Experimental Study on Single-Particle Combustion Characteristics of Large-Sized Wheat Straw in a Drop Tube Furnace

Co-firing large-sized straw biomass in pulverized coal boilers is a potential pathway for carbon emission reduction in China’s thermal power plants. However, experimental data on large-sized straw combustion under pulverized coal boiler combustion conditions are critically lacking. This study select...

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Main Authors: Haoteng Zhang, Lihui Yu, Cuina Qin, Shuo Jiang, Chunjiang Yu
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-07-01
Series:Energies
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/3968
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author Haoteng Zhang
Lihui Yu
Cuina Qin
Shuo Jiang
Chunjiang Yu
author_facet Haoteng Zhang
Lihui Yu
Cuina Qin
Shuo Jiang
Chunjiang Yu
author_sort Haoteng Zhang
collection DOAJ
description Co-firing large-sized straw biomass in pulverized coal boilers is a potential pathway for carbon emission reduction in China’s thermal power plants. However, experimental data on large-sized straw combustion under pulverized coal boiler combustion conditions are critically lacking. This study selected typical large-sized wheat straw particles. Employing a two-mode experimental setup in a drop tube furnace (DTF) system simulating pulverized coal boiler conditions, we systematically investigated the combustion behavior and alkali metal release characteristics of this large-sized straw biomass, with combustion processes summarized for diverse particle types. The findings reveal asynchronous combustion progression across particle surfaces due to heterogeneous mass transfer and gas diffusion; unique behaviors distinct from denser woody biomass, including bending deformation, fiber branching, and fragmentation, occur; significant and morphology-specific deformations occur during devolatilization; fragmentation universally produces particles of varied shapes (needle-like, flaky, blocky, semi-tubular) during char combustion; and potassium release exceeds 35% after complete devolatilization and surpasses 50% at a burnout degree exceeding 80%. This work provides essential experimental data on the fundamental combustion characteristics and alkali metal release of large-sized wheat straw particles under pulverized coal boiler combustion conditions, offering engineering application guidance for the direct co-firing of large-sized flexible straw biomass in pulverized coal boilers.
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spelling doaj-art-a047a0fc81e44e64b1f71b1e06e306372025-08-20T03:04:42ZengMDPI AGEnergies1996-10732025-07-011815396810.3390/en18153968Experimental Study on Single-Particle Combustion Characteristics of Large-Sized Wheat Straw in a Drop Tube FurnaceHaoteng Zhang0Lihui Yu1Cuina Qin2Shuo Jiang3Chunjiang Yu4State Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaState Key Laboratory of Clean Energy Utilization, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou 310058, ChinaCo-firing large-sized straw biomass in pulverized coal boilers is a potential pathway for carbon emission reduction in China’s thermal power plants. However, experimental data on large-sized straw combustion under pulverized coal boiler combustion conditions are critically lacking. This study selected typical large-sized wheat straw particles. Employing a two-mode experimental setup in a drop tube furnace (DTF) system simulating pulverized coal boiler conditions, we systematically investigated the combustion behavior and alkali metal release characteristics of this large-sized straw biomass, with combustion processes summarized for diverse particle types. The findings reveal asynchronous combustion progression across particle surfaces due to heterogeneous mass transfer and gas diffusion; unique behaviors distinct from denser woody biomass, including bending deformation, fiber branching, and fragmentation, occur; significant and morphology-specific deformations occur during devolatilization; fragmentation universally produces particles of varied shapes (needle-like, flaky, blocky, semi-tubular) during char combustion; and potassium release exceeds 35% after complete devolatilization and surpasses 50% at a burnout degree exceeding 80%. This work provides essential experimental data on the fundamental combustion characteristics and alkali metal release of large-sized wheat straw particles under pulverized coal boiler combustion conditions, offering engineering application guidance for the direct co-firing of large-sized flexible straw biomass in pulverized coal boilers.https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/3968drop tube furnacelarge-sizedwheat strawcombustion processpotassium
spellingShingle Haoteng Zhang
Lihui Yu
Cuina Qin
Shuo Jiang
Chunjiang Yu
Experimental Study on Single-Particle Combustion Characteristics of Large-Sized Wheat Straw in a Drop Tube Furnace
Energies
drop tube furnace
large-sized
wheat straw
combustion process
potassium
title Experimental Study on Single-Particle Combustion Characteristics of Large-Sized Wheat Straw in a Drop Tube Furnace
title_full Experimental Study on Single-Particle Combustion Characteristics of Large-Sized Wheat Straw in a Drop Tube Furnace
title_fullStr Experimental Study on Single-Particle Combustion Characteristics of Large-Sized Wheat Straw in a Drop Tube Furnace
title_full_unstemmed Experimental Study on Single-Particle Combustion Characteristics of Large-Sized Wheat Straw in a Drop Tube Furnace
title_short Experimental Study on Single-Particle Combustion Characteristics of Large-Sized Wheat Straw in a Drop Tube Furnace
title_sort experimental study on single particle combustion characteristics of large sized wheat straw in a drop tube furnace
topic drop tube furnace
large-sized
wheat straw
combustion process
potassium
url https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/18/15/3968
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AT lihuiyu experimentalstudyonsingleparticlecombustioncharacteristicsoflargesizedwheatstrawinadroptubefurnace
AT cuinaqin experimentalstudyonsingleparticlecombustioncharacteristicsoflargesizedwheatstrawinadroptubefurnace
AT shuojiang experimentalstudyonsingleparticlecombustioncharacteristicsoflargesizedwheatstrawinadroptubefurnace
AT chunjiangyu experimentalstudyonsingleparticlecombustioncharacteristicsoflargesizedwheatstrawinadroptubefurnace