Torrefaction

Although biomass is an abundant resource, the sources of it are diverse, and some residual biomass is highly heterogeneous, making its use as an energy source rather difficult. Torrefaction is a thermal pretreatment method that can greatly improve the properties of solid biomass fuel, raising the energy density and enabling the pretreated fuel to be stored, ground, and transported more easily. The torrefaction process is able to make biomass more similar to coal, thus increasing its utilization efficiency. This chapter will present details of biomass torrefaction, with a focus on the impact of this process upon the properties of biomass. The use of torrefied biomass for industrial processes, such as gasification and iron-making, will also be illustrated.