Hydrothermal treatment of banana leaves for solid fuel combustion

Banana residues remain untapped for substantial thermochemical energy conversion. In this study, lab-scale production of hydrochar from banana leaves (BL) by hydrothermal treatment (HT) for solid fuel combustion was investigated. The HT was conducted at 180, 200 and 220 degrees C for 30min, resulting in an energy yield of up to 94.0%. The fuel properties of BL were enhanced after HT. The carbon content increased with increasing reaction temperature while oxygen and ash content decreased. The higher heating values of the hydrochars (20.4-22.7MJ/kg) were greater than that of its biomass origin. Changes in the structural and fuel properties influenced the combustion behavior and reactivity of hydrochars according to thermogravimetric analysis. A first-order reaction mechanism by Coats-Redfern approximation was adopted to describe the kinetics of non-isothermal combustion. This study may prove useful in evaluating the potential of hydrochar from banana leaves for solid fuel applications.

Automated summary

This study demonstrates the potential of converting banana leaves into hydrochar for solid fuel combustion through hydrothermal treatment. The fuel properties of hydrochar were enhanced after treatment, with higher heating values and increased carbon content. The structural and fuel property changes influenced combustion behavior and reactivity, which were analyzed using thermogravimetric analysis and a first-order reaction mechanism.