Experimental investigations on sugarcane bagasse pyrolytic oil production from flash pyrolysis using a rotary screw reactor

Abstract

A rotary screw pyro-oil reactor was designed for powdery biomass for a feeding capacity of 40 kg h −1 with a moisture content of <10%. The pyro-oil reactor temperature was maintained at 450-550 °C. The pyro-oil vapors produced were quickly drafted out of the reactor for quenching to yield 16-24 L h −1 from 40 kg h −1 of biomass feed. The flash-pyrolysis technique, which is capable of directly turning biomass into a liquid fuel, was used to produce liquid fuel (bio-oil). It was carried out at a pressure at 0.03 bar and at a medium temperature of about 550 °C. The flash-pyrolysis technique converts the entire biomass matter, excluding the ash. In this method the powdery biomass is converted into three components: bio-oil (the yield is typically 70% on an energy basis, a powdery biomass feed at a moisture content of 10%); pyrolysis gas (typical yield 14%) and char (typical yield 16%). The temperature of the fixed bed was adjusted in the experiment, but the other variables remained constant, such as the amount of feed, the pyrolysis time of the gas product, the reactor pressure and the bed height. A biomass particle size range of 1-3 mm and a biomass residence time of 20 s in the reactor resulted in optimal bio-oil production of 70%. This work demonstrated how precise pyrolysis mechanism processes and bio-oil yields can influence the maximal reaction temperature in the 450-550 °C range. The performance analysis reveals that the fixed bed reaction temperatures of biomass rapid pyrolysis give reliable control over the bio-oil reactor type and size. This paper provides an overview of the design and thermochemical liquefaction process used to convert powdered biomass to biofuel.

Sugarcane Bagasse: Challenges and Opportunities for Waste Recycling

“…The operation is characterized by high heating and temperature rates, a short steam length of stay (generally less than one second), and rapid cooling of the pyrolysis steam [80]. Ayyadurai and Arunachalam (2022) analyzed the pyrolytic oil produced from the flash pyrolysis of sugarcane bagasse, performed at a pressure of 0.03 bar and an average temperature of 550 • C. The flash pyrolysis process converted all biomass residues, excluding ash, into three components: bio-oil with 70% yield, pyrolysis gas with 14% yield, and charcoal with 16% yield [81]. Flash pyrolysis can mimic gasification under certain conditions, such as at temperatures exceeding 800 • C, length of stay in the reactor less than 1 s, heating rates exceeding 1000 • C•s −1 , and particles with sizes less than 0.2 mm.…”

A Sustainable Way to Generate Energy through Biomass Flash Pyrolysis in South Asia: A Green Energy Technology

“…Pyrolysis is the chemical decomposition of organic molecules at high temperatures in the absence of oxygen. The procedure is commonly carried out at temperatures over 430°C and under pressure (Ayyadurai, 2022). It is an irreversible process involving both a physical phase transition and a chemical composition change.…”