Abstract
Thermal pretreatment of biomass by torrefaction and low temperature pyrolysis has the potential for generating high quality and more suitable fuels. To utilize a model to describe the complex and dynamic changes taking place during these two treatments for process design, optimization and scale-up, detailed data is needed on the property evolution during treatment of well-defined individual biomass particles. The objectives of this study are to investigate the influence of thermal pretreatment temperatures on wood biomass biochemical compositions, physical properties and microstructure. Wild cherry wood was selected as a model biomass and prepared for this study. The well-defined wood particle samples were consecutively heated at 220, 260, 300, 350, 450 and 550 °C for 0.5 h under nitrogen. Untreated and treated samples were characterized for biochemical composition changes (cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin) by thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA), physical properties (color, dimensions, weight, density and grindablity), chemical property (proximate analysis and heating value) and microstructural changes by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Hemicellulose was mostly decomposed in the samples treated at 260 and 300 °C and resulted in the cell walls weakening resulting in improved grindability. The dimensions of the wood were reduced in all directions and shrinkage increased with increased treatment temperature and weight loss. With increased treatment temperature, losses of weight and volume increased and bulk density decreased. The low temperature pyrolyzed wood samples improved solid fuel property with high fuel ratio, which are close to lignite/bituminous coal. Morphology of the wood remained intact through the treatment range but the cell walls were thinner. These results will improve the understanding of the property changes of the biomass during pretreatment and will help to develop models for process simulation and potential application of the treated biomass.
Highlights
Biomass is a renewable fuel and carbon natural because it consumes CO2 from the atmosphere during growth
This study focused on thermal treatment temperatures
thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) analysis analysis of of the the decomposition decomposition of of pure pure cellulose, cellulose, xylan xylan and and lignin lignin was was used used to to identify identify the the temperature ranges that will be used for the cell well composition analysis of untreated and treated temperature ranges that will be used for the cell well composition analysis of untreated and treated woods
Summary
Biomass is a renewable fuel and carbon natural because it consumes CO2 from the atmosphere during growth. The objectives of this study are to investigate a single wood particles over a range encompassing temperatures of torrefaction and low temperature pyrolysis; analyze the cell wall compositional changes for the treated woods using TGA; characterize physical and chemical property changes of the treated wood; and to examine the morphological changes of the wood samples during the thermal treatment process using SEM. These results improve the understanding of the property. During pretreatment and will help to develop models for process simulation and the treated biomass applications
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