Combustion characteristics of Torrefied corncob and African birch wood residues at higher heating rate
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Date
2025
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Abstract
The torrefaction of biomass generated from by-products of post-harvest agricultural activities
such as corncob or woody residues from saw milling, pruning, and furniture production such as
African birch wood, are renewable energy sources whose pyrolytic and combustion properties are
crucial during process heating in various applications. This study investigated the combustion
characteristics of corncob and African birch wood residues at a higher heating rate and their
comparative energy qualities. Samples of corncob and African birch wood residues were
collected, sorted, pulverised into particles, and torrefied independently. The raw and torrefied
corncob and African birch wood particles were screened into 0.3, 0.5, and 1.0 mm sizes, and their
thermogravimetric, proximate, ultimate, heating values, and energy quality analyses were carried
out. The torrefied biomass showed better pyrolytic and combustion characteristics relative to the
raw samples. However, African birch wood residues appear to be better than corncob residues.
The higher heating values (HHVs) ranged from 21.46 to 21.63 MJ/kg and 23.1 to 25.6 MJ/kg for
the torrefied samples of corncob and African birch wood residues, respectively. The torrefied
sample of African birch wood residues exhibited the highest HHV (25.6 MJ/kg), which compared
favourably with the value from a low-rank coal, such as lignite or brown coal. Torrefied African
birch wood residues, with their high HHV, can be densified to replace low-rank coal and firewood
in a variety of applications.