Some Chemical Compositional Changes in Miscanthus and White Oak Sawdust Samples during Torrefaction

Jaya Shankar Tumuluru, Richard D. Boardman, Christopher T. Wright and J. Richard Hess
Additional contact information
Jaya Shankar Tumuluru: Idaho National Laboratory, Energy Systems and Technologies Directorate, Biofuels and Renewable Energies Department, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-2025, USA
Richard D. Boardman: Idaho National Laboratory, Energy Systems and Technologies Directorate, Biofuels and Renewable Energies Department, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-2025, USA
Christopher T. Wright: Idaho National Laboratory, Energy Systems and Technologies Directorate, Biofuels and Renewable Energies Department, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-2025, USA
J. Richard Hess: Idaho National Laboratory, Energy Systems and Technologies Directorate, Biofuels and Renewable Energies Department, P.O. Box 1625, Idaho Falls, ID 83415-2025, USA

Energies, 2012, vol. 5, issue 10, 1-20

Abstract: Torrefaction tests on miscanthus and white oak sawdust were conducted in a bubbling sand bed reactor to see the effect of temperature and residence time on the chemical composition. Process conditions for miscanthus and white oak sawdust were 250–350 °C for 30–120 min and 220–270 °C for 30 min, respectively. Torrefaction of miscanthus at 250 °C and a residence time of 30 min resulted in a significant decrease in moisture—about 82.68%—but the other components—hydrogen, nitrogen, sulfur, and volatiles—changed only marginally. Increasing torrefaction temperatures to 350 °C with a residence time of 120 min further reduced the moisture content to 0.54%, with a significant decrease in the hydrogen, nitrogen, and volatiles by 58.29%, 14.28%, and 70.45%, respectively. Regression equations developed for the moisture, hydrogen, nitrogen, and volatile content of the samples with respect to torrefaction temperature and time have adequately described the changes in chemical composition based on R 2 values of >0.82. Surface plots based on the regression equation indicate that torrefaction temperatures of 280–350 °C with residence times of 30–120 min can help reduce moisture, nitrogen, and volatile content from 1.13% to 0.6%, 0.27% to 0.23%, and 79% to 23%, with respect to initial values. Trends of chemical compositional changes in white oak sawdust are similar to miscanthus. Torrefaction temperatures of 270 °C and a 30 min residence time reduced the moisture, volatiles, hydrogen, and nitrogen content by about 79%, 17.88%, 20%, and 5.88%, respectively, whereas the carbon content increased by about 3.5%.

Keywords: miscanthus; white oak sawdust; torrefaction; temperature; time; chemical composition (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: 2012
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (5)

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