This report investigates the low-temperature bed drying of biomass particles for use in a gasification process. Experimental drying equipment capable of drying up to 0.25 m 3 of biomass batchwise was constructed. The experimental result indicates that the drying equipment and applied method are appropriate to evaluate different drying parameters and their influence on the drying course. Drying parameters such as air temperature, air velocity, bed height, and type of wood are studied regarding the drying rate, final moisture content in the material, and bed pressure drop. The constant-rate and falling-rate drying period are studied to obtain an energy efficient drying process. Measurements show that the drying zone (where the actual drying occurs) progresses irregularly through the bed.

The subject of study is the emission of Volatile Organic Compounds (VOC) during the drying of wood. Heartwood and sapwood from Scots pine were dried at different temperatures (50, 70 and 908C) in a laboratory kiln.The sampling method, Solid Phase Microextraction was used to collect the different volatile organic compounds during the drying. The gas chromatograph and mass spectrometer was used to identify and quantify the organic matter. The total hydrocarbons were measured with a flame ionization detector. Primarily, different monoterpenes were released during the drying process. 3-carene and a-pinene were most common and were also analytically quantified. The diterpene, pimaral, was found in an estimated large amount in the later stage of the drying process but was not exactly quantified.Large differences in both release behavior and total amount of released hydrocarbon between heart-and sapwood were obtained.Emissions of VOC from heartwood were of a magnitude approximately three times higher than that from sapwood.

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