Effect of binder addition on combustion characteristics of cotton straw pellets and kinetic analysis

Abstract

In this study, the combustion characteristics and kinetics of cotton straw (CS) particles mixed with polyethylene (PE) film and coal gangue (CG) were investigated. The co-combustion characteristics of CS mixed with PE and CG at different heating rates were revealed by the thermogravimetric method and differential thermogravimetric method. The ignition temperature, burnout temperature, and maximum weight loss rate were measured, and the comprehensive combustion and flammability indexes were calculated. The results showed that the composite combustion characteristic index and flammability index increased with the increase in heating rate. The addition of PE and CG additives could effectively extend the combustion time. The Coats-Redfern (C-R) reaction model and N-order reaction model were used to evaluate the kinetic parameters of the blends. The results showed that 12.5% PE + 12.5% CG particles had the lowest activation energy (Ea = 103.73 kJ·mol^–1) at the volatile combustion stage. The dynamics conform to the third-order dynamics model. In addition, the applicability of C-R model, Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) model, and Starink model in the calculation of activation energy was explored, and it was found that the FWO model is not suitable for the calculation of activation energy of biomass pellet combustion kinetics. This study provides a new method for the development and utilization of mixed fuel particles of cotton stalk and solid waste and expands the application prospect of biomass.

Key words： biomass straw pellet; comprehensive combustion index; flammability index; combustion kinetics

Competing interests

The authors declare that they have no competing interests.

Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the Scientific and Technological Innovation Leading Talents of Shihezi University (Grant No. CZ002703), Science and Technology Innovation Talents Program of Shihezi University (Grant No. ZG010603), Backbone Technical Innovation Talents of Enterprises (Grant No. 2023CB014), Science and Technology Planning Project (Grant No. 2023AB032).

Electronic Supplementary Material

Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at https://doi.org/10.1007/s11705-024-2470-9 and is accessible for authorized users.

References

1 Sarker T R , Nanda S , Dalai A K , Meda V . A Review of torrefaction technology for upgrading lignocellulosic biomass to solid biofuels. BioEnergy Research, 2021, 14(2): 645–669

2 Navalta C , Banaag K G C , Raboy V O , Go A W , Cabatingan L K , Ju Y H . Solid fuel from co-briquetting of sugarcane bagasse and rice bran. Renewable Energy, 2020, 147(1): 1941–1958

3 Gelfand I , Sahajpal R , Zhang X S , Izaurralde R C , Gross K L , Robertson G P . Sustainable bioenergy production from marginal lands in the US Midwest. Nature, 2013, 493(7433): 514–517

4 Zhou S Q , Zhu X C , Yan B B , Gao Q , Chen G Y , Li B . Role of a hot coflow on establishment of MILD combustion of biomass gasified gas. Fuel, 2022, 314(15): 123142

5 Nunes L J R , Matias J C O , Catalao J P S . Mixed biomass pellets for thermal energy production: a review of combustion models. Applied Energy, 2014, 127(15): 135–140

6 Hu S , Ma X , Lin Y , Yu Z , Fang S . Thermogravimetric analysis of the co-combustion of paper mill sludge and municipal solid waste. Energy Conversion and Management, 2015, 99(15): 112–118

7 Zhou C C , Liu G J , Yan Z C , Fang T , Wang R W . Transformation behavior of mineral composition and trace elements during coal gangue combustion. Fuel, 2012, 97(1): 644–650

8 Rudolfsson M , Boren E , Pommer L , Nordin A , Lestander T A . Combined effects of torrefaction and pelletization parameters on the quality of pellets produced from torrefied biomass. Applied Energy, 2017, 191(1): 414–424

9 Sait H H , Hussain A , Salema A A , Ani F N . Pyrolysis and combustion kinetics of date palm biomass using thermogravimetric analysis. Bioresource Technology, 2012, 118(1): 382–389

10 Zhang R , Zhong Z , Huang Y . Combustion characteristics and kinetics of bio-oil. Frontiers of Chemical Engineering in China, 2009, 3(2): 119–124

11 Shi K Q , Oladejo J M , Yan J F , Wu T . Investigation on the interactions among lignocellulosic constituents and minerals of biomass and their influences on co-firing. Energy, 2019, 179(15): 129–137

12 Raza M , Abu-Jdayil B , Al-Marzouqi A H , Inayat A . Kinetic and thermodynamic analyses of date palm surface fibers pyrolysis using coats-redfern method. Renewable Energy, 2022, 183(1): 67–77

13 Yuan R , Yu S , Shen Y . Pyrolysis and combustion kinetics of lignocellulosic biomass pellets with calcium-rich wastes from agro-forestry residues. Waste Management, 2019, 87(15): 86–96

14 Peng J , Zhang L , Meulien E S , Bi X T , Lim J C . Chen W-H. Waste plastics as an effective binder for biochar pelletization. Energy & Fuels, 2021, 35(17): 13840–13846

15 Wang T , Zhai Y , Li H , Zhu Y , Li S , Peng C , Wang B , Wang Z , Xi Y , Wang S . . Co-hydrothermal carbonization of food waste-woody biomass blend towards biofuel pellets production. Bioresource Technology, 2018, 267(1): 371–377

16 Parthasarathy P , Fernandez A , Al-Ansari T , Mackey H R , Rodriguez R , McKay G . Thermal degradation characteristics and gasification kinetics of camel manure using thermogravimetric analysis. Journal of Environmental Management, 2021, 287(1): 112345

17 Ding G C , He B S , Yao H F , Kuang Y C , Song J G , Su L B . Synergistic effect, kinetic and thermodynamics parameters analyses of co-gasification of municipal solid waste and bituminous coal with CO₂. Waste Management, 2021, 119(1): 342–355

18 Wang C X , Wang X H , Jiang X D , Li F Y , Lei Y Y , Lin Q Z . The thermal behavior and kinetics of co-combustion between sewage sludge and wheat straw. Fuel Processing Technology, 2019, 189(15): 1–14

19 Cardarelli A , Pinzi S , Barbanera M . Effect of torrefaction temperature on spent coffee grounds thermal behaviour and kinetics. Renewable Energy, 2022, 185(1): 704–716

20 Hai A , Bharath G , Ali I , Daud M , Othman I , Rambabu K , Abu Haija M , Hasan S W , Banat F . Pyrolysis of date seeds loaded with layered double hydroxide: kinetics, thermodynamics, and pyrolytic gas properties. Energy Conversion and Management, 2022, 252(15): 115127

21 Hussain M , Zabiri H , Tufa L D , Yusup S , Ali I . A kinetic study and thermal decomposition characteristics of palm kernel shell using model-fitting and model-free methods. Biofuels, 2022, 13(1): 105–116

22 Yuan Y , He Y , Tan J , Wang Y , Kumar S , Wang Z . Co-combustion characteristics of typical biomass and coal blends by thermogravimetric analysis. Frontiers in Energy Research, 2021, 9(1): 753622

23 Guo F , He Y , Hassanpour A , Gardy J , Zhong Z . Thermogravimetric analysis on the co-combustion of biomass pellets with lignite and bituminous coal. Energy, 2020, 197(15): 117147

24 Idris S S , Rahman N A , Ismail K . Combustion characteristics of malaysian oil palm biomass, sub-bituminous coal and their respective blends via thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). Bioresource Technology, 2012, 123(1): 581–591

25 Tang L , Xiao J , Mao Q , Zhang Z , Yao Z , Zhu X , Ye S , Zhong Q . Thermogravimetric analysis of the combustion characteristics and combustion kinetics of coals subjected to different chemical demineralization processes. ACS Omega, 2022, 7(16): 13998–14008

26 Bi H , Ni Z , Tian J , Wang C , Jiang C , Zhou W , Bao L , Sun H , Lin Q . Influence of biomass on multi-component reaction model and combustion products of coal gangue. Combustion and Flame, 2022, 240(1): 111999

27 Yang H , Ji G , Clough P T , Xu X , Zhao M . Kinetics of catalytic biomass pyrolysis using Ni-based functional materials. Fuel Processing Technology, 2019, 195(1): 106145

28 Cao Z , Zhang S , Huang X , Liu H , Sun M , Lyu J . Correlations between the compressive strength of the hydrochar pellets and the chemical components: evolution and densification mechanism. Journal of Analytical and Applied Pyrolysis, 2020, 152(1): 104956

29 Mian I , Li X , Dacres O D , Wang J , Wei B , Jian Y , Zhong M , Liu J , Ma F , Rahman N . Combustion kinetics and mechanism of biomass pellet. Energy, 2020, 205(15): 117909

30 Zhang T , Qiu L , Wang Y , Zhang C , Kang K . Comparison of bio-oil and waste cooking oil as binders during the codensification of biomass: analysis of the pellet quality. BioEnergy Research, 2019, 12(3): 558–569

31 Zhang X , Wang Z , Cong L , Nie S , Li J . Effects of fiber content and size on the mechanical properties of wheat straw/recycled polyethylene composites. Journal of Polymers and the Environment, 2020, 28(7): 1833–1840

32 Zhu G , Yang L , Gao Y , Xu J , Chen H , Zhu Y , Wang Y , Liao C , Lu C , Zhu C . Characterization and pelletization of cotton stalk hydrochar from HTC and combustion kinetics of hydrochar pellets by TGA. Fuel, 2019, 244(15): 479–491

33 Haykiri-Acma H , Yaman S . Effects of torrefaction after pelleting (TAP) process on strength and fuel characteristics of binderless bio-pellets. Biomass Conversion and Biorefinery, 2024, 2022(14): 3489–3500

34 Ma C , Zhang S , Dong R , Wang M , Jia W , Lu Z . Corn stalk fiber-based biomass brick reinforced by compact organic/inorganic calcification composites. ACS Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering, 2017, 6(2): 2086–2093

35 Sarker T R , Azargohar R , Dalai A K , Meda V . Characteristics of torrefied fuel pellets obtained from co-pelletization of agriculture residues with pyrolysis oil. Biomass and Bioenergy, 2021, 150(1): 106139

36 Wu J , Chen T , Luo X , Han D , Wang Z , Wu J . TG/FTIR analysis on co-pyrolysis behavior of PE, PVC and PS. Waste Management, 2014, 34(3): 676–682

37 Mourad A H I . Thermo-mechanical characteristics of thermally aged polyethylene/polypropylene blends. Materials & Design, 2010, 31(2): 918–929

38 Wang T , Fu T , Chen K , Cheng R , Chen S , Liu J , Mei M , Li J , Xue Y . Co-combustion behavior of dyeing sludge and rice husk by using TG-MS: thermal conversion, gas evolution, and kinetic analyses. Bioresource Technology, 2020, 311(1): 123527

39 Valdés C F , Marrugo G P , Chejne F , Marin-Jaramillo A , Franco-Ocampo J , Norena-Marin L . Co-gasification and co-combustion of industrial solid waste mixtures and their implications on environmental emissions, as an alternative management. Waste Management, 2020, 101(1): 54–65

40 Wang X , Ren Q Q , Li W , Li H Y , Li S Y , Lu Q G . Nitrogenous gas emissions from coal/biomass co-combustion under a high oxygen concentration in a circulating fluidized bed. Energy & Fuels, 2017, 31(3): 3234–3242

41 Jayaraman K , Kok M V , Gokalp I . Combustion properties and kinetics of different biomass samples using TG-MS technique. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 2016, 127(2): 1361–1370

42 Wang Q , Wang G , Zhang J , Lee J Y , Wang H , Wang C . Combustion behaviors and kinetics analysis of coal, biomass and plastic. Thermochimica Acta, 2018, 669(10): 140–148

43 Dhahak A , Bounaceur R , Le Dreff-Lorimier C , Schmidt G , Trouve G , Battin-Leclerc F . Development of a detailed kinetic model for the combustion of biomass. Fuel, 2019, 242(15): 756–774

44 Wang X , Si J , Tan H , Niu Y , Xu C , Xu T . Kinetics investigation on the combustion of waste capsicum stalks in western China using thermogravimetric analysis. Journal of Thermal Analysis and Calorimetry, 2011, 109(1): 403–412

45 Alvarez A , Pizarro C , García R , Bueno J L , Lavíin A G . Determination of kinetic parameters for biomass combustion. Bioresource Technology, 2016, 216(1): 36–43

46 Tong W , Liu Q , Ran G , Liu L , Ren S , Chen L , Jiang L . Experiment and expectation: Co-combustion behavior of anthracite and biomass char. Bioresource Technology, 2019, 280(1): 412–420