2023'

5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON

SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)

Pyrolysis Reactor Design and Performance Assessment for

Renewable Energy Production from Bay Leaves and Beech Wood
Muhammad Osama Aziz1, Aqib Nawaz Khan2, Muhammad Uzair Khan1, Yousaf Salim2, Muhammad
Usman Khan2
1
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Engineering and Technology, UET Peshawar, KPK,
Pakistan
2
Department of Energy Systems Engineering, U.S. Pakistan Centre for Advanced Studies in Energy (USPCAS-E),
National University of Sciences & Technology (NUST), Sector H-12 Islamabad 44000, Pakistan

5th International Conference on Sustainable Energies Technologies (ICSET)

(ICSET 2023)
13, 14 December 2023
Outline

 Introduction
 Literature Review
 Methodology
 Results and Discussion
 Conclusion
 Short Biography of the Author

US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'

ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Introduction

 Energy Landscape Challenges:

 Escalating global energy demand.
 Accelerating depletion of fossil fuel resources.
 Escalating environmental concerns: air pollution,
greenhouse gas effects, climate change.

 Exploring Alternatives:
 Identification of potential sources.
 Plastics (Polyethylene terephthalate, Polystyrene,
Polyvinyl Chloride).
 Biomass (wood, solid waste, crop residue, dedicated
crops like jatropha, sunflower seeds, and microalgae).
US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'
ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Introduction

 Harnessing Biomass Potential:

 Potential for cleaner and efficient fuel production.
 Objective:
 Investigate biomass conversion through innovative
reactor design.
 Introduction of pyrolysis as a potential alternative,
producing pyrolysis oil, char, and synthetic gas.
 Target: Reduce energy consumption, commercialize the
process.

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ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Literature Review

 Basic cylinder design with gas inlets and outlets leading to poor heat
transfer efficiency (Ibrahim and Ibrahim, 2020; Tumuluru et al., 2021).
 Some heat is wasted and not utilized properly due to gaps between
feedstock particles , to make the heat rate as maximum as possible
small particle sizes will be used and feedstock will be compressed by
a perforated plate.
 Tighter biomass packing, enhanced insulation, and increased reactor
size are identified improvements (Gulshan, 2017; Sansaniwal et al.,
2017).
 Combining ease of manufacture of a fixed bed reactor with benefits of
a fluidized bed reactor.
 Utilizing a square shape for maximum surface area, facilitating
extensive contact between feedstock particles and the heating
medium (Chen et al., 2021; Kolenchukov et al., 2023).

US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'

ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Methodology

 Reactor Design Enhancement: Creation of a new reactor design to

address the furnace's inability to self-heat, aiming to improve overall
performance.
 Heating Component Introduction: Incorporation of heating
components to expedite the heating process and free the reactor from
furnace constraints.
 Maintaining Sandwich Design: Retention of the sandwich design from
the prior model for better heat transmission between biomass and the
heating surface.
 Overcoming Uneven Heat Distribution: Modification of reactor design
to address issues with cylindrical or spherical reactors, ensuring
uniform heat dispersion to feedstock.
 Five Primary Reactor Components: Foundation, body frame, top cap,
plate (for biomass pressure), and heating elements are identified as the
primary components.
US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'
ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Methodology

 Base Structure Division: Base divided into upper and lower sections,
with the upper section designated for heating components and the lower
section for nitrogen gas introduction.
 Body Frame for Feedstock Spread: Rectangular body frame designed to
spread feedstock over the base, enhancing surface contact for uniform
heat distribution.
 Perforated Plate for Biomass Pressure: Use of a perforated plate to apply
pressure on biomass, facilitating contact with the heating surface and
improving heat transmission efficiency.
 Heating Elements for Enhanced Heat: Introduction of cartridge heating
elements with a combined power of 2500 watts, strategically arranged in
the base for efficient heat transfer.
 PID Controller for Temperature Regulation: Implementation of a
Proportional-Integral-Derivative (PID) controller to regulate reactor
temperature, enhancing control and accuracy.
US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'
ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
 Cad design and assembly

Lower Section Top cap

3D assembly of the reactor

Lower Section Perforated Plate

Body Frame Heating Element

PID controller and K-type thermocouple

US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'

ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Final Assembly

Parts before welding Parts after welding, drilling, and finishing

Final Assembly

Heating element

US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'

ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Results and Discussion

 Bay Leaves Pyrolysis Results:

 Bay leaves, weighing 14.8 and 14.5 grams, were pyrolyzed at 480
degrees Celsius with a continuous flow of N2 carrier gas.
 Smoke emergence at 210°C, dark-brown oil condensation at 260°C, and
significant reduction in smoke production at 390°C.
 Collection of 4.25 grams and 4.31 grams of solid products with
pyrophoric properties at the end of the experiment.

 Beech Wood Pyrolysis Results:

 Beech wood chip samples of 15.2 grams and 16.5 grams were
pyrolyzed similarly to bay leaves.
 Smoke formation at 225°C, oil condensation at 270°C, and cessation of
smoke production at 430°C.
 Collection of 4.03 grams and 4.25 grams of solid residuals with larger
particle sizes at the experiment's conclusion.

US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'

ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Collected Samples after Experimentation

Collected solid product of Bay

leaves Sample

Collected solid product of Beech

wood Sample

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ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Results and Discussion

 Gas Product Yield Calculation:

 The gas product yield was determined by the mass
change of biomass from the beginning to the end of each
experiment.
 Mass balance principles were applied to calculate the gas
product yield, allowing for subsequent determination of
pyrolysis oil yield.
 Gas production yields for both bay leaves and beech
wood experiments were calculated using the literature-
based relationship between vapor and non-condensable
gas.

US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'

ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
 Gas yield for each sample

US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'

ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Conclusion

 Successful development of a small-scale, compact reactor for

efficient and rapid pyrolysis of feedstock.
 Novel reactor design prioritizing efficiency and compactness,
ideal for smaller-scale pyrolysis operations.
 Carefully planned, manufactured, and assembled flow reactor
providing an optimal environment for thermal degradation.
 Precise control of the pyrolysis process, enhancing both the
quality and yield of end products.
 Outstanding feature: The reactor's ability to pre-heat N2 gas
before interacting with the fuel, optimizing reaction conditions
and improving overall performance. Additionally, the design
prioritizes heat efficiency, minimizing heat losses and optimizing
energy use for a more effective and sustainable pyrolysis process.
US-Pakistan Center for Advanced Studies In 2023'
ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
Biography

Muhammad Osama Aziz

Affiliation:
Metro Consulting Grid
Position:
Systems and Support Specialist
Education:
- MS Energy Systems Engineering, USPCAS-E, NUST, H-12, Islamabad. (2022)
- BSc. Mechanical Engineering, MED, UET Peshawar, KPK. (2020)
Professional Experience:
- Systems and Support Specialist, Metro Consulting Grid
- Maintenance engineer (mechanical) al-fajr international
- Shift engineer (mechanical) afi-norinco j.V
- Trainee Engineer, Haier Lahore

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ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
SUSTAINABLE ENERGY TECHNOLOGIES (ICSET)
 Thank you for your attention!

Questions/ Queries/ Suggestions and Recommendation are appreciated!

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ENERGY 5TH INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON
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