No description available.

Due to the paucity of long-term harvest impact data, the primary goals of this study were to quantify the long-term effects of different harvest disturbances twenty-four years after harvest on two major wetland functions: stand productivity and C storage. This study evaluated the effects of three harvest types that were originally applied in 1986 to a tupelo (Nyssa aquatic)-cypress (Taxodium distichum) forested wetland in the Mobile-Tensaw River Delta of southwestern Alabama. Treatments were: 1. Helicopter harvest (HELI), 2. Skidder simulation where 50% of the site was rutted to a depth of 30 cm (SKID), and 3. Helicopter harvest followed by glyphosate herbicide removal of all sprouts and seedbank regeneration for two years following harvest (GLYPH). An adjacent mature stand (94 years old) within the same original composition represented mature forest or pre-harvest reference conditions (REF). Above- and belowground plant biomass, belowground woody debris, soil C, and soil CO2 efflux were measured. Twenty-four years after treatments were applied, forest C levels were higher in SKID treatments (206.1 Mg C ha-1) than in HELI treatments (168.7 Mg C ha-1). GLYPH treatments are holding less (144.2 Mg C ha-1) while REF areas hold 332.6 Mg C ha-1. SKID treatments are also holding the most biomass of all treatments with 243.2 Mg ha-1 of overstory biomass. Ecosystem C and biomass patterns indicate HELI and SKID are becoming similar to the original site conditions represented by the REF areas. The resiliency of these highly disturbed stands are explained by the frequent inputs of non-compacted sediments, presence of species well adapted to very poorly drained and aerated conditions, high rates of coppice regeneration, shrink-swell ameliorative properties of the soil and creation of more complex microtopography within SKID treatments. / Master of Science

Global warming is caused by the human induced increase of Greenhouse Gases (GHG) in the atmosphere. GHG emissions need to be reduced, and carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from fossil sources ceased to mitigate global warming. Energy production and use is a main contributor to fossil sourced emissions in Europe. Sweden has a high part renewable power production but not completely, to have a 100% renewable power production by 2040 is a goal set by Swedish government. By 2045 Sweden also plans to have net zero emissions nationwide and afterwards negative emissions of CO2, to reduce global warming and reach the Paris agreement of maximum 1.5°C global warming level it is urgent and vital to create Carbon (C) sinks and to reach neutral and even negative emissions within the energy sector. Negative emissions can be reached in Combined Heat and Power plants (CHP) by Bio Carbon Capture and Storage (Bio-CCS). Demand on wood chips and bio-energy fuel is increasing on the European continent. A local source of biofuel might contribute to shorter transports, a local C-sink, security in supply and a way to meet both the increasing competition of fuel and the environmental political targets. Here we investigate the available land for local production of bioenergy forests in Södertälje and the amount of energy possible to produce from that. Using a detailed biotope database over the municipality, Biotopdatabasen, and a Geographical Information System (GIS) based approach 5 scenarios of potential land areal for planting of energy forests in the municipality have been analysed. Different criteria selections in biotopes, grasslands and historical crop fields, and land use, used or un-used, builds the scenarios; 1. All available grasslands, 1010 ha, 2. All available grasslands on earlier crop fields, 815 ha, 3. Unused available grassland on earlier crop field, 300 ha, 4. Available land on earlier crop fields, including forestry, 1715 ha, 5. Unused available land on earlier crop fields, 366 ha. Gross annual energy yields from energy forest in the scenarios were estimated to; 1. 46,2-65,1 GWh/y, 2. 37,3-52,5 GWh/y, 3. 13,7-19,3 GWh/y, 4. 78,4-110,5 GWh/y, 5. 16,7-23,6 GWh/y. The yield from all these scenarios will, in the expected gross normal yield scenario, match the energy produced today by fossil fuels in the local CHP and heating plant (0.64%, 2020) yields 0.69-3.96% of total energy produced. Scenarios 3 and 5 are considered likely scenarios but the effect on spreading pathways and thereby biodiversity needs to be assessed, using old crop fields lowers the risk of harming important biodiversity and possibly help restore C sink in soils.

Die Speicherung von Kohlenstoff im Wald ist ein hochaktuelles, klimapolitisches Thema. Dabei werden als Speicher die lebende und die tote Baumbiomasse sowie die aus dem geernteten Holz hergestellten Produkte und deren Substitutionseffekte betrachtet. Die Kohlenstoffbindung in der lebenden Baumbiomasse der Wälder ist vornehmlich von der Baumart, dem Standort und der Waldbehandlung abhängig. Außerhalb des Wal- des, bei den Holzprodukten und deren Substitutionspotenzial, ist die Art und Dauer der Verwendung maßgeblich für die Kohlenstoffbindung. Forstbetriebe können durch ihre strategische Ausrichtung das Teilziel der Kohlenstoffspeicherung stärker gewichten und somit zum gesellschaftlich geforderten Klimaschutz einen Beitrag leisten. Dazu sind jedoch Kenntnisse über baumarten-, standort- und behandlungsspezifische Effekte notwendig, welche die Kohlenstoffspeicherung beeinflussen. Zu diesem Zweck wurden Simulationen einer naturnahen und einer kohlenstofforientierten waldbaulichen Behandlung der fünf wichtigsten Baumarten im niedersächsischen Landeswald auf bedeutenden Standortseinheiten durchgeführt. Die Hauptwirtschaftsbaumarten im Landeswald von Niedersachsen sind Eiche, Buche, Fichte, Douglasie und Kiefer. Die analysierten Standorte verteilen sich auf jeweils vier Wuchsbezirke im Tief- und Bergland. Für die Identifikation wichtiger Kombinationen aus Wasser- und Nährstoffversorgung sowie der entsprechenden Leistungsfähigkeit der Baumarten wurden Informationen der Standortskartierung sowie der Forsteinrichtung der Niedersächsischen Landesforsten genutzt. Auf der Grundlage der Betriebsinventur der Niedersächsischen Landesforsten konnten Modelle zur Generierung von Einzelbaumdaten erstellt werden, die insbesondere zur Schätzung der aktuellen Bestandesgrundflächen und der zu Grunde liegenden Durchmesserverteilungen genutzt wurden. Mit ihrer Hilfe konnten realitätsnahe Weiserbestände als Grundlage der Simulationen, entsprechend den Informationen aus Forsteinrichtung und Standortskartierung, generiert werden. Damit die waldbauliche Behandlung abgebildet werden kann, ist es notwendig die Durchforstungsstärke und -art nachzubilden. Unter Verwendung von ertragskundlichen Versuchsflächendaten der Nordwestdeutschen Forstlichen Versuchsanstalt wurden erstmalig mittels Quantilsregression baumartenspezifische Funktionen zur Bestimmung der maximalen Bestandesgrundfläche für Nordwestdeutschland hergeleitet. Diese stellen aufgrund der größeren Datengrundlage und der verwendeten Methoden eine Verbesserung im Vergleich zum vorher benutzten Ansatz der Nordwestdeutschen Forstlichen Versuchsanstalt dar. Mit ihnen lässt sich die maximale Bestandesgrundfläche sicherer schätzen. Zur Definition eines praxisnahen Nutzungskonzeptes mit unterschiedlichen Pflegephasen abgegrenzt durch bestimmte Höhenbereiche, wird die aktuelle Bestandesgrundfläche ins Verhältnis zur maximal möglichen Grundfläche des Bestandes gesetzt. Mit dem neu erstellten Konzept kann nun eine grundflächengesteuerte, gestaffelte Durchforstung ab- gebildet werden. Wobei mit den entwickelten Methoden auch die Nachbildung anderer Nutzungskonzepte möglich ist. Mit den generierten Weiserbeständen und dem Waldwachstumssimulator WaldPlaner wurden die Auswirkungen der verschiedenen waldbaulichen Behandlungen auf die Bestandesentwicklung und die Kohlenstoffspeicherung untersucht. Dazu wurden u. a. die Einzelbaumdaten mittels bekannter Funktionen aus der Literatur in Biomasse umgerechnet, ein neuer Holzverwendungsschlüssel zur Verteilung des eingeschlagenen Rohholzes zu Produktklassen aufgestellt und ein Modell zur Kaskadennutzung in die Auswertung integriert. Durch die Bildung einer Kohlenstoffspeicherrate sind Rückschlüsse über den Einfluss der Wasser- und Nährstoffversorgung auf die Kohlenstoffspeicherung möglich. Sie erlaubt die Vergleichbarkeit der Baumarten, der Standorte sowie der einzelnen Speicher. Es zeigt sich bei einer Gesamtbetrachtung der untersuchten Pools (lebende und tote Baumbiomasse, Holzprodukte sowie deren Substitutionspotenzial), dass sich die Kohlenstoffspeicherraten deutlich zwischen den Baumarten unterscheiden und sich folgende Reihung ergibt: Douglasie, Fichte > Kiefer > Buche, Eiche. Der Forstbetrieb kann durch eine standortgemäße Baumartenwahl und -mischung, die Waldbehandlung und der Berücksichtigung der erwartbaren Holzqualitäten und Risiken das Teilziel der Kohlenstoffspeicherung im Rahmen des strategischen Managements stärker gewichten. Dabei haben standortgerechte Nadelbaumarten eine große Klimaschutzwirkung. Sie sollten allerdings nur insoweit angebaut werden, als das die multifunktionale Nachhaltigkeit der Wälder nicht verletzt wird. Im Bereich der Holzverwendung ist die Kaskadennutzung und stoffliche Nutzung weiter auszubauen, um möglichst viele Holzprodukte im Zivilisationskreislauf zu halten und abschließend energetisch zu nutzen. Auf forstpolitischer Ebene ergeben sich verschiedene Handlungsfelder. Einerseits sind konkrete Wege zur Lösung von Zielkonflikten zwischen nationaler Klimapolitik und anderen Strategien (z. B. Nationale Biodiversitätsstrategie, Waldstrategie 2020) zu entwickeln. Andererseits ist die große Bedeutung der Wälder als Kohlenstoffspeicher und nachhaltiger Rohstofflieferant, intensiver als bisher, der Gesellschaft näher zu bringen. Dessen ungeachtet besteht noch enormer Forschungsbedarf über den Einfluss des Klimawandels und verschiedener Risiken sowie der Kaskadennutzung auf die Kohlenstoffspeicherung im Forst-Holz-Sektor.

Boreal peatlands store carbon sequestered from the atmosphere over millennia and the importance of this and the other ecosystem services these areas provide is now widely recognised. However, a changing climate will affect these environments and, consequently, the services they provide to the global population. The rate and direction of environmental change to peatlands is currently unclear and they have not yet been included in many climate models. This may in part be due to the ecological heterogeneity and spatial extent of these areas and the sparse sampling survey methods currently adopted. Hyperspectral remote sensing from satellite platforms may in future offer an approach to surveying and do so at the high spectral and spatial resolutions necessary to infer ecological change in these peatlands. However, work is required to develop methods of analysis to determine if hyperspectral data can be used to measure the overstorey vegetation of these areas. This will require an understanding of how annual and inter-annual cyclical changes affect the peatland plant canopy reflectances that would be recorded by hyperspectral sensors and how these reflectances can be related to state variable of interest to climate scientists, ecologists and peatland managers. There are significant areas of peatland within Scotland and, as it is towards the southern extreme of the boreal peatlands, these may be an early indicator of environment change to the wider boreal region. Calluna vulgaris, a hardy dwarf shrub, is the dominant overstorey species over much of these peatlands and could serve as a proxy for ecological, and consequently, environmental change. However, little has been done to understand how variations in leaf pigments or canopy structural parameters influence the spectral reflectance of Calluna through annual and inter-annual growth and senescence cycles. Nor has much work been done to develop methods of analysis to enable images acquired by hyperspectral remote sensing to be utilised to monitor change to these Calluna dominated peatlands over time. To advance understanding of the optical properties of Calluna leaves and canopies and develop methods to analyse hyperspectral images laboratory, field and modelling studies have been carried out in time series over a number of years. The leaf and canopy parameters significantly affecting reflectance have been identified and quantified. Differences between published Chlorophyll(a+b) in vivo absorption spectra and those determined were found. Carotenoids and Anthocyanins were also identified and quantified. The absorption spectra of these pigments were incorporated into a canopy reflectance model and this was coupled to a Calluna growth model. This combined model enabled the reflectance of Calluna canopies to be modelled in daily increments through annual and inter-annual growth and senescence cycles. Reasonable results were achieved in spectral regions where reflectance changed systematically but only for homogeneous Calluna stands. However, it was noted during this research that the area of support for the spectral measurements appeared to differ from that assumed from the specification provided by the spectroradiometer manufacturers. The directional response functions (DRFs) of two spectroradiometers were investigated and wavelength, or wavelength region, specific spatial dependences were noted. The effect that the DRFs of the spectroradiometers would have on reflectances recorded from Calluna canopies was investigated through a modelling study. Errors and inaccuracies in the spectra that would be recorded from these canopies, and commonly used biochemical indices derived from them, have been quantified.

Forest management practices emphasizing stand structural complexity are of interest across the northern forest region of the United States because of their potential to enhance carbon storage. Our research is nested within a long-term study evaluating how silvicultural treatments promoting late-successional forest characteristics affect aboveground biomass development in northern hardwood forests. We are testing the hypothesis that biomass development (carbon storage) will be greater in structural complexity enhancement (SCE) treatments when compared to conventional uneven-aged treatments. SCE treatments were compared against selection systems (single-tree and group) modified to retain elevated structure. Manipulations and controls were replicated across 2-hectare treatment units at two study areas in Vermont, USA. Data on aboveground biomass pools (live trees and coarse woody material, standing dead and downed wood) were collected pre- and post-harvest then again a decade later in 2013. Species group-specific allometric equations were used to estimate live and standing dead biomass and downed log biomass was estimated volumetrically. We used Forest Vegetation Simulator to project "no-treatment" baselines specific to treatment units, allowing measured carbon responses to be normalized relative to differences in site-specific characteristics and pre-treatment conditions. Results indicate that 10 years post-harvest biomass development and carbon storage were greatest in SCE treatments compared to conventional treatments, with the greatest increases in coarse woody material (CWM) pools. Structural complexity enhancement treatments contained 12.67 Mg ha-1 carbon in CWM compared to 6.62 Mg ha-1 in conventional treatments and 8.84 Mg ha-1 in areas with no treatment. Percentage differences between post-harvest carbon and baseline values indicate that carbon pool values in SCE treatments returned closest to pre-harvest or untreated levels over conventional treatments. Total carbon storage in SCE aboveground pools was 15.90% below baseline conditions compared to 44.94% less in conventionally treated areas (P = 0.006). Results from CART models indicated treatment as the strongest predictor of aboveground C storage followed by site-specific variables, suggesting a strong influence of both on carbon pools. Structural enhancement treatments have potential to increase carbon storage in managed northern hardwoods based on these results. They offer an alternative for sustainable management integrating carbon, associated climate change mitigation benefits, and late-successional forest structure.

A considerable part of the global pool of terrestrial carbon is stored in high latitude soils. In these soils, repeated cycles of freezing and thawing creates soil motion (cryoturbation) that in combination with other cryogenic disturbance processes may play a profound role in controlling the carbon balance of the arctic soil. Conditions for cryogenic soil processes are predicted to dramatically change in response to the ongoing climate warming, but little is known how these changes may affect the ability of arctic soils to accumulate carbon. In this thesis, I utilize a patterned ground system, referred to as non-sorted circles, as experimental units and quantify how cryogenic soil processes affect plant communities and carbon fluxes in arctic soils. I show that the cryoturbation has been an important mechanism for transporting carbon downwards in the studied soil over the last millennia. Interestingly, burial of organic material by cryoturbation appears to have mainly occurred during bioclimatic events occurring around A.D. 900-1250 and A.D. 1650-1950 as indicated by inferred 14C ages. Using a novel photogrammetric approach, I estimate that about 0.2-0.8 % of the carbon pool is annually subjected to a net downward transport induced by the physical motion of soil. Even though this flux seems small, it suggests that cryoturbation is an important transporter of carbon over centennial and millennial timescales and contributes to translocate organic matter to deeper soil layers where respiration proceeds at slow rates. Cryogenic processes not only affect the trajectories of the soil carbon, but also generate plant community changes in both species composition and abundance, as indicated by a conducted plant survey on non-sorted circles subjected to variable differential frost heave during the winter. Here, disturbance-tolerant plant species, such as Carex capillaris and Tofieldia pusilla, seem to be favoured by disturbance generated by the differential heave. Comparison with findings from a previous plant survey on the site conducted in the 1980s suggest that the warmer temperatures during the last decades have resulted in decreased differential heave in the studied non-sorted circles. I argue that this change in cryogenic activity has increased abundance of plants present in the 1980s. The fact that the activity and function of the non-sorted circles in Abisko are undergoing changes is further supported by their contemporary carbon dioxide (CO2) fluxes. Here, my measurements of CO2 fluxes suggest that all studied non-sorted circles act as net CO2 sources and thus that the carbon balance of the soils are in a transition state. My results highlight the complex but important relationship between cryogenic soil processes and the carbon balance of arctic soils.

It is increasingly being recognized that the soil microbes can mineralize recalcitrant soil organic matter (SOM) by using the fresh carbon (C) as a source of energy, a process called priming effect (PE). It has been shown mostly in lab incubations that PE can have important consequences for sequestration of organic C in soils. However, the importance of PE in C and N dynamics of ecosystems remains little known. The soil-plant interactions and rhizospheric processes can modulate the rates of PE and its consequences on C and N dynamics in an ecosystem. The objective of this thesis was to determine the role of PE in the C and N dynamics of permanent grasslands and the modulation of this role in response to management (plant clipping, fertilization) and global warming. Moreover, it was aimed to identify the microbial groups involved in PE and to unravel the way, e.g. absorption of N, root exudations and litter deposition, by which plant can induce PE. The thesis was based on a new approach allowing continuous dual labelling of multiple grassland plants with 13C- and 14C-CO2. The dual labelling permitted the separation of soil-derived CO2 from plant-derived CO2, the calculation of PE and the determination of mean age of soil-derived CO2-C. Moreover, phospholipids fatty-acids analysis (PLFA) permitted to correlate the variation of PE with changes in microbial community composition. Our work showed that the increased SOM mineralization under grasses was consistently two to three times more than that in bare soils (i.e. PE) over long term (511 days). This reveals that the PE plays key role in ecosystem CO2-C flux and indicates that a very large pool of SOM is under the control of PE. Moreover, we report that 15,000 years old organic C from an undisturbed deep soil can be mineralized after the supply of fresh C by living plants to soil microbes. This result supports the idea that the SOM in deep soils is stable due to the energy-limitation of microbes and the ‘inert' pool of organic C defined in current models is not so ‘inert' finally. The supply of N in soil-plant system through the use of fertilizer or legume decreased the PE suggesting that the C storage in soils is limited by nutrient supply. Similarly, plant clipping reduced the plant N uptake thereby PE. Collectively these results suggest synchronization between plant N uptake and SOM mineralization supporting the idea that soils under permanent plant cover function as a bank of nutrients for the plant, maximizing plant productivity and nutrient retention. An innovative method clearly showed that the root exudation is the major way by which grassland plants induce PE. Moreover, saprophytic fungi are suggested as the key actors in the mineralization of recalcitrant SOM & PE. Lastly, we developed a new theory on temperature response of SOM mineralization by taking into account the energy-limitation of microbes and the temperature-dependent inactivation of enzymes. This theory predicts a negative relationship between temperature and mineralization of recalcitrant SOM, which was supported by experimental results. This finding challenges the classical paradigm of positive relationship between temperature and recalcitrant SOM mineralization. Overall, these investigations on plant-soil systems reinforce the idea that PE and underlying mechanisms play a key role in ecosystem C and N dynamics and even suggest that this role was underestimated in lab experiments. / It is increasingly being recognized that the soil microbes can mineralize recalcitrant soil organic matter (SOM) by using the fresh carbon (C) as a source of energy, a process called priming effect (PE). It has been shown mostly in lab incubations that PE can have important consequences for sequestration of organic C in soils. However, the importance of PE in C and N dynamics of ecosystems remains little known. The soil-plant interactions and rhizospheric processes can modulate the rates of PE and its consequences on C and N dynamics in an ecosystem. The objective of this thesis was to determine the role of PE in the C and N dynamics of permanent grasslands and the modulation of this role in response to management (plant clipping, fertilization) and global warming. Moreover, it was aimed to identify the microbial groups involved in PE and to unravel the way, e.g. absorption of N, root exudations and litter deposition, by which plant can induce PE. The thesis was based on a new approach allowing continuous dual labelling of multiple grassland plants with 13C- and 14C-CO2. The dual labelling permitted the separation of soil-derived CO2 from plant-derived CO2, the calculation of PE and the determination of mean age of soil-derived CO2-C. Moreover, phospholipids fatty-acids analysis (PLFA) permitted to correlate the variation of PE with changes in microbial community composition. Our work showed that the increased SOM mineralization under grasses was consistently two to three times more than that in bare soils (i.e. PE) over long term (511 days). This reveals that the PE plays key role in ecosystem CO2-C flux and indicates that a very large pool of SOM is under the control of PE. Moreover, we report that 15,000 years old organic C from an undisturbed deep soil can be mineralized after the supply of fresh C by living plants to soil microbes. This result supports the idea that the SOM in deep soils is stable due to the energy-limitation of microbes and the ‘inert' pool of organic C defined in current models is not so ‘inert' finally. The supply of N in soil-plant system through the use of fertilizer or legume decreased the PE suggesting that the C storage in soils is limited by nutrient supply. Similarly, plant clipping reduced the plant N uptake thereby PE. Collectively these results suggest synchronization between plant N uptake and SOM mineralization supporting the idea that soils under permanent plant cover function as a bank of nutrients for the plant, maximizing plant productivity and nutrient retention. An innovative method clearly showed that the root exudation is the major way by which grassland plants induce PE. Moreover, saprophytic fungi are suggested as the key actors in the mineralization of recalcitrant SOM & PE. Lastly, we developed a new theory on temperature response of SOM mineralization by taking into account the energy-limitation of microbes and the temperature-dependent inactivation of enzymes. This theory predicts a negative relationship between temperature and mineralization of recalcitrant SOM, which was supported by experimental results. This finding challenges the classical paradigm of positive relationship between temperature and recalcitrant SOM mineralization. Overall, these investigations on plant-soil systems reinforce the idea that PE and underlying mechanisms play a key role in ecosystem C and N dynamics and even suggest that this role was underestimated in lab experiments.

Hydrothermal carbonisation (HTC) could form the basis for rendering human faecal wastes safe whilst at the same time generating a carbon-rich material (hydrochar) and providing prospects for the recovery of energy. The work presented here has an objective of the search for optimal conditions for the HTC conversion of human faecal waste. Primary sewage sludge (PSS) and synthetic faeces (SF), of various moisture contents, were used as feedstocks to investigate the kinetics of decomposition of solids during HTC over a range of reaction times and temperatures. Decomposition was found to follow first-order kinetics, and the corresponding activation energies were obtained. Temperature was of primary importance to influence solid decomposition. Higher temperatures resulted in higher solids conversion to hydrochar. The energy contents of the hydrochars from PSS carbonised at 140 200oC for 4 h ranged from 21.5 to 23.1 MJ kg 1. Moisture content was found to affect the HTC process and feedstocks, with higher initial moisture contents resulted in lower hydrochar yields. The effect of reaction conditions on the characteristics of the hydrochar, liquid and gas products from HTC of faecal material, and the conditions leading to optimal hydrochar characteristics were investigated using a Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Models were developed here which could aid in the identification of reaction conditions to tailor such products for specific end uses. The results showed that the amount of carbon retained in hydrochars decreased as temperature and time increased, with carbon retentions of 64 77% at 140 and 160oC, and 50 62% at 180 and 200oC. Increasing temperature and reaction time increased the energy content of the hydrochar from 17 19 MJ kg 1 but reduced its energy yield from 88 to 68%. HTC at 200oC for 240 min resulted in hydrochars suitable for fuel, while carbonation at 160oC for 60 min produced hydrochars appropriate for carbon storage when applied to the soil. Theoretical estimates of methane yields resulting from subsequent anaerobic digestion (AD) of the liquid by-products are presented, with the highest yields obtained following carbonisation at 180oC for 30 min. In general, HTC at 180oC for 60 min and 200oC for 30 min resulted in hydrochars having optimal characteristics, and also for obtaining optimal methane yields. Maillard reaction products were identified in the liquid fractions following carbonisations at the higher temperatures. It was also found that the TOC, COD and BOD of the liquid products following HTC increased as the reaction temperature and time were increased and that these would require further treatment before being discharged. The results indicated that the gaseous phase following HTC contained carbon dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, nitric oxide, ammonia, and hydrogen sulphide indicating that additional treatment would be required before discharge to the atmosphere. In order to identify the optimum conditions leading to greater filterability of slurry resulted from HTC, the effects of reaction temperature and time on the filterability of PSS and SF slurries were investigated and optimised using RSM. It was shown that filterability improved as the reaction temperature and time at which the solids were carbonised was increased, with the best filtration results being achieved at the highest temperature (200°C) and longest treatment time (240 min) employed here. The specific cake resistance to filtration of the carbonised slurries was found to vary between 5.43 x 1012 and 2.05 x 1010 m kg 1 for cold filtration of PSS, 1.11 x 1012 and 3.49 x 1010 m kg 1 for cold filtration of SF, and 3.01 x 1012 and 3.86 x 1010 m kg 1 for hot filtration of SF, and decreased with increasing reaction temperature and time for carbonisation. There was no significant difference in specific resistance between cold and hot filtration of SF. The RSM models employed here were found to yield predictions that were close to the experimental results obtained, and should prove useful in designing and optimising HTC filtration systems for generating solids for a wide variety of end uses. Mass and energy balances of a semi-continuous HTC of faecal waste at 200oC and a reaction time of 30 min were conducted and based on recovering steam from the process as well energy from the solid fuel (hydrochar) and methane from digestion of the liquid by-product. The effect of the feedstock solids content and the quantity of feed on the mass and energy balances were investigated. Preheating the feed to 100oC using heat recovered from the process was found to significantly reduce the energy input to the reactor by about 59%, and decreased the heat loss from the reactor by between 50 60%. For feedstocks containing 15 25% solids (for all feed rates), energy recycled from the flashing off of steam and combustion of the hydrochar would be sufficient for preheating the feed, operating the reactor and drying the wet hydrochar without the need for any external sources of energy. Alternatively, for a feedstock containing 25% solids for all feed rates, energy recycled for the flashing off of steam and combustion of the methane provides sufficient energy to operate the entire process with an excess energy of about 19 21%, which could be used for other purposes.

No description available.