Valorization of soybean straw: pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion models

• Grant number: 25/06860-9
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research Internship - Master's degree
• Start date: June 01, 2025
• End date: November 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Chemical Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Moisés Teles dos Santos
• Grantee: Ivaldir José Tamagno Junior
• Supervisor: Frederic Marias
• Host Institution: Escola Politécnica (EP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). São Paulo , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Université de Pau et des Pays de l'Adour, France
• Associated to the scholarship: 24/03270-3 - Conceptual Design of a Biorefinery Integrated into a Soybean Production and Processing System, BP.MS

Abstract

Brazil is the world's leading producer and exporter of soybeans, generating substantial volumes of agro-industrial residues, particularly soybean straw, which remain largely underutilized despite their significant potential for bioenergy and biochemical applications within a biorefinery context. The main objective of this international internship (BEPE) is to develop dynamic and thermally coupled models for the pyrolysis and anaerobic digestion of soybean straw, with a focus on integrating biogas production as a renewable hydrogen source to upgrade the bio-oil generated through pyrolysis via hydrotreatment processes. The methodology involves adapting and expanding existing models within a Python-based computational environment. Pyrolysis will be modeled using first-order reaction kinetics and detailed energy balances, while anaerobic digestion will be represented by mass-based kinetic equations coupled with thermal modeling to account for the temperature sensitivity of microbial activity. These models will be applied to predict product yields, optimize operational parameters, and assess the potential for producing advanced fuels from upgraded bio-oil. The expected outcomes include an enhanced understanding of soybean straw conversion pathways, the development of reliable simulation tools, and contributions to the advancement of sustainable, integrated technologies for renewable fuel production.