Pyrolysis Systematics for Co-Utilization Applications

Abstract

A semi-empirical model (SEM) of slow pyrolysis (SP) of carbonaceous material along nature’s coalification path has been under development to facilitate blending of various feedstocks in fuel conversion systems (pyrolyzers, combustors, gasifiers, liquefiers and carbonizers). The model was adjusted to coal data in the literature and our own drop tube pyrolysis measurements with various types of biomass. The latest version of the model is here adapted to represent the flash pyrolysis (FP) yields of 15 products (CaHbOc) for 17 coal types measured by Xu and Tomita (XT) at 1037°K and at 5 additional temperatures for 8 of the coals. A good analytical representation of yields vs. C, H and O wt%s and temperature is found that makes the Xu-Tomita FP measurements conveniently available for many fuel conversion applications. Our larger objective is to help bring order into the fundamentals underlying humankind’s oldest technologies, the extraction of energy out of wood and coal.