Jerzak, Wojciech
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inżynieria środowiska, górnictwo i energetyka
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Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Benefits from co-pyrolysis of biomass and refuse derived fuel for biofuels production: experimental investigations(2024) Magdziarz, Aneta; Jerzak, Wojciech; Wądrzyk, Mariusz; Sieradzka, Małgorzata
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThe application of renewable fuels and waste for energy production is crucial environmentally and economically. Co-pyrolysis of biomass and refuse derived fuel (RDF) offers a promising pathway for valuable products that combine various benefits including enhanced energy recovery, waste valorisation, improved product quality, and environmental sustainability. Consideration of specific feedstocks and optimization of process parameters are necessary to maximise the efficiency and effectiveness of the co-pyrolysis process. This work presents investigations of the co-pyrolysis process of lignocellulosic biomass wastes (rye straw and agriculture grass) and RDF. These biomasses ensure efficient decomposition. The RDF, high in carbon (78.5 %) and hydrogen (11.8 %), was predominantly plastic based. Based on Py-GC-MS studies at 600°C, it was observed that the addition of RDF to biomass caused a significant decrease in the share of organic oxygen compounds among the released decomposition products. Laboratory tests were performed in a fixed-bed reactor for raw biomass and RDF and 1:1 and 3:1 biomass to RDF mass ratio. The results demonstrated that the yield of char production decreased with the addition of RDF, which promoted the bio-oil yield. Despite, RDF pyrolysis meets problems, it was proved that co-pyrolysis of biomass and RDF is a good solution for their utilization.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Potential of products from high-temperature pyrolysis of biomass and refuse-derived fuel pellets(2024) Jerzak, Wojciech; Mlonka-Mędrala, Agata; Gao, Ningbo; Magdziarz, Aneta
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThe management of energy contained in waste is an important research topic. Among many high-energy wastes, pellets are produced from refuse-derived fuels (RDF) and lignocellulosic biomass. This study investigated hightemperature pyrolysis (800 °C) of biomass and RDF pellets. Experiments were conducted in two reactors: i) on a microscale (thermogravimetric analysis) and ii) on a laboratory scale (fixed-bed reactor) to investigate the yields of the products (char, liquid fraction, and gas) and to characterise products toward their further application. The RDF char contained less carbon than the material before pyrolysis. The carbon content of the biomass char was 90%, almost twice that of the raw material. The biomass and RDF chars were chemically and physically activated to increase their specific surface areas. The chemically activated biomass char had a sorption capacity of 156.2 mg/CO2 at 25 °C and 0.1 MPa. The kinetics of CO2 sorption were also examined, and the maximum uptake was observed after 2–3 min. The higher heating value of the liquid phase, including the organic condensed phase, was 28.6 and 25.8 MJ/kg for pyrolysis of biomass and RDF pellets, respectively. The pyrolysis gas composition was analysed separately for the heating and isothermal processes. Due to the high CO, CH4, and H2 contents, the gas from the heating stage was characterised by a much higher heating value.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Multifaceted analysis of products from the intermediate co-pyrolysis of biomass with Tetra Pak waste(2021) Jerzak, Wojciech; Bieniek, Artur; Magdziarz, Aneta
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThis study investigates the co-pyrolysis of two types of biomass (pine bark and wheat straw) with Tetra Pak waste (TPW). The experiments were performed using a fixed-bed reactor equipped with an innovative system, where a sample was rapidly heated to 600 °C before being rapidly cooled. The multifaceted analysis included the determination of the i) physical and chemical properties of the feedstocks and chars, ii) aqueous phase, tars, and waxes, iii) char ignition and burnout temperature, iv) chemical composition of gas, and v) distribution of carbon and hydrogen in the obtained products. The results showed that the addition of TPW to the both types of biomass significantly reduced the char mass and aqueous phase, decreased the carbon, hydrogen, and nitrogen contents of the char, and increased the wax and tar yields retained in the water cooler. Different organic compounds such as alkenes, aromatic hydrocarbons, and acids were found in tars and waxes. The chemical composition of the released gases was detected in situ (by a flue-gas analyser) and ex-situ (using gas chromatography). Changes in the concentrations of $H_{2}$, $CH_{4}$, $CO$, $CO_{2}$, and C2–C4 were observed. The addition of Tetra Pak to the two types of biomass had an evident and positive effect on the hydrogen content of the pyrolysis gas.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , The application of a drop-tube reactor for fast pyrolysis of agricultural biomass: an effective way to valuable products(2024) Bieniek, Artur; Sieradzka, Małgorzata; Wądrzyk, Mariusz; Jerzak, Wojciech; Magdziarz, Aneta
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThis paper presents experimental investigations of the fast pyrolysis of three agricultural biomass feedstocks in a drop-tube reactor (DTR) focusing on the production of bio-oil. Studying oat straw, corn straw, and rape straw allowed to optimize the use of diverse agricultural waste streams. The application of DTR with specially designed geometry and sample feeder gave information about pyrolysis conditions that can be helpful in the design of industrial-scale pyrolysis. The physical and chemical properties of feedstocks and received products using advanced instrumental techniques were determined. The yields of bio-oil were the highest during fast pyrolysis of studied biomass and were as follows: 53.2%, 51.28% and 49.11% for oat straw, corn straw and rape straw, respectively. The bio-oils were composed mainly of oxygen-containing compounds, with a dominant share of acids and phenols. It means that obtained bio-oils require upgrading their properties such as energy density and storage stability. The bio-chars were characterised by a high-energy density containing 60-70 wt.% carbon content giving carbon materials with a wide range of possible applications such as energy storage, absorbents and catalysts. The received pyrolytic gas was mostly composed of CO and CO2, and around 10% of hydrogen proving that it is possible to obtain pyrolysis-derived syngas as a source of energy. This research demonstrates the potential of using DTR for fast pyrolysis of agriculture residues aligning with the circular economy concept and contributing valuable knowledge for industrial applications.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Valorisation of tyre waste from a vulcanisation plant by catalytic pyrolysis – Experimental investigations using pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry and drop-tube–fixed-bed reactor(2024) Jerzak, Wojciech; Wądrzyk, Mariusz; Sieradzka, Małgorzata; Magdziarz, Aneta
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThis study focuses on the use of car tyre waste collected at a tyre repair station in Krakow (Poland). Waste from damaged tyres is disposed of as municipal solid waste. Therefore, the management of waste tyres already shredded by pyrolysis at 500 °C has been proposed. Tyre waste was hypothesised to be converted into valuable chemical products by pyrolysis in a hybrid reactor (drop-tube–fixed-bed reactor). On a micro scale, pyrolysis–gas chromatography–mass spectrometry was used to analyse the pyrolysis process. It has been shown that the formation of aromatic hydrocarbons during pyrolysis clearly depends on whether the catalyst and tyre waste are mixed together or arranged in layers. Since the layered arrangement favoured the formation of hydrocarbons, such a system was used in the drop-tube–fixed-bed reactor. The high heating rate (500 °C/s) of tyre particles in the drop-tube–fixed-bed reactor at 500 °C allowed for the obtained a raw carbon black yield of 40.8 %. A similar yield of raw carbon black determined by thermogravimetric analysis for a heating rate of 0.17 °C/s) was observed at 800 °C. However, before commercial use, raw carbon black requires demineralisation because of its high ash content (approximately 50 %). The raw carbon black ash contained up to 90 % $SiO_{2}$, indicating that it could be a valuable catalyst material. Pyrolysis of tyre waste over the catalyst reduced the oxygen content in the oil and yield. The oil yields of tyre pyrolysis without a catalyst and over zeolite Y were 38 wt% and 35 wt%, respectively. The main components identified in the tyre pyrolysis gas were methane (27.6%), ethene (28.8%), and hydrogen (15.6%). The gas from catalytic pyrolysis was richer in CO and $CO_{2}$.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Effect of pretreatment biomass by gas from polyvinyl chloride dehydrochlorination process on maize cob pyrolysis with integrated CO2 capture(2025) Jerzak, Wojciech; Kalemba-Rec, Izabela; Magdziarz, Aneta
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThis study investigates the effects of pretreatment of maize cob with hydrogen chloride gas obtained from polyvinyl chloride dehydrochlorination on pyrolysis yields and integrated CO₂ capture. The dehydrochlorination process was conducted at 320 °C, while the pyrolysis of the pretreated biomass was performed at 500 °C. Pretreatment significantly altered composition of biomass, reducing hemicellulose from 34.3 % to 3.7 %, increasing fixed carbon from 15.8 % to 20.3 %, and increasing the chlorine content from 0.27 % to 1.48 %. These changes influenced on the thermal decomposition characteristics of maize cob. During fast pyrolysis, the bio–oil yield increased by 17 %, from 32.9 % to 38.4 %, while gas production decreased from 38.7 % to 30.3 %, indicating a shift towards liquid biofuel production. Integration of calcium hydroxide in the pyrolysis reactor reduced CO₂ emissions by 87 %, from 56.5 % to 7.5 %, and captured chlorine from the pyrolysis gases, minimising harmful residues. Additionally, the use of calcium hydroxide facilitated the generation of hydrogen, increasing its content to 44.7 % in the gas phase. The bio–oil produced contained 0.8 % chlorine, demonstrating the effectiveness of in–situ chlorine capture. This approach, utilising hydrogen chloride derived from polyvinyl chloride waste, not only reduces environmental impact but also enhances the efficiency and sustainability of bio–oil production.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Dehydrochlorination of polyvinyl chloride and co-pyrolysis with maize cob: Insight into product composition and thermal behaviour(2025) Jerzak, Wojciech; Magdziarz, Aneta
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejPolyvinyl chloride (PVC) waste can be a good candidate as feedstock for co-pyrolysis with biomass. However, the high chlorine content in PVC pyrolysis products constitutes a barrier to their use. One way to eliminate chlorine from PVC is dehydrochlorination. This study explores the co-pyrolysis of maize cob with dehydrochlorinated PVC, focusing on product yields, chlorine distribution, and thermal interactions. Virgin PVC was dehydrochlorinated at 593 K, achieving 99 % chlorine removal, and its thermal behaviour was assessed using thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR). For the three heating rates studied: 5, 10 and 30 K/min, HCl was the main compound released up to 593 K. Lab-scale co-pyrolysis experiments were conducted in a fixed-bed reactor at 873 K with varying biomass-to-PVC mass ratios. Increasing the PVC content enhanced oil yield and aromatic compound formation, slightly increased char carbon content, and redistributed chlorine predominantly into the oil phase. The gas phase was enriched with hydrocarbons such as methane, ethene, and ethane. The results indicate that dehydrochlorinated PVC alters biomass pyrolysis pathways, promoting deoxygenation reactions and reducing char formation. These findings provide insights into optimizing co-pyrolysis conditions for improved product quality, demonstrating the potential of dehydrochlorinated PVC as a carbon-rich additive for thermochemical biomass conversion.Item type:Article, Access status: Open Access , Comparative study of grass pyrolysis over regenerated catalysts: Tyre ash, zeolite, and nickel-supported ash and zeolite(2024) Jerzak, Wojciech; Sieradzka, Małgorzata; Wądrzyk, Mariusz; Magdziarz, Aneta
Wydział Inżynierii Metali i Informatyki PrzemysłowejThis paper presents investigations on catalytic and non-catalytic grass pyrolysis conducted at 500 °C using two reactor scales: a micro-scale reactor and a laboratory fixed-bed reactor. Four catalysts were employed in the catalytic pyrolysis process: car tyre ash, commercial zeolite mordenite-sodium, nickel supported on ash, and nickel supported on zeolite. The use of catalysts reduced the production of oxygenates and promoted the formation of gaseous compounds, with the most pronounced effect observed for nickel supported on zeolite. Catalytic pyrolysis produced chars with yields that were higher than those of the non-catalytic process. The coking behaviour of the spent catalysts was evaluated by analysing carbon content, with the highest content (3 wt% C) obtained for ash after the first cycle. In the second cycle, the deposited carbon content decreased for all catalysts. Furthermore, the employment of catalysts was shown to promote the production of hydrogen, methane, and other hydrocarbons in pyrolysis gas. The higher heating value of the pyrolysis gas was the highest at 21.1 MJ/m³ when the ash catalyst was first used for pyrolysis. Reusing the pyrolysis catalysts slightly reduced the heating value of the gas to 20.3 MJ/m³ over ash and 20.6 MJ/m³ over zeolite.