A numerical model to characterize the producer gas composition by the pyrolysis process

This study proposes a numerical model developed to characterize the chemical composition of the gas produced by a pyrolysis process of olive oil residues. The process of pyrolysis is essentially described through a global chemical reaction that includes all the incondensable gaseous species and the yields of bio-oil and char. The gas chemical composition has been obtained solving a set of equations, composed by mass and energy balances. The chemical equilibrium has been solved considering the bound ward, the water-gas shift and the methanation reactions for modeling of pyrolysis process. We have validated and calibrated the model through the comparison with experimental data reported in other studies on biomass pyrolysis. The comparison of the model simulation results with the experimental data showed a good agreement. Moreover, with the aim to investigate the effect of process temperatures on the performance of the pyrolysis process a sensitivity analysis was carried out. Globally, the results of this study allow to point out the capability of the developed model to characterize the pyrolysis process of olive oil residues through the chemical composition of the producer gas and the yields of bio-oil and char.