Modeling of beech wood pellet pyrolysis under concentrated solar radiation

Abstract

A two-dimensional, unsteady CFD (Computational Fluid Dynamics) single particle model was developed and used to simulate the solar pyrolysis process of beech wood pellets (10 mm in diameter and 5 mm in height). Pseudo-stoichiometric coefficients about the mass fraction of primary tar converted by the reaction into gas and secondary tar were determined at different temperatures and heating rates for the first time. The 2D model predictions were successfully validated with tests performed at 600 °C to 2000 °C final temperature, with 10 and 50 °C/s heating rates. The evolution of the final products and mass losses of pyrolyzed biomass are enhanced with temperature and heating rate. Moreover, the higher the temperature and heating rate, the higher the gas yield. This emphasizes the intra-particle tar secondary reaction into gas for pyrolysis of large size sample under high temperature and heating rate.