• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.53 no.2
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• pp.224-230
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of several variables on the durability of wood pellets fabricated with torrefied larch (LAR) and tulip tree (TUT) chips. Microscopic observation by scanning electron microscope-energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer was also performed to identify the surface of the wood pellets visually. In addition, torrefied-LAR and TUT pellets were fabricated with the addition of moisture, lignin, starch and protein as binders, and durabilities of the pellets were analyzed statistically. Durabilities of torrefied-LAR and TUT pellets were lower than one of non-torrefied-LAR and TUT pellets. Durabilities of both pellets fabricated with the wood chips, which were torrefied with $230^{\circ}C$ and 30 min, were the highest among all torrefaction conditions used in this study. From the microscopic observations, lignin was distributed broadly on the surface of non-torrefied wood pellets, whereas congregated partially on the surface of torrefied wood pellets. Durability of LAR pellets increased with the addition of moisture, but that of TUT pellets was reduced. Addition of binders contributed to increase the durability of LAR and TUT pellets. As a binder, lignin and protein were more effective than starch for improving the durability. In conclusion, mild torrefaction treatment, such as $230^{\circ}C$ and 30 min, might be an optimal condition to minimize the durability reduction of the LAR and TUT pellets. In addition, when torrefied woody materials with high and low specific gravities are used as a raw material for the production of durable wood pellets, it might be required to adjust moisture content and torrefaction conditions of woody materials, respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.15-21
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• 2006

The objective of this research is to develop the technique for carbonization of wood pellet and analyze a possibility for the utilization of carbonized wood pellet. The properties of wood pellet charcoals, such as density, yield, elemental composition, higher heating value, and methyleneblue adsorption, were analyzed. Wood pellet was made of sawdust of Hyunsasi-poplar, Japanese larch, Korean pine, Korean red pine, and Jolcharn-oak (serrate oak), respectively. The high density charcoal ($0.5{\sim}0.7g/cm^3$) was yielded from densified wood pellet. The carbon contents and calorific values of wood pellet charcoals were increased with the increase of carbonization temperature. The methyleneblue adsorptivity of wood pellet charcoal was similar to that of wood charcoal.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.381-389
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• 2015

In this study, the effects of moisture content and particles size of ground particles of torrefied larch chips on the pelletizing process were investigated depending on torrefaction conditions ($220^{\circ}C$-50 min, $250^{\circ}C$-50 min, $250^{\circ}C$-120 min). The moisture content in the torrefied chip decreased to 0.69~1.75%, while ash content and calorific value increased compared to untreated chip. In addition, weight loss significantly increased during torrefaction due to hemicellulose degradation. The carbon content in torrefied larch chip increased compare to untreated larch chip, while the hydrogen and oxygen contents decreased. The lignin and glucan contents in torrefied larch chip increased with increasing severity of the torrefaction condition, while hemicellulose decreased. In the particle size distribution of ground particles of torrefied larch chip, larch torrefied at severe conditions was found to produce smaller particles (~1 mm) than that of the larch torrefied at mild conditions. Macropore (over $500{\AA}$) in the torrefied particle was produced during torrefaction. During the pelletizing using ground particles of torrefied larch chip, the pressure needed in pelletizing decreased and pellet length increased with increasing moisture content, regardless of the particle size.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.122-134
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• 2015

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of torrefied larch wood as a raw material of pellets. First of all, larch chip was torrefied at the temperatures of 230, 250 and $270^{\circ}C$ for 30, 50 and 70 min. Secondly, moisture content, moisture absorption, higher heating value and ash content of the torrefied chip were measured to examine the effects of torrefaction conditions on the fuel characteristics of larch. Thirdly, surfaces of the torrefied chip were observed by light microscope (LM), field emission scanning microscope (FE-SEM) and SEM-energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDXS). With the increases of torrefied temperature and time, contents of lignin increased and those of hemicellulose reduced. Moisture content of torrefied larch chip was greatly lower than that of non-torrefied chip. Moisture absorption of the torrefied chip decreased as torrefaction temperature increased. As torrefaction temperature increased, higher heating value and ash content of larch chip increased. However, durability of torrefied-larch pellets was remarkably lower comparing to non-torrefied-larch pellets. When surface of larch chip was observed by LM and FE-SEM, surface color and cell wall of the chip was getting darker and more collapsed with the increases of torrefaction conditions. Through the analysis of SEM-EDXS, distribution and quantity of lignin existing on the surface of larch chip increased with the increases of torrefied conditions. In conclusion, $270^{\circ}C$/50 min might be an optimal condition for the torrefaction of larch with the aspect of fuel characteristics, but torrefaction condition of $230^{\circ}C$/30 min should be considered according to the durability of torrefied-larch pellets.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.318-326
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the potential of non-used forest biomass residues as raw materials for making wood pellets with additives such as wood tar and starch and to evaluate fuel characteristics of the pellets. Wood tar, a by-product provided from the carbonization process of wood, could be a suitable additive for wood pellet production due to its higher calorific value and lower hazardous heavy metals, such as cadmium and mercury, compared to woody biomass. When the wood tar (10 wt%) was added, the calorific value was increased from 4,630 kcal/kg (wood pellet without additive) to 4,800 kcal/kg (wood pellet with additive). With the increase of additive amount into wood pellet, the length and individual density of wood pellet increased. In addition, bulk density of the pellets was increased, whereas the fine content was decreased. Consequently the overall productivity of wood pellets was improved by adding 2 w% additives into wood pellets; the percentage of productivity increase was 5.9% and 4.9% for adding starch and wood tar, respectively.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.29-35
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• 2013

This research analyzed the fuel characteristic change of spent coffee bean by torrefaction. The calorific value was increased from 4,974 kcal/kg to 6,075 kcal/kg ($260^{\circ}C$, 30min), 6,452 kcal/kg ($270^{\circ}C$, 30min), 6,823 kcal/kg ($280^{\circ}C$, 30min), 6,970 kcal/kg ($260^{\circ}C$, 30min). The highest energy yield was obtained when the spent coffee bean were torrefied on the condition of $280^{\circ}C$, 30min. The moisture absorption rate was decreased from 5.12% to 2.76% when the spent coffee bean were torrefied on the condition of $290^{\circ}C$, 30min. Lignin was increased from 11.33% to 14.39% on the condition of $260^{\circ}C$ 30min. But it did not preferability to torrefy spent coffee bean at temperature of more than $270^{\circ}C$ because lignin decreases to the level that is hard to make pellet.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.385-389
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• 2012

In this study, torrefaction of mixed softwood chips under anoxic condition was performed to improve energy density and maintain consistent quality of biomass. Characteristics of torrefied biomass depending on reaction time (30 min) and temperature (240, 260,$280^{\circ}C$) were investigated. Torrefaction of mixed softwood chips significantly improved the heating value compared to that of untreated biomass. As the torrefaction temperature was increased, the carbon content of torrefied biomass increased from 46.55 to 55.73%, while its hydrogen and oxygen contents decreased from 6.00 to 5.87% and from 30.55 to 27.21%, respectively. Most of hemicelluloses and volatile compounds were removed during torrefaction. The highest heating value was 5132 kcal/kg when torrefaction was performed at$280^{\circ}C$ for 30 min. It implied that the heating value increased by 13% compared to that of original biomass. However, the condition of effective torrefaction was at $240^{\circ}C$ for 30 min when weight loss and energy yield was considered.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.135-143
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• 2015

This study evaluated fuel properties of composite materials which were prepared by mixing a waste activated carbon from the used purifier filter with torrefied wood powder. Wood species of the raw material of torrefied wood powder are oak wood (Quercus serrata Thunb. ex Murray) and pine wood (Pinus densiflora Siebold & Zucc). And the treatment conditions used for this study were 300 s, 450 s, and 600 s at $200^{\circ}C$ for the wood roaster. Also, the mixing ratios are 5 : 95, 10 : 90, 15 : 85, 20 : 80, 40 : 60, 60 : 40 and 80 : 20 (waste activated carbon : torrefied wood powder). The fuel properties such as highly heating value (HHV), elementary analysis and ash content were evaluated. The results obtained are followings; 1. Despite the same treatment condition of wood roasting, pine wood has higher carbon contents than oak wood. Therefore, pine wood indicated the optimum carbonization at low temperature and short treatment times. 2. The gross calorific value and ash content increased as the mixing ratio of waste activated carbon increased. 3. Mixtures of the waste activated carbon and torrefied wood powder showed greater gross calorific value than those of the mixtures of waste activated carbon and the untreated wood powder. Also, the pine wood resulted in higher heating value that thaose of the oak wood. 4. When composite fuels that were composed waste activate carbon and wood powder are used, higher temperature conditions are required because the combustion is incomplete at $800^{\circ}C$ and 4 hours. 5. The increasing rate of the gross calorific value of mixtures of waste activated carbon and untreated wood powder is higher than does the mixtures of waste activated carbon and torrefied wood powder. Also, this phenomenon is more obvious for pine woods. Therefore, an optimal mixing ratio of waste activated carbon was determined to be between 5% and 10% (wt%). Also, this condition satisfied the requirement of the No.1 grade of wood pellet.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.40-50
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• 2013

This study was performed to investigate the potential of torrefied tulip tree (TT) for the production of pellets. For this purpose, chemical composition and fuel characteristics of torrefied TT were examined. In addition, pellets were fabricated by using sawdust of torrefied TT chip, and durability of the pellet was measured. Lignin content of torrefied TT was higher than that of non-torrefied TT, and increased with the increases of torrefaction temperature and time. Fuel characteristics of torrefied TT were affected by torrefied conditions, and the characteristics were influenced more by torrefaction temperature than by torrefaction time. Higher heating value (HHV) and ash content (AC) of torrefied tulip tree increased with increasing torrefaction temperature, and the values were much higher than HHV and AC values of non-torrefied TT. Durability of pellets fabricated with $230^{\circ}C$- and $250^{\circ}C$-torrefied TT was higher than that of $270^{\circ}C$-torrefied TT, and the value exceeded the minimum requirement (-97.50%) of the 1st-grade pellet standard designated by Korea Forest Research Institute. Based on the results, torrefaction treatment of $250^{\circ}C/50min$ to TT might be a optimal condition for the production of TT pellets considering the mass balance and fuel characteristics of TT as well as the durability of the pellets. Thus, it is confirmed that torrefied TT can be used as a raw material for the production of bio-pellets.

• Clean Technology
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.331-338
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• 2022

The objective of this study is to prepare bead-type and pellet-type Pt (1 wt%)/Kieselguhr catalysts as hydrogenation catalysts for the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) included in pyrolysis fuel oil (PFO). The optimal reaction temperature to maximize the yield of saturated cyclic hydrocarbons during the PFO-cut hydrogenation reaction in a trickle bed reactor was determined to be 250 ℃. A hydrogen/PFO-cut flow rate ratio of 1800 was found to maximize 1-ring saturated cyclic compounds. The yield of saturated cyclic compound increased as the space velocity (LHSV) of PFO-cut decreased. The difference in hydrogenation reaction performance between the pellet catalyst and the bead catalyst was negligible. However, the catalyst impregnated by Pt after molding the Kieselguhr support (AI catalyst) showed higher hydrogenation activity than the catalyst molded after Pt impregnation on the Kieselguhr powder (BI catalyst), which was a common phenomenon in both the pellet catalysts and bead catalysts. This may be due to a higher number of active sites over the AI catalyst compared to the BI catalyst. It was confirmed that the pellet catalyst prepared by the AI method had the best reaction activity of the prepared catalysts in this study. The majority of the PFO-cut hydrogenation products were cyclic hydrocarbons ranging from C₈ to C₁₅, and C₁₁ cyclic hydrocarbons had the highest distribution. It was confirmed that both a cracking reaction and hydrogenation occurred, which shifted the carbon number distribution towards light hydrocarbons.