Fecha de publicación: 30/10/2024 Fuente: Journal of Sustainable Development Abstract
Torrefaction is a thermochemical process that improves biomass quality, reducing the adverse effects of crop residue burning. Slowly heating biomass to 300 °C in an inert or reduced atmosphere enhances its physical, elemental, and proximate characteristics, resulting in a solid material with less moisture and higher energy content. Many torrefaction technologies have been extensively studied, focusing on how they alter biomass properties, factors influencing the process, energy densification, and yields. However, recent advancements in torrefaction reactor design and associated technical and scientific issues are notably underrepresented in the literature, which required attention to explore, particularly reactor type and design. Thus, a comprehensive review of the recent advancement in torrefaction research and technology focusing on different kinds of torrefaction reactors, their advancements, and reactor design was presented in the study. Furthermore, it highlights the potential of torrefied biomass as a pre-treatment for subsequent conversion processes, and novel potential applications of torrefied biomass are discussed. Technological challenges and their countermeasures are also documented in this article. Thus, comparisons of various reactors were tabulated with their advantages and disadvantages. To lower operational expenses and mitigate competition with other biomass applications, it’s crucial to focus on utilizing waste materials or environmentally sustainable biomass for this technology. The article also describes the torrefaction technique’s prospects, opportunities, and difficulties, including identifying bottlenecks that may restrict its usage and preceding or succeeding processes.