Pyrolysis of rice straw; Effect of reaction parameter on the product yields and compositions

Abstract

Rice straw was pyrolysed in a fixed-bed reactor. The effect of pyrolysis temperature, heating rate and holding time on the yield of the products were investigated. Pyrolysis runs were performed using pyrolysis temperatures between 400 and 500°C with heating rates of 50 to 200°C/min and holding time from 0 min to 8 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 bio-oil yield, 25.3 wt% was obtained at 480 °C pyrolysis temperature with a heating rate of 100 °C/min and holding time for 4 min. 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 bio-oil yields.