Pulsed corona discharge oxidation of aqueous lignin: Decomposition and aldehydes formation

Iris Panorel*, Laura Kaijanen, Iakov Kornev, Sergei Preis, Marjatta Louhi-Kultanen, Heli Sirén

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticleScientificpeer-review

18 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Lignin is the mass waste product of pulp and paper industry mostly incinerated for energy recovery. Lignin is, however, a substantial source of raw material for derivatives currently produced in costly wet oxidation processes. The pulsed corona discharge (PCD) for the first time was applied to lignin oxidation aiming a cost-effective environmentally friendly lignin removal and transformation to aldehydes. The experimental research into treatment of coniferous kraft lignin aqueous solutions was undertaken to establish the dependence of lignin oxidation and aldehyde formation on the discharge parameters, initial concentration of lignin and gas phase composition. The rate and the energy efficiency of lignin oxidation increased with increasing oxygen concentration reaching up to 82 g kW-1 h-1 in 89% vol. oxygen. Oxidation energy efficiency in PCD treatment exceeds the one for conventional ozonation by the factor of two under the experimental conditions. Oxidation at low oxygen concentrations showed a tendency of the increasing aldehydes and glyoxylic acid formation yield.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)171-176
Number of pages6
JournalEnvironmental Technology
Volume35
Issue number2
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - 1 Jan 2014
MoE publication typeA1 Journal article-refereed

Keywords

  • Advanced oxidation processes
  • Aldehyde
  • Energy efficiency
  • Ozone
  • Plasma
  • Water

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