Effect of Biomass Particle Size on the Torrefaction Characteristics in a Fixed-Bed Reactor

Yajing He, Shihong Zhang, Dongjing Liu, Xing Xie () and Bin Li ()
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Yajing He: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Shihong Zhang: State Key Laboratory of Coal Combustion, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan 430074, China
Dongjing Liu: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Xing Xie: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China
Bin Li: School of Energy and Power Engineering, Jiangsu University, Zhenjiang 212013, China

Energies, 2023, vol. 16, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: The aim of this study is to investigate the influence of biomass particle size on the torrefaction characteristics under different torrefaction temperatures and times. Paulownia wood with particle sizes ranging from 12 to <0.3 mm was selected. It was torrefied at 260 and 290 °C in a fixed-bed reactor for 30–90 min. The results showed that biomass particle size did affect the product’s evolution during biomass torrefaction. With the decrease in particle size from 12 to <0.3 mm, the yield of the solid product decreased by 5.41 and 3.54 wt.%, the yield of the liquid product increased by 5.87 and 3.25 wt.%, and the yield of the gas product changed insignificantly, at 260 and 290 °C, respectively. Comparatively, torrefaction temperature had a more significant effect on the composition of gas products than particle size and torrefaction time. At lower temperatures, decarboxylation reactions dominated in the torrefaction process with more CO 2 produced. However, at higher temperatures, decarbonylation reactions were significantly strengthened with more CO generated. The contents of CO 2 and CO could account for more than 98 vol% of the product gas. The influence of particle size on the chemical composition of the solid product was much smaller than that of torrefaction temperature and time, but the energy yield of the solid product decreased with the decrease in particle size. The increase in torrefaction temperature and time could significantly increase the C content in the solid product while reducing its O content. It is recommended to use a relatively higher temperature (e.g., 290 °C) for the torrefaction of large particle biomass, as it could significantly reduce the impact of particle size on the torrefaction process and reduce the torrefaction time.

Keywords: biomass particle size; torrefaction; product yields; gas composition; energy yield (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: 2023
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