Torrefaction effects on Pinus taeda L. pellets: gravimetric yield, equilibrium moisture content, and high heating value

Abstract

This paper shows the results of the thermal treatment effect on Pinus taeda L. pellets. The torrefaction of the fresh pellets was conducted at 200–300 °C for 30–90 min in a completely randomized factorial design followed by multiple linear regression analysis. The evaluation of the gravimetric yield (GY), equilibrium moisture content (U_eq), and high heating value (HHV) as a function of time and temperature of torrefaction indicated that this process decreased the GY and U_eq of the pellets, which resulted in fuels with higher energetic content when compared to the fresh Pinus taeda L. pellets.

Keywords:

• Biomass energy
• factorial design
• multiple linear regression
• pyrolysis

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by The Brazilian National Council for Scientific and Technological Development (CNPq; grant numbers 307113/2016-7 and 307429/2017-2).