Effect of operational parameters on fast pyrolysis of palm kernel cake using fluidized bed reactor

In this study, the central composite rotatable design (CCRD) was employed for investigating the effect of feed rate of feedstock, biomass particle size, pyrolysis temperature and residence time on fast pyrolysis of biomass. Palm kernel cake, abundant biomass with the major composition of hemicellulose, mannan (a cellulose-like component), lignin and remaining palm oil, was used as a feedstock in this research. The optimum yields for liquid and char products were calculated to be 49.6 and 70.3 wt%, respectively, by the mathematical model. The optimum conditions were determined to be feed rate of 216 g/hr, particle size of 600mm, pyrolysis temperature of 500ðC, and residence time of 0.9 sec. The GC analysis showed that gas products consisted of CO, CO₂, and hydrocarbon-rich gas, without any hydrogen. Additionally, the hydrocarbon-rich gases had similar compositions, such as methane, ethane, ethylene, and propane. Liquid product was a complex mixture composed of mostly oxygenated compounds, including D-allose (21.5 area%), derivatives of furan and phenol, and a considerable amount of fatty acids.