Chemometric modelling on element compositions and product distributions of cellulose and lignin

In this paper, the literature-based data on elemental properties, syngas compositions, and product distribution were assessed from thermochemical process fueled with cellulose, lignin, and cellulose-rich and lignin-rich biomasses with the application of principal component analysis (PCA). Two data sets (SET1 and SET2) were created for element properties and product distribution, respectively. SET1 contained carbon (C), hydrogen (H), oxygen (O), volatile matter (VM), and fixed carbon (FC), and SET2 represented H-2, CO2, CO, CH4, liquid, solid, and gas product. The data sets were analyzed: (a) to evaluate the variations in element compositions, (b) to characterize syngas and product distribution produced from thermochemical conversion processes, and (c) to verify which element properties have a more decisive effect on the variation of product distribution of selected feedstocks. PCA results on the SET1 revealed that C, O, VM, and FC had the most significant role in differentiating selected feedstocks. PCA results on the SET2 exhibited the correlation among the selected variables in accordance with the chemical reactions of thermochemical processes. Cellulose produced a higher liquid product than that from lignin due to high contents of volatile matter in cellulose, whereas lignin displayed higher solid product than that from cellulose due to the presence of high content of fixed carbon in lignin. The similar observations were found for cellulose-rich and lignin-rich biomasses, indicating that cellulose-rich and lignin-rich biomasses are suitable for liquid (bio-oil) and solid (biochar) production due to high contents of VM and FC, respectively.

Automated summary

This paper assessed the product distribution variations in thermochemical processes fueled with cellulose, lignin, cellulose-rich, and lignin-rich biomasses, using principal component analysis (PCA) to understand the influence of elemental properties. The results indicated that cellulose and lignin, with high volatile matter and fixed carbon contents respectively, are suitable for liquid and solid product production.