Biomass thermogravimetric analysis: uncertainty determination methodology and sampling maps generation

Area of Science:

• Analytical Chemistry
• Materials Science
• Biomass Energy

Background:

• Thermogravimetric analysis (TG) is vital for determining biomass fuel properties.
• Accurate characterization of thermal properties (moisture, volatile matter, fixed carbon, ash) is essential for efficient biomass energy utilization.
• Quantifying sampling error and establishing confidence intervals for TG results are critical for reliable data.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a robust methodology for calculating maximum sampling error and confidence intervals for thermal properties derived from TG analysis.
• To meticulously examine and refine the sampling procedures employed in TG analysis.
• To assess the representativeness and reliability of TG-derived fuel properties.

Main Methods:

• Development of a novel methodology for quantifying sampling error in TG analysis.
• Careful execution and documentation of the sampling procedures.
• Comparative analysis of results against a prompt analysis method.
• Statistical evaluation of uncertainty and error levels.

Main Results:

• The developed methodology successfully determined maximum sampling error and confidence intervals for TG thermal properties.
• Low and acceptable levels of uncertainty and error were achieved across all evaluated properties.
• No significant correlation was found between mean values and maximum sampling errors when comparing methods.
• TG analysis results were demonstrated to be representative of the overall fuel composition.

Conclusions:

• The study successfully established a reliable methodology for assessing the precision of TG thermal property determination.
• The findings confirm the accuracy and representativeness of TG analysis for biomass characterization.
• Precise confidence intervals for thermal properties are crucial for advancing energetic biomass applications.