Design, Fabrication, and Testing of a Continuous Laboratory-scale Pyrolysis Reactor for the Production of Charcoal from Rice Hull
Author : Arreola, Edward Elmer V.
Major Adviser : Capareda, Sergio C.
Committee Members : Movillon, Jovita A.; Arquiza, Apollo C.
Year : 1993
Month : October
Type : Thesis
Degree: BS
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Abstract
A continuous laboratory-scale pyrolysis reactor for the production of charcoal from rice hull was designed, fabricated, tested. The volume of the reactor was 0.0014 m³ (0.0479 ft³). Pre-testing showed that the volumetric efficiency of the reactor in terms of its capacity to flow rice hull has an average value of 85.15%. calibration of the reactor provided a curve which can be used to determine the flow rate of feed given the auger speed expressed in rpm. The calibration curve is defined by the equation, ?ₒ = 0.151 rpm. Pre-testing also determined that the nichrome-wire heating circuit of the reactor can attain a maximum temperature of 757 °C. the asbestos insulation used, however, was not enough to minimize the heat loss of the reactor.
Tests were done on the reactor using feeds of 50-gram rice hull, at auger speeds of one, two, and three rpm and at temperatures of 300, 400, and 500 °C with an uncertainty of 30 °C. Results showed that the charcoal yield is directly related to auger speed but inversely related to temperature. charcoal yields were highest at the auger speed of three rpm and at the carbonization temperature of 300 °C with an average value of 55.75, while the temperatures of 400 and 500 °C at the same auger speed, the yields were 43.4 and 39.9 %, respectively. At two rpm, the yields at 300, 400, and 500 °C were 43.4, 39.7, and 36.85, respectively. And at one rpm, the yields were 37.9, 31.6, and 30.8%, in that order. The charcoal yields were lower in value compared to those done by batch under laboratory conditions. But these yields were higher than those of the conventional charcoaling methods. However, the ash content of the charcoal produced by the reactor was high with an average value of 48.73%.
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