Abstract
ABSTRACT: This research valorized Pachira aquatica Aubl.’s fruit shells (PAS) through its energetic characterization and flash pyrolysis for biofuels or chemicals production. The characterization was performed through proximate and ultimate analysis, bulk density, higher heating value (HHV), hemicellulose, cellulose and lignin content, thermogravimetric analysis and absorption spectra in the infrared region obtained by Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy technique (FTIR). The analytical flash pyrolysis was performed at 500°C in a Py-5200 HP-R coupled to a gas chromatograph (Py-GC/MS). The PAS biomass presents potential for thermochemical energy conversion processes due to its low moisture and ash content, 76.90% of volatile matter, bulk density of 252.6 kg/m3 and HHV of 16.24 MJ/kg. Flash pyrolysis products are mostly phenols or light organic acids derived from the decomposition of polysaccharides. Results confirmed the potential of PAS to produce bio-phenolics, such as 4-methoxyphenol which is an important active ingredient for skin depigmentation used in drugs and cosmetics, and as phenolic extract that can be used as a precursor to resins, applications that convert this forest waste into bio products for industry into a green circular economy.
Highlights
The use of lignocellulosic biomass as energy source has aroused worldwide interest due to its economic potential and environmental concerns of reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and emissions of polluting gases (ODETOYE et al, 2019)
This study investigated the potential for sustainable use of Pachira aquatica residues from Brazil to produce bio-oil via flash pyrolysis
The Pachira aquatica fruits shells (PAS) presented 90% of the particles with a diameter of 112.9 μm according to the laser granulometric analysis
Summary
The use of lignocellulosic biomass as energy source has aroused worldwide interest due to its economic potential and environmental concerns of reducing the dependence on fossil fuels and emissions of polluting gases (ODETOYE et al, 2019). It can be exploited to generate other products with added value (CARVALHO et al, 2020) Different biomasses, such as wood (VARMA et al, 2019), agricultural wastes (HAWASH et al, 2017) and microalgae (LI et al, 2019), have been studied in the literature with the goal of obtaining. Among the different biomass processing technologies for energy purposes, pyrolysis is noteworthy, which is characterized by the thermal decomposition of organic materials in the absence of oxygen producing a solid fraction (biochar), noncondensable gases and condensable liquids (biooil), which are precursor to chemicals, fertilizers, liquid fuels and hydrogen (VALLE et al, 2019; CAMPUZANO et al, 2019; TAHIR et al, 2019; HUANG et al, 2019; ARAVIND et al, 2020). Several alternatives for bio-oil valorization include physical treatments, such as fractional condensation and thermal treatment; catalytic pyrolysis of biomass; the ex-situ catalytic cracking of volatile compounds resulting from biomass pyrolysis, aiming the production of olefins and aromatics; hydrodeoxygenation (HDO) of pyrolysis products to produce fuels; the cracking of crude bio-oil in projected units, aiming specific selection of compounds; and processing in fluidized catalytic cracking units (FCC) (VALLE et al, 2019; CAMPUZANO et al, 2019)
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