Energy recovery analysis from sugar cane bagasse pyrolysis and gasification using thermogravimetry, mass spectrometry and kinetic models

The energy recovery from biomass and it's utilisation as fuels and chemicals has been gaining interest in recent years. The production of syngas from sugarcane pyrolysis and gasification is investigated. Pyrolysis studies of sugarcane bagasse are performed using thermogravimetry (TG) at different heating rates (10, 20, 40, 100, 250 K/min). A mass spectrometry (MS) coupled with TG is used to detect the evolved gases. The effect of pyrolysis heating rate on char yield and evolved gases are examined. The resultant char is gasified in steam ambience under isothermal and non-isothermal conditions. The results are shown that sugarcane pyrolysis, char-gasification and gas release (H2, H2O, CO, CO2 and hydrocarbons) processes are influenced by the heating rate. Char gasification kinetics are estimated using volumetric, grain and random pore models under isothermal conditions. Similarly, sugarcane bagasse pyrolysis and gasification kinetics under non-isothermal conditions in steam and air ambience is estimated using Friedman, KAS (Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose) and FWO (Flynn-Wall-Ozawa) methods for all the mass conversion levels. The activation energy of steam gasification is more than twice when compared to air gasification (partial oxidation) process while using FWO and KAS methods Altogether, these results contribute to better understanding of the sugarcane bagasse pyrolysis and gasification features for gasifier process modeling.