Room: Poster Area
Date: Thursday, 21 May 2026
Time: 11:30 - 12:45 CEST
Session code 5CV.3
Hydrothermal processing
Co-Hydrothermal Carbonization of Brewery by-Products: Process Optimization and Densification Toward Upgraded Solid Biofuels
Short Introductive summary
Breweries generate large quantities of organic residues, primarily brewer’s spent grain (BSG) and spent yeast (SY), whose high moisture and complex composition hinder direct reuse. In line with circular bioeconomy principles, hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) offers a promising route to convert these wet by-products into carbon-rich biofuels without pre-drying. This study investigates the co-hydrothermal carbonization (co-HTC) of BSG and SY using the washing water of the brewing process as reaction medium to achieve full waste valorization and enhanced energy recovery. Furthermore, the resulting hydrochar is densified into pellets, producing mechanically stable, energy-dense intermediates suitable for subsequent thermochemical conversion.
Presenter
Alessandro CARDARELLI
Università Degli Studi Della Tuscia, ITALY
Presenter's biography
Alessandro Cardarelli is an assistant professor in energy and environmental systems at the University of Tuscia. His work focuses on biomass energy valorization, and evaluating the bioenergy and industrial sector sustainability through Life Cycle Assessment.
Biographies and Short introductive summaries are supplied directly by presenters and are published here unedited
Co-authors:
G. Agresti, Università Degli Studi Della Tuscia, Viterbo, ITALY
C. Burratti, University of Perugia, ITALY
C. Cordelli, Università Degli Studi Della Tuscia, Viterbo, ITALY
M. Cucina, National Research Council of Italy - ISAFOM, Perugia, ITALY
M. Barbanera, Università Degli Studi Della Tuscia, Viterbo, ITALY
Session reference: 5CV.3.12