Devaraja, UMASupunsala, SDSGunarathne, DSEdussooriya, CWeeraddana, CUSAbeysooriya, RP2022-08-052022-08-052020-07*******http://dl.lib.uom.lk/handle/123/18529Biomass torrefaction is a thermochemical pretreatment process performed at a temperature range of 200oC- 300oC in an inert environment. Moisture and part of the hemicellulose are released during the process resulting an energy densified solid fuel. In this study, rubberwood chips were torrefied at a temperature of 300 oC for 60 minutes. The results show that the lower heating value of biomass increase from 14.58 MJ/kg to 16.38 MJ/kg after torrefaction. Further, a 300MWe coal-fired power plant was simulated using Aspen Plus software and co-firing possibilities of both raw and torrefied rubber wood were evaluated. The results reveal that up to 10% of thermal input can be substituted by raw rubberwood whereas torrefied rubberwood has the potential to substitute around 20% of thermal input without compromising the electrical efficiency. The total input mass flow rate is a crucial factor when co-firing is to be implemented in an existing plant even though it gives the expected energy output with a further increase of torrefied biomass share. With increasing co-firing ratio, it is observed that the total NOx and SOx emissions are reduced due to low N and S content of biomass. Further, combustion efficiency is increasing with increasing co-firing ratio of torrefied biomass.enBiomass energyTorrefaction,Co-firingRubber woodConference-Full-textEngineeringEngineering Research Unit, University of Moratuwa2020Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference 2020Moratuwa, Sri Lankapp. 499-504Proceedings of Moratuwa Engineering Research Conference 2020udya1991madavi@gmail.comsachinissenadheera@gmail.comduleekas@uom.lk10.1109/MERCon50084.2020.9185228