ECTS credits ECTS credits: 3
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 1 Expository Class: 10 Interactive Classroom: 12 Total: 23
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary subject Master’s Degree RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Chemistry Engineering
Areas: Chemical Engineering
Center Higher Technical Engineering School
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
The transformation of the biomass, particularly waste biomass, into high value-added products (i.e. their valorisation) is emerging as a strong tendency as result of the depletion of natural resources, the increase in emissions that cause the greenhouse effect and raising awareness about the need for sustainable development in terms of a safe reuse of waste and biomass. In this subject the aim is to provide an overview of the possible alternatives to achieve it and plan for a given biomass material the optimal way/s for its valorization.
The contents of the subject are those indicated in the title report:
• Renewable resources. The biomass.
• Biorefineries as a source of products and energy.
• Bioadhesives and their application for the manufacture of wood boards.
• Development of bioadsorbents. Application to the treatment of liquid and gaseous effluents. Other applications of bioadsorbents.
and are developed in the following units:
UNIT 1. TECHNOLOGIES BASED ON RENEWABLE RESOURCES. THE BIOREFINERIES.
The challenge of sustainable development and the circular economy. Renewable resources. Nature and availability. Biomass and its classification. An integrated concept: the biorefinery. Types of biorefineries.
UNIT 2. THE BIOREFINERY OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC MATERIALS
Lignocellulosic raw materials. Origin and composition. Pretreatments. Routes of use of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. The pulp industry. Production of dissolving pulp. Applications.
UNIT 3. ENERGY FROM BIOMASS.
Current situation of the energy sector. Renewable energies: biomass as a renewable source of energy. Processes for energy use of biomass.
UNIT 4. BIOADHESIVES FOR THE WOOD INDUSTRY.
Current situation of the wood board adhesives industry. Bioadhesives: historical perspective and needs of the wood industry. Tannin-based adhesives. Lignin-based adhesives. Other bioadhesives.
UNIT 5. MANUFACTURE OF WOOD BOARDS.
Classification of wood boards. Properties. Manufacture of plywoods. Manufacture of particleboards. Manufacture of medium density fiberboard.
UNIT 6. BIOMASS AS AN ADSORBENT.
Types of adsorbent materials. Bioadsorbents. Treatments for chemical modification. Biomass as a precursor of activated carbons. Characterization of bioadsorbents. Batch and continuous adsorption. Regeneration of bioadsorbents. Application of bioadsorbents to the elimination of contaminants from liquid and gaseous effluents. Other applications of biadsorbents.
Basic bibliography
KAMM, B., GRUBER, P.R. y KAMM, M. (eds.), Biorefineries-industrial processes and products: status quo and future directions. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, 2010. ISBN: 9783527310272 (Sig. A132 10) https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezbusc.usc.gal/doi/book/10.1002/9783527…
CLARK, J.H. y DESBARTE, F. (eds.), Introduction to Chemicals from Biomass. Chichester: Wiley, 2008. ISBN: 9780470058053 (Sig. IFE 164, IFE 166, 243 6, 243 6ª, 243 6B) https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezbusc.usc.gal/doi/book/10.1002/9781118…
Papers published in scientific journals:
http://sfx.bugalicia.org/san/az/
Complementary bibliography
BERGERON, C., CARRIER, D.J. y RAMASWAMY, S. (eds.), Biorefinery co-products : phytochemicals, primary metabolites abd value-added biomass processing. Chichester, West Sussex, Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. ISBN: 9780470973578
PIZZI, A. y MITTAL, K.L. (eds.), Handbook of adhesive technology. New York: Marcel Dekker, 2003. ISBN 9781498736442
POKORNY, J., YANISHLEVA, N. y GORDON, M. (eds.), Antioxidants in food. Practical applications, Boca Ratón: CRC, 2001. ISBN: 9781855734630
ROWELL, R.M. (ed.), Handbook of wood chemistry and wood composites. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, 2005. ISBN: 0849315883
SOETAERT, W. y VANDAMME, E. (eds.), Biofuels. Hoboken (New Jersey): Wiley, 2008. ISBN: 9780470026748
VOLESKY, B. Sorption and biosorption. Montreal-St.Lambert: BV Sorbex, 2003. ISBN: 9780973298307
YANG, R. T. Adsorbents: fundamentals and applications. New Jersey: Wiley-Interscience, 2003. ISBN: 9780471297413
Knowledge
(CN01)
(CN04)
Competence
(CP03)
(CP04)
Skills
(HD06)
(HD10)
The Virtual Campus of the USC will be used with the following objectives:
•Provide information on the subject (teaching guide, schedules, exams, announcements, etc.)
•Provide the necessary materials for the classes (presentations of the topics, videos, scientific articles necessary to carry out the tasks, etc.).
•Serve as a communication tool with students.
•Create working groups.
•Propose and deliver all scheduled tasks including group work.
•Carry out an evaluation questionnaire.
• To present the basic theoretical concepts, the master class will be used, supported by the use of presentations, videos, etc. (CN01, CN04).
•Some issues of interest will be analyzed working with a selection of publications and presentations will be prepared to be presented in seminar classes (CN01, CN04; HD06, HD10).
• A group work will be carried out in which the basic design of biomass utilization processes will be carried out. It will be carried out throughout the module in the hours of personal work contemplated for the subject. A report will be prepared that will be presented on the day set for the final test of the subject. In the group tutoring session there will be a presentation of the basic aspects of the chosen processes (CN01, CN04; CP03, CP04; HD06, HD10).
• A visit to the company is contemplated and an evaluation activity related to it will be proposed. If it cannot be carried out, it will be replaced by an alternative activity that could be a presentation by technical personnel from the sector that can also be carried out in addition to the technical visit (CN01, CN04).
•The laboratories of the GI-1612 research group where research lines related to the subject are developed can be visited (CP03, CP04).
The assesment of the subject includes a part of continuous assesment, which represents 70% of the grade, and an exam, which will consist of a test, which represents 30% of the overall grade of the subject and will be carried out using the questionnaires module of the Virtual Campus.
The distribution of the grade is as follows:
a) Exam, 30% (CN01, CN04)
b) Continuous assessment work / activities, 65%: Group work (35%), other activities (25%) and technical visit and/or equivalent (5%) (CN01, CN04; CP03, CP04; HD06, HD10)
c) Tutorials / Teacher report, 5%: Presentation of the work proposal in the group tutoring (CN01, CN04; CP03, CP04; HD06, HD10)
• To pass the subject it is compulsory to do group work (delivery of report and presentation in group tutorial) and the visit to the company and/or talk by technical personnel of companies.
• To pass the subject, a minimum overall grade of 5.0 points over 10.0 is required and it will be necessary to obtain a minimum of 40% of the mark corresponding to the exam to be able to add the marks obtained in the continuous assesment. If this minimum is not reached, the grade obtained will be the one corresponding to the exam.
• If the subject is not passed at the first opportunity, the grade obtained in the continuous assessment activities carried out (b) and c)) will be saved for the second opportunity.
• The consideration of “not presented” will be applied if none of the assesment activities are carried out.
In cases of fraudulent completion of exercises or exams, the Regulation for the assesment of the academic performance of students
and the review of grades will apply.
The subject has a workload of 3 ECTS, corresponding 1 ECTS to 25 h of total work, distributed in the following way:
Lectures: 14 h (Presenciality 100 %)
Seminars/technical visits: 12 h (Presenciality: 100 %)
Group tutorials: 1 h (Presenciality: 100 %)
Exam and revision: 2 h (Presenciality: 100 %)
Student work hours: 46 h (Presenciality:0 %)
Some materials are provided in English.
The subject is taught in Spanish.
Julia Gonzalez Alvarez
Coordinador/a- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- Phone
- 881816761
- julia.gonzalez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
| Thursday | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| 09:00-11:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Spanish | Classroom A6 |
| 06.05.2025 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom A6 |
| 06.05.2025 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom A6 |
| 07.09.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom A6 |
| 07.09.2025 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom A6 |