Prediction of biomass pyrolysis plant products

Recent problems about fossil fuels and environmental pollution carried to an even great interest about alternative energy sources and green-energy. Conversion of biomass in energy through biochemical and thermochemical process is one of the most promising and sustainable solution and, among thermochemical processes, pyrolysis is one of the most investigated. Different setting of parameters allow obtaining various types of pyrolysis processes, resulting in a different distribution in product yield. Before designing the simulation, Authors collected some literature data about existing biomass pyrolysis plant and products obtained through different kind of this process. Layout of simulation is based on a pilot-plant located in Caltagirone (Sicily). The simulation is developed in this paper through CHEMCAD software. The work has two aims: 1. Try to enhance percentage of bio-oil production modifying operative parameter; 2. Give a preliminary parameters and results to improve the process in a real plant. Authors show a synthesis of real pyrolysis plant showing type, steam and dimension of biomass and describing operative parameters as heating rate, residence time and maximum temperature reached during the process. Moreover, there is an overview of the entire production cycle, with a description of equipment such as type of reactor, heat exchangers and equipment of gas washing section, until obtaining of final products. Process is simulated in CHEMCAD through a K-Reactor block able to reproduce the reaction that occurs during pyrolysis. After products are discharged from the reactor, solid particles are collected in a tank whereas gas fraction carry on towards the other section of the plant to be treated. Through gas washing section and cooling process, condensable fraction is obtained and liquid phase is separated from gaseous fraction. To check reliability of results, the percentages of three products are compared with the ones collected through literature researches and there is a matching between them.