ORIGINAL PAPER
Treatment of biomass using hydrothermal carbonization method
1
Mineral and Energy Economy Research Institute, Polish Academy of Sciences
2
Cracow University of Technology, Faculty of Chemical Engineering and Technology
3
Faculty of Management, AGH University of Krakow
Submission date: 2025-02-17
Final revision date: 2025-04-02
Acceptance date: 2025-09-07
Publication date: 2026-03-31
Corresponding author
Gospodarka Surowcami Mineralnymi – Mineral Resources Management 2026;42(1):185-203
KEYWORDS
TOPICS
ABSTRACT
The analysis of hydrothermal carbonization technology processing showed that this technology effectively transforms hydrated biomass into high-quality hydrated and biocarbon pellets used as biofuels. One of the key advantages of hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is its ability to enhance the efficiency of bio-waste recycling, leading to increased productivity in waste management. It also decreases reliance on fossil fuels by providing a sustainable alternative energy source while lowering greenhouse gas emissions associated with conventional waste disposal. The process is highly efficient, converting a significant part of biowaste carbon into biocarbon. Hydrothermal carbonization is an exothermic process operating with low energy consumption. The hydrochar produced can be utilized as a soil amendment, enriching soil and sequestering carbon. Investing in innovative technologies like HTC strengthens sustainable waste management strategies, fostering the circular economy concept. By increased use of hydrothermal carbonization, the volume of untreated biowaste can be reduced while simultaneously producing environmentally friendly materials. The development of this technology holds great potential for transforming organic waste into valuable resources, offering a sustainable alternative to traditional disposal. The assessment showed that it is possible to process approximately 50 million tons of biomass per year in Poland using the HTC method and thus produce about 16.5 million tons of carbon bio pellets.
CONFLICT OF INTEREST
The Authors have no conflict of interest to declare.
METADATA IN OTHER LANGUAGES:
Polish
Przetwarzanie biomasy metodą hydrotermicznej karbonizacji
biopaliwo, hydrowęgiel, biowęgiel, karbonizacja hydrotermalna, uwodniona biomasa
Analiza procesu hydrotermalnej karbonizacji wykazała, że technologia ta skutecznie przekształ- ca uwodnioną biomasę w wysokiej jakości uwodnione peletki biowęglowe, wykorzystywane jako biopaliwa. Jedną z kluczowych zalet hydrotermalnej karbonizacji (HTC) jest jej zdolność do zwiększenia efektywności recyklingu bioodpadów, co prowadzi do wzrostu produktywności w gospodarce odpadami. Zmniejsza ona również zależność od paliw kopalnych, zapewniając zrównoważone, alternatywne źródło energii, jednocześnie obniżając emisję gazów cieplarnianych związaną z konwencjonalną utylizacją odpadów. Proces ten jest wysoce wydajny, przekształcając znaczną część węgla z bioodpadów w biowęgiel. Hydrotermalna karbonizacja to proces egzotermiczny o niskim zużyciu energii. Wytworzony hydrowęgiel może być wykorzystany jako dodatek do gleby, wzbogacając ją i wiążąc dwutlenek węgla. Inwestowanie w innowacyjne technologie, takie jak HTC, wzmacnia strategie zrównoważonego gospodarowania odpadami, wspierając koncepcję gospodarki o obiegu zamkniętym. Dzięki zwiększonemu wykorzystaniu hydrotermalnej karbonizacji można zmniejszyć ilość nieprzetworzonych bioodpadów, jednocześnie produkując materiały przyjazne środowisku. Rozwój tej technologii niesie ze sobą ogromny potencjał w zakresie przekształcania odpadów organicznych w cenne zasoby, oferując zrównoważoną alternatywę dla tradycyjnego składowania. Analiza wykazała, że w Polsce metodą HTC możliwe jest przetworzenie około 50 milionów ton biomasy rocznie, a tym samym wyprodukowanie około 16,5 miliona ton biopelletu węglowego.
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