Abstract
Thermochemical biomass conversion systems have the potential to produce heat, power, fuels and other products from forest biomass at distributed scales that meet the needs of some forest industry facilities. However, many of these systems have not been deployed in this sector and the products they produce from forest biomass have not been adequately described or characterized with regards to chemical properties, possible uses, and markets. This paper characterizes the producer gas, biochar, and activated carbon of a 700 kg h−1 prototype gasification system and a 225 kg h−1 pyrolysis system used to process coniferous sawmill and forest residues. Producer gas from sawmill residues processed with the gasifier had higher energy content than gas from forest residues, with averages of 12.4 MJ m−3 and 9.8 MJ m−3, respectively. Gases from the pyrolysis system averaged 1.3 MJ m−3 for mill residues and 2.5 MJ m−3 for forest residues. Biochars produced have similar particle size distributions and bulk density, but vary in pH and carbon content. Biochars from both systems were successfully activated using steam activation, with resulting BET surface area in the range of commercial activated carbon. Results are discussed in the context of co-locating these systems with forest industry operations.
Highlights
IntroductionThe forest sector produces millions of tons of woody biomass as a byproduct of silvicultural treatments prescribed to harvest timber, manage fire risk, improve forest health, and meet other management objectives
Distributed thermochemical biomass conversion systems have the potential to meet a number of different operational needs associated with wood products manufacturing, including waste disposal, heat, power, and the production of marketable value-added products from woody biomass
The extent to which this potential can be achieved hinges on the qualities of the products these systems produce, potential uses for those products, and the financial viability of system integration compared to alternatives
Summary
The forest sector produces millions of tons of woody biomass as a byproduct of silvicultural treatments prescribed to harvest timber, manage fire risk, improve forest health, and meet other management objectives. These forest residues include foliage, tops, limbs, unmerchantable roundwood, and stumps, which are frequently burned on site to reduce the risk of wildfires and clear growing space for regeneration. Both mill residues and forest residues are commonly used as fuel in combustion boilers to produce process heat and power for forest industry operations. Forest biomass is used to fuel large power plants and distributed heat and power systems [2,3]
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
