Values for particle-scale properties of biomass briquettes made from agroforestry residues

The production of biomass pellets and briquettes from agroforestry residues has increased rapidly in recent years. The design of machines, equipment and the infrastructure necessary for the handling, transport and storage of these products has been an engineering challenge since, when moving, biomass does not usually flow as easily as other granular materials. The discrete element method (DEM) provides a means of studying the handling and silo discharge behaviour of granular solids as well as the distribution of the pressures exerted by such materials in silos. However, the development of such models requires certain properties of the particles in question to be known. The present work experimentally determines the true density, Young's modulus of elasticity (axial and radial), the particle–particle restitution coefficient and the particle–wall friction coefficient—all variables that must be known in the construction of DEM models—for briquettes made from maize stalk, maize stalk plus pine wood chips, rice husk, vine shoots, rape straw, cereal straw and sawdust plus cereal straw.     

Synthesis, structure, and electronic study of some group VII furoyl substituted complexes

The reaction of fulvene 1 with TlOEt in THF affords [Tl{1,2-C₅H₃(COC₄H₃O)₂}] (2) in 60% yield. Treatment of 2 with [MBr(CO)₅] (M = Mn, Re) in benzene reflux gave [Mn{η⁵-1,2-C₅H₃(COC₄H₃O)₂}(CO)₃] (3A) and [Re{η⁵-1,2-C₅H₃(COC₄H₃O)₂}(CO)₃] (3B) in 61% and 66% yields, respectively. Diacyl complexes 3A and 3B were ring-closed to the pyridazine by treating with hydrazine hydrate in methanol at room temperature. Fulvene 1 and diacyl complexes 3A and 3B have been structurally characterized by X-ray crystallography. Additionally, the electronic structure of complexes 3A and 3B and their relaxed structures have been characterized with density functional calculations. Calculated vibrational frequencies are compared with the experimental characterizations.     

Headspace-single drop microextraction (HS-SDME) in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) to evaluate the content of alkyl- and methoxy-phenolic compounds in biomass smoke

The content of ten phenolic compounds present in four different biomass smoke materials: rock rose (Cistus monpelienisis), prickly pear (Opuntia ficus indica), pine needles (Pinus canariensis), and almonds skin (Prunus dulcis), have been evaluated. The sampling method mainly consisted of a trap alkaline solution to solubilize the phenols, and was optimized by an experimental design. Average sampling efficiencies of 78.1% and an average precision value of 10.6% (as relative standard deviation, RSD), were obtained for the selected group of phenols. The trapped phenolates were further analyzed by a headspace-single drop microextraction (HS-SDME) procedure, in combination with high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) with UV detection. The optimum variables for the HS-SDME method were: 1-decanol as extractant solvent, 3.5 μL of microdrop volume, 2 mL of sample volume, a pH value of 2, saturation of NaCl, an extraction temperature of 60 °C, and an extraction time of 25 min. The optimized HS-SDME method presented detection limits ranging from 0.35 to 5.8 μg mL⁻¹, RSD values ranging from 0.7 to 7.4%, and an average relative recovery (RR) of 99.8% and an average standard deviation of 5.2. The average content of phenolic compounds in the biomass materials studied were 70, 161, 206 and 252 mg kg⁻¹ of biomass for prickly pear, almonds skin, rock rose, and pine needles, respectively. The main components of the smokes were vanillin, phenol and methoxyphenols, in all smoking materials studied.     

Catalytic degradation of lignin model compounds in acidic imidazolium based ionic liquids: Hammett acidity and anion effects

Ionic liquids based on the 1-methylimidazolium cation with chloride, bromide, hydrogen sulfate, and tetrafluoroborate counterions along with 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium hydrogen sulfate were employed to degrade two lignin model compounds, guaiacylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether and veratrylglycerol-β-guaiacyl ether. The acidity of each ionic liquid was approximated using 3-nitroaniline as an indicator to measure the Hammett acidity (H₀). While all of the tested ionic liquids were strongly acidic (H₀ between 1.48 and 2.08), the relative acidity did not correlate with the ability of the ionic liquid to catalyze β-O-4 ether bond hydrolysis. The reactivity of the model compounds in the ionic liquids is dependent not only on the acidity, but also on the nature of the ions and their interaction with the model compounds.     

Possibilities and pitfalls in analyzing (upgraded) pyrolysis oil by size exclusion chromatography (SEC)

The applicability of size exclusion chromatography (SEC) to analyze (upgraded) pyrolysis oil samples has been studied using model compounds, pyrolysis oils and hydrodeoxygenated pyrolysis oils. The assumptions needed for the conversion of the chromatogram to the M_w-distribution were validated. It was shown that the conversion of elution volume to molecular weight (based on polystyrene calibration curves) can introduce substantial errors in the prediction of the molecular weight. The conversion of RID response to W(log M) (as plotted on the y-axis of the M_w-distribution) is based on the assumption of a compound independent RID response factor and linear response to concentration. While the latter was shown to be true within the concentration range studied, the former was not true: the RID response factor depends on the type of (upgraded) pyrolysis oil. It was shown that within a single pyrolysis oil sample, the RID response for the low molecular weight fraction was a factor 3 lower than the high molecular weight fraction. Furthermore long term column fouling can influence SEC results that cannot be corrected with regular polystyrene recalibrations.Based on the results we recommend SEC not to be used as a quantitative method for characterization (upgraded) pyrolysis oil samples, but as a tool to compare (upgraded) pyrolysis oil samples, preferably prepared using incremental operating conditions and expected to have similar molecular composition. This work has further shown that (i) the ∫UVDdv/∫RIDdv ratio can be used as an indication of the sum of the relative aromaticity and conjugated double bond content for (upgraded) pyrolysis oil, and (ii) the negative peak area appearing in the low molecular weight part of the chromatogram can be used to estimate the water content of (upgraded) oil samples.     

Bio-oil production from Onopordum acanthium L. by slow pyrolysis

In this study, the usability of the plant thistle, Onopordum acanthium L., belonging to the family Asteraceae (Compositae), in liquid fuel production has been investigated. The experiments were performed in a fixed-bed Heinze pyrolysis reactor to investigate the effects of heating rate, pyrolysis temperature and sepiolite percentage on the pyrolysis product yields and chemical compositions. Experiments were carried out in a static atmosphere with a heating rate of 7 °C/min and 40 °C/min, pyrolysis temperature of 350, 400, 500, 550 and 700 °C and particle size of 0.6 < D_p < 0.85 mm. Catalyst experiments were conducted in a static atmosphere with a heating rate of 40 °C/min, pyrolysis temperature of 550 °C and particle size of 0.6 < D_p < 0.85 mm. Bio-oil yield increased from 18.5% to 27.3% with the presence of 10% of sepiolite catalyst at pyrolysis temperature of 550 °C, with a heating rate of 40 °C/min, and particle size of 0.6 < D_p < 0.85 mm. It means that the yield of bio-oil was increased at around 48.0% after the catalyst added. Chromatographic and spectroscopic studies on the bio-oil showed that the oil obtained from O. acanthium L. could be used as a renewable fuels and chemical feedstock.     

Determination of kinetic parameters and analytical pyrolysis of tobacco waste and sorghum bagasse

The thermal decomposition of tobacco waste and sorghum bagasse was investigated by non-isothermal thermogravimetric analyses, applying slow heating rates and well-defined conditions. The purpose of evaluating the decomposition was to estimate the kinetic parameters of the analyzed materials. Activation energies and Arrhenius exponential factors were inferred by different estimation methods: the classical methods of Ozawa and Starink and the independent parallel reactions model. The analytical pyrolysis was performed in a micro-pyrolyzer coupled to a gas chromatographer/mass spectrometer. Values of activation energy obtained with single step reaction models by the Ozawa method were: 103.94 kJ/mol for tobacco waste and 120.01 kJ/mol for sorghum bagasse, and by the Starink method - 135.95 kJ/mol for tobacco waste and 148.91 kJ/mol for sorghum bagasse. The independent parallel reaction model presented energy activation values of 39.7-272.0 kJ/mol for tobacco waste and 35.7-220.0 kJ/mol for sorghum bagasse. In analytical slow and fast pyrolysis of tobacco residue and sorghum bagasse, holocellulose and lignin-derived compounds were identified, as well as hydrocarbons and aromatic hydrocarbons. The kinetic behavior of the materials are presented and discussed. Our findings may be helpful in evaluating other types of lignocellulosic biomass.     

Deoxy-liquefaction products obtained from Crofton weed at different temperatures

Crofton weed is an invasive alien plant which is causing significant economic and environmental losses in China. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the applicability of deoxy-liquefaction reaction to the utilization of Crofton weed. Deoxy-liquefaction experiments of two different sections (leaves and stems) and the whole plant of Crofton weed were performed at six different temperatures (375-500 °C). Oils with low oxygen contents (<8 wt%) and high HHVs (>40 MJ/kg) were obtained. 425 °C was the optimum temperature for obtaining oil from Crofton weed. Besides, solid chars with high HHVs of about 20 MJ/kg were obtained. Gases with HHVs ranging from 1.6 to 5.7 MJ/mol were produced. The overall energy recovery of the system was estimated at about 70%.     

生物质炭和富二氧化碳合成气制取二甲醚

研究了一种利用富二氧化碳合成气和生物质炭联合制取二甲醚的方法, 其过程包括两个步骤: 富二氧化碳合成气调整以及调整后合成气合成二甲醚. 在合成气调整过程中, 利用生物质炭为原料在Ni/Al₂O₃催化剂上将富二氧化碳合成气调整为富一氧化碳合成气. 经过800 °C合成气调整后, 合成气中CO₂含量大幅降低而CO含量大幅提高, CO₂/CO的摩尔比从原始合成气的6.33降至0.21. 然后, 分别用调整前后的合成气合成二甲醚, 结果表明, 经过调整后, C转化率得到很大的提高, 二甲醚产率比调整前高4倍. 本工作提供了一种可利用富二氧化碳生物质合成气制取燃料的途径, 并且提供了一种新的利用生物质炭的方法.     

基于光谱技术的农林生物质原料组分和热值的快速测定

快速检测生物质原料特性对生产高品质压缩成型燃料具有重要意义。利用光谱技术建立松木、杉木和棉杆三类农林生物质组分(水分、灰分、挥发分和固定碳)和热值预测模型。相比原始光谱,基于一阶导数光谱的偏最小二乘回归(PLS)模型预测精度较高。灰分、挥发分和水分PLS模型交叉校验决定系数(R2)分别为0.97,0.94和0.90,预测偏差比率(RPD)分别为6.57,4.00和3.01。固定碳和热值PLS模型精度一般,R2分别为0.85和0.87,RPD分别为2.55和2.73。实验结果表明,利用可见-近红外光谱技术完全可以替代传统工业分析方法,从而实现农林生物质原料组分和热值的快速测定。