Hydrolysis Lignin as a Sorbent and Basis for Solid Composite Biofuel

Abstract

New powdered sorbent Lignosorb based on the hydrophobized hydrolysis lignin has been developed at the Belarusian State University. Hydrolysis lignin is a commercial waste product of biomass processing in the hydrolysis production of ethanol. In spite of the various proposals for hydrolysis lignin usage, the wide application has not found yet. Special area of hydrophobized hydrolysis lignin usage as a sorbent for oil spills removal and oil products waste recovery is discussed. Lignosorb, thanks to the rather high bulk density, can be applied manually or mechanically by conventional sprayers. It does not sink after oil adsorption and transforms liquid oil film on the water surface into the solid mass. The solid product is a complete mass and is easily collected from the surface of water. Lignosorb when blended with oil products waste in the volume forms the granular free-running product. The rheological properties of the Lignosorb suspensions in oil products at different sorbent to oil product ratio have been estimated. Saturated by different oil products Lignosorb one can granulate or pellet and utilize as a composite solid fuel including the co-firing regime of combustion. It has the higher heating value of 32.1 - 38.8 MJ/kg while the coal has 20.9 - 30.1 MJ/kg. It has been shown that composite fuel burning has less longstanding inflammation stage, more long stable burning stage and less longstanding phase of smoldering in the comparison to wood and Lignosorb burning.