Pyrolysis behavior of biomass and coal for energy production investigated by TGA-FTIR analysis

Abstract

Biomass is a renewable energy resource and more environmentally friendly when utilized for energy production than use of coal or fossil fuel, while coal may release twice as much CO2 as oil refining. If biomass is combined with coal to produce liquid fuels, the environmental performance will be improved by reducing the carbon footprint. The U.S. has abundant woody biomass and coal resources available for conversion into bio-fuels and other bio-products. Fuel production from biomass and coal could be an alternative and economical way to promote the efficient utilization of coal and biomass resources and further economic development in the U.S. The purpose of this study was to determine the pyrolysis characteristics and gas product properties of woody biomass (Yellow poplar and Red oak) and one coal (Kingwood). The main gaseous products from the pyrolysis of biomass, coal, and their mixture with different ratios were identified using thermogravimetric analysis-Fourier transform infrared (TGA-FTIR) spectroscopy, and, particularly, their real-time evolution characteristics are investigated. Thermal analysis demonstrated that these biomass sources are easily decomposed, with most of their weight lost under lower temperature compared with coal and the biomass pyrolysis process could be divided into three stages: moisture evaporation, hemicellulose decomposition, cellulose and lignin degradation. The TGA-FTIR analysis indicated that H2, CO2, CH4, and CO were the dominant gaseous species from biomass and coal pyrolysis. This fundamental study provides a basic insight of the biomass and coal pyrolysis, which can benefit in developing advanced thermal processes for high-yield biofuel production from biomass and coal.