Joan Josep Manyà

Research Interests

My research interests lie primarily in producing biomass-derived carbon materials through thermochemical conversion processes. These renewable-based carbons, which can replace the currently dominant fossil fuel-intensive materials, and then drive innovative and sustainable technologies with circular economy practices.

I began my research career by working on thermochemical conversion of biomass, with a special focus on the behaviour and kinetics of biomass pyrolysis and gasification. In the last years, however, I directed my research activity towards the production of biomass-derived chars for biochar (i.e., char added to soil) and other value-added applications. Since the economic feasibility of large-scale biochar production systems is still unclear (the potential agronomic and environmental benefits of biochar in terms of profit are difficult to quantify), developing biochar-derived engineered carbons for alternative uses other than soil amendment can significantly increase the value chain of the whole system, as well as generate new technologies for biomass upcycling. Among the potential uses of biochar-derived carbons, I particularly centred my attention on three research topics: adsorption in gas phase (e.g., CO₂ adsorption in postcombustion conditions), heterogeneous catalysis (e.g., ex situ pyrolysis vapours upgrading), and carbon-based electrodes for energy storage applications (e.g., post-lithium Na- and K-ion batteries).

45 entries « ‹ 2 of 9 › »

2024

Maziarka, Przemyslaw; Kienzl, Norbert; Dieguez-Alonso, Alba; Prins, Wolter; Arauzo, Pablo J.; Skreiberg, Øyvind; Anca-Couce, Andrés; Manyà, Joan Josep; Ronsse, Frederik

Part 2─Tailoring of Pyrolytic Char Properties with a Single Particle CFD Model with a Focus on the Impact of Shrinking, Vapor Cracking, and Char Permeability Journal Article

In: Energy & Fuels, 2024, ISSN: 0887-0624, (Publisher: American Chemical Society).

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{maziarka_part_2024-1,

title = {Part 2─Tailoring of Pyrolytic Char Properties with a Single Particle CFD Model with a Focus on the Impact of Shrinking, Vapor Cracking, and Char Permeability},

author = {Przemyslaw Maziarka and Norbert Kienzl and Alba Dieguez-Alonso and Wolter Prins and Pablo J. Arauzo and Øyvind Skreiberg and Andrés Anca-Couce and Joan Josep Manyà and Frederik Ronsse},

url = {https://doi.org/10.1021/acs.energyfuels.4c00942},

doi = {10.1021/acs.energyfuels.4c00942},

issn = {0887-0624},

year  = {2024},

date = {2024-05-01},

urldate = {2024-05-01},

journal = {Energy & Fuels},

abstract = {The prediction of the structural properties of biobased carbonaceous materials of pyrolytic origin (chars) with only base feedstock properties and process conditions still poses a challenge that hinders char tailoring for novel applications. CFD modeling of single biomass particle conversion can help solve this issue since it allows for the quantification of relations between parameters that are difficult to measure. A model for char tailoring must include a validated representation of the structural changes coupled to all other relevant phenomena occurring during conversion. Part 2 of this study focuses on finding the description of the mentioned aspects to achieve the highest precision of prediction of the structural changes in char by a CFD model. The investigation in Part 2 is composed of three cases focused on accurate description and prediction of (1) bulk density and porosity, (2) secondary vapor reactions on yields and soot formation, and (3) permeability, as well as the outflux and conversion of evolved vapors. The experimental results from Part 1 and the literature data were used to find appropriate descriptions of phenomena and assess the accuracy of the model. The model results indicate that for both particle lengths (10 and 16 mm), a high accuracy of prediction of base structural parameters was achieved. The average prediction error for temperatures between 400 and 840 °C of bulk density was 31 ± 15 kg/m3, and the porosity was 1.8 ± 1.1 vol %. The results also show a low error in the prediction of bulk product yields (dry basis) over the mentioned temperature range, which were: for char 2.8 ± 1.1 wt %, for the condensable fraction 6.5 ± 3.3 wt %, and for the pyrolysis gas 4.1 ± 1.9 wt %. The distribution of secondary char formation was found to be nonuniform below 500 °C. The changes in permeability had a minor influence on the vapor outflux but a non-negligible effect on the soot formation, especially at 840 °C. The results indicate a need for further improvement of the primary degradation model to increase the accuracy of the effect of soot formation on the char structure.},

note = {Publisher: American Chemical Society},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}

The prediction of the structural properties of biobased carbonaceous materials of pyrolytic origin (chars) with only base feedstock properties and process conditions still poses a challenge that hinders char tailoring for novel applications. CFD modeling of single biomass particle conversion can help solve this issue since it allows for the quantification of relations between parameters that are difficult to measure. A model for char tailoring must include a validated representation of the structural changes coupled to all other relevant phenomena occurring during conversion. Part 2 of this study focuses on finding the description of the mentioned aspects to achieve the highest precision of prediction of the structural changes in char by a CFD model. The investigation in Part 2 is composed of three cases focused on accurate description and prediction of (1) bulk density and porosity, (2) secondary vapor reactions on yields and soot formation, and (3) permeability, as well as the outflux and conversion of evolved vapors. The experimental results from Part 1 and the literature data were used to find appropriate descriptions of phenomena and assess the accuracy of the model. The model results indicate that for both particle lengths (10 and 16 mm), a high accuracy of prediction of base structural parameters was achieved. The average prediction error for temperatures between 400 and 840 °C of bulk density was 31 ± 15 kg/m3, and the porosity was 1.8 ± 1.1 vol %. The results also show a low error in the prediction of bulk product yields (dry basis) over the mentioned temperature range, which were: for char 2.8 ± 1.1 wt %, for the condensable fraction 6.5 ± 3.3 wt %, and for the pyrolysis gas 4.1 ± 1.9 wt %. The distribution of secondary char formation was found to be nonuniform below 500 °C. The changes in permeability had a minor influence on the vapor outflux but a non-negligible effect on the soot formation, especially at 840 °C. The results indicate a need for further improvement of the primary degradation model to increase the accuracy of the effect of soot formation on the char structure.

2023

Alvira, Darío; Antorán, Daniel; Vidal, Mariano; Sebastián, Víctor; Manyà, Joan Josep

Vine Shoots-Derived Hard Carbons as Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries: Role of Annealing Temperature in Regulating Their Structure and Morphology Journal Article

In: Batteries & Supercaps, vol. n/a, no. n/a, pp. e202300233, 2023, ISSN: 2566-6223, (_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/batt.202300233).

Abstract | Links | BibTeX

@article{alvira_vine_nodate,

title = {Vine Shoots-Derived Hard Carbons as Anodes for Sodium-Ion Batteries: Role of Annealing Temperature in Regulating Their Structure and Morphology},

author = {Darío Alvira and Daniel Antorán and Mariano Vidal and Víctor Sebastián and Joan Josep Manyà},

url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1002/batt.202300233},

doi = {10.1002/batt.202300233},

issn = {2566-6223},

year  = {2023},

date = {2023-08-02},

urldate = {2023-08-02},

journal = {Batteries & Supercaps},

volume = {n/a},

number = {n/a},

pages = {e202300233},

abstract = {Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) are considered one of the most promising large-scale and low-cost energy storage systems due to the abundance and low price of sodium. Herein, hard carbons from a sustainable biomass feedstock (vine shoots) were synthesized via a simple two-step carbonization process at different highest temperatures to be used as anodes in SIBs. The hard carbon produced at 1200 °C delivered the highest reversible capacity (270 mAh g−1 at 0.03 A g−1, with an acceptable initial coulombic efficiency of 71 %) since a suitable balance between the pseudographitic domains growth and the retention of microporosity, defects, and functional groups was achieved. A prominent cycling stability with a capacity retention of 97 % over 315 cycles was also attained. Comprehensive characterization unraveled a three-stage sodium storage mechanism based on adsorption, intercalation, and filling of pores. A remarkable specific capacity underestimation of up to 38 % was also found when a two-electrode half-cell configuration was employed to measure the rate performance. To avoid this systematic error caused by the counter/reference electrode polarization, we strongly recommend the use of a three-electrode setup or a full-cell configuration to correctly evaluate the anode response at moderate and high current rates.},

note = {_eprint: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1002/batt.202300233},

keywords = {},

pubstate = {published},

tppubtype = {article}

}