The Bio-Energy Efficiency Laboratory - BEELab, is part of the Engineering Department "Enzo Ferrari" of the University of Modena and Reggio Emilia. BEELab is the result of the experience and knowledge gained throughout the years by the research group of energy efficiency in the field of biomass, renewable energies and thermo-fluid-science.

Ongoing Projects   

CHAR RIMEDIO regional project focused on the use of biochar to reduce GHG and ammonia emissions released by pig slurry storages. Biochar is a porous and recalcitrant material obtained as a by-product of the gasification process of agro-forestry biomasses. Project activities include the design and construction of devices that use biochar in 3 different ways: matChar: floating mattress to cover the storage; filtChar: hermetic and adsorbent filter crossed by the pig slurry flow; aeroChar: biochar used as a substrate for nitro-denitrifying bacteria.

UNIHEMP, Fondo Europeo di Sviluppo Regionale (FESR) nell’ambito del PON R&I 2017-2020 – Asse 2 – Azione II – OS 1.b) (Decreto di Concessione Prot. n. 2016 del 27/07/2018): the BEELab is involved in this national project to investigate the thermal conversion of the hemp cultivation byproducts. The study goes through the numerical modeling of gasification process of the hemp byproduct to assess the gas and biochar yield. A secondary step investigates the capability of this material to fuel ORC cycles and to generate biofuels. Experimental gasification tests are carried on to produce biochar from the hemp wastes and evaluate its properties.

Co-composting: the biochar can not only act as a carbon sequestrator but can also multiply the biochemical interactions in the composting process. Ongoing tests with hemp byproducts are analysing this hypothesis.

Biomass-powered flame weeding: the project aims at investigating the feasibility of woody biomass gasification applied to the flame-weeding in substitution of the LPG currently used.

Femto: the continuous refinement of this tabletop pyro - gasification system allows the study of thermochemical conversion of not conventional biomasses. This intermediate step, after a numerical modeling of the process, avoids the need of directly testing full scale application, reducing the design and planning costs.

Recently closed projects

VAL.SO.VITIS: Evaluation and application of innovative technical solutions, for the use of waste and by-products of the wine industry to be transformed into energy sub-products, nutraceutical co-products and fertilizers for increased productivity in the sector and a lower environmental impact. Starting from the SOSTINNOVI project results the vine prunings supply-chain was defined and several harvesting tests were carried out. The raw material was then collected, chipped and converted into pellets, providing a more stable and commercially viable source of energy from wastes. Gasification and combustion tests were respectively performed in a commercial gasifier and in a domestic pellet stove showing performances of the vine pellet similar to the standardized A1-grade (ENplus) one. 

SOSTINNOVI: The project had the ambitious aim to make the Emilia-Romagna region one of the hubs for sustainable innovation for wine production. The task of the BEELab was to manage the preprocessing of the biomass derived from vineyard pruning and to use it to fuel a commercial gasifier and industrial wood chips stove. The chipped vine prunings showed a high potential for energy recovery but dedicated energy conversion systems are needed due to the inhomogeneity of the bulk material.

REBAF: this project concerns the modeling, realization and experimental validation of innovative pathways for the exploitation of grass and woody biomasses from river maintenance operations. The final goal is to make the river maintenance operations self-sustainability from the economic and environmental point of views. The BEELab was involved in the gasification tests of woody fraction of the residual biomass with the consequent biochar production. The biochar was used as a soil amendment for Arundo-Donax (giant reed) to assess its behavior on biomass growth. The waste heat from the gasification system was used to pyrolyze the herbauceous biomass in the Femto pyrolyzer. The obtained high-silica content biochar can be useful as an additive for lightweight construction materials

Patents