. It is likely that HTC product use will dictate the viability of large-scale HTC facilities; therefore, understanding the viability and environmental implications associated with HTC product valorization pathways is critical. The overall goal of this review is to gain an understanding of how HTC product valorization is currently being modeled in life cycle assessment studies, and to use such information to assess current research and/or data needs associated with product valorization. To accomplish this, a review of existing HTC literature was conducted and used to assess the current state of knowledge surrounding the environmental implications of HTC product use. From this review of the literature, it is clear that potential exists for HTC product valorization. To realize this potential in a full-scale application, research gaps and data needs were identified that included a system-level integration to evaluate location-specific information as well as more extensive characterization of the impact of HTC product properties on valorization impacts. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Innovative Hydrothermal Systems to Valorize Agricultural Residuals for Sustainable Crop Production and Environmental System)

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