POTENTIALITIES OF THE BIOCHAR GENERATED FROM RAW AND ACID PRE-TREATED SUGARCANE AGRICULTURAL WASTES

P. BONELLI; M. E. RAMOS; E. BUONOMO; A. L. CUKIERMAN

SOCHI , FEDERACION RUSA

Congreso; Eighth Asia-Pacific International Symposium on Combustion and Energy Utilization; 2006

RUSSIAN ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, CHINESE ACADEMY OF SCIENCES, COMBUSTION INSTITUTE USA

Physico-chemical properties and yield of the biochar arising from slow pyrolysis of raw agricultural wastes from sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) at two different temperatures (600 °C and 800 °C) are ascertained in order to evaluate potentialities for specific end-uses. According to international indicators, the biochar derived at both temperatures has potentiality as solid bio-fuel for domestic use, whereas only the biochar produced at the higher temperature might be employed for briquettes manufacture and/or in the steel industry. Textural characteristics of the biochar generated at the higher temperature also indicate that it is reasonably suited for potential use as low-cost rough adsorbent, soil amender, and/ or for further conversion into activated carbon. Besides, textural features and yield of the biochar obtained at the lower temperature are compared with those determined for the one generated from pyrolysis of the wastes pre-treated with a phosphoric acid solution under similar operating conditions. The acid treatment induces an enhanced yield and a highly developed porous structure of the biochar whose textural features are comparable to those of commercially available activated carbons. Accordingly, the biochar derived from the acid-pretreated sugarcane agricultural wastes could be a convenient substitute of conventional activated carbons extensively used in sugar manufacture and related industries.