Faculty Publications
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Item Effect of dry torrefaction pretreatment of the microwave-assisted catalytic pyrolysis of biomass using the machine learning approach(Elsevier Ltd, 2022) Ramesh, R.; Suriapparao, D.V.; Sankar Rao, C.S.; Sridevi, V.; Kumar, A.This study employs the Leave-One-Out cross-validation approach to build a machine-learning model using polynomial regression to predict pyro product yield through microwave-assisted pyrolysis of sawdust over KOH catalyst and graphite powder a susceptor. The determination of coefficient (R2) validates the developed models. All the developed models achieved a high prediction accuracy with R2 > 0.93, which signifies that the experimental values are in good agreement with the predicted one. The dependence of the catalyst loading and pretreatment temperature on dominating process parameters such as heating rate, pyrolysis temperature, susceptor thermal energy, and pyro products, namely bio-oil, biochar, and biogas, are explored. The yield of biochar is reduced; however, bio-oil and biogas are enhanced as the catalyst loading increased. On the other hand, increasing the temperature of pretreated sawdust decreased bio-oil and biogas yields while increasing biochar yields. Further, microwave conversion efficiency, and susceptor thermal energy increased with increased catalyst quantity and pretreatment temperatures of sawdust. It was observed that the average heating rate was increased by increasing the catalyst quantity while maintaining the same pyrolysis time until pretreatment temperatures of 150 °C were reached, after which the heating rate dropped due to the continuous microwave energy input to the system. © 2022 Elsevier LtdItem The effect of torrefaction temperature and catalyst loading in Microwave-Assisted in-situ catalytic Co-Pyrolysis of torrefied biomass and plastic wastes(Elsevier Ltd, 2022) Ramesh, R.; Suriapparao, D.V.; Sankar Rao, C.S.; Sridevi, V.; Kumar, A.; Shah, M.In the current study, the effect of torrefaction temperatures (125–175 °C) and catalyst quantity (5–15 g) on co-pyrolysis of torrefied sawdust (TSD) and polystyrene (PS) are investigated to obtain value-added products. The role of torrefaction in co-pyrolysis of TSD: PS was analyzed to understand the product yields, synergy, and energy consumption. As the torrefaction temperature increases, oil yield (48.3–59.6 wt%) and char yield (24.3–29 wt%) increase while gas yield (27.4–11.4 wt%) decreases. Catalytic co-pyrolysis showed a significant level of synergy when compared to non-catalytic co-pyrolysis. For the conversion (%), a positive synergy maximum (-2.6) exists at a torrefaction temperature of 175 °C and 15 g of KOH catalyst. To develop the model, polynomial regression-based machine learning was used to predict pyrolysis product yields and energy usage variables. The developed models showed significant prediction accuracy (R2 > 0.98), suggesting the experimental values and the predicted values matched well. © 2022 Elsevier LtdItem Visible-light induced effective and sustainable remediation of nitro organics pollutants using Pd-doped ZnO nanocatalyst(Nature Research, 2024) Vikal, S.; Meena, S.; Gautam, Y.K.; Kumar, A.; Sethi, M.; Meena, S.; Gautam, D.; Singh, B.P.; Agarwal, P.C.; Meena, M.L.; Parewa, V.Nitroaromatic compounds represent a class of highly toxic pollutants discharged into aquatic environments by various industrial activities, posing significant threats to ecological integrity and human health due to their persistent and hazardous nature. In this study, Pd-doped ZnO nanoparticles were investigated as a potential solution for the degradation of nitro organics, offering heightened photocatalytic efficacy and prolonged stability. The synthesis of Pd-doped ZnO NPs was achieved via the hydrothermal method, with subsequent analysis through XRD spectra and XPS confirming successful Pd doping within the ZnO matrix. Characterization through FESEM and HRTEM unveiled the heterogeneous morphologies of both undoped and Pd-doped ZnO nanoparticles. Additionally, UV–vis and PL spectroscopy provided insights into the optical properties, chemical bonding, and defect structures of the synthesized Pd-doped ZnO NPs. Pd doping induces a redshift in ZnO’s absorption spectra, reducing the bandgap from 3.12 to 2.94 eV as Pd concentration rises from 0 to 0.2 wt.%. The photocatalytic degradation, following pseudo-first-order kinetics, achieved 90% nitrobenzene abatement (200 µg/L, pH 7) under visible light within 320 min with a catalyst loading of 16 µg/mL. The photocatalytic efficacy of 0.08 wt% Pd-doped ZnO (k = 0.058 min?1) exhibited a 25-fold enhancement compared to bare ZnO (k = 3.1 × 10–4 min-1). Subsequent quenching and ESR experiments identified hydroxyl radicals (OH•) as the predominant active species in the degradation mechanism. Mass spectrometry analysis unveiled potential breakdown intermediates, illuminating a plausible degradation pathway. The investigated Pd-doped ZnO nanoparticles demonstrated reusability for up to five successive treatment cycles, offering a sustainable solution to nitro organics contamination challenges. © The Author(s) 2024.