UNDERSTANDING HYDROTHERMAL CARBONIZATION OF MIXED FEEDSTOCKS FOR WASTE CONVERSION

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is an environmentally beneficial means to convert waste materials to value-added solid and liquid products with minimal greenhouse gas emission. Research is lacking on understanding the influence of critical process conditions on product formation and environmental implication associated with HTC of waste streams. This work was conducted to determine how reaction conditions and heterogeneous compound mixtures (representative of municipal wastes) influence hydrothermal carbonization processes. The specific experiments include: (1) determine how carbonization product properties are manipulated by controlling feedstock composition, process conditions, and catalyst addition; (2) determine if carbonization of heterogeneous mixtures follows similar pathways as that with pure feedstocks; and (3) evaluate and compare the carbon and energy-related implications associated with carbonization products with those associated with other common waste management processes for solid waste