TY - JOUR
T1 - An evaluation on improvement of pulverized biomass property for solid fuel through torrefaction
AU - Chen, Wei-Hsin
AU - Cheng, Wen Yi
AU - Lu, Ke Miao
AU - Huang, Ying Pin
PY - 2011/1/1
Y1 - 2011/1/1
N2 - The improvement on physical and chemical properties of pulverized biomass from torrefaction is investigated to evaluate the potential of biomass as solid fuel used in boilers and blast furnaces. Three biomasses of bamboo, banyan and willow are considered. The results indicate that when the torrefaction temperature is relatively low such as 230 and 260°C, the weight loss of biomass depends significantly on the temperature, as a result of consumptions of hemicellulose and cellulose. However, once the torrefaction temperature is as high as 290°C, the weight losses of various biomass materials tend to become uniform. The decreased O/C ratio in biomass from torrefaction can be explained by intensified lignin content in that the O/C ratio in lignin is low compared to that in hemicellulose and cellulose. Furthermore, the enriched element C in torrefied biomass results in an increase in the calorific value of the torrefied materials. However, the enlarged higher heating value (HHV) of biomass from torrefaction cannot keep up with the weight loss; this leads to the decrease in total energy of biomass as the torrefaction temperature rises. The conducted correlation in predicting the HHV of raw biomass can also be utilized for torrefied biomass. The raw pulverized biomasses are characterized by agglomeration in the regime of smaller particle size. Once the biomasses undergo torrefaction, the dispersion of powder is improved, thereby facilitating the injection of biomass powder. This enhances the applications of pulverized biomass in boilers and blast furnaces.
AB - The improvement on physical and chemical properties of pulverized biomass from torrefaction is investigated to evaluate the potential of biomass as solid fuel used in boilers and blast furnaces. Three biomasses of bamboo, banyan and willow are considered. The results indicate that when the torrefaction temperature is relatively low such as 230 and 260°C, the weight loss of biomass depends significantly on the temperature, as a result of consumptions of hemicellulose and cellulose. However, once the torrefaction temperature is as high as 290°C, the weight losses of various biomass materials tend to become uniform. The decreased O/C ratio in biomass from torrefaction can be explained by intensified lignin content in that the O/C ratio in lignin is low compared to that in hemicellulose and cellulose. Furthermore, the enriched element C in torrefied biomass results in an increase in the calorific value of the torrefied materials. However, the enlarged higher heating value (HHV) of biomass from torrefaction cannot keep up with the weight loss; this leads to the decrease in total energy of biomass as the torrefaction temperature rises. The conducted correlation in predicting the HHV of raw biomass can also be utilized for torrefied biomass. The raw pulverized biomasses are characterized by agglomeration in the regime of smaller particle size. Once the biomasses undergo torrefaction, the dispersion of powder is improved, thereby facilitating the injection of biomass powder. This enhances the applications of pulverized biomass in boilers and blast furnaces.
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U2 - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.03.040
DO - 10.1016/j.apenergy.2011.03.040
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:79959830913
VL - 88
SP - 3636
EP - 3644
JO - Applied Energy
JF - Applied Energy
SN - 0306-2619
IS - 11
ER -