Pyrolysis of biomass by thermal analysis-mass spectrometry (TA-MS)

Effects of lignin syringyl to guaiacyl ratio on cottonwood biochar adsorbent properties and performance

Lignin syringyl to guaiacyl ratio (S/G) has long been suspected to have measurable impacts on biochar formation, but these effects are challenging to observe in biochars formed from whole biomass. When the model bioenergy feedstock Populus trichocarpa (cottonwood), with predictable lignin macromolecular structure tied to genetic variation, is used as feedstock for biochar production, these effects become visible. In this work, two P. trichocarpa variants having lignin S/G of 1.67 and 3.88 were ground and pyrolyzed at 700 °C. Water-demineralization of feedstock was used to simultaneously evaluate any synergistic influences of S/G and naturally-occurring potassium on biochar physicochemical properties and performance. The strongest effects of lignin S/G were observed on specific surface area (SBET) and oxygen-content, with S/G of 1.67 improving SBET by 11% and S/G of 3.88 increasing total oxygen content in demineralized biochars. Functional performance was evaluated by breakthrough testing in 1% NH3. Breakthrough times for biochars were nearly double that of a highly microporous activated carbon reference material, and biochar with S/G of 3.88 had 10% longer breakthrough time than its lower S/G corollary. Results support a combination of pore structure and oxygen-functionalities in controlling ammonia breakthrough for biochar.

Pyrolysis of municipal solid waste compost: Pilot plant evaluation as a sustainable practise of waste management

To evaluate the potential of compost based on municipal solid waste (MSW) and 20% legume pruning under a pyrolysis process, generated products, including solids (biochar), liquids (bio-oil), and gases (non-condensable gases), through experimentation in a pilot plant with a fluidized bed reactor at 450°C and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry have been analysed. In addition, the compost kinetic behaviour by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), using the Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) method, has been investigated. Four different reaction zones, associated with lignocellulosic materials (hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin) with a first step for water evaporation, in TGA curve have been observed. A biochar with low stability and aromaticity, considering high and low O/C and H/C ratios, respectively, has been obtained. The obtained pyrolytic liquids contain a high concentration of phenolic compounds because of a significant presence of lignins and other high molecular weight compounds in the original material. Moreover, the generated non-condensable gases consist mainly of short-chain compounds, such as alcohols, aldehydes, and alkenes produced from hemicellulose, cellulose, and proteins.

Pyrolysis Kinetics of Byrsonima crassifolia Stone as Agro-Industrial Waste through Isoconversional Models

This study is aimed at the analysis of the pyrolysis kinetics of Nanche stone BSC (Byrsonima crassifolia) as an agro-industrial waste using non-isothermal thermogravimetric experiments by determination of triplet kinetics; apparent activation energy, pre-exponential factor, and reaction model, as well as thermodynamic parameters to gather the required fundamental information for the design, construction, and operation of a pilot-scale reactor for the pyrolysis this lignocellulosic residue. Results indicate a biomass of low moisture and ash content and a high volatile matter content (≥70%), making BCS a potential candidate for obtaining various bioenergy products. Average apparent activation energies obtained from different methods (KAS, FWO and SK) were consistent in value (~123.8 kJ/mol). The pre-exponential factor from the Kissinger method ranged from 10⁵ to 10¹⁴ min^-1 for the highest pyrolytic activity stage, indicating a high-temperature reactive system. The thermodynamic parameters revealed a small difference between E_A and ∆H (5.2 kJ/mol), which favors the pyrolysis reaction and indicates the feasibility of the energetic process. According to the analysis of the reaction models (master plot method), the pyrolytic degradation was dominated by a decreasing reaction order as a function of the degree of conversion. Moreover, BCS has a relatively high calorific value (14.9 MJ/kg) and a relatively low average apparent activation energy (122.7 kJ/mol) from the Starink method, which makes this biomass very suitable to be exploited for value-added energy production.

Impact of Bentonite Clay on In Situ Pyrolysis vs. Hydrothermal Carbonization of Avocado Pit Biomass

Biofuels produced via thermochemical conversions of waste biomass could be sustainable alternatives to fossil fuels but currently require costly downstream upgrading to be used in existing infrastructure. In this work, we explore how a low-cost, abundant clay mineral, bentonite, could serve as an in situ heterogeneous catalyst for two different thermochemical conversion processes: pyrolysis and hydrothermal carbonization (HTC). Avocado pits were combined with 20 wt% bentonite clay and were pyrolyzed at 600 °C and hydrothermally carbonized at 250 °C, commonly used conditions across the literature. During pyrolysis, bentonite clay promoted Diels–Alder reactions that transformed furans to aromatic compounds, which decreased the bio-oil oxygen content and produced a fuel closer to being suitable for existing infrastructure. The HTC bio-oil without the clay catalyst contained 100% furans, mainly 5-methylfurfural, but in the presence of the clay, approximately 25% of the bio-oil was transformed to 2-methyl-2-cyclopentenone, thereby adding two hydrogen atoms and removing one oxygen. The use of clay in both processes decreased the relative oxygen content of the bio-oils. Proximate analysis of the resulting chars showed an increase in fixed carbon (FC) and a decrease in volatile matter (VM) with clay inclusion. By containing more FC, the HTC-derived char may be more stable than pyrolysis-derived char for environmental applications. The addition of bentonite clay to both processes did not produce significantly different bio-oil yields, such that by adding a clay catalyst, a more valuable bio-oil was produced without reducing the amount of bio-oil recovered.

Flue gas torrefaction of municipal solid waste: Fuel properties, combustion characterizations, and nitrogen /sulfur emissions

Flue gas torrefaction (FGT) was proposed as the pretreatment of the municipal solid waste (MSW) combustion process to improve the fuel properties of MSW and achieve better combustion performance. The optimal FGT parameters were obtained at 300 ℃ and 30 min, with the energy-mass co-benefit index (EMCI) reaching the maximum of 23.38. FGT could significantly increase the heating value and energy density of MSW while reducing the H/C and O/C ratio. Then, the pyrolysis and combustion experiments were performed by tube furnace and TG-MS. The results proved the chemical compositions of MSW were altered, and the heat transfer was enhanced. With FGT, NO_x and SO₂ emissions could be reduced by 25.7 % and 52.4 %, respectively. This study provides an in-depth understanding of the mechanism of FGT and paves the way for the clean treatment and energy utilization of MSW.

Effects of Chemical Properties and Inherent Mineral Matters on Pyrolysis Kinetics of Low-Rank Coals

The kinetics during the pyrolysis process depend on both chemical structure and inherent mineral matters in coal, but normally, only one of these components is investigated in literature. In the present work, four low-rank coals were pyrolyzed in a thermogravimetric analyzer at a heating rate of 10 K/min in a constant nitrogen stream at a temperature up to 900 °C to study the pyrolysis behavior and kinetics. Two of the samples were raw coal (R-YL) and clean coal (C-YL) obtained through the washing process. The results showed that the coal-washing process mainly affected the inorganic part (mineral matters) and structure in coal, which did not largely change the chemical properties. The pyrolysis behavior in primary stage (before 550 °C) was mainly affected by the chemical properties of coal, while the pyrolysis behavior in higher temperature also depended on inherent mineral matters. The kinetics of four coals were obtained using the Coats–Redfern (CR) method with five theoretical models. The difference of E value was almost negligible for R-YL and C-YL, also showing that the coal-washing process did not largely change the chemical properties. The higher frequency factor A for clean coal C-YL showed a more porous structure due to the coal-washing process. The apparent activation energy E in the third stage was affected by the thermodynamic property of inherent minerals.

Feedstock doping using iron rich waste increases the pyrolysis gas yield and adsorption performance of magnetic biochar for emerging contaminants

Magnetic carbons can significantly lower the costs of wastewater treatment due to easy separation of the adsorbent. However, current production techniques often involve the use of chlorinated or sulfonated Fe precursors with an inherent potential for secondary pollution. In this study, ochre, an iron-rich waste stream was investigated as a sustainable Fe source to produce magnetic activated biochar from two agricultural feedstocks, softwood and wheat straw. Fe doping resulted in significant shifts in pyrolysis yield distribution with increased gas yields (+50%) and gas energy content (+40%) lowering the energy costs for production. Physical activation transformed ochre to magnetite/maghemite resulting in activated magnetic biochars and led to a 4-fold increase in the adsorption capacities for two common micropollutants - caffeine and fluconazole. The results show that Fe doping not only benefits the adsorbent properties but also the production process, leading the way to sustainable carbon adsorbents.

Synergistic Effects of Catalyst Mixtures on Biomass Catalytic Pyrolysis

This paper studied the synergistic effects of catalyst mixtures on biomass catalytic pyrolysis in comparison with the single catalyst in a microwave reactor and a TGA. In general, positive synergistic effects were identified based on increased mass loss rate, reduced activation energy, and improved bio-oil quality compared to the case with a single catalyst at higher catalyst loads. 10KP/10Bento (a mixture of 10% K₃PO₄ and 10% bentonite) increased the mass loss rate by 85 and 45% at heating rates of 100 and 25°C/min, respectively, compared to switchgrass without catalyst. The activation energy for 10KP/10Bento and 10KP/10Clino (a mixture of 10% K₃PO₄ and 10% clinoptilolite) was slightly lower or similar to other catalysts at 30 wt.% load. The reduction in the activation energy by the catalyst mixture was higher at 100°C/min than 25°C/min due to the improved catalytic activity at higher heating rates. Synergistic effects are also reflected in the improved properties of bio-oil, as acids, aldehydes, and anhydrosugars were significantly decreased, whereas phenol and aromatic compounds were substantially increased. 30KP (30% K₃PO₄) and 10KP/10Bento increased the content of alkylated phenols by 341 and 207%, respectively, in comparison with switchgrass without catalyst. Finally, the use of catalyst mixtures improved the catalytic performance markedly, which shows the potential to reduce the production cost of bio-oil and biochar from microwave catalytic pyrolysis.

A Review on the Transformation of Furfural Residue for Value-Added Products

As a by-product of lignocellulosic depolymerization for furfural production, furfural residue (FR) is composed of residual cellulose, lignin, humic acid, and other small amounts of materials, which have high reuse value. However, due to the limitation of furfural production scale and production technology, the treatment of FR has many problems such as high yield, concentrated stacking, strong acidity, and difficult degradation. This leads to the limited treatment methods and high treatment cost of furfural residue. At present, most of the furfural enterprises can only be piled up at will, buried in soil, or directly burned. The air, soil, and rivers are polluted and the ecological balance is destroyed. Therefore, how to deal with furfural residue reasonably needs to be solved. In this review, value-added products for furfural residue conversion are described in detail in the fields of soil culture, catalytic hydrolysis, thermal decomposition, and porous adsorption. The future studies reporting the FR to convert value-added products could find guidance from this review to achieve specific goals.

(Co-)combustion of additives, water hyacinth and sewage sludge: Thermogravimetric, kinetic, gas and thermodynamic modeling analyses

Additives and biomass were co-combusted with sewage sludge (SS) to promote SS incineration treatment and energy generation. (Co-)combustion characteristics of sewage sludge (SS), water hyacinth (WH), and 5% five additives (K₂CO₃, Na₂CO₃, Mg₂CO_3, MgO and Al₂O₃) were quantified and compared using thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric (TG-MS) and numerical analyses. The combustion performance of SS declined slightly with the additives which was demonstrated by the 0.03-to-0.25-fold decreases in comprehensive combustibility index (CCI). The co-combustion performed well given the 0.31-fold increase in CCI. Kinetic parameters were estimated using the Ozawa-Flynn-Wall (OFW) and Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS) methods. Apparent activation energy estimates by OFW and KAS were consistent. The addition of K₂CO₃ and MgCO₃ decreased the weighted average activation energy of SS. Adding K₂CO₃ to the blend reduced CO₂, NO₂, SO₂, HCN and NH₃ emissions. CO₂, NO₂ and SO₂ emissions were higher from WH than SS. Adding WH or K₂CO₃ to SS increased CO₂, NO₂ and SO₂ but HCN and NH₃ emissions. Based on both catalytic effects and evolved gases, K₂CO₃ was potentially an optimal option for the catalytic combustion among the tested additives.

A novel two-stage biomass gasification concept: Design and operation of a 1.5 MWth demonstration plant

To gasify the biofuel of low ash melting temperature and overcome the high content of tar in bio-gas, a novel two-stage gasification concept is proposed. This concept enables the tar-free bio-gas generated in the gasification process under thermal cracking. On that basis, a demonstration project is introduced. Rice husk acts as the feedstock for its accessibility on-site in the commissioning period. System reliability has been confirmed for the stable operation of more than 60 days. Tests have been performed under some typical operating conditions. As the results suggest, the bio-gas of 6.7 MJ/Nm³ LHV is generated with cold gas efficiency and carbon conversion of 67.5% and 87% respectively. Elementary economic evaluation of this concept is also made in accordance with the commissioning results. As a result, the annual net profit of 40.92 K USD is yielded without a subsidized price for biomass materials.

Investigating pyrolysis characteristics of moso bamboo through TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS

This study was carried out to investigate pyrolysis characteristics of moso bamboo (Phyllostachys pubescens), including outer layer (OB), middle layer (MB) and inner layer (IB) and bamboo leaves (BL), through TG-FTIR and Py-GC/MS. The results showed that 70% of weight loss occurred at rapid pyrolysis stage with temperature of 200-400 °C. With increase in heating rate, pyrolysis process shifted toward higher temperature. IB, OB, MB and BL had a different activation energy at different conversion rates. BL had a higher activation energy than IB, OB and MB. The volatiles of bamboo was complicated with 2-30 of C atoms. IB, OB and MB mainly released benzofuran, hydroxyacetaldehyde and 2-Pentanone. BL released furan, acetic acid and phenol. The main pyrolysis products included H₂O, CH₄, CO₂, CO, carboxylic acids, NO, NO₂. Pyrolysis products of IB was the most and that of BL was the lowest. MB had the lowest pyrolysis temperature.

Potential improvement of biogas production from fallen teak leaves with co-digestion of microalgae

Biogas production from anaerobic co-digestion of fallen teak leaves (Tectona grandis) and microalgae (Chlorella vulgaris) were investigated. In this study, teak leaves and algae mixtures with or without pretreatment were used as the substrates and digested in 1-L of anaerobic fermenter, then optimal conditions were performed in 6-L fermenter. Pretreatment was performed using sodium hydroxide (NaOH) solution (w/v) at different conditions (0, 2, 3 and 4%), with different total solid (TS) ratios (10, 15 and 20%). The digesters were placed in an incubator at 34-36 °C for 45 days. The results showed that the co-digestion of pretreated (10% TS with 2% NaOH) of teak leaves and algae was significantly higher in terms of biodegradability of TS, VS, COD along with biogas yield, methane potential and highest yield was achieved 71.90% than those obtained by mono-digestion. Thus, results demonstrated that anaerobic fermentation of teak leaves and microalgae in digester system could get as high methane yield.

Influence of catalysts on co-combustion of sewage sludge and water hyacinth blends as determined by TG-MS analysis

Effects of the three metal carbonates (K₂CO₃, Na₂CO₃, and MgCO₃) were quantified on catalytic co-combustion of the sewage sludge and water hyacinth (SW) blend using a thermogravimetric-mass spectrometric (TG-MS) analysis and kinetics modeling. The main dominating steps of the catalysts were the organic volatile matter release and combustion stage. Weighted mean values of activation energy (E_m) were estimated at 181.18KJ·mol^-1, 199.76KJ·mol^-1, 138.76KJ·mol^-1, and 177.88KJ·mol^-1 for SW, SW+5% K₂CO₃, SW+5% Na₂CO₃, and SW+5% MgCO₃, respectively. The lowest E_m occurred with SW+5% Na₂CO₃. Overall, catalyst effect on co-combustion appeared to be negligible as indicated by Gibbs free energy (ΔG). The normalized intensities of SW+MgCO₃ were strongest. The addition of Na₂CO₃ and MgCO₃ to SW increased flue gases emissions (CO₂, NO₂, SO₂, HCN, and NH₃) of SW, whereas the addition of K₂CO₃ to SW reduced flue gases emissions from the entire combustion process.

Comparative valorisation of agricultural and industrial biowastes by combustion and pyrolysis

Combustion and pyrolysis processes were assessed and compared for two types of lignocellulosic biowastes: agricultural (Eucalyptus bark, grape seeds, peach stones, walnut shells, olive waste and peanut shells) and industrial (primary and biological paper mill sludge) biowastes. They were characterized by elemental, proximate and thermal analyses; the pyrolysis behaviour was studied by thermogravimetric analysis and the gases produced were identified using mass spectrometry. Agricultural biowastes showed the highest calorific values, close to the fossil fuel values (20-30MJkg(-1)) and, in general, emission of gases containing the carbon element (CH4, C2H2, CO and CO2) was higher than that of the tested industrial biowastes, making the agricultural biowastes highly competitive for combustion applications such as gas fuel. Further, the solid product which resulted from the pyrolysis of industrial biowastes is a material with large specific surface area, which is a good characteristic for possible applications as adsorbent in water remediation.

Catalytic pyrolysis of cellulose in ionic liquid [bmim]OTf

This study discussed the catalytic cracking process of cellulose in ionic liquid 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium trifluoromethanesulfonate ([bmim]OTF) under 180°C, 240°C and 340°C, found that [bmim]OTF is an effective catalyst which can effectively reduce the pyrolysis temperature(nearly 200°C) of the cellulose. FRIR, XRD and SEM were used to analyze the structure characterization of fiber before and after the cracking; GC-MS was used for liquid phase products analysis; GC was used to analyze gas phase products. The results showed that the cellulose pyrolysis in [bmim]OTf mainly generated CO2, CO and H2, also generated 2-furfuryl alcohol, 2,5-dimethyl-1,5-diallyl-3-alcohol, 1,4-butyrolactone, 5-methyl furfural, 4-hydroxy butyric acid, vinyl propionate, 1-acetoxyl group-2-butanone, furan formate tetrahydrofuran methyl ester liquid product, and thus simulated the evolution mechanism of cellulose pyrolysis products based on the basic model of cellulose monomer.

Application of orange peel waste in the production of solid biofuels and biosorbents

This work aimed to study the potential use of pyrolyzed orange peels as solid biofuels and biosorption of heavy metals. The dry biomass and the biofuel showed moderate levels of carbon (44-62%), high levels of oxygen (30-47%), lower levels of hydrogen (3-6%), nitrogen (1-2.6%), sulfur (0.4-0.8%) and ash with a maximum of 7.8%. The activation energy was calculated using Kissinger method, involving a 3 step process: volatilization of water, biomass degradation and volatilization of the degradation products. The calorific value obtained was 19.3MJ/kg. The studies of metal biosorption based on the Langmuir model obtained the best possible data fits. The results obtained in this work indicated that the potential use of waste orange peel as a biosorbent and as a solid biofuel are feasible, this product could be used in industrial processes, favoring the world economy.

TG-MS analysis and kinetic study for thermal decomposition of six representative components of municipal solid waste under steam atmosphere

Thermal decomposition of six representative components of municipal solid waste (MSW, including lignin, printing paper, cotton, rubber, polyvinyl chloride (PVC) and cabbage) was investigated by thermogravimetric-mass spectroscopy (TG-MS) under steam atmosphere. Compared with TG and derivative thermogravimetric (DTG) curves under N2 atmosphere, thermal decomposition of MSW components under steam atmosphere was divided into pyrolysis and gasification stages. In the pyrolysis stage, the shapes of TG and DTG curves under steam atmosphere were almost the same with those under N2 atmosphere. In the gasification stage, the presence of steam led to a greater mass loss because of the steam partial oxidation of char residue. The evolution profiles of H2, CH4, CO and CO2 were well consistent with DTG curves in terms of appearance of peaks and relevant stages in the whole temperature range, and the steam partial oxidation of char residue promoted the generation of more gas products in high temperature range. The multi-Gaussian distributed activation energy model (DAEM) was proved plausible to describe thermal decomposition behaviours of MSW components under steam atmosphere.

Comparative study on pyrolysis of lignocellulosic and algal biomass using a thermogravimetric and a fixed-bed reactor

Pyrolysis characteristics of four algal and lignocellulosic biomass samples were studied by using a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) and a fixed-bed reactor. The effects of pyrolysis temperature and biomass type on the yield and composition of pyrolysis products were investigated. The average activation energy for pyrolysis of biomass samples by FWO and KAS methods in this study were in the range of 211.09-291.19kJ/mol. CO2 was the main gas component in the early stage of pyrolysis, whereas H2 and CH4 concentrations increased with increasing pyrolysis temperature. Bio-oil from Chlorellavulgaris showed higher content of nitrogen containing compounds compared to lignocellulosic biomass. The concentration of aromatic organic compounds such as phenol and its derivatives were increased with increasing pyrolysis temperature up to 700°C. FTIR analysis results showed that with increasing pyrolysis temperature, the concentration of OH, CH, CO, OCH3, and CO functional groups in char decreased sharply.

Microwave torrefaction of rice straw and Pennisetum

Microwave torrefaction of rice straw and pennisetum was researched in this article. Higher microwave power levels contributed to higher heating rate and reaction temperature, and thus produced the torrefied biomass with higher heating value and lower H/C and O/C ratios. Kinetic parameters were determined with good coefficients of determination, so the microwave torrefaction of biomass might be very close to first-order reaction. Only 150W microwave power levels and 10min processing time were needed to meet about 70% mass yield and 80% energy yield for torrefied biomass. The energy density of torrefied biomass was about 14% higher than that of raw biomass. The byproducts (liquid and gas) possessed about 30% mass and 20% energy of raw biomass, and they can be seen as energy sources for heat or electricity. Microwave torrefaction of biomass could be a competitive technology to employ the least energy and to retain the most bioenergy.

Co-Pyrolysis Kinetics of Expandable Polystyrene Foam Plastics and Biomass

Based on the thermogravimetric analysis, co-pyrolysis of expandable polystyrene foam plastics (EPS) and three kinds of biomass (bagasse, peanut shell, corncob) were investigated. The result shows that synergistic effects of the co-pyrolysis of EPS/bagasse and EPS/corncob are obvious, but there is no remarkable synergistic effect for the EPS and peanut shell blends. The kinetic analysis indicates that the pyrolysis processes can be described as first order reactions model, a pretty good fitting of experimental data was obtained for all samples. In the EPS and the biomass pyrolysis, respectively， the former can be described as the one first-order reaction model, and the latter can be described as the three consecutive models, while the co-pyrolysis of EPS and biomass needs to be described as the four consecutive models.

A sequential method to analyze the kinetics of biomass pyrolysis

The kinetics of biomass pyrolysis was studied via a sequential method including two stages. Stage one is to analyze the kinetics of biomass pyrolysis and starts with the determination of unreacted fraction of sample at the maximum reaction rate, (1-α)(m). Stage two provides a way to simulate the reaction rate profile and to verify the appropriateness of kinetic parameters calculated in the previous stage. Filter paper, xylan, and alkali lignin were used as representatives of cellulose, hemicellulose, and lignin whose pyrolysis was analyzed with the assumption of the orders of reaction being 1, 2, and 3, respectively. For most of the biomass pyrolysis, kinetic parameters were properly determined and reaction rate profiles were adequately simulated by regarding the order of reaction as 1. This new method should be applicable to most of the biomass pyrolysis and similar reactions whose (1-α)(m) is acquirable, representative, and reliable.