LAPSE:2023.0665
Published Article
LAPSE:2023.0665
Coal-Scenedesmus Microalgae Co-Firing in a Fixed Bed Combustion Reactor: A Study on CO2, SO2 and NOx Emissions and Ash
February 20, 2023
This study investigated the effect of coal−Scenedesmus microalgae (with blending ratios of 100:0 (coal), 95:5 (Coalgae® 5%), 90:10 (Coalgae® 10%), 85:15 (Coalgae® 15%) and 80:20 (Coalgae® 20%)) on combustion temperature, mass loss, the formation of CO2, SO2 and NOx gases, and ash content under constant atmospheric air flow. Coalgae® refers to a material formed after blending coal and microalgae. The results showed that NOx came mainly from Coalgae® 10% and 15%, and this observation could be attributed to a variable air concentration level (O2 level) in the environment that could influence NOx during the combustion process, irrespective of the blending ratios. CO2 emission reductions (12%, 17%, 21% and 29%) and SO2 emission reductions (3%, 12%, 16% and 19%) increased with the increasing coal-microalgae blending ratio (Coalgae® 5−20%), respectively. Bubble-like morphology was observed in the ash particles of coal−microalgae blends through SEM, while the TEM confirmed the formation of carbon-based sheets and graphitic-based nanocomposites influenced by the microalgae amounts. Ash residues of the coal−microalgae blends contained high amounts of fluxing compounds (Fe2O3, K2O, CaO and MgO), which resulted in an increased base/acid ratio from 0.189 (coal) to 0.568 (Coalgae® 20%). Based on the above findings, the co-firing of coal−Scenedesmus microalgae led to a reduction in CO2, SO2, and NOx emissions. As such, lower Coalgae® blends can be considered as an alternative fuel in any coal-driven process for energy generation.
Keywords
ash residue, co-firing, Coal, greenhouse gas emissions, Scenedesmus microalgae
Suggested Citation
Magida NE, Dugmore G, Ogunlaja AS. Coal-Scenedesmus Microalgae Co-Firing in a Fixed Bed Combustion Reactor: A Study on CO2, SO2 and NOx Emissions and Ash. (2023). LAPSE:2023.0665
Author Affiliations
Magida NE: Department of Chemistry, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa; InnoVenton: Institute for Chemical Technology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa [ORCID]
Dugmore G: InnoVenton: Institute for Chemical Technology, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa
Ogunlaja AS: Department of Chemistry, Nelson Mandela University, Port Elizabeth 6031, South Africa [ORCID]
Journal Name
Processes
Volume
10
Issue
11
First Page
2183
Year
2022
Publication Date
2022-10-25
Published Version
ISSN
2227-9717
Version Comments
Original Submission
Other Meta
PII: pr10112183, Publication Type: Journal Article
Record Map
Published Article

LAPSE:2023.0665
This Record
External Link

doi:10.3390/pr10112183
Publisher Version
Download
Files
[Download 1v1.pdf] (3.7 MB)
Feb 20, 2023
Main Article
License
CC BY 4.0
Meta
Record Statistics
Record Views
113
Version History
[v1] (Original Submission)
Feb 20, 2023
 
Verified by curator on
Feb 20, 2023
This Version Number
v1
Citations
Most Recent
This Version
URL Here
https://psecommunity.org/LAPSE:2023.0665
 
Original Submitter
Auto Uploader for LAPSE
Links to Related Works
Directly Related to This Work
Publisher Version