Abstract
Brazilian productivity of eucalyptus trees is one of the highest in the world, and it has sustainable and viable conditions to supply the demand for woody biomass in a large quantity and diversity. This favorable situation makes Brazil one of the countries with the greatest potential for the production development of torrefied woody biomass on a commercial scale. Torrefaction is a mild pyrolysis applied to increase the energy quality of the feedstock. The aim of this study was to evaluate the Brazilian potential of woody biomass torrefaction for energy purposes. An experimental study was performed evaluating this thermal treatment of eucalyptus wood chips on a semi-continuous screw reactor developed by a Brazilian university. The results showed the increases in the energy quality of eucalyptus wood chips as a function of torrefaction temperature and time. This thermal treatment was technically feasible for the hygroscopicity reduction and the increases of fixed carbon and calorific values of the woody biomass.
Highlights
Torrefied biomass is a new “green” fuel source resulting from a mild pyrolysis applied to feedstock on conditions between drying and carbonization processes (Van der Stelt et al 2011)
The main changes caused by torrefaction are the increase in fixed carbon, calorific value, and grindability; as well the reduction in moisture content, hygroscopicity, and heterogeneity (Van der Stelt et al 2011, Esteves and Pereira, 2009, Medic et al 2012, Du et al 2014)
An experimental study was performed evaluating this thermal treatment of eucalyptus wood chips on a semi-continuous screw reactor developed by a Brazilian university
Summary
Torrefied biomass is a new “green” fuel source resulting from a mild pyrolysis applied to feedstock on conditions between drying and carbonization processes (Van der Stelt et al 2011). This thermal treatment consists of a partial degradation of the least energetic fraction from biomass. In addition to the material quality, the use of biomass as an energy source depends of another factor, the economic viability. The torrefaction improves the transport logistic of biomass. The transport costs of treated biomass decrease, which impacts directly in the process viability (Uslu et al 2008)
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