The influence of various waste mixtures on the combustion process in a grate furnace was investigated at the test plant TAMARA. Measurements were carried out inside the combustion chamber by monitoring temperatures and sampling gaseous combustion products and heavy metals. The data were verified by element and energy bal­ ances. The different fuel fractions influence the combustion process by p...

Most catalytic micro/nanomotors that have been developed so far use hydrogen peroxide as fuel, while some use hydrazine. These fuels are difficult to apply because they can cause skin irritation, and often form and store disruptive bubbles. In this paper, we demonstrate a novel catalytic Pt micromotor that does not produce bubbles, and is driven by the oxidation of stable, non-toxic primary alc...

Dr. Pradeep Agrawal’s research is focused on the development of thermochemical pathways for converting lignocellulosic biomass into fuels and chemicals. One approach involves hydrolysis of hemi-cellulose, cellulose, and lignin into monomers which offer an alternate platform for transportation fuels and chemicals. The results offer promise for developing a green chemistry approach so that organi...

There are currently strong incentives for increased use of renewable fuels in the transport sector worldwide. However, some bioethanol and biodiesel production routes have limitations with regard to resource efficiency and reduction of greenhouse gases. More efficient biofuel systems are those based on lignocelluloses and novel conversion technologies. A complementary strategy to these is to in...

The conversion of renewable cellulosic biomass into fuels and chemicals has attracted increased attention with the growing demand for sustainability. However, one fundamental challenge is that saccharides, the major component of cellulosic biomass, are highly oxygen-rich when compared with the majority of current commodity chemicals and fuels. The polyol structure also generally presents poor s...

The unlimited abundance of solar resources ensures that photovoltaic technologies have the potential to supply a significant amount of the energy required to fulfill currentand futureenergy demands while reducing greenhousegases emissions. So far, the high cost of photovoltaics compared to other energy sources has limited their use. However, emerging technologies, such as organic photovoltaics ...

This paper reviews literature on co-firing of coal with biomass fuels. Here, the term biomass includes organic matter produced as a result of photosynthesis as well as municipal, industrial and animal waste material. Brief summaries of the basic concepts involved in the combustion of coal and biomass fuels are presented. Different classes of co-firing methods are identified. Experimental result...

The effects of air pollution on health have been recognized for many hundreds of years. In London, during December 1952, a particularly bad smog, which involved extreme elevations of both SO 2 and black smoke, was associated with more than 1,000 extra deaths during a 5-d period (1). The majority of the pollution responsible for smogs is derived from the domestic and industrial burning of fossil...

Groundwater contamination by fuel spills from aboveground and underground storage tanks has been of growing concern in recent years. This problem has been magnified by the addition of oxygenates, such as ethanol and methyl-tertiary-butyl ether (MTBE) to fuels to reduce vehicular emissions to the atmosphere. These additives, although beneficial in reducing atmospheric pollution, may, however, in...