Project

advanced Carbon Materials from Biowaste: Sustainable pathways to Drive innovative Green Technologies

Acronym
GreenCarbon
Code
41S4516
Duration
01 October 2016 → 31 March 2021
Funding
European funding: framework programme
Research disciplines
  • Natural sciences
    • Carbon sequestration science
  • Engineering and technology
    • Recycling
    • (Multiphase) flow
    • Heat and mass transfer
  • Agricultural and food sciences
    • Agrochemistry and fertilisers
    • Horticultural crop production
Keywords
biomass carbon materials
Other information
 
Project description

the energy crisis, environmental pollution and global warming are serious problems that are of great concern throughout the world. Around 40% of the world's energy consumption is deidcated to the production of materials and chemicals. thus, there is a need to develop high-performance materials based on renewable resources, simpler to synthesise and cost effective. Carbon materials derived from renewable resources (e.g. biomass) are ideal candidates to meet these needs. the main objective of our proposed Innovative Training Network is to develop new scientific knowledge, capability, technology, and commerrcial product for biomass-derived carbons (BCs); thus impacting the way that europe uses and innovates with sustainable carbon materials. This will be accomplished through outstanding research and training programmes for fourteer early-stage researchers (ESRs). Our proposed research programe is feasible given the varied expertise and knowledge of the academic and industrial participants. We expect that Green Carbon will improve our ability to rationally design a rangeof functionalised BC-derived materials using different individual and synergistically coupled processes and expand their practical applications. Our research programme comprehensively covers all aspects from precursors (the nature of biomass) enabling a unique design of engineered sustainable BC materials. At the same time, our training programme is designed with the aim to empower the ESRs through the provision of a comprehensive and coherent training package, iwhich includes complementary competencies and knowledge in all the science, engineering and business skills so as to be capable of deploying new technologies within different environments both inside and outside of academia.

 
Role of Ghent University
At Ghent University, specific attention will be paid to the fast pyrolysis of waste biomass streams for the coproduction of bio-oil (for energy purpose) and char (for upgrading to functional carbon materials). Mechanistic models (using fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, and reaction kinetics) shall be developed that will enable to predict physicochemical properties of the pyrolysis char as a function of process conditions and feedstock properties. Said models will then be used to help in designing optimized processes for the production of char materials with targeted physicochemical properties (like C-content, proximate composition, porosity, surface functionalities,…). Additional, a second ESR shall use advance stability assessment techniques for biochar and functional char materials. As such, fresh and especially spent functional carbon materials can be evaluated on their long-term C-stability and their potential use for long-term C-storage once applied in soils, in cascade use scenarios.
 
 
Disclaimer
Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Research Executive Agency (REA). Neither the European Union nor the authority can be held responsible for them.