Thermal Study and Emission Characteristics of Rice Husk Using TG-MS

• Published in: Materials Vol. 14; no. 20; p. 6203
• Main Authors: Arranz, José Ignacio, Miranda, María Teresa, Montero, Irene, Sepúlveda, Francisco José
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Basel MDPI AG 19.10.2021; MDPI
• Subjects: Agricultural pollution; Agricultural production; Air pollution; Ammonia; Biofuels; Biomass; Calorific value; Carbon dioxide; emission; Emission analysis; Energy; Environmental aspects; Environmental impact; Experiments; Hydrogen sulfide; Inert atmospheres; kinetic analysis; Mass spectrometry; Methods; Nitrogen dioxide; Oxidation; Particle size; Pollutants; Rice; rice husk; Scientific imaging; spectrometry mass; Sulfur dioxide; Thermal analysis; Thermodynamic properties; Thermogravimetry; United States > US; Spain
• ISSN: 1996-1944; 1996-1944
• DOI: 10.3390/ma14206203

Rice husks are a by-product that is generated in large quantities in Spain. However, they are not used efficiently. One of their possible applications is its thermal use in power generation equipment. For that purpose, it is important to know the characteristics of rice husks and their thermal behavior, as well as their possible pollutant emission to the atmosphere with respect to its thermal use as a biofuel. In this work, the thermal characteristics of rice husks and their thermal behavior were studied by using thermogravimetry and mass spectroscopy for two different atmospheres (oxidizing and inert). This way, the thermal profiles and the main characteristics were studied, as well as the emission of possible pollutants to the atmosphere, such as CO2, CH4, NO2, NH3, SO2, and H2S. Moreover, three different methods (FWO, KAS, and Starink) were used to carry out a thermal analysis, in order to obtain the main thermal parameters such as activation energy. The results of the analysis predicted that rice husks could be used as biofuel in industrial thermal equipment based on its acceptable calorific value, good thermal characteristics, and low gas emissions both in oxidizing and inert atmosphere (although they have a high ash content).