Hydrothermal Biomass Processing for Energy and Water Recovery
A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Water-Energy Nexus".
Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 July 2026 | Viewed by 8
Special Issue Editor
Interests: biomass conversion; waste to energy and resources; hydrothermal processing technology; decarbonization; chemical catalytic reaction; sustainable biomanufacturing; techno-economic analysis; life cycle assessment
Special Issue Information
Dear Colleagues,
This Special Issue aims to advance the science, engineering, and sustainability of hydrothermal processing technologies—including hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL), hydrothermal carbonization (HTC), supercritical water processes, and integrated wet-biomass conversion pathways. With growing global interest in valorising wet organic residues, food waste, sludges, algae, and other high-moisture feedstocks, hydrothermal systems offer a versatile platform to convert challenging wastes into bio-oils, biocrude, hydrochar, functional materials, and water-resource streams.
Key areas of interest include fundamental and applied studies on feedstock conversion, reaction mechanisms, catalyst development, reactor design, and optimization of process parameters (temperature, pressure, residence time, solids loading). The Special Issue also welcomes research on the upgrading and separation of product fractions; valorisation of by-products such as hydrochar for soil or material applications; nutrient, chemical, and water recovery from aqueous phases; and treatment or reuse strategies for process water.
We further encourage contributions on techno-economic analysis (TEA), life-cycle assessment (LCA), process integration with biological or thermochemical platforms, hybrid systems, and pilot- or demonstration-scale case studies. The overall aim is to accelerate the transition toward circular bioeconomy solutions by converting biomass and wet wastes into higher-value energy carriers, chemicals, materials, and water resources.
Dr. Yong Wei Tiong
Guest Editor
Manuscript Submission Information
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Keywords
- hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL)
- hydrothermal carbonization (HTC)
- wet biomass conversion
- bio-oil and hydrochar production
- aqueous phase valorisation
- reactor design and process optimization
- water and nutrient recovery
- techno-economic analysis (TEA)
- life-cycle assessment (LCA)
- circular bioeconomy
- waste-to-energy and waste-to-resource
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