Hydrothermal Processes for Biomass Valorization and Energy Conversion
A special issue of Applied Sciences (ISSN 2076-3417). This special issue belongs to the section "Energy Science and Technology".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 August 2026
Special Issue Editors
Interests: hydrothermal processes; renewable energy; site remediation; waste management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Interests: hydrothermal processes; renewable energy; site remediation; waste management
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
Hydrothermal processes offer a unique opportunity to convert wet biomass and organic residues into renewable energy carriers and value-added products while avoiding energy-intensive drying. This Special Issue focuses on the application of hydrothermal technologies for biomass energy conversion and integrated biorefinery schemes, as well as on materials-oriented outcomes, including hydrochar functionalization and its use as an adsorbent, soil amendment, and carbon-based material. Contributions spanning laboratory, pilot, and industrial perspectives are welcome. Topics include hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) and hydrochar production for energy and environmental applications; hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) to biocrude, including upgrading and catalytic routes; supercritical water gasification (SCWG) and hydrothermal reforming for syngas and hydrogen production; and hydrothermal pretreatments that enhance anaerobic digestion, fermentation, or downstream thermochemical pathways. In particular, we encourage manuscripts addressing reaction mechanisms, kinetics, modeling, reactor design, heat integration, and process intensification. In addition, this Special Issue invites studies on the management and valorization of process water, emissions, and by-products, as well as performance assessment through techno-economic analysis, life-cycle assessment, and sustainability metrics. Relevant feedstocks include lignocellulosic biomass, agricultural and forestry residues, food waste, sewage sludge, digestate, and algae. Original research articles are welcome, with an emphasis on reproducibility, scalability, and practical relevance for deploying hydrothermal conversion within the bioeconomy.
Dr. Luca Taglieri
Prof. Dr. Alberto Gallifuoco
Guest Editors
Manuscript Submission Information
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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.
Keywords
- hydrothermal carbonization (HTC)
- hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL)
- supercritical water gasification
- wet biomass
- hydrochar
- biocrude
- process intensification
- reactor design and scale-up
- techno-economic analysis
- life-cycle assessment
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