Global energy demand is increasing worldwide and this energy is obtained mainly by fossil fuels, which means negative environmental impact. This fact implies the need to search for energy alternatives such as renewable energy resources, to preserve natural resources as well as to prevent global pollution by reducing greenhouse gases. Biomass is currently one the most important renewable energy source.

Exploitation of biomass wastes as renewable energy sources by spouted beds technology may be a sustainable alternative. This technology has been proven to perform suitably with catalyst beds [1] and it has been previously successfully applied for thermal treatment of biomass wastes by combustion [2-5].

In this paper, a conical spouted bed combustor of environmental efficient has been applied for thermal exploitation of vine shoots waste by catalytic combustion. With this objective, system behavior has been analyzed and the minimum gas velocity necessary to achieve combustion of beds of vineyard waste has been determined from the values of pressure drop by decreasing slowly the gas flow as the point when the pressure drop levels off [6]. Catalytic combustion of vine shoot waste has been performed in a conical spouted bed combustor in the temperature range up to 550 °C. Combustion yields have been calculated from the gases concentration data [6-8] measured by Testo 350 gas analyzer during combustion process and the influence of the catalyst and inlet gas temperature on combustion yield has been analyzed. The use of Pd/Al2O3 catalyst gives way to lower minimum combustion temperatures than without catalyst and combustion yield values obtained are higher than without catalyst.

Acknowledgements
This work was carried out with financial support of the Spanish Ministry of Economy and Competitiveness (Project CTQ2014-59312-P) and co-funded by the European Union through ERDF funds.

Biography:
M.J. San José Chemical Engineering Professor of the University of the Basque Country, Member of the Academic Doctoral Commission of Master and Doctoral School. She gives lectures in Chemical Engineering Master three patents, more than 100 papers in Journals of high impact factor (JCR), 10 books chapters, 235 papers in congress proceedings. Books editor. Congress organizer and secretary of two international conferences (and referee of five international conferences. Reviewer of JCR engineering journals and of international congresses. Referee of research projects and grants of National Agency of Projects Evaluation (ANEP) of Spanish Ministry of Science and Technology. Coordinator of Industrial Technology of Agency of Projects Evaluation of Andalucía (DEVA). Expert Referee and Secretary of National Evaluation of Research Activity (CNEAI) of Spanish Ministry of Education, Culture and Sports. Coordinator and Expert Reviewer of National Agency of Research and Academic Quality (ANECA). Expert the Research Executive Agency of European Commission to evaluate the Projects H2020.