Education and credentials
PhD in Environmental Catalysis, University of Leeds (UK), 2008.
MSc (Eng.) in Chemical Technology, Silesian University of Technology, Gliwice (PL), 2000

Research interests
Dr Nowakowski's research interests lie in the following areas:

• Pyrolysis processes of biomass with the application of advanced analytical methods, including: TGA - thermogravimetric analysis, Py-GC-MS/FID - analytical pyrolysis with the application of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, HS-MS - head space analysis of organic volatiles with the application of mass spectrometry, FTIR - Fourier transform spectroscopy.

• Catalytic hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of fast pyrolysis liquids.

• Biomass torrefaction.
  

• Upgrading of biomass-derived oil via esterification over solid acid catalysts.

• Catalytic pyrolysis of biomass, lignins and acid-hydrolysis residue.

Research projects

SUPERGEN Bioenergy Hub (core research project from January 2013; project website). The SUPERGEN Bioenergy Hub is is funded by a grant from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) as part of the RCUK Energy programme. The Hub spans six research institutions and involves ten industrial partners. Research task: Catalytic upgrading of fast pyrolysis bio-oil via hydrodeoxygenation for chemicals and biofuels.

BRISK - Biofuels Research Infrastructure for Sharing Knowledge (project website). Involvement: provision of analytical consultancy services for visitors on the BRISK project. Coordinated BRISK tasks/mini-projects:

1. Fast pyrolysis processing of rape straw. October 20012, 4 weeks. Visitor: Natalia Gómez Marín, Instituto de Recursos Naturales, Universidad de León, Spain.

2. Thermochemical characterisation of acid hydrolysis residues. October/November 2012, 3 weeks. Visitor: Carlos Alberto Cuvila, KTH Royal Institute of Technology, Stockholm, Sweden.

3. Catalytic pyrolysis of biomass using zeolite catalysts. November 2012, 3 weeks. Visitor: Antonio Pineda, Departamento de Química Orgánica, Universidad de Córdoba, Spain.

DIBANET - "The Production of Sustainable Diesel Miscible Biofuels from the Residues & Wastes of Europe & Latin America" - research project funded under the EU's 7th Framework Programme (project website + promotional video link). Involvement: characterisation of biomass feedstock and acid hydrolysis residues (TGA, analytical pyrolysis), esterification of fast pyrolysis bio-oil using heteropoly-acid catalyst with Wells–Dawson structure, catalytic pyrolysis of biomass and acid hydrolysis residues.

PyNe - The International Energy Agency Bioenergy Task 34 for Pyrolysis (network website). Involvement: characterisation of fast pyrolysis products, development of analytical protocols, newsletter contribution.

SUPERGEN Bioenergy (II) - (project website). Involvement: characterisation of biomass feedstock, analytical pyrolysis, slow and fast pyrolysis experiments, characterisation of slow and fast pyrolysis products, biomass storage experiments, bio-char pot trials.

LignoValue - Value-added valorization of lignin for optimal biorefinery of lignocellulose towards energy carriers and products (completed project - 2007-2010, more details here + promotional video link - in Dutch with English subtitles). Involvement: lignin valorisation via the production of phenols, performance products and fuel additives.

Publications

Peer-reviewed journals - (2007-2013)

C.E. Greenhalf, D.J. Nowakowski*, N. Yates, I. Shield and A.V. Bridgwater; The influence of harvest and storage on the fuel properties of Miscanthus x giganteus; Biomass and Bioenergy; Accepted - 07.05.2013.

C.E. Greenhalf, D.J. Nowakowski*, A.B. Harms, J. Titiloye, A.V. Bridgwater; A comparative study of straw, perennial grasses and hardwoods in terms of fast pyrolysis; Fuel, Volume 108, June 2013, pp. 216-230; dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2013.01.075

M. Mos, S. Banks, D.J. Nowakowski*, P.R.H. Robson, A.V. Bridgwater, I.S. Donnison; Impact of Miscanthus x giganteus senescence times on fast pyrolysis bio-oil quality; Bioresource Technology, Volume 129, February 2013, pp. 335-342; dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2012.11.069

C.E. Greenhalf, D.J. Nowakowski*, A.V. Bridgwater, J. Titiloye, N. Yates, A. Riche and I. Shield; Thermochemical characterisation of straws and high yielding perennial grasses; Industrial Crops and Products, Volume 36, Issue 1, March 2012,  pp. 449–45; dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2011.10.025

C.E. Greenhalf, D.J. Nowakowski*, A.B. Harms, J.O. Titiloye and A.V. Bridgwater; Sequential pyrolysis of willow SRC at low and high heating rates – Implications for selective pyrolysis; Fuel, Volume 93, March 2012, pp. 692–702; dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2011.11.050 

E.M. Hodgson, D.J. Nowakowski, I. Shield, A. Riche, A.V. Bridgwater, J.C. Clifton-Brown and I.S. Donnison; Variation in Miscanthus chemical composition and implications for conversion by pyrolysis and thermo-chemical bio-refining for fuels and chemicals; Bioresource Technology, Volume 102, Issue 3, February 2011, pp. 3411–3418; dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.biortech.2010.10.017

G. Jiang, D.J. Nowakowski and A.V. Bridgwater; Effect of the Temperature on the composition of lignin pyrolysis products; Energy & Fuels, 24(8), July 2010, pp. 4470–4475; dx.doi.org/10.1021/ef100363c 

D.J. Nowakowski, A.V. Bridgwater, D.C. Elliott, D. Meier and P. de Wild; Lignin fast pyrolysis: Results from an international collaboration; Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, Volume 88, Issue 1, May 2010, pp. 53–72; dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2010.02.009 Top cited article: #1 (April to June 2010) in Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis

G. Jiang, D.J. Nowakowski and A.V. Bridgwater; A systematic study of the kinetics of lignin pyrolysis; Thermochimica Acta, Volume 498, Issues 1–2, January 2010, pp. 61–66; dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.tca.2009.10.003, Top cited article: #4 (April to June 2010) in Thermochimica Acta

M. E. Fuentes, D. J. Nowakowski, M. L. Kubacki, J. M. Cove, T. G. Bridgeman and J. M. Jones; Survey of influence of biomass mineral matter in thermochemical conversion of short rotation willow coppice; Journal of the Energy Institute, Volume 81,Number 4, December 2008 , pp. 234-241; http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/014426008X370942

D.J. Nowakowski, Ch.R. Woodbridge and J.M. Jones; Phosphorus catalysis in the pyrolysis behaviour of biomass; Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, Volume 83, Issue 2, November 2008, Pages 197-204; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2008.08.003   

D.J. Nowakowski and J.M. Jones; Uncatalysed and potassium-catalysed pyrolysis of the cell-wall constituents of biomass and their model compounds; Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, Volume 83, Issue 1, September 2008, Pages 12-25; http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jaap.2008.05.007

D.J. Nowakowski, J.M. Jones, R.M.D. Brydson and A.B. Ross; Potassium catalysis in the pyrolysis behaviour of short rotation willow coppice; Fuel, Volume 86, Issue 15, October 2007, Pages 2389-2402;  http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.fuel.2007.01.026

Conferences

D.J. Nowakowski*, G.T. Baronetti, A.V. Bridgwater, G. Romanelli, P. Vazquez; Esterification of fast pyrolysis bio-oil using heteropoly-acid catalyst with Wells–Dawson structure; 19th International Symposium on Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, Linz (Austria), 21-25 May 2012.

S. Banks, D.J. Nowakowski*, A. V. Bridgwater, J.M. Jones; Impact of potassium and phosphorus in biomass on the physicochemical properties of fast pyrolysis bio-oil; 19th International Symposium on Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, Linz (Austria), 21-25 May 2012.

C.E. Greenhalf, D.J. Nowakowski*, A.B Harms, A.V. Bridgwater; Fast pyrolysis of solid anaerobic digestate derived from maize silage;19th International Symposium on Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, Linz (Austria), 21-25 May 2012.

R. Gosselink, J. van Dam, P. de Wild, W. Huijgen, A.V. Bridgwater, D.J. Nowakowski, E. Heeres, A. Kloekhorst, E. Scott, J. Sanders; Valorisation of lignin – Achievements of the LignoValue project; 3rd Nordic Wood Biorefinery Conference (NWBC) 2011, Stockholm (Sweden), 22-24 March 2011.

S.W. Banks, D.J. Nowakowski*, A.V. Bridgwater and J.M. Jones; Assess the impact of alkali metals in biomass on the physical and chemical properties of fast pyrolysis bio-oil. Bioten Conference: Biomass-Bioenergy-Biofuels-Biorefinery, Birmingham (UK), 21-23 September 2010.

Ch. Greenhalf, D.J. Nowakowski*, J. Titiloye and A.V. Bridgwater; Thermochemical characterisation of willow SRC and bio-oil derived from fast pyrolysis. Bioten Conference: Biomass-Bioenergy-Biofuels-Biorefinery, Birmingham (UK), 21-23 September 2010.

A.B. Harms, D.J. Nowakowski* and A.V. Bridgwater; Fast pyrolysis processing of agricultural and forestry residue: Nitrogen recycling and carbon sequestration. Bioten Conference: Biomass-Bioenergy-Biofuels-Biorefinery, Birmingham (UK), 21-23 September 2010.

M. Patel, D.J. Nowakowski* and A.V. Bridgwater; Diesel miscible biofuels via the pyrolysis and upgrading of acid-hydrolysis residues of biomass. Bioten Conference: Biomass-Bioenergy-Biofuels-Biorefinery, Birmingham (UK), 21-23 September 2010

D.J. Nowakowski* and A.V. Bridgwater; Analytical and fast pyrolysis studies of lignin. International Biomass Valorisation Congress, Amsterdam (NL), 13-15.09.2010. [presentation - click to download]

M.E. Gyftopoulou, D.J. Nowakowski, G. Jiang and A.V. Bridgwater; Fast pyrolysis of lignin (Aston round-robin results); International Lignin Institute COST50 Workshop - Lignin research: present and future; Zurich (Switzerland), 27-29 October 2008. [poster - click to download]

D.J. Nowakowski, G.Jiang, A.V. Bridgwater and J.M. Jones. Impact of potassium and phosphorus on the physicochemical properties of biomass-derived fast pyrolysis liquids (Bio-oil). 18th International Symposium on Analytical & Applied Pyrolysis, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote (Spain), 18-23 May 2008.

E.M. Hodgson, D.J. Nowakowski, A. Riche, A.V. Bridgwater and I.S. Donnison. Py-GC-MS and TGA characterisation of Miscanthus genotypes: Key biomass markers and reaction kinetics. 18th International Symposium on Analytical & Applied Pyrolysis, Costa Teguise, Lanzarote (Spain), 18-23 May 2008.

W. Ociepka, D.J. Nowakowski, J.M. Jones and A. Williams, Emissions from domestic-scale energy production using co-combustion of biomass and coal. ICCS&T 2007 - International Conference on Coal Science and Technology, Nottingham, 28-31 August 2007

D.J. Nowakowski, J.M. Jones and R.M.D. Brydson. 17th International Symposium on Analytical & Applied Pyrolysis, Budapest (Hungary), 21-26 May 2006.

D.J. Nowakowski, J.M. Jones and R.M.D.K. Brydson, Influence of potassium catalyst on pyrolysis and combustion behaviours of wheat straw. Proceedings of the 19th International Symposium on Combustion Processes, Wisla (Poland), 31.07-03.09.2005.

J.M. Jones. L.I. Darvell, D.J. Nowakowski, L. Ma and A. Williams. Fundamentals of biomass combustion. Proceedings of the 19th International Symposium on Combustion Processes, Wisla (Poland), 31.07-03.09.2005.

D.J. Nowakowski and J.M. Jones, Influence of potassium on pyrolysis processes of basic biomass components. Proceedings of the World Renewable Energy Congress, Aberdeen, 22-27.05.2005, pp.590-595. [click to download]

L.I. Darvell, P. Hrycko, J.M. Jones,D.J. Nowakowski, M. Pourkashanian and A. Williams. Impact of minerals and alkali metals on willow combustion properties. Proceedings of the World Renewable Energy Congress 2005, Aberdeen, pp.584-589. [click to download] 

Newsletters

D.J. Nowakowski; The impact of Miscanthus harvest time on bio-oil quality and storage. International Energy Agency - Bioenergy Task 34 (Pyrolysis) - PyNe Newsletter - ISSN 2040-2759, Issue 32 - December 2012, p. 13-14. [link]

D.J. Nowakowski; Lignin pyrolysis testing at different temperatures. International Energy Agency - Bioenergy Task 34 (Pyrolysis) - PyNe Newsletter - ISSN 2040-2759, Issue 29 - June 2011, p. 26-27. [link]

D.J. Nowakowski; Round-up: International collaboration.results on lignin processing. International Energy Agency - Bioenergy Task 34 (Pyrolysis) - PyNe Newsletter - ISSN 2040-2759, Issue 28 - December 2010, p. 14-15. [link]

Research

Analytical pyrolysis

Analytical pyrolysis is one of tools utilised for the study of organic polymers. Biofuel sources (including wood, grasses, coal, vegetable oils, plant fibres, lignin) and biological samples can be analysed by this technique, which uses thermal energy to convert large molecules into smaller, volatile molecules suitable for GC-MS/FID analysis.

Py-GC-MS/FID system - CDS 5200 pyroprobe and high-pressure reactor coupled with Clarus 680 GC - 600S MS -FID system.
                                                                                                               Products from the pyrolytic decomposition of lignin

Upgrading of pyrolysis bio-oil via esterification

Esterification could be an attractive method for improving fast pyrolysis bio-oil properties. Esters converted from acids and others compounds throuh esterification became dominant components of the upgraded oil.

Biomass characterisation

Characterisations of solid fuels (incl. biomass and organic waste) as well as their preliminary treatments are critical to developing value added products and optimizing yield for commodity products such as biofuels and commodity chemical feedstock. Daniel’s expertise in biomass and bio-char characterisation: thermogravimetric analysis, elemental analysis, reaction kinetics (pyrolytic decomposition), char morphology (SEM) and inorganic matter analysis (EDX).

Torrefaction of biomass

Torrefaction is a thermal pre-treatment process carried out between 200-300°C in an inert atmosphere. This per-treatment increases the energy density of the biomass thus improving its properties as a fuel. In turn this leaves a reduced mass product, which is more potent than before.  Advantages of torrefaction include: makes the biomass easier to handle, transport, store and pulverize. More advantages include: useful for co-combustion and/or co-gasification, increased grindability of the torrefied biomass and formation of fuel pellets.

Membership of professional bodies
Member of the Chromatographic Society (UK)
Member of the British Mass Spectrometry Society (UK)
Member of the International Lignin Institute (Switzerland)

Teaching activities
- Analytical chemistry
2010/2011 - Module CH3116 - Advanced Analytical Techniques
2009/2010 - Modules CH3116, CH4516 and CP4116 - Advanced Analytical Techniques
- M.Eng. research projects (2007-2013, list of supervised project - below)

Undergraduate students supervision
2012/13
Design and modelling of biomass torrefaction (Student - Tahir Shaffique)
Upgrading of fast pyrolysis bio-oil by hydrodeoxygenation (Student - Chioma Ewurum)

2011/12
Investigation of the catalytic behaviour of potassium and phosphorus in biomass on the physical and chemical properties of fast pyrolysis bio-oil
Student: Abike Aina (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater; Pyrolysis lab supervision: Scott Banks

2010/11
Improvement of biomass thermochemical and physical properties via torrefaction
Student: Jai Lad (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

The impact of alkali metals in biomass on physical and chemical properties of fast pyrolysis bio-oil
Student: Yee Tang (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater; Pyrolysis lab supervision: Scott Banks

Slow and fast pyrolysis processing of biomass
Student: Sunday Odusolua (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

2009/10
Characterisation and thermal, chemical and physical processing of green and brown algae
Student: Shirin R. Dybsjord (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

Partial oxidation of lignin
Student: Bavesh Raval (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

Catalytic pyrolysis of lignin
Student: Anthony Odongo (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

2008/09
Torrefaction of biomass
Student: William Helliker, (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

Thermochemical lignin processing in autoclave
Student: Miloud Quadi (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

Alkaline hydrolysis of lignin
Student: Amir Jafaripour (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

Liquefaction of macroalgae
Student: Fahid Mirza (M.Eng.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

2007/08
Modelling of fast pyrolysis reactor
Student: Ahmed Sobeih (B.Sc.), Supervisors: Dr D.J. Nowakowski, Prof. A.V. Bridgwater

Last modification made on 16.05.2013