Characterization of Biomass as Non Conventional Fuels by Thermal Techniques

Abstract

A review. This paper discusses the problems related with the std. lab. techniques and presents a comprehensive exptl. protocol for the characterization of biomass fuels based on thermal anal. and lab-scale reactors. The exptl. work coupled physico-chem. characterization tests with pyrolysis under inert and oxidizing conditions and char combustion using different exptl. techniques. Thermogravimetric anal. provides useful information on the temp. range in which pyrolysis/combustion of the fuel can be carried out and allows to est. the rate and kinetics of the reactive processes. Moreover, it provides useful information on the effect of inert/oxidative conditions on the products yield. Examples of selected fuels are presented to demonstrate and clarify the issue. These examples show that the presence of oxygen upon heating favors pyrolysis reactions in many cases, but when biomasses have a high content of metals and inorg. matter the presence of oxygen hinders the pyrolytic reactions at low-moderate temp. through formation of oxygen complexes. [on SciFinder(R)]