The performance and biomass yield of the perennial energy plant Sida hermaphrodita (hereafter referred to as Sida) as a feedstock for biogas and solid fuel was evaluated throughout one entire growing period at agricultural field conditions. A Sida plant development code was established to allow comparison of the plant growth stages and biomass composition. Four scenarios were evaluated to determine the use of Sida biomass with regard to plant development and harvest time: (i) one harvest for solid fuel only; (ii) one harvest for biogas production only; (iii) one harvest for biogas production, followed by a harvest of the regrown biomass for solid fuel; and (iv) two consecutive harvests for biogas production. To determine Sida's value as a feedstock for combustion, we assessed the caloric value, the ash quality, and melting point with regard to DIN EN ISO norms. The results showed highest total dry biomass yields of max. 25 t ha
À1, whereas the highest dry matter of 70% to 80% was obtained at the end of the growing period. Scenario (i) clearly indicated the highest energy recovery, accounting for 439 288 MJ ha À1 ; the energy recovery of the four scenarios from highest to lowest followed this order: (i) ≫ (iii) ≫ (iv) > (ii). Analysis of the Sida ashes showed a high melting point of >1500°C, associated with a net calorific value of 16.5-17.2 MJ kg À1 . All prerequisites for DIN EN ISO norms were achieved, indicating Sida's advantage as a solid energy carrier without any post-treatment after harvesting. Cell wall analysis of the stems showed a constant lignin content after sampling week 16 (July), whereas cellulose had already reached a plateau in sampling week 4 (April). The results highlight Sida as a promising woody, perennial plant, providing biomass for flexible and multipurpose energy applications.
The objective of this work was to investigate the influence of feedstock on the release of trace elements during gasification. Therefore, different types of woody biomass and biomass residues (shells) were thermochemically converted in an atmospheric flow channel reactor furnace at different temperatures (900, 1200, and 1400 °C) under gasification-like conditions. For the determination of the composition of the hot gas, the flow channel reactor was coupled to a molecular beam mass spectrometer. The focus was set on the release of alkali metals (K and Na) and non-metals (S, Cl, and P), which are known for their high volatility and influence on the solid-and gas-phase chemistries, as well as the volatility of the other elements. The main gaseous species were 36 HCl + , 58 NaCl + , 74 KCl + , 64 SO 2 + , 60 COS + , and 63 PO 2 + . After quantification, the data set was correlated with the elemental composition of the biomass and likely release mechanisms are discussed.
The low rank coals from Victoria, Australia, and Rhineland, Germany are of interest for use in entrained flow gasification applications. Therefore, a high temperature, electrically heated, entrained flow apparatus has been designed to address the shortage of fundamental data. A Victorian brown coal and a Rhenish lignite were subjected to rapid, entrained flow pyrolysis between 1100 and 14008C to generate high surface area chars, which were subsequently gasified at the same temperatures under CO 2 in N 2 between 10 and 80 vol %. The Victorian coal was more reactive than the Rhenish coal, and peak char reactivity was observed at 12008C. Char conversion and syngas yield increased with increasing temperature and plateaued at high CO 2 concentration. Ammonia and tar species were negligible and HCN and H 2 S were present in parts per million (volume) concentrations in the cooled, filtered syngas.
Three biomass energy feedstocks (wood, straw, and miscanthus) are co-gasified at 1400 °C with two lignites and two hard coals. The objective of this work was to determine the release of alkali metal, chlorine, and sulfur species and to correlate the release with the share of the fuel in the blends. The release of the inorganics is detected using a molecular beam mass spectrometer. Significant species are 34 H 2 S + , 36 HCl + , 58 NaCl + , 60 COS + , and 74 KCl + . By comparison of the experimental data with calculations, the influence of the inorganic content of the fuel blends on important release mechanisms and trends is determined. It is shown that the Al/Si ratio and the chlorine content have a major influence on the release of alkali metal species in general. Additionally, it was found that the Al/Si ratio has a strong influence on the release of sulfur species through changes of the availability of Ca.
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