Study of quinoa plant residues as a way to produce energy through thermogravimetric analysis and indexes estimation

Abstract

Quinoa is a pseudo-cereal employed to provide nutrition and sustenance for a long time. Currently, the consumption of seeds of this plant is increasing. The seed are the only nutritionally part, which implies that both the husks like the rest of biomass represent a residue vaguely studied. Authors had studied the thermal behavior of these quinoa inedible parts. Fuel properties, biomass composition and DTG profiles were done for an oxidative atmosphere under different heating rates in the same way that several characteristic combustion indexes were estimated. Also, DTG profiles for a non-oxidative environment together with the characterization of the char obtained were showed. Results denoted that quinoa biomass presented a more suitable nature for combustion process compared with the husks. Furthermore, combustion DTG profiles showed two different stages: devolatilization and ignition. The maximum combustion weight loss value (20.63 %/min) was achieved for biomass under a 40 K/min rate. DTG profiles under inert atmosphere evidenced two weight loss stages clearly influenced by the cellulose and lignin content. Once again, biomass was the one with the better behavior instead of the husk for this pyrolysis process. Biomass which had good values in terms of yield (26.02 %) and heating value (15.41 MJ/kg).