Abstract
Biochar is a potentially scalable negative emission technology (NET). The negative net flow of carbon is achieved sequentially via photosynthesis which fixes atmospheric carbon into biomass, followed by thermochemical processing of biomass into biochar which converts the bulk of the fixed carbon into stable or recalcitrant form, and finally by the application of the resulting biochar to soil. In addition, this process can result in additional carbon offsets through favorable modification of soil by reducing fertilizer requirement, as well as other secondary benefits. On the other hand, biochar is typically contaminated with traces of organic (e.g., dioxins) and inorganic impurities (e.g., salts) that are detrimental to soil quality. The presence of such impurities and the capacity of the receiving soil to tolerate their presence put an upper limit on the amount of biochar that can be added without causing adverse environmental effects. Thus, scaling up biochar-based systems requires the planning of a carbon management network (CMN) consisting of biochar sources (i.e., production facilities) and biochar sinks (i.e., receiving tracts of land). In general, such CMNs need to be operated so as to maximize system-wide carbon sequestration without exceeding the tolerance limits of the biochar sinks. This paper proposes a graphical pinch analysis approach to planning such biochar-based CMNs. The applicability of the methodology is illustrated using a hypothetical case study.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Amin RA, Huang Y, He Y, Zhang R, Liu G, Chen C (2016) Biochar applications and modern techniques for characterization. Clean Techn Environ Policy 18(5):1457–1473. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1218-8
Bandyopadhyay S (2015) Mathematical foundation of pinch analysis. Chem Eng Trans 45:1753–1758
Belmonte BA, Benjamin MFD, Tan RR (2017a) Biochar systems in the water-energy-food nexus: the emerging role of process systems engineering. Curr Opin Chem Eng 18:32–37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.coche.2017.08.005
Belmonte BA, Tan RR, Benjamin MFD (2017b) A two-stage optimization model for the synthesis of biochar-based carbon management networks. Chem Eng Trans 61:379–284
Dyson FJ (1977) Can we control the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere? Energy 2(3):287–291. https://doi.org/10.1016/0360-5442(77)90033-0
El-Halwagi MM (2011) Sustainable design through process integration. Elsevier, Waltham, U.S
Field JL, Keske CMH, Birch GL, Defoort MW, Cotrufo MF (2013) Distributed biochar and bioenergy coproduction: a regionally specific case study of environmental benefits and economic impacts. GCB Bioenergy 5(2):177–191. https://doi.org/10.1111/gcbb.12032
Foo DCY (2012) Process integration for resource conservation. CRC Press, CRC Press, Boca Raton, FL, p 2012
Foo DCY, Tan RR (2016) A review on process integration techniques for carbon emissions and environmental footprint problems. Process Saf Environ Prot 103, pp:291–307, 2016
Geoffrion AM (1976) The purpose of mathematical programming is insight, not numbers. Interfaces 7(1):81–92. https://doi.org/10.1287/inte.7.1.81
International Biochar Initiative (www.biochar-international.org, accessed November 10, 2017)
Klemeš JJ, Varbanov PS, Kravanja Z (2013) Recent developments in process integration. Chem Eng Res Des 91(10):2037–2053. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cherd.2013.08.019
Kuppusamy S, Thavamani P, Megharaj M, Venkateswarlu K, Naidu R (2016) Agronomic and remedial benefits and risks of applying biochar to soil: current knowledge and future research directions. Environ Int 87:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envint.2015.10.018
Lehmann J, Amonette JE, Roberts K (2011) Role of biochar in mitigation of climate change. In: Hillel D, Rosenzweig C (eds) Handbook of climate change and agroecosystems—impacts, adaptation and mitigation. Imperial College Press, London, pp 343–364
Linnhoff B, Townsend DW, Boland D, Hewitt GF, Thomas BEA, Guy AR, Marshall RH (1982) A user guide on process integration for the efficient use of energy. Institution of Chemical Engineers, Rugby
McGlashan N, Shah N, Caldecott W, M B (2012) High-level techno-economic assessment of negative emissions technologies. Process Saf Environ Prot 90(6):501–510. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2012.10.004
McLaren D (2012) A comparative global assessment of potential negative emissions technologies. Process Saf Environ Prot 90(6):489–500. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2012.10.005
Roberts KG, Gloy BA, Joseph S, Scott NR, Lehmann J (2010) Life cycle assessment of biochar systems: estimating the energetic, economic, and climate change potential. Environ Sci Technol 44(2):827–833. https://doi.org/10.1021/es902266r
Rockström J, Steffen W, Noone K, Persson A, Chapin FS, Lambin EF, Lenton TM, Scheffer M, Folke C, Schellnhuber HJ, Niykvist B, De Wit CA, Hughes T, Van der Leeuw S, Rodhe H, Sorlin S, Snyder PK, Constanza R, Svedin U, Falkenmark M, Karlberg L, Corell RW, Fabry VJH, Walker B, Liverman D, Richardson K, Crutzen P, Foley JA (2009) A safe operating space for humanity. Nature 461:472–475. https://doi.org/10.1038/461472a
Shenoy UV (2010) Targeting and design of energy allocation networks for carbon emission reduction. Chem Eng Sci 65(23):6155–6168. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ces.2010.08.040
Tan RR (2016) A multi-period source–sink mixed integer linear programming model for biochar-based carbon sequestration systems. Sustain Prod Consumption 8:57–63. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.spc.2016.08.001
Tan RR, Foo DCY (2007) Pinch analysis approach to carbon-constrained energy sector planning. Energy 32(8):1422–1429. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.energy.2006.09.018
Tan RR, Foo DCY (2013) Pinch analysis for sustainable energy planning using diverse quality measures. In: Klemeš JJ (ed) Handbook of process integration. Woodhead Publishing, Cambridge, pp 505–523
Tan RR, Foo DCY (2017) Carbon emissions pinch analysis for sustainable energy planning. In: Encyclopedia of sustainable technologies. M. Abraham. Elsevier, Amsterdam, pp 231–237. https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-12-409548-9.10148-4
Tan RR, Ooi REH, Foo DCY, Ng DKS, Aviso KB, Bandyopadhyay S (2012) A graphical approach to optimal source-sink matching in carbon capture and storage systems with reservoir capacity and injection rate constraints. Computer Aided Chem Eng 31:480–484
Tan RR, Bandyopadhyay S, Foo DCY, Ng DKS (2015) Prospects for novel pinch analysis application domains in the 21st century. Chem Eng Trans 45:1741–1746
Tan RR, Aviso KB, Foo DCY (2017) P-graph and Monte Carlo simulation approach to planning carbon management networks. Comput Chem Eng 106:872–882. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2017.01.047
Ubando AT, Culaba AB, Aviso KB, Ng DKS, Tan RR (2014) Fuzzy mixed-integer linear programming model for optimizing a multi-functional bioenergy system with biochar production for negative carbon emissions. Clean Techn Environ Policy 16(8):1537–1549. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-014-0721-z
Vochozka M, Marouskova A, Vachal J, Strakova J (2016) Biochar pricing hampers biochar farming. Clean Techn Environ Policy 18(4):1225–1231. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10098-016-1113-3
Woolf D, Amonette JE, Street-Perrott FA, Lehmann J, Joseph S (2010) Sustainable biochar to mitigate climate change. Nat Commun 1(5):1–9. https://doi.org/10.1038/ncomms1053
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Ethics declarations
Conflict of Interest
The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tan, R.R., Bandyopadhyay, S. & Foo, D.C.Y. Graphical Pinch Analysis for Planning Biochar-Based Carbon Management Networks. Process Integr Optim Sustain 2, 159–168 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s41660-018-0033-6
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s41660-018-0033-6