CIRCULAIR at EUBCE 2024 – 32nd European Biomass Conference
CIRCULAIR at EUBCE 2024 – 32nd European Biomass Conference
The CIRCULAIR project was represented via three oral presentations at EUBCE 2024 – the 32nd European Biomass Conference that was held between 24-27 June 2024 in Marseille, France.
Leonard Moser (Bauhaus Luftfahrt) presented “A detailed process model for the integration of wet-oxidation into advanced biofuel production via hydrothermal liquefaction”. The talk detailed the development of a kinetic model for wet-oxidation of HTL aqueous phases. The audience was also interested in subsequent analysis, mainly focusing on the cost aspects of integrating wet-oxidation into the HTL fuel production pathway. This reveals the importance of robust process modelling in order to derive reliable statements in terms of costs and ecology.
The presentation given by Daniele Castello (Aalborg University), entitled “HTL biocrude Pre-treatment Prior to Hydrotreating: Preliminary Results”, focused on the interface between HTL and upgrading, showing how to effectively remove solids and inorganics from biocrude with minimal losses, making it suitable for processing in hydrotreating units. This is a mostly overlooked issue, yet crucial for the practical implementation of HTL-based fuels. Promising approaches, such as using sorbents for inorganics removal from biocrude, were presented. The audience was very curious about the topic and several questions were asked regarding the process.
Gabriel De Freitas Batista (University of Hohenheim) gave a presentation entitled “Unlocking the Potential of Solid Fraction from Hydrothermal Liquefaction: Defining, Categorizing, and Regulating”. The talk focused on the challenges of scaling up solid products from Hydrothermal Liquefaction, exploring their characteristics, potential valorization pathways, and regulatory measures for safe application. The presentation highlighted the potential of HTL-solids and the need for the scientific HTL community to collaborate on this product. Intensive and fruitful discussions with field experts emphasized the importance of not neglecting the HTL-solids fraction and exploring utilization opportunities.
Overall, the CIRCULAIR research results raised a high interest from the international audience at EUBCE 2024, and the project partners look forward to keep disseminating project results at upcoming conferences.
Pictures: from top to bottom: Leonard Moser (Bauhaus Luftfahrt), Daniele Castello (Aalborg University), Gabriel De Freitas Batista (University of Hohenheim) at the EUBCE 2024 conference.
