Abstract
Pyrolysis of biomass including palm shell, palm kernel, and cassava pulp residue was studied in a laboratory free-fall reactor with three separated hot zones. The effects of pyrolysis temperature (250–1050°C) and particle size (0.18–1.55 mm) on the distribution and properties of pyrolysis products were investigated. A higher pyrolysis temperature and smaller particle size increased the gas yield but decreased the char yield. Cassava pulp residue gave more volatiles and less char than those of palm kernel and palm shell. The derived solid product (char) gave a high calorific value of 29.87 MJ/kg and a reasonably high BET surface area of 200 m2/g. The biooil from palm shell is less attractive to use as a direct fuel, due to its high water contents, low calorific value, and high acidity. On gas composition, carbon monoxide was the dominant component in the gas product. A pyrolysis model for biomass pyrolysis in the free-fall reactor was developed, based on solving the proposed two-parallel reactions kinetic model and equations of particle motion, which gave excellent prediction of char yields for all biomass precursors under all pyrolysis conditions studied.
Highlights
Pyrolysis is a viable thermal process for efficient and economical conversion of biomass into alternative energy in forms of solid char, liquid biooil, and combustible gases [1]
The high volatile matter found in the samples suggests the high potential of these residues for energy production by pyrolysis [12]; high levels of volatile matter result in more liquid and gas fuel to be obtained from the pyrolysis process
The fixed carbon content is the carbon found in the biomass that is left after volatile matters are driven off and it is used as an estimate of the amount of solid product left after the pyrolysis of biomass [13]
Summary
Pyrolysis is a viable thermal process for efficient and economical conversion of biomass into alternative energy in forms of solid char, liquid biooil, and combustible gases [1]. Fast or flash pyrolysis is a thermal decomposition process that occurs at a high heating rate and short mean residence time. A laboratory free-fall reactor with a central heated zone is proposed for the study of biomass flash pyrolysis. A free-fall reactor has been widely used in laboratory studies on flash pyrolysis due to the following advantages: it provides high heating rate, determinations of mass balance and mean residence time are simple and straightforward [6], the mean residence time can be moderately controlled [6], and the kinetic parameters can be conveniently examined from the pyrolysis results. The present work aims to study the distribution and properties of pyrolysis products from three types of biomass wastes, namely, palm shell, palm kernel cake, and cassava pulp residue in a three-zone free-fall reactor as well as the kinetic modeling of the pyrolysis process
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call
