Investigation on the fuel quality and hydrophobicity of upgraded rice husk derived from various inert and oxidative torrefaction conditions

Zhong Zhao, Shuo Feng, Yaying Zhao, Zhuozhi Wang, Jiao Ma, Lianfei Xu, Jiancheng Yang and Boxiong Shen

Renewable Energy, 2022, vol. 189, issue C, 1234-1248

Abstract: Torrefaction is a promising approach which could optimize the behavior of biomass effectively. In this research, a typical and abundant agricultural by-product rice husk was employed for clarifying the correlation between upgradation condition and the fuel quality of upgraded sample. Rice husk were torrefied in inert and oxidative atmospheres (O2: 0, 6, 10 and 21 vol%) at three temperatures (493, 543 and 573 K). After undergoing various torrefaction processes, the torrefied samples were analyzed by elemental analysis, componential determination, fiber component identification, Fourier Transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), pore structure identification, contact angle characterization and moisture re-absorption test. The results illustrated that the additional oxidizing atoms could participate in the optimization of surface physiochemical property of rice husk particles during torrefaction process. Oxygen deficient torrefaction expressed a tendency to increase the heating value and the fixed carbon content in torrefied samples significantly. The minimum hydrophilic groups remained on the surface of rice husk sample pretreated in 6 vol% O2, and the specific surface area of upgraded sample torrefied in 6 vol% O2 at 573 K was the maximum. The contact angle results were consistent with that of moisture re-absorption tests, implying that increasing torrefaction severity appropriately was beneficial to optimizing the surface behavior and hydrophobicity of upgraded rice husk. Torrefaction of rice husk performed in 6 vol% O2 at 573 K was the optimum condition in this study.

Keywords: Biomass; Torrefaction; Hydrophobicity; Functional group; Moisture re-absorption (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:renene:v:189:y:2022:i:c:p:1234-1248

DOI: 10.1016/j.renene.2022.03.087

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