Process intensification for sustainable energy conversion

Carlos Ortega

doi:10.1515/gps-2015-0079

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Process intensification for sustainable energy conversion

Carlos Ortega

Published/Copyright: September 22, 2015

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From the journal Green Processing and Synthesis Volume 4 Issue 5

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Gallucci Fausto van Sint Annaland Martin John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. 2015 Hardcover, 408 pp. Print ISBN: 978-1-118-44935-6 Online ISBN: 978-1-118-44939-4

Process intensification for sustainable energy conversion, by Fausto Gallucci and Martin van Sint Annaland, is a comprehensive text that contributes to close the gap between process intensification concepts and sustainable energy technologies.

The book is divided into 11 chapters, in which the authors address topics such as: carbon capture, fuel conversion, fuel cells, conversion of biomass, bioenergy, solar processes and blue energy.

Chapter 1 is devoted to the introduction. Here, the reader can understand the importance of the topics discussed on the book and its organization.

A novel cryogenic carbon capture process is presented in chapter 2. The authors provide a description of the process, simulation results, economic data evaluation and description of proof of concept at the laboratory and pilot scale.

In chapter 3 the authors discuss carbon capture via the pre-combustion decarbonization process using membrane reactors (MR). This process allows simultaneous productions of H₂ with CO₂ capture in a single unit. Three types of MRs are described: packed bed, fluidized bed and micro-membrane reactors.

Then in chapter 4 the authors address the oxyfuel combustion process using O₂ permeation membranes, which provides the O₂needed by the reaction. In a similar topic, chapter 5 deals with chemical looping combustion (CLC). In this case O₂ is provided to the reaction via an oxygen carrier (OC) that transports it from an air reactor, where the OC is regenerated, to a fuel reactor, where the combustion occurs.

In chapter 6 the use of sorbents to improve fuel conversion is discussed. Two sorption-enhanced reactions are addressed: steam methane reforming and water gas shift reaction. The authors describe processes, sorbents and application of these novel technologies in power plants with CO₂ capture.

In chapter 7 the authors address the production of H₂ for fuel cell application by means of Pd-based membranes. Several raw materials are analyzed, as well as the use of microstructure membrane reactors and integration of fuel cells with Pd-based membranes.

Then, in chapters 8 and 11 the authors focus on biomass conversion. Description of projects and facilities available in Europe are given, together with an explanation of main process steps: (i) gasification; (ii) gas cleaning (detailed in chapter 11); and (iii) synthetic natural gas production (only, chapter 8).

In chapter 9 the authors address energy production by means of salinity gradients. Several processes are discussed and emphasis is put on pressure retarded osmosis technology.

In chapter 10 the authors discuss the use of solar energy as a source of heat for industry. Descriptions of potential uses, bottlenecks and use of process intensification to increase the benefits of solar energy are addressed.

In conclusion, this book is a great piece of technical literature. The topics discussed throughout the 11 chapters are well interconnected and this can be easily observed as the reader moves from one chapter to the other. This generates a feeling of coherence, that added to a clear structure and writing style, facilitates the reading and makes it a pleasant experience. The use of figures to present examples and tables to summarize data is extensive, which contributes to an easy understanding of the concepts explained. Of distinctive value is the inclusion of figures with thorough process descriptions, because not only a specific concept can be visualized, but also how this concept integrates on a real-scale process can be understood. Also, a great deal of recent literature is cited throughout the book, which allows the reader to deepen their knowledge in any particular topic. Finally, this book is valuable reference material for postgraduate students, researchers and professionals working with novel technologies for sustainable energy conversion.

Published Online: 2015-9-22

Published in Print: 2015-10-1

This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License, which permits unrestricted non-commercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original work is properly cited.

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