Institute for Chemicals from Alternative Resources (ICFAR)

At the Institute for Chemicals From Alternative Resources (ICFAR), two technologies for the production of biochar have been developed.

The first one is a pilot-scale mechanically-fluidised reactor that can process 35 kg/h of biomass, producing biochar with a yield of 25 - 45% depending upon the operating conditions and the type of the biomass (the complement being bio-oil and gas). This is an experimental unit which allows careful control of the operating conditions and, as such, to characterise the potential of a variety of feedstocks. The second is an experimental bubbling fluidised bed pilot plant equipped with a special biomass feeder that can handle even very cohesive and sticky materials, with a capacity of 1 kg/h. 

The experimental facilities are complemented by a mobile pyrolysis unit, currently at the pre-commercial scale, which will be commercialised by the IFCAR spin-off Agri-Therm. The extensively-tested prototype can transform 5 - 10 t/d of biomass into 1.5 - 4.5 t/d of biochar, depending upon operating conditions and feedstock. The unit is mobile and can be moved on a small pickup truck to wherever the biomass is generated. 

ICFAR and its many industrial partners are working on several experimental technologies for the production of biochar, both new processes and improvements of existing ones. A number of industry partners are aiming at technologies with processing capacities ranging between 40-160 t/d. A big challenge will be dealing with the availability and cost of the raw biomass (and its seasonality), and minimising shipping costs, since such production capacities can only be handled by stationary plants.

Current projects

• Production of bio-carbon from different feedstocks and validation of the pyrolysis step in the Jiggle Bed Reactor simulator
• Biomass pyrolysis and bio-carbon activation in a Jiggle Bed Reactor Simulator
• Modelling the pore formation in pyrolysis bio-carbon
• Effect of pyrolysis conditions on the quality of bio-carbon for high fixed carbon feedstocks
• Effect of activation conditions on the quality of bio-carbon for high fixed carbon feedstocks
• Bio-Carbon Applications: removal of antibiotics from manure liquids using activated bio-char from digestate
• Bio-Carbon Applications: arsenic adsorption
• Poly Aromatic Hydrocarbons in Bio-Carbon products
• Granulation of Bio-Carbon Particles
• Customized bio-char products: balancing NPK content in bio-char during granulation
• Batch Removal of Bio-char In a Fluidized Bed Using Particle Segregation and Overflow Ports
• Optimization of a Continuous Separation System for The Removal of Non-Fluidizable Bio-char using a Novel Fluidized Bed
• Effect of Bio-char Size on Continuous Removal Performance using a Novel Fluidized Bed
• Effect of Bio-char on Product Yield and Quality During Pyrolysis of Biomass in a Bubbling Bed Reactor
• Bio-carbon Production from the Torrefaction of Maple Wood Biomass
• Pyrolysis and Activation of Birch Bark Bio-Carbon by CO2 Activation
• Analysis of the Production of Bio-coal and Activated Carbon for Different Biomasses

New projects – started in 2014

• Removal of selected gaseous pollutants using activated bio-carbon
• Adsorption of Mercury and Arsenic from Contaminated Water using Activated Bio-Carbon
• Relationship between feedstock characteristics, pyrolysis conditions and performance characteristics of the produced bio-carbon products

Analytical Capabilities

• Gas Chromatograph-Mass Spectrometer-FID
• Gas Chromatograph-TCD
• Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS)
• FTIR Spectrometer
• PC
• DSC
• TGA
• TGA-FTIR Spectrometer
• Ion Chromatography System (ICS)
• X-Ray Diffractometer
• HPLC
• Orbitrap LC-MS
• UV-Vis Spectrophotometer
• Elemental Analyzer: C,H,N,S,O
• Bomb Calorimeter
• Karl Fischer Titrator
• pH Meter
• Particle Size Analyzer
• Nano S Particle Size Analyzer
• Surface Area and Pore Size Analyzer
• Chemisorption Analyzer
• Dynamic Vapor Sorption for Surface Measurement Systems
• Porometer
• Gas Displacement Density Analyzer
• Viscometer and Densitometer

Relevant Publications

Xi Yu, Yassir Makkawi, Raffaella Ocone, Martin Huard, Cedric Briens and Franco Berruti, “A CFD study of biomass pyrolysis in a downer reactor equipped with a novel gas-solid separator – I: Hydrodynamic performance”, Fuel processing Technology, 126, 366-382 (2014).

Luis Luque, Roel Westerhof, Guus Van Rossum, Stijn Oudenhoven, Sascha Kersten, Franco Berruti, Lars Rehmann, “Pyrolysis based bio-refinery for the production of ethanol from demineralized lingo-cellulosic biomass”, Bioresource Technology, Accepted for publication (March 4, 2014).

Mohammad Latifi, Franco Berruti and Cedric Briens, “Non-Catalytic and Catalytic Steam Reforming of a Bio-Oil Model Compound in a Novel “Jiggle Bed” Reactor”, Fuel, 129, 278-291 (2014).

Mohammad Latifi, Franco Berruti and Cedric Briens, “A Novel Fluidized and Induction Heated Micro Reactor for Catalyst Testing”, AIChE Journal, 60 (9), 3107-3122 (2014).

Liu Suqi, Luis Caceres, Katie Schieck, Christina J. Booker, Brian M. McGarvey, Ken K.-C. Yeung, Stephane Pariente, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, and Ian M. Scott, “Insecticidal Activity of Bio-oil from the Pyrolysis of Straw from Brassica spp”, J. Agric. Food Chem., 62 (16), 3610–3618 (2014).

Akhil Tumbalam Gooty, Dongbing Li, Cedric Briens and Franco Berruti, “Fractional Condensation of Bio-Oil Vapors Produced from Birch Bark Pyrolysis”, Separation and Purification Technology, 124, 81-88 (2014).

Mohammad Hossain, Ian Scott, Brian McGarvey, Kenneth Conn, Lorenzo Ferrante, Franco Berruti and Cedric Briens, “Insecticidal and anti-microbial activity of bio-oil derived from fast pyrolysis of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose”, Journal of Pest Science, Accepted for publication (January 22, 2014).

Dongbing Li, Franco Berruti and Cedric Briens, “Autothermal Fast Pyrolysis of Birch Bark with Partial Oxidation in a Fluidized Bed Reactor”, Fuel, 121, 27-38 (2014).

Akhil Tumbalam Gooty, Dongbing Li, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, “Kraft Lignin pyrolysis and fractional condensation of its bio-oil vapors”, Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 106, 33-40 (2014).

Mirco Dalla Volpe, Charles Greenhalf, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, “Sewage Sludge Valorization by Pyrolysis using a Mechanically Fluidized Reactor”, Wastewater and Biosolids Reclamation and Reuse Conference, Otranto, Italy, June

Andrea Undri, Mamdouh Abou-Zaid, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti and Piero Frediani, “Novel procedure for chromatographic analysis of pyrolytic bio-oils”, Pyro 2014, Birmingham, UK, May 19-23, 2014.

Francisco J. Sanchez, Stefano Tacchino, Valentina Lago, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, “Pyrolysis of lignin and birch bark in a large-scale mechanically fluidized reactor”, Pyro 2014, Birmingham, UK, May 19-23, 2014.

Anastasia Colomba, Mohammad Latifi, Dongbing Li, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, “Application of the Jiggled Bed Micro-Reactor (JBR) to the Simulation of Larger Scale Reactors for the Production of Activated Char from Biomass”, Pyro 2014, Birmingham, UK, May 19-23, 2014.

Dongbing Li, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, “Autothermal Fast Pyrolysis of Birch Bark and Kraft Lignin with Partial Oxidation in a Fluidized Bed Reactor”, Pyro 2014, Birmingham, UK, May 19-23, 2014.

Anil K. Jhawar, Ryan Lance, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, “Co-Pyrolysis of Heavy Oil with Birch Wood and Synthetic Bio-Oil in a Mechanically Fluidized Reactor”, Pyro 2014, Birmingham, UK, May 19-23, 2014.

Laidy E. Hernandez-Mena, Arai A.B. Pecora, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, “Slow Pyrolysis of Bamboo Dendrocalamous Giganteous Munro in a Mechanically Fluidized reactor (MFR): Influence of Temperature on the Yields and Properties of Bio-Oil and Bio-Char”, Pyro 2014, Birmingham, UK, May 19-23, 2014.

Anastasia Colomba, Mohammad Latifi, Dongbing Li, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, “Application of the Jiggled Bed Reactor (JBR) to the Development of Effective Pyrolysis and Activation Processes for the production of Activated Char from Biomass”, 4th International Congress on Green Process Engineering, Sevilla, Spain, April 7-12, 2014.

Diana Cruz, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, “Production of Activated Carbon from Birch Bark Bio-Char”, 4th International Congress on Green Process Engineering, Sevilla, Spain, April 7-12, 2014.

Dongbing Li, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, “Effect of Bed Material on the Pyrolysis of Kraft Lignin in a Bubbling Fluidized Bed Reactor”, 4th International Congress on Green Process Engineering, Sevilla, Spain, April 7-12, 2014.

Anastasia Colomba, Dongbing Li, Charles Greenhalf, Franco Berruti, Cedric Briens, “Development of a New Reactor for the Pyrolysis and Torrefaction of Biomass”, BioFuelNet Annual General Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, May 27-29, 2014.

Dongbing Li, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, “Autothermal Fast Pyrolysis of Birch Bark and Kraft Lignin with Partial Oxidation in a Fluidized Bed Reactor”, BioFuelNet Annual General Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, May 27-29, 2014.

Mirco Della Volpe, Charles Greenhalf, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti “Fractional Condensation of Pyrolysis Vapours from Sewage Sludge using a Mechanically Fluidized Bed”, BioFuelNet Annual General Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, May 27-29, 2014.

Ryan Lance, Anil K. Jhawar, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti “Co-Pyrolysis of Birchwood and Synthetic Bio-oil with Heavy Oil in a Mechanically Fluidized Reactor”, BioFuelNet Annual General Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, May 27-29, 2014.

Stefano Tacchino, Francisco Sanchez, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti “Pyrolysis of Biomass in a Large Scale Mechanically Fluidized Reactor”, BioFuelNet Annual General Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, May 27-29, 2014.

Valentina Lago, Charles Greenhalf, Cedric Briens, Franco Berruti, “Mixing and Operability Characteristics of Mechanically Fluidized Reactors for the Pyrolysis of Biomass”, BioFuelNet Annual General Meeting, Ottawa, Ontario, May 27-29, 2014.

Mohammad Hossain, Ian M. Scott, Kenneth Conn, Brian McGarvey, Javeed Mohammad, Lorenzo Ferrante, Franco Berruti and Cedric Briens, “New Approaches to Obtain Pesticides from Biomass Pyrolysis”, Ontario Pest Management Conference, Guelph, Ontario, November 7, 2013.

Xi Yu, Yassir Makkawi, Raffaella Ocone, Franco Berruti, Martin Huard and Cedric Briens, “A CFD Study of the Hydrodynamics and Thermochemical Behaviours of the Gas-Solid-Bomass Phases in a Novel Pyrolysis Downer Reactor, AIChE Annual Meeting, San Francisco, November 2013.