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THERMOCHEMICAL CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO

CHARCOAL: COLLECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF
BYPRODUCT
a a
J. B. Kandpal & R.C. Maheshwari
a
Centre for Rural Development and Technology Indian Institute of Technology Delhi , Hauz
Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India
Published online: 23 Mar 2007.

To cite this article: J. B. Kandpal & R.C. Maheshwari (1994) THERMOCHEMICAL CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO CHARCOAL:
COLLECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BYPRODUCT, Fuel Science and Technology International, 12:1, 75-83

To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/08843759408916166

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 FUEL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY INT'L., 12(1), 75-83 (1994)

THERMOCHEMICAL CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO CHARCOAL:

COLLECTION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BYPRODUCT
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J. B. Kandpal and R.C. Maheahwari

Centre for Rural Development and Technology

-. Delhi
Indian Institute oiTechnolow.
Hauz Khas, New Delhi, 110016, India

ABSTRACT

Thermochemical conversion of biomass waa c a r r i e d o u t u s i n g a

laboratory pyrolyzer a t temperatures of 280-500'C. The charcoal yield
varied from 72 a n d 40% respectively a n d t h e t a r yield a t t h e above two
temperatures varied from 2.0 and 4.2%. The stmcture of charcoal and hio-oil
w a s d e t e r m i n e d by infrared a n d nuclear magnetic resonance. T h e non-
mndensible gases were analyzed by gas chromatography.

INTRODUCTION

As a premium solid fuel, charcoal is used around the world for domestic

purposes, metals refining, and chemicals production (Bridgwater, e t al., 1991;

Varhegyi, e t al., 1989). I t is estimated that 6,100,000 tonnes of charcoal are

prepared annually throughout t h e world (Deglise, e t at., 1987) e i t h e r by

heating the biomass in a retort a t high temperature or in the presence of air

(kiln carbonization). I t is a superior fuel t h a n biomass since t h e t a r a n d

 76 KANDPAL AND MAHESHWARI

liquid products a r e removed during processing. As a result, t h e charcoal

burns with clean flame and causes less indoor pollution (Crystopher, 1979).

In Addition, the byproducts formed during t h e process are a source of many

v a l u e a d d e d c o m p o n e n t s . I n f a c t , t h e bio-oil c o n t a i n s a n u m b e r of

components which find immense importance in pharmaceuticals and a s food

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additives a s well as the bio-oil itselfbeinga good substitute for fuel oil (Soltes

and Elder, 1981). The non-condensible gases pmvide partial heat for drying

the wood charge.

Thus, the collection and utilization of various value added components

is a viable technique for increasing t h e energy eficiency and minimizing t h e

pollutant concentrating during the mnvemion pmoess. It is this aspect of the

process which is now reported.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Acacia biomaes was selected for t h e pyrolysis experiments. T h e

biomass was cut into small pieces and placed in t h e pyrolyzer (Fig. 1). The

biomass charge was pymlyzed a t temperatures ranging from 280-500'C. The

gases were passed through a condenser where mndensible components were

collected in a receiver. The nonsondensible gaees were burned after passing

through the liquid collector. The non-mndensible gases were collected in 200

ml gas s a m p l i n g bottles ( w a t e r displacement method). The gases were

analyzed with a Nucon 5700 series gas chromatograph a t oven, injector, and

detector temperatures o f 4 0 , 90 a n d 90'C, respectively; hydrogen a t (30

mltmin) was used a s carrier gas. The thermal mnductivity detector (175 mA

current) was used for identification of carbon dioxide. A molecular sieve

 CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO CHARCOAL

-
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F i g . I : Laboratory equipment for bypraduct separation.

column was used for separation a n d identification of carbon monoxide,

keeping the same temperature of oven, injector, and detector and 225 mA

current.

The infrared spectra of charcoal and t a r were recorded using a pellet

a n d scanning from 4600-400 c m - l . T h e NMR spectra were recorded by

dissolving the t a r in dichlommethane; and tetramethylsilane was used as the

standard.

Proximate analysis, u l t i m a t e analysis, a n d calorific value were

determined by the respective ASTM methods ASTM D-271-48, ASTM D-

2075, and ASTM D-3174.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The charcoal yield decreases with increasing pyrolysis temperature

w h e r e a s t h e t a r production i n c r e a s e s with i n c r e a s i n g t h e pyrolysis

. . .--~-,-.. -.
 KANDPAL AND MAHESHWARI

TABLE I.
Charwal and Tar Yield at Different Temperature

Pymlysis temperature % Yield

'C Charcoal Tar
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TABLE 11.
Properties of Biomass, Charcoal and Tar

a. Proximate Analysis

Content % Biomasa Charcoal Tar

Moisture
Fixed carbon
Volatile matter

b. Ultimate Analysis and HeatingValue

Element % Biomass Charcoal Tar

Carbon
Hydrogen
Owsen
Heating value
KJ/Kg
 CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO CHARCOAL 79

TABLE 111.
Flue Gas Composition a t Different Pymlysis
Temperature

Gas % Temperature 'C

280 350 400 450 500

Carbon monoxide 180 25.2 32.6 34.0 35.5
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Carbon dioxide 60.5 52.4 44.0 40.0 36.5

Hydmgen 2.0 4.5 5.0 7.5 8.0
Methane 1.5 3.0 8.4 8.0 10.0
Oven 4.0 3.5 1.5 1.6 1.0
Nitmgen 14.0 11.7 10.6 9 .O 9.0

Table I1 shows properties of raw biomass, ehareoal and t a r pmduced a t

a pyrolysis t e m p e r a t u r e of 4 5 0 ' C . T h e s e d a t a clearly show t h a t on

increasing the reaction temperature, the heatingvalue and fixed carbon

content of the fuel increases while a t the same time volatiles content and

moisture content decreases. T h e glue gases composition a t d i f f e r e n t

temperature is given in Table 111.

Infrared Spectra of Charmal and Tar

The infrared spectra of the charcoal and t a r are shown in Figs. 2 and 3,

respectively. The bond a t 1650 cm-l, 3500-3600 em-', 2960 and 2400-2500

em-' in t h e spectra of t h e charcoal correspond to c=c, phenolic group,

methylene, and acidic group and hydrogen bonding. The band a t 650, 690

and 870 em-' correspond to out of plane bondingvibration of one, two end

three hydrogens on e n ammatic ring.

 KANDPAL AND MAHESHWARI
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Fig.2: I n f r a - r e d s p e c t r a of b i o m a s s t a r collected 450'~.

Wovenumberr I <dl

Fig. 3 : I n f r a - r e d s p e c t r a of charcoal p r e p a r e d a t 450'~.

 CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO CHARCOAL
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FigL: Piolon Nuclear Magnetic Resononce spectra of biomass Tar IK 2 ) o n <

Pyroligncous acid ( K,).

The band a t 3350-3500 cm'l, 2950, 2900, 1730 and 1550 c m - I in t h e

infrared spectra of the t a r s correspond to nitmgen-containing heterocyclic

mmpounds, phenolic gmup, methyl p u p stretching, aldehyde, and c=c p u p

respectively. The bands a t 1150, 780 and 650 ern-l correspond to ether C - 0

groups, i n a n d o u t of plane bonding modes of 1,2,3 adjacent hydrogen

respectively.

Proton NMR Spectra of Tar

The NMR spectra of biomass tar and pyrolignous a n d acid is shown in

Fig. 4. The NMR band a t 6.65 to 9,4.5 to 6.65 and 4.2 to 3.2 correspond to
 82 KANDPAL AND MAHESHWARI

aromatic hydrogen, olefic hydrogen next to ring, and methylene hydrogen

atljacent to the two rings; the NMR peak a t 1.15 to 3.2 corresponds to remove

methylene gmups.

CONCLUSION
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Processing of biomass to charcoal a n d its use instead of its direct

combustion produces clean fuel. The t a r a n d gaseous products have t h e

potential far a number of applications. Collection, separation, and utilization

of the pyrolysis byproducts is one way to minimize the pollution.

REFERENCES

American Society for Testing Materials, Determination of P r o x i m a t e

Analysis of Fuel, ASTM D-271.

American Society for Testing Materials, Determination of Calorific Value of

Fuel, ASTM D-2075.

American Society for Testing Materials, Determination of Ultimate Analysis,

ASTM D-3174-76.
Bridgewater, A.V., and S.A. Bridge. 1991. Biomass Pyrolysis Technology,
Edited by A.V. Bridgwater and G. Grassi, Elsevier Science Publishers,
London. 11-83.

Crystopher, L. 1979. Efficiency Improvement in Bio-Energy Conversion

Systems, Energy Conservation, l3(3(3),125-31.

Deglise, X., P. Magne. 1987. Charcoal from Biomass. In Biomasa, edited by

D.O. Hall, R.P. Overend, Wiley, New York.

Indian Standard Method for Determination of Air Pollution, P a r t X. Carbon

Monoxide, 1976.

Soltes, E.J., and T.J. Elder. 1981. Extraction o f v a l u e Added Components

from Bio-oil. In Organic Chemicals from Biomass, Edited by I S . Gold
Stein, CRC Press, Inc., Boea Raton, Florida, Chapter 5, 74-81.
 CONVERSION OF BIOMASS TO CHARCOAL 83

Varhegyi, G . , M.J.Antal, T. Szekely, and P. Szabo. 1989. Charcoal

Production fmm Biomass, Energy and Fuels, 329-335.

RECEIVED: November 30, 1992

ACCEPTED: December 2 1 , 1992
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