Pyrolysis is the thermo-chemical degradation of biomass in an oxygen-free environment to product liquid, gaseous, and solid co-products. The liquid co-product, known as bio-oil, can be used as a transportation fuel. The gaseous co-product, known as synthesis gas, can be used to power the pyrolysis reactor or other machinery. The solid co-product, known as bio-char, has been studied as an amendment to enhance soil physical and chemical properties and nutrient status. Although previous publications have described the beneficial effects of pyrolysis bio-char on soil physical and chemical properties, relatively little has been published on the recovery of mineral nutrients from pyrolysis co-products. This work quantified the recovery of feedstock nutrients (P, K, Ca, and Mg) and micronutrients (Na, Zn, Fe, Cu, and Mn) from pyrolysis co-products from various feedstocks using three distinct pyrolysis reactor designs. The reactors comprised a laboratory-scale fixed-bed reactor and two fluidized-bed reactors located in College Station, TX and Wyndmoor, PA. Nutrient recoveries, on a feedstock basis, were calculated for a comparison of reactor efficiencies. In addition to nutrient recoveries, physical and chemical properties of input biomass and of bio-char generated by each reactor were characterized through ultimate and proximate analyses. For the fixed-bed reactor, results revealed variation among feedstocks for the recoveries of feedstock sources of macronutrients and Na, Fe, and Cu in pyrolysis co-products. Variation among species was also detected for the recoveries of feedstock sources of P, K, Ca, Mg, and Fe in pyrolysis co-products for samples pyrolyzed using the Wyndmoor reactor. For the College Station reactor, recoveries of feedstock sources of P, K, Ca, and Mg in pyrolysis co-products did not vary among species, but Zn did vary. Ultimate and proximate analyses of biomass and bio-chars generated by the three reactors revealed variation among species. Additionally, the results showed that the recovery of feedstock nutrients varied by reactor design. Statistical analysis revealed high correlations and linear relationships between the recovery of nutrients and reactor mass and energy efficiency and feedstock fiber properties.

Due to security issues in energy supply and environmental concerns, renewable energy production from biomass becomes an increasingly important area of study. Thus, thermal conversion of biomass via pyrolysis and subsequent upgrading procedures were explored, in an attempt to convert an abundant agricultural residue, corn stover, into potential bio-fuels. Pyrolysis of corn stover was carried out at 400, 500 and 600oC and at moderate pressure. Maximum bio-char yield of 37.3 wt.% and liquid product yield of 31.4 wt.% were obtained at 400oC while the gas yield was maximum at 600oC (21.2 wt.%). Bio-char characteristics (energy content, proximate and ultimate analyses) indicated its potential as alternative solid fuel. The bio-oil mainly consisted of phenolic compounds, with significant proportions of aromatic and aliphatic compounds. The gas product has energy content ranging from 10.1 to 21.7 MJ m-3, attributed to significant quantities of methane, hydrogen and carbon dioxide. Mass and energy conversion efficiencies indicated that majority of the mass and energy contained in the feedstock was transferred to the bio-char. Fractional distillation of the bio-oil at atmospheric and reduced pressure yielded approximately 40-45 wt.% heavy distillate (180-250oC) with significantly reduced moisture and total acid number (TAN) and greater energy content. Aromatic compounds and oxygenated compounds were distributed in the light and middle fractions while phenolic compounds were concentrated in the heavy fraction. Finally, hydrotreatment of the bio-oil and the heavy distillate using noble metal catalysts such as ruthenium and palladium on carbon support at 100 bar pressure, 4 hours reaction time and 200o or 300oC showed that ruthenium performed better at the higher temperature (300oC) and was more effective than palladium, giving about 25-26% deoxygenation. The hydrotreated product from the heavy distillate with ruthenium as catalyst at 300oC had the lowest oxygen content and exhibited better product properties (lower moisture, TAN, and highest heating value), and can be a potential feedstock for co-processing with crude oils in existing refineries. Major reactions involved were conversion of phenolics to aromatics and hydrogenation of ketones to alcohols. Results showed that pyrolysis of corn stover and product upgrading produced potentially valuable sources of fuel and chemical feedstock.

The move from fossil fuels is getting more relevant throughout the globe, mainly for it getting more costly to emit CO$_2$. The steel industry is one of the biggest contributor of the CO$_2$ emissions, and is therefore very motivated to reduce their emissions. One way to reduce the emissions is to go from coal to bio-char as a reducing agent. BEST(Bio-energy and sustainable technologies) is a research institute in Austria, and have been tasked to do research on bio-char and what problems that may occur with changing from coal to bio-char. One problem with bio-char is that it is prone to self ignition. This project aims is to develop a numerical model that can simulate self heating within bio-char stockpiles. The tool will be for a one-dimensional case using Cartesian coordinates. The calculations are based on the SIMPLE algorithm for Navier-Stokes equations, which is widely used within CFD calculations. This tool has been used to do sensitivity analysis for multiple variables and parameter studies for kinetic parameters related to the oxidation that occurs when bio-char is exposed to oxygen. Results show that oxygen concentration is the limiting factor to how much heat is released within the bag during simulations. Results also show that the accurate descriptions of reaction schemes and their rate expressions is very important to get results that is in line with real world scenarios.

Bio-oil created from biomass sources do not have desirable fuel qualities. Due to their petroleum origins, plastics and micronized rubber powder (MRP) improve oil quality when co-pyrolyzed with biomass. Southern yellow pine, a food grade polymer (FGP) and micronized rubber powder (MRP) were co-pyrolyzed at various ratios in an auger reactor to improve the bio-oil. MRP proved to be the best additive, reducing acids, creating aromatic hydrocarbons, reducing water content, and increasing heating values in created bio-oil, while the FGP led to a formation of a liquid product containing a high concentration of phenolic compounds. To improve these qualities further, nickel oxide and sodium carbonate were added in-vivo to the coeeds. Nickel oxide influenced higher aromatic hydrocarbon production and reduced oxygen formation. Sodium carbonate greatly reduced the concentration of acids and water. Both catalysts improved the creation of unsaturated hydrocarbons, phenol compounds, and enhanced heating values with nickel oxide performing better than sodium carbonate.

Thesis (MScEng (Process Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2010. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The world’s depleting fossil fuels and increasing greenhouse gas emissions have given rise to much research into renewable and cleaner energy. Biomass is unique in providing the only renewable source of fixed carbon. Agricultural residues such as Sugarcane Bagasse (SB) are feedstocks for ‘second generation fuels’ which means they do not compete with production of food crops. In South Africa approximately 6 million tons of raw SB is produced annually, most of which is combusted onsite for steam generation. In light of the current interest in bio-fuels and the poor utilization of SB as energy product in the sugar industry, alternative energy recovery processes should be investigated. This study looks into the thermochemical upgrading of SB by means of pyrolysis. Biomass pyrolysis is defined as the thermo-chemical decomposition of organic materials in the absence of oxygen or other reactants. Slow Pyrolysis (SP), Vacuum Pyrolysis (VP), and Fast Pyrolysis (FP) are studied in this thesis. Varying amounts of char and bio-oil are produced by the different processes, which both provide advantages to the sugar industry. Char can be combusted or gasified as an energy-dense fuel, used as bio-char fertilizer, or upgraded to activated carbon. High quality bio-oil can be combusted or gasified as a liquid energy-dense fuel, can be used as a chemical feedstock, and shows potential for upgrading to transport fuel quality. FP is the most modern of the pyrolysis technologies and is focused on oil production. In order to investigate this process a 1 kg/h FP unit was designed, constructed and commissioned. The new unit was tested and compared to two different FP processes at Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (FZK) in Germany. As a means of investigating the devolatilization behaviour of SB a Thermogravimetric Analysis (TGA) study was conducted. To investigate the quality of products that can be obtained an experimental study was done on SP, VP, and FP. Three distinct mass loss stages were identified from TGA. The first stage, 25 to 110°C, is due to evaporation of moisture. Pyrolitic devolatilization was shown to start at 230°C. The final stage occurs at temperatures above 370°C and is associated with the cracking of heavier bonds and char formation. The optimal decomposition temperatures for hemicellulose and cellulose were identified as 290°C and 345°C, respectively. Lignin was found to decompose over the entire temperature range without a distinct peak. These results were confirmed by a previous study on TGA of bagasse. SP and VP of bagasse were studied in the same reactor to allow for accurate comparison. Both these processes were conducted at low heating rates (20°C/min) and were therefore focused on char production. Slow pyrolysis produced the highest char yield, and char calorific value. Vacuum pyrolysis produced the highest BET surface area chars (>300 m2/g) and bio-oil that contained significantly less water compared to SP bio-oil. The short vapour residence time in the VP process improved the quality of liquids. The mechanism for pore formation is improved at low pressure, thereby producing higher surface area chars. A trade-off exists between the yield of char and the quality thereof. FP at Stellenbosch University produced liquid yields up to 65 ± 3 wt% at the established optimal temperature of 500°C. The properties of the bio-oil from the newly designed unit compared well to bio-oil from the units at FZK. The char properties showed some variation for the different FP processes. At the optimal FP conditions 20 wt% extra bio-oil is produced compared to SP and VP. The FP bio-oil contained 20 wt% water and the calorific value was estimated at 18 ± 1 MJ/kg. The energy per volume of FP bio-oil was estimated to be at least 11 times more than dry SB. FP was found to be the most effective process for producing a single product with over 60% of the original biomass energy. The optimal productions of either high quality bio-oil or high surface area char were found to be application dependent. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: As gevolg van die uitputting van fossielbrandstofreserwes, en die toenemende vrystelling van kweekhuisgasse word daar tans wêreldwyd baie navorsing op hernubare en skoner energie gedoen. Biomassa is uniek as die enigste bron van hernubare vaste koolstof. Landbouafval soos Suikerriet Bagasse (SB) is grondstowwe vir ‘tweede generasie bio-brandstowwe’ wat nie die mark van voedselgewasse direk affekteer nie. In Suid Afrika word jaarliks ongeveer 6 miljoen ton SB geproduseer, waarvan die meeste by die suikermeulens verbrand word om stoom te genereer. Weens die huidige belangstelling in bio-brandstowwe en ondoeltreffende benutting van SB as energieproduk in die suikerindustrie moet alternatiewe energie-onginningsprosesse ondersoek word. Hierdie studie is op die termo-chemiese verwerking van SB deur middel van pirolise gefokus. Biomassa pirolise word gedefinieer as die termo-chemiese afbreking van organiese bio-materiaal in die afwesigheid van suurstof en ander reagense. Stadige Pirolise (SP), Vakuum Pirolise (VP), en Vinnige Pirolise word in hierdie tesis ondersoek. Die drie prosesse produseer veskillende hoeveelhede houtskool en bio-olie wat albei voordele bied vir die suikerindustrie. Houtskool kan as ‘n vaste energie-digte brandstof verbrand of vergas word, as bio-houtskoolkompos gebruik word, of kan verder tot geaktiveerde koolstof geprosesseer word. Hoë kwaliteit bio-olie kan verbrand of vergas word, kan as bron vir chemikalië gebruik word, en toon potensiaal om in die toekoms opgegradeer te kan word tot vervoerbrandstof kwaliteit. Vinnige pirolise is die mees moderne pirolise tegnologie en is op bio-olie produksie gefokus. Om die laasgenoemde proses te toets is ‘n 1 kg/h vinnige pirolise eenheid ontwerp, opgerig en in werking gestel. Die nuwe pirolise eenheid is getoets en vegelyk met twee verskillende vinnige pirolise eenhede by Forschungszentrum Karlsruhe (FZK) in Duitsland. Termo-Gravimetriese Analise (TGA) is gedoen om die ontvlugtigingskenmerke van SB te bestudeer. Eksperimentele werk is verrig om die kwaliteit van produkte van SP, VP, vinnige pirolise te vergelyk. Drie duidelike massaverlies fases van TGA is geïdentifiseer. Die eerste fase (25 – 110°C) is as gevolg van die verdamping van vog. Pirolitiese ontvlugtiging het begin by 230°C. Die finale fase (> 370°C) is met die kraking van swaar verbindings en die vorming van houtskool geassosieer. Die optimale afbrekingstemperatuur vir hemisellulose en sellulose is as 290°C en 345°C, respektiewelik, geïdentifiseer. Daar is gevind dat lignien stadig oor die twede en derde fases afgebreek word sonder ‘n duidelike optimale afbrekingstemperatuur. Die resultate is deur vorige navorsing op TGA van SB bevestig. SP en VP van bagasse is in dieselfde reaktor bestudeer, om ‘n akkurate vergelyking moontlik te maak. Beide prosesse was by lae verhittingstempo’s (20°C/min) ondersoek, wat gevolglik op houtskoolformasie gefokus is. SP het die hoogste houtskoolopbrengs, met die hoogste verbrandingsenergie, geproduseer. VP het hootskool met die hoogste BET oppervlakarea geproduseer, en die bio-olie was weens ‘n dramatiese afname in waterinhoud van beter gehalte. Die meganisme vir die vorming van ‘n poreuse struktuur word deur lae atmosferiese druk verbeter. Daar bestaan ‘n inverse verband tussen die kwantiteit en kwaliteit van die houtskool. Vinnige pirolise by die Universiteit van Stellenbosch het ‘n bio-olie opbrengs van 65 ± 3 massa% by ‘n vooraf vasgestelde optimale temperatuur van 500°C geproduseer. Die eienskappe van bio-olie wat deur die nuwe vinnige pirolise eenheid geproduseer is het goed ooreengestem met die bio-olie afkomstig van FZK se pirolise eenhede. Die houtskool eienskappe van die drie pirolise eenhede het enkele verskille getoon. By optimale toestande vir vinnige pirolise word daar 20 massa% meer bio-olie as by SP en VP geproduseer. Vinnige pirolise bio-olie het ‘n waterinhoud van 20 massa% en ‘n verbrandingswarmte van 18 ± 1 MJ/kg. Daar is gevind dat ten opsigte van droë SB die energie per enheidsvolume van bio-olie ongeveer 11 keer meer is. Vinnige pirolise is die mees doeltreffende proses vir die vervaardiging van ‘n produk wat meer as 60% van die oorspronklike biomassa energie bevat. Daar is gevind dat die optimale hoeveelhede van hoë kwaliteit bio-olie en hoë oppervlakarea houtskool doelafhanklik is.

Orientador: Araí Augusta Bernárdez Pécora / Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica / Made available in DSpace on 2018-08-20T08:12:42Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Silva_JoaoPauloda_M.pdf: 4733188 bytes, checksum: eafa56a24fccf56e0480ae89bf0d28cb (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012 / Resumo: O café é um importante produto na balança comercial brasileira e seu processamento gera a casca como um resíduo. O objetivo deste trabalho foi a caracterização física, termoquímica e fluidodinâmica da casca de café (coffea arábica, L) visando sua aplicação em processo de pirólise convencional em reator mecanicamente agitado e posterior caracterização das frações líquida e sólida geradas. O trabalho envolveu as seguintes etapas: (i) caracterização física e termoquímica da casca de café moída; (ii) ensaios fluidodinâmicos no leito contendo mistura binária casca de café-areia (5% de biomassa na mistura); (iii) ensaios de pirólise em reator mecanicamente agitado; e (iv) caracterização das frações sólida e líquida geradas no processo de pirólise. A etapa de caracterização das partículas envolveu a determinação da análise granulométrica, esfericidade, massas específicas, razão de Hausner, análise elementar, análise imediata, poder calorífico, análise termogravimétrica e diferencial térmica, análises da composição das cinzas e análise do teor de hemicelulose, celulose e lignina. Os ensaios de pirólise foram realizados seguindo um planejamento experimental composto central rotacional com objetivo de avaliar a influência da taxa de aquecimento (8 a 22 °C/min) e do tempo de estabilidade entre os estágios de aquecimento (1,2 a 6,8 min) sobre o rendimento da fração líquida. O maior rendimento da fração líquida foi de 56,5 %, obtido em uma taxa de aquecimento de 22°C/min e tempo de estabilidade entre os estágios de aquecimento de 4 min. Na etapa de caracterização do carvão vegetal gerado foram determinadas as massas especificas, análise elementar, análise imediata, poder calorífico, análise termogravimétrica e diferencial térmica, além da determinação da velocidade mínima de fluidização no leito contendo a mistura carvão-areia (5% de biomassa na mistura). A fração líquida foi submetida à análise de umidade, pH, poder calorífico e cromatografia gasosa acoplada a espectrometria de massa. Os resultados dos ensaios fluidodinâmicos mostraram que a presença de 5% (em massa) de casca de café no leito provoca o aumento da velocidade de mínima fluidização em 45%. Foi verificado que a casca de café possui um grande potencial como fonte energética para aplicação em processos de pirólise em função das propriedades do carvão e do líquido gerado em temperaturas superiores a 300oC. A composição e teor de cinzas da casca de café também fazem do carvão uma boa opção como fertilizante em função dos nutrientes presentes. Em todas as frações líquidas geradas foram observados compostos com aplicações industriais, mostrando que o óleo obtido através da pirólise da casca de café possui potencial não só como combustível, mas também como fonte de componentes para a indústria química / Abstract: Coffee is an important product in the Brazilian commercial balance and its processing generates husks as waste. In order to increase information available about coffee husks biomass and its energetic potential, this work presents an experimental study including: (i) physical and thermo-chemical characterization of grinded coffee husks; (ii) hydrodynamics tests to minimum fluidization velocity determination of the binary mixture coffee husks-sand (5% weight fraction of biomass); (iii) pyrolysis tests in a mechanically agitated bed; and (iv) characterization of pyrolysis solid and liquid products. The particle characterization step included the determination of particle size distribution, sphericity, densities, Hausner ratio, ultimate and proximate analysis, heating value, thermo-gravimetric analysis, thermo-differential analysis, ash composition, and hemicelluloses, cellulose and lignin content. The pyrolysis tests were carried out following a central composite rotate design of experiments in order to evaluate the heating rate (from 8 to 22oC/min) and the time between the heating stages (from 1.2 to 6.8min) on the bio oil yield. The bio-oil greatest yield was 56.5% that was obtained using a heating rate of 22oC/min and time between the heating stages of 4min. The bio-char characterization involved density, ultimate and proximate analyses, heating value, thermo-gravimetric analysis, differential thermal analyses and determination of the minimum fluidization velocity of the char-sand mixture (5% weight fraction of biomass). The liquid fraction was submitted to moisture, pH, heating value and gas chromatography (using a mass spectrometer) analysis. Results from hydrodynamics studies show that the presence of 5% biomass in the bed material increases the minimum fluidized bed velocity about 45%. Pyrolysis results show that coffee husks presents a good potential as feedstock to the process due to char and bio-oil (fractions obtained at temperatures higher than 300oC) properties. Additionally, results from ash characterization showed that the bio-char produced presents a good potential as fertilizer. High values chemical compounds were identified in the produced liquid fractions, showing that this product presents high potential, not only as a fuel, but also as a source of chemical compounds to the chemical industry / Mestrado / Termica e Fluidos / Mestre em Engenharia Mecânica

The sorption characteristics of hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] onto bone char and bio-char were evaluated as a function of pH, initial Cr(VI) concentration, and dosages of bone char and bio-char. Batch tests were conducted by using synthetic wastewater in this study. The effects of various initial Cr(VI) concentrations between 5 mg/L and 1000 mg/L were evaluated using bone char as a sorbent. A Cr(VI) removal efficiency of 100 % was achieved at pH 1 with 2 g of bone char in 50 mL of solution at 3 hours of reaction time using initial Cr(VI) concentration of 10 mg/L. About 100 % of Cr(VI) was removed at pH 2 with initial Cr(VI) concentrations of 10 mg/L using 4 g of bio-char in 200 mL of solution at 5 hours of reaction time. The initial Cr(VI) concentrations were varied between 10 mg/L and 500 mg/L when bio-char was used as the sorbent. The maximum sorption capacities of bone char and bio-char were determined to 6.46 mg Cr(VI)/g, and 1.717 mg Cr(VI)/g, respectively. Equilibrium, kinetics, and isotherms of the sorption process were also investigated. The sorption kinetics of Cr(VI) onto bone char and bio-char followed the second order kinetic model suggesting that the sorption reaction rate depends on two parameters, which might be the sorbate concentration and sorbent dosage. The Langmuir isotherm model was the best one for the description of sorption of Cr(VI) onto bone char and bio-char.

To release energy from chemically stored energy in the biomass was the new investigation in recent years. Utilizing of biomass for this purpose occur in two different ways, directly by burning (combustion) the biomass and indirectly by pyrolysis process which will convert the biomass to three main products, bio- tar, bio- char and synthetic gas. Biomass contains different amount of inorganic compound, especially alkali metals which causes some diverse impacts on combustion, pyrolysis and gasification process such as corrosion, agglomeration and fouling problems. This project aims to investigate the effect of K2CO3 on the pyrolysis and gasification processes of three different types of fuel; wood pellets, forest residue pellets and synthetic waste pellets at three different temperatures, 750 °C, 850 °C and 900 °C respectively. The purpose of this work to study and clarify the influence of K2CO3 on char yield, tar yield and tar compositions and the gasification rate and the reactivity of different fuels char. The pyrolysis process was carried out in a fluidized bed reactor during 2 minutes and the products were tar, char and synthetic gas. In this project interested in char and tar only. Char yield calculated and the results shows the char yield increase with increasing of [K2CO3]. While the tar analysis carried on GC- MS instrument at HB to study the tar yield and compositions. The results showed that potassium carbonate has not so much effect on tar yield and its composition. The last part was gasified the char in TGA with steam and CO2 as oxidizing media to study the influence of [K2CO3] on gasification rate and the reactivity of char samples at different temperatures. The result showed the [K2CO3] has inhibitory effect on gasification rate and the reactivity.

Biomass waste has been recognised as a promising, renewable source for future transport fuels. With 1.7 million hectares of pine plantation forests and 12 million cubic meters of annual residue produced by sawmills and the pulp and paper industries, New Zealand presents a prime location where utilisation of these resources can take the next step towards creating a more environmentally friendly future. In this research, the process of fast pyrolysis was investigated using a laboratoryscale, nitrogen-blown fluidised bed pyrolyser at CRL Energy. This equipment can process 1–1.5 kg/h of woody biomass in a temperature range of 450–550°C. The purpose of this rig was to determine the impact of various processing parameters on bio-oil yields. Next, the pyrolysis liquids (bio-oil and tar) were processed downstream into bio-bitumen. Pyrolysis experiments were carried out on Pinus Radiata and Eucalyptus Nitens residue sawdust from sawmills and bark feedstock. The properties of the collected products, including pyrolysis liquids (bio-oil and tar), gas and solid bio-chars, were measured under different operational conditions. Further analysis was also performed to determine pH, volatile content, chemical composition and calorific values of the products. The ultimate goal for this project was to develop a feasible, advanced fast-pyrolysis system for a bio-bitumen production plant using various biomass feedstocks. Additionally, a design for a bio-bitumen production plant was developed, and techno-economic analysis was conducted on a number of plant production yield cases and bio-bitumen manufacture ratios.

Recent developments in converting biomass to bio-chemicals and liquid fuels provide a promising sight to an emerging biofuels industry. Biomass can be converted to energy via thermochemical and biochemical pathways. Thermal degradation processes include liquefaction, gasification, and pyrolysis. Among these biomass technologies, pyrolysis (i.e. a thermochemical conversion process of any organic material in the absence of oxygen) has gained more attention because of its simplicity in design, construction and operation. This research study focuses on comparative assessment of two types of pyrolysis processes and catalytic upgrading of bio-oil for production of transportation fuel intermediates. Slow and fast pyrolysis processes were compared for their respective product yields and properties. Slow pyrolysis bio-oil displayed fossil fuel-like properties, although low yields limit the process making it uneconomically feasible. Fast pyrolysis, on the other hand, show high yields but produces relatively less quality bio-oil. Catalytic transformation of the high-boiling fraction (HBF) of the crude bio-oil from fast pyrolysis was therefore evaluated by performing liquid-phase reactions at moderate temperatures using Pt/HZSM-5 catalyst. High yields of upgraded bio-oils along with improved heating values and reduced oxygen contents were obtained at a reaction temperature of 200°C and ethanol/HBF ratio of 3:1. Better quality, however, was observed at 240 °C even though reaction temperature has no significant effect on coke deposition. The addition of ethanol in the feed has greatly attenuated coke deposition in the catalyst. Major reactions observed are esterification, catalytic cracking, and reforming. Overall mass and energy balances in the conversion of energy sorghum biomass to produce a liquid fuel intermediate obtained sixteen percent (16 wt.%) of the biomass ending up as liquid fuel intermediate, while containing 26% of its initial energy.