1. Torrefaction of some Nigerian lignocellulosic resources and decomposition kinetics.
- Author
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Lasode, Olumuyiwa A., Balogun, Ayokunle O., and McDonald, Armando G.
- Subjects
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PLANT biomass , *CHEMICAL decomposition , *LIGNOCELLULOSE , *PLANT yields , *WOODY plants , *ACTIVATION energy , *HEMICELLULOSE - Abstract
Torrefaction experiments were carried out on some Nigerian woody ( Albizia pedicellaris (AP), Tectona grandis (TK), Terminalia ivorensis (TI)) and non-woody ( Sorghum bicolour glume (SBG) and stalk (SBS)) biomass resources. The influence of process conditions and consequent change in the elemental configuration of the biomass samples were observed. Biomass type played a dominant role in the solid yield recording 71% for woody and 58% for non-woody samples at 270 °C, while temperature showed the greatest influence with solid yield dropping from an average of 80% (at 240 °C) to 50% (at 300 °C). Both volatile matter and fixed carbon contents experienced significant changes after torrefaction and a decline in O/C ratio from 0.6 to 0.3 was noted. Among the woody biomass, TI experienced the highest increase in higher heating value (HHV) of approximately 38% as compared to AP (32%) and TK (32%), and was subsequently selected for decomposition kinetic study. The decomposition kinetics showed that activation energy ( E ( α )) for the hemicellulose degradation stage ranged between 137 and 197 kJ mol −1 for conversion ( α ) between 0.1 and 0.24 implying that biomass kinetics within this decomposition region is a multi-step reaction. The GC/MS analytical technique revealed that the presence of levoglucosan was highest (7.1%) in woody biomass, while phenolic compounds made up more than one-third of the group of compounds identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2014
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