Abstract
In this study, the densification of three agriculture waste biomasses (corn cobs, cotton stalks, and sunflower) is investigated using the torrefaction technique. The samples were pyrolyzed under mild temperature conditions (200–320 °C) and at different residence times (10 min–60 min). The thermal properties of the obtained bio-char samples were analyzed via thermo-gravimetric analysis (TGA). Compositional analysis of the torrefied samples was also carried out to determine the presence of hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin contents. According to the results of this study, optimum temperature conditions were found to be 260 °C–300 °C along with a residence time of 20 min–30 min. Based on the composition analysis, it was found that biochar contains more lignin and celluloses and lower hemicellulose contents than do the original samples. The removal of volatile hemicelluloses broke the interlocking of biomass building blocks, rendering biochar brittle, grindable, and less reactive. The results of this study would be helpful in bettering our understanding of the conversion of agricultural waste residues into valuable, solid biofuels for use in energy recovery schemes. The optimum temperature condition, residence time, and GCV for torrefied corn cobs were found to be 290 °C, 20 min, and 5444 kcal/kg, respectively. The optimum temperature condition, residence time, and GCV for torrefied cotton balls were found to be 270 °C, 30 min, and 4481 Kcal/kg, respectively. In the case of sunflower samples, the mass yield of the torrefied sample decreased from 85% to 71% by increasing the residence time from 10 min to 60 min, respectively.
Highlights
The circular economy (CE), decarbonization, and sustainability are common words widely used by policy makers to highlight global warming potential (GWP) with the aim of improving the quality of life of their citizens [1]
Global policy makers have been engaged in a longstanding debate about the use of fossil fuels as a sustainable source of energy, mainly surrounding the limited supply of oil and the high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of fossil fuels
Policy makers have been discussing the concept of carbon neutrality in order to address GWP, as per Paris accord commitments that temperature rise should be limited to 1.5 ◦ C
Summary
The circular economy (CE), decarbonization, and sustainability are common words widely used by policy makers to highlight global warming potential (GWP) with the aim of improving the quality of life of their citizens [1]. Global policy makers have been engaged in a longstanding debate about the use of fossil fuels as a sustainable source of energy, mainly surrounding the limited supply of oil and the high greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of fossil fuels. Policy makers have been discussing the concept of carbon neutrality in order to address GWP, as per Paris accord commitments that temperature rise should be limited to 1.5 ◦ C. The Paris accord further emphasizes the use of net negative energy technologies (NETs), such as reforestation, direct capture of CO2 , bio-based energy production, the use of ocean fertilization, and biochar-based carbon sequestration [2]. The use of biochar is a good way to fix CO2. It involves burying CO2 from the atmosphere into biomass for long-term energy storage. Other useful techniques include the production of bioethanol, bio-methane, bio-hydrogen, and bio-alcohol products
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