Thermogravimetric analysis with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TGA-FTIR) was used to analyze the pyrolysis and gasification of woody biomass, coal, and their mixtures. Yellow poplar, red oak, and Kingwood coal were tested individually and in various mixtures. The results showed that biomass decomposes at lower temperatures than coal, releasing gaseous products like CO2, CH4, CO, and H2O. Adding biomass to coal was found to enhance and stimulate the pyrolysis and gasification processes of coal. The study provides insight into how different biomass materials may influence the thermal decomposition of coal.

1. TGA-FTIR ANALYSIS OF WOODY BIOMASS
AND COAL FOR ENERGY PRODUCTION
Qingzheng (George) Cheng1, Jingxin Wang1
Kaushlendra Singh1, John Zondlo2
1Division of Forestry and Natural Resources
2Chemical Engineering
West Virginia University , Morgantown, WV 26506
FPS Conference, Portland, Orogon
June 21, 2011
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Outline
• Introduction
• Objectives
• Materials and Methods
• Results
• Conclusions
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2. Introduction
Source: Energy Information Administration (2007)
Introduction
Source: Energy Information Administration (2007)
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3. Introduction
Opportunity
• Reduced use of nonrenewable fuels,
• Less dependence on imported fuel sources,
• Rural economy development, and
• Reduced GHG emissions
• To use available, abundant, renewable,
resources ranging from plant to animal
biomass, or other renewable resources.
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Introduction
 Biomass is plant matter such as trees, grasses, agricultural crops or other
biological materials.
 It can be used as a solid fuel, or converted into liquid or gaseous forms, for
the production of electric power, heat, or chemicals.
 Biofuel is any gas, liquid, or solid fuel derived either from recently living
organisms or from their metabolic by-products.
Source (Wang et al. 2006)
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3

4. Introduction
Electricity Generation
• 90% of electricity generation in West
Virginia came from coal.
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Introduction
Coal vs. Wood or Coal + Wood ?
Coal : 8,000-15,000 Btu/Ib, 27% volatile, 45-86% carbon
Wood: 7,000-9,000 Btu/Ib, 70-80% volatile, 20-26% carbon
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4

5. Introduction
(CBTL)
• Most economical until
other resources available
to produce liquid fuels at
lower costs;
• One potential way of
reducing the carbon
emission of coal to liquid
fuels;
• Enhance rural community
and economic
development.
(Wu, Wang, Cheng and DeVallance. International J of Energy Research 2011)
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Objectives
Specific objectives
Pyrolysis and gasification in TGA/FTIR system:
Use TGA/FTIR system (thermogravimetric analysis-
Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy) to conduct
pyrolysis and gasification for coal and biomasss
mixtures and analyze the resulting gaseous
components.
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6. Materials
 Yellow poplar
 Red oak
 Kingwood Coal
King- 90 80 70 50 20
wood
Yellow 10 20 30 50 80
poplar
Red oak --- 20 --- --- ---
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Methodology
TGA-FTIR TGA-FTIR
FTIR
Interface Connection line TGA
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7. Methodology
• Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA)
T: room-950 °C, 10 °C/min (natrigen flow
rate 50 ml/min)
• Fourier transform infrared
spectroscopy (FTIR):
Resolution: range at 4 cm-1
Spectra collected every 30 s
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Results
Yellow poplar
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8. Results
Yellow poplar
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Results
Red oak
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9. Results
Red oak
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Results
Kingwood coal
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10. Results
Weight loss of wood vs coal
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Results
Weight loss Td of KW coal + YP (10 to 80)
469 °C
78.2%
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11. Results
3D FTIR of diff Kingwood : YP ratios
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Results
Kingwood +YP vs RO=80:20
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12. Conclusions
 Thermal analysis demonstrates that woody biomass
sources are easily decomposed, with most of their
weight lost under lower temperature compared with coal.
 The biomass pyrolysis process could be divided into
different stages: moisture evaporation, hemicellulose
decomposition, cellulose and lignin degradation.
 Woody biomass could enhance/stimulative coal
pyrolysis/gasification. Different biomass may have
different influences.
 The main gaseous products from the pyrolysis of
biomass, coal, and their mixture with different ratios
included CO2, CH4, CO, H2O and some organics (a
mixture of acids, aldehydes (C=O), alkanes (C–C), and
ethers (C–O–C)).
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Thanks!
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