Investigating the NS Power Biomass power plant biochar waste product as a value-added enhanced adsorbent material and catalyst support

由新斯科舍省电力公司运营的位于NS的Point Tupper的生物质发电机产生生物炭， 从飞灰废物流的副产品。这种生物炭具有类似于从生物质中产生的生物碳的性质。 桦木和其他木制品，它们都显示出对水溶液中重金属的增强吸附性能， 解决方案通过与NS Power合作，我们希望调查这种生物碳的潜力， 作为废物大量产生，用作重金属和其他物质的吸附剂， 材料和作为催化剂载体。与昂贵的高活性炭不同，生物炭的生产成本较低， 温度保持不同的表面化学形式的氧和氮的功能 组它们可以通过化学键可逆地和选择性地与溶解的分子相互作用， 比活性炭可用的简单物理吸附强得多。除了一般 表征和吸附测试，具体的工业相关应用将进行调查， 水产养殖，河流和矿山废物修复，以及生物炭预计将输送的催化作用 在有效性和成本方面取得了重大改进。现有的表面功能也将 根据目标应用进行改造，例如，选择性金属螯合和催化物种 隔离由于粉煤灰生物炭是现有工业的废物， 为新斯科舍省电力公司将废物处理的成本转化为增值吸附剂的收入流。的 该产品的开发将扩大到包括其他偶然和有目的的来源， 合成生物炭材料。

The biomass power generator at Point Tupper, NS, operated by Nova Scotia Power, generates biochar as a by-product from the fly ash waste stream. This biochar has properties similar to biocarbons generated from birch and other wood products, which all show enhanced adsorption properties for heavy metals in aqueous solutions. In collaboration with NS Power, we would like to investigate the potential for this biocarbon, which is generated in high quantities as a waste product, to be used as an adsorbent for heavy metals and other materials, and as a catalyst support. Unlike expensive highly activated carbon, biochar produced at lower temperatures retains diverse surface chemistry in the form of oxygen and nitrogen containing functional groups. These can reversibly and selectively interact with dissolved molecules through chemical bonds, which are much stronger than simple physical adsorption available to activated carbon. In addition to general characterization and adsorption testing, specific industrially relevant applications will be investigated related to aquaculture, stream and mine waste remediation, and catalysis for which the biochar is expected to convey significant improvements in terms of effectiveness and cost. Existing surface functionality will also be transformed with targeted applications in mind, e.g., selective metal chelation and catalytic species sequestration. Because the fly ash biochar is a waste product of an existing industry it provides an opportunity to convert a cost, waste disposal, into a revenue stream, value-added adsorbent, for Nova Scotia Power. The development of this product would be expandable to include other sources of incidental and purposefully synthesized biochar materials.