Biomass pyrolysis for biochar production: Study of kinetics parameters and effect of temperature on biochar yield and its physicochemical properties

This study investigates the pyrolysis kinetics behaviour and temperature effects on biochar yield and properties during pyrolysis. The kinetic study of biomass was performed using a thermogravimetric analyser at dynamic heating rates (10, 30, and 50 °C min−1) in an inert atmosphere. The kinetic para...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Nikhill Rambhatla, Tanushka Florence Panicker, Ranjeet Kumar Mishra, Srinivas Kini Manjeshwar, Abhishek Sharma
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-03-01
Series:Results in Engineering
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024019224
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
_version_ 1850244868794744832
author Nikhill Rambhatla
Tanushka Florence Panicker
Ranjeet Kumar Mishra
Srinivas Kini Manjeshwar
Abhishek Sharma
author_facet Nikhill Rambhatla
Tanushka Florence Panicker
Ranjeet Kumar Mishra
Srinivas Kini Manjeshwar
Abhishek Sharma
author_sort Nikhill Rambhatla
collection DOAJ
description This study investigates the pyrolysis kinetics behaviour and temperature effects on biochar yield and properties during pyrolysis. The kinetic study of biomass was performed using a thermogravimetric analyser at dynamic heating rates (10, 30, and 50 °C min−1) in an inert atmosphere. The kinetic parameters were estimated using Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Distributed Activation Energy Model (DAEM), and Vyazovkin model (VZ). The pyrolysis experiment was performed in a stainless steel semi-batch reactor at 400, 600, and 900 °C, 10 oC min-1 heating rate, 45 min holding time and 100 mL min−1 nitrogen gas flow rate. The produced biochar was characterised using proximate analysis, ultimate analysis, heating value, bulk density, BET surface area analyser, TGA, FTIR, and FE-SEM analysis. The physicochemical results support the candidacy of biomass for biochar and fuel production. Further, the kinetic analysis of MWS using KAS, DAEM, and VZ was found to be 233.39, 238.11, and 224.74 kJ mol−1, respectively. The experimental results reveal that higher temperatures (600 and 900 °C) generally reduce biochar yield (19 %) due to increased devolatilization but enhance the biochar's surface area (17 %) and carbon content (4.84 %). The characterisation results of biochar confirmed higher carbon content (76.02 wt. %), HHV (36.97 MJ kg−1), and significant oxygen content (22.01 %) at 900 °C. Also, the thermal profile and surface morphology of the biochar suggest that biochar derived at 600 and 900 °C can be used for carbon-based applications, whereas biochar derived at 400 °C can be used for soil amendment or fertiliser applications.
format Article
id doaj-art-e5ac050eee8e4fb8b5c6c42470a873ce
institution OA Journals
issn 2590-1230
language English
publishDate 2025-03-01
publisher Elsevier
record_format Article
series Results in Engineering
spelling doaj-art-e5ac050eee8e4fb8b5c6c42470a873ce2025-08-20T01:59:38ZengElsevierResults in Engineering2590-12302025-03-012510367910.1016/j.rineng.2024.103679Biomass pyrolysis for biochar production: Study of kinetics parameters and effect of temperature on biochar yield and its physicochemical propertiesNikhill Rambhatla0Tanushka Florence Panicker1Ranjeet Kumar Mishra2Srinivas Kini Manjeshwar3Abhishek Sharma4Department of Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka-576104, IndiaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka-576104, IndiaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka-576104, IndiaDepartment of Chemical Engineering, Manipal Institute of Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, Manipal, Karnataka-576104, IndiaDepartment of Biotechnology & Chemical Engineering, Manipal University Jaipur, Rajasthan 303007, IndiaThis study investigates the pyrolysis kinetics behaviour and temperature effects on biochar yield and properties during pyrolysis. The kinetic study of biomass was performed using a thermogravimetric analyser at dynamic heating rates (10, 30, and 50 °C min−1) in an inert atmosphere. The kinetic parameters were estimated using Kissinger-Akahira-Sunose (KAS), Distributed Activation Energy Model (DAEM), and Vyazovkin model (VZ). The pyrolysis experiment was performed in a stainless steel semi-batch reactor at 400, 600, and 900 °C, 10 oC min-1 heating rate, 45 min holding time and 100 mL min−1 nitrogen gas flow rate. The produced biochar was characterised using proximate analysis, ultimate analysis, heating value, bulk density, BET surface area analyser, TGA, FTIR, and FE-SEM analysis. The physicochemical results support the candidacy of biomass for biochar and fuel production. Further, the kinetic analysis of MWS using KAS, DAEM, and VZ was found to be 233.39, 238.11, and 224.74 kJ mol−1, respectively. The experimental results reveal that higher temperatures (600 and 900 °C) generally reduce biochar yield (19 %) due to increased devolatilization but enhance the biochar's surface area (17 %) and carbon content (4.84 %). The characterisation results of biochar confirmed higher carbon content (76.02 wt. %), HHV (36.97 MJ kg−1), and significant oxygen content (22.01 %) at 900 °C. Also, the thermal profile and surface morphology of the biochar suggest that biochar derived at 600 and 900 °C can be used for carbon-based applications, whereas biochar derived at 400 °C can be used for soil amendment or fertiliser applications.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024019224Waste sawdustPyrolysisKinetics studyBiocharActivation energySurface morphology
spellingShingle Nikhill Rambhatla
Tanushka Florence Panicker
Ranjeet Kumar Mishra
Srinivas Kini Manjeshwar
Abhishek Sharma
Biomass pyrolysis for biochar production: Study of kinetics parameters and effect of temperature on biochar yield and its physicochemical properties
Results in Engineering
Waste sawdust
Pyrolysis
Kinetics study
Biochar
Activation energy
Surface morphology
title Biomass pyrolysis for biochar production: Study of kinetics parameters and effect of temperature on biochar yield and its physicochemical properties
title_full Biomass pyrolysis for biochar production: Study of kinetics parameters and effect of temperature on biochar yield and its physicochemical properties
title_fullStr Biomass pyrolysis for biochar production: Study of kinetics parameters and effect of temperature on biochar yield and its physicochemical properties
title_full_unstemmed Biomass pyrolysis for biochar production: Study of kinetics parameters and effect of temperature on biochar yield and its physicochemical properties
title_short Biomass pyrolysis for biochar production: Study of kinetics parameters and effect of temperature on biochar yield and its physicochemical properties
title_sort biomass pyrolysis for biochar production study of kinetics parameters and effect of temperature on biochar yield and its physicochemical properties
topic Waste sawdust
Pyrolysis
Kinetics study
Biochar
Activation energy
Surface morphology
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590123024019224
work_keys_str_mv AT nikhillrambhatla biomasspyrolysisforbiocharproductionstudyofkineticsparametersandeffectoftemperatureonbiocharyieldanditsphysicochemicalproperties
AT tanushkaflorencepanicker biomasspyrolysisforbiocharproductionstudyofkineticsparametersandeffectoftemperatureonbiocharyieldanditsphysicochemicalproperties
AT ranjeetkumarmishra biomasspyrolysisforbiocharproductionstudyofkineticsparametersandeffectoftemperatureonbiocharyieldanditsphysicochemicalproperties
AT srinivaskinimanjeshwar biomasspyrolysisforbiocharproductionstudyofkineticsparametersandeffectoftemperatureonbiocharyieldanditsphysicochemicalproperties
AT abhisheksharma biomasspyrolysisforbiocharproductionstudyofkineticsparametersandeffectoftemperatureonbiocharyieldanditsphysicochemicalproperties