0000000000140423
AUTHOR
Nikolai Demartini
Influence of Elevated Pressure on the Torrefaction of Wood
The use of pressurized reactors in industrial processes can improve efficiency and economics. Torrefaction is a partial pyrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass designed to result in a solid product with improved fuel properties for utilization in combustion and gasification. In this work, the influence of elevated pressure on the torrefaction of wood has been investigated. Wood samples were torrefied using a pressurized thermogravimetric reactor (PTGR) with pressures of 0.1 to 2.1 MPa. The results indicate that reactor pressure, particle size of feedstock, and wood species are all factors in torrefaction yield improvements. Torrefaction at 2.1 MPa pressure improved the higher heating value (ca…
Modeling of the catalytic effects of potassium and calcium on spruce wood gasification in CO2
Abstract Using previously reported thermogravimetric analysis measurements, the effects of calcium and potassium on the char gasification rate of spruce wood were modeled. Spruce wood was leached of inorganic ash elements and doped with measured amounts of potassium and calcium. The wood was gasified in an isothermal thermogravimetric analysis device in CO 2 where the devolatilization of the wood, char formation and char gasification all occurred inside the preheated reactor. A new method for separating the effects of devolatilization and char gasification is presented. Kinetic models were evaluated for their ability to describe the observed catalytic effects of potassium and calcium on the…
Catalytic effect of Ca and K on CO2 gasification of spruce wood char
Abstract Gasification is one route to produce chemicals and liquid fuels from biomass. The gasification of the char is catalyzed by alkali and alkaline earth metals in the biomass. In this work the catalytic effect of calcium (Ca) and potassium (K) on CO2 gasification of spruce wood was studied using a thermo gravimetric analyzer (TGA). The ash-forming elements were first removed from the wood using an acid leaching method. Then, various concentrations of K and Ca were absorbed to the wood by ion-exchange to carboxylic and phenolic groups, impregnation of K2CO3 or physically mixing of CaC2O4. The prepared spruce samples were placed in a mesh holder and gasified in the TGA at 850 °C in 100% …