1. Thermochemical characterization of napier grass as an energy source and its environmental and economic benefit analysis.
- Author
-
Tsai, Wen-Tien and Tsai, Yi-Lin
- Subjects
- *
HIGH temperature chemistry , *CENCHRUS purpureus , *INDUSTRIAL power supply , *GEOCHEMISTRY , *CLIMATE change - Abstract
Using the standard methods for the determination of approximate analysis, ultimate analysis, chemical composition, heating value and inorganic elements, the thermochemical properties of three air-dried napier grass samples have been analyzed in the present study. The results showed that thermochemical characteristics of all samples were found to be similar. The energy grass obviously comprised a large percentage of volatile matter at 72.72 ± 0.73 wt%. The molar rations of hydrogen to carbon (H/C) ranging from 1.60 to 1.73 are close to those of cellulose (H/C = 1.67) and hemicellulose (H/C = 1.6), which was in accordance with its higher heating value (16.3 MJ/kg). However, the contents of nitrogen and chlorine were significantly high, suggesting that the emissions of acidic gases and chlorinated organics from biomass-to-heat facilities will arouse concern. Based on the 100,000 ha fallow farmland cultivated into the energy grass in Taiwan and the Tier 1 method recommended by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, the environmental benefit of mitigating CO2emissions and the economic benefit of oil equivalent were calculated to be around 5.0 × 106Gg/yr and 1.1 × 107barrels/yr, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
- Published
- 2016
- Full Text
- View/download PDF