Non-oxidative and oxidative torrefaction characterization and SEM observations of fibrous and ligneous biomass

Wei-Hsin Chen, Ke-Miao Lu, Wen-Jhy Lee, Shih-Hsien Liu and Ta-Chang Lin

Applied Energy, 2014, vol. 114, issue C, 104-113

Abstract: Oxidative torrefaction is a method to reduce the operating cost of upgrading biomass. To understand the potential of oxidative torrefaction and its impact on the internal structure of biomass, non-oxidative and oxidative torrefaction of two fibrous biomass materials (oil palm fiber and coconut fiber) and two ligneous ones (eucalyptus and Cryptomeria japonica) at 300°C for 1h are studied and compared with each other. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observations are also performed to explore the impact of torrefaction atmosphere on the lignocellulosic structure of biomass. The results indicate that the fibrous biomass is more sensitive to O2 concentration than the ligneous biomass. In oxidative torrefaction, an increase in O2 concentration decreases the solid yield. The energy yield is linearly proportional to the solid yield, which is opposite to the behavior of non-oxidative torrefaction. The performance of non-oxidative torrefaction is better than that of oxidative torrefaction. As a whole, ligneous biomass can be torrefied in oxidative environments at lower O2 concentrations, whereas fibrous biomass is more suitable for non-oxidative torrefaction.

Keywords: Non-oxidative and oxidative torrefaction; Fibrous and ligneous biomass; SEM observation; Energy-mass co-benefit index (EMCI); Energy yield (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2014
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (24)

Downloads: (external link)
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0306261913007927
Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:appene:v:114:y:2014:i:c:p:104-113

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.elsevier.com/wps/find/journaldescription.cws_home/405891/bibliographic
http://www.elsevier. ... 405891/bibliographic

DOI: 10.1016/j.apenergy.2013.09.045

Access Statistics for this article

Applied Energy is currently edited by J. Yan

More articles in Applied Energy from Elsevier
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Catherine Liu ().