Assessment of thermal processing behaviour of corn cob, vine rod and sunflower

The efforts to achieve reduction in carbon emission, soaring prices of petroleum and concerns over secured energy supply are the major drivers in the search for alternative renewable energy sources. Typical and abundant biomass residues, such as corn cob, vine rod and sunflower, have potential to produce energy in carbon neutral way when subjected to pyrolysis conversion through biogas, bio-oils and bio-char products. The objective of this work was to assess the thermal behaviour of these three agricultural biomass materials under slow pyrolysis conditions, in order to quantify their energy potential. In that direction, a variety of technological tools were employed in the research. The thermo-gravimetric analyser was used on the raw samples to monitor the mass change and to determine the proximate analysis of the considered biomass samples, which is the basis for estimation of their calorific value. The raw samples and the char products of pyrolysis at 500˚C were analysed using Fourier transform-infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The results indicate change in functional groups between raw and solid char products, which refers to the loss of organics after pyrolysis at 500˚C. The organic compounds contained in the pyrolysis oils at 500˚C were investigated using gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The obtained data provide important reference information on the opportunities for energy and fuel generation from pyrolysis of the analysed biomass.