Journal article
Analysis and Characterization of Metallic Nodules on Biochar from Single-Stage Downdraft Gasification
Processes, Vol.9(3), p.533
03/17/2021
DOI: 10.3390/pr9030533
Abstract
Biochar, which is a byproduct of gasification, is used in a wide range of fields such as water filtration, agriculture, and electronics, to name a few. The metals in the biomass were thought to end up either in the ash or distributed throughout the biochar. In this study, the goal was a more thorough characterization of biochar resulting from a single-stage downdraft gasifier. One of the first observations was that some metals actually localize into small (~25 micron diameter) metallic nodules on the biochar surface. Further analysis included ultimate and proximate analysis, Brunauer–Emmert–Teller (BET) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS). Biomass fuel included corn grains, soybeans, and wood pellets, with wood biochar showing the highest fixed carbon content, at 91%, and the highest surface area, at 92.4 m2/g. The SEM analysis showed that certain minerals, including potassium, phosphorus, calcium, iron, nickel, silicon, and copper, formed nodules with over 50% metal mass next to pores in the carbon substrate. Aluminum, chlorine, magnesium, and silicon (in certain cases) were mostly uniformly distributed on the biochar carbon substrate. Corn biochar showed a high concentration in the nodules of 9–21% phosphorus and up to 67% potassium. Soybean biochar showed a similar trend with traces of iron and nickel of 2% and 4.1%, respectively, while wood biochar had a significant amount of potassium, up to 35%, along with 44% calcium, 3% iron, and up to 4.2% nickel concentrations. A morphology analysis was also carried out.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Analysis and Characterization of Metallic Nodules on Biochar from Single-Stage Downdraft Gasification
- Creators
- Tejasvi SharmaAlbert Ratner
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Processes, Vol.9(3), p.533
- DOI
- 10.3390/pr9030533
- ISSN
- 2227-9717
- eISSN
- 2227-9717
- Grant note
- name: MATC - Nebraska grant, award: 25-1121-0005-140
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 03/17/2021
- Academic Unit
- Iowa Technology Institute; Mechanical Engineering
- Record Identifier
- 9984196646102771
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