Combustion Behaviors, Kinetics, and Thermodynamics of Naturally Decomposed and Torrefied Northern Red Oak ( Quercus rubra ) Forest Logging Residue

Wanhe Hu, Jingxin Wang (), Jianli Hu, Jamie Schuler, Shawn Grushecky, Changle Jiang, William Smith, Nan Nan and Edward M. Sabolsky
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Wanhe Hu: Department of Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Jingxin Wang: Department of Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA
Jianli Hu: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Jamie Schuler: Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Shawn Grushecky: Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Changle Jiang: Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
William Smith: Center for Sustainable Biomaterials & Bioenergy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA
Nan Nan: School of Agricultural Sciences and Forestry, Louisiana Tech University, Ruston, LA 71272, USA
Edward M. Sabolsky: Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA

Energies, 2024, vol. 17, issue 7, 1-17

Abstract: Torrefaction and combustion have been applied to naturally decomposed red oak logging residues. The results indicated that four-year natural decomposition would lower the energy density of red oak from 20.14 to 18.85 MJ/kg. Torrefaction reduced the O/C and H/C ratios but improved the energy yield values. Two combustion stages were observed for all samples, and no hemicellulose derivative thermogravimetric peak appeared for torrefied samples. The differential scanning calorimetry exothermic heat flow increased after torrefaction. In addition, the Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose average activation energy of untorrefied samples decreased in the first stage (from 157.77 to 149.52 KJ/mol), while it increased in the second stage (from 131.32 to 181.83 KJ/mol). The ∆ H , ∆ G , and ∆ S values of all samples decreased in the first stage, while they increased when the conversion rate was greater than 0.5 for torrefied samples. These findings can aid in a better understanding of the fuel performance of torrefied and untorrefied naturally decomposed red oak logging residues.

Keywords: logging residues; natural decomposition; torrefaction; combustion; kinetics (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: 2024
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