Identification of malodourous emissions of wood pellets during storage

Pöllinger-Zierler, Barbara; Sedlmayer, Irene; Hofbauer, Hermann; Wopienka, Elisabeth; Siegmund, Britta

doi:10.3217/978-3-85125-593-5-84

Cited by 1 publication

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“…The methyl-branched fatty acid 3-methyl butanoic acid is most likely derived from the precursor amino acid leucine and is, thus, found in pellets made of protein-rich raw materials like DDGS, grapevine, and miscanthus. The presence of these fatty acids in wood pellets has been described in the results of our own previous research . In this previous study, we showed that high concentrations of free fatty acids, and especially the presence of 3-methyl butanoic acid with a low odor threshold, were strongly correlated with off-odor formation in wood pellets.…”

Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 64%

“…Odorless gases like carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), methane (CH 4 ), and hydrogen (H 2 ) are emitted with a simultaneous oxygen reduction in the storage atmosphere, − which is most probably caused by oxidation processes undergone by genuine wood extractives. , Besides CO, CO 2 , CH 4 , and H 2 emissions, a range of other volatile organic compounds (VOCs) such as straight-chain aldehydes and ketones, alcohols, short chain organic acids, and terpenes are emitted by pellets. − , It has been shown recently that pellets produced from different wood species can be differentiated according to their wood origin on the basis of the emitted VOCs . The emission of VOCs is of special importance as many of these compounds are odor-active and are responsible for the odor or potential off-odor perceived from these materials . Furthermore, the emission of VOCs is presumed to be the reason for eye and respiratory irritation by people working in pelletizing companies or in pellet storage facilities. , …”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Interrelation of Volatile Organic Compounds and Sensory Properties of Alternative and Torrefied Wood Pellets

et al. 2019

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The increasing demand for wood pellets on the market, which is caused by their excellent combustion properties, inspires the production as well as the utilization of alternative biomass pellets as fuel. However, the emission of volatile organic compounds gives pellet materials a distinct odor or off-odor, which is directly perceived by the end user. Thus, there is an urgent need for knowledge about the emitted volatile organic compounds and their potential formation pathways as well as their contributions to odor properties of the pellets. In this study, pellets made of biomass energy crops (i.e., straw or miscanthus), byproducts from the food industry (i.e., rapeseed, grapevine, or DDGS (dried distillers grains with solubles from beer production)), or eucalyptus, as well as torrefied pinewood and torrefied sprucewood were investigated with respect to the emitted volatile compounds and their possible impact on the pellet odor. Headspace solid-phase microextraction in combination with gas chromatography−mass spectrometry was used to enrich, separate, and identify the compounds. Techniques used in sensory science were applied to obtain information about the odor properties of the samples. A total of 59 volatile compounds (acids, aldehydes and ketones, alcohols, terpenes, heterocyclic compounds, and phenolic compounds) were identified with different compound ratios in the investigated materials. The use of multivariate statistical data analysis provided deep insight into product−compound interrelation. For pellets produced from bioenergy crops, as well as from byproducts from the food industry, the sensory properties of the pellets reflected the odor properties of the raw material. With respect to the volatiles from torrefied pellets, those volatiles that are formed during the torrefaction procedure dominate the odor of the torrefied pellets covering the genuine odor of the utilized wood. The results of this work serve as a substantiated basis for future production of pellets from alternative raw materials.

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Section: Resultssupporting

confidence: 64%