CIRDER

The use of renewable energy is becoming increasingly necessary in order to address the global warming problem and, as a consequence, has become an high priority for many countries. Biomass is a clean and renewable energy source with growing potential to replace conventional fossil fuels. Among biomass, residual and waste ones represent a great resource for energy generation since they permit both to eliminate a possible waste and to produce energy. In the present work, the case of slaughterhouse wastes (SHWs) has been investigated. Anaerobic digestion is nowadays considered as one of the most important and sustainable conversion technology exploiting organic matter and biodegradable wastes. Biogas results from this bio-chemical process and mainly consists of methane and carbon dioxide, leading to produce thermal energy and/or electricity. In this paper, the European Regulations on animal by-products (ABPs) are described, and some previous study on anaerobic digestion and co-digestion of ABPs -more precisely SHWs -are considered and compared in order to fix a starting point for future tests on their co-digestion in a micro-scale pilot digester. This is to define optimal feed ratio values which ensure an increasing content of methane in the outgoing biogas.

The use of renewable energy is becoming increasingly necessary in order to address the global warming problem and, as a consequence, has become an high priority for many countries. Biomass is a clean and renewable energy source with growing potential to replace conventional fossil fuels. Among biomass, residual and waste ones represent a great resource for energy generation since they permit both to eliminate a possible waste and to produce energy. In the present work, the case of slaughterhouse wastes (SHWs) has been investigated. Anaerobic digestion is nowadays considered as one of the most important and sustainable conversion technology exploiting organic matter and biodegradable wastes. Biogas results from this bio-chemical process and mainly consists of methane and carbon dioxide, leading to produce thermal energy and/or electricity. In this paper, the European Regulations on animal by-products (ABPs) are described, and some previous study on anaerobic digestion and co-digestion of ABPs -more precisely SHWs -are considered and compared in order to fix a starting point for future tests on their co-digestion in a micro-scale pilot digester. This is to define optimal feed ratio values which ensure an increasing content of methane in the outgoing biogas.

Cultivation of the hazel and almond is widespread in Italy, especially in those small and medium enterprises that work in the confectionery industry. The residual wastes of these productions are mostly shells, of ligno-cellulosic material, very suitable for combustion. The first aim of this work was to carry out the chemical characterization of such wastes (LHV, C, H, N, O, etc) for their energy exploitation. These analyses were performed in the laboratory CIRDER of Viterbo, in accordance with UNI standards. These wastes were then used in a fluidized bed bench scale gasifier to evaluate the composition of the raw gas (H 2 , CO, CO 2 , CH 4 , TAR) obtained during steam gasification tests. The TAR removal efficiencies of two different methods were finally investigated experimentally: catalytic cracking in a secondary reactor with Ni/Al 2 O 3 and scrubbing with vegetable sunflower oil.

Nowadays, the increasing of the energy consumption is producing serious global warming issues. Mainly most of greenhouse gas emissions in developed countries come from building equipments. In this context, GCHPs (ground coupled heat pumps) are candidate solution as air conditioning systems in buildings due to their higher efficiency compared to conventional devices. Actually, ground coupled heat pump systems are widely, recognized among the most efficient and comfortable used systems. Nevertheless , economic efficiency of the ground coupled heat pumps has to be proved. In this study, DEA (data envelopment analyses) method is applied to a real case in Italy.

Decomposition of gaseous NH 3 from ammonia (NH 3 )-containing wastewater was explored using Ni-loading Al 2 O 3 catalysts. The thermochemical decomposition of an NH 3 /steam mixture (wet-NH 3 ) with different steam contents at 873, 923, and 973 K using a fixed-bed reactor under ambient pressure. The present results indicated that the catalysts can be deactivated by the formation of NiAl 2 O 4 , which can be thermodynamically generated, and confirmed that the extent of deactivation was greatly affected by the partial pressure of the steam (P H 2 O ). The catalytic activities at 873 K decreased with increasing P H 2 O , whereas the activity was constant above P H 2 O of 25 kPa. However, the NH 3 conversion was almost independent of the NH 3 flow rate and temperature, and ∼30% of the NH 3 was decomposed at each temperature. This study indicated that, even in the presence of steam, this catalyst could decompose NH 3 from NH 4 + -containing water.

Modern agriculture is an extremely energy intensive process. However, high agricultural productivities and the growth of green revolution has been possible only by large amount of energy inputs, especially those coming from fossil fuels. These energy resources have not been able to provide an economically viable solution for agricultural applications. Biomass energy-based systems had been extensively used for transportation and on farm systems during World War II: the most common and reliable solution was wood or biomass gasification. The latter means incomplete combustion of biomass resulting in production of combustible gases which mostly consist of carbon monoxide CO, hydrogen H 2 and traces of methane CH 4. This mixture is called syngas, which can be successfully used to run internal combustion engines both compression and spark ignition or as substitute for furnace oil in direct heat applications. The aim of the present paper is to help the experimentation of innovative plants for electric power production using agro-forest biomass derived by hazelnut cultivations. An additional purpose is to point out a connection among the chemical and physical properties of the outgoing syngas by biomass characterization and gas-chromatography analysis.

To answer the actual energy, water, economic, social and environmental challenges, renewable, distributed power plants need to be developed. Among renewables, solar tri-generative power plants can be a solution where there is big low temperature heating/cooling demand and small electricity demand, like many residential and industrial utilities. In this case, solar thermal plants can produce thermal energy with low cost and high efficiency. The higher temperature heat not needed by the user can be exploited via Organic Rankine Cycle to produce electrical energy and desalinized water via reverse osmosis. The present paper analyses, via TRNSYS simulation, a system composed of 50 m 2 of CPC solar thermal collectors, 3 m 3 of thermal storage, a synthetic heat transfer fluid, 3 kW e ORC, 8 kW th absorber, 200 l/h direct reverse osmosis desalination device. The system is able to produce power, heating/cooling and fresh water needs for a residential house. Although system's components are well known technologies, the integration to a efficient and economic working system is still a challenge. Global energy and economic analyses have been performed. Low temperature heating/cooling terminals allow to increase not only the use of thermal energy but also the ORCand absorber efficiency. ORC-Absorber configuration and relative fluids and temperatures are central. Government support and/or cost reduction of 30% are necessary to have positive NPV and acceptable PBT and IRR.

Among Renewable Energy Sources (RES), biomass represent one of the most common and suitable solution in order to contribute to the global energy supply and to reduce greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions. The disposal of some residual biomass, as pruning from pine trees, represent a problem for agricultural and agro-industrial sectors. But if the residual biomass are used for energy production can become a resource. The most suitable energy conversion technology for the above-mentioned biomass is gasification process because the high C/N ratio and the low moisture content, obtained from the analysis. In this work a small-pilot bubbling-bed gasification plant has been designed, constructed and used in order to obtain, from the pine trees pruning, a syngas with low tar and char contents and high hydrogen content. The activities showed here are part of the activities carried out in the European 7FP UNIfHY project. In particular the aim of this work is to develop experimental test on a bench scale steam blown fluidized bed biomass gasifier. These tests will be utilized in future works for the simulations of a pilot scale steam fluidized bed gasifier (100 kWth) fed with different biomass feedstock. The results of the tests include produced gas and tar composition as well gas, tar and char yield. Tests on a bench scale reactor (8 cm I.D.) were carried out varying steam to biomass ratio from 0.5, 0.7 and 1 to 830°C.

The activities showed here are part of the simulations activities carried out in the European 7FP UNIfHY project. In particular the aim of this work is to develop and validate experimentally a model capable of predicting the performance of a steam blown fluidized bed biomass gasifier during steady state operation. This model will be utilized in future works for the simulations of a pilot scale steam fluidized bed gasifier (100 kWth) fed with different biomass feedstocks. The input variables of the computer program included steam flow rate and biomass to steam ratio. Pine wood was chosen as biomass feedstock in the process. The gasifier model for the simulation receives as input the results of the pyrolysis tests products. Experimental tests on a bench scale fluidized bed reactor were carried out in the temperatures range adopted for the simulation (750-850 °C). The results of the tests include produced gas and tar composition as well gas, tar and char yield. In order to consider tar evolution different representative compounds were chosen: Benzene, Toluene, Phenol, Naphthalene, Anthracene, Pyrene. The comparison between the results of the model and of experiments are showed.