INTRODUCTION

Pyrolysis
the thermal decomposition of biomass occurring in the absence of
oxygen.
This reaction involves molecular breakdown of larger molecules into
smaller molecules in presence of heat.
Pyro = heat. Lysis = break down.
It differs from combustion in that it occurs in the absence of air.
In practice, it is not possible to achieve a completely oxygen-free
atmosphere. Because some oxygen is present in any pyrolysis
system, a small amount of oxidation occurs.
The products of biomass pyrolysis include biochar, bio-oil and gases
including methane, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, and carbon
dioxide.
PYROLYSIS
FEEDSTOCK
Feedstock for pyrolysis
Many sources of organic matter can be used as
feedstock for pyrolysis. Suitable plant material
includes greenwaste, sawdust, waste wood,
woody weeds; and agricultural sources including
nut shells, straw, cotton trash, rice hulls, switch
grass; and animal waste including poultry litter,
dairy manure, and potentially other manures.
Pyrolysis is used as a form of thermal treatment to
reduce waste volumes of domestic refuse. Some
industrial byproducts are also suitable feedstock
including paper sludge and distillers grain.
 Feedstocks for Fast Pyrolysis
Any Organic Material
Pretreatment: sorting
Qualifications: none

Feedstocks for Slow Pyrolysis

Any Organic Material
Pretreatment: sorting
Qualifications: Waste must be pre-sorted and
processed to <6 mm (1 to 2 mm. preferred) and
<10% moisture content to assure high heat transfer
rate.
 benefits of feedstock
1. Feedstock production and collection: If the feedstock is a
residue, such as municipal biomass waste, logging or
cropping residues, or a by-product such as bagasse, then
production is less an economic issue than if the feedstock is
purposely grown for the production of biochar.
2. Use Tradeoff: This would include the potential nutrient value
lost from using feedstock for biochar production rather than
as a direct fertilizer on the field. How this trade off works will
vary on the area and on the feedstock. For example, chicken
litter may be valuable in some areas as a direct fertilizer while
in other areas it may be treated as a waste and represent a
disposal cost.
3. Feedstock storage and pre-processing: Many feedstocks will
need to be dried before pyrolysis. Depending on the
feedstock choice, the drying process could occur passively
through careful storage or may need more intervention
such as using a drier (thus requiring energy and labor). Energy
for drying could in some cases be obtained from the pyrolysis
of previous batches of feedstock.
PRETREATMENT
What is pretreatment of biomass?
The process that converts any source of lignocellulosic biomass
from its native form.
What is pretreatment in pyrolysis?
The process to make the materials (feedstock) more capable for
fuel production.
Two steps of pretreatment in pyrolysis :
Adding material to the biomass. ( the use of bases )
Removing material from the biomass . ( undergo drying )
Adding materials to the biomass
Removing materials from the biomass
 Type of Pyrolysis
Conventional / slow pyrolysis
used to modify the solid material, minimizing the oil produced.
long residence time (5-30 minutes)
low heating rate (10 C/s)
low temperature less than 450 C.
main product is biochar

Fast pyrolysis
maximize the gases and oil produced.
short residence time (0.5-2 seconds)
high heating rate (100 C/s)
temperature between 400-650 C.
produce bio-oil.
Ultra-fast / flash pyrolysis
maximize the gases and oil produced.
very short residence time ( < 0.5 seconds)
very high heating rate ( >500 C/s)
temperature between 700-1000 C.
produce gas mixtures.
 Conversion technology
What is conversion technology ?
The term conversion technology involve a broad range of technologies
used to convert solid waste into useful products, chemicals and fuels.
Conversion technology facilities convert energy stored in organic wastes to
chemicals and products which can be used to create energy or make new
products.
Pyrolysis being classified under thermochemical conversion.

Thermochemical Conversion :
Conversion under high temperature and pressure in the absence of oxygen.
Characterized by higher temperature and faster conversion rates.
Best suited for lower moisture feedstocks.
Flow diagram
 ADVANTAGES AND
DISADVANTAGES OF
PYROLYSIS
 ADVANTAGES
Toxic components and pathogens are
degraded

Reduction in volume of water

Reduce in biodegradable content of

residual waste

Low emission
 DISADVANTAGES
High operational and investment costs

Required air purification installation

Produced ashes that contain a high heavy

metal content
 LIMITATIONS
ON PYROLYSIS
 There is a limited market for some of the pyrolysis
products.
The oil extracted during scrap tyre pyrolysis are
useable as raw material in chemical or petroleum
feedstock.
In this case, a necessary requirement is therefore the
physical proximity of the pyrolysis facility to an oil
refinery
The same applies to the pyrolysis gases, which must
be used in part to fuel the facility`s own heating
processes.
Pyrolysis char, despite a number of potential uses as
carbon black, has not found stable or reliable
markets.
 There are specific feed size and materials handling
requirements that impact applicability or cost at
specific sites.
The technology requires drying of the soil to achieve
a low soil moisture content (< 1%).
Highly abrasive feed can potentially damage the
processor unit.
High moisture content increases treatment costs.
Treated media containing heavy metals may
require stabilization.
 PRODUCTS AND
APPLICATIONS OF
PYROLYSIS
 Product
of
Pyrolysis

Pyrolytic
gas
Bio-oils
Biochar
 Heating rate is quite slow. At low Rapid heating rates. At
temperature ( less than 450C ) high temperature
Increase the available nutrients for (greater than 8000C )
plant growth, water retention and Made up of carbon
reduce the amount of fertilizer. monoxide, and hydrogen
Reduces methane and nitrous oxide (85%) with smaller amounts
Biochar
emissions from soil, reducing GHGs of carbon dioxide and
emissions. methane.
Used as a soil amendment to increase High calorific value used
plant growth yield. as fuel to generate
electricity/steam.
Product Used as basic chemical in
Bio-oils of petrochemical industry.
Pyrolysis Less than half energy density
of natural gas.

At an intermediate temperature and

under relatively high heating rates.
Dark brown liquid and similar Pyrolytic
composition to biomass gas
Higher density than woody materials
which reduces storage and transport
costs.
Attractive for co-firing
Vital source for a wide range of organic
compounds and speciality chemicals.
 Applications of
pyrolysis

Direct use for production of heat or electricity

(e.g. gas combustion in spark ignition and compression ignition engines), either
directly or co-fired with coal
Production of individual gas components, including CH4, H2 or other
volatiles, or in production of liquid bio-fuels through synthesis
Some applications, the hot pyrolytic gas can be used to preheat the inert
sweeping gas or can be returned to the pyrolysis reactor as a carrier gas
Pyrolysis oil application is on small or large scale (co-)
combustion in natural gas, coal or heating oil fired
boilers, furnaces and turbines
Pyrolysis oil is (one of the) raw materials for biobased
chemicals and automotive fuels.
Biochar can be utilized in many applications as a
replacement for other biomass energy systems.
ENERGY STORAGE
SUPER CAPACITOR

A high-performing material that could

be integrated into computers,
handheld devices, electrical vehicles
and wind turbines to store energy.

Feedstock: cigarette butt

Cigarette butt can be used to coat the

electrodes of super capacitors
electrochemical components that
can store extremely large amounts of
electrical energy
 Carbon is the most popular material that super
capacitors are composed of, due to its low cost, high
surface area, high electrical conductivity and
long-term stability.

Cellulose acetate fibers that cigarette filters are mostly

composed of could be transformed into a carbon-
based material using a simple, one-step burning
technique called pyrolysis.

As a result of this pyrolysis process, the resulting

carbon-based material contained a number of tiny
pores, increasing its performance as a super
capacitive material.
A high-performing super capacitor material should
have a large surface area, which can be achieved
by incorporating a large number of small pores into
the material.

A combination of different pore sizes ensures that

the material has high power densities, which is an
essential property in a super capacitor for the fast
charging and discharging.

Once fabricated, the carbon-based material was

attached to an electrode and tested in a three-
electrode system to see how well the material
could adsorb electrolyte ions (charge) and then
release them (discharge
 ENVIROMENTAL
EFFECT OF PYROLYSIS
 biochars produced at higher pyrolysis
temperature (>400C) were less toxic so it is
suitable for soil application.
Gases, liquids and ashes are released that could
potentially harm the environment.
There is a need for back-up fuel, possibly
produced during the pyrolysis.
 Green
technology for
waste
management

waste
fully
recycled
PYROLYSIS to oil
energy

no
secondary
pollution
THANK YOU
any question?