Study on fusion characteristics of biomass ash.

The ash fusion characteristics (AFC) of Capsicum stalks ashes, cotton stalks ashes and wheat stalks ashes that all prepared by ashing at 400 degrees C, 600 degrees C and 815 degrees C are consistent after 860 degrees C, 990 degrees C and 840 degrees C, respectively in the ash fusion temperature test and TG. Initial deformation temperature (IDT) increases with decreased K(2)O and went up with increased MgO, CaO, Fe(2)O(3) and Al(2)O(3). Softening temperature (ST), hemispherical temperature (HT) and fluid temperature (FT) do not affected by the concentrations of each element and the ashing temperature obviously. Therefore, the IDT may be as an evaluation index of biomass AFC rather than the ST used as an evaluation index of coal AFC. XRD shows that no matter what the ashing temperature is, the biomass ashes contain same high-temperature molten material. Therefore, evaluation of the biomass AFC should not be simply on the proportion of elements except IDT, but the high-temperature molten material in biomass ash. 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.