Thermal desorption of creosote remaining in used railroad ties: Investigation by TGA (thermogravimetric analysis) and Py-GC/MS (pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry)

Pyoungchung Kim, Jeff Lloyd, Jae-Woo Kim and Nicole Labbé

Energy, 2016, vol. 96, issue C, 294-302

Abstract: A two-step thermal process, an initial thermal treatment at mild temperature followed by a fast pyrolysis step, was investigated to recover wood preservatives and produce preservatives-free wood for production of high quality bio-oil from used creosote-treated railroad ties. During the initial thermal treatment at temperature of 280 °C for 10–30 min, the treated wood ties underwent a 20–25% weight loss with energy yield (77–83%). Energy yield at 280 °C was lower than that at 200 and 250 °C (92–97%) but higher than that at the 300 °C (64–74%). Recovery level of creosote at 280 °C was comparable to that at 300 °C. Fast pyrolysis at 450 °C of the 280 °C-treated wood ties produced high amount of levoglucosan and phenolic compounds with a traceable amount (1.7–1.9% of the total peak area) of creosote compounds.

Keywords: Creosote; Fast pyrolysis; Used railroad ties; Thermal desorption; Wood preservatives (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2016
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:energy:v:96:y:2016:i:c:p:294-302

DOI: 10.1016/j.energy.2015.12.061

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