Process optimization of an auger pyrolyzer with heat carrier using response surface methodology.

A 1 kg/h auger reactor utilizing mechanical mixing of steel shot heat carrier was used to pyrolyze red oak wood biomass. Response surface methodology was employed using a circumscribed central composite design of experiments to optimize the system. Factors investigated were: heat carrier inlet temperature and mass flow rate, rotational speed of screws in the reactor, and volumetric flow rate of sweep gas. Conditions for maximum bio-oil and minimum char yields were high flow rate of sweep gas (3.5 standard L/min), high heat carrier temperature (∼600 °C), high auger speeds (63 RPM) and high heat carrier mass flow rates (18 kg/h). Regression models for bio-oil and char yields are described including identification of a novel interaction effect between heat carrier mass flow rate and auger speed. Results suggest that auger reactors, which are rarely described in literature, are well suited for bio-oil production. The reactor achieved liquid yields greater than 73 wt.%.

[1]  A. Bridgwater.  Review of fast pyrolysis of biomass and product upgrading , 2012 .

[2]  Cedric Briens,et al.  A Review of Short Residence Time Cracking Processes , 2005 .

[3]  Manuel Garcia-Perez,et al.  Production and fuel properties of pine chip bio-oil/biodiesel blends , 2007 .

[4]  R. Kuehl.  Design of Experiments: Statistical Principles of Research Design and Analysis , 1999 .

[5]  Dipankar Ghosh,et al.  Response surface methodology for process parameter optimization of hydrogen yield by the metabolically engineered strain Escherichia coli DJT135. , 2010, Bioresource technology.

[6]  C. M. Lakshmanan,et al.  Production of Levoglucosan by Pyrolysis of Carbohydrates , 1969 .

[7]  Philip H. Steele,et al.  The Potential Use of Whole-tree Biomass for Bio-oil Fuels , 2009 .

[8]  P. Badger,et al.  Use of mobile fast pyrolysis plants to densify biomass and reduce biomass handling costs—A preliminary assessment , 2006 .

[9]  Philip H. Steele,et al.  Wood/plastic copyrolysis in an auger reactor: Chemical and physical analysis of the products , 2009 .

[10]  Nicolaus Dahmen,et al.  Cost estimate for biosynfuel production via biosyncrude gasification , 2009 .

[11]  F. Abnisa,et al.  Optimization and characterization studies on bio-oil production from palm shell by pyrolysis using response surface methodology. , 2011 .

[12]  Lakshman Pernenkil,et al.  A review on the continuous blending of powders , 2006 .

[13]  M. Antal,et al.  The Art, Science, and Technology of Charcoal Production† , 2003 .

[14]  Joan Rieradevall,et al.  Valorisation of forestry waste by pyrolysis in an auger reactor. , 2011, Waste management.

[15]  Dinesh Mohan,et al.  Sorption of arsenic, cadmium, and lead by chars produced from fast pyrolysis of wood and bark during bio-oil production. , 2007, Journal of colloid and interface science.

[16]  William J. Hill,et al.  A Review of Response Surface Methodology: A Literature Survey* , 1966 .

[17]  Gregory R. Ziegler,et al.  Residence time distribution in a co-rotating, twin-screw continuous mixer by the step change method , 2003 .

[18]  E. Henrich,et al.  The BTL2 process of biomass utilization entrained-flow gasification of pyrolyzed biomass slurries , 2006, Applied biochemistry and biotechnology.

[19]  Dinesh Mohan,et al.  Pyrolysis of Wood and Bark in an Auger Reactor: Physical Properties and Chemical Analysis of the Produced Bio-oils , 2008 .

[20]  Daren E. Daugaard,et al.  Techno-Economic Analysis of Biomass Fast Pyrolysis to Transportation Fuels , 2010 .

[21]  M. Schnitzer,et al.  The conversion of chicken manure to biooil by fast pyrolysis I. Analyses of chicken manure, biooils and char by 13C and 1H NMR and FTIR spectrophotometry , 2007, Journal of environmental science and health. Part. B, Pesticides, food contaminants, and agricultural wastes.

[22]  Henri Berthiaux,et al.  Experimental study of the stirring conditions taking place in a pilot plant continuous mixer of particulate solids , 2005 .

[23]  Sushil Adhikari,et al.  Physiochemical properties of bio-oil produced at various temperatures from pine wood using an auger reactor. , 2010, Bioresource technology.

[24]  B. C. Meikap,et al.  Optimization of production conditions for activated carbons from Tamarind wood by zinc chloride using response surface methodology. , 2010, Bioresource technology.

[25]  Anthony V. Bridgwater,et al.  Fast pyrolysis of biomass : a handbook , 1999 .

[26]  D. W. Camp.  Mild coal gasification screw pyrolyzer development and design , 1990 .

[27]  Tim C. Keener,et al.  Coal desulfurization by mild pyrolysis in a dual-auger coal feeder , 1997 .

[28]  A. Bridgwater,et al.  Fast pyrolysis processes for biomass , 2000 .

[29]  D. Mohan,et al.  Pyrolysis of Wood/Biomass for Bio-oil: A Critical Review , 2006 .

[30]  J. Brown.  Development of a lab-scale auger reactor for biomass fast pyrolysis and process optimization using response surface methodology , 2009 .