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Microalgae have received a surge in attention in the past decade as a source for renewable energy. They are currently used to produce high-value products but have the potential to produce biofuels such as bioethanol, biodiesel and biohydrogen among others. The present work is an evaluation of the feasibility of a process producing microalgae as a wet biomass paste through modeling of a real process. The production process of microalgal-derived low-value products has yet to be realized due to the low productivity in current culture systems, the high cost of such systems and the high cost of harvesting the microalgal biomass. An accurate and efficient model of this process is key in allowing for scale up to where it can contribute sufficiently to a more sustainable society. The model constructed evaluates the best alternative out of twelve configurations using data supplied by the user. The model is flexible in that it allows for modeling of different microalgae and different scales of production. Genetic engineering of the microalgae is modeled as three different cases: a reduction in the light-harvesting antennae, the expression of a fluorescent protein that by absorbing UV light emits photosynthetically active radiation and a combination of the two. The model is then run for the case relevant to the user. To evaluate the performance of the model and the viability of the modeled process, it was ran for the microalgae P. tricornutum and an annual production demand of 1000 ton wet biomass paste. The break-even price of the biomass was 8.79 Ä for the base case and 5.68 Ä with both cases of genetic engineering of the microalgal cell. The best configuration was found to be a tubular photobioreactor in the cultivation stage with flocculation-sedimentation followed by filtration in the harvesting stage. The model is capable of producing results that are in line with the current research and are thus deemed reasonable. With the level of accuracy that the model presently contains, it is a good representation of the production of microalgal biomass as a whole. However, to be able to draw definitive conclusions, more time and research is required. / Intresset för mikroalger som en förnyelsebar energikälla har ökat under det senaste decenniet. För närvarande används mikroalger enbart för produktion av specialprodukter men de har potential att användas vid produktion av bland annat bioetanol, biodiesel och vätgas. Detta arbete är en teknoekonomisk studie av produktion av våt biomassa från mikroalger genom modellering av en verklig process. En sådan process finns ännu inte i stor skala på grund av den låga produktiviteten i nuvarande odlingssystem och dess höga kostnader samt de höga kostnaderna kopplade till skördning av biomassan. För att skala upp denna process krävs en noggrann och effektiv modell som simulerar processen samt hur den kan förbättras genom att genetiskt modifiera mikroalgerna. Modellen som konstruerats tar in data från användaren och utvärderar den bästa processen av tolv konfigurationer. Modellen är flexibel och tillåter simulering av olika typer av mikroalger och olika produktionskrav. Genetisk modifiering av mikroalgerna modelleras för tre fall: en reducering av ljuskomplexens antennstorlekar, uttryckning av ett fluorescerande protein som absorberar UV-ljus och emitterar fotosyntetiskt aktiv strålning och en kombination av båda. Modellen körs sedan för det fall som användaren finner relevant, ett basfall utan genetiska modifieringar och med dessa. För att utvärdera modellens prestation och den modellerade processens genomförbarhet kördes den för mikroalgen P. tricornutum och en årlig produktion på 1000 ton våt biomassa. För att uppnå ett nollresultat krävs ett försäljningspris på 8.79 Ä för basfallet och 5.68 Ä för fallet med båda de genetiska modifieringarna. Den bästa konfigurationen var en tubreaktor i odlingssteget följt av flockulering och sedimentering följt av filtrering. Modellen är kapabel till producera resultat som stämmer överens med den nuvarande forskningen inom området och därmed bedöms de som rimliga. Modellen ger i helhet en god representation av produktion av biomassa, men för att dra definitiva slutsatser kring genomförbarheten av denna process så krävs det att mer tid och forskning investeras i att förbättra modellen och dess noggrannhet.

Modern landfills produce landfill gas, LFG, on a smaller scale and with limited content of degradable organic materials in the waste. The waste deposit in the Sofielund landfill began in 2005 and the final coverage is not yet commenced. The landfill waste must contain up to 10% decomposable organic materials at most. In a previous experiment on Sofielund landfill in summer 2011, the measurements from four sample wells showed the landfill gas consisted of up to 45% Methane and about 17000 ppm of Hydrogen sulfide, and the rest was only carbon dioxide. During the earlier experiment in 2011 and during 2012 the smell of H2S got offensive periodically and apart from that, concentrations above 1000 ppm are toxic. Previous research, Bottom ash for biogas upgrading, BABIU, shows that bottom ash from municipal solid waste incinerator (MSWI) can effectively reduce CO­­2 and H2S contents of landfill gas. Bottom ash from MSWI can be utilized in upgrading landfill gas and reduce odor problems of landfills with high H2S production. In this study, an area of 15m x 12m was covered with weathered slag from bottom ash with thickness of about 30cm, to examine how this layer can reduce the concentrations of H2S and CO2. Gas samples were taken from depths of 10cm and 15cm below the surface of bottom ash. There were also samples taken from around the slag-covered area. The surface was laid out 5 days before the first measurement was performed. The experiment was carried out for 20 days, 5, 7, 11, 13, 18 and 20 days after establishment of the surface with bottom ash. The intensity of emissions in different parts of the landfill varied from time to time, due to compacting and changing the permeability of the surface, and it shows that LFG flow in the Sofielund is near the lowest limit of it. Considering the results from the tests in 2011 in deep wells, the recent measurements done in this study showed low contents of LFGs. The highest contents of LFGs in the measurements belong to a pipe, which was found in the waste area of the landfill. Those highest contents of LFG were 15.1% methane, 12.1% carbon dioxide, 0.4% oxygen and the hydrogen sulfide did not exceed 2 ppm. This shows that in deeper depths concentrations of LFG is higher than that of the surface and 10cm below the surface. In the slag covered area CO2 content increased day by day from the first day of the measurement to the last day due to carbonation of the slag and its role in CO2 sequestration.  According to the recent measurement, it can be suggested to cover the landfill with a layer of slag as a construction material, to minimize the LFG emissions and the bad smell from H2S. Therefore it can eliminate direct emissions of LFG to the atmosphere by diffusion through the slag layer. This diffusion allows adsorption of CO2 and oxidation of H2S.

Vätgasbildning vid behandling av flygaska är ett problem många förbränningsanläggningar hanterar. På E.ON i Norrköping har vätgasbildning lett till kraftig explosion i bergrum där flygaska deponeras, men även för askmottagare innebär vätgasbildningen risker då incidenter med självantändande askhögar inträffat. Detta examensarbete har därför fokus på att minimera dessa vätgasrelaterade risker genom att undersöka vad som påverkar vätgasbildningen i flygaskan och reaktiviteten, främst med avseende på metalliskt aluminium, i CFB-pannorna P14 och P15 på Händelöverket. Med hjälp av kvantifiering av gasbildning har maximal vätgasbildning, vätgasbildningshastigheten, pH samt vikt-% metalliskt aluminium dokumenterats. De resultat som sammanställts inkluderar olika driftstörningar och förhållanden i pannorna som påträffats under projektets tidsperiod, därav skillnad mellan pannorna, kiselsand eller ilmenit som bäddmaterial, ammoniakdosering, del-last samt avstängd NID-reaktor. Utöver detta erhölls även totalhaltanalys utfört via ICP-SFMS analys där askans sammansättning presenteras. Resultaten påvisade skillnader i vätgasbildning för flera av de olika driftstörningarna och förutsättningarna mellan pannorna men även inom en och samma panna. Aska från P15 har högre reaktivitet, det påvisades även mindre vätgasbildning vid ilmenit som bäddmaterial samt vid avstängd NID-reaktor och vid del-last. Trots dessa skillnader i vätgasutveckling drogs slutsatsen att flygaska från avfallseldande CFB-pannor inte går att påverka till den grad att det avsevärt minskar mängden metalliskt aluminium och därmed vätgasbildningen utan att separera aluminiumet innan det genomgår förbränning. / Minimering av vätgasrelaterade risker från Avfallseldande CFB-pannor

Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs) are a by-product when producing methane through anaerobic digestion (AD). Due to their many uses as building block chemicals, it is of interest to look into ways to optimize anaerobic digestion toward VFA production instead of methane generation. This report will focus on different parameters to produce VFA from food waste (FW), primary sludge (PS), and digested sludge (DS) in different ratios. In this project, three different experimental sets were run over a period of 25 days. The three different sets were 100 % FW, 100 % PS, and 50/50 % FW and PS mixture. Reactors were adjusted to an initial pH-value of 10 and then sparged with nitrogen to create an anaerobic environment. Measurements of the pH were done by sampling at each retention time. Gas chromatography (GC) was used at the end of the project to determine the concentrations of the VFA in the samples. The results showed that, with pH 10, a retention time of 15 days and using only FW, was optimal for VFA production as it gave the highest total concentration of 14.03 g VFA/L. Acetic acid was found in the highest concentration in all ratios. A mixture of FW and PS had an optimal retention time of 12 days, but did not generate as high concentrations of VFAs as only using FW, with a maximum concentration of 9.34 g VFA/L. Using only PS generated even lower concentrations, with a maximum of 5.33 g VFA/L, but did not start decreasing during the experimental run, and no clear conclusion can, therefore, be drawn.

Today China produces most GHG emissions in the world, which continues increasing the average temperature of the Earth. For the purpose of reducing the emission and reaching the peak of GHG emission before 2030, Chinese government promotes several policies, such as developing renewable energy, importing advanced emission reduction technology and encouraging the production and sales of new energy vehicles. In order to estimate the tendency of Chinese GHG emission, a review has been conducted. This review has considered the current Chinese situation, making necessary assumptions and calculating total emission in several relevant sectors independently. By adjusting several key figures, the end result of peak year may be changed. The review has proved that the peak year for Chinese GHG emissions will be 2035 under normal condition. If other optimized factors are considered, the peak year could be moved up.

After the extension of the boiler 6 at Högdalenverket during 2010, there has been some problems in the form of increased carbon monoxide levels. There may be several explanations for this problem, which means that complete combustion doesent take place. There have also been problems with the ash-handling system and the sand returning systemt, this results in higher operating costs because it requires a higher consumption of inert material.The project was first divided into two phases, the first phase was to develop material and energy balances for the boiler but also introduce the parameters that we wanted to investigate further in order to possibly identify the causes of the problems that the boiler had. In the second phase experiments were going to be designed in consultation with the contact staff at Fortum to explore these parameters.During the project changes have been made in the project description, as it will require more time and more accurate planning to perform  the desired tests on the boiler. Three proposals on parameters that could be the cause of carbon monoxide problem was presented at the end of phase one and it was found that two of the proposals was not possible to carry out during the project because it would have affected economically and the availibility of the boilier.The third parameter, the bed quality effect on combustion experiment was designed in consultation with those responsible at Fortum.This experiment could also not be performed as there was some operational difficulties with the boiler during the project time. Instead, a description of the design for the experiment has been added to this project, which may at a later stage be used to investigate the bed quality impact on the carbon monoxide issues.Recent changes to the project description meant that purpose instead was to further develop the computational program created during the project's first phase and at the end of the project shall be submitted to the operators at Fortum. This calculation program takes into account the significant parameters that the boiler regulator is governed by today. The simulation program is developed using Microsoft Excel and is based on material and energy balances. This program can be used internally by Fortum to get an idea of ​​how the different mass flow rates would vary at different operating conditions and how the energy balance for the boiler would look like during the changes.When compared with materials and energy made by the boiler supplier revealed that the deviations are very small compared to what the program come up with and is caused mainly due to the assumptions made. These assumptions can be eliminated by performing experiments and collecting more data.The results gained by the calculation program has been compared with the results that was presented by the supplier during their boiler mapping, comparisons have been made regarding flue gas flows, fuel flows, combustion air flow, ash production and energy balances. It has apperad that the deviations are relatively small and the presented scheme provides a theoretical overall perspective of the boiler in line with reality.Although discussions have taken into consideration for the problem of elevated levels of carbon monoxide, and whether the measurement program can be developed further in the future. / Efter ombyggnationen av panna 6 vid Högdalenverket under år 2010, har det uppkommit en del problem i form av förhöjd kolmonoxid halt. Det kan finnas ett flertal förklaringar till problemet som innebär att fullständig förbränning inte sker. Det har även varit problem med askhanteringssystemet och sandåterföringen som inte fungerat som den ska, detta medför högre driftkostnader då det kräver en högre förbrukning av inertmaterial.   Projektet var indelat i två faser, där den första fasen var att ta fram material- och energibalanser på pannan men också presentera de parametrar som man ville undersöka vidare för att möjligen identifiera orsakerna till de problem som pannan haft.  I den andra fasen skulle experiment utformas i samråd med ansvariga från Fortum för att undersöka dessa parametrar. Under projektets gång har ändringar fått göras på projektbeskrivningen, då det krävs mer tid och noggrannare planering för att utföra test på pannan. Tre förslag på parametrar som kunde vara orsaken för CO problemen presenterades i slutet av fas ett och det konstaterades att två av förslagen inte gick att utföra under projektets gång på grund av både ekonomiska och driftrelaterade orsaker. Den tredje parametern bädd kvaliténs påverkan på förbränningen bestämdes i samråd med ansvariga i Fortum att utföras. Detta experiment kunde dock inte utföras då det uppstod vissa driftrelaterade svårigheter med pannan under projektets gång. Istället har en beskrivning av utförandet av experimentet lagts till detta projekt, som kan vid ett senare skede användas för att undersöka bädd kvaliténs påverkan på CO-halten. Nya ändringar av projektbeskrivningen innebar att syftet istället blev att vidareutveckla det beräkningsprogram som skapats under projektets första fas och som vid projektets slut ska överlämnas till de driftansvariga på Fortum. Detta beräkningsprogram tar hänsyn till de betydande parametrar som pannan regleras genom idag. Beräkningsprogrammet är framtaget med hjälp av Microsoft Excel och är grundat på material- och energibalanser. Detta program kan användas internt inom Fortum för att få en fingervisning på hur de olika massflödena skulle variera vid olika driftfall samt hur energibalansen för pannan då skulle se ut.   Vid jämförelse med material- och energibalans som gjorts av pannleverantören framgick det att avvikelserna är väldigt små jämfört med det vi framtagit, samt att det beror främst på de antaganden som gjorts. Dessa antaganden kan elimineras genom att utföra experiment och få in mer data. Resultatet som fåtts av beräkningsprogrammet har jämförts med det resultat pannleverantören fick vid sin pannkartering med hänsyn till rökgasflöde, bränsleflöden, förbränningsluft flöde, askproduktion och energibalanser. Det har framkommit att avvikelserna är relativt små och det framtagna programmet ger ett teoretiskt helhetsperspektiv av pannan som överensstämmer med verkligheten. Även diskussioner har förts till åtgärder för problemet med förhöjda halter av kolmonoxid, samt huruvida beräkningsprogrammet kan vidareutvecklas i framtiden.

The production of biodiesel using vegetables oils is studied. Palm oil and its use for production of biodiesel have been focused. Palm tree is very productive and one of the most profitable for biodiesel production. Among the oilseed crops palm tree produce more oil per hectare. Palm oil has a good availability and a competitive price. The production of palm oil at the industrial plantation level has caused environmental damage. The Roundtable on Sustainable Palm Oil has established principles and criteria in order to certify a sustainable cultivation of the palm oil. The experimental work involves the production of biodiesel using corn oil. Ethanol and methanol are used as alcohols. Sodium and potassium hydroxides are selected as catalyst. The ratio alcohol to oil is the most important parameter in the production of biodiesel.  An excess of alcohol is required to drive the reaction to the right.  In the experiments with ethanol the yield of biodiesel increased with the ratio ethanol/oil achieving the highest yield at a molar ratio ethanol/oil: 7.78. In the experiments with methanol, using 0.9 g NaOH and 1 hour reaction time the highest yield was obtained with  a molar ratio methanol:oil = 9. Using KOH as catalyst and 2 hour reaction time a very good yield is already obtained with a molar ratio methanol:oil = 4.5 The amount of catalyst is another studied parameter. In the experiments with ethanol, the amount of 0.8 mg NaOH and 1.2 mg KOH for 200 ml corn oil (0.22 mol) is enough in order to obtain a good yield. An increase of the amount of catalyst does not produce an increase of the yield of biodiesel. In experiments with methanol, using the lowest tested amount catalyst (0.85 g KOH and 0.23 g NaOH) a good yield of biodiesel is obtained. The effects of the reaction time, rate of mixing and the reaction temperature were studied in the experiments with methanol. The yield of biodiesel increased when the reaction time is increased from 1 to 2 hours. The yield of produced biodiesel increased from 90% to 94% when the rate of mixing was increased from 500 to 1500 rpm. Often the transesterification is carried out at a temperature near the boiling point of alcohol. The highest yield was obtained at 60 oC with KOH and at 55 oC using NaOH but already at 40 oC a good yield was obtained (89%).

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Alfa Laval is a global company that provides solutions, products, and services for industry, such as high-speed separators for marine and food-application. Foulant deposition on the stainless-steel surfaces of Alfa Laval’s high-speed separators has shown to result in lowering of the separation efficiency. In this report, a literature study was conducted to present research documenting the use of analytical techniques for characterization and quantification of oil and dairy foulant deposition on stainless-steel surfaces. The focus of the research was oil foulant deposition and dairy foulant deposition on stainless steel surfaces. The following techniques were examined; NMR, AFM, SEM, XPS/ESCA, EDS/EDX and RBS, ToF – SIMS, EPMA, TGA, Fluorescent Microscopy, and HTGC.  The various techniques were evaluated from their applicability on fouling deposits of Alfa Laval’s high-speed separators and the settings of interest for each technique were also presented. This study also presented possible surface coatings of stainless-steel to impede the initial foulant deposition.  In conclusion, the surface coatings that were found were polyethyleneimine with TiO2 on an epoxy resin surface on the surface, and electronless nickel with embedded polytetrafluoroethylene nanoparticles to reduce surface energy. From the found techniques, the techniques may demonstrate information about specific properties, like chemical composition e.g., and may be suitable for individual use. However, to obtain a general picture of the foulants deposited onto the surface, several of these techniques could be combined, like RBS & EDS. Further research on which techniques are most complementary in identifying, characterizing, and quantifying foulant deposition would be of interest.