Woody biomass waste
(Pinus radiata) has been pyrolyzed
in a laboratory-scale continuous pyrolysis plant, formed by two reactors
connected in series: one continuous auger reactor, where the pyrolysis
process is performed, and a tubular reactor for vapors upgrading,
where the thermal treatment of the pyrolysis vapors occurs to promote
further cracking. The pyrolysis reactor has four different heating
zones that allows programming different temperature profiles. An extensive
and detailed thermal study has been performed using temperatures covering
the range from 300 °C to 900 °C in regimes of scaling temperature
profiles and isothermal profiles. Both the peak temperature and the
heating rate affect the pyrolysis fraction yields, as well as products
composition. Higher temperatures result in higher gas yield and lower
solid and liquid yields. Increasing the temperature also increases
the fixed and elemental carbon contents of the charcoal obtained,
and decreases its volatile matter and the hydrogen and oxygen contents.
Concerning gas fraction, the share of CO and hydrogen rises with the
temperature. The increase of temperature gives rise to heavier liquids
with more polycyclic compounds and less monocyclic compounds. The
changes in the composition of the charcoal and gas products are more
prominent between 300 °C and 700 °C. Compared to nonisothermal
experiments, isothermal experiments enhance the production of gases,
to the detriment of solid and liquids, but do not affect product composition.