Textural and fuel characteristics of the chars produced by the pyrolysis of waste wood, and the properties of activated carbons prepared from them

• Published in: Journal of analytical and applied pyrolysis Vol. 104; pp. 551 - 558
• Main Authors: López, Félix A., Centeno, Teresa A., García-Díaz, Irene, Alguacil, Francisco J.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01.11.2013
• Subjects: Abies alba; Activated carbon; carbon dioxide; Char; coal; Combustion; Fuel properties; heat; hemicellulose; Pinus pinea; Pyrolysis; Quercus ilex; Quercus pyrenaica; temperature; volatilization; Waste wood; wood; Pyrolysis; Waste wood; Combustion; Char; Activated carbon; Fuel properties
• ISSN: 0165-2370; 1873-250X
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jaap.2013.05.014

Different types of waste wood were pyrolysed in a pilot scale plant to obtain: (1) non-condensable gases; these were used to produce electricity via a gas turbine, (2) bio-oils of different potential uses, and (3) chars. These chars can be used as fuels that might substitute coal, or converted into activated carbon. •Silver fir, holm oak, stone pine and Pyrenean oak waste woods were pyrolyzed in a pilot scale plant.•The textural properties of the chars produced are described.•The fuel and combustion properties of the char were similar to those of commercials coals.•The activated carbons produced from these chars (CO2 activation at 800̊C) had BET surface areas of 543–815m2g−1. Chars were obtained by the pyrolysis of waste wood samples of different origin – silver fir (Abies alba), holm oak (Quercus ilex), stone pine (Pinus pinea) and Pyrenean oak (Quercus pyrenaica) – at 600̊C in a pilot scale installation. The thermo-chemical characteristics of the resulting materials were fully investigated using a combination of standard techniques. The char yield ranged from 23wt% to 29wt%, depending on the precursor wood. The recovery of C achieved was 42–51wt%, increasing with the hemicellulose content of the wood. In addition, the chars had low volatile matter (8–12wt%) and ash (2.0–8.5wt%) contents. The higher heating values of the chars were relatively high (31–35MJkg−1) and comparable to that of a semi-anthracite (silver fir and stone pine chars) or medium-volatile bituminous coal (holm and Pyrenean oak chars). Their combustion intervals, and ignition, volatilization and burnout temperatures, were similar to those of commercial coals. The chars had a microporous structure (pore size<2nm) with BET surface areas in the range 314–405m2g−1. Their treatment by CO2 at 800̊C resulted in activated carbons with pore sizes below 0.89nm and BET surface areas of 543–815m2g−1.