Microwave treatment
| Technology | |
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| Technology details | |
| Name: | Microwave pre-treatment |
| Category: | Pre-processing (Physical processes and technologies), Post-processing (Physical processes and technologies) |
| Feedstock: | Food and kitchen waste (lignocellulosic materials), Garden and park waste (lignocellulosic materials) |
| Product: | Fermentable sugar |
For microwave (MW) treatment electromagnetic radiation is used to induce thermal and non-thermal effects that drive physical, chemical or biological reactions[1]. As a rapid and effective heating source with both thermal and non-thermal effects, MW can directly interact with the material, thereby accelerating chemical, physical, and biologic reactions.[2] Microwave treatment causes a rise in the temperature within a penetrated medium as a result of rapid changes of the electromagnetic field at high frequency.[3] The technology is usually applied in food drying or to break down the structure of lignocellulosic biowaste leading to the release of different substances, such as fermentable sugars.
Feedstock
Origin and composition
Microwave irradiation has been successfully used in the pretreatment of several biowaste streams, including agricultural residues, woody biomass, grass, energy plants, and industrial residuals.[4]
Pre-treatment
Process and technologies
The breakdown of lignocellulosic biomass into its monomers and oligomers is induced via molecular collision due to dielectric polarisation[5]. Compared to other thermal treatments, the technology brings several advantages, such as reduced plant footprint, higher throughput, higher reaction rates, as well as higher yield and purity[1]. However, a disadvantage is the unequal distribution of the applied microwave power through non-homogeneous material (such as differences in composition, geometry, or size) as well as local overheating through resonance (electromagnetic wave reflection and formation of standing waves) and low penetration for bulk materials [5].
The process can also be combined with chemicals such as alkaline (to remove lignin), acid (to remove hemicellulose), ammonia, and metal salts[1].
Product
- Fermentable sugar (e.g. for bio-alcohol production)
Post-treatment
Technology providers
| Company name | Country | Technology category | Technology name | TRL | Capacity [kg/h] | Temperature [°C] | Frequency [GHz] | Power [W] | Penetration depth [cm] | Processable volume [L] | Feedstock: Food waste | Feedstock: Garden & park waste |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Company 1 | [Country HQ location] | [Technology category (if different sub-categories are defined this has to be specified here, the available categories can be found on each technology page under the chapter Process and technologies)] | [Technology name (the "branded name" or the usual naming from company side)] | [4-9] | [numeric value] | |||||||
| Company 2 | [Country HQ location] | [(if different sub-categories are defined this has to be specified here, the available categories can be found on each technology page under the chapter Process and technologies)] | [Technology name (the "branded name" or the usual naming from company side)] | [4-9] | [numeric value] | ● |
Company 1
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| Technology and process details | |||
| Technology name: | Technology category: | Pre-processing (Physical processes and technologies), Post-processing (Physical processes and technologies) | |
| TRL: | Capacity: | kg·h-1 | |
| Frequency: | GHz | Penetration depth: | cm |
| Power: | W | Processable volume: | L |
| Temperature: | °C | Other: | |
| Feedstock and product details | |||
| Feedstock: | Product: | ||
Anton paar
Biotage
Biowave Technologies
| General information | |||
| Company: | Biowave Technologies | 
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| Country: | Ireland | ||
| Contact: | info@biowave-tech.com | ||
| Webpage: | www.biowave-tech.com | ||
| Technology and process details | |||
| Technology name: | Microwave pre-treatment | Technology category: | Pre-processing (Physical processes and technologies), Post-processing (Physical processes and technologies) |
| TRL: | 7 | Capacity: | 500-8000 kg·h-1 |
| Frequency: | 0.915 GHz | Penetration depth: | cm |
| Power: | 30,000-300,000 W | Processable volume: | 500-8000 L |
| Temperature: | °C | Other: | |
| Feedstock and product details | |||
| Feedstock: | Dairy processing waste, FOG waste, waste activated sludge, agricultural residues, food waste | Product: | Digestible feedstock for AD |
Biowave Technologies transform organic waste streams into renewable energy resources.
Cem GmbH
Milestone Srl
Sairem
Open access pilot and demo facility providers
Currently no providers have been identified.
Patents
Currently no patents have been identified.
References
- ↑ a b c Ethaib, S., Omar, R., Kamal, S. M. M., Biak, D. R. A., 2015: MICROWAVE-ASSISTED PRETREATMENT OF LIGNOCELLULOSICBIOMASS: A REVIEW. Journal of Engineering Science and Technology, Vol. January (2015), 97-109. doi: https://doi.org/
- ↑ Jian Xu, 2014: Microwave Pretreatment. Pretreatment of Biomass: Processes and Technologies. Ashok Pandey, Sangeeta Negi, Parmeswaran Binod, Christian Larroche (Ed.). Elsevier, Amsterdam.
- ↑ Anthony R. Bird, Amparo Lopez-Rubio, Ashok K. Shrestha, Michael J. Gidley, 2009: Resistant Starch in Vitro and in Vivo: Factors Determining Yield, Structure, and Physiological Relevance. Modern Biopolymer Science. Stefan Kasapis, Ian T. Norton, Johan B. Ubbink (Ed.). Elsevier, Amsterdam.
- ↑ Ashok Pandey, Sangeeta Negi, Parameswaran Binod, Christian Larroche, 2014: Chapter 9 - Microwave Pretreatment. Pretreatment of biomass : processes and technologies. {{{editor}}} (Ed.). Elsevier BV, Amsterdam.
- ↑ a b Alejandra Aguilar-Reynosa, Aloia Romaní, Rosa Ma. Rodríguez-Jasso, Cristóbal N. Aguilar, Gil Garrote, Héctor A. Ruiz, 2017-03: Microwave heating processing as alternative of pretreatment in second-generation biorefinery: An overview. Energy Conversion and Management, Vol. 136, 50–65. doi: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.enconman.2017.01.004