Characterization of Particulate Matter Emitted from Combustion of Various Biomasses in O2/N2 and O2/CO2 Environments

Abstract

This work reports on the physical and chemical characteristics of the ashes of biomass residues burned in air as well as in simulated dry oxy-combustion conditions. Three pulverized biomass residues (olive residue, corn residue, and torrefied pine sawdust) were burned in a laboratory-scale laminar-flow drop tube furnace heated to 1400 K. Olive residue resulted in by far the largest particulate yields—both submicrometer (PM1) and supermicrometer (PM1–18)—whereas torrefied pine sawdust resulted in the lowest. The collected particulate yields of these two biomasses were analogous to their ash contents. The collected particulate yields of corn residue, however, were lower than expected in view of its ash content. To investigate the effects of the oxygen mole fraction and of the background gas, the O2 mole fraction was varied from 20% to 60% in either N2 or CO2. Submicrometer particulate matter (PM1) emission yields of all three fuels were lower in O2/CO2 than in O2/N2 environments; they typically, but not alw...