Inorganic contents reduction in cellulignin catalytic fuel by HGMS

Cellulignin is a catalytic fuel obtained by acidic prehydrolysis of biomass (wood, agricultural and forest residues, and the organic matter of municipal solid waste––MOL). In order to be used as a solid fuel in gas turbines with external combustor, the ash content of the cellulignin has to be as low as possible due to the corrosion effect of the Na, K, Mg, Ca and other inorganics on the turbine blades. The main objective of the work was to apply the HGMS to the cellulignin and observe the efficiency of the separation in terms of the reduction of the inorganic constituent concentrations. The separation efficiency was measured by the analysis of the cellulignin samples before and after the magnetic separation. The elements Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, Na, P, S, Si and Zn were determined by ICP-OES. The results showed a concentration reduction for all the elements after the HGMS, allowing this technology to be applied to the cellulignin.