Coal/biomass co-combustion investigation by thermogravimetric analysis

Akarasingh Bampenrat,Hussanai Sukkathanyawat,Thidaporn Seangwattana,M Sriariyanun,Y.S Cheng,M.P Gundupalli,W Rodiahwati

doi:10.1051/e3sconf/202130201002

Akarasingh Bampenrat, Hussanai Sukkathanyawat + Show 5 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1051/e3sconf/202130201002

Copy DOI

Abstract

In this study, the thermal characteristics and kinetic parameters of coal/biomass blended fuels (75:25, 50:50 and 25:75 wt.%/wt.%) were investigated by using the thermogravimetric technique under atmospheric air. Three types of agricultural waste biomass including cassava root, palm kernel shell and rice husk were used as raw materials. The experiments were performed under different temperatures, ranging from 313-973 K with the heating rate of 5, 10, 20 and 40 K/min. The results show that the thermal decomposition of biomass exhibit three-four stages including moisture and some light volatile removal stage (up to 463 K), volatile oxidation stage (423-663 K), char combustion stage (663-823 K) and inorganic oxidation stage (803-953 K). Lignite on the other hand exhibits only two main peaks during the entire combustion process, corresponding to the moisture removal (up to 433 K) and the decomposition/oxidation (433-833 K), respectively. In addition, it was also found that the blending of biomass residues improved the ignition temperature of the blended fuels, indicating an improvement of devolatilization of coal. Kinetic studies show that the average apparent activation energies of the co-combustion of coal/cassava root, coal/palm kernel shell and coal/rice husk calculated from the Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose method are reported at ca. 105.25, 179.66 and 121.84 kJ/mol, respectively.

Highlights

In Thailand, the domestic resource potentials of major biomass residues, namely cassava root, palm kernel shell and rice husk, are about 6.1, 0.5 and 8.2 million tons per year, respectively, according to the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, Ministry of Energy
The values of volatile fuel ratio for biomass residues are in the range of 0.74-0.89 higher than that of lignite coal (0.63)
Namely cassava root, palm kernel shell and rice husk, decompose three to four stages which are corresponding to the evaporation, volatilization, volatile and char combustions and inorganic decomposition, respectively

Summary

Introduction

In Thailand, the domestic resource potentials of major biomass residues, namely cassava root, palm kernel shell and rice husk, are about 6.1, 0.5 and 8.2 million tons per year, respectively, according to the Department of Alternative Energy Development and Efficiency, Ministry of Energy. Most of these agricultural and agroindustrial residues are utilized for power generation. Co-combustion of biomass with coal in conventional coal-fired boilers can provide a reasonability attractive option for utilization of biomass for power generation in which using the infrastructure that is associated with the existing fossil fuel-based power system and requires some capital investment [1]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Conclusion