Letteratura scientifica selezionata sul tema "Valorization process"

Abstract Corncobs is a waste of post-harvest corn processing that has great potential to be used as a source of renewable solid fuel. Its high moisture and volatile solids content produces a lot of smoke when corncob is burned, so it is rarely used as fuel. This study aims to improve the quality of corncob fuel through the torrefaction process. The corncob was naturally dried using sunrays for two days and cut into pieces of 1-3 cm in size. The torrefaction process was carried out using a cylindrical rotary reactor which operated at a speed of 30 RPM and was heated using an external heat source. The variations of torrefaction time were 30, 40, and 60 minutes. The parameters to be observed included moisture content, ash content, volatile content, calorific value, and hydrophobicity of materials. The results showed that the torrefaction process improved the quality of corncobs as seen from an increase in calorific value, an increase in hydrophobicity. In this study, the calorific value of the torrefied corncobs was 18.89 MJ/kg to 21.61 MJ/kg, which was higher than the caloric value of the non-torrefied corncobs of 17.66 MJ/kg. The torrefied corncobs are also more hydrophobic and absorb less water than the non-torrefied corncobs.

Valorization of digested sewage sludge generated in a medium-sized sewage treatment plant and the effect of valorization on energy consumption during sludge drying used for energy recovery are presented. Anaerobic digestion of sewage sludge reduces dry matter content compared to raw sludge. This lowers its calorific value leading to the lower interest of consumers in using it as fuel. The aim of the study was to valorize digested sewage sludge prior to drying with high-energy waste with low moisture content. The procedure led to the reduction in moisture content by about 50% in the substrate supplied for solidification and drying. The calorific value of digested sewage sludge increased by 50–80%, and the energy consumption of the drying process decreased by about 50%. Physical and chemical properties of sewage sludge and moisture content of substrates and mixtures after valorization were determined. The heat of combustion of valorized sewage sludge mixtures, their elemental composition, and ash content is investigated. Their calorific value in the analytical and working states of 10% H2O was calculated. The highest calorific value was obtained for the mixture of sewage sludge valorized with waste plastics or combined with wood dust, averaging 23 MJ/kg. A mathematical approximation of sewage sludge valorization is presented.

Valorization of agri-food residues to produce bio-based platform chemicals will enhance the transition to the bio-economy era. To this end, a sustainable process has been developed for the overall valorization of grape stalks (GS) according to a circular approach, starting from the lignin fraction to further deal with the cellulose-rich residue. This non-conventional protocol fully adheres to green chemistry principles, exploiting the so-called enabling technologies—mainly ultrasound and microwaves—for energy-saving innovative processes. Firstly, ultrasound-assisted extraction (UAE, 40 kHz, 200 W) demonstrated to be an excellent technique for GS delignification combined with natural deep eutectic solvents (NaDESs). Delignification enables isolation of the pertinent lignin framework and the potential to obtain a polyphenol-rich liquid fraction, focusing on the valorization of GS as source of bioactive compounds (BACs). Among the NaDESs employed, the combination of choline chloride (ChCl) and levulinic acid (LevA) (ChLevA) presented noteworthy results, enabling a delignification higher than 70%. LevA is one of the top-value biobased platform chemicals. In this work, a flash microwave (MW)-assisted process was subsequently applied to the cellulose-rich fraction remained after delignification, yielding 85% LevA. The regeneration of this starting compound to produce ChLevA can lead to a further biomass delignification cycle, thus developing a new cascade protocol for a full valorization of GS.

The plantain agro-industry generates different residues in the harvest and post-harvest stages. Therefore, the design of processes for valorization is required. The aim of this work was to design and techno-economically evaluate the processes for the production of single-cell protein, natural fibers, and biomethane from plantain residues by process simulation in the framework of the design of a future biorefinery for valorization of these residues. The processes were simulated using SuperPro Designer. The scale size was calculated at 1,267,071 tons for the processing of plantain lignocellulosic waste (pseudostems) and 3179 tons for the processing of starchy waste (rejected unripe plantain fruits). The results obtained suggest that the best alternative for the valorization of plantain residues corresponded to the production of natural fibers, with a net present value of $29,299,000. This work shows that waste from the plantain agro-industry exhibits high potential as a feedstock for the production of value-added products. In addition, the process flowsheets simulated in this work can be integrated into the basic design of a biorefinery processing plantain waste.

La production de l'hydrogène à partir de biomasse est actuellement à l'étude mais la méthode de valorisation du biogaz (mélange H2/CO2) par réactions catalytiques, autres que la simple combustion, n'a pas encore été retenue. Par conséquent, le principal objectif de ce travail est d'explorer les autres voies. L'effet du CO2 sur le système catalytique est mal connu et seulement un effet négatif sur la dissociation de l'hydrogène a été mentionné. L'hydrogénation du toluène sur un catalyseur Pt a d'abord été étudiée sans CO2 pour suivre son comportement et éventuellement sa perte d'activité. En présence de CO2, l'inactivité complète du catalyseur pour l'hydrogénation du toluène a été mis en évidence. La modification de la surface du catalyseur par le CO2 est quantifiée par DRIFT et un mécanisme à deux sites a été montré. La réaction de Reverse Water Gas Shift produisant du CO se trouve être la principale cause de la désactivation de la surface de catalyseur avec le CO2. Donc la compétition d'adsorption entre le CO et des acides carboxyliques a été mise à profit pour favoriser sélectivement la conversion des acides. Pour l'alumine, elle est polluée par des carbonates complexes venant du CO2. La silice étant aussi connue pour promouvoir la décomposition, ces supports ont été rejetés. L'oxyde de titane a été utilisé pour catalyser une autre gamme de produits. Sur ce catalyseur, le changement de sélectivité entre le RWGS et la conversion de l'acide a été observé. Quant à l'oxyde de fer (catalyseur moins actif), il n’est pas capable de produire du CO à partir du CO2. La chimie de surface de l'oxyde de fer joue un rôle important sur la sélectivité du produit parmi les cétones et les aldéhydes. Un mécanisme à deux sites peut réutiliser pour l'oxyde de fer, montrant qu'un fonctionnement stable peut être trouvé si la réduction par l'hydrogène est continue. Si l'oxyde de fer est totalement oxydé par le CO2, produit de réaction, la production des cétones cesse. Énergiquement, le procédé de production d'acétone peut être autosuffisant et l'acétone peut être utilisée comme une molécule de stockage d'énergie. Le procédé va aussi compenser le nouveau procédé de production de phénol qui ne produit pas l'acétone
Hydrogen potential from biomass is currently being studied but ways of valorization of such biogas (H2/CO2 mix) via catalytic reaction, other than simply burning has not yet been considered. Thus the main objective of this work is the exploration of such methods. Effect of CO2 over catalytic system was not well known and only hydrogen dissociation inhibition is reported. Toluene hydrogenation over Pt catalyst is studied and activity loss transition behavior is observed with no CO2 where as complete catalyst inactivity for toluene hydrogenation is found in presence of CO2. Catalyst surface change by CO2 is quantified by DRIFT analysis and two-site mechanism is found to prevail. Reverse water gas shift reaction producing CO is found to be the main cause behind such catalyst surface response to CO2. Adsorption competition between CO and carboxylic acids is exploited for selectivity shift in favor of acids conversion. Alumina support is fouled by carbonates complexes with CO2 while silica is reported to promote decomposition, thus both were rejected and titanium oxide is used instead with a range of products produced. The required selectivity shift between reverse water gas shift and acid conversion is thus observed. Less active iron oxide catalyst further suppresses CO2 conversion. Iron oxide surface chemistry plays an important role over product selectivity among ketones and aldehydes. Two sites mechanism still prevails over iron and stable continuous operation requires simultaneous iron reduction via hydrogen, if totally oxidized by CO2–a reaction product, will cease to produce ketones. Energetically the process devised for acetone production is self sufficient and acetone not only act as an energy storage molecule but can also compensate new phenol production process producing no acetone

Les nanoémulsions sont des formulations intéressantes pour des applications telles que les cosmétiques, les produits pharmaceutiques et les produits alimentaires. Elles peuvent être produites par des techniques à basse ou haute énergie. Dans ce travail, un procédé impliquant une pression modérée, l'émulsification membranaire par prémix a été proposé comme alternative. Des nanoémulsions huile-dans-eau (H/E) et eau-dans-huile (E/H) ont été produites avec une installation à l'échelle pilote composée d'un pousse-seringue à haute pression et d'une membrane Shirasu Porous Glass (SPG). Tout d'abord, l'influence des nombreux paramètres de procédé et de composition sur la taille des gouttelettes et la pression résultante a été étudiée avec des compositions modèles afin d'optimiser la production. Ainsi, des nanoémulsions H/E d'environ 260 nm et E/H d'environ 600 nm ont été produites avec succès. Puis, le montage a été utilisé pour produire des nanoémulsions de compositions spécifiques, des nanoémulsions H/E et E/H stabilisées avec des tensioactifs polypeptidiques et une nanoémulsion H/E adaptée à l'injection. Enfin, le procédé développé a été comparé à deux procédés à haute énergie traditionnels, le microfludiseur et les ultrasons en termes de taille des gouttelettes et de conservation d'actifs. Aucune différence entre les procédés n'a été observée en ce qui concerne la préservation de l'acif choisi. Cependant, en ce qui concerne la taille, les nanoémulsions produites par les membranes ont présenté des gouttelettes monodisperses de 335 nm par rapport aux autres procédés qui ont produit des nanoémulsions d'environ 150 nm de taille moyenne mais contenant aussi des gouttelettes de taille micrométrique détectées par diffraction laser et microscopie optique. Pour cette raison, les nanoémulsions produites par procédé membranaire conviennent également pour des applications parentérales sans étape de filtration supplémentaire
Nanoemulsions are interesting carriers for applications such as cosmetics, pharmaceutical and food. They are produced usually by low or high energy techniques. In this work, a process involving moderate pressure, premix membrane emulsification (PME) was proposed as an alternative. Oil-in-water (O/W) and water-in-oil (W/O) nanoemulsions were produced with a pilot scale set-up composed of a controlled high pressure syringe pump and Shirasu Porous Glass (SPG) membrane. First, the influence of process and composition parameters on droplet sizes and pressures was extensively studied with model compositions to optimize the production. Thus, nanoemulsions down to 260 nm for O/W and around 600 nm for W/O were successfully produced. Then, the set-up was used to produce nanoemulsions of specific compositions: O/W and W/O nanoemulsions stabilized with polypeptidic surfactants and O/W nanoemulsions suitable for injection. Finally, the set-up developed was compared to two traditional high energy processes, microfludizer and ultrasound in terms of droplet size and active preservation. No real difference between the three processes was seen on active preservation with the model active chosen. However, regarding droplet size, PME produced monodispersed droplets of 335 nm compared to the other processes which produced nanoemulsions of around 150 nm but with the presence of micron size droplets detected by laser diffraction and optical microscopy. Therefore, PME nanoemulsions are also suitable for parenterals applications with no additional filtration step required

The valorization of agro-industrial wastes represents a huge advantage for the transformation industry and the environment. Particularly, biomasses like spent coffee grounds are largely produced worldwide by coffee-based industries and do not require any pre-treatment for their use as raw material for extraction processes. Indeed, exhaust coffee grounds are usually collected in separated containers, either in coffee shops either in vending machines and are already in powder form. Several authors, analyzing chemical composition of spent coffee grounds, demonstrated their potential use as natural source of antioxidants, which are molecules that can find several applications in food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. In the first chapter of this work, a brief introduction on the biorefinery concept and proposed reuses of spent coffee grounds, based on literature data, were exposed, focusing the attention on the main valuable step of a potential biorefinery based on coffee: the recovery of high added-value compounds from exhaust coffee by green and innovative techniques and methods finalized to preserve their bioactivity. The antioxidant activity of spent coffee grounds can be traced back to polyphenols, like chlorogenic acid and its isomers, its derivatives, and melanoidins. The antioxidant activity and type of antioxidants that are recoverable from exhaust coffee powder, as well as its chemical composition, are functions of the type of raw material (e.g. Coffea arabica, Coffea canephora), but also the brewing process used for beverage preparation. In this thesis, spent coffee grounds collected by common vending machines, were subjected to a preliminary characterization, whose results were reported in chapter 2, and to a study on different extraction techniques (solid-liquid extraction, high- pressure and temperature-assisted extraction, microwave-assisted extraction and continuous pressurized ultrasound-assisted extraction), solvents, and operating conditions. Indeed, one of the main aims of this research project was to perform the antioxidant recovery from SCG by using green solvents as water-ethanol solutions and to improve the extraction yields by working on the other process variables. A study on the recovery of antioxidants by microwave-assisted extraction was carried out in chapter 3, evaluating process optimization, extraction kinetics and the potential use of the extract for cosmetic purposes. For the study, both response surface modeling and kinetic studies were employed as tools for process optimization and the extracts were evaluated in terms of total polyphenol yield, total flavonoid yield and antiradical power. Chapter 5 deals with the utilization of high pressure and temperature-assisted extraction for antioxidant recovery from spent coffee grounds, while continuous pressurized ultrasound-assisted extraction results were reported in chapter 6. Since antioxidants are subjected to loss of activity when exposed to heat, light, and oxygen, novel and green post-processing (freeze-drying and supercritical antisolvent extraction) and microencapsulation techniques were used for antioxidant activity preservation, and to enhance product features. Thus, spray drying was employed to micro-encapsulate spent coffee grounds extracts using both inulin and maltodextrins as wall materials suitable for food application purposes. Encapsulation was optimized (chapter 4) by investigating process parameters like coating agent composition, inlet temperature, feed flow rate, using response surface methodology. In addition, different preservation techniques, finalized to prevent loss of activity and improve extract bioavailability were evaluated in chapter 5, where also a novel technique, supercritical fluid-assisted liposome formation (SuperLip), was tested for the encapsulation of the produced extracts in liposomes.

Dins el marc del projecte europeu DECISIVE (grant agreement No 689229) aquesta tesi es centra en la valorització del digestat obtingut de la gestió descentralitzada de la fracció orgànica dels residus municipals (FORM) mitjançant la tecnologia de fermentació en estat sòlid (FES). Treballs anteriors enfocats a la prova de concepte van destacar la viabilitat de produir biopesticides derivats de Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) utilitzant digestat com a principal substrat. Partint d’;aquests resultats, es van realitzar una sèrie de dissenys d’;experiments a escala laboratori (0.5-L) per determinar els paràmetres amb més rellevància en la fermentació. La temperatura i l’;addició de FORM com a co-substrat es van identificar com a paràmetres clau del procés. Aquest efecte es va estudiar a una escala superior (1.6-L), confirmant la necessitat d’;afegir co-substrat per tal de millorar els rendiments de producció. En aquest punt, també es va identificar i destacar la importància dels nivells d’;oxigen durant les primeres hores de procés. Com a resultant, es va desenvolupar una estratègia d’;aeració per tal de maximitzar la producció d’;espores. Aquesta estratègia va ser validada a un reactor prototip (22-L), utilitzant dos soques diferents: Bt var. kurstaki i Bt var. israelensis. Els resultats van ser molt prometedors quan el procediment es realitzava en batch, però la producció final es veia reduïda significativament quan es treballava en fed-batch o batchs seqüencials. Finalment, aquesta estratègia de producció es va implementar al reactor pilot de 290-L, intentant aconseguir l’;ambient favorable per incrementar el creixement i esporulació de Bt. La qualitat del material fermentat va ser analitzada en termes de concentració d’;espores, maduresa del sòlid, i identificació i quantificació de microplàstics. Aquest projecte ha rebut finançament del programa de recerca i innovació Horizon 2020 de la Unió Europea segons el Grant Agreement No 689229.
Dentro del marco del proyecto europeo DECISIVE (grant agreement No 689229) esta tesis se centra en la valorización del digestato obtenido de la gestión descentralizada de la fracción orgánica de los residuos municipales (FORM) mediante la tecnología de fermentación en estado sólido (FES). Trabajos anteriores enfocados a la prueba de concepto destacaron la viabilidad de producir biopesticidas derivados de Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) utilizando digestato como principal sustrato. A partir de estos resultados, se realizaron una serie de diseños de experimentos a escala laboratorio (0.5-L) con el objetivo de determinar los parámetros con más relevancia en la fermentación. La temperatura y la adición de FORM como co-sustrato se identificarion como parámetros clave del proceso. Su efecto se estudió a escala superior (1.6-L), confirmando la necesidad de añadir co-sustrato para mejorar los rendimientos de producción. En este punto, también se identificó y destacó la importancia de los niveles de oxígeno durante las primeras horas de proceso. Como resultado, se desarrolló una estrategia de aeración para maximizar la producción de esporas. Esta estrategia se validó en un reactor prototipo (22-L), utilizando dos cepas diferentes: Bt var. kurstaki y Bt var. israelensis. Los resultados fueron muy prometedores cuando el proceso operaba en bach, pero la producción final disminuía significativamente cuando se operaba en fed-batch o batch secuencial. Finalmente, esta estrategia de producción se implementó en el reactor piloto de 290-L, intentado lograr en ambiente favorable para incrementar el crecimiento y esporulación de Bt. Se estudió la calidad del sólido fermentado en referencia a la concentración de esporas, madurez del sólido, e identificación y cuantificación de microplásticos. Este proyecto ha recibido fondos del programa de investigación e innovación Horizon 2020 de la Unión Europea según el Grant Agreement No 689229.
In the framework of the European project DECISIVE (grant agreement No 689229) the present thesis is focused on the valorization of digestate from the decentralized management of the organic fraction of the municipal solid waste through the solid-state fermentation (SSF) technology. Previous work focused on the proof of concept of the idea highlighted the viability of producing Bacillus thuringiensis-derived biopesticides using digestate as a principal substrate. From these results, a first assessment at a laboratory scale (0.5-L) using the design of experiments’ methodology was performed for determining the more relevant parameters in the fermentation. Temperature and the use of biowaste as co-substrate were identified as key parameters for the process. This effect was studied at 1.6-L, confirming the need of adding co-substrate for increasing the production yields. At that point, the relevance of oxygen levels in the firsts hours of fermentation was identified and highlighted. As a result, an aeration strategy was developed with the aim of maximizing the spore production. This strategy was validated at a prototype reactor (22-L) using two different strains: Bt var. kurstaki and Bt var. israelensis. Promising results were observed when the process was performed on batch mode. However, the final production was significantly reduced when working on fed-batch or sequential batch mode. Lastly, the developed operation strategy was implemented at the 290-L pilot reactor, trying to achieve an adequate environment for boosting Bt growth and sporulation. The quality of the fermented material was assessed in terms of spore concentration, solid maturity, and microplastics identification and quantification. This project has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation program under grant agreement No 689229.

Le monde, et en particulier l'Europe, fait face aux effets du changement climatique dus à sa longue dépendance aux combustibles fossiles en reconnaissant la nécessité vitale de s'orienter vers des ressources énergétiques renouvelables. Parmi les énergies renouvelables, la biomasse alimente non seulement la production de bioénergie, mais constitue également une source vitale de biocarbone, utilisé pour créer des molécules à haute valeur ajoutée, en remplacement des produits d'origine fossile. Les lévulinates d'alkyle, dérivés de la biomasse, se distinguent particulièrement par leur potentiel en tant que bio-additifs et biocarburants. La solvolyse acide des sucres hexagonaux de la biomasse semble être une voie de production prometteuse et rentable. Le potentiel du lévulinate d'alkyle s'étend à sa conversion en γ-valérolactone (GVL), un biosolvant prometteur, généralement obtenu par hydrogénation avec hydrogène moléculaire. En plus d'être un réactif clé, l'hydrogène est également un vecteur énergétique prometteur, facilitant l'intégration des sources d'énergie renouvelables sur le marché. Les systèmes de stockage d'énergie à base d'hydrogène soutiennent cette intégration et favorisent la transformation industrielle "verte". Cette thèse porte sur l'étude technologique et l'évaluation de la durabilité d'un système de biotransformation, intégrant la valorisation de la biomasse lignocellulosique, la production d'énergie et la génération d'hydrogène. L'étude comprend des investigations expérimentales, optimisant les technologies pour la production de lévulinate de butyle et son hydrogénation en GVL, ainsi que la simulation et l'évaluation de la durabilité de l'ensemble du procédé. Afin de répondre à la question de la durabilité, la recherche présente une première section axée sur l'étude expérimentale de la technologie optimale pour la production de lévulinate de butyle. La solvolyse de l'hexose Fructose en lévulinate de butyle a été étudiée en termes de conditions optimales de procédé et de modélisation cinétique. Sélectionné le catalyseur hétérogène, l'effet du solvant a été étudié, montrant les avantages de l'utilisation du GVL comme co-solvant, avec le butanol, sur la cinétique de conversion et de dissolution du fructose. Dans ces conditions, la solvolyse en lévulinate de butyle a été étudiée d'un point de vue cinétique, d'abord en proposant un modèle pour la solvolyse du 5-HMF, un intermédiaire dans la voie du fructose, puis en étendant la modélisation à partir du fructose lui-même. Un modèle cinétique robuste, décrivant le mécanisme réactionnel de la solvolyse, a été défini et validé, en particulier dans des conditions de concentration élevée en fructose, et en incluant dans la modélisation la cinétique de dissolution et de dégradation du fructose. Dans la deuxième partie de la recherche, la perspective technologique a été étendue à l'hydrogénation du lévulinate de butyle en GVL. À partir d'une phase de conception, le schéma global du procédé de transformation du fructose en GVL a été défini, simulé et optimisé sur la base du concept d'intensification du procédé. Le procédé a ensuite été intégré dans une étude de cas réelle en Normandie, France, en adaptant l'analyse à la disponibilité locale de la biomasse lignocellulosique et de l'énergie éolienne. L'étude définit une méthodologie pour la conception et l'intégration du système d'approvisionnement en énergie, en évaluant différents scénarios. L'évaluation de la durabilité, basée sur des indicateurs de performance couvrant les dimensions économiques, environnementales et sociales, aboutit à un indice global de durabilité. Les résultats montrent que les scénarios intégrant le système de GVL, l'énergie éolienne et le stockage de l'énergie sous forme d'hydrogène sont prometteurs, car ils démontrent une rentabilité économique élevée et un impact environnemental réduit. Enfin, des analyses de sensibilité valident la robustesse et la fiabilité de la méthodologie
The world is facing the impacts of climate change due to its long dependence on fossil fuels, and specifically Europe, which is facing an energy crisis, has recognized the fragility of its fossil fuel-dependent energy system and has moved strongly towards renewable energy resources. Among renewables, biomass not only powers bio-energy production but also serves as a vital source of bio-carbon, used to create high-value molecules, replacing fossil-based products. Alkyl levulinates, derived from biomass, particularly stand out for their potential as bio-additives and bio-fuels. Acid solvolysis of hexose sugars from biomass appears to be a promising and cost-effective production route, which requires further investigation not yet found in the literature. The potential of alkyl levulinate extends to its conversion into γ-valerolactone (GVL), a promising bio-solvent, commonly obtained by hydrogenation through molecular-hydrogen. Besides being a key reagent, hydrogen is also a promising energy carrier, facilitating the integration of renewable energy sources into the market. Hydrogen energy storage systems support this integration, promoting 'green' industrial transformation. This thesis focuses on technological investigation and sustainability assessment of a potential biorefinery system, integrating lignocellulosic biomass valorization, energy production, and hydrogen generation. The study encompasses experimental investigations, optimizing technologies for the production of butyl levulinate and its subsequent hydrogenation to GVL. Sustainability considerations are fundamental to the process configuration, aligning with the global shift towards renewable and carbon bio-resources. In order to answer the question of sustainability, the research presents a first section focused on the experimental investigation of the optimal technology for the production of butyl levulinate. The solvolysis of the biomass-derived hexose Fructose to butyl levulinate was investigated, in terms of optimal process conditions and kinetic modelling. Selected an effective heterogeneous catalyst, the effect of the solvent was investigated, showing the benefits of using GVL as co-solvent, together with butanol, on the conversion and dissolution kinetics of fructose. In these conditions, the solvolysis to butyl levulinate was studied in depth from a kinetic point of view, first by proposing a model for the solvolysis of 5-HMF, an intermediate in the fructose pathway, and then extending the modelling from fructose itself. A robust kinetic model, describing the reaction mechanism of solvolysis, was defined and validated, particularly under conditions of high initial fructose concentration (applying the concept of High-gravity), and including in the modelling the kinetics of dissolution, and degradation of fructose, under acidic conditions.In the second part of the research, the technological perspective was extended to the hydrogenation of butyl levulinate to GVL. Starting from a conceptual design phase, the overall fructose-to-GVL process scheme was defined, simulated, and optimized on the basis of the process intensification concept. In the third part, the process was then dropped into a real case study in Normandy, France, adapting the analysis to the local availability of lignocellulosic biomass and wind energy. The study defines a methodology for designing and integrating the energy-supply system, evaluating different scenarios. The sustainability assessment, based on key performance indicators spanning economic, environmental, and social dimensions, culminates in an aggregated overall sustainability index. The results highlight scenarios integrating the GVL biorefinery system with wind power and hydrogen energy storage as promising, demonstrating high economic profitability and reduced environmental impact. Finally, sensitivity analyses validate the robustness and reliability of the methodology, generally extendable also to other technological systems
Come previsto, il mondo sta affrontando gli effetti tangibili del cambiamento climatico come conseguenza di un'economia basata sui combustibili fossili per centinaia di anni. Oltre a dover affrontare e adottare misure correttive per limitare gli effetti del riscaldamento globale, l'Europa sta affrontando una grave crisi energetica, che rivela la fragilità del sistema energetico europeo, prevalentemente dipendente dalle importazioni di combustibili fossili. La geopolitica delle risorse fossili ha innescato la necessaria rimodulazione dell'economia energetica europea, che si sta spostando "forzatamente" verso le risorse energetiche rinnovabili per diventare un'economia fossile e a zero emissioni di carbonio. Nel panorama delle rinnovabili, le risorse più sfruttate sono l'energia solare, eolica e da biomassa. Oltre alla produzione di bioenergia, la biomassa è una fonte inestimabile di biocarbonio, che può essere sfruttata e valorizzata per la produzione di molecole ad alto valore aggiunto che possono essere utilizzate in vari settori industriali, per la produzione di carburanti, prodotti chimici, materiali e sostituendo i corrispondenti prodotti di origine fossile. In questo contesto, sono stati sviluppati sistemi innovativi di bioraffinazione della biomassa di seconda generazione per trasformare e decostruire la complessa struttura della biomassa in molecole piattaforma più semplici, che possono poi essere trasformate in molecole ad alto potenziale. Tra queste, gli alchil levulinati sono stati identificati per il loro notevole potenziale come bioadditivi e biocarburanti. Esteri dell'acido levulinico, questi composti possono essere ottenuti da derivati della biomassa, come i monosaccaridi dello zucchero, secondo diverse vie di reazione; tra queste, la solvolisi acida degli zuccheri esosi può essere una via di produzione promettente ed economicamente vantaggiosa, che richiede ulteriori indagini non ancora presenti in letteratura. Il potenziale degli alchil levulinati risiede anche nella possibilità di un ulteriore trasformazione mediante idrogenazione per produrre γ-valerolattone (GVL), una molecola con un mercato promettente come bio-solvente, grazie alle sue proprietà di stabilità, ecotossicità e biodegradabilità. L'uso dell'idrogeno gassoso è la via più comune per l'idrogenazione del GVL, ma, oltre a essere un reagente chimico fondamentale, l'idrogeno è anche uno dei principali protagonisti della transizione energetica. Infatti, come vettore energetico, l'idrogeno può portare alla piena penetrazione delle fonti energetiche rinnovabili nel mercato dell'energia, costituendo un complemento-tampone per lo stoccaggio delle energie rinnovabili intermittenti, attraverso la progettazione di sistemi di stoccaggio dell'energia dell'idrogeno (HydESS). L'accumulo di energia a idrogeno a lungo termine può consentire l'autosufficienza dei sistemi di energia rinnovabile, in quanto agisce da ponte tra le funzionalità dei sistemi Power-to-Hydrogen, in grado di assorbire i surplus energetici delle energie rinnovabili e di immagazzinarli, e quelle dei sistemi Hydrogen-to-Power, che restituiscono energia rinnovabile quando le fonti di energia primaria non sono disponibili. In quest'ottica, lo sviluppo di tali sistemi può portare all'integrazione completa e stabile delle fonti di energia rinnovabile in asset industriali già esistenti, così come in nuovi mercati industriali, come le bioraffinerie di biomassa lignocellulosica, promuovendo lo sviluppo di realtà industriali "verdi" in termini di trasformazione di materiali ed energia. Il mercato industriale globale si sta evolvendo verso la decarbonizzazione e la riqualificazione di diversi asset, attraverso investimenti in efficienza energetica e l'introduzione di processi green per la valorizzazione delle fonti rinnovabili, ma l'implementazione su larga scala di queste iniziative richiede un'analisi completa e approfondita della loro sostenibilità

En la industria de la construcción es usual que los contratistas busquen contar con subcontratistas con el fin de asegurar la calidad de los trabajos de mayor especialización como acabados, equipamiento, etc. Sin embargo, esto genera que se incremente la supervisión y control de estos trabajos. A partir del análisis de 04 proyectos de edificaciones multifamiliares, se detectó que existe una deficiencia en el proceso de valorización de los subcontratistas de acabados. La investigación desarrolla una propuesta de optimización de este proceso, basada en la herramienta Dynamo dentro de un entorno de trabajo BIM. Los resultados muestran una comparación en el tiempo del método tradicional de valorización y el método propuesto, obteniendo una reducción de tiempo de 27.5%. Asimismo, se señala los principales beneficios de la propuesta, los cuales se agrupan en control del proyecto, alcance de los subcontratistas, visualización del avance, tiempo y costo.
In the construction industry, it is common for contractors to seek subcontractors in order to ensure the quality of specialized jobs such as finishes, equipment, etc. However, this leads to increased supervision and control of these jobs. From the analysis of 04 multi-family building projects, it was detected that there is a deficiency in the subcontractor’s schedule of values of finishes process. This research develops a proposal to optimize this process, based on the software Dynamo within a Building Information Modelling (BIM) work environment. The results showed a comparison in time between the traditional method and the proposed method, obtaining a time reduction of 27.5%. Furthermore, the main benefits of the proposal are indicated, which are grouped into project control, scope of subcontractors, progress tracking, time and cost.
Trabajo de investigación

This chapter explores the concept of implicit perceptual learning through the lens of timbre sensitivity in San Francisco electronic dance music (EDM) listeners in the 1990s. Cross-fertilizing theories of timbre perception with Web ethnography, the chapter argues that members of this subculture created a shared lexicon with which to describe timbral changes in EDM music. Through this discourse, listeners slowly learned to hear their own music in a new way through a process of perceptual learning. The chapter explores the valorization of “nonspecificity” in the EDM community, claiming that timbre played a crucial role in the development of an aesthetic that eschewed conventional musical signification.

This book challenges monolithic cultural constructs and valorization of indigenous society. Marriage being a social act reveals a lot about society and its attitudes. A wide timeframe has been taken as social and cultural history defy a temporal straitjacket. The study of social and cultural history has been related to the political structure. Hence, the process of State formations and the emergence of Rajputs as a ruling clan have been studied. Matrimonial alliances played a crucial role in the formation of medieval polity and society. In the initial stages of State formation, there was an openness and accommodation but as state power increased, rulers tried to project themselves as protectors of normative order and inter-caste marriages disappeared whereas interreligious marriages continued to flourish. Marriage rituals, customs, and practices to a large extent reflected the clan nature of Rajput polity as well as their attempt to legitimize their authority by following Dharmshastric rituals. There were innovations in marriage rituals in order to deal with the exigencies of time. Sati and widowhood—two very visible forms of women oppression have been examined. Frequent deaths on the battlefield led to increasing numbers of widows. Though the ruling aristocracy encouraged the practice of Sati, the woman cannot be seen as passive victims of oppressive ideology. Women who committed Sati do not approximate to Pativratta nor were they marginalized entities. A great degree of pluralism is seen in marital morality and it is obvious that this wasn’t influenced by Dharamshastric injunctions. In the early stages of state formation one can observe moral elasticity. Although the caste and village panchayats played a role in regulating marital mores in the beginning, the State gradually emerged as the ultimate authority in regulating social life.

Chapter 6 turns to collectors to explore how anatomical modelling and anatomical displays were subject to processes of valorization. It examines how models had the capacity to generate and transfer value by exploring the events related to the sale of Morandi and Manzolini’s collection. In particular, the chapter reconstructs how the transferral of the anatomical collection to the palace of the Bolognese senator Girolamo Ranuzzi ended up supporting Ranuzzi’s own ambitions and commercial pursuits. It is argued that not only did anatomical models act as powerful vehicles through which their makers could be transformed into celebrities, they also became precious collectibles that could act as testimonials of their collectors’ involvement in natural inquiries and medical enterprises while, at the same time, adding value and prestige to their pursuits.

In his debut collection, Some Trees (1956), John Ashbery poses a question that resonates across his oeuvre and much modern art: “How could he explain to them his prayer / that nature, not art, might usurp the canvas?” When Ashbery asks this strange question, he joins a host of transatlantic avant-gardists—from the Dadaists to the 1960s neo-avant-gardists and beyond—who have dreamed the paradoxical dream of turning art into nature. Invisible Terrain examines Ashbery’s poetic mediation of this fantasy, reading his work alongside an array of practitioners, from Wordsworth to Warhol, as an exemplary case study of avant-garde transvaluation of Western nature aesthetics. Ashbery takes his coordinates from a constellation of British, American, and continental European poetic and visual art practices—from romantic nature poet John Clare’s presentational immediacy to the French “New Realism” movement’s “direct appropriation of the real” in the early 1960s—that share an emphasis on somehow transforming the material of art into a “second nature.” Nature, as Ashbery and his company understand it, is a vanguard horizon, a metaphor for art, that which lies beyond “art as we know it.” The fact that the artist can never realize this aesthetic fiction—which overturns what we generally mean by “art” and “nature”—makes it all the more powerful as a tool for staking out the limits of art. In chronicling Ashbery’s articulation of “a completely new kind of realism,” Invisible Terrain tells the larger story of nature’s transformation into a resolutely unnatural aesthetic resource in twentieth-century art and literature. But in documenting Ashbery’s eventual turn against this avant-garde tradition—most conspicuously in his archive of campy, intentionally “bad” nature poems—the project also registers queer resistance to the normative concept of nature itself as a governing conceit for art. The story begins in the late 1940s with the Abstract Expressionist valorization of process, surface, and immediacy—summed up by Jackson Pollock’s famous quip, “I am Nature”—that so influenced Ashbery’s early quest for transparent, anti-mimetic modes of composition. It ends with “Breezeway,” a poem about Hurricane Sandy and climate change. Along the way, Invisible Terrain documents Ashbery’s strategic literalization of the stream-of-consciousness metaphor, his pastoral dispersal of the lyric subject during the politically fraught Vietnam era, and his investment in “bad” nature poetry.

Emerson’s Memory Loss is about an archive of texts documenting Emerson’s intellectual state during the final phase of his life, as he underwent dementia. It is also about the way these texts provoke a rereading of the more familiar canon of Emerson’s thinking. Emerson’s memory loss, Hanlon argues, contributed to the shaping of a line of thought in America that emphasizes the social over the solipsistic, the affective over the distant, the many over the one. Emerson regarded his output during the time when his patterns of cognition transformed profoundly as a regathering of focus on the nature of memory and of thinking itself. His late texts theorize Emerson’s experience of senescence even as they disrupt his prior valorizations of the independent mind teeming with self-sufficient conviction. But still, these late writings have succumbed to a process of critical forgetting—either ignored by scholars or denied inclusion in Emerson’s oeuvre. Attending to a manuscript archive that reveals the extent to which Emerson collaborated with others—especially his daughter, Ellen Tucker Emerson—to articulate what he considered his most important work even as his ability to do so independently waned, Hanlon measures the resonance of these late texts across the stretch of Emerson’s thinking, including his writing about Margaret Fuller and his meditations on streams of thought that verge unto those of his godson, William James. Such ventures bring us toward a self defined less by its anxiety of overinfluence than by its communality, its very connectedness with myriad others.

AbstractIn this essay, I use two different words to express the concept of productive human activity. The first is the Latin term ‘labor’, whose etymology means ‘pain’, ‘punishment’, ‘torture’, ‘suffering’. The second one is the term ‘opus’, again from Latin, which means creative activity that unleashes the human being’s capacity for doing and thinking. The concept of ‘labor’ is assimilable to the Marxian concept of ‘abstract labour’, it is the human activity that produces ‘exchange value’ and is the pivot around which capitalistic wealth creation evolves. By contrast, the concept of ‘opus’ is assimilable to the Marxian concept of ‘concrete labour’, able to produce ‘use value’ for the immediate satisfaction of human needs and dreams. In the capitalist system of production, ‘labour’ is remunerated and codified since it is considered ‘productive’, while ‘opus’ in most cases is free (unpaid) activity, not capable of generating wealth for the economic system (surplus value). Therefore, when referring to capitalist production, only the term ‘labour’ is used. Conversely, the term ‘opus’ together with the term ‘otium’ does not imply capitalist activity. The central theme of contemporary capitalism, which, according to some scholars, can be defined as bio-cognitive capitalism, is precisely the attempt to overcome this dichotomy, deconstructing the capital-labour relationship as we have known it since the industrial and French revolution of the late eighteenth century until today.

AbstractDespite its proven societal value, humanities knowledge tends to be marginalized in research policy; this has been a topic of debate for some time. In this chapter, we focus on the valorization of humanities knowledge, with the aim of comprehending the way this process engenders societal impact. We argue that historical impact stories offer an effective methodological approach for a deeper understanding of such valorization and its subsequent impact. Drawing on three humanities research cases from Sweden, we propose that valorization and impacts of humanities knowledge should be seen as processual and as influenced by societal actors who determine the premises and condition the somewhat unpredictable nature of such impacts. We introduce two concepts: (i) acting space, which involves access to collaborators, audiences, and channels that enable knowledge valorization, and (ii) meandering knowledge flows, which provides insight into the uneven and hard-to-predict nature of valorization. Through these concepts, we wish to provide a better and more nuanced understanding of how knowledge valorization in the humanities unfolds. By doing so, we hope to support humanities scholars to find ways of articulating their own modes of mattering.

The current global trend towards more stringent environmental standards, technical applicability and cost-effectiveness, became key factors in the selection of adsorbents. After demonstrating the performance of eggshell-derived adsorbent under a range of lab operating conditions, this work focused the adsorption efficiency of calcined eggshell powder (CEP), in the treatment of wastewaters from different industrial units. In order to do it, the removal of organic material, expressed as chemically oxygen demand (COD), was monitored in leachate wastewaters from sanitary landfill (LLWW) and in municipal residual wastewaters (MWW). Furthermore, the efficiency of alkaline metals removal, specifically from effluents of industrial unites from superficial treatments, was also assessed. A detailed study of the eggshell characteristics, before and after the adsorption process, was carried out, aiming at investigate the adsorption mechanism underlying the removal of different pollutants. Results demonstrate that adsorption of organic material and metals in the CEP, go around 84% of organic material removal in MWW and 81% in LLWW. Finally, a removal of 95% of aluminium (Al) from MWW, deriving from anodizing industrial plant, and a removal of 88% copper (Cu), 95% chromium (Cr) and 30% nickel (Ni) from effluents of superficial treatments produced in Ni/Cr plating plants, were also determined This suggests that CEP adsorbent is appropriated to wastewaters treatment with high contents of organic matter and heavy metals, from different aqueous systems or different industries. The application of this adsorbent in this methodology showed good cost-benefits ratio, proving that it can be an effective alternative to activated carbon. However, aiming the progress and sustainability of the whole eggshell valorisation, we are further optimizing, testing and developing new techniques and products to recover the organic fraction of the eggshell through the reclamation of several bioactive peptides derived from hydrolysis of different proteins that constitute these residues. These products are intended to be introduced in the food, cosmetic and pharmaceutical markets.

Currently, the food industry accounts for the largest amount of waste, a third of which is waste from the processing of fruits into natural fruit juices, the consumption of which has recently increased significantly due to health problems among the population. The transition to a healthier and more natural lifestyle involves reducing the consumption of soft drinks, which can contain high concentrations of sugars, artificial colors, preservatives, and increasing the production of natural juices. Studies were carried out on citrus fruits: mandarin, lemon, orange and pomelo. The possibility of valorization of citrus fruit juice production waste: peel and juice bags to obtain high-quality dietary fiber-pectin was studied. The process of pectin hydrodistillation has been studied: the influence of the collection time and fruit morphology on the pectin yield, the time of pectin extraction and the type of extractant have been determined, the kinetics of the extraction process and its dependence on the temperature and concentration of the extractant have been studied, for a more complete isolation of the pectin sol, the need for preliminary concentration of its extracts by membrane methods has been shown. Based on the study of pectin quality parameters, such as the content of galacturonic acid and the degree of esterification, the optimal parameters of the pectin extraction process were formulated.

The increasing of world population, industrialization and global consuming, existing market products existed in the along with diversification of raw materials, are responsible for an exponential increase of wastes. This scenario represents loss of resources and ultimately causes air, soils and water pollution. Therefore, proper waste management is currently one of the major challenges faced by modern societies. Textile industries represents, in Portugal, almost 10% of total productive transforming sector and 19% of total employments in the sector composed by almost 7.000 companies. One of the main environmental problems of textile industries is the production of significant quantities of wastes from its different processing steps. According to the Portuguese Institute of Statistics (INE) these industries produce almost 500.000 tons of wastes each year, with the textile cotton waste (TCW) being the most expressive. It was estimated that 4.000 tons of TCW are produced each year in Portugal. In this work an integrated TCW valorisation procedure was evaluated, firstly by its thermal and energetic valorisation with slow pyrolysis followed by the utilization of biochar by-product, in lead and chromium synthetic wastewater decontamination. Pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a small scale rotating pyrolysis reactor with 0.1 m3 of total capacity. Results of pyrolysis experiments showed the formation of 0,241 m3 of biogas for each kilogram of TCW. Results also demonstrated that the biogas is mostly composed by hydrogen (22%), methane (14 %), carbon monoxide (20%) and carbon dioxide (12%), which represents a total high calorific value of 12.3 MJ/Nm3. Regarding biochar, results of elemental analysis demonstrated a high percentage of carbon driving its use as low cost adsorbent. Adsorption experiments were conducted with lead and chromium synthetic wastewaters (25, 50 and 100 mg L−1) in batch vessels with controlled pH. It was evaluated the behaviour of adsorption capacity and removal rate of each metal during 120 minutes of contact time using 5, 10 and 50 g L−1 of adsorbent dosage. Results indicated high affinity of adsorbent with each tested metal with 78% of removal rate in chromium and 95% in lead experiments. This suggests that biochar from TCW pyrolysis may be appropriated to wastewaters treatment, with high contents of heavy metals and it can be an effective alternative to activated carbon.

The valorization of medieval castles in the territory of the Republic of Croatia, regardless of the fact that it is largely under the protection of UNESCO, is an important issue of a modern and multicultural society that can only be built by active work on preserving cultural diversity and building its useful and aesthetic value. The process of valorization of cultural heritage is extremely important for the preservation of cultural and historical heritage, which Northern Croatia recognizes as the most important part of its cultural, historical and national identity. Digitization, presentation and popularization of medieval castles via the Internet and multimedia technologies through virtual reality emphasizes the importance of the territory of Northern Croatia as a legacy of the medieval state identity of Croatia.

Background. In this proposal we suggest developing a common solution for three seemingly unrelated acute problems: (1) improving sustainability of fast-growing mushroom industry producing worldwide millions of tons of underutilized leftovers; (2) alleviating the epidemic of vitamin D deficiency adversely affecting the public health in both countries and in other regions; (3) reducing spoilage of perishable fruit and vegetable products leading to food wastage. Based on our previous experience we propose utilizing appropriately processed mushroom byproducts as a source of two valuable bioactive materials: antimicrobial and wholesome polysaccharide chitosan and health-strengthening nutrient ergocalciferol⁽ᵛⁱᵗᵃᵐⁱⁿ ᴰ2⁾. ᴬᵈᵈⁱᵗⁱᵒⁿᵃˡ ᵇᵉⁿᵉᶠⁱᵗ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉˢᵉ ᵐᵃᵗᵉʳⁱᵃˡˢ ⁱˢ ᵗʰᵉⁱʳ ᵒʳⁱᵍⁱⁿ ᶠʳᵒᵐ ⁿᵒⁿ⁻ᵃⁿⁱᵐᵃˡ ᶠᵒᵒᵈ⁻ᵍʳᵃᵈᵉ source. We proposed using chitosan and vitamin D as ingredients in active edible coatings on two model foods: highly perishable fresh-cut melon and less perishable health bars. Objectives and work program. The general aim of the project is improving storability, safety and health value of foods by developing and applying a novel active edible coating based on utilization of mushroom industry leftovers. The work plan includes the following tasks: (a) optimizing the UV-B treatment of mushroom leftover stalks to enrich them with vitamin D without compromising chitosan quality - Done; (b) developing effective extraction procedures to yield chitosan and vitamin D from the stalks - Done; (c) utilizing LbL approach to prepare fungal chitosan-based edible coatings with optimal properties - Done; (d) enrichment of the coating matrix with fungal vitamin D utilizing molecular encapsulation and nano-encapsulation approaches - Done, it was found that no encapsulation methods are needed to enrich chitosan matrix with vitamin D; (e) testing the performance of the coating for controlling spoilage of fresh cut melons - Done; (f) testing the performance of the coating for nutritional enhancement and quality preservation of heath bars - Done. Achievements. In this study numerous results were achieved. Mushroom waste, leftover stalks, was treated ʷⁱᵗʰ ᵁⱽ⁻ᴮ ˡⁱᵍʰᵗ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵗʳᵉᵃᵗᵐᵉⁿᵗ ⁱⁿᵈᵘᶜᵉˢ ᵃ ᵛᵉʳʸ ʰⁱᵍʰ ᵃᶜᶜᵘᵐᵘˡᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵛⁱᵗᵃᵐⁱⁿ ᴰ2, ᶠᵃʳ ᵉˣᶜᵉᵉᵈⁱⁿᵍ any other dietary vitamin D source. The straightforward vitamin D extraction procedure and ᵃ ˢⁱᵐᵖˡⁱᶠⁱᵉᵈ ᵃⁿᵃˡʸᵗⁱᶜᵃˡ ᵖʳᵒᵗᵒᶜᵒˡ ᶠᵒʳ ᵗⁱᵐᵉ⁻ᵉᶠᶠⁱᶜⁱᵉⁿᵗ ᵈᵉᵗᵉʳᵐⁱⁿᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵒᶠ ᵗʰᵉ ᵛⁱᵗᵃᵐⁱⁿ ᴰ2 ᶜᵒⁿᵗᵉⁿᵗ suitable for routine product quality control were developed. Concerning the fungal chitosan extraction, new freeze-thawing protocol was developed, tested on three different mushroom sources and compared to the classic protocol. The new protocol resulted in up to 2-fold increase in the obtained chitosan yield, up to 3-fold increase in its deacetylation degree, high whitening index and good antimicrobial activity. The fungal chitosan films enriched with Vitamin D were prepared and compared to the films based on animal origin chitosan demonstrating similar density, porosity and water vapor permeability. Layer-by-layer chitosan-alginate electrostatic deposition was used to coat fruit bars. The coatings helped to preserve the quality and increase the shelf-life of fruit bars, delaying degradation of ascorbic acid and antioxidant capacity loss as well as reducing bar softening. Microbiological analyses also showed a delay in yeast and fungal growth when compared with single layer coatings of fungal or animal chitosan or alginate. Edible coatings were also applied on fresh-cut melons and provided significant improvement of physiological quality (firmness, weight ˡᵒˢˢ⁾, ᵐⁱᶜʳᵒᵇⁱᵃˡ ˢᵃᶠᵉᵗʸ ⁽ᵇᵃᶜᵗᵉʳⁱᵃ, ᵐᵒˡᵈ, ʸᵉᵃˢᵗ⁾, ⁿᵒʳᵐᵃˡ ʳᵉˢᵖⁱʳᵃᵗⁱᵒⁿ ᵖʳᵒᶜᵉˢˢ ⁽Cᴼ2, ᴼ²⁾ ᵃⁿᵈ ᵈⁱᵈ not cause off-flavor (EtOH). It was also found that the performance of edible coating from fungal stalk leftovers does not concede to the chitosan coatings sourced from animal or good quality mushrooms. Implications. The proposal helped attaining triple benefit: valorization of mushroom industry byproducts; improving public health by fortification of food products with vitamin D from natural non-animal source; and reducing food wastage by using shelf- life-extending antimicrobial edible coatings. New observations with scientific impact were found. The program resulted in 5 research papers. Several effective and straightforward procedures that can be adopted by mushroom growers and food industries were developed. BARD Report - Project 4784