Production of bio-oil by fast pyrolysis of biomass for testing in engines

Abstract

Production of bio-oil by fast pyrolysis of biomass for testing in engines. The objective is fast pyrolysis of contaminated sawdust in a fluidized bed reactor at a biomass feed rate of 1 kg/hr and a reaction temperature of 500°C. The heating rate was 50°C/min. At the end of the experiment, a mass balance was performed to quantify the yield of the bio-oil and the bio-oil was analyzed for calorific value, viscosity, density, flash point-fire point and ash content. The selected bio-oil was then mixed with diesel at ratios of 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80 and 0:100 wt%. The results of the research found that the yield of bio-oil was 61.8 wt%, with the main bio-oil obtained from the cooling water condensation unit being 45.3 wt%. The properties analysis found that this bio-oil has a high heating value of 32.6 MJ/kg, a viscosity of 7.9 cSt, and fire point of a temperature of 26.2°C. When this bio-oil was mixed with diesel at a ratio reduced by 20 wt%, the calorific value and ignition temperature increased while the viscosity continued to decrease. The results of the test of bio-oil in the engine found that it completely improved the combustion efficiency within the combustion chamber, resulting in a marked reduction in the number of hydrocarbons (HC) and carbon monoxide (CO). Therefore, this research should be extended to apply bio-oil in engines to further study long-term performance.