Hydrothermal Conversion of Waste Biomass from Greenhouses into Hydrochar for Energy, Soil Amendment, and Wastewater Treatment Applications
Solid hydrochar (HC) produced by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of tomato plant biomass from a greenhouse (GH) was assessed for different inhouse applications, including fuel, seed germination, and leached GH nutrient feed (GNF) wastewater treatment. Completed experiments showed encouraging result...
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| Language: | English |
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MDPI AG
2022-05-01
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| Series: | Energies |
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| Online Access: | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/10/3663 |
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| author | Abu-Taher Jamal-Uddin Shakirudeen A. Salaudeen Animesh Dutta Richard G. Zytner |
| author_facet | Abu-Taher Jamal-Uddin Shakirudeen A. Salaudeen Animesh Dutta Richard G. Zytner |
| author_sort | Abu-Taher Jamal-Uddin |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Solid hydrochar (HC) produced by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of tomato plant biomass from a greenhouse (GH) was assessed for different inhouse applications, including fuel, seed germination, and leached GH nutrient feed (GNF) wastewater treatment. Completed experiments showed encouraging results. HC was revealed to be an efficient renewable fuel, having peat-like characteristics with high heating value of about 26.0 MJ/kg and very low clinker forming potential. This would allow the use of HC as fuel for GH heating as a substitute to costly natural gas, or it could be commercialized after pelletizing. Experiments with soil application showed substantial potential for the produced HC in better seed germination of tomato plants. Another benefit from use of the produced HC is as a soil additive, which would also contribute to environmental emission reduction. Results suggest that the generated HC can remove about 6–30% of nutrients from leached-GNF wastewater. This would be an essential treatment in the reduction of nutrients from leached water from GH operations, and thus could prevent/reduce eutrophication. The exhausted HC after treatment application could then be reused for soil remediation. Overall, the paper highlights the potential applications of hydrothermal treatment in valorization of low-valued GH TPB waste, resulting in a circular economy. |
| first_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:57:55Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-50f28a1a8dfc4515aef1ffb90ffe09f0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1996-1073 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-03-10T03:57:55Z |
| publishDate | 2022-05-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Energies |
| spelling | doaj.art-50f28a1a8dfc4515aef1ffb90ffe09f02023-11-23T10:51:22ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732022-05-011510366310.3390/en15103663Hydrothermal Conversion of Waste Biomass from Greenhouses into Hydrochar for Energy, Soil Amendment, and Wastewater Treatment ApplicationsAbu-Taher Jamal-Uddin0Shakirudeen A. Salaudeen1Animesh Dutta2Richard G. Zytner3School of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaFaculty of Sustainable Design Engineering, University of Prince Edward Island, Charlottetown, PE C1A 4P3, CanadaSchool of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaSchool of Engineering, University of Guelph, Guelph, ON N1G 2W1, CanadaSolid hydrochar (HC) produced by hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) of tomato plant biomass from a greenhouse (GH) was assessed for different inhouse applications, including fuel, seed germination, and leached GH nutrient feed (GNF) wastewater treatment. Completed experiments showed encouraging results. HC was revealed to be an efficient renewable fuel, having peat-like characteristics with high heating value of about 26.0 MJ/kg and very low clinker forming potential. This would allow the use of HC as fuel for GH heating as a substitute to costly natural gas, or it could be commercialized after pelletizing. Experiments with soil application showed substantial potential for the produced HC in better seed germination of tomato plants. Another benefit from use of the produced HC is as a soil additive, which would also contribute to environmental emission reduction. Results suggest that the generated HC can remove about 6–30% of nutrients from leached-GNF wastewater. This would be an essential treatment in the reduction of nutrients from leached water from GH operations, and thus could prevent/reduce eutrophication. The exhausted HC after treatment application could then be reused for soil remediation. Overall, the paper highlights the potential applications of hydrothermal treatment in valorization of low-valued GH TPB waste, resulting in a circular economy.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/10/3663tomato plant biomasshydrothermal carbonizationcharacterizationsoil remediationadsorptionleached nutrient water treatment |
| spellingShingle | Abu-Taher Jamal-Uddin Shakirudeen A. Salaudeen Animesh Dutta Richard G. Zytner Hydrothermal Conversion of Waste Biomass from Greenhouses into Hydrochar for Energy, Soil Amendment, and Wastewater Treatment Applications Energies tomato plant biomass hydrothermal carbonization characterization soil remediation adsorption leached nutrient water treatment |
| title | Hydrothermal Conversion of Waste Biomass from Greenhouses into Hydrochar for Energy, Soil Amendment, and Wastewater Treatment Applications |
| title_full | Hydrothermal Conversion of Waste Biomass from Greenhouses into Hydrochar for Energy, Soil Amendment, and Wastewater Treatment Applications |
| title_fullStr | Hydrothermal Conversion of Waste Biomass from Greenhouses into Hydrochar for Energy, Soil Amendment, and Wastewater Treatment Applications |
| title_full_unstemmed | Hydrothermal Conversion of Waste Biomass from Greenhouses into Hydrochar for Energy, Soil Amendment, and Wastewater Treatment Applications |
| title_short | Hydrothermal Conversion of Waste Biomass from Greenhouses into Hydrochar for Energy, Soil Amendment, and Wastewater Treatment Applications |
| title_sort | hydrothermal conversion of waste biomass from greenhouses into hydrochar for energy soil amendment and wastewater treatment applications |
| topic | tomato plant biomass hydrothermal carbonization characterization soil remediation adsorption leached nutrient water treatment |
| url | https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/10/3663 |
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