Project dates: 01/01/2017 – 31/12/2021
Why it matters
Excessive industrial waste is a global problem affecting our economy, society and environment. Australian agricultural, sewage and industrial hydrocarbon industries generate a signicant amount of waste by-products, including sugarcane waste, biosolids, asphalt residue, end-of-life plastics and tyres . Generally, this waste is not easily biodegradable and has no real commercial value under normal circumstances. Minimising, transforming and recycling these waste products into alternative and valuable resources has signicant benets for industry, community and the environment – both now and for future generations.
How the IFE is making an impact
IFE research is supporting the growth of a sustainable industrial biotechnology and bioproducts sector in Queensland by supporting the conversion of industrial waste products such as sugarcane waste and old tyres into valuable and reusable materials and resources.
In partnership with Nilwaste Energy, Queensland Urban Utilities and Southern Oil Rening, QUT is supporting an Advance Queensland Research Fellowship (AQRF) project exploring the ability of the thermochemical technologies called hydrothermal liquefaction and pyrolysis to minimise, transform and recover value adding products from sugarcane waste (bagasse, lignin, vinasse), industrial hydrocarbon waste (asphalt residue, endof-life plastics, tyres) and sewage feedstocks. The research is being led by Advance Queensland Research Biorening 15/11/2019 Converting industrial waste to valuable products has big benefits – Industrial Biotechnology, Bioproducts and Biorefining Fellow Dr Kameron Dunn from QUT’s Centre of Tropical Crops and Biocommodities (CTCB). The AQRF is funded by the Queensland Government Department of Innovation, Tourism Industry Development and the Commonwealth Games through the Advanced Queensland Fellowship Programme.
Over the last ten years, IFE researchers in CTCB have developed hydrothermal liquefaction and supercritical uid extraction capability and pilot infrastructure to transform a range of lignocellulosic materials into biocrude products composed of a matrix of chemicals that when extracted and rened, can be used as pharmaceuticals, avouring agents, resins, solvents, fuels and even carbon bre precursors. The AQRF project builds on previous CTCB thermochemical research and will investigate product composition, yields and industry process integration and modelling for processing industrial partner feedstocks.
QUT’s industry partners benet from new income streams, signicant reductions in waste transport and disposal costs, energy recovery and in the production and recycling of value-adding and nutrient products. At the same time, these benets provide protection to the natural environment and create sustainable industries for future generations.
Research infrastructure for the real world
As part of the AQF project, Nilwaste Energy will construct a patented pilot pyrolysis system at the IFE Banyo Pilot Plant to demonstrate and validate off-takes produced from pyrolysis processing. QUT’s Mackay Renewable Biocommodities Pilot Plant also supports Dr Dunn’s research by pre-treating bagasse to produce sugarcane lignin, which is then processed at the Banyo pilot plant facility in Brisbane which houses the QUT pilot continuous hydrothermal liquefaction reactor. Laboratory equipment in QUT’s Central Analytical Research Facility (CARF) will also be used during the project.
“Queensland Urban Utilities’ Research, Development & Innovation program supports strategic initiatives that create value for our customers by building organisational knowledge and capabilities through funding, resources and expertise. The opportunity to partner with Dr Dunn, QUT, Nilwaste Energy and Southern Oil Rening under an Advanced Queensland Research Fellowship project is of signicant interest to our business.” – Matthew Mulliss, Engineer (Resources), Planning Group, Queensland Urban Utilities.
Funding / Grants
Advance Queensland Fellowship – Transforming Queensland agricultural and petroleum waste products into biochemicals and advanced composites.
Team
- Dr Kameron Dunn
- Dr Philip Hobson
- Professor William Doherty
- Neil McKenzie
- Dr Lalehvash Moghaddam
- Ms Wanda Stolz
- Mr Adrian Baker
- Dr Darryn Rackemann
