Thermogravimetric investigation on the degradation properties and combustion performance of bio-oils

Xueyong Ren; Jiajia Meng; Andrew M Moore; Jianmin Chang; Jinsheng Gou; Sunkyu Park

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2013.11.028

Thermogravimetric investigation on the degradation properties and combustion performance of bio-oils

Bioresour Technol. 2014:152:267-74. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.11.028. Epub 2013 Nov 19.

Authors

Xueyong Ren¹, Jiajia Meng², Andrew M Moore², Jianmin Chang³, Jinsheng Gou³, Sunkyu Park⁴

Affiliations

¹ Department of Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA; College of Materials Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, PR China.
² Department of Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA.
³ College of Materials Science and Technology, Beijing Forestry University, Beijing 100083, PR China.
⁴ Department of Forest Biomaterials, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, NC 27695, USA. Electronic address: sunkyu_park@ncsu.edu.

PMID: 24300845
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2013.11.028

Abstract

The degradation properties and combustion performance of raw bio-oil, aged bio-oil, and bio-oil from torrefied wood were investigated through thermogravimetric analysis. A three-stage process was observed for the degradation of bio-oils, including devolatilization of the aqueous fraction and light compounds, transition of the heavy faction to solid, and combustion of carbonaceous residues. Pyrolysis kinetics parameters were calculated via the reaction order model and 3D-diffusion model, and combustion indexes were used to qualitatively evaluate the thermal profiles of tested bio-oils for comparison with commercial oils such as fuel oils. It was found that aged bio-oil was more thermally instable and produced more combustion-detrimental carbonaceous solid. Raw bio-oil and bio-oil from torrefied wood had comparable combustion performance to fuel oils. It was considered that bio-oil has a potential to be mixed with or totally replace the fuel oils in boilers.

Keywords: Bio-oil; Combustion performance; Degradation; Fuel oils; Thermogravimetric analysis.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Research Support, U.S. Gov't, Non-P.H.S.

MeSH terms

Biofuels / analysis*
Carbon / analysis
Chemical Phenomena
Differential Thermal Analysis
Kinetics
Oils / chemistry*
Oxidation-Reduction
Temperature
Thermogravimetry / methods*
Volatilization
Wood / chemistry

Substances

Biofuels
Oils
Carbon