Comprehensive analysis of pre-treated Austrian pine

This paper focuses on the thermo-chemical assessment of pre-treated Central European pine species (Pinus Nigra). The torrefaction process and its effect on the energy yield, mass yield, energy density, structural and chemical compositions are examined during the pre-treatment process. The torrefaction unit has also been constructed by improvising a digitally programmed furnace. The fractional change in cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin (acid insoluble) are determined with the help of the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) method. The thermogravimetric (TG), as well as the differential thermal analyses, are performed to monitor the thermal behaviour of the processed pine needles. The samples have undergone thermal decomposition at different heating rates (5 degrees C-min(-1), 10 degrees C-min(-1) and 15 degrees C-min(-1)). Nitrogen environment has been used throughout the torrefaction process as well as during the thermal decomposition of the processed biomass in the thermogravimetric analyser. Thermochemical as well as physical factors are also taken into consideration. Thermally, the processed fuel is exegetically more efficient than that of the crude form. Economically, the higher heating rates are found to be more feasible than the lower ones. Relatively, the fraction of acid-insoluble lignin has increased during the torrefaction process, whereas cellulose and hemicellulose components of pine needles have decreased. The exergy of the system during the pyrolysis process is increased by nearly 2%.

Automated summary

This study focuses on the thermochemical evaluation of pre-treated Central European pine species, revealing that the processed fuel is more efficient and higher heating rates are economically more feasible. During the torrefaction process, the fraction of acid-insoluble lignin increases while cellulose and hemicellulose components of pine needles decrease.