Short Description
Characterization of the thermal decomposition behavior of single biomass particles (pellets, chips).
Operating Conditions / Application Range
• Temperature range: 200 – 1,050 °C
• Variable atmospheres (from 100% N₂ to air)
Continuous data acquisition of:
• Surface and core temperatures of the particle/sample
• Mass loss of the particle over the entire thermochemical conversion process
• Composition of product gases using FT-IR, ND-IR, FID, CLD, and thermal conductivity analyzers
• Concentrations of released aerosol-forming elements using ICP-MS
Discontinuous sampling for tar analysis
Contact Person
Walter Haslinger
Research Services
• Fundamental studies of thermochemical conversion (pyrolysis, gasification, combustion) of biogenic particles
• Continuous measurement of O₂, CO, CO₂, H₂O, H₂, OGC, NO, NO₂, HCN, NH₃, HCl, SO₂, and various hydrocarbons during thermal conversion
• Online detection of the release of inorganic aerosol-forming elements (e.g. S, Cl, K, Na, Zn, and Pb) by coupling the reactor to an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS)
Methods & Expertise for Research Infrastructure
The reactor system was designed to investigate thermal conversion processes (gasification, combustion, pyrolysis) of individual biogenic particles. It enables targeted experiments under defined gas atmospheres (typically mixtures of N₂ and air or pure N₂) at temperatures up to 1050 °C. A wide range of analytical instruments can be coupled to the reactor.
Through connection with an inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS), real-time data on the release of inorganic aerosol-forming elements (e.g. S, Cl, K, Na, Zn, and Pb) can be generated.
To date, the reactor has been successfully applied to study the time-resolved release of relevant aerosol-forming elements from various biomass pellets at three different temperatures. These data contribute to a better understanding of ash-forming element release and serve as a basis for model development. The system has also proven effective in describing pyrolysis processes of individual particles.
Allocation to research infrastructure
Analytical Laboratory for Solid Biofuels and Process Products
BRISK II, Biofuels Research Infrastructure for Sharing Knowledge II, Duration: 2017- 2023, Horizon 2020, www.brisk2.eu
Sommersacher P., Kienzl N., Brunner T., Obernberger I. Simultaneous online determination of S, Cl, K, Na, Zn and Pb release from a single particle during biomass combustion Part 2: Results from test runs with spruce and straw pellets. Energy Fuels, 2016, 30 (4), pp 3428–3440
Anca-Couce A., Sommersacher P., Scharler R., Hochenauer C. Detailed Reaction Schemes and Product Characterization Applied to Pyrolysis of a Single Spruce Particle. In proceedings of the 24th European Biomass Conference and Exhibition, June 2016, Amsterdam
Sommersacher P., Kienzl N., Hochenauer C. Online determination of the release of S, Cl, K, Na, Zn and Pb during combustion of a single Miscanthus pellet. In proceedings of the 26th Confernence: impacts of fuel quality on power production, September 2016, Prague