Analysis of the chemical composition of tar produced by gasification of spruce wood chips

Analysis of the chemical composition of tar produced by gasification of spruce wood chips

Abstrakt

Fossil fuels remain a major energy source, but due to global warming and air pollution, renewable alternatives like biomass which provides stable energy, are increasingly sought. Before energy processing, biomass must be mechanically treated. One method is thermochemical conversion, more specifically gasification, which primarily produces generator gas and heat. The secondary output is waste material in the form of tar oil and carbonaceous fuel. Biomass gasification consists of four steps. The first is biomass drying, where biomass is exposed to high temperatures to achieve optimal moisture content (max. 15%). The second step is pyrolysis, where hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin in biomass are decomposed into gases at 150-900 °C. When the vapors cool to ambient temperature, they condense into a liquid fraction known as tar. The third step is oxidation and the final step is reduction, where gasification and the formation of end products occur. Tars, as pyrolysis products, consist of oxygenated hydrocarbons. As the reaction temperature increases, oxygenated hydrocarbons are converted into light hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds, and olefins, which then react together to form higher hydrocarbons and higher polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are stable organic compounds composed of two or more benzene rings. PAHs are toxic environmental contaminants with harmful effects on human health. The collected tar samples were concentrated and purified using column chromatography. Column chromatography separates substances using a stationary phase, typically silica gel, and a mobile solvent phase. The component that was least bound to the sorbent flows through the fastest. The analysis was performed using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Gas chromatography separates, identifies, and quantifies complex mixtures of gases and volatile organic compounds below 400 °C, based on interactions with the stationary phase and movement by the carrier gas.

Fossil fuels remain a major energy source, but due to global warming and air pollution, renewable alternatives like biomass which provides stable energy, are increasingly sought. Before energy processing, biomass must be mechanically treated. One method is thermochemical conversion, more specifically gasification, which primarily produces generator gas and heat. The secondary output is waste material in the form of tar oil and carbonaceous fuel. Biomass gasification consists of four steps. The first is biomass drying, where biomass is exposed to high temperatures to achieve optimal moisture content (max. 15%). The second step is pyrolysis, where hemicellulose, cellulose, and lignin in biomass are decomposed into gases at 150-900 °C. When the vapors cool to ambient temperature, they condense into a liquid fraction known as tar. The third step is oxidation and the final step is reduction, where gasification and the formation of end products occur. Tars, as pyrolysis products, consist of oxygenated hydrocarbons. As the reaction temperature increases, oxygenated hydrocarbons are converted into light hydrocarbons, aromatic compounds, and olefins, which then react together to form higher hydrocarbons and higher polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs). PAHs are stable organic compounds composed of two or more benzene rings. PAHs are toxic environmental contaminants with harmful effects on human health. The collected tar samples were concentrated and purified using column chromatography. Column chromatography separates substances using a stationary phase, typically silica gel, and a mobile solvent phase. The component that was least bound to the sorbent flows through the fastest. The analysis was performed using gas chromatography with mass spectrometry. Gas chromatography separates, identifies, and quantifies complex mixtures of gases and volatile organic compounds below 400 °C, based on interactions with the stationary phase and movement by the carrier gas.

Biomass, gasification, tar, PAHs, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry

Biomass, gasification, tar, PAHs, gas chromatography, mass spectrometry

AMRICHOVÁ, A.; IMRICHOVÁ, A.; BALÁŠ, M.; ZLÁMALOVÁ GARGOŠOVÁ, H.

26.11.2025

Fakulta chemickej a potravinárskej technológie v Slovenskej chemickej knižnici FCHPT STU

Bratislava

978-80-8208-162-9

Chémia a technológie pre život 27. celoslovenská študentská vedecká konferencia s medzinárodnou účasťou

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218

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https://zenodo.org/records/17647142