Abstract We present results from neutron-imaging studies of slow, vacuum pyrolysis of beech, poplar and conifer wood, and pelletized biomass from room temperature up to 1000 °C. A detailed and quantitative method to extract 2D (in situ neutron radiography, NR) and 3D (ex situ neutron computed tomography, NCT) information on structural transformation and elemental hydrogen content has been developed. NCT and X-ray tomography (XCT) experiments on a carbonized beech twig permitted comparison of the spatial distribution of hydrogen, better sensed by NCT, and carbon, oxygen, and heavier elements, better sensed by XCT. We have developed a methodology to directly compare structure and hydrogen-loss dynamics measured using neutron imaging with thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermogravimetry and thus can better understand the correlations between hydrogen and carbon release dynamics. While the methodology has been developed for the carbonization of biomass, we expect that it could be applied to in situ dynamic monitoring of other hydrogenous reacting systems with the appropriate spatial and temporal scales.

中文翻译：

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利用中子成像热解生物质的氢损失动力学和结构变化

摘要 我们展示了从室温到 1000 °C 的山毛榉、杨树和针叶木以及颗粒状生物质的缓慢真空热解的中子成像研究结果。已经开发了一种详细和定量的方法来提取关于结构转变和元素氢含量的 2D（原位中子射线照相术，NR）和 3D（非原位中子计算机断层扫描术，NCT）信息。NCT 和 X 射线断层扫描 (XCT) 在碳化山毛榉树枝上进行的实验可以比较氢的空间分布，NCT 更好地检测，碳、氧和更重的元素，XCT 更好地检测。我们开发了一种方法来直接比较使用中子成像测量的结构和氢损失动力学与热重分析和差示热重分析，从而可以更好地了解氢和碳释放动力学之间的相关性。虽然该方法已被开发用于生物质的碳化，但我们希望它可以应用于具有适当时空尺度的其他含氢反应系统的原位动态监测。