Energies, Vol. 18, Pages 5397: Investigation into the Multiphase Product Distribution and Evolution During Biomass Pyrolysis Using Wheat Straw and Pine Sawdust
Energies doi: 10.3390/en18205397
Authors:
Jishuo Li
Kaili Xu
Xiwen Yao
Xingyu Luo
Understanding the formation mechanisms of three-phase products during biomass pyrolysis is essential for optimizing thermochemical conversion and enhancing the efficient utilization of renewable resources. In this study, wheat straw (WS) and pine sawdust (PS) were selected as representative feedstocks to investigate the thermal decomposition behavior and evolution characteristics of gas, liquid (tar), and solid (char) products during pyrolysis. Thermogravimetric analysis and kinetic modeling revealed that PS exhibited higher activation energy (75.44 kJ/mol) than WS (65.63 kJ/mol), indicating greater thermal resistance. Tar yield increased initially and then declined with temperature, peaking at 700 °C (37.79% for PS and 32.82% for WS), while the composition shifted from oxygenated compounds to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons as temperature rose. FTIR analysis demonstrated that most functional group transformations in char occurred below 400 °C, with aromatic structures forming above 300 °C and stabilizing beyond 700 °C. Gas product evolution showed that WS produced higher CO and H2 yields due to its composition, with CH4 generated in relatively lower amounts. These findings provide insights into biomass pyrolysis mechanisms and offer a theoretical basis for targeted regulation of product distributions in bioenergy applications.