Classification on Mode of Heating * Heating is an important part of the torrefaction process. * Amedium carries heat and transfers it to the biomass particles. * The transfer of heat to biomass particles could take place through one of the following means: Q Gas-particle convection Q Wall-particle conduction Q Electromagnetic heating of biomass Q Particle-particle heat transfer Q Liquid-particle heat transfer. Classification on Mode of Heating * Based on the mode of heating, torrefaction reactors may be grouped into two basic types: 1. Directly heated type 2. Indirectly heated type. *Some reactors may, however, have a combination of these basic modes of heating. +The following sections describe some of the common types of directly and indirectly heated reactors.\ Directly Heated Reactors +In directly heated reactors, biomass is heated directly by a heat-carrying medium, and the heat is exchanged through direct contact between the biomass and the heat carrier. * The heat carrier could be either a hot gas without oxygen or one with limited amount of oxygen. er *It could also be hot nonreactive solids or hot flui pressurized water, steam, or waste oil. Convective Reactor (Moving/Fixed/Entrained Bed) * This is the most common type of reactor used for torrefaction. * Here, the heat carrier is a hot gas percolating through or flowing past biomass particles that are either stationary or moving (Figure A). +The hot gas may be completely inert or with a small amount (23%) of oxygen. *If the biomass particles remain stationary with respect to reactor wall, it is called fixed bed. *Such beds are used when biomass is loaded into multiple containers, which are then slowly drawn through a long hot but ing tunnel furnace.+ cas out 1 Hot inert gas ‘AcMoving bed reactor Convective Reactor (Moving/Fixed/Entrained Bed) * If particles move with respect to reactor wall, it is called moving bed. * The wall of the reactor can be horizontal, vertical, or inclined. * The particles may be moved, by gravity, by force of a mechanical device like rotating disk (Figure B) or vibrating motion of belt (Figure C). — *Particles that flow through the reactor are unidirectional without backmixing. *The heat transfer occurs primarily through gassolid convection that depends on the relative velocity between the biomass and the hot fluid. =Gane >, Multiple hearth furnace ‘and conveyor . Oscillating belt reactor Hot gas inletConvective Reactor (Moving/Fixed/Entrained Bed) *Some directly heated convective-type torrefiers use a rotating drum where the biomass is heated directly by hot gas passing ing through the tumbling drum (Figure D). * In this case, the drum simply serves as a mixing device while heat transfer takes place through gas particle convection. Bot gas : Indirectly heated rotary drum Torrefed D. Rotary drum reactor2 Fluidized Bed *In this type of torrefier, hot inert gas is blown through a bed of granular heat-carrier solids or appropriately sized biomass particles in a way that the solids behave like a fluid. * These heat-carrier particles being in vigorously mixed and agitated state can easily heat up any fresh biomass particle dropped into it. *The biomass particles thus undergo torrefaction in a well-mixed state with uniform temperature distribution. * The system, therefore, ensures a product quality more uniform than that is available from moving or fixed bed reactors. *Separation of heatcarrier solids from torrefied biomass and entrainment of fine biomass particles are some of the limitations of this technology (Figure E) Fluidized Bed * The dominant mode of heat transfer in a fluidized bed is particle-toparticle heat transfer. *The “torbed” technology works on this principle where biomass particles are fluidized above a grate of inclined slots and is subjected to cross flow of gas (E). * This type can provide very uniform quality of the torrefaction product.u i # tl =e . Torbed reactor with Muidized bed *Here, the biomass is subjected to pressurized heating in water and thus obviates the need for drying. *It is especially suitable for high-moisture or wet biomass. *The process could bring about a slight improvement in the hydrophobicity of the biomass. *The dominant mode of heat transfer in a hydrothermal reactor is that between hot water (steam) and biomass. *While this process has several potential advantages, the energy required for pressurization and movement of a large volume of biomass across a pressure barrier could be an issue.*Multiple digester-type reactors could be used to produce a torrefied product that is dewatered using some conventional means. * Another form of hydrothermal reactor could use hot liquid (waste liquid or superheated steam) as the heat carrier. *If the liquid is inexpensive and has some heating value like waste oil, it could be a viable heating medium that does not have to be removed from the product. *On the other hand, superheated steam may condense making the product less attractive. Classification of Torrefaction ReactorsIndirectly Heated Reactors — sin ctly heated tor not contact the biomass directly. *Heat is transported across a wall or through electromagnetic radiation. = SS a *So, here it is relatively easy to avoid contact with oxygen and therefore avoid undesired combustion during torrefaction. * Such reactors have two major advantages: one that the heating fluid and medium can be anything hotter and the other is that the volatiles released during torrefaction are not diluted by the heating medium passing through it. *So, the gaseous product of torrefaction can be combusted separately to supplement the thermal of the reactor*Such torrefiers use a indirectly heated rotating drum that tumbles the biomass in an environment of inert gaseous medium (Figure E). * The biomass is heated by hot drum walls or by hot internals in the drum. * The heat transfer from the wall to the biomass particles is the primary controlling factor and not the heat transfer from gas to particle. * Biomass is generally dried separately. E. Rotary drum reactor*Here, the torrefaction reactor (circular or rectangular cross section) is stationary, and it could be vertical, horizontal, or + inclined (Figure F). *The reactor is generally heated from outside to avoid contact with hot gases, though some may have holes for the products of torrefaction to escape. * Heat is conducted to the biomass by means of conduction across reactor walls. *A rotating screw churns and moves the biomass through the reactor to enhance heat transfer between the wall and the bulk of the biomass and at the same time to move the biomass along its length (Figure F). Heaters ,_ Cooling section SESE FS Motor Torrefied outlet* Microwave irradiation involves electromagnetic wave in the range of 300 MHz to 300 GHz. * Typical wave ovens or microwave reactors work at a frequency of 2.45 GHz. *The microwave irradiation produces efficient internal heating by direct coupling of microwave energy with the molecules of biomass. +The electric component of electromagnetic microwave radiation causes heating by two main mechanisms: dipolar polarization and ionic conduction. +The heating depends on the ability of the materials being heated to absorb microwaves and convert it into heat (Figure G). * Metals, for example, reflect microwave, while biomass absorb: Inert gas out_ G. Microwave reactor+The microwave reactor (Figure G) is different from other indirectly heated reactors, where biomass particles are heated externally, that is, heat from the reactor wall arrives at the surface of biomass particles, and then it is conducted into the interior of the biomass. * Contrary to this, biomass particles in a microwave reactor are heated from within. * Microwave heating biomass may not be very efficient because biomass is a poor thermal conductor. * In a microwave reactor, the heating is internal; every part of the biomass in the path of microwave radiation are heated simultaneously * Limited data available show that microwave torrefaction creates an extremely fast rate of heating of the biomass interior, a matter of seconds. *So, it does not allow heat to be conducted adequately to its exterior, and it causes a large temperature gradient in wood sizes of 25 mm or larger. *Some investigators found more encouraging results like 67- 90% energy yield with 79-88% overall energy recovery.Classification on Mode of GasSolid Mixing + In chemical processing plants, reactors are often classified by their gas-solid contacting modes. * As such, this classification better helps understand the mixing that is vital for the reactor. + In the list of reactors shown in Table (next slide), one can identify the following four modes of contact. Z of o— 1. Plug flow (gas percolates through static solids; gas and solid both move unidirectional) 2. Partial back-mixed (e.g., fluidized bed, where gas is unidirectional but solids are back-mixed) 3. Tumbling (solids tumbles or moves around in a drum or cylindrical tunnel) 4, Entrained (solids are pneumatically transported by gas).‘TABLE : Reactor Classification by Heat Transfer Mode and Fluid-Solid Contacting Mode Mode of Heat Transfer ‘Gas—Solid Motion 1 Convective bed reactor fixed, moving, entrained) Gas-panicle convection Plug flow, entrained flew 2 Re ing drum reactor ‘Wallpartcle conduction ‘Solids tumbling or ‘moving around drum 3 Fluidizedtbed reactor 4 Microwave reactor Hydrothermal reactor Particle panicle convection Electromagnetic heating of water molecules in biomass ‘Water_particle heat transfer Backmixed solids, plugeflow gas Plug: flow solids ed bed for batch DESIGN METHODS Next Class* The first step in the design is the choice of reactor type. *Design of the rest of the plant will to a great extent depend on this choice. bur Oo *A typical torrefaction plant compromises biomass handling and pretreatment (like chipping), ling of the biomass if fine particles are needed, its drying, and finally torrefaction. *Energy required in each step is to be estimated for the overall design of the plant.* The following is an order of magnitude estimate of energy requirement for these stages: Chipping of wood: 180-2360 kJ/kg wood. Grinding: 270-450 kJ/kg of feedstock . Drying of raw wood: 3000-9000 kJ/kg water removed. Torrefaction of dried wood: 130-350 kJ/kg torrefied wood (estimated). PPNP *Choice of a reactor depends on several factors or considerations. *For example, a choice made from capital cost consideration may not give the best operating cost or highest yield, while one with the highest yield may not suit the available feedstock or may require high capital investment. *Applying proper weightage to a selection criterion, we could make a final selection.* The following section discusses an approach to the design of a continuous type torrefaction plant. * The whole process of torrefaction can be divided into five stages (Figure 3). * For the sake of convenience, we combine them into three functional units: * 1. Drying of raw feed in dryer . Torrefaction of dried feed in torrefier . Cooling of torrefied product in cooler* As shown in Figure 3, the energy demand for each of the above functional units or zones of a torrefaction plant is different. * Hence, a reactor needs to provide the right amount of heat to the specific zone. *Torrefaction is a slow conversion process. * Hence, average-sized feed would need a relatively long residence time in the torrefaction reactor. *This has to be provided by an adequate volume of the torrefaction zone. * The product leaves the torrefier at the torrefaction temperature, which happens to be the highest temperature of the biomass. *So, the hot product needs to be cooled before it is taken to storage. * This is accomplished in the cooler or cooling zone of an integrated system. *For a desired set of product properties like HHV, grindability, hydrophobicity, and the type of torrefier reactor, the following two important parameters must be known in advance: Torrefaction temperature *2. Torrefier residence time* Such information can be gathered from a bench/pilot scale test, published research, or experience from similar plants. *To illustrate the process, we take an example of a simple torrefaction plant where an oil burner provides the energy required for the process. For further simplification, we assume that the volatiles released during torrefaction are not utilized to reduce the oil consumption Gass) coon Torels ‘ood Dy = ss biomass biomass cam — t . Dryer Tener ‘ Ik i ass Warm ar ot ane FIGURE 10: Schematic ofa torrefaction systemL Pre-éying Posty 4 Toretacton ¥ " FIGURE 11: A directly heated integrated torrefaction unit * Figure 10 shows a schematic of a generic torrefaction unit, while Figure 11 shows an integrated single shaft moving bed reactor that is directly heated by hot oxygen-free flue gas. 7 *The heating medium, hot flue gas, moves up through the biomass while heating it through gas-particle convection. Fresh biomass drops from the top of the vertical reactor and descends slowly through the reactor while undergoing different phases of the process (Figure 11). ~ *Biomass and the heating medium are thus in countercurrent mode.Input Parameter: Capacity of the torrefier = W, kg/s of torrefied wood including ash and moisture Desired mass yield = MY yur Moisture fraction of raw biomass = M Ash fraction of raw biomass = ASH Corresponding values of the torrefied product are M’ and ASH’. Mass and Energy Balance From Eq, (1), the flow-rate ofthe torrefied product on dry ash tree basis is Waar = Wel = M! — ASH) = MY gue X Wage ke /s where Waye= Wy (I~ M~ ASH) _ M'~ ASH’) MY asl — MASH) “*/* =e We+ Moisture in the biomass is reduced through torrefaction, but that is not the case for ash. + Its absolute amount remains unchanged after torrefaction. + Neglecting any loss of ash between the units, + we get: * Design a moving bed torrefier to produce 1 ton/h (daf) of torrefied biomass from raw biomass containing 30% moisture but negligible amount of ash. *Torrefaction at 280°C yields 70% mass (daf). * Biomass and air enter the unit at ambient temperature of 20°C. Hot gas leaves torrefier at 105°C.SYMBOLS AND NOMENCLATURE ASH. ash fraction in raw or as-received biomass (—) Ap reactor cross-sectional area (mm?) Bi Biot number (HV/AS) Coa specific heat of dried biomass (ki/kg C) Com specific heat of wet or as-received biomass (kik. ©) Gye mean specific heat of flue gas kik C) EV energy density on volume basis (ki/m’) EY energy yield (-) HEV higher heating value on mass basis (KW/kg) ‘biomass particle to heating medium (gas) heat transfer coefficient (AW/kg C) Ing heat utilization efficiency (— K Kinetic rate of torefaction (s-") L___Iatent heat of vaporization of water (KI/kg) LEV lower heating value on mass basis (ki/kg) MY mass yield (-) AM moisture fraction in raw or as-received biomass (—) ‘ows of en in fesdtoch (hg) ‘mass of ciated ot gs per it mas. ‘ave flow rate of bara (hg) Pyrotyie number (=) ‘rcicalheat load of dryer AW) ‘tual heat lead of dryer W) ‘orci eat half weer AW) ‘tual heat lad of tomeice kW) teat hows fom torefce (kW) ‘adius of tomene pac en) . ‘tcrnal uface ara of « blomase pace (mn) temperature of gas ain of tree plant °C) Sabet temperature of gas. °C) temperate of gana xk of torrefir plant °C) torrfactio temperature (C) space veloc of gan Cs) Space velocity of sti ms) ‘olume of bom puri () ‘ry blomase feed vate Chg) {eed rte of wet or ae-rovcived biomass (kgs) ‘ow rate of ited ot gas entering the reer Cs) [renuction rate of tometiedbiomans (kp) amt >Subscripts ar bulk cooler a dat ab asreceived basis bath cvoling seta of togefardon plant dyer ary ash ie basis diss feedstock or rwievaseesved bi Predrying section posting eater tet pode Greek symbol = deny (hg?) ee ct 4 thermal ood Thank you