Thermogravimetric, Devolatilization Rate, and Differential Scanning Calorimetry Analyses of Biomass of Tropical Plantation Species of Costa Rica Torrefied at Different Temperatures and Times

Johanna Gaitán-Álvarez, Róger Moya, Allen Puente-Urbina and Ana Rodriguez-Zúñiga
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Johanna Gaitán-Álvarez: Escuela de Ingeniería Forestal, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Apartado 159-7050, Cartago, Costa Rica
Róger Moya: Escuela de Ingeniería Forestal, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Apartado 159-7050, Cartago, Costa Rica
Allen Puente-Urbina: Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Centro de Investigación y de Servicios Químicos y Microbiológicos (CEQUIATEC), Escuela de Quimica, Apartado, 159-7050 Cartago, Costa Rica
Ana Rodriguez-Zúñiga: Escuela de Ingeniería Forestal, Instituto Tecnológico de Costa Rica, Apartado 159-7050, Cartago, Costa Rica

Energies, 2018, vol. 11, issue 4, 1-26

Abstract: We evaluated the thermogravimetric and devolatilization rates of hemicellulose and cellulose, and the calorimetric behavior of the torrefied biomass, of five tropical woody species ( Cupressus lusitanica , Dipteryx panamensis , Gmelina arborea , Tectona grandis and Vochysia ferruginea ), at three temperatures (T T ) and three torrefaction times (t T ) using a thermogravimetric analyzer. Through a multivariate analysis of principal components (MAPC), the most appropriate torrefaction conditions for the different types of woody biomass were identified. The thermogravimetric analysis-derivative thermogravimetry (TGA-DTG) analysis showed that a higher percentage of the hemicellulose component of the biomass degrades, followed by cellulose, so that the hemicellulose energy of activation (Ea) was less than that of cellulose. With an increase in T T and t T , the Ea for hemicellulose decreased but increased for cellulose. The calorimetric analyses showed that hemicellulose is the least stable component in the torrefied biomass under severe torrefaction conditions, and cellulose is more thermally stable in torrefied biomass. From the MAPC results, the best torrefaction conditions for calorimetric analyses were at 200 and 225 °C after 8, 10, and 12 min, for light and middle torrefaction, respectively, for the five woody species.

Keywords: thermogravimetric analysis; differential scanning calorimetry; hemicellulose; cellulose; torrefaction; thermostability (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 (9)

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