Pyrolysis of rice straw; The effect of pyrolysis temperature and heating rate on the product yields

Abstract

Rice straw was pyrolysed in a fixed-bed reactor. The effect of pyrolysis temperature and heating rate on the yield of the products were investigated. Pyrolysis runs were performed using pyrolysis temperatures between 400 and 500oC with heating rates of 50, 80, 100, 150 and 200oC/min. The obtained bio-char, bio-oil and gas yields ranged between 27.3 and 41.1 wt%, 16.6 and 25 wt%, and 38.2 and 53.5 wt% respectively, at different pyrolysis conditions. The highest liquid yield was obtained at 480oC pyrolysis temperature with a heating rate of 100oC/min. Employing the higher heating rate of 100oC results in maximum bio-oil yield, probably due to the decrease in mass transfer limitations. According to the results obtained under the condition of this study, the effect of pyrolysis temperatures are more significant than the effect of heating rate on the yields.