Thermal Properties of Biochars Derived from Waste Biomass Generated by Agricultural and Forestry Sectors

Xing Yang, Hailong Wang, Peter James Strong, Song Xu, Shujuan Liu, Kouping Lu, Kuichuan Sheng, Jia Guo, Lei Che, Lizhi He, Yong Sik Ok, Guodong Yuan, Ying Shen and Xin Chen
Additional contact information
Xing Yang: School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
Hailong Wang: Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, Lin’an, Hangzhou 311300, China
Peter James Strong: Centre for Solid Waste Bioprocessing, School of Civil Engineering, School of Chemical Engineering, The University of Queensland, St Lucia, QLD 4072, Australia
Song Xu: School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
Shujuan Liu: School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China
Kouping Lu: Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, Lin’an, Hangzhou 311300, China
Kuichuan Sheng: College of Biosystems Engineering and Food Science, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, China
Jia Guo: Zhejiang Chengbang Landscape Co. Ltd., Hangzhou 310008, China
Lei Che: School of Engineering, Huzhou University, Huzhou 313000, China
Lizhi He: Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, Lin’an, Hangzhou 311300, China
Yong Sik Ok: School of Natural Resources and Environmental Science & Korea Biochar Research Center, Kangwon National University, Chuncheon 24341, Korea
Guodong Yuan: Yantai Institute of Coastal Zone Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Yantai 264003, China
Ying Shen: Key Laboratory of Soil Contamination Bioremediation of Zhejiang Province, School of Environmental and Resource Sciences, Zhejiang Agricultural and Forestry University, Lin’an, Hangzhou 311300, China
Xin Chen: School of Environment and Chemical Engineering, Foshan University, Foshan 528000, China

Energies, 2017, vol. 10, issue 4, 1-12

Abstract: Waste residues produced by agricultural and forestry industries can generate energy and are regarded as a promising source of sustainable fuels. Pyrolysis, where waste biomass is heated under low-oxygen conditions, has recently attracted attention as a means to add value to these residues. The material is carbonized and yields a solid product known as biochar. In this study, eight types of biomass were evaluated for their suitability as raw material to produce biochar. Material was pyrolyzed at either 350 °C or 500 °C and changes in ash content, volatile solids, fixed carbon, higher heating value (HHV) and yield were assessed. For pyrolysis at 350 °C, significant correlations ( p < 0.01) between the biochars’ ash and fixed carbon content and their HHVs were observed. Masson pine wood and Chinese fir wood biochars pyrolyzed at 350 °C and the bamboo sawdust biochar pyrolyzed at 500 °C were suitable for direct use in fuel applications, as reflected by their higher HHVs, higher energy density, greater fixed carbon and lower ash contents. Rice straw was a poor substrate as the resultant biochar contained less than 60% fixed carbon and a relatively low HHV. Of the suitable residues, carbonization via pyrolysis is a promising technology to add value to pecan shells and Miscanthus.

Keywords: biochar; biomass; higher heating value (HHV); proximate analysis; renewable energy (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (17)

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