Comprehensive Characterization of Napier Grass as a Feedstock for Thermochemical Conversion

Isah Y. Mohammed, Yousif A. Abakr, Feroz K. Kazi, Suzana Yusup, Ibraheem Alshareef and Soh A. Chin
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Isah Y. Mohammed: Energy, Fuel and Power Technology Research Division, School of Engineering, the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Eshan, Malaysia
Yousif A. Abakr: Energy, Fuel and Power Technology Research Division, School of Engineering, the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Eshan, Malaysia
Feroz K. Kazi: Department of Chemical Engineering and Applied Chemistry, Aston University, Aston Triangle, Birmingham B4 7ET, UK
Suzana Yusup: Department of Chemical Engineering, Universiti Teknology Petronas (UTP), Bandar Seri Iskandar, Tronoh 31750, Malaysia
Ibraheem Alshareef: Crops for the Future (CFF), the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Eshan, Malaysia
Soh A. Chin: Crops for the Future (CFF), the University of Nottingham Malaysia Campus, Jalan Broga, Semenyih 43500, Selangor Darul Eshan, Malaysia

Energies, 2015, vol. 8, issue 5, 1-15

Abstract: Study on Napier grass leaf (NGL), stem (NGS) and leaf and stem (NGT) was carried out. Proximate, ultimate and structural analyses were evaluated. Functional groups and crystalline components in the biomass were examined. Pyrolysis study was conducted in a thermogravimetric analyzer under nitrogen atmosphere of 20 mL/min at constant heating rate of 10 K/min. The results reveal that Napier grass biomass has high volatile matter, higher heating value, high carbon content and lower ash, nitrogen and sulfur contents. Structural analysis shows that the biomass has considerable cellulose and lignin contents which are good candidates for good quality bio-oil production. From the pyrolysis study, degradation of extractives, hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin occurred at temperature around 478, 543, 600 and above 600 K, respectively. Kinetics of the process was evaluated using reaction order model. New equations that described the process were developed using the kinetic parameters and data compared with experimental data. The results of the models fit well to the experimental data. The proposed models may be a reliable means for describing thermal decomposition of lignocellulosic biomass under nitrogen atmosphere at constant heating rate.

Keywords: Napier grass; characterization; proximate and ultimate analysis; XRD; FTIR; TGA; DTG (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: 2015
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

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