Thermal degradation of biomasses

Thermal degradation of biomasses: update of a detailed kinetic model from experimental data

Context and Objectives

Among the renewable energy sources, biomass from agricultural, food or forestry waste can play an important role towards the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Unfortunately, their use still has several limitations, due to the lack of knowledge of thermal transformation processes such as pyrolysis and gasification. To this end, this thesis is concerned with investigating the chemical kinetics and transport phenomena that control biomass conversion. In particular the CRECK kinetic model for biomass pyrolysis should be extended to describe the evolution of N-containing moieties by adding N-containing representative components (e.g. proteins) to the already existing framework.  

Methods and Tools

Collection of experimental data from literature (thermogravimetry and speciation), updating and new developments of the CRECK model for the thermal degradation of biomasses, through the study of the degradation of their main constituents (cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin).