• Journal of agriculture & life science
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.73-79
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• 2018

In this study, a torrefaction unit with a capacity of 50 kg/hr was developed and experimented to produce of solid fuel by reuse of the food and agricultural wastes. Dried food wastes and agricultural wastes were used for the experiments and the heated-air torrefaction characteristics were investigated by the raw materials, torrefaction air temperature, and torrefaction time. For the dried agricultural wastes, measured torrefaction capacity and lower heating values were 55.35 kg/hr and 3,333 kcal/kg, respectively. As the lower heating values of the treated samples were greater, by around 7.8%, than those of the non-treated samples, torrefaction process was a very effective method to increase the heating value of the agricultural waste. In case of the dried food waste, torrefaction capacity and lower heating value was measured 88.27 kg/hr and 4,016 kcal/kg, respectively. As the lower heating value of treated ones showed around 9.0% higher than that of non treated ones, torrefaction process is very effective method to increase the heating value of the agricultural waste also. It will be assumed that the heating value shows more higher as increase the air temperature and decrease the moisture content of torrified matter.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.355-361
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• 2013

In this work, torrefaction of the sewage sludge was investigated the characteristics of torrefied products and the value of as energy resource to improve energy density and to maintain consistent quality of SRF. Torrefaction was performed two important torrefaction operational parameter, temperature($150-230^{\circ}C$) and reaction time(10-60min). As raising the torrefaction temperature at long reaction times, the moisture content of torrefied products was decreased, while the heating value was increased. Moreover, increasing of the torrefaction temperature led to a increase of the content of the carbon up to 60% compare to the initial the sample, and a decrease of the content hydrogen and oxygen. Especially, Average heating value was 4,818 kcal/kg regardless of the reaction time when torrefaction was performed over $210^{\circ}C$. In addition, the fuel ration and coal band were improved after torrefaction because the O/C and the H/C ratio were decreased.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.547-554
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• 2018

Torrefaction is the promising process of pretreating biomass materials to increase the quality of their energy, especially to upgrade the materials' grindability so that it is suitable for a commercial pulverizer machine. In this study, torrefaction of oak, bamboo, oil palm trunk, and rice husk was carried out under different torrefaction temperatures ($300^{\circ}C$, $330^{\circ}C$, and $350^{\circ}C$) and different torrefaction residence times (30, 45, and 60 minutes). Complete characterization of the torrefied biomass, including proximate analysis, calorific value, thermogravimetric analysis, mass yield, energy yield, and grindability properties (Hardgrove Grindability Index) was carried out. Increasing the torrefaction temperature and residence time significantly improved the calorific value, energy density (by reducing the product mass), and grindability of the product. Furthermore, for commercial purposes, the torrefaction conditions that produced the desired grindability properties of the torrefied product were $330^{\circ}C-30minutes$ and $300^{\circ}-45minutes$, and the latter condition produced a higher energy yield for bamboo, oil palm trunk, and rice husk; however, torrefaction of oak did not achieve the targeted grindability property values.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers B
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• v.37 no.10
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• pp.901-909
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• 2013

Owing to the Increasing use of fossil fuels, worldwide concerns over environmental pollution are increasing. As a solution, ligneous biomass has emerged as a promising alternative fuel in recent times. Therefore, in this study, a moisture evaporation model that largely influences the energy density and efficiency of ligneous biomass is studied using a numerical approach. Furthermore, the thermal characteristics are analyzed in terms of torrefaction temperature and moisture fractions in the wood, and the type of wood species. The results show that the temperature and moisture fractions of wood decrease with an increase in the torrefaction temperature. In particular, when the torrefaction temperature is lower than 423K, there were little changes in the moisture fraction in the wood. Furthermore, it was found that charcoal is produced more slowly as the moisture fraction in the wood increases.

• Journal of the Korea Organic Resources Recycling Association
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.86-94
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• 2015

Torrefaction is a thermochemical process proceeded at the temperature around $250^{\circ}C$ in an inert gas condition. By torrefaction, the hemicellulose portions contained in biomass are broken down to change into the volatile gas which is removed from biomass eventually. The main purpose of biomass torrefaction is to improve the energy density of the biomass to minimize the transport energy consumption, though the flammability can be elevated for transportation. In this study two types of solid biomass fuel, waste wood and rice straw, were torrefied at various temperature range from $200^{\circ}C$ to $300^{\circ}C$ to evaluate the torrefied biomass characteristics. In addition torrefied biomass were tested to evaluate the combustion characteristics using TGA (Thermogravimetric Analysis). After the torrefaction of biomass, the C/H (carbon to hydrogen ratio) and C/O (carbon to oxygen ratio) were measured for aquisition of bio-stability as well as combustion pattern. Generally C/H ratio implies the soot formation during combustion, and the C/O ratio for bio-stability. By torrefaction temperature at $300^{\circ}C$, C/H ratio and C/O ratio were increased by two times for C/H and three times for C/O. The torrefied biomass showed similar TGA pattern to coal compared to pure biomass; that is, less mass decrease at lower temperature range for torrefied biomass than the pure biomass.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.280-291
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• 2018

Torrefaction is one of the methods to increase combustion calorific value and hydrophobicity of biomass. In this study, the effects of torrefaction on devolatilization, char reactivity and biomass structure were analyzed. Empty fruit bunch (EFB) and Kenaf biomass were used as fuels to be torrefied in the N2 environment at 200, 250 and $290^{\circ}C$. Devolatilization and char kinetics were analyzed by using TGA and biomass structure was investigated through petrography image. The reactivity showed different trends depending on the torrefaction temperature and biomass structure. The herbaceous biomass, Kenaf, was shown as high reactivity and thin wall structure. On the contrary, the woody biomass, EFB, had relatively low reactivity and thick wall structure.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.739-744
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• 2013

In this study, torrefaction was performed to improve fuel properties of Larch. The optimal condition for torrefaction was investigated by response surface methodology. The torrefaction temperature and time ranged $220{\sim}280^{\circ}C$ and 20~80 min, respectively. As the torrefaction temperature and time increased, the carbon content of torrefied biomass increased from 49.36 to 56.65%, while its hydrogen and oxygen contents decreased from 5.56 to 5.48% and from 37.62 to 31.67%, respectively. The weight loss and calorific value increased with SF, while energy yield decreased. At the severe torrefaction condition (SF 7), the weight loss and calorific value were 26.58% and 22.30 MJ/kg, respectively. The energy contained in torrefied biomass increased to 20.41%, when compared with the untreated biomass. As the torrefaction severity increased, the energy yield decreased due to the relatively high weight loss of biomass. Therefore, the highest energy yield was obtained at high calorific value and low weight loss of biomass (SF 5.72).

• 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 Energy Engineering
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.1-5
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• 2015

This study is to investigate the effect of torrefaction on enzymatic hydrolysis of lignocellulosic biomass for bio-ethanol production. As a pretreatment, the torrefaction of lignocellulosic biomass was conducted in temperature of $250{\sim}350^{\circ}C$ in the absence of oxygen. Tween-80, nonionic surfactant, was tested to enhance saccharification efficiency by coping with hydrophobicity resulted from torrefaction. As a result, the glucose production from enzymatic hydrolysis of biomass pretreated by torrefaction was greater than that obtained from the non-pretreated biomass. Sugar conversion was higher when the biomass was saccharified with addition of tween-80. It was found that torrefaction can be applied as a preptreatment for lignocellulosic biomass and tween-80 is needed to enhance its enzyme saccharification.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.360-369
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• 2016

In this study, sequential leaching and wet torrefaction were performed to improve the fuel characteristics of empty fruit bunch (EFB). Leaching was carried out at $25{\sim}90^{\circ}C$ for 5~30 min. The highest ash removal efficiency of 55.99% was achieved when leaching was performed at $90^{\circ}C$ for 10 min. The ash removal efficiency was dependent more on leaching temperature than time. Wet torrefaction was carried out at $180{\sim}200^{\circ}C$ for 5~40 min, following the leaching. Most of the inorganic compounds were removed at removal efficiencies of 41.05~63.58% during sequential leaching and wet torrefaction, while silica remained in the biomass. Chloride, calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus showed more than 80% removal efficiencies. The calorific value of EFB increased to 7.96% (4730 kcal/kg) in comparison to the raw material (4390 kcal/kg) when wet torrefaction was performed at $200^{\circ}C$ for 40 min following leaching.