DEVELOPMENT OF PYROLYSIS REACTOR FOR THERMAL DEGRADATION OF BIOMASS WASTES

Abstract

Now-a-days production of Bio-fuel is a prime concern in the world due to decrease in other fuel sources. The conversion of sugarcane bagasse into bio-oil by fixed bed reactor was carried out in this study. A 35.3 litres fixed bed reactor was designed and fabricated for obtaining liquid oil from biomass solid waste. The major components of the system are: fixed bed reactor, cyclone and air condenser (radiator). The fixed bed reactor has overall dimensions of 238 mm in diameter and 794 mm in height with handling capacity of 3 kg of feedstock per batch. It was incorporated with 2 kW heating element at the base for thermal degradation of the biomass. The sugarcane bagasse was sundried for 4 days to reduce the moisture content and milled into powder form of particle size < 1 mm. It was then pyrolyzed in the fixed bed reactor developed. The reactor was heated internally to an optimum temperature of 500oC and the maximum bio-oil yield obtained at the optimum temperature was 56.5 % wt. The bio-oil obtained was characterized for fuel properties using proximate and ultimate analysis. The higher heating value of the bio-oil was 17.33 MJkg-1. This research work has provided information on production of bio-oil from sugarcane bagasse thereby serves as means of converting waste to wealth and reducing pollution from our environment