Pyrolysis of agricultural residues from rape and sunflowers: Production and characterization of bio-fuels and biochar soil management

Abstract This research explores the opportunities of combining energy production with a biochar soil management using a pyrolysis process. Real-world issues justify this approach: the need to provide sustainable production systems that minimize on- and off-site pollution and soil degradation; and the demand for solutions to global warming. The proposed technology is a pyrolysis process that yields gas, bio-oil and biochar. The composition and heating value of the gas makes it suitable for use as a fuel. The bio-oil obtained may be evaluated as an environmentally friendly green biofuel candidate. The biochar product is carbon-rich and a potential solid biofuel. Other ways it might be used as a C and N source in soil amendment. This is a key to securing environmental benefits: the production of a biochar which can be applied to soil.

[1]  J. Werther,et al.  Sewage sludge combustion , 1999 .

[2]  J. A. Menéndez,et al.  On the pyrolysis of sewage sludge: the influence of pyrolysis conditions on solid, liquid and gas fractions , 2002 .

[3]  A. Morán,et al.  Pyrolysis of mixtures of sewage sludge and manure: a comparison of the results obtained in the laboratory (semi-pilot) and in a pilot plant. , 2007, Waste management.

[4]  John Gaunt,et al.  Bio-char Sequestration in Terrestrial Ecosystems – A Review , 2006 .

[5]  Ayhan Demirbas,et al.  Potential evolution of Turkish agricultural residues as bio-gas, bio-char and bio-oil sources , 2006 .

[6]  M. E. Sánchez,et al.  Pilot scale thermolysis of municipal solid waste: Combustibility of the products of the process and gas cleaning treatment of the combustion gases , 2007 .

[7]  M. E. Sánchez,et al.  Pyrolysis of tyres: A comparison of the results from a fixed-bed laboratory reactor and a pilot plant (rotatory reactor) , 2005 .

[8]  J. Weber,et al.  Co-pyrolysis of wood biomass and synthetic polymer mixtures. Part I: influence of experimental conditions on the evolution of solids, liquids and gases , 2002 .

[9]  Filiz Karaosmanoglu,et al.  Production and characterization of bio-oil and biochar from rapeseed cake , 2004 .

[10]  Thomas A. Milne,et al.  Pyrolysis oils from biomass : producing, analyzing, and upgrading , 1988 .

[11]  A. Bridgwater,et al.  An overview of fast pyrolysis of biomass , 1999 .

[12]  Z. Qi,et al.  Review of biomass pyrolysis oil properties and upgrading research , 2007 .

[13]  C. Roy,et al.  Hydrocarbon content of liquid products and tar from pyrolysis and gasification of wood , 1991 .