Effect of torrefaction on the properties of rice straw high temperature pyrolysis char: Pore structure, aromaticity and gasification activity.

The influence of torrefaction on the physicochemical characteristics of char during raw and water washed rice straw pyrolysis at 800-1200°C is investigated. Pore structure, aromaticity and gasification activity of pyrolysis chars are compared between raw and torrefied samples. For raw straw, BET specific surface area decreases with the increased torrefaction temperature at the same pyrolysis temperature and it approximately increases linearly with weight loss during pyrolysis. The different pore structure evolutions relate to the different volatile matters and pore structures between raw and torrefied straw. Torrefaction at higher temperature would bring about a lower graphitization degree of char during pyrolysis of raw straw. Pore structure and carbon crystalline structure evolutions of raw and torrefied water washed straw are different from these of raw straw during pyrolysis. For both raw and water washed straw, CO2 gasification activities of pyrolysis chars are different between raw and torrefied samples.

Study on reactivity characteristics and synergy behaviours of rice straw and bituminous coal co-gasification.

Co-gasification of rice straw (RS) and Shenfu bituminous coal (SF) was conducted in a thermogravimetric analyzer (TGA) to explore the effects of gasification temperature and blend ratio on reactivity characteristics and synergy behaviours of co-gasification. Moreover, the relationship between the synergy and the K/Ca transformation in co-gasification was studied using flame atomic absorption spectrum (FAAS) and in-situ heating stage microscope. The results showed that the whole reactivities increased with increasing RS proportion and gasification temperature. The transformation of water-soluble and ion-exchanged (ws-ie) calcium was enhanced in whole co-gasification and the ws-ie potassium transformation was obviously inhibited in mid-late reaction. Hence, synergy behaviours were synthetically determined by the enhancement of Ca deactivation and the strengthening of K catalysis. The inhibiting effect was occurred in initial co-gasification and was converted to the synergistic effect at a characteristic conversion, which decreased with increasing RS proportion and decreasing gasification temperature.