Development of biomass fast pyrolysis simulation to obtain bio-oil aiming at biofuel production

• Grant number: 24/05208-3
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• Status: Discontinued
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Mechanical Engineering - Thermal Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Ingrid Lopes Motta
• Grantee: Guilherme Iureschi
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Mecânica (FEM). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Associated scholarship(s): 24/20782-8 - Experimental Investigation of Bioalgae and Lignocellulosic Biomass Co-pyrolysis for Bioproduct Development, BE.EP.IC

Abstract

Fast pyrolysis is a very promising thermochemical process to decarbonize the energy sector and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Fast pyrolysis consists of the thermal decomposition of carbonaceous materials in the absence of oxygen at temperatures of 400-600 °C and residence times of 0.5 to 2.0 s, generating liquid products (bio-oil), solids (biochar) and gases with high calorific value. Bio-oil is the main product and consists of a complex mixture of hundreds of organic compounds distributed in aqueous and non-aqueous phases with high calorific value, and can be used for the production of biofuels such as sustainable aviation (SAF). To evaluate the technical and environmental feasibility of fast pyrolysis to obtain SAF, it is necessary to have a rigorous simulation of this process, which can adequately represent the phenomena of fast pyrolysis, as well as the yields and physicochemical composition of the products. This project aims to develop a rigorous simulation of the fast pyrolysis process to serve as a basis for future technical and environmental assessments. The simulation will be developed using the Aspen Plus software and will contain fluid dynamic and kinetic aspects of fast pyrolysis reactions, being able to predict the effect of operational parameters and raw material composition on process outputs. Furthermore, a sensitivity analysis will be carried out in order to investigate the effect of co-pyrolysis of different raw materials (for example, combinations of sugarcane bagasse and straw, eucalyptus and lignin). This work hopes to benefit the broad area of energy transition and decarbonization, contributing to the mitigation of environmental impacts.