University of Extremadura

About: University of Extremadura is a education organization based out in Badajoz, Spain. It is known for research contribution in the topics: Population & Hyperspectral imaging. The organization has 7856 authors who have published 18299 publications receiving 396126 citations. The organization is also known as: Universidad de Extremadura.

Pyrolysis of two agricultural residues: Olive and grape bagasse. Influence of particle size and temperature

Abstract: The pyrolysis of olive and grape bagasse has been studied with the aim of determining the main characteristics of the charcoals formed and the nature and quantity of gases and liquids produced. Variables investigated were temperature between 300 and 900°C and particle size between 0.4 and 2 mm diameter. Experiments were carried out in an isothermal manner. As a general rule, particle size does not exert any influence, whereas temperature is a very significant variable. Thus an increase in this variable yields an increase in the fixed carbon content, gases produced and, to a lesser extent, ash percentage. On the other hand, volatile material and solid yields decrease with increasing temperature. The principal gases generated are H2, CH4, CO and CO2, while among the liquid components the presence of methanol, acetone, furfuryl alcohol, phenol, furfural, naphthalene and o-cresol has to be highlighted. Heating values of both gas and solid phases were determined from gas composition and elemental carbon analysis. The quality of charcoals and heating value allow the conclusion that the most convenient temperature for the pyrolysis should be between 600 and 700°C, at which the production of liquids is at its maximum. Finally, a kinetic study of the pyrolysis, based on gas generation from thermal decomposition of residues, has been carried out. From this model, rate constants for the formation of each gas and their corresponding activation energies were determined.