Aggregate from ash

The use of combustion products in the manufacture of building materials

Coal combustion products (CCPs) or fly ash are widely used as an additive to cement. However ashes of different origin, including biomass combustion products and bottom ash or ash-slag mixtures remain unused so far. We offer a technology to use all  these materials as a raw material for the manufacture of lightweight aggregate in a sintering process. An important element of our technology is an autothermic way of processing, which is provided by the feedstock of sufficiently large calorific value, i.e. the external energy source is not necessary except for the moment of start-up.

Supercritical water oxidation (SCWO)

Technology of oxidation in supercritical water for the disposal of hazardous waste

Our solution is based on the conversion of organic waste  to simple inorganic products (mainly CO₂, H₂O, and N₂) in supercritical aqueous solutions. The method utilizes specific physicochemical properties of water above its critical point (tc =374°C; pc= 22.1 MPa) and, in particular, its reduced viscosity and increased diffusion coefficient. Thanks to the supercritical water conditions the conversion of organic compounds containing nitrogen into environment-friendly N₂ is thermodynamically favoured over the conversion to toxic nitrogen oxides (NOₓ).
We aim to ensure the exothermic effect of the reaction which should sustain the oxidation process. In some cases the configuration is even able to generate a redundancy of heat, which may be used externally. Our solutions are, in our opinion, perfectly dedicated for the utilization of water-soluble organic waste that are difficult to separate from the waste water. They can be also successfully applied to the utilization of water-immiscible organic waste, in the form of an emulsion or suspension. Our solution is ideal for the improvement of water management processes. It guarantees recovery of water purified of organic waste, at the same time eliminating and not just concentrating waste. In addition, the conversion of organic waste in supercritical water solutions is much greener than traditional combustion methods which are a heavy burden to the environment.

Other

Processing of industrial wastewater containing heavy metals

Processing of hazardous waste is a very complex issue and one of its most important problems is the content of heavy metals. Their presence forcibly suppresses the growth of microorganisms used in the bioconversion of waste. We conduct research on the use of sorbents based on natural lignocellulosic materials (wood, bark, straw) for the selective binding of metal ions. The most important issue, from the point of view of the effectiveness of the process, is a microporous structure of these sorbents. Our research focuses on changing this structure by the means of physical, chemical, thermal and mechanical methods. We use a modern method of reverse exclusion chromatography, which allows for analysis of wet porosity materials in conditions corresponding to the technological processes. We mark the effectiveness of sorbents by analysing the chemical composition of the sorbents and waste, as well as the toxicity to aquatic organisms (Lemna minor, Daphia sp., Artemia salinas)

Energetic utilization of by-products of chemical processes

Many technologies of chemical, pharmaceutical, wood or agro-food industries produce by-products that are difficult to process, and as a result they become waste, often dangerous and burdensome to the environment. We offer a solution which utilises them as a source of extra energy that could be used by an enterprise. A specific technology is adapted to the particular substances generated at the client's enterprise. The key issue is to provide such oxidation conditions which eliminate the creation of harmful gases, especially nitrogen and sulphur oxides.

Biofuel technologies, including biofuels obtained of wood production waste and postconsumer waste

In Poland an intensive research on the technology of second generation bioethanol obtained from lignocellulosic biomass has been carried out. Wood, straw and agricultural waste, among others, have been tested as the raw material. On the other hand, in Poland there is a very well-developed wood industry, which generally does not generate pure wood waste. However an important problem is processing industry of wood materials containing different kinds of glues and resins, typically urea-formaldehyde and phenol-formaldehyde. Post-production waste (edgings, dust), as well as postconsumer waste (old cabinets, shelves, panels, etc.) constitute a material that is not suitable for recycling and at the same time cannot be used directly as a fuel. Explo Solution is developing a technology of pre-treatment of such waste materials, allowing their use as raw materials used to produce bioethanol. We place the main emphasis on the following aspects in our studies: the decomposition of formaldehyde resins, protection against emission of formaldehyde and phenolic compounds into the environment, the microstructure of wood and its accessibility to the hydrolytic enzymes. Our technology will not only increase the raw material base for bioethanol technology but also creates a solution to the problem of processed wood waste.