Background:
Torrefaction is the process of pyrolysis at a lower temperature of biomass. In this process, the moisture and lighter volatiles are removed from biomaterial. At lower temperatures, it is expected that hemicellulosic and cellulosic fractions will be affected. There will be minimal changes in the lignin bio-constituent. The torrefied processed biomaterial will be dry, brittle, hydrophobic, more carbonaceous, and higher energy dense with more storability.:
Technology Details:
During the thermal degradation of lignin, relaxation occurs first, then melting, and finally solidification. During torrefaction, relaxation dominates over the melting and after the cooling of biomaterial, the solidification occurs. Therefore, there are ample chances that during torrefaction the lignin will just relax first and then solidifies without or with little melting. The torrefied biomaterial may become a high carbon-containing material than its raw biomaterial, it may also contain a modified biopolymeric nature. The thermal stresses imposed during the torrefaction bring internal changes in biopolymeric constituents. The present technology is a torrefaction system having a 200 kg biomass capacity