Simulation and Experimental Continuous Biochar Production from Flower Waste
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Date
2018-10
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Publisher
Addis Ababa University
Abstract
Pyrolysis plays a major role in investigation of continuous biochar production from flower
waste. It is a thermal decomposition processes that occurs at moderate temperatures in which
the biomass is slowly heated in the absence of oxygen or air to produce biochar.
Once the flower have been harvested its waste is usually thrown away without consideration
for other uses. Freesia Ethiopia Plc. is one of the flower producer in Ethiopia located in Sululta.
It produces approximately 700kg waste per day. This waste is thrown away to the field without
considering for other use. As fossil fuel is depleting, there is an urgent need to exploit any type
of biomass as renewable sources by converting them to various forms of green fuels such as
biochar.
The main objective of this research is to use simulation and experimental investigation of
continuous biochar production from flower waste. The simulation is done by modelling two
reactors the inner and outer and simulating the temperature distribution along the length of the
reactor and energy flows through them.
The overall methods used for this research paper is described as follows. First feed stock
collection, preparation, its ultimate and proximate analysis i.e. characterization has been
performed. Second, the three dimensions of the reactor with the screw conveyor is modelled
using CATIA software and then imported in COMSOL5.0. Then after temperature profile
along the length of reactor has been simulated to study temperature distribution. Subsequently,
heat flux were added to investigate the temperature profile on the reactor and product yields.
Finally, manufacturing and experimental investigation was conducted. Using slow pyrolysis
process great biochar yields could be produced for the experiment conducted with the pyrolysis
temperature of 293
o
C to 773
o
C at heating rate of 50
o
C/min. An original screw reactor machine
which has a capacity to produce 470 kg biochar per day in continuous operating mode was
designed, manufactured and tested. This findings support the potential to prepare biochar from
flower waste by slow pyrolysis processes.
Description
Keywords
Slow pyrolysis, Biochar, screw reactors