"Batch pyrolysis reactor: design, realization and preliminary testing on selected biomasses"

The University of Perugia has developed IPRP (Integrated Pyrolysis Regenerated Plant) technology, based on a rotary kiln pyrolyser, of the capacity of 200 kg/h of chipped biomass, coupled with a 70 kWel gas turbine. Data obtained from a continuous test bench, of the capacity of 20 kg/h, and a batch plant (of the capacity of about 1 kg biomass) have been used to scale up the plant. The batch plant has been coupled with a line used to measure the tar content in the pyrogas. This has been realized according to the norm CEN/TS 15439. The reactor is used to obtain data on pyrolysis products yields (char, tar and gas). Once the yields have been measured and the reaction is finished, the next step is to characterize the final products, that is to measure their composition and heating value. Finally mass balances and energy balances are produced using the measured data. The reactor works under controlled conditions (final pyrolysis temperature and heating rate) and it could work with biomasses of different size. This gives the possibility to optimize pyrolysis process, changing from time to time different parameters (temperature, heating rate, inert gas flow, pressure inside the reactor, etc.). This paper describes the batch reactor and the tar sampling line and the results obtained working with different biomasses, compared with those reported in Literature.