Effect of torrefaction on thermal oxidative degradation kinetics of lignite using multi-distributed activation energy model

Abstract

Torrefaction treatment is a promising method for lignite upgrading. However, its effect on the combustion characteristics has not been fully evaluated. In this study, the combustion characteristics of lignite and its upgrading samples by torrefaction were studied via non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis. Results show that increasing the torrefication temperature decreases the volatile content while increasing the fixed-carbon in the fuels. The mole ratios of both H/C and O/C in the samples decreases as the torrefaction temperature increases. Torrefaction treatment significantly improves the combustion performance of lignite with a higher reactivity index S, and the optimum torrefaction temperature was determined to be 200 °C. The upgrading lignite by torrefaction at 200 °C has the lowest temperatures of Tf and Tp as well as the maximum corresponding DTG value. Furthermore, the results of three-parallel-DAEM model analysis results show that the activation energies corresponding to the three peaks are 176.1 kJ/mol, 186.5 kJ/mol and 221.7 kJ/mol, respectively, and that increasing torrefaction temperature had no significant effects on activation energies. With the torrefaction temperature increasing, the first standard deviation decreased while the third standard deviation increased.