Torrefaction of Biomass: Effect of Temperature on the Properties of Liquid and Gaseous Products

The torrefaction of rice husk was performed in a laboratory-scale torrefaction reactor at different temperatures (200, 230, 260, and 290 °C) for 30 min. It was found that the decomposition of hemicellulose was the direct reason for changes in the fuel properties of solid products after torrefaction. As the torrefaction temperature rose from 200 °C to 290 °C, the yield of torrefied rice husk decreased gradually from 97.47% to 67.03%, whereas the yields of liquid and noncondensable gas products increased from 2.01% to 15.67% and from 0.52% to 17.30%, respectively. Liquid products contained water and a small amount of acetic acids. CO2 and CO were the main gas products of rice husk torrefaction.