Evaluation of the bioenergy potential of invasive Pennisetum purpureum through pyrolysis and thermogravimetric analysis

Abstract

The use of lignocellulosic biomass in the production of bioenergy is escalating with time due to the increase in energy demand and ecological pollution. The purpose of this study is to examine the opportunities of biofuel production from Pennisetum purpureum which is an invasive perennial grass in Brunei Darussalam. The proximate analysis of the study showed that the proportions of moisture content (MC), volatile matter (VM), fixed carbon (FC), and ash content (AC) were 5.93%, 69.44%, 16.81%, and 7.82%, respectively. Moreover, the ratios of carbon (C), hydrogen (H), nitrogen (N), sulfur (S), and oxygen (O) provided by the ultimate analysis were 43.23%, 5.80%, 1.17%, 0.11%, and 41.76%, respectively. The low moisture content and the higher heating value (18.55 MJ/kg) marked this grass as a potential source of biomass. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy revealed the strong bonds between O–H, C–H, C–O, C=O, and C=C in the biomass. The thermogravimetric and their derivative results depicted that the highest weight losses occurred at a temperature of 334 °C with a degradation rate of 6.56 °C/min for pyrolysis condition and at a temperature of 312 °C with a degradation rate of 7.66 °C/min in combustion conditions.

Keywords

Invasive species / Pennisetum purpureum / SEM–EDX / FTIR / TGA–DTG / HHVs

References

[1] Abdalla AM, Hossain S, Azad AT Nanomaterials for solid oxide fuel cells: a review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2018, 82: 353-368

[2] Abu Bakar MS, Titiloye JO. Catalytic pyrolysis of rice husk for bio-oil production. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis, 2013, 103: 362-368

[3] Afif A, Radenahmad N, Cheok Q Ammonia-fed fuel cells: a comprehensive review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2016, 60: 822-835

[4] Afroze S, Abdalla AM, Radenahmad N, et al (2018) Synthesis, structural and thermal properties of double perovskite NdSrMn₂O₆ as potential anode materials for solid oxide fuel cells. In: IET Conference Publications. pp 91 (4 pp.)-91 (4 pp.)(1)

[5] Ahmad MS, Mehmood MA, Al Ayed OS Kinetic analyses and pyrolytic behavior of Para grass (Urochloa mutica) for its bioenergy potential. Bioresour Technol, 2017, 224: 708-713

[6] Ahmad MS, Mehmood MA, Luo H Pyrolysis and thermogravimetric study to elucidate the bioenergy potential of novel feedstock produced on poor soils while keeping the environmental sustainability intact. Sustainability, 2019, 11: 3592

[7] Ahmed A, Abu Bakar MS, Azad AK Potential thermochemical conversion of bioenergy from Acacia species in Brunei Darussalam: a review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2018, 82: 3060-3076

[8] Ahmed A, Abu Bakar MS, Azad AK Intermediate pyrolysis of Acacia cincinnata and Acacia holosericea species for bio-oil and biochar production. Energy Convers Manag, 2018, 176: 393-408

[9] Ahmed A, Hidayat S, Abu Bakar MS Thermochemical characterisation of Acacia auriculiformis tree parts via proximate, ultimate, TGA, DTG, calorific value and FTIR spectroscopy analyses to evaluate their potential as a biofuel resource. Biofuels, 2018, 7269: 1-12

[10] Akhtar N, Goyal D, Goyal A. Physico-chemical characteristics of leaf litter biomass to delineate the chemistries involved in biofuel production. J Taiwan Inst Chem Eng, 2016, 62: 239-246

[11] Allen MR, Frame DJ, Huntingford C Warming caused by cumulative carbon emissions towards the trillionth tonne. Nature, 2009, 458: 1163-1166

[12] Atkinson CJ. Establishing perennial grass energy crops in the UK: a review of current propagation options for Miscanthus. Biomass Bioenerg, 2009, 33: 752-759

[13] Azargohar R, Nanda S, Kozinski JA Effects of temperature on the physicochemical characteristics of fast pyrolysis bio-chars derived from Canadian waste biomass. Fuel, 2014, 125: 90-100

[14] Barney JN, DiTomaso JM. Global climate niche estimates for bioenergy crops and invasive species of agronomic origin: potential problems and opportunities. PLOS ONne, 2011, 6: e17222

[15] Barta-Rajnai E, Jakab E, Sebestyén Z Comprehensive compositional study of torrefied wood and herbaceous materials by chemical analysis and thermoanalytical methods. Energy Fuels, 2016, 30: 8019-8030

[16] Biagini E, Barontini F, Tognotti L. Devolatilization of biomass fuels and biomass components studied by TG/FTIR technique. Ind Eng Chem Res, 2006, 45: 4486-4493

[17] Brebu M, Vasile C. Thermal degradation of lignin—a review. Cellul Chem Technol, 2010, 44: 353-363

[18] Cao L, Yuan X, Jiang L Thermogravimetric characteristics and kinetics analysis of oil cake and torrefied biomass blends. Fuel, 2016, 175: 129-136

[19] Channiwala SAA, Parikh PPP. A unified correlation for estimating HHV of solid, liquid and gaseous fuels. Fuel, 2002, 81: 1051-1063

[20] chem.libretexts.org (2019) Infrared Spectroscopy Absorption Table—Chemistry LibreTexts. https://chem.libretexts.org/Ancillary_Materials/Reference/Reference_Tables/Spectroscopic_Parameters/Infrared_Spectroscopy_Absorption_Table. Accessed 8 July 2019

[21] Chen W-H, Kuo P-C. A study on torrefaction of various biomass materials and its impact on lignocellulosic structure simulated by a thermogravimetry. Energy, 2010, 35: 2580-2586

[22] Chen Z, Hu M, Zhu X Characteristics and kinetic study on pyrolysis of five lignocellulosic biomass via thermogravimetric analysis. Bioresour Technol, 2015, 192: 441-450

[23] Choudhury ND, Chutia RS, Bhaskar T, Kataki R. Pyrolysis of jute dust: effect of reaction parameters and analysis of products. J Mater Cycles Waste Manag, 2014, 16: 449-459

[24] Collard F-X, Blin J. A review on pyrolysis of biomass constituents: mechanisms and composition of the products obtained from the conversion of cellulose, hemicelluloses and lignin. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2014, 38: 594-608

[25] Collazzo GC, Broetto CC, Perondi D A detailed non-isothermal kinetic study of elephant grass pyrolysis from different models. Appl Therm Eng, 2017, 110: 1200-1211

[26] da Silva JCG, Alves JLF, de Araujo Galdino WV Pyrolysis kinetics and physicochemical characteristics of skin, husk, and shell from green coconut wastes. Energy Ecol Environ, 2019, 4: 125-132

[27] Danish M, Ahmad T. A review on utilization of wood biomass as a sustainable precursor for activated carbon production and application. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2018, 87: 1-21

[28] De Conto D, Silvestre WP, Baldasso C, Godinho M. Performance of rotary kiln reactor for the elephant grass pyrolysis. Bioresour Technol, 2016, 218: 153-160

[29] de Lange WJ, van Wilgen BW. An economic assessment of the contribution of biological control to the management of invasive alien plants and to the protection of ecosystem services in South Africa. Biol Invasions, 2010, 12: 4113-4124

[30] Demirbas A. Biofuels sources, biofuel policy, biofuel economy and global biofuel projections. Energy Convers Manag, 2008, 49: 2106-2116

[31] Demirbas A. Biofuels from agricultural biomass. Energy Sour Part A Recover Util Environ Eff, 2009, 31: 1573-1582

[32] Demirbas A. Political, economic and environmental impacts of biofuels: a review. Appl Energy, 2009, 86: S108-S117

[33] Duan L, Sun H, Jiang Y Partitioning of trace elements, As, Ba, Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn and Pb, in a 2.5 MWth pilot-scale circulating fluidised bed combustor burning an anthracite and a bituminous coal. Fuel Process Technol, 2016, 146: 1-8

[34] Duman G, Okutucu C, Ucar S The slow and fast pyrolysis of cherry seed. Bioresour Technol, 2011, 102: 1869-1878

[35] El-Hendawy A-NA. Variation in the FTIR spectra of a biomass under impregnation, carbonization and oxidation conditions. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis, 2006, 75: 159-166

[36] Elliott DC. Historical developments in hydroprocessing bio-oils. Energy Fuels, 2007, 21: 1792-1815

[37] Encinar J, González J, González J. Fixed-bed pyrolysis of Cynara cardunculus L. product yields and compositions. Fuel Process Technol, 2000, 68: 209-222

[38] Ferreira SD, Lazzarotto IP, Junges J Steam gasification of biochar derived from elephant grass pyrolysis in a screw reactor. Energy Convers Manag, 2017, 153: 163-174

[39] Ferreira SD, Manera C, Silvestre WP Use of biochar produced from elephant grass by pyrolysis in a screw reactor as a soil amendment. Waste and Biomass Valorization, 2018, 10: 3089-3100

[40] Freudenberg Karl, Neish AC. Constitution and biosynthesis of lignin, 1968 1 Berlin Springer

[41] Gordon DR, Tancig KJ, Onderdonk DA, Gantz CA. Assessing the invasive potential of biofuel species proposed for Florida and the United States using the Australian Weed Risk Assessment. Biomass Bioenerg, 2011, 35: 74-79

[42] Grey TL, Webster TM, Li X Evaluation of control of Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum) with tillage and herbicides. Invasive Plant Sci Manag, 2015, 8: 393-400

[43] Guo Y, Bustin RM. FTIR spectroscopy and reflectance of modern charcoals and fungal decayed woods: implications for studies of inertinite in coals. Int J Coal Geol, 1998, 37: 29-53

[44] Herrera R, Erdocia X, Llano-Ponte R, Labidi J. Characterization of hydrothermally treated wood in relation to changes on its chemical composition and physical properties. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis, 2014, 107: 256-266

[45] Hidayat S, Abu Bakar MS, Yang Y Characterisation and Py-GC/MS analysis of Imperata Cylindrica as potential biomass for bio-oil production in Brunei Darussalam. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis, 2018, 134: 510-519

[46] Hossain S, Abdalla AM, Jamain SNB A review on proton conducting electrolytes for clean energy and intermediate temperature-solid oxide fuel cells. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2017, 79: 750-764

[47] Hossain MA, Shams S, Amin M Perception and barriers to implementation of intensive and extensive green roofs in Dhaka. Bangladesh. Buildings, 2019, 9: 79

[48] Hossain N, Zaini J, Mahlia TMI, Azad AK. Elemental, morphological and thermal analysis of mixed microalgae species from drain water. Renew Energy, 2019, 131: 617-624

[49] Huang C, Han L, Yang Z, Liu X. Ultimate analysis and heating value prediction of straw by near infrared spectroscopy. Waste Manag, 2009, 29: 1793-1797

[50] Imam T, Capareda S. Characterization of bio-oil, syn-gas and bio-char from switchgrass pyrolysis at various temperatures. J Anal Appl Pyrolysis, 2012, 93: 170-177

[51] Islam SN, Mohamad SMBH, Azad AK. Makowski C, Finkl CW. Acacia spp.: invasive trees along the Brunei Coast, Borneo. Impacts of invasive species on coastal environments: coasts in crisis, 2019 Switzerland Springer 455-476

[52] Jahirul MI, Rasul MG, Chowdhury AA, Ashwath N. Biofuels production through biomass pyrolysis—a technological review. Energies, 2012, 5: 4952-5001

[53] Jenkins B, Baxter L, Miles T, Miles T. Combustion properties of biomass. Fuel Process Technol, 1998, 54: 17-46

[54] Kenney KL, Smith WA, Gresham GL, Westover TL. Understanding biomass feedstock variability. Biofuels, 2013, 4: 111-127

[55] Liao R, Gao B, Fang J. Invasive plants as feedstock for biochar and bioenergy production. Bioresour Technol, 2013, 140: 439-442

[56] Lin B-J, Chen W-H. Sugarcane bagasse pyrolysis in a carbon dioxide atmosphere with conventional and microwave-assisted heating. Front Energy Res, 2015, 3: 4

[57] Lin HL, Li KJ, Zhang X, Wang H. Structure characterization and model construction of Indonesian brown coal. Energy Fuels, 2016, 30: 3809-3814

[58] López Y, Seib J, Woodard K Genetic diversity of biofuel and naturalized Napiergrass (Pennisetum purpureum). Invasive Plant Sci Manag, 2014, 7: 229-236

[59] Luke Flory S, Lorentz KA, Gordon DR, Sollenberger LE. Experimental approaches for evaluating the invasion risk of biofuel crops. Environ Res Lett, 2012, 7: 045904

[60] Lyubchik S, Benoit R, Béguin F. Influence of chemical modification of anthracite on the porosity of the resulting activated carbons. Carbon NY, 2002, 40: 1287-1294

[61] Ma X, Zhou B, Budai A Study of biochar properties by scanning electron microscope—energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM–EDX). Commun Soil Sci Plant Anal, 2016, 47: 593-601

[62] Mabuda AI, Mamphweli NS, Meyer EL. Model free kinetic analysis of biomass/sorbent blends for gasification purposes. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2016, 53: 1656-1664

[63] Marsoem N, Irawati D, Marsoem SN, Irawati D. Basic properties of Acacia mangium and Acacia auriculiformis as a heating fuel. AIP Conf Proc, 2016, 1755: 130007

[64] Mccarthy JL, Islam A. Glasser WG, Northey RA, Schultz TP. Lignin chemistry, technology, and utilization: a brief history. Lignin: historical, biological, and materials perspectives, 2000 Washington, DC American Chemical Society 1-99

[65] McKendry P. Energy production from biomass (part 1): overview of biomass. Bioresour Technol, 2002, 83: 37-46

[66] Mehmood MA, Ye G, Luo H Pyrolysis and kinetic analyses of Camel grass (Cymbopogon schoenanthus) for bioenergy. Bioresour Technol, 2017, 228: 18-24

[67] Mehmood MA, Ahmad MS, Liu Q Helianthus tuberosus as a promising feedstock for bioenergy and chemicals appraised through pyrolysis, kinetics, and TG–FTIR–MS based study. Energy Convers Manag, 2019, 194: 37-45

[68] Menegol D, Luisi Scholl A, Claudete Fontana R Potential of a Penicillium echinulatum enzymatic complex produced in either submerged or solid-state cultures for enzymatic hydrolysis of elephant grass. Fuel, 2014, 133: 232-240

[69] Mesa-Pérez JM, Cortez LAB, Marín-Mesa HR A statistical analysis of the auto thermal fast pyrolysis of elephant grass in fluidized bed reactor based on produced charcoal. Appl Therm Eng, 2014, 65: 322-329

[70] Mohammed I, Abakr Y, Kazi F Comprehensive characterization of Napier grass as a feedstock for thermochemical conversion. Energies, 2015, 8: 3403-3417

[71] Muthuraman M, Namioka T, Yoshikawa K. A comparative study on co-combustion performance of municipal solid waste and Indonesian coal with high ash Indian coal: a thermogravimetric analysis. Fuel Process Technol, 2010, 91: 550-558

[72] Naik S, Goud VV, Rout PK Characterization of Canadian biomass for alternative renewable biofuel. Renew Energy, 2010, 35: 1624-1631

[73] Newbury DE, Ritchie NWM. Performing elemental microanalysis with high accuracy and high precision by scanning electron microscopy/silicon drift detector energy-dispersive X-ray spectrometry (SEM/SDD-EDS). J Mater Sci, 2015, 50: 493-518

[74] Obernberger I, Brunner T, Bärnthaler G. Chemical properties of solid biofuels—significance and impact. Biomass Bioenerg, 2006, 30: 973-982

[75] Odetoye TE, Afolabi TJ, Abu Bakar MS, Titiloye JO. Thermochemical characterization of Nigerian Jatropha curcas fruit and seed residues for biofuel production. Energy, Ecol Environ, 2018, 3: 330-337

[76] Okolodkov YB, Huerta-Quintanilla DA. A low voltage scanning electron microscopy study of the theca of marine dinoflagellates. J Adv Microsc Res, 2012, 7: 170-175

[77] Ozcimen D. An Approach to the characterization of biochar and bio-oil, 2010 Turkey Bioengineering Department Yildiz Technical University

[78] Özçimen D, Ersoy-Meriçboyu A. Characterization of biochar and bio-oil samples obtained from carbonization of various biomass materials. Renew Energy, 2010, 35: 1319-1324

[79] Park YH, Kim J, Kim SS, Park YK. Pyrolysis characteristics and kinetics of oak trees using thermogravimetric analyzer and micro-tubing reactor. Bioresour Technol, 2009, 100: 400-405

[80] Peters JF, Iribarren D, Dufour J. Biomass pyrolysis for biochar or energy applications? a life cycle assessment. Environ Sci Technol, 2015, 49: 5195-5202

[81] Pimentel D, Zuniga R, Morrison D. Update on the environmental and economic costs associated with alien-invasive species in the United States. Ecol Econ, 2005, 52: 273-288

[82] Promdee K, Vitidsant T. Preparation of biofuel by pyrolysis of plant matter in a continuous reactor. Theor Exp Chem, 2013, 49: 126-129

[83] Radenahmad N, Afif A, Petra PI Proton-conducting electrolytes for direct methanol and direct urea fuel cells—a state-of-the-art review. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2016, 57: 1347-1358

[84] Radenahmad N, Rahman ISA, Morni NAH, Azad AK. Acacia-polyethylene terephthalate co-gasification as renewable energy resource. Int J Renew Energy Res, 2018, 8: 1612-1620

[85] Raupach MR, Marland G, Ciais P Global and regional drivers of accelerating CO2 emissions. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA, 2007, 104: 10288-10293

[86] Raveendran K, Ganesh A, Khilar KC. Pyrolysis characteristics of biomass and biomass components. Fuel, 1996, 75: 987-998

[87] Reza MS, Ahmed A, Caesarendra W Acacia holosericea : an invasive species for bio-char bio-oil and biogas production. Bioengineering, 2019, 6: 33

[88] Sampson F, Knopf F. Prairie conservation in North America. Bioscience, 1994, 44: 418-421

[89] Senelwa K, Sims REH. Fuel characteristics of short rotation forest biomass. Biomass Bioenerg, 1999, 17: 127-140

[90] Shen Y, Wang J, Ge X, Chen M. By-products recycling for syngas cleanup in biomass pyrolysis—an overview. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2016, 59: 1246-1268

[91] Sheng C, Azevedo JLT. Estimating the higher heating value of biomass fuels from basic analysis data. Biomass Bioenerg, 2005, 28: 499-507

[92] Silaen A, Wang T. Investigation of the coal gasification process under various operating conditions inside a two-stage entrained flow gasifier. J Therm Sci Eng Appl, 2012, 4: 021006

[93] Simmons MT, Windhager S, Power P Selective and non-selective control of invasive plants: the short-term effects of growing-season prescribed fire, herbicide. Restor Ecol, 2007, 15: 662-669

[94] Sirijanusorn S, Sriprateep K, Pattiya A. Pyrolysis of cassava rhizome in a counter-rotating twin screw reactor unit. Bioresour Technol, 2013, 139: 343-348

[95] Smith FA, White JWC. Modern calibration of phytolith carbon isotope signatures for C3/C4 paleograssland reconstruction. Palaeogeogr Palaeoclimatol Palaeoecol, 2004, 207: 277-304

[96] Strezov V, Evans TJ, Hayman C. Thermal conversion of elephant grass (Pennisetum Purpureum Schum) to bio-gas, bio-oil and charcoal. Bioresour Technol, 2008, 99: 8394-8399

[97] Tanaka S, Kano S, Lat J Effects of acacia mangium on morphological and physicochemical properties of soil. J Trop For Sci, 2015, 27: 357-368

[98] Titiloye JO, Abu Bakar MS, Odetoye TE. Thermochemical characterisation of agricultural wastes from West Africa. Ind Crops Prod, 2013, 47: 199-203

[99] Traoré M, Kaal J, Cortizas AM. Application of FTIR spectroscopy to the characterization of archeological wood. SAA, 2015, 153: 63-70

[100] USDA (2019) Plants Profile for Pennisetum purpureum (elephant grass). https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=PEPU2. Accessed 8 June 2019

[101] Vargas-Moreno JM, Callejón-Ferre AJ, Pérez-Alonso J, Velázquez-Martí B. A review of the mathematical models for predicting the heating value of biomass materials. Renew Sustain Energy Rev, 2012, 16: 3065-3083

[102] Vassilev SV, Baxter D, Andersen LK An overview of the organic and inorganic phase composition of biomass. Fuel, 2012, 94: 1-33

[103] Williams C. Fertilizer response of Napier grass under different soil conditions in Brunei. Exp Agric, 1980, 16: 415-423

[104] Williams CL, Westover TL, Emerson RM Sources of biomass feedstock variability and the potential impact on biofuels production. Bioenergy Res, 2016, 9: 1-14

[105] Xu Y, Hu X, Li W, Shi Y. Shaukat S. Preparation and characterization of bio-oil from biomass. Progress in biomass and bioenergy production, 2011 Shanghai InTech 197-222

[106] Yan F, Luo S, Hu Z Hydrogen-rich gas production by steam gasification of char from biomass fast pyrolysis in a fixed-bed reactor: influence of temperature and steam on hydrogen yield and syngas composition. Bioresour Technol, 2010, 101: 5633-5637

[107] Yang H, Yan R, Chen H Characteristics of hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin pyrolysis. Fuel, 2007, 86: 1781-1788

[108] Zanzi R, Sjöström K, Björnbom E. Rapid high-temperature pyrolysis of biomass in a free-fall reactor. Fuel, 1996, 75: 545-550