PRODUCT COMPOSITION AND KINETICS OF FLASH PYROLYSIS OF ERICA-ARBOREA (BIOMASS)

Erica Arborea flash pyrolysis experiments were performed in a captive sample reactor. The effects of temperature and moisture content on the yields and compositions of the products were investigated. The particle size of Erica Arborea, the temperature of pyrolysis, the residence time and the heating rates were varied in the ranges 100-500 muM 100-700-degrees-C, 0.1-1.0 s and 100-150-degrees-C/s respectively. The experiments were carried out at atmospheric pressure under nitrogen. Elemental analysis was carried out on the char, and the heat content of the char was estimated. Char yield decreases with temperature, approaching the asymptotic value of 23 wt.% (dry wood) at 500-degrees-C, while the total gas yield increases with temperature. Tar yield shows a maximum of 45 wt.% (dry wood) at approx. 400-degrees-C. The gases produced from the pyrolysis of Erica Arborea consist mainly of H-2, CO, CO2, CH4, C2H4 and C2H6. The main products are CO and CO2. Both increase with temperature, the latter increasing at a lower rate. The heat content of the char varies from 24.500 to 30.200 kJ/kg. Experiments combined with the Anthony and Howard model allowed us to estimate the kinetic parameters of the total weight loss and of the CO, CO2, CH4, C2H4 yields.