Pyrolysis of Rice Husk in a Fixed Bed Reactor

Fixed-bed slow pyrolysis experiments of rice husk have been conducted to determine the effect of pyrolysis temperature, heating rate, particle size and reactor length on the pyrolysis product yields. Pyrolysis experiments were performed at pyrolysis temperature between 400 and 600°C with a constant heating rate of 60°C/min and particle sizes of 0.60-1.18 mm. The optimum process conditions for maximum liquid yield from the rice husk pyrolysis in a fixed bed reactor were also identified. The highest liquid yield was obtained at a pyrolysis temperature of 500°C, particle size of 1.18-1.80 mm, with a heating rate of 60°C/min in a 300 mm length reactor. The obtained yield of, liquid, gas and solid were found be in the range of 22.57-31.78 %, 27.75-42.26 % and 34.17-42.52 % (all weight basics) respectively at different pyrolysis conditions. The results indicate that the effects of pyrolysis temperature and particle size on the pyrolysis yield are more significant than that of heating rate and reactor length. The functional groups and chemical compositions present in the liquid obtained at optimum conditions were identified by Fourier Transform-Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and Gas Chromatography/ Mass Spectroscopy (GC/MS) analysis respectively.

Authors:

• Natarajan. E
• Ganapathy Sundaram. E

Keywords:

• Slow pyrolysis
• Rice husk
• Recycling
• Biomass.

References:

[1] J.M. Encinar, F.J. Beltran and A.Bernalte, "Pyrolysis of two agricultural
residues: Olive and grape bagasse. Influence of particle size and
temperature," Biomass and bio energy, vol 11, pp. 397-409, 1996.
[2] P.T. Williams and S. Besler, "The influence of Temperature and heating
rate on the slow pyrolysis of biomass," Renewable Energy, vol 3, pp.
233-250, 1996.
[3] Suat Ucar and R. Ahmet, "Characterization of products from the
pyrolysis of rapeseed oil cake," Bioresource technology, vol 99, pp.
8771-8776, 2008.
[4] A. Abdullah and H. Gerhauser, "Bio-oil derived from empty fruit
bunches," Fuel, vol 87, pp. 2606-2613, 2008.
[5] P.Das, T.Sreelatha and G. Anuradda, "Bio oil from pyrolysis of cashew
nut shell-characterization and related properties," Biomass and
Bioenergy, vol 27, pp. 265-275, 2004.
[6] O. ozlem, O.M.Kockar, "Fixed-bed pyrolysis of rapeseed," Biomass and
bioenergy, vol 26, pp. 289-299, 2004.
[7] S.Sensoz, and D. Angin, "Pyrolysis of safflower seed press cake: part 1.
The effects of pyrolysis parameters on the product yields," bio resource
technology, vol 99, pp. 5492-5497, 2008
[8] A.E. Putun, E. Apaydin and E. Putun, "Bio-oil production from
pyrolysis and steam pyrolysis of soybean-cake; Product yields and
composition," Energy, vol 27; pp. 703-713, 2002.
[9] R. Zanzi, K. Sjostrom and E. Bjornbom, "Rapid pyrolysis of agricultural
residues at high temperature," Biomass and bio energy, vol 23, pp. 357-
366, 2002.
[10] S. Sensoz, I. Demiral, H.F. Gercel, "Olive bagase Pyrolysis," Bio
resource technology, vol 97, ;pp. 429-436, 2006.
[11] J.T. Alberto, Weihong Yang, Wlodzimierz Blasia, "Pyrolysis
characteristics and global kinetics of coconut and cashew nut shells,"
Fuel Processing Technology, vol 87, pp. 523-550, 2006.
[12] Yun Ju Hwang, S.K. Jeong and J.S.Shin, "High capacity disordered
carbons obtained from coconut shells as anode materials for lithium
batteries," Journal of Alloys and Compounds, vol. 448, pp. 141-147,
2008.