A phenomenological model of the mechanisms of lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis processes

Sharma, Abhishek and Pareek, Vishnu and Wang, Shaobin and Zhang, Zhezi and Yang, Hong and Zhang, Dongke. 2014. A phenomenological model of the mechanisms of lignocellulosic biomass pyrolysis processes. Computers and Chemical Engineering. 60: pp. 231-241.

Source Title

Computers and Chemical Engineering

DOI

10.1016/j.compchemeng.2013.09.008

ISSN

00981354

Remarks

NOTICE: This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Computers & Chemical Engineering. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Computers & Chemical Engineering, Volume 60, 10 January 2014, Pages 231–241. <a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2013.09.008">http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.compchemeng.2013.09.008</a>

URI

http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11937/13823

Collection

Curtin Research Publications

Abstract

A comprehensive particle scale model for pyrolysis of biomass has been developed by coupling the reaction mechanisms and transport phenomena. The model, which also accounts for the combined effect of various parameters such as particle shrinkage and drying, was validated using available experimentaldata from the literature. The validated model was then used to study the effect of operating temperature and biomass particle size, both of which strongly influenced the rate of biomass conversion. For example, for particle sizes less than 1 mm, a uniform temperature throughout the particle was predicted, thus leading to higher conversion rates in comparison to those in the larger particles. On the other hand, any increase in moisture content led to considerable decrease in the rate of biomass conversion. For the operating conditions considered in this study, the volumetric particle shrinkage also increased the decomposition of biomass to end products.