•Carbonization of pure, mixture of pure, and complex feedstocks were conducted.•Feedstock characteristics influence carbonization product characteristics.•Solids energy contents can be predicted from ...feedstock chemical composition.•Predicting functional groups based on feedstock chemical composition is difficult.
As the exploration of the carbonization of mixed feedstocks continues, there is a distinct need to understand how feedstock chemical composition and structural complexity influence the composition of generated products. Laboratory experiments were conducted to evaluate the carbonization of pure compounds, mixtures of the pure compounds, and complex feedstocks comprised of the pure compounds (e.g., paper, wood). Results indicate that feedstock properties do influence carbonization product properties. Carbonization product characteristics were predicted using results from the carbonization of the pure compounds and indicate that recovered solids energy contents are more accurately predicted than solid yields and the carbon mass in each phase, while predictions associated with solids surface functional groups are more difficult to predict using this linear approach. To more accurately predict carbonization products, it may be necessary to account for feedstock structure and/or additional feedstock properties.
► Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a novel thermal conversion process. ► HTC converts wastes into value-added resources. ► Carbonization integrates majority of carbon into solid-phase. ► ...Carbonization results in a hydrochar with high energy density. ► Using hydrochar as an energy source may be beneficial.
Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a novel thermal conversion process that may be a viable means for managing solid waste streams while minimizing greenhouse gas production and producing residual material with intrinsic value. HTC is a wet, relatively low temperature (180–350°C) thermal conversion process that has been shown to convert biomass to a carbonaceous residue referred to as hydrochar. Results from batch experiments indicate HTC of representative waste materials is feasible, and results in the majority of carbon (45–75% of the initially present carbon) remaining within the hydrochar. Gas production during the batch experiments suggests that longer reaction periods may be desirable to maximize the production of energy-favorable products. If using the hydrochar for applications in which the carbon will remain stored, results suggest that the gaseous products from HTC result in fewer g CO2-equivalent emissions than the gases associated with landfilling, composting, and incineration. When considering the use of hydrochar as a solid fuel, more energy can be derived from the hydrochar than from the gases resulting from waste degradation during landfilling and anaerobic digestion, and from incineration of food waste. Carbon emissions resulting from the use of the hydrochar as a fuel source are smaller than those associated with incineration, suggesting HTC may serve as an environmentally beneficial alternative to incineration. The type and extent of environmental benefits derived from HTC will be dependent on hydrochar use/the purpose for HTC (e.g., energy generation or carbon storage).
Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a novel thermal conversion process that can be used to convert municipal waste streams into sterilized, value-added hydrochar. HTC has been mostly applied and ...studied on a limited number of feedstocks, ranging from pure substances to slightly more complex biomass such as wood, with an emphasis on nanostructure generation. There has been little work exploring the carbonization of complex waste streams or of utilizing HTC as a sustainable waste management technique. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the environmental implications associated with the carbonization of representative municipal waste streams (including gas and liquid products), to evaluate the physical, chemical, and thermal properties of the produced hydrochar, and to determine carbonization energetics associated with each waste stream. Results from batch carbonization experiments indicate 49–75% of the initially present carbon is retained within the char, while 20–37% and 2–11% of the carbon is transferred to the liquid- and gas-phases, respectively. The composition of the produced hydrochar suggests both dehydration and decarboxylation occur during carbonization, resulting in structures with high aromaticities. Process energetics suggest feedstock carbonization is exothermic.
Context.Ground based Cherenkov telescope systems measure astrophysical γ-ray emission against a background of cosmic-ray induced air showers. The subtraction of this background is a major challenge ...for the extraction of spectra and morphology of γ-ray sources. Aims.The unprecedented sensitivity of the new generation of ground based very-high-energy γ-ray experiments such as HESS has lead to the discovery of many previously unknown extended sources. The analysis of such sources requires a range of different background modelling techniques. Here we describe some of the techniques that have been applied to data from the HESS instrument and compare their performance. Methods.Each background model is introduced and discussed in terms of suitability for image generation or spectral analysis and possible caveats are mentioned. Results.We show that there is not a single multi-purpose model, different models are appropriate for different tasks. To keep systematic uncertainties under control it is important to apply several models to the same data set and compare the results.
•Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a novel thermal conversion process.•HTC converts food wastes into value-added resources.•Carbonization integrates majority of carbon into solid-phase and results ...in a hydrochar with high energy density.•Packaging materials imparts greatest influence on solids energy content.•HTC is energetically favorable.
Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is a thermal conversion technique that converts food wastes and associated packaging materials to a valuable, energy-rich resource. Food waste collected from local restaurants was carbonized over time at different temperatures (225, 250 and 275°C) and solids concentrations to determine how process conditions influence carbonization product properties and composition. Experiments were also conducted to determine the influence of packaging material on food waste carbonization. Results indicate the majority of initial carbon remains integrated within the solid-phase at the solids concentrations and reaction temperatures evaluated. Initial solids concentration influences carbon distribution because of increased compound solubilization, while changes in reaction temperature imparted little change on carbon distribution. The presence of packaging materials significantly influences the energy content of the recovered solids. As the proportion of packaging materials increase, the energy content of recovered solids decreases because of the low energetic retention associated with the packaging materials. HTC results in net positive energy balances at all conditions, except at a 5% (dry wt.) solids concentration. Carbonization of food waste and associated packaging materials also results in net positive balances, but energy needs for solids post-processing are significant. Advantages associated with carbonization are not fully realized when only evaluating process energetics. A more detailed life cycle assessment is needed for a more complete comparison of processes.
The carbonization of biomass residuals to char has strong potential to become an environmentally sound conversion process for the production of a wide variety of products. In addition to its ...traditional use for the production of charcoal and other energy vectors, pyrolysis can produce products for environmental, catalytic, electronic and agricultural applications. As an alternative to dry pyrolysis, the wet pyrolysis process, also known as hydrothermal carbonization, opens up the field of potential feedstocks for char production to a range of nontraditional renewable and plentiful wet agricultural residues and municipal wastes. Its chemistry offers huge potential to influence product characteristics on demand, and produce designer carbon materials. Future uses of these hydrochars may range from innovative materials to soil amelioration, nutrient conservation via intelligent waste stream management and the increase of carbon stock in degraded soils.
•LCNEC has radiological characteristics of both SCLC and NSCLC.•LCNEC can be classified in molecular SCLC-like and NSCLC-like subtypes.•Molecular LCNEC subtypes could not be identified based on ...radiological imaging.•Most LCNEC are molecular SCLC-like, but have a radiological NSCLC-like appearance.•These results highlight LCNEC as a unique tumor entity.
Radiological characteristics and radiomics signatures can aid in differentiation between small cell lung carcinoma (SCLC) and non-small cell lung carcinoma (NSCLC). We investigated whether molecular subtypes of large cell neuroendocrine carcinoma (LCNEC), i.e. SCLC-like (with pRb loss) vs. NSCLC-like (with pRb expression), can be distinguished by imaging based on (1) imaging interpretation, (2) semantic features, and/or (3) a radiomics signature, designed to differentiate between SCLC and NSCLC.
Pulmonary oncologists and chest radiologists assessed chest CT-scans of 44 LCNEC patients for ‘small cell-like’ or ‘non-small cell-like’ appearance. The radiologists also scored semantic features of 50 LCNEC scans. Finally, a radiomics signature was trained on a dataset containing 48 SCLC and 76 NSCLC scans and validated on an external set of 58 SCLC and 40 NSCLC scans. This signature was applied on scans of 28 SCLC-like and 8 NSCLC-like LCNEC patients.
Pulmonary oncologists and radiologists were unable to differentiate between molecular subtypes of LCNEC and no significant differences in semantic features were found. The area under the receiver operating characteristics curve of the radiomics signature in the validation set (SCLC vs. NSCLC) was 0.84 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.77-0.92) and 0.58 (95% CI 0.29-0.86) in the LCNEC dataset (SCLC-like vs. NSCLC-like).
LCNEC appears to have radiological characteristics of both SCLC and NSCLC, irrespective of pRb loss, compatible with the SCLC-like subtype. Imaging interpretation, semantic features and our radiomics signature designed to differentiate between SCLC and NSCLC were unable to separate molecular LCNEC subtypes, which underscores that LCNEC is a unique disease.
The Large Array Survey Telescope—Science Goals Ben-Ami, S.; Ofek, E. O.; Polishook, D. ...
Publications of the Astronomical Society of the Pacific,
08/2023, Letnik:
135, Številka:
1050
Journal Article
PDF
