Microwave pre-treated wheat straw pellets as additive for activation of thermal decomposition of biomass blends
2021
Valdmanis, R., University of Latvia, Riga (Latvia). Inst. of Physics | Goldsteins, L., University of Latvia, Riga (Latvia). Inst. of Physics | Arshanitsa, A., EkoKompozit, Ltd., Salaspils, Salaspils Municipality (Latvia);Latvian State Inst. of Wood Chemistry, Riga (Latvia) | Andersone, A., EkoKompozit, Ltd., Salaspils, Salaspils Municipality (Latvia);Latvian State Inst. of Wood Chemistry, Riga (Latvia)
To provide wider use of wheat straw for energy production, microwave (MW) pre-treatment of wheat straw pellets was used to provide active control and improvement of the pellet structure and elemental composition. Wheat straw pellets were pre-treated at the temperature range of 473–573K using an originally designed rotating MW reactor. The effect of MW treatment on the wheat straw structural characteristics, element composition, ash content, and calorific values was analysed. The effect of wheat straw pre-treatment on the thermal decomposition of wheat straw pellets and blends with untreated wood pellets was experimentally studied. The yield of combustible volatiles was estimated varying pre-treatment temperatures and the mass fraction of pre-treated pellets in blends. The joint measurements of the weight loss rate of the fuel blends and the yield of combustible volatiles showed that MW pre-treatment of wheat straw pellets enhances the weight loss of blends up to 23% and the yield of combustible volatiles up to 400%. The results of the experimental study suggest that MW pre-treatment of wheat straw pellets can be used as a tool to provide effective control of the thermal decomposition of fuel blends.
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