Jorge Cara-Jiménez

• PhD
• Professor at University of Leon

La educación superior necesita adaptarse constantemente a un entorno cambiante y dinámico que demanda una constante evolución en la forma de entender el proceso de enseñanza-aprendizaje, y es en este contexto que surge la innovación docente como un elemento clave para asegurar la calidad y el progreso de la educación superior y, por lo tanto, el éx...

Herein electrochemical oxidation is proposed as a novel path to treat the process water obtained from hydrothermal carbonization of olive tree pruning. The aim of this work is to analyze the organic matter removal achieved by the treatment along with the identification of the chemical species formed after the electro-oxidation process at different...

This work proposes a conceptual knowledge management model specific for the academics researchers and business stakeholders working in the innovation context, through a bibliographic revision from the business domain and reoriented to the innovation context. This revision arise from the need of them to adapt to the fast knowledge growth and changes...

The societal demand for biomethane production by anaerobic digestion of waste and biomass is rapidly growing to build a circular economy, yet actual efficiency is limited. Biochar addition has been technically shown to enhance methane yields in general, but economics are unknown so far. Here, we evaluated the profitability of adding biochar into or...

This study delivers useful understanding towards the design of effective catalytic systems for upgrading real CO2–rich residual streams derived from biomass valorization. Within this perspective, a catalysts' series based on (5 wt%) Cu - (X wt%) Mn/Al2O3 with X = 0, 3, 8 and 10 is employed. The improved catalyst performance achieved through Mn inco...

Herein pyrolysis, torrefaction and hydrothermal carbonization of olive tree pruning were compared from an economic perspective. For this economic comparison a hypothetical industrial plant of 1250 kg/h of capacity was selected, and the profitability analysis was performed through the discounted cash flow method. A baseline scenario was defined, whi...

For a bio-economy establishment, understanding the energy consumption needs to produce solid biofuels is a key point. Herein, olive tree pruning was treated by both dry (pyrolysis and torrefaction) and wet (hydrothermal carbonization) thermal treatments. Product yield, solid quality and energy consumption were assessed. The solids were characterize...

This study evaluates the effects of electro-oxidation as a means for enhancing sludge stabilisation. Boron-doped diamond electrodes were used to treat waste activated sludge and digestate under different operating parameters (current density, conductivity, pH, and time). Electro-oxidation runs affected the solubilisation of organic matter, which se...

In this work the management of a waste called off-specification compost (OSC) was proposed via hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). The composition of this residue makes it not suitable for agronomic purposes because of the Spanish regulation requirements. Therefore, a way of management and/or valorisation needs to be found. The energy recovery throug...

This work addresses the joint management of residual microalgae and pine wood waste through pyrolysis to obtain a solid product for its use as soil amendment and two other by-products (liquid and gaseous) that can be used for energy purposes. Two management routes have been followed. The first route is through the co-pyrolysis of mixtures of both r...

In this work, the effects of using an olive pruning (OP) and an off specifications compost (OSC) as HTC feedstock on industrial plants viability have been studied on: 1) only HTC facilities and 2) HTC coupled to a Rankine cycle (with combustor or with oxy-combustor). After experimental tests, the best blend composition for hydrochar production in H...

Hydrothermal carbonization of different residues allows to homogenize the products since hydrochar shows similar properties. Olive tree pruning and off-specification compost, two abundant wastes in Spain, were selected and treated by hydrothermal carbonization. Hydrochars were blended in different proportions to assess their behavior during combust...

Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) allows the conversion of organic waste into a solid product called hydrochar with improved fuel properties. Olive tree pruning biomass (OTP), a very abundant residue in Mediterranean countries, was treated by HTC to obtain a solid fuel similar to coal that could be used in co-combustion processes. Three different re...

In this paper, response surface methodology (RSM) designs and an artificial neural network (ANN) are used to obtain the optimal conditions for the oxy-combustion of a corn–rape blend. The ignition temperature (Te) and burnout index (Df) were selected as the responses to be optimised, while the CO2/O2 molar ratio, the total flow, and the proportion...

Common kinetic parameters were obtained for leached and non-leached samples of vine wood biomass. Both samples were considered to have different proportions of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin compositions as a result of the leaching process. The two samples were analyzed in terms of pyrolysis kinetic parameters using non-isothermal thermogravi...

In this study, the effects on process performance and changes in microbial populations with the addition of biochar to the anaerobic digestion of sludge and orange peels were evaluated. Biochar had a positive influence in batch digestions, leading to a decrease in the lag phase and an increase in methane yields; this was even more evident for citru...

Nowadays, proper waste management plays an important role in the circular economy in the European Union (EU). According to the European commission, by 2013 the total waste generation in EU approximately amounted 2.5 billion tons, of which 1.6 billion tons were not reused or recycled. When wastes cannot be reused or recycled, it is desirable in envi...

Carbon stability is an important parameter to measure prior to the application of biochar to soil and in the past few years, several methods have been developed to measure it. The carbon sequestration potential (CO2 reduction) for biochar can be estimated by the recalcitrance index (R50 index). This study investigates further refinement of the R50...

In the present work ripped vines (Vitis vinifera) from the winery industry were pyrolyzed at 550 °C in a pilot plant reactor. Characterization of biomass and pyrolysis co-products was carried out. Mass and energy balances were determined in order to find out whether or not a self-sustainable process was achievable for this biomass by burning the ga...

This paper explores the potential of a two-stage process (fermentative + biocatalyzed electrolysis) to reduce the organic load of an industrial waste stream (cheese whey) in parallel with hydrogen production. Overall, the combined process helped to significantly reduce the chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the effluent, while producing hydrogen at a...

The present work was focused on the developmentof a management alternative for residues from the winery industry in Spain. It was performed under the INNPACTO project IPT-2011-1684-440000 funded by the Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness of the Government of Spain. Every year vast amounts of vineyards residues are generated. Old vines are pulle...

El primer objetivo de este proyecto era desarrollar una planta piloto de pirólisis lenta, autotérmica y portátil, que sirviera para la carbonización de los restos de biomasa proveniente de viñedos arrancados por llegar al final de su ciclo (30 - 40 años). Durante este tiempo, las cepas acumulan 25-35 tn CO2/ha, que pueden ser devueltas a la atmosfe...

During coal combustion various toxic compounds are generated from its sulphur content. Their environmental impacts are considered to be very important. While there are various conventional preparation methods to remove the sulphur in the fuel, recent work reveals that newly-isolated micro-organisms, naturally present in coal, have the ability to re...

This paper presents the results obtained for the digestion of primary sludge (PS) and co-digestion of this sludge with the fruit and vegetable fraction of municipal solid wastes (FVFMSW) under mesophilic conditions. This mixture was prepared with a PS content of 22%. The anaerobic digestion process was evaluated under static conditions and with dif...

This study has two aims: to improve the biodesulphurization of a semi-anthracite by packed-column leaching by reducing the insoluble sulphate on the coal surface, and to determine whether after the combustion of treated and untreated coal, sulphate sulphur is transformed completely into sulphur dioxide or part remains in the ashes without reacting....

The biodesulphurisation of coal carried out in pile could be an interesting option to clean coal. In view of the good results obtained in biodesulphurisation test column at lab scale on a sample of semianthracite coal that proceed of an industrial plant with a high sulphur content, mainly pyritic sulphur, the feasibility of the process at pilot pla...

A study was made of the pyrolysis of tyre particles, with the aim of determining the possibilities of using the products resulting from the process as fuel. Three final temperatures were used, determined from thermogravimetric data. The design of the experiment was a horizontal oven containing a reactor into which particles of the original tyre wer...

The purpose of this study was to improve the desulphurization yield of a high sulphur-content semianthracite from northern Spain adapted to the process conditions of a packed-bed reactor, for which three 5-kg packed columns of coal were set up with the pH stabilized at 1.5. The process was begun by inoculating the first column with a culture obtain...

The purpose of this study is to show how the different size fractions of coal are affected during a process of biodesulphurization in a packed column and to examine the repercussions of the process on the elimination of certain heavy and trace elements. The total desulphurization obtained in 51 days is about 25wt%, as only pyritic sulphur is attack...

Column biodesulphurization of coal is at the experimental stage and is influenced by many variables including temperature, pH, particle size, concentration of iron in solution, among others. Idle time in the washing process and the concentration of dissolved iron in the purged leachate are two variables with a definite effect on the yield of the de...

The micro-organisms used in the processes of sulphur elimination from coal by bioleaching are currently considered to play an important part in the dissolving of other elements (Cu, V, Ni, Pb, Cr, Se, As, etc.). In this study an analysis is carried out a process of biodesulphurization of coal and the elimination of certain heavy and trace elements....

A microbial inoculum was selected to be later employed in the desulfurization of column-packed coal. A percolating liquid at pH 1.5 was used, and the total iron was monitored throughout the process. The results, after 42 days of percolation indicate that elimination of pyritic sulfur achieved a level of 46%, with relatively small changes in the imm...

El material de innovación educativa, tipo práctico, se presenta en dos documentos: Memoria y Manual Experimental en el campo medioambiental de Calidad de Suelos. En la Memoria se plantea el procedimiento metodológico en 5 fases para las titulaciones de Ciencias Ambientales (ciclo segundo) e Ingeniería Minera (ciclo primero) basado en el sistema 'fu...

El material de innovación educativa tipo práctico, se presenta en dos documentos: memoria y manual experimental en el campo medioambiental de Calidad de Suelos. En la memoria se plantea el procedimiento metodológico en cinco fases para las titulaciones de Ciencias Ambientales (segundo ciclo) e Ingeniería Minera (primer ciclo) basado en el sistema '...