Performance analysis and biofuels conversion yield correlations for solar-thermal wood chips pyrolysis reactor using response surface methodology

Abstract

The development of innovative sustainable methods and strategies for the conversion of biomass and waste materials to clean and alternative fuels using renewable power systems are needed to foster the clean energy transition. The main objective of this study is to optimize the performance of the pyrolysis reactor powered with solar parabolic trough collector (PTC) to maximize the quantity and quality of the biofuels production. The goal is to develop sustainable thermal conversion processes for the conversion of biomass and solid waste to renewable fuels. An integrated Modeling and simulation analysis based on the mass and energy balance of the thermal conversion process of the biomass (wood waste) and response surface methodology (RMS) for the optimization of the biofuel (bio-oil) yields was used in the present study. The effects of three main input factors: biomass volumetric flow rate, solar irradiance and biomass particle diameter on the performance of the PTC pyrolysis reactor were determined. The results show an average monthly bio-oil production of 44.58% by weight. The maximum bio-oil yield through the year occurs in May and June and it is around 58% by weight. Three new correlations for biofuel yields based on the three input factors were developed. The coefficients of determination R 2 for the three correlations were between 0.8951 and 0.9986 (0.14–10.49% errors). The perturbation graph of bio-oil conversion yield shows that the most significant input factor is the solar irradiance followed by biomass volumetric flow rate and then the particle diameter. The optimum conditions for bio-oil production (volume flow rate = 0.0058 m 3 /h; solar irradiance = 918 W/m 2 , and biomass particle diameter of 8 mm) for the selected pyrolysis reactor are also determined. The results obtained in the course of this study show the benefits of using solar thermal energy for the conversion of biomass and solid waste to renewable and alternative fuels.