Microwave and Radio-Frequency Technologies in Agriculture

23 Thermal Processing of Biomass

There are several organic waste streams that are of interest to agriculture; however the use of manures (both animal and human) has been a part of agricultural activity for centuries (Sayre 2010). Semi-processed manures are collectively called biosolids. An important goal of waste management is to recover as much value as possible from the material. This value could be realised in terms of recovery of nutrients, energy or chemicals. These can be recovered from biomass through various biological, chemical or thermal processing techniques. Processes such as combustion, gasification, torrefaction, pyrolysis, pelletizing and biogas production through microbial digestion have been considered. Palletisation and microbial ...