Digital Commons Network^™

Investigating Potential Pathways To Optimize The Effectiveness Of The Pyrolysis Process, Matthew John Klaas

Digitized Theses

Biomass pyrolysis is a method of green fuel production, but the process is still unrefined and has a need for further optimization and process exploration. Since the process has many variables, it is important to try and identify and optimize variables which have a large impact on the process and the products.

The first portion of investigation was the steam reforming of the pyrolytic chars from different biomasses to produce a hydrogen-rich gas. Since there is a need to remove the char from the bed (fluidization disruption, reduction in bio-oil yields) and there is currently no continuous char removal system …

New Approaches To Obtain Pesticides From Biomass Pyrolysis, Mohammad M. Hossain

Digitized Theses

Biomass can be converted into fuel and value-added products (e.g., biopesticides) by thermochemical processes (e.g., pyrolysis). Lignin, cellulose, and hemicelluloses are the principal components o f plant biomass. All three biomass components were individually, as well as in mixture, pyrolyzed at 550°C in a 0.078 m diameter, 0.52 m high fluidized bed reactor with nitrogen as the fluidizing gas and silica sand as the bed material. The first objective ofthis study was to determine which biomass fractions are responsible for the insecticide activity of biomass bio-oil, by testing the individual toxicity (LC50) of lignin, cellulose and hemicellulose bio-oils, toxicities o …

An Investigation Of Biochar Removal Systems For Pyrolysis Reactors, Craig Charles Wilson Mara

Digitized Theses

Fluidized bed biomass pyrolysis is a process that is becoming popular for the conversion of agricultural, municipal and forestry residues into liquid bio-oils, solid biochar and gaseous products. Bio-oil vapors leave the reactor vessel with the produced gases. Also produced however, is a low density biochar particles which accumulate in the bed. Though some fine biochar particles can be elutriated, a significant amount remains in the bed. Accumulation of biochar leads to poor process stability and defluidization of the bed. Moreover, biochar may have negative effects on the pyrolysis reactions. In the current implementation of a mobile pyrolysis unit, the …

An Investigation Of A Novel Gas-Solid Separator For Downer Reactors, Martin R.J. Huard

Digitized Theses

Rapid gas-solid separation is a critical stage in many industrial applications, such as fluid k *-

lytic cracking (FCC), heavy oil upgrading, and biomass pyrolysis. In these applications, act gases must be separated quickly and efficiently from catalyst or heat-bearing particles to srminate cracking reactions. Several rapid separation devices have been proposed to achieve sse demands. However, most proposed designs were intended for FCC processes. Very few

gas-solid separators have been proposed specifically for biomass pyrolysis. A novel gas-solid separator for biomass pyrolysis in a downer reactor is investigated in this jesis. An experimental study is performed to identify important …