Pyrolysis processes

1. CONTENTS
• Introduction
• Aim of the study
• Plan of the work
• References

2. INTRODUCTION
• Currently, we are confronting a global energy crisis triggered by the growth of the world
population and the progressive depletion of fossil fuel reserves which have compelled the
world to seek alternative renewable energy sources

3. CONT…
• At the same time, Cities around the
world are producing more and more
organic waste (OW) as a result of
economic growth, human population
increment, consumerist lifestyles
appearance, and continued urbanization.

4. CONT…
• In Egypt, waste has been a constant challenge as Egypt produces around 30 million tons
of waste annually and till this moment, “waste” is still seen as “trouble” rather than a
resource.

5. CONT…
• Like most developing countries, waste management systems in Egypt are:
1- poorly managed
2- Lack the most basic engineering
3- Sanitary procedures for collecting and disposal (i.e. open dumping, open burning, and
landfilling) which has led to significant health and environmental problems.

6. CONT…
• Against this background, a fresh look is required to get a new joint vision of how waste
can be transformed into energy to create a win-win situation.

7. CONT…
• Today, a new generation of waste-to-energy technologies is gaining a lot of interest at
research and industry levels as they hold the potential to create renewable energy from
waste matter.

8. CONT…

9. CONT…
• Pyrolysis is regarded as a revolutionary
and easy technology within waste to
energy technologies with a zero-cost
feedstock. The pyrolysis process is based
on a thermochemical decomposition of
the waste after heating it to high
temperature in an oxygen-free
environment producing bio-fuels (bio-oil,
bio-char, and bio-gas).

10. CONT…
• Bio-oil can be vital fuel alternatives in
many static applications like boilers and
diesel engines for power generations.
• Accordingly, the pyrolysis of organic
waste may be a viable choice for
resolving the issues mentioned above.

11. CONT…
Types of Pyrolysis:
• Pyro-lysis methods and processes are
divided into three main.
• These processes have different residence
time, heating rates, feedstock sizes and
reaction temperatures.
• So type of pyrolysis process depending on
operating conditions and the type of
feedstock.
Process
Retention
Temp (0C)
Time of
Heating
(0C/min)
Residence
Time
Feed
Stock
Size
Biooil
Yield (%)
Biochar
Yield (%)
Gas
Yield
(%)
Flash Pyro-lysis 300-1000 10-1000 2s
Finely
ground
60-75 10-25 10-30
Fast Pyro-lysis 300-550 50 5-30 min Whole 20-50 25-35 20-50
Intermediate
Pyro-lysis
300-450 200 10 min
Finely
ground
35-50 25-40 20-30

12. CONT…
Catalytic pyrolysis:
• In biomass catalytic pyrolysis the products of the thermal conversion reactions are put into
contact with a catalyst to:
1- Change the composition of the pyrolysis vapors.
2- Upgrade the bio-oil fraction.

13. CONT…
• Several parameters affect catalytic pyrolysis reactions leading to varied product yields,
composition, and properties.
• These parameters include:
1- Biomass feedstock composition.
2- Catalyst types and properties.
3- Process parameters or operating conditions.

14. CONT…
Types of catalyst:
• Different kinds of catalysts are used to overall improve the pyrolysis process of organic
wastes to enhance process efficiency.
• Catalysts are usually classified into two groups: homogeneous and heterogeneous.
• Generally, homogeneous catalysts are in a single phase (reactants, products, and catalysts
are in the same phase), i.e., liquid solution

15. CONT…
• Heterogeneous catalysts are mostly in the solid form, and they are added to solid or
liquid or gaseous compounds in the mixture.
• Heterogeneous catalysts are of more common use because of:
1- Their easy separation from the liquid pyrolysis product, which allows
the catalyst to be reused.
2-They are non-corrosive.

16. CONT…
• Examples for Homogeneous catalyst:
Catalyst Name Chemical Structure
Aluminum chloride (AlCl3)
Potassium hydroxide KOH
Sodium hydroxide NaOH
Sodium methoxide (CH3ONa)
Hydrochloric acid HCL
Phosphoric acid H3PO4
Sulphuric acid H2SO4

17. CONT…
• Examples for Heterogeneous catalyst:
Catalyst Name Chemical Structure
Zinc oxide ZnO
Magnesium oxide MgO
Calcium-carbonate CaCO3
Calcium carbide CaC2
Zeolite Socony Mobil-5 ZSM-5
Zeolite Mn+
1/n(AlO2)−(SiO2)x･yH2O
Fluid Catalytic Cracking FCC

18. CONT…
• Catalysts have a very critical role in:
1- Promoting the process efficiency.
2- Targeting the specific reaction (Product selectivity)
3- Reducing the process temperature and time so reduce energy consumption
required for the process.

20. CONT…
Types of organic wastes that can be used as a feedstock for pyrolysis process:
• Organic waste is a waste from a biological origin.
• The organic waste means biodegradable waste.
• Municipal solid wastes, including market and restaurant wastes and green waste
(foliage) from parks and gardens, food waste, paper waste and biodegradable
plastics.