Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102455
Hanrui Ma , Guangzhe Zhang , Hongkai Di , Tao Zhang , Yuxin Li , Jingsi Yang , Ruihong Zhao , Jiangze Han , Kunjie Li
This study addresses the dual challenges of tar yield control and CO2 emissions in biomass gasification by developing a composite catalyst derived from converter steel slag. Through KOH activation and Ni impregnation, the optimized 10Ni-A-SS catalyst achieved 87.1 % tar cracking efficiency, increasing hydrogen yield from 232.2 to 576.3 mL/g biomass while retaining a CO2 adsorption capacity of 120.0 mg/(g cat). Characterization results indicated that KOH activation significantly increased the catalyst's specific surface area, with NiO impregnation providing additional active sites. Mechanistic analysis revealed that the catalyst suppressed tar polymerization and polycondensation reactions, redirecting reaction pathways toward phenols and light aromatics, thereby substantially reducing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation. This work demonstrates an effective strategy for valorizing industrial steel slag waste while enabling cleaner, hydrogen-rich syngas production from biomass gasification, offering both environmental and economic benefits.
{"title":"Catalytic cracking of biomass gasification tar integrated with carbon fixation over steel slag-based catalyst","authors":"Hanrui Ma , Guangzhe Zhang , Hongkai Di , Tao Zhang , Yuxin Li , Jingsi Yang , Ruihong Zhao , Jiangze Han , Kunjie Li","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102455","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102455","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study addresses the dual challenges of tar yield control and CO<sub>2</sub> emissions in biomass gasification by developing a composite catalyst derived from converter steel slag. Through KOH activation and Ni impregnation, the optimized 10Ni-A-SS catalyst achieved 87.1 % tar cracking efficiency, increasing hydrogen yield from 232.2 to 576.3 mL/g biomass while retaining a CO<sub>2</sub> adsorption capacity of 120.0 mg/(g cat). Characterization results indicated that KOH activation significantly increased the catalyst's specific surface area, with NiO impregnation providing additional active sites. Mechanistic analysis revealed that the catalyst suppressed tar polymerization and polycondensation reactions, redirecting reaction pathways toward phenols and light aromatics, thereby substantially reducing polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon formation. This work demonstrates an effective strategy for valorizing industrial steel slag waste while enabling cleaner, hydrogen-rich syngas production from biomass gasification, offering both environmental and economic benefits.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102455"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034485","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102456
Huijia Liang , Jie Yang , Juan Hou , Changye Han , Lizhuo Peng , Junjie Shi , Liping Ma
Chemical looping technology (CLT) produces flue gas enriched with carbon dioxide, which can then be captured, utilized, or stored. The oxygen carrier (OC) plays a central role in the chemical looping process, but its low activity and short lifespan hinder its industrial application. The existing review literature on CLT primarily focuses on the application of specific OCs and their developmental trends, but lacks a comprehensive summary of OC activity and cycle life. To address the gaps in existing literature, this paper explores the activity and recycling lifespan of OCs in relation to their defects. Furthermore, strategies to improve OC reactivity are discussed, beginning with the selection of active species aided by Ellingham diagrams. The advantages of non-metallic and solid waste-based OCs in chemical looping reactions are compared, along with a summary of strategies to enhance their activity. To prolong the service life of OCs, this paper outlines the primary mechanisms of carrier failure, which are primarily attributed to the combined effects of wear and stress. For different types of stress, targeted solutions are proposed: a supported carrier approach for chemical stress, a core-shell structure for mechanical stress, and elemental doping for thermal stress. Finally, the paper explores the application prospects of solid waste-based OCs and their development towards achieving a tripartite stress equilibrium, thus opening new avenues for the practical application of OCs. These studies contribute to advancing the efficient utilization of chemical looping systems in environmental protection and sustainable energy supply.
{"title":"Reactivity and stability optimization of oxygen carriers in chemical looping systems","authors":"Huijia Liang , Jie Yang , Juan Hou , Changye Han , Lizhuo Peng , Junjie Shi , Liping Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102456","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102456","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Chemical looping technology (CLT) produces flue gas enriched with carbon dioxide, which can then be captured, utilized, or stored. The oxygen carrier (OC) plays a central role in the chemical looping process, but its low activity and short lifespan hinder its industrial application. The existing review literature on CLT primarily focuses on the application of specific OCs and their developmental trends, but lacks a comprehensive summary of OC activity and cycle life. To address the gaps in existing literature, this paper explores the activity and recycling lifespan of OCs in relation to their defects. Furthermore, strategies to improve OC reactivity are discussed, beginning with the selection of active species aided by Ellingham diagrams. The advantages of non-metallic and solid waste-based OCs in chemical looping reactions are compared, along with a summary of strategies to enhance their activity. To prolong the service life of OCs, this paper outlines the primary mechanisms of carrier failure, which are primarily attributed to the combined effects of wear and stress. For different types of stress, targeted solutions are proposed: a supported carrier approach for chemical stress, a core-shell structure for mechanical stress, and elemental doping for thermal stress. Finally, the paper explores the application prospects of solid waste-based OCs and their development towards achieving a tripartite stress equilibrium, thus opening new avenues for the practical application of OCs. These studies contribute to advancing the efficient utilization of chemical looping systems in environmental protection and sustainable energy supply.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102456"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034580","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-17DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102454
Zhongfa Hu , Bixiu Lv , Wenjing Ma , Bin Liu , Xuebin Wang , Yili Zhang , Zia ur Rahman , Renhui Ruan
<div><div>The decomposition of polyethylene into hydrogen and carbon nanotubes by pyrolysis not only enables the proper disposal of large amounts of waste plastic but also achieves the targeted production of hydrogen and high-value carbon nanotubes, thus it is widely applied in industry. In this paper, typical solid wastes, such as polyethylene (PE) and sawdust, were used as raw materials, and continuous pyrolysis-catalysis experiments were conducted on a two-stage pilot system (rotary kiln for pyrolysis and fixed-bed for catalysis).To overcome the limitations of traditional fixed-bed reactors in organic waste treatment, this study develops a continuous pyrolysis-catalytic co-production process for the simultaneous generation of high-value hydrogen gas and carbon nanotube (CNTs), aiming for system energy self-sufficiency. The core research encompasses experimental validation under specific conditions and simulation analysis of three process routes based on experimental results. Successful experimental validation was achieved under continuous operation at a feeding rate of 1 g min<sup>−1</sup>, pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C, catalytic temperature of 750 °C, and using a coal gangue-based nickel catalyst (loading 10 %) for processing polyethylene (PE) and wood chips; significant PE conversion yielded a hydrogen concentration (H<sub>2</sub>) in the gas product as high as 64.6 vol%, with a production rate reaching 27.4 mmol g<sup>−1</sup> while substantial coking occurred on the catalyst surface achieving a yield of 32.5 wt%. Characterization of the PE-derived coke indicated that it primarily consisted of CNTs with hollow tubular structures confirmed by TEM images and high graphitization degree and good crystallinity indicated by Raman spectroscopy (<em>I</em><sub>D</sub>/<em>I</em><sub>G</sub> = 0.75) and TPO results where graphite carbon accounted for 38.8 wt%. Based on experimental data, three process routes were established using Aspen Plus software all utilizing partial pyrolysis oil/gas combustion to supply energy for the system balance but differing in the handling of pyrolyzed coke; simulation optimization showed that route I (coke combustion) performed best under optimal conditions (raw material moisture content 20 %, oil/gas ratio 25 %, gasification stage O<sub>2</sub>/feedstock = 0.25, H<sub>2</sub>O/feedstock = 0.5) achieving a hydrogen yield of 1102.6 Nm<sup>3</sup>·t<sup>−1</sup> and a CNTs yield of 43.9 kg t<sup>−1</sup> whereas route II (coke gasification) had slightly lower target product yields compared to route I and route III (coke collection) collected pyrolyzed coke as solid products (biochar) without thermal treatment resulting in the lowest carbon emissions but also the lowest target product yields. Comprehensive analysis indicates that adopting a continuous pyrolysis-catalytic unit combined with the design of utilizing pyrolyzed coke for energy supply efficiently converts organic solid waste into high-value hydrogen and CNTs
通过热解将聚乙烯分解为氢气和碳纳米管，不仅可以合理处理大量废塑料，而且可以有针对性地生产氢气和高价值的碳纳米管，因此在工业上得到了广泛的应用。本文以聚乙烯（PE）、木屑等典型固体废弃物为原料，在两段式中试系统（热解为回转窑，催化为固定床）上进行了连续热解催化实验。为了克服传统固定床反应器在有机废物处理中的局限性，本研究开发了一种连续热解-催化联产工艺，同时生成高值氢气和碳纳米管（CNTs），旨在实现系统能源自给。核心研究包括特定条件下的实验验证和基于实验结果的三种工艺路线的仿真分析。在加料速度为1 g min−1、热解温度为500℃、催化温度为750℃、煤矸石基镍催化剂（负载10%）处理聚乙烯（PE）和木屑的连续运行条件下，实验验证成功；显著的PE转化率使产物中的氢浓度（H2）高达64.6 vol%，产率达到27.4 mmol g−1，而催化剂表面发生了大量焦化，产率达到32.5 wt%。对pe衍生焦炭的表征表明，其主要由具有空心管状结构的CNTs组成，TEM图像证实了其结构，拉曼光谱结果表明石墨化程度高，结晶度好（ID/IG = 0.75）， TPO结果表明石墨碳占38.8 wt%。基于实验数据，利用Aspen Plus软件建立了3条工艺路线，均采用部分热解油气燃烧为系统平衡提供能量，但对焦炭的处理方式不同；模拟优化结果表明，在原料含水率20%、油气比25%、气化阶段O2/原料= 0.25的最优条件下，路线1（焦炭燃烧）效果最佳。H2O/原料= 0.5)，氢气产率为1102.6 Nm3·t−1，碳纳米管产率为43.9 kg t−1，而路线II（焦炭气化）的目标产物产率略低于路线I和路线III（焦炭收集），未经热处理将热解焦炭作为固体产物（生物炭）收集，导致碳排放最低，但目标产物产率也最低。综合分析表明，采用连续热解催化装置结合焦炭供能设计，能有效地将有机固体废弃物转化为高价值的氢和碳纳米管，同时实现系统能量的自我维护，为工业应用提供了一个很有前景的方案。
{"title":"Experimental study and process analysis on Co-production of hydrogen-rich gas and carbon nanotubes via catalytic pyrolysis of solid wastes","authors":"Zhongfa Hu , Bixiu Lv , Wenjing Ma , Bin Liu , Xuebin Wang , Yili Zhang , Zia ur Rahman , Renhui Ruan","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102454","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102454","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The decomposition of polyethylene into hydrogen and carbon nanotubes by pyrolysis not only enables the proper disposal of large amounts of waste plastic but also achieves the targeted production of hydrogen and high-value carbon nanotubes, thus it is widely applied in industry. In this paper, typical solid wastes, such as polyethylene (PE) and sawdust, were used as raw materials, and continuous pyrolysis-catalysis experiments were conducted on a two-stage pilot system (rotary kiln for pyrolysis and fixed-bed for catalysis).To overcome the limitations of traditional fixed-bed reactors in organic waste treatment, this study develops a continuous pyrolysis-catalytic co-production process for the simultaneous generation of high-value hydrogen gas and carbon nanotube (CNTs), aiming for system energy self-sufficiency. The core research encompasses experimental validation under specific conditions and simulation analysis of three process routes based on experimental results. Successful experimental validation was achieved under continuous operation at a feeding rate of 1 g min<sup>−1</sup>, pyrolysis temperature of 500 °C, catalytic temperature of 750 °C, and using a coal gangue-based nickel catalyst (loading 10 %) for processing polyethylene (PE) and wood chips; significant PE conversion yielded a hydrogen concentration (H<sub>2</sub>) in the gas product as high as 64.6 vol%, with a production rate reaching 27.4 mmol g<sup>−1</sup> while substantial coking occurred on the catalyst surface achieving a yield of 32.5 wt%. Characterization of the PE-derived coke indicated that it primarily consisted of CNTs with hollow tubular structures confirmed by TEM images and high graphitization degree and good crystallinity indicated by Raman spectroscopy (<em>I</em><sub>D</sub>/<em>I</em><sub>G</sub> = 0.75) and TPO results where graphite carbon accounted for 38.8 wt%. Based on experimental data, three process routes were established using Aspen Plus software all utilizing partial pyrolysis oil/gas combustion to supply energy for the system balance but differing in the handling of pyrolyzed coke; simulation optimization showed that route I (coke combustion) performed best under optimal conditions (raw material moisture content 20 %, oil/gas ratio 25 %, gasification stage O<sub>2</sub>/feedstock = 0.25, H<sub>2</sub>O/feedstock = 0.5) achieving a hydrogen yield of 1102.6 Nm<sup>3</sup>·t<sup>−1</sup> and a CNTs yield of 43.9 kg t<sup>−1</sup> whereas route II (coke gasification) had slightly lower target product yields compared to route I and route III (coke collection) collected pyrolyzed coke as solid products (biochar) without thermal treatment resulting in the lowest carbon emissions but also the lowest target product yields. Comprehensive analysis indicates that adopting a continuous pyrolysis-catalytic unit combined with the design of utilizing pyrolyzed coke for energy supply efficiently converts organic solid waste into high-value hydrogen and CNTs","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102454"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146078403","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-14DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102453
Zhipeng Zhou , Shuo Ma , Kexun Wang , Hongting Ma
This study investigates the efficacy of grinding beads as a heat transfer intensifier and hematite catalyst for the pyrolysis of mixed medical waste (MMW) in an indirectly heated rotary kiln. The focus was on elucidating the impact of these additives on intra-bed heat-mass transfer and the product distribution. Thermogravimetric and kinetic analyses revealed the fundamental pyrolysis characteristics and interaction effects during the co-pyrolysis of cellulose-based MW and polypropylene(PP), notably the inhibition of PP degradation. Subsequent rotary kiln experiments demonstrated that the addition of silicon carbide(SiC) beads at an additive-to-feedstock mass ratio of 0.6 increased the wall-to-bed heat transfer coefficient by approximately 24 %, from 174.5 to 217.0 W/(m2·K), and reduced the radial temperature gradients. Tar yield increased from 35.38 % to 38.71 %. Powdered hematite (Fe2O3) acted as a catalyst, altering selectivity towards gas production and enhancing the hydrogen yield by over 62.13 %. This study concludes that the deliberate selection of additives provides a highly effective strategy for process intensification: high-thermal-conductivity beads (SiC) mitigate heat transfer limitations, whereas catalytic media (Fe2O3) actively steer the product distribution.
{"title":"Pyrolysis process intensification of mixed medical waste using grinding beads and hematite in an indirectly heated rotary kiln","authors":"Zhipeng Zhou , Shuo Ma , Kexun Wang , Hongting Ma","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102453","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102453","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>This study investigates the efficacy of grinding beads as a heat transfer intensifier and hematite catalyst for the pyrolysis of mixed medical waste (MMW) in an indirectly heated rotary kiln. The focus was on elucidating the impact of these additives on intra-bed heat-mass transfer and the product distribution. Thermogravimetric and kinetic analyses revealed the fundamental pyrolysis characteristics and interaction effects during the co-pyrolysis of cellulose-based MW and polypropylene(PP), notably the inhibition of PP degradation. Subsequent rotary kiln experiments demonstrated that the addition of silicon carbide(SiC) beads at an additive-to-feedstock mass ratio of 0.6 increased the wall-to-bed heat transfer coefficient by approximately 24 %, from 174.5 to 217.0 W/(m<sup>2</sup>·K), and reduced the radial temperature gradients. Tar yield increased from 35.38 % to 38.71 %. Powdered hematite (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) acted as a catalyst, altering selectivity towards gas production and enhancing the hydrogen yield by over 62.13 %. This study concludes that the deliberate selection of additives provides a highly effective strategy for process intensification: high-thermal-conductivity beads (SiC) mitigate heat transfer limitations, whereas catalytic media (Fe<sub>2</sub>O<sub>3</sub>) actively steer the product distribution.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102453"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-14","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034484","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-10DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102447
Carine T. Alves , Francisco Maldonado-Martín , Alejandro Lete , Seyed Emad Hashemnezhad , Lucía García , Jude A. Onwudili
The conversion of glycerol through aqueous phase reforming (APR) presents an important opportunity for sustainable chemical and fuel production. This study explores the APR of glycerol using three catalysts (nickel supported on alumina (NiAl), copper supported on alumina (CuAl), and bimetallic nickel-iron supported on alumina (NiAlFe)), synthesized via the coprecipitation method. The APR experiments were conducted in both batch and fixed-bed reactors. In the batch reactor, a 75 mL Parr reactor was utilised, operating at 238 °C and 5 bar initial nitrogen pressure with 20 mL of a 5 wt% glycerol solution and 0.3 g of catalyst (catalyst/glycerol mass ratio = 0.3). The fixed-bed reactor was made of a stainless steel tube loaded with 2 g of catalyst, operating at 238 °C and 37 bar, with a continuous feed of 5 wt% glycerol solution, equivalent to catalyst/glycerol mass ratio of 0.33. NiAl produced the highest conversion of glycerol to gases and the highest yield of hydrogen (230 mg H2/mol C fed). However, among the tested catalysts, NiAlFe demonstrated superior performance, achieving a carbon yield to total products (liquid and gases) of approximately 80 % in the batch reactor as well as a relatively high hydrogen yield (141 mg H2/mol C fed). These results underscore the promising potential of the NiAlFe catalyst for efficient glycerol conversion in APR processes, paving the way for advancements in sustainable fuel and chemical production.
通过水相重整（APR）转化甘油为可持续的化学品和燃料生产提供了重要的机会。本研究采用共沉淀法合成了三种催化剂（氧化铝负载镍（NiAl）、氧化铝负载铜（CuAl）和氧化铝负载镍铁双金属（NiAlFe）），探讨了甘油的APR。在间歇式反应器和固定床反应器中进行了APR实验。在间歇式反应器中，使用75 mL Parr反应器，在238℃和5 bar初始氮压下运行，20 mL 5 wt%的甘油溶液和0.3 g催化剂（催化剂/甘油质量比= 0.3）。固定床反应器由一根不锈钢管制成，负载2g催化剂，在238℃和37 bar下工作，连续进料5 wt%的甘油溶液，相当于催化剂/甘油质量比为0.33。NiAl产生最高的甘油气体转化率和最高的氢气产量（230 mg H2/mol C）。然而，在测试的催化剂中，NiAlFe表现出优异的性能，在间歇反应器中实现了总产物（液体和气体）的碳收率约为80%，以及相对较高的氢气收率（141 mg H2/mol C）。这些结果强调了NiAlFe催化剂在APR过程中有效转化甘油的潜力，为可持续燃料和化学品生产的进步铺平了道路。
{"title":"Comparative study of the effects of reactor system and catalysts on glycerol valorisation via aqueous-phase reforming","authors":"Carine T. Alves , Francisco Maldonado-Martín , Alejandro Lete , Seyed Emad Hashemnezhad , Lucía García , Jude A. Onwudili","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102447","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102447","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The conversion of glycerol through aqueous phase reforming (APR) presents an important opportunity for sustainable chemical and fuel production. This study explores the APR of glycerol using three catalysts (nickel supported on alumina (NiAl), copper supported on alumina (CuAl), and bimetallic nickel-iron supported on alumina (NiAlFe)), synthesized via the coprecipitation method. The APR experiments were conducted in both batch and fixed-bed reactors. In the batch reactor, a 75 mL Parr reactor was utilised, operating at 238 °C and 5 bar initial nitrogen pressure with 20 mL of a 5 wt% glycerol solution and 0.3 g of catalyst (catalyst/glycerol mass ratio = 0.3). The fixed-bed reactor was made of a stainless steel tube loaded with 2 g of catalyst, operating at 238 °C and 37 bar, with a continuous feed of 5 wt% glycerol solution, equivalent to catalyst/glycerol mass ratio of 0.33. NiAl produced the highest conversion of glycerol to gases and the highest yield of hydrogen (230 mg H<sub>2</sub>/mol C fed). However, among the tested catalysts, NiAlFe demonstrated superior performance, achieving a carbon yield to total products (liquid and gases) of approximately 80 % in the batch reactor as well as a relatively high hydrogen yield (141 mg H<sub>2</sub>/mol C fed). These results underscore the promising potential of the NiAlFe catalyst for efficient glycerol conversion in APR processes, paving the way for advancements in sustainable fuel and chemical production.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102447"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-10","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145978149","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-09DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102452
Fahui Wang , Yan Guo , Dan Zhang , Huolong Chen , Zihan Liu , Jun Zhao
Ammonia (NH3) blended with syngas offers a promising strategy for enhancing its combustion performance. However, the practical application of such fuel blends is frequently constrained by variations in the H2/CO ratio. This study combines an integrated experimental and numerical approach, incorporating both global and local sensitivity analyses, to elucidate how the H2/CO ratio affects the laminar burning velocity (SL) and flame instability of NH3/H2/CO blends. The results reveal that variations in SL are predominantly governed by chemical kinetic effects, which weaken as the equivalence ratio (Ф) increases. This behavior is affected by the competition among CO oxidation reactions, H radical consumption pathways, and third-body (H2O) termination reactions, in which both H and OH radicals play critical roles. Regarding the variation in flame instability with the H2/CO ratio, it is primarily governed by thermal diffusive instability and flame thickness effects. As the Ф changes, thermal diffusive dominates under fuel-lean conditions, whereas both thermal diffusive and the thermal expansion ratio collectively dominate flame instability under fuel-rich conditions. When considering the combined effects of pressure and temperature, it is observed that an increased H2/CO ratio markedly enhances the pressure dependence of NH3/H2/CO flames, whereas its influence on temperature dependence remains relatively limited. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of NH3-based fuels in combustion systems.
{"title":"Mechanistic investigation of H2/CO ratio on laminar flame characteristics of NH3/syngas blends","authors":"Fahui Wang , Yan Guo , Dan Zhang , Huolong Chen , Zihan Liu , Jun Zhao","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102452","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102452","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Ammonia (NH<sub>3</sub>) blended with syngas offers a promising strategy for enhancing its combustion performance. However, the practical application of such fuel blends is frequently constrained by variations in the H<sub>2</sub>/CO ratio. This study combines an integrated experimental and numerical approach, incorporating both global and local sensitivity analyses, to elucidate how the H<sub>2</sub>/CO ratio affects the laminar burning velocity (<em>S</em><sub><em>L</em></sub>) and flame instability of NH<sub>3</sub>/H<sub>2</sub>/CO blends. The results reveal that variations in <em>S</em><sub><em>L</em></sub> are predominantly governed by chemical kinetic effects, which weaken as the equivalence ratio (Ф) increases. This behavior is affected by the competition among CO oxidation reactions, H radical consumption pathways, and third-body (H<sub>2</sub>O) termination reactions, in which both H and OH radicals play critical roles. Regarding the variation in flame instability with the H<sub>2</sub>/CO ratio, it is primarily governed by thermal diffusive instability and flame thickness effects. As the Ф changes, thermal diffusive dominates under fuel-lean conditions, whereas both thermal diffusive and the thermal expansion ratio collectively dominate flame instability under fuel-rich conditions. When considering the combined effects of pressure and temperature, it is observed that an increased H<sub>2</sub>/CO ratio markedly enhances the pressure dependence of NH<sub>3</sub>/H<sub>2</sub>/CO flames, whereas its influence on temperature dependence remains relatively limited. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of NH<sub>3</sub>-based fuels in combustion systems.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102452"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-09","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926938","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-08DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102449
Ijaz Hussain , Gazali Tanimu , Niladri Maity , Khalid Alhooshani , Saheed Ganiyu , Abdullah Aitani , Mohammad Alalouni , Mohammad Aljishi , Emad N. Al-Shafei
The pressing urge to address climate change and reduce atmospheric CO2 levels has driven significant research into CO2 conversion technologies. Among these, the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction presents a promising pathway for transforming CO2 into CO, which can subsequently be utilized in syngas conversion processes to generate valuable chemicals and fuels. However, the RWGS reaction faces challenges related to its moderate endothermic nature and competition with the highly exothermic CO2 methanation reaction at low temperatures. Enhancing low-temperature reaction efficiency and CO selectivity remains a critical focus in catalyst development. This review paper explores novel developments in diverse catalyst materials and presents practical insights into thermocatalytic pathways for the RWGS reaction. Emerging strategies for improving CO2 conversion efficiency, CO selectivity, and energy utilization are explored. Additionally, reactor designs, operational parameters, and their integration with other processes are analyzed to enhance overall process performance. A techno-economic assessment is presented, highlighting the feasibility and potential impacts of these advancements, along with recommendations for future research directions. This work underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to overcome existing challenges and realize the full potential of RWGS technologies for sustainable CO2 utilization.
{"title":"Sustainable thermocatalytic conversion of CO2 to fuels and chemicals via reverse water-gas shift reactions for carbon neutrality","authors":"Ijaz Hussain , Gazali Tanimu , Niladri Maity , Khalid Alhooshani , Saheed Ganiyu , Abdullah Aitani , Mohammad Alalouni , Mohammad Aljishi , Emad N. Al-Shafei","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102449","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102449","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The pressing urge to address climate change and reduce atmospheric CO<sub>2</sub> levels has driven significant research into CO<sub>2</sub> conversion technologies. Among these, the reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction presents a promising pathway for transforming CO<sub>2</sub> into CO, which can subsequently be utilized in syngas conversion processes to generate valuable chemicals and fuels. However, the RWGS reaction faces challenges related to its moderate endothermic nature and competition with the highly exothermic CO<sub>2</sub> methanation reaction at low temperatures. Enhancing low-temperature reaction efficiency and CO selectivity remains a critical focus in catalyst development. This review paper explores novel developments in diverse catalyst materials and presents practical insights into thermocatalytic pathways for the RWGS reaction. Emerging strategies for improving CO<sub>2</sub> conversion efficiency, CO selectivity, and energy utilization are explored. Additionally, reactor designs, operational parameters, and their integration with other processes are analyzed to enhance overall process performance. A techno-economic assessment is presented, highlighting the feasibility and potential impacts of these advancements, along with recommendations for future research directions. This work underscores the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration to overcome existing challenges and realize the full potential of RWGS technologies for sustainable CO<sub>2</sub> utilization.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102449"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-08","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"146034579","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102444
Jinling Li , Geyu Wu , Fang Miao , Bo Yang , Chengtun Qu , Tao Yu , Feng Zhang
As an inevitable by-product of petroleum production, oily sludge poses significant environmental risks and considerable resource potential. To improve the utilization of oily sludge and reduce its environmental impact, the effects of CaO on the pyrolysis behavior and product characteristics of simulated oily sludge were studied using thermogravimetric analysis and a fixed-bed reactor. The special attention was focused on the migration and transformation of sulfur and nitrogen during the pyrolysis process. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters derived from the Starink, FWO, and KAS methods showed that CaO reduced the activation energy of the process. Both ΔH and ΔG increased with the conversion degree (α) and were positive, while ΔS changed from negative to positive, and all of them suggested that the reaction activity was enhanced. With the increase of CaO addition, the yield of char increased, whereas the yields of oil and gas decreased. At an addition of 8 wt% CaO, the maximum of aromatic hydrocarbons was 16.45 %, and the relative contents of H2, CO, and CH4 in the gas phase were 18.60 vol%, 1.68 vol%, and 26.87 vol%, respectively. During the pyrolysis, CaO interacted with H2S, SO2, and other S species, forming CaS, some amounts of CaSO3, and CaSO4 to immobilize sulfur in char and reduce its release into the gas phase. On the contrary, the distribution of nitrogen in char, oil, and gas only had a slight change, as CaO primarily facilitated the interconversion of N-containing species without demonstrating strong N-fixing capabilities.
{"title":"Effect of CaO on the product distribution and S/N migration and transformation during oily sludge pyrolysis","authors":"Jinling Li , Geyu Wu , Fang Miao , Bo Yang , Chengtun Qu , Tao Yu , Feng Zhang","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102444","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102444","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>As an inevitable by-product of petroleum production, oily sludge poses significant environmental risks and considerable resource potential. To improve the utilization of oily sludge and reduce its environmental impact, the effects of CaO on the pyrolysis behavior and product characteristics of simulated oily sludge were studied using thermogravimetric analysis and a fixed-bed reactor. The special attention was focused on the migration and transformation of sulfur and nitrogen during the pyrolysis process. Kinetic and thermodynamic parameters derived from the Starink, FWO, and KAS methods showed that CaO reduced the activation energy of the process. Both <em>ΔH</em> and <em>ΔG</em> increased with the conversion degree (<em>α</em>) and were positive, while <em>ΔS</em> changed from negative to positive, and all of them suggested that the reaction activity was enhanced. With the increase of CaO addition, the yield of char increased, whereas the yields of oil and gas decreased. At an addition of 8 wt% CaO, the maximum of aromatic hydrocarbons was 16.45 %, and the relative contents of H<sub>2</sub>, CO, and CH<sub>4</sub> in the gas phase were 18.60 vol%, 1.68 vol%, and 26.87 vol%, respectively. During the pyrolysis, CaO interacted with H<sub>2</sub>S, SO<sub>2</sub>, and other S species, forming CaS, some amounts of CaSO<sub>3,</sub> and CaSO<sub>4</sub> to immobilize sulfur in char and reduce its release into the gas phase. On the contrary, the distribution of nitrogen in char, oil, and gas only had a slight change, as CaO primarily facilitated the interconversion of N-containing species without demonstrating strong N-fixing capabilities.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102444"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145926936","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102451
Cheng-Du Guan , Yong-Chao Qi , Zhong-Hao Jiang , Ai-Min Wang , Ni Bai , Jin-Zhong Chen , Ai-Rong Mao , Zi-Long Zhao , Lin Lang , Jian Wei , Jin-Xi Wang , Jin-Jun Bai
The production of hydrocarbon-rich oil from low-rank coal via catalytic hydrocracking holds significant potential for applications in fuel production, chemical feedstock, and energy storage and conversion. However, enhancing the yield of derived oil while maximizing heteroatom removal to increase the proportion of hydrocarbons remains a major challenge. To address this, we developed a magnetic Zr@Co/C600 catalyst with a core-shell structure, where ZIF-67-derived cobalt is uniformly dispersed on a nitrogen-doped porous carbon matrix as the core, and ZrO2 serves as the protective shell. This catalyst exhibits a high specific surface area, well-defined mesoporous architecture, abundant acid sites (particularly strong acidic sites), and multiple active species containing nitrogen, oxygen, and cobalt. It demonstrates superior performance in cleaving > C–O– bridge bonds and removing heteroatoms. Moreover, the core-shell design effectively prevents the aggregation and leaching of active components, ensuring structural stability and sustained catalytic activity over five reuse cycles. DFT calculations reveal the energy barriers associated with the transition states of benzyloxybenzene reactions involving various active hydrogen species, offering theoretical support for elucidating the catalytic hydrogenation reaction mechanism. When applied to the catalytic hydrocracking of Xiwan subbituminous coal, the Zr@Co/C600 catalyst increases the yield of soluble products from 10.4 wt% (non-catalytic) to 19.8 wt%. Furthermore, the relative contents of arenes and alkanes in the light oil fraction rise from 45.8 % to 57.9 % and from 20.5 % to 23.0 %, respectively, while those of arenols and other heteroatom-containing compounds decrease significantly.
{"title":"Hydrocarbon-rich oils from subbituminous coal via facilitated hydrocracking over a tailored Zr@Co/C600 core-shell catalyst","authors":"Cheng-Du Guan , Yong-Chao Qi , Zhong-Hao Jiang , Ai-Min Wang , Ni Bai , Jin-Zhong Chen , Ai-Rong Mao , Zi-Long Zhao , Lin Lang , Jian Wei , Jin-Xi Wang , Jin-Jun Bai","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102451","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102451","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>The production of hydrocarbon-rich oil from low-rank coal via catalytic hydrocracking holds significant potential for applications in fuel production, chemical feedstock, and energy storage and conversion. However, enhancing the yield of derived oil while maximizing heteroatom removal to increase the proportion of hydrocarbons remains a major challenge. To address this, we developed a magnetic Zr@Co/C<sub>600</sub> catalyst with a core-shell structure, where ZIF-67-derived cobalt is uniformly dispersed on a nitrogen-doped porous carbon matrix as the core, and ZrO<sub>2</sub> serves as the protective shell. This catalyst exhibits a high specific surface area, well-defined mesoporous architecture, abundant acid sites (particularly strong acidic sites), and multiple active species containing nitrogen, oxygen, and cobalt. It demonstrates superior performance in cleaving > C–O– bridge bonds and removing heteroatoms. Moreover, the core-shell design effectively prevents the aggregation and leaching of active components, ensuring structural stability and sustained catalytic activity over five reuse cycles. DFT calculations reveal the energy barriers associated with the transition states of benzyloxybenzene reactions involving various active hydrogen species, offering theoretical support for elucidating the catalytic hydrogenation reaction mechanism. When applied to the catalytic hydrocracking of Xiwan subbituminous coal, the Zr@Co/C<sub>600</sub> catalyst increases the yield of soluble products from 10.4 wt% (non-catalytic) to 19.8 wt%. Furthermore, the relative contents of arenes and alkanes in the light oil fraction rise from 45.8 % to 57.9 % and from 20.5 % to 23.0 %, respectively, while those of arenols and other heteroatom-containing compounds decrease significantly.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102451"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145978148","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Pub Date : 2026-01-07DOI: 10.1016/j.joei.2026.102445
Sai Wang , Xinsheng Jiang , Binbin Yu , Keyu Lin , Run Li , Yunxiong Cai
In the construction of diesel surrogates, selecting excessive light or heavy hydrocarbons can not precisely represent the true properties of real fuels, thus can not successfully capture subsequent in-cylinder atomization, ignition and combustion characteristics. Towards higher-accuracy property prediction of actual diesel, this research targets to develop a five-component skeletal mechanism containing moderate amounts of light and heavy hydrocarbons. By selecting the appropriate hydrocarbons, optimizing the composition with seven properties as optimized target, and comparing with recently available diesel surrogates from literature, a diesel surrogate model consisting of 22.9 % n-hexadecane (HXN), 16.8 % iso-octane, 6.5 % 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane (HMN), 20.6 % decalin and 33.2 % toluene by mole fraction was formulated. Then, a skeletal mechanism was developed via decoupling methodology, involving a skeletal C0-C3 mechanism and skeletal sub-mechanisms of HXN, iso-octane, HMN, decalin and toluene. An optimized mechanism was obtained by optimizing the rate constant based on the sensitivity analysis of ignition delay times (IDTs) and laminar flame speed (LFS). After that, the skeletal mechanism was widely verified against experimental data such as IDTs, species concentration profile and LFS of five components and actual fuel. Finally, the feasibility of the mechanism in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations is further verified by experimental data. Results suggested that the simulations were in accordance with the data measured in fundamental combustion experiment and engine in-cylinder combustion, indicating that the mechanism can be adopted for simulating auto-ignition and oxidation of real diesel and modeling of practical engines.
{"title":"Development of a skeletal mechanism for five-component diesel surrogate model by emulating physical and chemical properties","authors":"Sai Wang , Xinsheng Jiang , Binbin Yu , Keyu Lin , Run Li , Yunxiong Cai","doi":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102445","DOIUrl":"10.1016/j.joei.2026.102445","url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>In the construction of diesel surrogates, selecting excessive light or heavy hydrocarbons can not precisely represent the true properties of real fuels, thus can not successfully capture subsequent in-cylinder atomization, ignition and combustion characteristics. Towards higher-accuracy property prediction of actual diesel, this research targets to develop a five-component skeletal mechanism containing moderate amounts of light and heavy hydrocarbons. By selecting the appropriate hydrocarbons, optimizing the composition with seven properties as optimized target, and comparing with recently available diesel surrogates from literature, a diesel surrogate model consisting of 22.9 % n-hexadecane (HXN), 16.8 % iso-octane, 6.5 % 2,2,4,4,6,8,8-heptamethylnonane (HMN), 20.6 % decalin and 33.2 % toluene by mole fraction was formulated. Then, a skeletal mechanism was developed via decoupling methodology, involving a skeletal C<sub>0</sub>-C<sub>3</sub> mechanism and skeletal sub-mechanisms of HXN, iso-octane, HMN, decalin and toluene. An optimized mechanism was obtained by optimizing the rate constant based on the sensitivity analysis of ignition delay times (IDTs) and laminar flame speed (LFS). After that, the skeletal mechanism was widely verified against experimental data such as IDTs, species concentration profile and LFS of five components and actual fuel. Finally, the feasibility of the mechanism in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations is further verified by experimental data. Results suggested that the simulations were in accordance with the data measured in fundamental combustion experiment and engine in-cylinder combustion, indicating that the mechanism can be adopted for simulating auto-ignition and oxidation of real diesel and modeling of practical engines.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":17287,"journal":{"name":"Journal of The Energy Institute","volume":"125 ","pages":"Article 102445"},"PeriodicalIF":6.2,"publicationDate":"2026-01-07","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"145927012","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"工程技术","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
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