Relationship between Torrefaction Parameters and Physicochemical Properties of Torrefied Products Obtained from Selected Plant Biomass

Marcin Bajcar, Grzegorz Zaguła, Bogdan Saletnik, Maria Tarapatskyy and Czesław Puchalski
Additional contact information
Marcin Bajcar: Department of Bioenergetics and Food Analysis, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, University of Rzeszow, Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
Grzegorz Zaguła: Department of Bioenergetics and Food Analysis, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, University of Rzeszow, Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
Bogdan Saletnik: Department of Bioenergetics and Food Analysis, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, University of Rzeszow, Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
Maria Tarapatskyy: Department of Bioenergetics and Food Analysis, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, University of Rzeszow, Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland
Czesław Puchalski: Department of Bioenergetics and Food Analysis, Faculty of Biology and Agriculture, University of Rzeszow, Zelwerowicza 4, 35-601 Rzeszow, Poland

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 11, 1-13

Abstract: Waste biomass from plant production is an important raw material for producing energy from renewable sources. Capabilities and technologies of processing are still being improved and modernized in order to achieve the highest energy efficiency. This study assesses energetic properties of wheat straw, rapeseed, and willow. The material was subjected to heat treatment, i.e., torrefaction process at temperatures of 220, 260, and 300 °C for the duration of 60, 75, and 90 min. Measurements were performed to compare parameters of raw biomass and the torrefied products. The materials were examined and compared for the contents of moisture; biogenic elements N, C, and H; as well as calorific value, ash, and volatiles. Measurements were also performed to assess the composition of biomass in terms of particle sizes. Analysis of the results made it possible to determine optimal parameters for carrying out the torrefaction process. The use of the torrefaction process made it possible to obtain a material with an increased calorific value by more than 20%, and a 2–3 times higher content of elements in the powdered material, as well as to improve the grinding of the material. This information will enable the development of biomass thermal treatment technologies towards the use of waste biomass from agricultural production.

Keywords: torrefaction; biomass; renewable energy; elements (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: 2018
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (14)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/11/2919/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/11/11/2919/ (text/html)

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:gam:jeners:v:11:y:2018:i:11:p:2919-:d:178446

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().