Thesis supervisor: Edit Cséfalvay
Location of studies (in Hungarian): Department of Energy Engineering Abbreviation of location of studies: EGR
Description of the research topic:
a.) Preliminaries:
Due to the biodegradable part of municipal solid waste (MSW), the emission of methane (CH4), and carbon dioxide (CO2) from landfills is one of the most important sources of greenhouse gases in metropolitan areas. The application of circular economy principles could offer a solution for the biodegradable parcel from the MSW and consequently reduction on green house gas emissions that result from the decomposition of the organic matter looking forward to applying carbon-neutral technologies. Previous studies showed that thermochemical conversion offers a possible solution to reduce the organic content as well as offers carbon neutral waste management.
b.) Aim of research:
The aim of this research is to study possibilities to insert the biodegradable parcel (agricultural, forestry or food waste) from the municipal waste management from Hungary in the loop of the circular economy through thermochemical technologies either to generate energy or reduce greenhouse gases, moreover to obtain validation of the practice as a possible circular economy tool in terms of climate change mitigation strategies, always looking forward to achieving the carbon neutrality by the help of Life-Cycle –Assessment (LCA) tools.
c.) Tasks, main items, necessary time:
The research work starts with a traditional bibliography literature review on circular economy, waste management and LCA methods. Then EU Circular Economy action will be overviewed including waste management in Hungary and in EU; Circularity; and EU goals. Potential waste to be used in the research and the possible treatment technologies will be overviewed then experiments based on technology selection will be planned (1 year). After that environmental analysis and LCA method screening will be defined: LCA goal and scope definition, overview and definitions about the production of charcoal from bio-wastes (1 year). LCA inventory analysis (LCI) and LCA, Impact assessment, circular economy insertion on the results from the pilot LCA (1 year). Continuous publication of the results will be performed. Writing the PhD thesis and repetition of experiments if needed will be carried out during the last year (1 year).
d.) Required equipment:
The test equipment has to be purchased or built, depending on the literature review and the selected technology. Equipment for the determination of emission and gas concentration exists, calibration gases have to be purchased to maintain the continuous operation. LCA will be carried out in openLCA and / or GaBi software environment, which have to be purchased.
e.) Expected scientific results:
The above-mentioned experiments are subjects of publication since very few data are available in this research topic. The main outputs of this research will be LCA inventory about the use of bio-waste in thermochemical facilities; a roll of possible solutions to apply the circular economy in the context of waste management.
f.) References:
[1.] Cséfalvay, Edit; Aranyosi, Anett, Bioethanol, as a possible source of n-butanol, Circular Economy and Environmental Protection, vol. 5, issue 1 (2021), pp. 5-17.
[2.] Cséfalvay, E.; Hajas, T.; Mika, L. T. Environmental sustainability assessment of a biomass-based chemical industry in the Visegrad countries: Czech Republic, Hungary, Poland, and Slovakia, Chem. Papers, 74 pp. 3067-3076. , 10 p. (2020) DOI :10.1007/s11696-020-01172-8. (Q2) (IF 2018-ban 1.246)
[3.] Lencsés János, Kovács Viktória Barbara: LCA of waste management systems in Budapest, In: Gróf, Gyula (szerk.) 13th International Conference on Heat Engines and Environmental Protection Proceedings, BME Energetikai Gépek és Rendszerek Tanszék (2019) pp. 37-42.
[4.] Edit Cséfalvay, Evaluation of Biobased Lighter Fluids, ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2018, 6 (7), pp 8417–8426. (Q1, IF: 6.13)
[5.] József M Tukacs, Ambrus T Holló, Nóra Rétfalvi, Edit Cséfalvay, Gábor Dibó, Dávid Havasi, László T Mika, Microwave-Assisted Valorization of Biowastes to Levulinic Acid, Chemistry Select, 2017, 2, pp. 1375-1380. (IF 1.505)
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