Exergetic Efficiency of Biomass Pyrolysis

Lena Perkins {lena.perkins@stanford.edu}

1,2

Stanford University, Mechanical Engineering Department Carnegie Institution, Department of Global Ecology

Objective

Using the quantitative metrics of Exergy Efficiency

and Second Law Thermodynamic Efficiency evaluate
and compare several leading options for pyrolytic
processing of biomass.

Background

Pyrolytic processes are broadly defined as thermal

breakdown in an inert environment, but as these
processes are increasingly favored as economical
options for biomass processing, more thorough
definitions are required. An overview of pyrolysis
processes is below. This project has started with a
focus on modeling and experimental work
investigating Carbonization and Fast Pyrolysis.
Pyrolytic Process

Residence time

Heating rate

Temperature

Products (wt% daf)

Carbonization Continued...

Carbonization is of great interest for upgrading

various forms of biomass feedstock in order to
increase their energy density, improve their storage
characteristics, improve their homogeneity, and
improve their pulverization characteristics. Our
current model uses a parallel reaction model with a
Gaussian Distribution of Activation Energies.

Fast Pyrolysis Defined

- very high heating and heat transfer rates,

- carefully controlled temperature of ~550oC

- short vapor residence times, less than ~2 sec
- rapid cooling of vapors to yield bio-oil

The kinetic models for Fast and Slow Pyrolysis will

be finished in order to compare the exergetic
efficiency of Carbonization, Fast Pyrolysis, and Slow
Pyrolysis. Once this first step is complete, in order
to more completely quantify the exergetic
requirements of each pyrolytic process, we are
integrating an algorithm which calculates the
estimated exergetic costs of the collection,
pretreatment, and disposal requirements.

Table 1. Types of pyrolysis from Demirabas.1

Current Work: Thermokinetic

Modeling of Carbonization

Table 3. Bas breakdown of elements, pH and

heating value of bio-oil.4

Next Steps

Characteristics of
Fast Pyrolysis Bio-oil

Figure 2. Tofts assessment of fast pyrolysis

products.

Fast Pyrolysis Mass and Energy Balance:

Pine Needles3

Acknowledgments
Many thanks to Stanford Professors Chris Field of
the Dept. of Global Ecology, Carnegie Institution,
Professors Reggie Mitchell and Chris Edwards of
the Dept. of Mechanical Engineering, and Professor
Adam Brandt of the Dept. of Energy Resources
Engineering. Funding provided by Stanford
Graduate Fellowship and Global Climate and
Energy Project.

References
:
1. Demirbas, A. J. Anal. Appl. Pyrolysis 2005, 73, 39-43.
Figure 1. Gaussian Distributed Activation
Energy Model applied to Isothermal TGA traces.

Table 2. Knights estimation of Mass and energy.3

2. Toft, A.J., Ph.D. thesis, Aston University, Birmingham, UK 1996

3. Knight,Presented at the Conference on Energy and Wood
Products Industry,, 1976.
4. Ba, T.; Chaala,. Energy Fuels 2004, 18 (1), 188-201.