Optimization of biomass and lignite fast pyrolysis parameters with experimental design method and the characterization of products

In this study pine sawdust and chickpea straw residue and lignite were selected as raw materials and fast pyrolysis of each was conducted in a fixed bed tubular reactor. Response surface methodology as an experimental design technique was used for the optimization of the parameters such as temperature, nitrogen flow rate and heating rate that affect the fast pyrolysis. Maximum bio-oil yields were achieved at the temperature of 500ºC, nitrogen flow rate of 150cm3/min and heating rate of 300ºC/min as %31.96 and %28.57 for pine sawdust and chickpea straw, respectively. %9.02 oil yield was obtained for lignite at the temperature of 600ºC, nitrogen flow rate of 200cm3/min and heating rate of 400ºC/min. The bio-oils and the oil from lignite that obtained at optimum conditions were characterized by GC-MS and FT-IR. For the fast pyrolysis of pine sawdust, chickpea straw and lignite, response surface methodology is a suitable and an effective way for the optimization of the parameters. According to the structure analysis bio-oils and oil obtained from fast pyrolysis of pine sawdust, chickpea straw residue and lignite at appropriate conditions can be used as synthetic fuel or valuable chemical feedstock.