ECTS credits ECTS credits: 3
ECTS Hours Rules/Memories Hours of tutorials: 1 Expository Class: 10 Interactive Classroom: 12 Total: 23
Use languages Spanish, Galician
Type: Ordinary subject Master’s Degree RD 1393/2007 - 822/2021
Departments: Chemistry Engineering
Areas: Chemical Engineering
Center Higher Technical Engineering School
Call: Second Semester
Teaching: With teaching
Enrolment: Enrollable | 1st year (Yes)
The transformation of the biomass, particularly waste biomass, into high value-added products (i.e. their valorisation) is emerging as a strong tendency as result of the depletion of natural resources, the increase in emissions that cause the greenhouse effect and raising awareness about the need for sustainable development in terms of a safe reuse of waste and biomass. In this subject the aim is to provide an overview of the possible alternatives to achieve it and plan for a given biomass material the optimal way/s for its valorization.
The contents of the subject are those indicated in the title report:
• Renewable resources. The biomass.
• Biorefineries as a source of products and energy.
• Bioadhesives and their application for the manufacture of wood boards.
• Development of bioadsorbents. Application to the treatment of liquid and gaseous effluents. Other applications of bioadsorbents.
and are developed in the following units:
UNIT 1. TECHNOLOGIES BASED ON RENEWABLE RESOURCES. THE BIOREFINERIES.
The challenge of sustainable development and the circular economy. Renewable resources. Nature and availability. Biomass and its classification. An integrated concept: the biorefinery. Types of biorefineries.
UNIT 2. THE BIOREFINERY OF LIGNOCELLULOSIC MATERIALS
Lignocellulosic raw materials. Origin and composition. Pretreatments. Routes of use of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. The pulp industry. Production of dissolving pulp. Applications.
UNIT 3. ENERGY FROM BIOMASS.
Current situation of the energy sector. Renewable energies: biomass as a renewable source of energy. Processes for energy use of biomass.
UNIT 4. BIOADHESIVES FOR THE WOOD INDUSTRY.
Current situation of the wood board adhesives industry. Bioadhesives: historical perspective and needs of the wood industry. Tannin-based adhesives. Lignin-based adhesives. Other bioadhesives.
UNIT 5. MANUFACTURE OF WOOD BOARDS.
Classification of wood boards. Properties. Manufacture of plywoods. Manufacture of particleboards. Manufacture of medium density fiberboard.
UNIT 6. BIOMASS AS AN ADSORBENT.
Types of adsorbent materials. Bioadsorbents. Treatments for chemical modification. Biomass as a precursor of activated carbons. Characterization of bioadsorbents. Batch and continuous adsorption. Regeneration of bioadsorbents. Application of bioadsorbents to the elimination of contaminants from liquid and gaseous effluents. Other applications of biadsorbents.
Basic bibliography
KAMM, B., GRUBER, P.R. y KAMM, M. (eds.), Biorefineries-industrial processes and products: status quo and future directions. Weinheim: Wiley-VCH, 2010. ISBN: 9783527310272 (Sig. A132 10) https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezbusc.usc.gal/doi/book/10.1002/9783527…
CLARK, J.H. y DESBARTE, F. (eds.), Introduction to Chemicals from Biomass. Chichester: Wiley, 2008. ISBN: 9780470058053 (Sig. IFE 164, IFE 166, 243 6, 243 6ª, 243 6B) https://onlinelibrary-wiley-com.ezbusc.usc.gal/doi/book/10.1002/9781118…
Papers published in scientific journals:
http://sfx.bugalicia.org/san/az/
Complementary bibliography
BERGERON, C., CARRIER, D.J. y RAMASWAMY, S. (eds.), Biorefinery co-products : phytochemicals, primary metabolites abd value-added biomass processing. Chichester, West Sussex, Hoboken: John Wiley & Sons, 2012. ISBN: 9780470973578
PIZZI, A. y MITTAL, K.L. (eds.), Handbook of adhesive technology. New York: Marcel Dekker, 2003. ISBN 9781498736442
ROWELL, R.M. (ed.), Handbook of wood chemistry and wood composites. Boca Raton, Florida: CRC Press, 2005. ISBN: 0849315883
SOETAERT, W. y VANDAMME, E. (eds.), Biofuels. Hoboken (New Jersey): Wiley, 2008. ISBN: 9780470026748
VOLESKY, B. Sorption and biosorption. Montreal-St.Lambert: BV Sorbex, 2003. ISBN: 9780973298307
Knowledge
(CN01)
(CN04)
Competence
(CP03)
(CP04)
Skills
(HD06)
(HD10)
The Learning Management System of the USC will be used with the following objectives:
•Provide information on the subject (teaching guide, schedules, exams, announcements, etc.)
•Provide the necessary materials for the classes (presentations of the topics, videos, scientific articles necessary to carry out the tasks, etc.).
•Serve as a communication tool with students.
•Create working groups.
•Propose and deliver all scheduled tasks including group work.
•Carry out an evaluation questionnaire.
•Lectures will be used to present the basic theoretical concepts, supported by presentations, videos, etc. (knowledge levels CN01, CN04).
•Some issues of interest will be analyzed in working groups using research articles, and presentations will be prepared for presentation in seminar classes (knowledge levels CN01, CN04; skills HD06, HD10). Three activities of this type will be carried out, and once proposed, a presentation date will be agreed upon with the students.
•Group work will be carried out on the basic design of biomass utilization. This work will be carried out throughout the module during the individual work hours provided for the subject. A report will be prepared and submitted no later than the day after the end of the subject classes and will be presented on the day scheduled for the exam. In the group tutoring session, a presentation will be made on the basic aspects of the selected processes (knowledge CN01, CN04; competencies CP03, CP04; skills HD06, HD10).
• A company visit is planned for May, and a questionnaire will be provided, which can be submitted no later than three days after the visit. If this cannot be done, it will be replaced by an alternative activity, such as a presentation by technical personnel from the sector, which can also be carried out in addition to the technical visit (knowledge CN01, CN04).
• The PROSUST research group laboratories, where lines of research related to the subject are being developed, will be available for visits (skills CP03, CP04).
The course evaluation includes a continuous assessment component, which represents 70% of the grade, and an exam, which will consist of a test, which represents 30% of the overall grade and will be administered using the Virtual Campus' questionnaire module. The grade distribution is as follows:
a) Exam, 30% (knowledge CN01, CN04)
b) Continuous assessment assignments/activities, 65%: Group work (35%), other activities (25%, divided equally between the three activities), and the technical visit questionnaire (5%) (knowledge CN01, CN04; skills CP03, CP04; skills HD06, HD10)
c) Tutorials/Teacher's Report, 5%: Presentation of the work proposal in the group tutorial (knowledge CN01, CN04; skills CP03, CP04; skills HD06, HD10)
• To pass the subject, it is mandatory to complete the group work (attendance and presentation in the group tutorial, report submission, and defense) and attend (optional questionnaire) the company visit and/or the talk by company technical staff.
• To pass the subject, a minimum overall grade of 5.0 out of 10.0 is required, and a minimum of 40% of the exam score must be obtained to be added to the continuous assessment scores. If this minimum is not reached, the grade obtained will be the exam grade.
• Class attendance is not assessed (Article 1 of the Regulations on the Assessment of Students' Academic Performance and Grade Review).
• If the subject is not passed the first opportunity, the grade obtained in the continuous assessment activities (b) and c) will be retained for the second one.
• A student will be considered a "not presented" if none of the assessed activities are completed.
• No grade will be retained for repeat students.
In cases of fraudulent completion of exercises or tests, the provisions of the Regulations on the Assessment of Students' Academic Performance and Grade Review will apply.
The subject has a workload of 3 ECTS, corresponding 1 ECTS to 25 h of total work, distributed in the following way:
Lectures: 14 h (Presenciality 100 %)
Seminars/technical visits: 12 h (Presenciality: 100 %)
Group tutorials: 1 h (Presenciality: 100 %)
Exam and revision: 2 h (Presenciality: 100 %)
Student work hours: 46 h (Presenciality:0 %)
Some materials are provided in English.
The subject is taught in Spanish.
Julia González Álvarez
Coordinador/a- Department
- Chemistry Engineering
- Area
- Chemical Engineering
- Phone
- 881816761
- julia.gonzalez [at] usc.es
- Category
- Professor: University Lecturer
Monday | |||
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09:00-10:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Galician | Classroom A6 |
Thursday | |||
12:00-14:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Galician | Classroom A6 |
06.01.2026 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom A6 |
06.01.2026 10:00-12:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom A6 |
07.07.2026 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLIS_01 | Classroom A6 |
07.07.2026 16:00-18:00 | Grupo /CLE_01 | Classroom A6 |