Simulated Distillation (TGA)

800 800
GROT 1 bar GROT 1 bar
GROT 5 bar GROT LT 1 bar
700 GROT 10 bar 700 GROT ST 1 bar

600 600
Temperature (ºC)

Temperature (ºC)
500 500

400 400

300 300

200 200

100 100
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
Recovered Mass (% wt.) Recovered Mass (% wt.)
800 800
GROT LT 1 bar GROT 5 bar
GROT LT 5 bar GROT LT 5 bar
700 GROT LT 10 bar 700 GROT ST 5 bar

600 600
Temperature (ºC)

Temperature (ºC)

500 500

400 400

300 300

200 200

100 100
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
Recovered Mass (% wt.) Recovered Mass (% wt.)
800 800
GROT ST 1 bar GROT 10 bar
GROT ST 5 bar GROT LT 10 bar
700 GROT ST 10 bar 700 GROT ST 10 bar

600 600
Temperature (ºC)

Temperature (ºC)

500 500

400 400

300 300

200 200

100 100
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
Recovered Mass (% wt.) Recovered Mass (% wt.)

Figure 9. Simulated distillation curves of tars obtained at different pressures and

torrefied levels (GROT).
The simulated distillation (simdist) data can be related to the molecular weight
distribution of samples, light tars will evaporate at lower temperatures. Comparing the
simdist curves of tars obtained from GROT at various pressures and torrefaction levels
(Figure 9), several trends can be determined. In general, the tars obtained at high
pressures evaporated at higher temperatures (heavier molecular weight) (except in the
case of GROT). This fact agrees with the increase in tar yield observed at higher
pressures, probably related to polymerization towards heavier PAH’s compounds. This
cited trend was not evident (or even changed) for large recovered mass percentages
(high distillation temperatures). One possible explanation is the partial
polymerization/coking of tar during the analysis. These reactions would be particularly
significant for tars containing more oxygenated compounds (tars obtained at lower
pressures and from GROT as feedstock).
On the other hand, the effect of torrefaction level was less evident, apparently the tars
obtained from the torrefied biomass at 1 bar were lighter than the obtained from the
original biomass. However the differences decresased as gasification pressure increased,
and it can be notice that the tars obtained from the different torrefaction levels at 10 bar
presented very similar simdist curves. These results are comparable to those obtained
for VW (Figure 10) and are in good agreement with the SEC data.
 800 800
VW 1 bar VW 1 bar
VW 5 bar VW LT 1 bar
700 VW 10 bar 700 VW ST 1 bar

600 600
Temperature (ºC)

Temperature (ºC)
500 500

400 400

300 300

200 200

100 100
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
Recovered Mass (% wt.) Recovered Mass (% wt.)
800 800
VW LT 1 bar VW 5 bar
VW LT 5 bar VW LT 5 bar
700 VW LT 10 bar 700 VW ST 5 bar

600 600
Temperature (ºC)

Temperature (ºC)

500 500

400 400

300 300

200 200

100 100
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
Recovered Mass (% wt.) Recovered Mass (% wt.)
800 800
VW ST 1 bar VW 10 bar
VW ST 5 bar VW LT 10 bar
700 VW ST 10 bar 700 VW ST 10 bar

600 600
Temperature (ºC)

Temperature (ºC)

500 500

400 400

300 300

200 200

100 100
0 20 40 60 80 100 0 20 40 60 80 100
Recovered Mass (% wt.) Recovered Mass (% wt.)

Figure 10. Simulated distillation curves of tars obtained at different pressures and
torrefied levels (VW).