Thermodegradation of naturally decomposed forest logging residues: Characteristics, kinetics, and thermodynamics

Wanhe Hu; Jingxin Wang; Jianli Hu; Jamie Schuler; Shawn Grushecky; Nan Nan; William Smith; Changle Jiang

doi:10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128821

Thermodegradation of naturally decomposed forest logging residues: Characteristics, kinetics, and thermodynamics

Bioresour Technol. 2023 May:376:128821. doi: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128821. Epub 2023 Mar 3.

Authors

Wanhe Hu¹, Jingxin Wang², Jianli Hu³, Jamie Schuler¹, Shawn Grushecky¹, Nan Nan¹, William Smith¹, Changle Jiang³

Affiliations

¹ Center for Sustainable Biomaterials & Bioenergy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.
² Center for Sustainable Biomaterials & Bioenergy, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA; Division of Forestry and Natural Resources, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA. Electronic address: Jingxin.Wang@mail.wvu.edu.
³ Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering, West Virginia University, Morgantown, WV 26506, USA.

PMID: 36870546
DOI: 10.1016/j.biortech.2023.128821

Abstract

Combustion and pyrolysis characteristics, kinetics, and thermodynamics of naturally decomposed softwood and hardwood forest logging residues (FLR) were investigated using thermogravimetric analysis. Results showed that calorific values of fresh red pine, two-year decomposed, four-years decomposed, fresh red maple, two-year decomposed, and four-years decomposed were 19.78, 19.40, 20.19, 20.35, 19.27, and 19.62 MJ/kg, respectively. Hemicellulose pyrolysis peak only occurred in the hardwood thermodegradation process. Softwood had a higher pyrolysis yield of solid products (16.08-19.30%) than hardwood (11.19-14.67%). The average pyrolysis activation energy (E_a) of hardwood residue increased with the year after harvest, whereas softwood samples decreased. The average combustion E_a of hardwood samples increased first, then decreased, while that of softwood samples decreased continuously. Enthalpy (ΔH), entropy (ΔS), and Gibbs free energy (ΔG) were also investigated. This research will aid in understanding the thermal decomposition properties of naturally decomposed FLR from various years after harvest.

Keywords: Bioenergy; Biomass; Logging residues; Natural decomposition; Thermal decomposition.

MeSH terms

Biomass
Forests*
Kinetics
Physics*
Pyrolysis
Thermodynamics
Thermogravimetry